Been sick for the past week, but think I'm finally on the mend. First a snowstorm. Now illness. Gonna take more than that to keep me from getting this story rolling!
A big thank you to everyone that checked out the story in the first week! Already a great response for a new story and super encouraging to see. I really do appreciate you all taking the time to take a look.
On with the chapter!
"Get up, Adam."
Adam yawned loudly in answer, thankful that his father didn't feel the need to rob him of his covers this time, though that might have had more to do with how quickly Adam sat up. He shook his head briskly to drive away the last vestiges of sleep. Content with his responsiveness, Father Bernard left the room to begin breakfast.
Adam hurriedly rushed over to his dresser, excitedly yanking his clothes on before realizing his shirt was backwards. A quick correction hardly slowed him down as he made his way to the window and threw the curtains open. The sudden burst of light stung his eyes but failed to stop him from opening the window and hurriedly seeking out the stable.
"Good morning, Eve!" he called, receiving an excited whinny in response. If all went according to plan, the two of them would be hitting the trail by lunch. All he had to do was convince Dad.
The aroma of breakfast beckoned to Adam from down the hall. The sizzling of sausage on the stove greeted his arrival. Adam flew around the small kitchen, setting the table and pouring them both a glass of juice while Father Bernard fried their eggs. He planted himself in his chair with enough force that he had to scoot back up to the table, bouncing happily as Father Bernard plated their hearty meal.
His plate had barely hit the table before Adam practically inhaled its contents.
"I'll take that as a compliment," Father Bernard chuckled as he took the seat opposite his son, taking time to actually chew his food. He hadn't even finished half his breakfast before Adam bolted from the room. "You're welcome!" Father Bernard called as the front door slammed behind the boy.
Adam's energy proved contagious, as Eve was practically dancing in her stall as he hastened to refill the water trough outside the mostly empty stable. While they only owned two horses, they often allowed the passing merchants to house their animals in the extra stalls free of charge when they stopped in Shizukana. Most of the merchants would leave a small offering for the church as payment regardless. The four horses that had been housed overnight had already been collected by the caravan early that morning. A small pouch of coins hung on the nearest stall's door as usual.
Eve nudged him from behind, leaning over her stall door to demand his attention as he passed by.
"Hold on, girl," Adam instructed, gently scratching Eve's neck after collecting the offering and tying it to his belt. "You know the old man has to come first."
Abel snorted from the next stall, as if offended by the comment.
"You know it's true," Adam laughed as he opened the stall door for his father's horse. Abel released a soft sigh before indignantly walking out to the pasture. "Alright girl. Your turn."
As with most mornings, Eve followed Adam out, shaking out her mane before stopping to enjoy some of the fresh water Adam had just poured. Adam stood beside her, stroking her back. His hand ran along the broad shoulder muscles and all the way across her firm body to her hindquarters, pressing firmly against the well-developed muscles along the way. While not as powerful as Abel, who was more used to long rides, Eve still possessed a strength that Adam admired. He carefully watched for any response from Eve as he pressed down near the joints. When she failed to show any discomfort, Adam nodded contentedly, pleased to see she was as healthy as ever. Father Bernard had instructed him where to check each morning, telling him it was critical to monitor for any soreness or weakness before it could develop into something worse. His father would do the same for Abel later when he came outside.
"So, do you think he'll let us come along today?" Eve turned her head to look at him. "I mean, I think we're ready. Don't you?"
Eve sighed.
"Don't give me that! We both know you can keep up with old Abel, especially with how slow Dad rides." Adam loved taking Eve out for rides and seeing how fast she could go. The two of them would fly across the pasture most days, enjoying the way the wind whipped through Eve's mane and stung Adam's eyes.
The thrill of rushing across the land and exploring the open fields around the village made up for the boring lessons and chores he had to do every day. Father Bernard preferred a slow and steady pace, both in riding and in life. Sure, that was good for long trips to ensure you didn't wear out your horse early, but Adam much preferred the thrill of a gallop. Father Bernard sometimes made him practice riding laps around the pasture for hours just to get used to endurance riding, but anytime his father wasn't watching, Adam would have Eve sprinting away on some new adventure.
And he really hoped today would mark a new adventure with Dad.
"Adam!"
"Coming!" Adam called back. "Alright, girl. I've gotta get going. I'll see you soon, okay?" Adam patted his horse's side before hopping the fence and heading back to the house. "Wish me luck!"
