In four days. Wednesday.
Adam finally agreed to the meeting, sending me an invitation through some random exorcist who came into our Department. She also accompanied me to the First Person at his… Training Ground?
This is where the Powers (I still haven't figured out what kind of angels they are, so they remain the Powers) of Adam trained: they were flying and fighting, fighting on the ground standing up, fighting on the ground lying down (a good sight, and the mud and minimal clothing on the angels were just a coincidence). All the Powers were using training weapons that simulated the weight and quality of real angelic weapons but couldn't harm the angel itself. Each one wore a helmet with an individual variant of horns… Am I imagining things, or are they all women, except for Adam himself?
The training ground was a bit beyond the main districts of the City, just beyond its walls, on the opposite side from the Green District where I live, closer to the quarters of the Third Circle. The training ground was just a large empty space, with buildings nearby that likely housed changing rooms, offices, and other necessities for the Department. I wouldn't be surprised if the showers (and I assume they exist here) had one-way glass, though Adam might surprise me.
Adam himself was sitting on a cloud, leisurely sipping what appeared to be lemonade from a bottle with a straw poked in it.
"Sir!" Adam lazily looked in our direction. "I brought the head of Vergil, Sir!" She saluted in the same way that Lyut had.
"Good job, Zernyshko." So, he doesn't only call us that… "You can go rest; Stella made amazing meatballs in the cafeteria…" The angel nodded and quickly headed towards one of the buildings.
Adam stood up.
Honestly, I knew he was about three meters tall… But seeing it up close… It's impressive. He's taller than me by about a foot and a half to two feet, yet still manages to create an oppressive atmosphere just with his height…
I'm into women, Snowdrop, I'm not interested in feathered bastards. – Adam… lightened the atmosphere? If you look at the situation this way, then his behavior makes sense… – You wanted to ask me your stupid questions. Don't waste my time and go ahead – he just waved his free left hand.
Correct, sir…
Just Adam. You're not my subordinate to lick my ass, I already have enough of those… – he pointed with both hands at the crowd, somewhere under a hundred, of Forces. – So relax your buns and ask, I'll answer what I can. – he just shrugged.
… Maybe we can sit down? – I pointed at the cloud. – To be honest, I expected an office or a room, rather than this… training field. – Adam sighed.
I agree with you there, Snowdrop. – then with a slight movement of his hand, he expanded the cloud on which he was sitting before, so that he could immediately plop down on the side opposite me. – Please… – he pointed at the remaining space on the cloud. – But be quick and to the point, I still have to… – he looked at the crowd of Forces and again sighed heavily, even protractedly. – I still have to work.
Nodding, I also plopped down on the opposite edge of the cloud, summoning a bottle of soda with a weave. Adam looked at me in surprise, but remained silent.
... About the matter... - I opened the lid and took a sip from the bottle. - Do you know what weapon is used to "transform" the object? - Adam, just like Lyut, liked these definitions.
The same as ours, just not as fucking cool. - I summoned a journal where my enchanted pen recorded Adam's words. - ... Not bad, Wonder, for your age, Snowflake.
Thank you, and now for the next one. Do you know what happens to the soul after the "transformation"? - I leaned back completely on the soft cloud, still holding the bottle of soda. - What do they do with it, in general?
Fuck knows- He followed my example and repeated my actions. - Never cared.
... - Once again, why did Sera initially appoint Adam as the curator of the Project? Just because he would be testing our solutions? He can't say anything on the topic, and he doesn't care about the Project at all. Did he mess up? Maybe. - ... Can I ask you what YOU expect from this Project? - A slurp from the soda bottle.
I already told you – "I don't care," I don't give a damn about this initiative, it's not my job to "ease" suffering; I bring it. - A slurp from the lemonade bottle. - Only to those who deserve it, of course. - I just nodded and took a sip from the bottle.
Hmm… Adam isn't interested in the Project; he's offloaded all his responsibilities onto me and is just doing his own thing. So, I just wasted my time…
Well… Since I'm here, Dante said he would keep an eye on the Department and its progress, so why not make the most of this time? I've always wanted to talk to the First Man…
Ha… Then I'm done with this topic. - He simply nodded. - But, if you don't mind… - He turned away from the Forces and turned his head toward me, looking annoyed; it seems he knows what I'm going to ask. - Can I ask you a couple of questions, as the oldest - he frowned, - and wisest man in human history? - He just smirked.
I've always been curious… - he interrupted me, taking a loud sip of lemonade.
You and a billion other souls… - he took a deep breath. - Ask away, since you've come. It wouldn't be right to just kick you out of here… - His gaze returned to the training field.
I already had a small list of questions prepared in case I got to meet Adam, Eve, and their children… Let's start with the first category, "Safe."
… What was it like… to be the first of humanity? - Adam hadn't even touched the straw yet when he turned his head toward me.
Ho! - A smirk appeared on his mask, replacing the lazy, relaxed expression. - It's been a while since someone asked that… A couple of centuries, actually… Usually, people want to know about Eden or whether I had a harem of descendants… So then… - he stroked his chin through the mask.
