The First Inventor

by CloneCat77

Notes:

• Inspired by Beyond Paradise by ZappyBoiKenobi

Chapter 1: Creation and the Fall

Notes:

I’ve been reading “Beyond Paradise” recently and I love the antics of everyone. So I wanted to write my own Slice of Lifey story centered around everyone’s favorite first man. But instead of having everyone be obsessed with him I wanted to take a different approach, what if Adam was far more curious than anyone expected?

It’s a tale as old as time itself, the tale of a garden, the tale of a fall, and the tale of one curious man.

 

It all started on the faithful day the angels high above created the earth and all that surrounds it. On their little planet they created Eden and finally someone to inhabit it, Adam.

 

He came into existence in a flash of light, he remembers everything so vividly, the soft feel of grass below him, the slow rustle of plants swaying in the calm wind, and the feeling of himself, his limbs and digits, how his eyes moved in his skull.

 

The next thing he remembers is them, he sat up and saw that all around him were figures, figures like him but so different. His very first thought was a simple one, Why do they not fall?

 

His knowledge was rudimentary just the very basics of the basics but his immediate instinct was to yearn for more. He tried to stand and found that he couldn’t, he didn’t even know what standing was just that he desired it at that moment. His legs moved erratically and he studied them as they did so, noting how they felt and what was moving.

 

Then a figure approached him, they moved slowly as if not to scare him, but he could not fear for he felt far too curious. He stared at them as they approached, watching with wide eyes that darted around the figure studying their movement.

 

“Hello Adam.” They spoke and Adam felt the immense need to speak back but his throat would not move and it irked him greatly, “Welcome to the Garden of Eden.”

 

===

 

Sera didn’t know what she expected out of Adam but what she didn’t expect was for him to start standing only ten minutes after he awoke. Only five minutes later he started walking, it was not very coordinated but it only got better with every passing second.

 

Her job was to teach him the basics of movement and speech and let him figure out the rest, but it seems that he might not need her assistance. “Well done Adam I didn’t even have to help you up.”

 

He stares at her as she speaks, then he moves over to her and reaches up, “Hmm? What is it?” She leans down as if to hear him better, despite his inability to speak yet, and he grabs her face and starts turning her head in different directions.

 

She blinks, “What are you doing?” Her voice is gentle but is clearly confused.

 

He stops and opens his mouth, “Ah.”

 

Her eyes widen, he starts making a range of sounds and eventually starts stringing them together.

 

Sera watches as he lets go of her to start walking around and make noises, this may be even easier than she thought.

 

===

 

It’s been many weeks since Adam was created, and he has made remarkable progress, not only has he begun wandering the garden but he has even been naming things before they told him to do so.

 

He wanders through the garden out of breath, he had been running around in circles to see how long he could do it for, he was disappointed when he found out that it wasn’t for long. Running could be useful to him in order to reach places faster, it would allow him to bypass areas he already explored more quickly so as not to waste time.

 

As he decides to take a break he comes across a kind of tree he’s never seen before, its trunk is far thicker than the trees surrounding it and much shorter as well. Its bark is a white silvery color and just beneath he can see that the inner log is a bright gold. Its leaves are purple and slightly transparent, it spreads across a large clearing creating a dense canopy all on its own.

 

As he approaches he notices that fruit is growing from its branches, they seem to be a dark red color with swirling patterns of green on its skin. As he approaches to get a better look an angel appears, one that he has not spoken to, “Hello Adam my name is Uriel.”

 

Adam stares at them wondering how they just suddenly appeared, “Hello Uriel, why are you here?”

 

Uriel smiles, “I am here to warn you, you must not eat the fruit off of this tree.”

 

Adam furrows his brow, “Why?”

 

“Because it is forbidden.”

 

“By who?”

 

“God.”

 

Adam tilts his head, “Who is that?”

 

Uriel gently floats down in front of him, “He is the creator of you and everything around you.”

 

Adam’s eyes widen and he looks around, “Everything?”

 

Uriel nods.

 

“Even you?”

 

“Yes, even me.”

 

Adam turns his attention back to the fruits on the tree, “Okay I will not eat them.”

 

Uriel places a hand on Adam’s shoulder, “Good.” Then they disappear.