"Someone's in a hurry today," Father Bernard commented as Adam slipped into the office and deposited the pouch on his desk. To be fair, Adam had never shown much enthusiasm for their lessons, so his hurried arrival . Certain parts of their history lessons could be interesting, but most of the other subjects bored him. He much preferred the practical lessons - things he could actually use. Botany and Herbology. Husbandry. First Aid. All skills that could prove vital to someone outside the larger settlements. Skills that could save lives.
Skills that would make him useful.
"We'll keep the lessons short today." Adam nearly cheered the announcement from Father Bernard. "I'm traveling to Katai again, so I have to leave a little early today. I expect you to be on your best behavior while I'm gone. Brother Wilde will be stopping in to check on you twice a day."
Adam tried not to roll his eyes as Father Bernard started giving the usual instructions about doing his chores, what to eat, and a list of things he felt he could nearly recite from memory at this point. Father Bernard went to the larger village of Katai several times each year, so Adam felt confident he'd be fine - just like every time before.
Or maybe this time could be different.
"Dad?" Adam nervously began, now that the moment he'd been waiting for had finally arrived.
"Yes, Adam?"
"I was thinking…" Adam trailed off as all the planning he had done beforehand abandoned him in his moment of need. "Maybe I could come with you this time?"
Subtlety wasn't exactly his strong suit.
Father Bernard took a deep breath, lips tightening as he prepared to answer. Adam recognized the obvious denial before it ever came and rushed to head it off.
"I've been practicing my riding a lot lately. Eve can definitely keep up for the entire trip. You keep saying how you'll take me sometime. Plus, it would be a great chance for you to teach me about travelling and other settlements. I could-"
Father Bernard silently raised his hand, silencing Adam's rapid explosion of reasons. He sighed heavily as he prepared to crush the boy's hopes. "Adam, I'm sorry."
"But it'd only be-"
"I wish I could, Adam, but not this time." Adam slumped in his seat, knowing his efforts were already doomed. "Really, I do. But travelling through the wilderness is no small task. You don't just set off on a whim."
"Because of the Grimm?"
"Not just the Grimm," Father Bernard answered. "I have to make arrangements with a caravan in advance to take me with them. We have to bring proper supplies. I make arrangements at Katai for lodging." Adam knew all of this, but he still had to try. "Besides, I need someone to take care of things around here."
"Ask Brother Wilde to watch the plants." It wasn't like they were that hard to care for. After all, a child could do it. "And if Eve and I came with you, there wouldn't be any horses to watch here."
"I'm going to be in meetings with some of the other pastors most of the visit," Father Bernard countered. I can't just leave you alone in a strange city, and you'd be bored out of your skull with me." Adam made no effort to hide his disappointment. "Tell you what. Next month, I shouldn't have anything going on. How about I take you to visit Katai then?"
"Really?"
"Sure!" Father Bernard brightened as Adam's energy crept back in at the news. "We'll take a few days to explore the village together, just the two of us." Before Adam could get too worked up, Father Bernard made sure to add some requirements. "I'll ask Brother Wilde if he can take care of things here when I get back. And you'll need to work ahead on your lessons."
"I can do that!" Adam ran to grab his textbooks from the shelf against the wall.
"Hold on, Adam. I don't mean right now." Father Bernard shook his head in amusement. "Besides, today's lesson will be a spiritual one, not a mental one."
Adam returned to his seat and settled in as Father Bernard handed him a small copy of the scripture. Father Bernard's was much larger, well worn from years of use and with countless notes scribbled in the large margins. "Lets pick up where we left off in Perfidus chapter twelve. Why don't you tell me what you remember?"
Adam thought for a moment, trying to summarize the previous chapters as quickly as he could. "The Brother Gods still lived among the people." Father Bernard nodded along. "Humanity prospered, until they turned on the Gods and tried to overthrow them."
"Very good," Father Bernard agreed. "But humanity was deceived into betraying the Gods by a demon. This creature told them they could become more powerful than the Gods themselves, but in reality, it just wanted to replace the Gods and rule itself. They would've traded the Brother's balance for a demon's tyranny."
"But why would they do that?" Adam questioned.
"The same reason the Kingdoms fought in the Great War. The same reason people turn to murder and thievery. The same reason children fight with each other." Father Bernard paused to emphasize the last, more applicable point. "Because as much as man has the wisdom and love of the God of Light in them, they also have the potential for destruction."
"From the God of Darkness," Adam concluded.
"Right."
"Then why didn't the God of Light do something about that?" Rather than wait for an answer, Adam continued his thought aloud. "Why not banish his Brother or fight him for control? If there was no God of Darkness, man wouldn't have had the urge to attack in the first place, right?"