Imagine you suddenly find yourself in a forest with no memories, only fragments of feelings, some ideas you don't understand, and no clue what you're doing there. - Adam chuckled. - And you're naked. - Seeing my question, he added, - And you don't feel either cold or heat.
Thank you. Ribs? - A large transparent bag with the mentioned product appeared on my hand, woven with patterns. - I thought that since I was going to see Adam himself, it would be rude to come empty-handed. - Adam stood up slightly.
You thought correctly, Snowflake. - He took the bag and, after a moment's thought, placed it between us. - Help yourself; they're yours. - Setting an example, Adam quickly devoured (he swallowed and chewed the meat so fast) a rib.
Following his example, I took my first rib… Delicious! No wonder it's one of Adam's favorite dishes. Taking a second rib, I asked again, - Why are you so… tall? Do all your descendants have a similar height? - Adam looked at me slightly displeased.
Stupid question, but I'll answer it for the ribs. - He quickly devoured another piece of meat. - I was just created this way, and height was passed down from generation to generation until they… - he paused, grimacing. - Were washed away. Leaving only Noah's line, which was roughly your average height. Plus or minus a couple dozen centimeters.
Great, now I could try to take a risk…
I apologize for such a personal question. - To which Adam simply waved his hand. - If you don't mind… Can you tell me about Lil… - He suddenly turned his head toward me, and his tone became as cold as nitrogen.
I messed up, and now I needed to make amends. Adam would kill me on the spot, right?
Listen, Vergilius, I understand you're a curious soul wanting to dig for the truth and all that… But remember this: never. Never. Ask about Her again, got it? - I nodded frantically, and the First Man returned to his joking demeanor. - As for the ribs, I'll only say that she slept with that little Snake.
Little? - Lucifer… His height isn't mentioned in the Bible, but Adam must have seen him in person, so…
So low, that it barely reaches the soles of my boots, a little red-and-white dick! – he laughed, obviously remembering something. - … Oh-oh-oh! Anyway, the Bitch always wanted to be on top, which is why we were constantly fighting, and when… – Adam contorted his face into a sneer. – They dumped her in this fucking hole… I think she was giving this "Dreamer" some especially "sharp" sensations, you know what I mean, huh? – he even nudged me in the right side with his elbow, to which I replied with a light chuckle.
That's… not what I wanted to know about Him first… – to which Adam just laughed, which caused some of the Forces on the training ground to look in our direction, but they were quickly pulled back by others, probably Forces of higher rank.
Oh-oh-oh! I love telling about it! – he clearly anticipated my question, to which he immediately gave a preliminary answer. – And yes, I know it's true. She wanted that back in Eden, but I always sent her to hell. "We're equals!", "Why not?", "How do you know it's wrong?", blah… – his laughter subsided, and Adam's face again expressed irritation as he began to imitate, probably depicting Lilith's voice. – I know, because that's how I was created! – he took a loud gulp from the bottle, - Anyway, anything else?
Do you have a belly button? – Adam looked at me – I looked at him.
Damn, Snowdrop, if you ask another stupid question…
Then I owe another package of ribs? – I tilted my head questioningly.
… Yeah, you will, if you want to ask stupid questions, then you better prepare… – three more packages appeared next to me, to which he raised his eyebrows in surprise, whistling. – Damn, you came prepared. I respect that. – I nodded with honor and dignity.
Anyway. – he started gnawing on the meat again. – I have one, I won't show it.
And you don't have to, what are you…
I was still asking Adam what interested me: how long did he actually live? Nine hundred and thirty-five years. Did he walk around naked after that? No, because it was simply inconvenient and he had to constantly wash himself. Did he sleep with his children to continue the lineage? (he hit me on the shoulder for that question, leaving a good bruise) No, he just had more children, who continued to multiply on their own. Did animals attack him, was he cold? Of course he was, although to a much lesser degree (when his children huddled by the fire in winter, he hunted animals in fur), than his wife and descendants, he doesn't know why.
Adam asked me too: what I did in life, what I did in my free time, who I slept with, a direct quote - "who I fucked", whether I went to church, and so on.
And when he learned that I had taken a picture of Paradise while still on Earth, he… laughed, slapping me on the shoulder. I hope he thought I used a Miracle for that… When I tried to say the word "magic", he… his gaze wasn't kind.
The rest of the time between questions we just joked and teased each other.
We sat like that until the end of Adam's Forces' training, only when Lyut called us, when all the angels had already dispersed, did we finish our discussion.
Adam stood up from the couch and stretched his arms upward, and his wings to the sides, cracking all of that loudly.
We had a great time, Snowdrop. – he turned to me and raised his wing, to which I nodded gratefully. – If you need to clarify anything else, you know how to find me.
On that we parted ways.
After that meeting, I also visited Adam sometimes, not so much for work, but just to ask about the daily life of a soul from the Third Circle, he was, strangely enough, not against it. I didn't bother him with frequent visits, coming by twice a month, but I did ask about the Project.
How to impress Sera the best? To make the solution sound good and be simple enough to implement by any idiot, such as his Forces. Why does Adam even participate in this Project? He said Sera ordered him to. Can he help in any way? No. Can he name the place where they make the best ribs in Paradise? He named it and gave the address. Can I take some of his weapons for my experiments? He parted with a week's supply of ribs and was forced to rent a trip to a beauty salon for Lyut.
