"Hm? My Memory of Time potion digested a bit more because I recreated a famous scene?" Alaric glanced at Adam, hanging on the lamppost, and raised an eyebrow, feeling his Memory of Time potion progress slightly.
"So, as I thought, part of digesting the Memory of Time potion involves reenacting history," Alaric mused to himself, then set the thought aside. Smirking, he pulled a camera from nowhere.
Click, click, click!
Alaric snapped photos of Adam unreservedly, even calling out enthusiastically, "Anyone want a group shot? Come on over... this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!"
He wasn't exaggerating. Adam's compliance stemmed from guilt toward Medici. Anyone else defeating Adam wouldn't have gotten him to hang so obediently.
"Me! I want in!" Lil' Amon, the king of mischievous Amons, raised his hand first, dragging his companions along. "We all want to!"
Klein coughed lightly, a bit embarrassed but not objecting.
Deep down, Klein had a streak of mischief. He didn't mind a little playful torment.
Adam's current predicament was self-inflicted, so while Klein felt a tad sheepish, he harbored no guilt.
Jack needed no prompting. As Alaric's alter ego, he produced pre-prepared cardboard cutouts... some with animal heads and hollow centers for faces, others with slogans like "World-Famous Painting."
It was clear he'd come prepared.
"I've got no beef with this guy, but missing out on fun is foolish!" Roselle laughed, clearly a chaos enthusiast in training.
The God of Steam and Machinery shared Roselle's sentiment.
Sasrir hesitated for half a second before offering Adam an apologetic smile. "This does feel memorable. You should remember this lesson... never forget your humanity."
Adam, strung up on the lamppost, glanced at Sasrir. "I won't forget again, or I wouldn't be hanging here now."
The Evernight Goddess seemed to smile at this. "You've changed a lot. This version of you is far more reassuring than before."
She had once deeply distrusted Adam. The Ancient Sun God's divine incarnation, with his absolute rationality, had orchestrated much behind the scenes. His role in Medici's downfall had shattered her trust, especially knowing Adam was The Ancient Sun God's eldest son, raised under Medici's watch.
Her shock and wariness grew when she learned Adam had betrayed Medici, even before fully grasping his true identity.
That wariness persisted through the Fourth Epoch... until this moment.
Seeing Adam docilely hanging on the lamppost, a glint of amusement flickered in the Evernight Goddess's eyes. Whatever Alaric had done, this Adam was no longer the cold, rational figure who'd forsaken humanity.
The Lord of Storms, Leodero, gazed silently at Adam. Whether he'd known Adam's true identity before or not, he clearly did now.
This Tyrant pathway true god appeared less volatile than expected, exuding a calm rationality reminiscent of the Tarot Club's Hanged Man, Alger.
"Have something to say, Leodero?" Adam asked, meeting his gaze calmly.
"You're not Him. You're getting closer, but a counterfeit is still a counterfeit," Leodero finally said, his silence broken. Like the Eternal Blazing Sun, he refused to acknowledge Adam or the True Creator as The Ancient Sun God.
Leodero had genuinely revered the original Sun God, but he found Adam and the True Creator's imitations repugnant.
It was a common sentiment. A shattered vase, pieced together into something new, might still be "the vase" To some, but to others, the forgery was an eyesore.
"Familiar words. You're not the first to say it, nor likely the last," Adam said, unsurprised, a hint of resignation in his voice. "I can understand why you feel that way. I'm far different from the original Sun God... I don't deny it."
Adam believed he, the True Creator, and Sasrir were all The Ancient Sun God, united by a shared soul. Yet he acknowledged the vast differences between them.
"It's not about personality…" Leodero began, then shook his head, swallowing the rest.
Adam understood his unspoken words but saw no point in debating values... it rarely led anywhere. "Whether you acknowledge me doesn't matter. If the future God isn't The Ancient Sun God, it'll be Sasrir. Surely you don't reject them too."
Leodero didn't argue. He revered the true Sun God and didn't mind Sasrir... not just as The Ancient Sun God's incarnation, but because their past interactions showed him Sasrir's character and capabilities.
To put it bluntly, Leodero submitted to The Ancient Sun God, trusted Sasrir, but neither submitted to nor trusted Adam.
"I'm glad you still believe in me, Leodero," Sasrir said, having listened to their exchange. A gentle smile spread across his face.
After countless years, the Dark Angel and the Wind Angel met again.
Hey guys! If you're a fan of Marvel and looking for an interesting story to read, don't hesitate to check out this new fanfic:
[The New Asgardian (Marvel × WoW)]
Synopsis:
A man reincarnated as a Paladin from World of Warcraft to Asgard long before humans could even think of creating fire.
What else could possibly go wrong?
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