"Well, yes," Father Bernard allowed. He loved letting Adam think through concepts like this to let the boy reason out his faith. With guidance, of course. "But is it really better to have no choice? How can the God of Light be merciful and kind if he forces obedience? Isn't that exactly what the demon was trying to do?"
"But the demon was evil! It wanted to destroy the Gods and enslave humanity."
"Isn't that what you just suggested?" Silence claimed the room as Adam realized he'd cornered himself. "You wanted the God of Light to get rid of his Brother and prevent mankind from choosing to revolt - to force his will on the people. That sounds oddly familiar."
"Oh…"
"With that in mind, let's continue reading and see what came of their revolt." Father Bernard read aloud from the passage as Adam followed along. The text spoke of how most of humanity banded together in open revolt to attack the God of Light with the help of the demon, but were completely overwhelmed as the God of Darkness joined the fight against the invading force. In spite of the demon's efforts to rally the human armies and continue the attack, they were destroyed by the God of Darkness.
"Why was the God of Darkness there?" Adam asked. "Didn't he have his own domain?"
A few passages spoke of a terrifying land overrun by Grimm, in the midst of which the God of Darkness dwelt. It was said to be a place of turmoil, suffering, and death. In contrast, the God of Light's domain was said to be a brilliant oasis where people from all lands would come to worship and pray. The God of Light even performed miracles there at times.
"Because despite them being opposites in almost every way, they were still Brothers," Father Bernard answered. "Which is why we are called to love our brothers, just as they loved each other."
"But I don't have any brothers," Adam quickly pointed out. "Or sisters."
"Sure you do, Adam." Father Bernard pointed out the office window toward the village. "Neighbors. Friends. Even those that seek to hurt you. They are all your brothers." Adam looked confused, so Father Bernard elaborated. "Whenever you find someone in need of help, that is your brother. And as Brotherians, we are called to love them. To help them in their moment of need."
"So, everyone on Remnant could be my brother?"
"Exactly."
"Even you?" Adam asked. "But you're my dad."
Father Bernard hesitated a moment. "Well, yes. But in the spiritual sense, I'm also your brother, and you are mine. If you were ever in need of help, I'd be there for you, just as I'd hope you'd help me if I was ever in need."
"Of course…Brother Dad."
Father Bernard rolled his eyes at his son's joke. "Glad to see you taking the lesson so seriously." He closed his scripture as he rose from the desk. "Well, that's all for today. I have to get ready to go. Can you get Abel ready for me?"
"Yes, Dad," Adam dutifully responded before heading for the stable once more. Eve met him inside, ready for a new day of riding. "Sorry, girl. He said no."
Instead, he called out for Abel. As the larger horse entered, Adam glumly fastened his father's riding tack on Abel. The caravan Father Bernard would be travelling with would provide feed for him, thankfully - just another way they repaid the kindness of using the stable. Still, Adam put a small packet of alfalfa hay in Abel's saddlebag, just in case. It was always good to be prepared.
A rustling behind Adam caught his attention. Eve was standing outside her stall, nudging the saddle nearby.
"I told you girl, not this time." Adam patted Eve's side, but she just nosed the saddle again. "I'm serious! I mean, it's not like he'll change his mind just because we're ready to-"
Adam froze as an idea sprang into his head. The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced it might work. His main concern was that we haven't prepared. So what if I do all the preparation myself? He'd have to hurry, but it was doable.
Father Bernard was waiting outside the church half an hour later, chatting with Brother Wilde, who had stopped by on his break to bid the pastor farewell. With far more confidence than he really felt, Adam led Abel and Eve around the corner, both fully prepared for the journey ahead. Brother Wilde saw him first, waving with a smile as Adam approached.
Father Bernard looked far less pleased when he noticed the horses.
"Adam, why is Eve saddled?" Adam gulped as he prepared to put his plan in motion. "You know I don't want you riding when I'm not here."
"I know," Adam began, "but you said I couldn't come because you needed to prepare beforehand. So I thought, maybe if I prepared everything myself-"
"Adam…"
"-then maybe I could come. I packed extra food for the horses-"
"Adam."
"-and even packed my camping gear for the nights. And don't worry about the meetings. I brought some books to read while I wait, so you don't-"
"Adam, enough!" Adam's jaw clicked shut. Father Bernard's usual calmness faltered as he took a deep breath, face somewhat flushed with frustration. He slowly released the breath, doing his best to calm down before turning to the visitor. "Thank you again, Brother Wilde, but I need to have a quick chat with my son before I leave."