Amazing man.
***
Days merged into weeks, and weeks into months. When I shared the details of the Project that Sera had told me during our first meeting (in her office), it allowed the "Sins" to start working in the right direction, and how they rejoiced when they learned that with a copy of my seal, they could take data without having to wait…
Not surprising, but each of them ran to get everything they needed. Everything at all, not just what was needed for the Project.
Personally, I spent most of my time in the office, in my office-laboratory, where I conducted tests, developed formulas and methods, trying various options that could impress Sera herself… I'm having fun, in general. Even now, even after the official end of the workday, I was sitting in the office, trying to adapt Sera's lessons to a manner of Weaving. The tea had long since run out, and I was too lazy to go for more, so I was slightly irritated.
And Dante… that bastard was engaged in Weaving, and when he got a copy of my seal, he didn't even say "thank you". It's okay, I specifically started a separate "Book of Grievances" for such occasions.
As some angel said, "I became kind because I wrote down the evil deeds of my enemies and took revenge on each one in turn." - not a direct quote, but close.
Each of the Department came up with and worked on their own solution, constantly disappearing outside the department.
And if we assume that Adam was brought into the Project not just for show… Given that his work on Earth is finding and destroying demons… It is likely that he is the one who will "deliver" souls from suffering, which means that his weapon is the one used to kill the "object".
Based on these conclusions, drawn from meetings with Adam and Sera, I chose enchanting for weapons as my solution.
The same direction we "came up with" with Dante, although we adapted the mechanism of Blessing an object, but I believe we came up with it.
That is, we simply transferred all the knowledge of Blessing in the manner of Weaving, which means… Instead of the Miracle of God – Ether.
And now, for the fourth time, we are rewriting the entire formula, which should only be the first part of the final product… Out of three… Calm down. Just… Let's start the enchanting process…
To do this, I will need to use one of the holy spears that Adam gave me at one of our meetings, when I asked him to provide me with weapons, he simply called one of the Forces, ordering him to bring me "a couple of pieces". The angel threw ten spears at my feet. I'm not complaining.
Now…
Taking the spear by the shaft with my left hand, I begin to create threads and signs of Ether according to the pre-prepared formula. One after another, symbols and patterns appear in my right hand, forming a whole tapestry that glows and emits… Steam? I just continued.
Now, checking with the other two formulas, I carefully begin to "lay" this "tapestry" into the spear itself. Part in the tip – part in the shaft. This kind of material, created in Paradise, simply absorbs various blessings perfectly, which means Ether too, because everything is made of it. Metal can absorb quite a lot of energy, but it's better not to overdo it… I watched the entire process as parts of a large blue-white canvas gradually, in threads, entered various parts of the spear, completely covering it in the end. It's so relaxing… I should do this more often.
When the "tapestry" was completely gone, the spear flashed light blue, highlighting runes that disappeared after a couple of seconds. I poked it with my hands – it didn't explode or crack. The metal still has all the necessary properties…
Applying weaves for analysis…
According to all checks, this specimen should have been able to accommodate this option, which allows you to capture a soul whose shell perishes. The spear records a small surge of soul energy, which is characteristic of "body death", and then…
The most difficult thing is what to do with the soul to stop its torment?
I picked up the spear, still maintaining a connection with it, so that the weave wouldn't fall apart, and my hours of effort wouldn't go to waste.
The spear has its own "container" where the soul itself will be stored, but only one, and according to Adam and Sera, we need to "alleviate" the torment of not just one soul…
Soul absorption? Sera didn't teach me that, but if I ask… No. Dispersion? Where to put the energy after the decay? Feeding the enchantments? Possible, but a completely different formula that still needs to be adapted to the current weave on the spear…
Maybe try…
With a gesture, I summoned a journal with an enchanted self-writing pen and began new calculations.
… Absorbing-transforming the energy that will go to the angel himself? Too complicated for my level. Disperse the soul, but release the rest into the surroundings? No better than if I just destroyed the shell…
Soul abduction, and then… relocation to space near Paradise, to ensure it finds peace?
… Since the first days in Paradise, I've been able to use a "spatial pocket", but only recently realized that this is a transformation of a certain part of the soul into a small space where you can store inanimate objects. Dante's words, and I haven't gotten around to checking them yet. Therefore, I took this definition on faith, until I can double-check it later.
But I was distracted… If I try to turn a simple "repository" into a kind of "pocket", from which I can then move the object… And the soul is an inanimate object… I'll have to ask Sera, knowing her, especially if I present it in such a way, she might even teach me how to store and move "such" objects… I'll just have to stop by with tea and ask.
Turning ordinary work meetings into moments where you can joke, have tea and sweets, listen to good music, and just relax from the daily grind…
Over these three months, I have visited her many times, whether it was clarifying questions about the Project, or attending lessons on working with souls, which were twice a week at Sera's request, due to the Seraphim's own busyness, thanks to which I was able to create the formula for the enchantment, or… to help with paperwork.