 

Adam stares at where they were before looking at the fruits one last time, as he leaves the clearing he ponders what would happen if he were to eat one regardless. In the end he decides that one day he will eat the fruit but that day will be far into the future when he has completed his exploration of Eden.

 

===

 

Adam runs into the angels more frequently as of late, more specifically he has been running into an angel named Lucifer, “Hey there buddy!”

 

Adam takes one step to the side without turning around and the angel crashes into the ground beside him, “Hello Lu, I see you’re as energetic as always.”

 

Shaking himself off he stands up and gives Adam a big smile, “Of course I am! It’s always a great day when I get to see my best buddy!”

 

Adam nods but continues focusing on his task at hand.

 

Lucifer comes around and looks over Adam’s shoulder, having to fly to do so as Adam is nearly double his height, “Whatcha working on?”

 

Adam shuffles to the side a bit to give him a better view, “I call it a pulley, there’s this mountain I can’t climb up as it’s practically a vertical climb with no handholds. So I’m making a way to get up there without the need for handholds.”

 

Lucifer nods but then furrows his brow, “Wait how are you going to install this… contraption. You still have to get up there.”

 

Adam pauses, “Oh, yes you're right, no matter, the point was to make the contraption the mountain was just an excuse. I’ll just carve handholds as I go.”

 

Lucifer shakes his head but smiles, “You are most certainly a strange one Adam.”

 

===

 

Adam is staring at another human, but a different one, they have long flowing yellow hair as opposed to his shaggy brown hair, and their breasts curve outward slightly as opposed to his flat ones.

 

“Who is that?” He tilts his head as she begins to move.

 

“That is Lilith, she is your partner.” Sera explains.

 

“Partner?” He sees her start to flail her limbs around as she realizes she doesn’t understand how to use them.

 

“Yes your partner, someone you spend your entire life with.”

 

“Hmm…” He doesn’t know if that sounds appealing, sure he likes to engage with the angels on occasion but he would rather be left alone so he may continue to explore and work on his contraptions. Most of the angels didn’t really care for his contraptions except for Lucifer and Uriel, and Lucifer only entertains him because they are friends.

 

“Go to her, she must be taught how to walk and talk like you did.” Sera thinks to herself that she really didn’t teach him anything.

 

Adam looks at Sera for a moment before turning his attention to Lilith, he walks towards her, as he approaches she sees him and starts to flail even more wildly. Adam quickly realizes he’s scaring her and crouches down a few feet away from her, waiting until she calms down, once she does so he slowly crawls towards her.

 

“Hello Lilith, welcome to the Garden of Eden.”

 

===

 

It was harder than expected to teach Lilith how to walk and talk, it came so naturally to him that he didn’t realize it could be a struggle for others. He quickly learned that he could not explain it to her so instead he would touch her so he could move her legs and allow her to get a feel for the motion.

 

Once she was able to stand he spent a few weeks walking around with her grabbing onto him until she could balance herself. Getting her to speak was also a challenge but he learned that he found immense joy in teaching her.

 

“Now what is your name?”

 

She stares at him for a second, “Lilith.”

 

“Good and my name?”

 

“Adam.”

 

“And how are you feeling?”

 

She smiles, “Happy.”

 

He smiles back, “Very good.”

 

===

 

It didn’t take long for the novelty of each other to wear off, Lilith did not appreciate his enthusiasm for the Garden of Eden. In the early weeks she was positively radiant in her enthusiasm for knowledge and Adam taught her about anything and everything she asked about.

 

Eventually her enthusiasm wore out and she became bored with the Garden.

 

“It doesn’t matter what kind of stone it is, a rock is a rock.”

 

“So what if they have different sizes and shapes? It’s still just a bird.”

 

“Wood has different properties? Okay and? It’s wood isn’t it?”

 

And so on and so on.

 

He often found himself just not talking to Lilith unless she spoke to him first, it wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy her company it just seemed that she did not enjoy his. Lilith found herself infatuated with the heavens and pretty much anything outside of the Garden.

 

“Why don’t you want to know what's beyond!” Lilith walks over to Adam as he works on his latest contraption.