"N-no problem, Father." Even Brother Wilde seemed surprised at the situation. Adam didn't fail to notice how quickly the man excused himself. "Have a safe journey."
And with that, the man beat a hasty retreat, leaving Father Bernard and Adam alone in silence. Several agonizing seconds passed before Father Bernard finally turned to face his son.
"We already talked about this, Adam. You can't come with me."
"But-"
"No buts," Father Bernard interrupted before Adam could start up again. "Thank you for preparing Abel for me, but I am going alone. I expect you to take care of the house and yourself while I'm away. Understood?"
Adam stared at his feet, too embarrassed to look his father in the eye. "Yes sir," he mumbled, holding out Abel's reins in dejection as Father Bernard reached for them.
Which left Adam surprised when the hand fell on his shoulder instead. He forced himself to look at the man before him, who had bent down closer to eye-level. The anger he had seen before had vanished, replaced with a sadness matching his own.
"I'm sorry, son, but my decision is final." Father Bernard pulled the boy in for a quick but firm embrace. "I'll be back in five days. And when I come back, we'll start planning our trip for next month, okay?"
"You promise?" Adam asked as Father Bernard pulled away.
"I promise. Now help your old man up. Abel's not as short as I remember," Father Bernard chuckled. With a little help from Adam, and a small groan as he swung his leg over, Father Bernard steadied himself for the ride ahead. "I've got to meet the caravan across town. If you need anything, Brother Wilde will be stopping in on his way to and from work each day."
"Okay."
"And feel free to do some studying while I'm gone," Father Bernard instructed. "Brother Wilde is excellent at math and can help if you have any questions."
That got a much less enthusiastic response, as math was Adam's least favorite subject.
"Behave yourself." And with that, Father Bernard turned Abel around and started the trek through the village to meet up with the caravan. Adam watched him go, then led Eve back to the stable.
It didn't take him long to undo all of his preparations for the trip, but each item he put away served as another reminder that he was staying. Eve headed back out to the pasture as he trudged inside. With nothing better to do, he pulled out his History book and mindlessly thumbed through the next chapter. Descriptions of how Mistral formed their government and what measures were put in place at the time failed to interest him. Instead, his mind wandered down the trail he had yet again missed out on.
Thoughts of travel quickly seized his mind. Exploring new lands. Hunting and gathering his own food. Camping out under the stars. It all sounded so wonderful. Much better than being cooped up in a cramped office and studying useless facts.
Adam slammed the book shut in frustration. He checked on the garden, but found clear signs of Father Bernard's tending to it earlier. He refused to spend any more time studying. Not like I would be focusing anyways. He needed some way to unwind. Something that would calm him down.
Only one place came to mind, and it wasn't here.
But it's so far away, Adam mentally complained. Walking there and back would take forever, and he needed to be home when Brother Wilde visited later. Normally, he would just ride Eve out to his favorite spot, but Father Bernard had forbidden him from riding when he was gone. He'd get in a lot of trouble if Dad ever found out.
If he found out…
If Dad was gone, how would he ever know? After all, Adam had done his chores for the morning and even attempted to study. Most days, he'd get to go riding next, so why not today? As long as he was back before Brother Wilde came to check on him this evening, he'd be in the clear.
Adam had scarcely considered the idea before he found himself making plans. I could make myself some lunch and eat when I get there. With how well he knew the area and Eve's speed, he could easily stay an hour or two and be back with plenty of time to do his afternoon chores before dinner. Heck, if he left soon, he could probably stay there longer. And it would do wonders for his mood right now, which would make studying easier later.
Already, he found himself in the kitchen, pulling out bread for sandwiches. Yeah. This could work. I'll be back before anyone even notices. Two sandwiches and an apple were bagged in a flash. And when I get back, I'll get all my work done and maybe even do some reading before bed.
Eve looked as happy as ever to see him. The saddle he had put away was back on her in an instant, and the two soon sped from the stable and around the outskirts of the village. The wind whipped past him as he urged Eve on faster and faster. Adam's energy proved contagious, infecting Eve with the need to test herself as they hastened to the edge of the forest. A few minutes of skirting the treeline had Adam easing Eve to a slow trot as the entrance to the trail approached.
"Great work, Eve," Adam assured her as they bid farewell to the open fields around Shizukana. The trail wound through the trees, meandering through the small hills until the dirt path opened up to a grassy clearing. Adam dismounted and took a deep breath, savoring the calm around him.
