The whirring sounds of monochromatic white lights stirred the eardrums of the unconscious Midas. Suddenly, he was awoken by the distinct smell of ammonia, and upon opening his eyes, he was nearly blinded by the brightness of the illumination that strained his sight.
"His Resistor is expired. Inject a new one."
An Angel walked over to the strapped Midas and injected a Resistor into his temple, clearing his sight of blinding brightness. His eyes quickly adjusted to the room, and Midas soon noticed the distinctive nature of his surroundings. White floors, white walls, a white ceiling littered with bright white lights, and encircled around his cold metal bed were Angels dressed in white from head-to-toe. To finish off Midas' realization, his previous mentor stood right before his eyes.
"Welcome back to A.X.A., Midas." It was Overseer Chamuel.
"Chamuel?!?" Midas' body jolted with shock. The last time he'd seen him, Chamuel was none but a decapitated corpse.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"How are you alive!?" Midas asked. "Venus and I killed you…"
"I'm alive the same reason you're alive, Midas. Trinity Gems. I'm sure you know full well of their capabilities after having used it in the tournament."
"You revived me…?"
"Yes, Midas. You died in the tournament."
Midas instantly recalled his encounter with Reed and the violent explosion of strength between their fists just before all had gone black. "But why revive me? Wasn't Reed all you guys needed?"
Chamuel strayed for a moment before returning his gaze and answering with honesty. "It was me who wanted you alive. I used the final remaining Trinity Gem on you."
Midas was shocked to hear this. He still didn't understand why. "You trust me? Even after I had your head blown off?"
"It's not that I trust you. I trust in your potential." Chamuel pointed at an empty spot on his forehead. "The third eye sees what no other can fathom, and that includes the complexity behind your intelligence and brain."
"What do you mean?"
Chamuel sighed before grabbing a chair and sitting in front of Midas. "Let's do this like the old days, shall we Midas?"
The sight, posture, and tone Chamuel took on was uncanny. Midas could see the resemblance clearer than ever.
"Another history lesson, Mr. C?"
Chamuel chuckled. "So you've noticed?"
"I've known ever since your passing. But now you're being blatant."
This made Chamuel smile. "You know, as much of a mask being a teacher was, I truly enjoyed my time educating you students up there. It wasn't until the prodigy student—you—arrived, and reminded me what I was doing up there in the first place."
"Prodigy student?"
"What was an Overseer like me doing up on the surface, pretending to be something I was not? You may have asked yourself that question before."
Midas nodded.
"So here's your answer: I was scouting just as any other Overseer was. Ever since the idea of scouting for test subjects had been implemented here at A.X.A., it was me, Jophiel, Ariel, and Raphael that were in a race to retrieve the biggest fish in the sea. The other three all took the same approach—searching for the individuals responsible for irregularities that were being broadcasted. The method was rushed and risky, as they were always in a race against the authorities of the Cardinal Nexus. If they didn't retrieve their desired irregularities fast enough, the authorities would get to them first, and you know the rest of the story."
"They'd be put on death row."
"Correct. But letting them rot in cages until their deaths was nothing but wasted potential. We only ever targeted irregular civilians specifically because their brains were wired differently than the average civilian, whom are docile and blindly follow the irrational laws of the Cardinal Nexus. We want the unique, and the different."
"So that means I'm an irregularity, right?"
"You are an exception." Chamuel looked at Midas proudly. "Unlike the others who looked to irregularities to retrieve their subjects, I wanted something special, unique and different, as I'd said. Uriel had already breached the Cardinal Nexus as a Minister by this time, so he provided me a teaching permit so I could work as a teacher in Education. I took my opportunities to find prospect in raw talent rather than scavenging for the rotted morals of irregularities. And after years of teaching and searching for my one, you came along. After having seen the same dull and docile faces of students for too, too long, your appearance was like the brightest needle in a haystack. My All-Knowing-Vision went haywire when you arrived that first day, and I immediately knew there and then that you were the one I'd been awaiting. I could tell with my third eye alone that your brain had intellectual skills beyond even my comprehension. My hypothesis had been proven all at once—that an individual did not need to be an irregularity in order to meet the standards A.X.A. was looking for. That's why when your parents had their violent exchange, it was the perfect opportunity for me to remove you from your lackluster position as a civilian, and bring you deep into the underworld of A.X.A."
Midas was speechless. The long awaited explanation behind his past had finally been revealed, but his pent-up resentment for the truth had already expired long ago. There was only one question that remained that Midas could not find the answer to.
"Why did you pull me under such a heavy fate, Mr. C?"
Chamuel looked him intently in the eyes.
"Because with this heavy fate, you deserve to learn the truth about this cursed world. Nothing is as it seems."
"I've noticed that," Midas nodded along. "It's why I made my ultimatum with Uriel in the first place, so I could earn myself the chance to learn about the unknowns behind A.X.A. My curiosity began once I made my return to the surface following the breakout from this facility. After having spent some time up there I realized the complete difference in technology advancement between the surface world and A.X.A.'s world. You guys withhold technological secrets that people on the surface could never even imagine. So it made me wonder where any of your tech even came from. The curiosity brought on a recollection from my past, a moment where I sat in your classroom and you enlightened me about a supposed sphere called the Moon. My questions lie in those regions."
"Do you wish to have those questions answered, Midas?"
"I do, but only if I've fulfilled my purpose. Have you guys successfully captured Reed?"
Chamuel nodded. "We've taken control of his consciousness. He is now officially a weapon of A.X.A."
"Then I've done my part. I've fulfilled my end of the deal. Uriel told me that I would receive the knowledge I desire in return for my service."
"Then so be it. Have him uncuffed," Chamuel requested. The Angels in the room walked to his bed and unlocked the cuffs that wrapped his wrists and his ankles. Finally, Midas was liberated from his strain.
"Just so you know, the immobilizers have been repaired. Your abilities won't work even if you try."
"I wasn't planning to use them. You have me at your mercy, begging for the knowledge I've betrayed my own brethren for," Midas assured Chamuel.
"Really? The other Sins?"
"Knowledge is all I dedicate my life to. If it means putting others at risk for my own greed's sake, then I will, and I have."
"You truly are the Sin of Greed then," Chamuel smiled. "I see it now. My All-Knowing-Vision shows me that you have an unfulfillable pit to be filled. Your desire for all knowledge to know would take millions of lifetimes to satisfy."
"You're the only one who can understand me to my deepest core, Mr. C. As expected of your All-Knowing-Vision. Would you please care to finish what you'd started in that classroom years ago? Tell me about the secrets behind A.X.A. What is A.X.A.? Where does all the technology come from? What is the true purpose of the test subjects, the Angels, and the Overseers?" Midas paused. "What is the Moon?
Chamuel leaned-in, glad to answer all of Midas' questions and finally fulfill the greed that'd been agonizing him for all of these years.
"It all started a century ago…"