Eve followed as he kept walking, her steps becoming louder as the clearing gave way to rocky ledges and the sound of rushing water began to dominate the air. Adam stopped as they reached the edge of the small cliff overlooking the river that snaked through the hills and eventually reached his village. Downstream, the water was calm. But here, the water raged and splashed about. Just upstream, an intimidating waterfall dumped countless gallons onto the rocks below. The rocks roared their defiance against the deluge, but neither gave in. In spite of the chaos below, Adam always found the place oddly calming.
With a content sigh, Adam sat on the edge of the cliff, letting his feet dangle as he pulled out his lunch. The deafening cacophony of the waterfall gave his mind something to focus on, and he was soon lost in awe of the power before him.
Water always fascinated Adam. It could be so calm and still in places, yet devastating in others. The same substance that provided so much could be just as destructive. He'd seen the photos in his History book of flood damage. He'd watched videos of rivers carrying trees, vehicles, and even whole buildings away faster than he could ever hope to match on Eve. Such unimaginable raw power, and yet it all came from tiny drops falling from the sky. From such humble beginnings to such dominating strength.
And yet, where the water chose to be calm, it brought life. Every village relied on nearby water sources. The fish that the merchants sometimes sold lived in countless numbers within the waters of Remnant. Massive whales larger than anything he'd ever seen called the oceans home. That something could be so generous and devastating at the same time fascinated the young boy's imagination.
Maybe that's how the Gods were, Adam pondered, the day's lesson still lingering in his mind. They gave life and power to people, yet were able to completely destroy their armies with no effort at all. Such a thought was terrifying, and Adam found himself grateful that the Brothers had left. Knowing something of that power lurked in the world would be terrifying.
As Adam let his mind wander, he pulled out his small knife and sliced his apple in half, holding the second part out for Eve while he took a bite of his own. "You didn't think I'd forgotten about you, did you girl?"
When Eve failed to take his offered treat, Adam glanced over to see what could possibly be more interesting than a free snack. "Eve?" Eve stood several feet away pawing nervously at the ground before letting out a small whine. "Alright. I'll come away from the edge." Adam scooted back, stood, and dusted some crumbs off his pants. "See? Nothing to worry about."
Adam always liked to sit on the edge, but Eve had never reacted to it before.
"I guess we might as well head back," Adam said as he approached his horse. As much as he hated to return to the empty house, Adam knew he couldn't stay here forever. Eve barely moved as Adam approached, staring past him as he came up beside her. "Eve? What's wrong?"
The horse took a hesitant step back, eyes still locked on something in the distance. Adam followed her gaze beyond the cliff he'd been sitting on. Across the small gorge that the river ran through. Into the treeline beyond. At first, he didn't see anything within the shadowy woods.
Then one of the shadows moved.
Adam froze alongside Eve as he noticed the glowing red eyes staring back at him. A large figure stepped from the treeline, giving form to his nightmares. Then, as if not terrifying enough, it rose onto its hind legs, standing taller than any man in the village could hope to match. Long, muscular arms spread wide, tipped with a vicious set of claws. The canine face grinned mockingly at him as the Beowulf tilted its head at the pair and time stood still.
Adam stumbled back as the beast roared.
Wordcount is already creeping back up to my normal levels. I don't aim for a particular number or anything, but I expect most chapters will be over the 5k mark (this one was about 4.5k). I also decided to postpone some of the planned content from this chapter, as I didn't want to run too long. Instead, we're getting a slightly ahead of schedule Grimm appearance. Not sure Adam appreciates it, but that's what he gets for being a character in one of my stories.
For the spiritual lesson, I felt they would have a version of true early history, likely adapted from information Ozma and/or Salem (before their big fight) may have shared at some point. The statue of two dragons at the train station (start of Volume 6) makes me think humanity at least has some knowledge or beliefs about the Brothers, so why not a whole religion based around it. Only a few people know about Salem modern day, so I decided they would see her as a sort of demon that was defeated by the Brothers. Given that she would eventually look to replace the Brothers in canon, the story isn't actually that far off from reality. Of course, any type of religion would need a text/scripture, which would then have clear dividing marks such as books/chapters/verses. Decided to make up some book names for within the scripture and came up with Perfidus, which is Latin for deceit or untrustworthiness. Felt appropriate, given it details humanity's betrayal of the Brothers because of Salem.
All that to say, I may have overdone things again by forming the basics of an entire religion just because I wanted Adam's father to be a priest-type character.
Anyways, we leave off on a small cliffhanger (by a small cliff, no less) with the Grimm showing up. Would love to hear from you all on your thoughts starting out, but for now, I hope you continue to enjoy and I'll see you all next week!
Next chapter: Adam's first Grimm encounter.