 

He looks at her with a gentle calmness, “I do wish to know, I simply haven’t explored everything there is to do here yet.”

 

Lilith frowns, “Are you serious? You’ve memorized every square inch of this place! You’ve named every variety of tree, rock, and animal you come across! How is there still more to do?!”

Adam tightens the rope and begins adding a new wheel, “I have a perfect memory Lils, knowing every inch does not mean I understand every inch of this place.”

 

She huffs and sits down on a nearby rock, “Oh so now you're bragging about your memory.”

 

He finishes adding the wheel and turns around to look at Lilith, “I was not trying to brag I promise, I was simply stating a fact about myself. Besides, your memory isn’t bad, you certainly remember more than Lucifer does at least.”

 

At his name Lilith flinches, Adam notices but doesn’t comment, “Anyway, I’ve made something new again would you like to see?”

 

She stares at him and sighs, “Sure.”

 

He walks back to his contraption and grabs hold of a lever, “I call it a trebuchet,” he points to the large stone on one end, “That end is weighed down so that end,” he points to a net on the other side, “Will move with the force of the rock.”

 

In the net is a bunch of fruit, he pulls the level and suddenly the net goes up, at its peak the net is pulled at its corners so the fruit is released and is launched into the distance.

 

Lilith seems impressed, “Oh? What is it for?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

She stares at him, “Nothing?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

“...so it's useless.”

 

“No, its purpose was to be made, now it has.”

 

Lilith strikes her forehead with her palm.

 

===

 

Adam sits at the tree of forbidden fruit in deep thought, he holds one in his hand studying its curious coloration.

 

“I hope you're not thinking of eating that.” Uriel approaches from behind.

 

Adam isn’t surprised, “You know that I wouldn’t, I’m just thinking.”

 

Uriel chuckles, “Yes I’m well aware I just had to be sure.” They sit next to Adam, “What’s on your mind?”

 

Adam tosses the fruit away and leans back on his hands, “What is love?”

 

Uriel raises an eyebrow, “Oh? Why do you ask?”

 

“Lucifer mentioned it to me and when I asked Sera she said that it's what I feel towards Lilith but I think she got it wrong.”

 

Uriel thinks for a moment, “Well you’d have to ask my sister for a real explanation but love is understanding and passion. Love is what you feel towards someone when you never wish to be apart from them, when you feel happy by just being in their presence.”

 

Adam thinks about that.

 

“Do you feel that for Lilith?”

 

Adam shakes his head, “No I don’t believe I do. Lilith is nice to be around but it seems that she is often annoyed with me and that makes me frustrated with her. Her company does not imply happiness to me.”

 

Uriel goes quiet, “I see…”

 

The two sit there in silence listening to the rustling of the leaves.

 

===

 

It's a fairly normal day today, Adam decides that he wants to just walk around the Garden and enjoy the atmosphere. As he’s walking he hears something rustling in the bushes, having gotten used to stealthy creeping up on animals so he could observe them without scaring them away he immediately drops into a crouch and moves toward it.

 

He gets closer and hears breathy panting, when he gets close enough he sees that it’s Lucifer and Lilith. Lucifer lays on top of Lilith and appears to be moving his hips back and forth, Adam shifts his position and sees that his penis is going in and out of her vagina.

 

He remembers seeing animals do that on occasion, he never did figure out why or think of trying it with Lilith himself. Now that he sees them doing it he wonders if it’s a strenuous activity as they seem to be quite sweaty.

 

After watching for a bit he gets bored and decides to ask them about it, “What are you two doing?”

 

They both freeze and jump away from each other, Lucifer quickly puts his penis behind some fabric. Oh I thought that was his skin.

 

Lucifer has a strained smile, “A-Adam, buddy! What are you doing here?” His posture is rigid like he’s been caught doing something wrong.

Adam narrows his eyes at him, “Well I was just having a nice stroll in the forest…” He looks at Lilith who is currently looking everywhere but him, “But I seem to have discovered something.”

 

The three of them stand there in silence for a while in silence, Adam tries to break it, “Y-” but is quickly cut off by the arrival of the Seraphim.

 

Sera looks angry and she glares daggers at Lucifer, “You have been summoned Lucifer.”

 

===

 

After that Adam is left alone so he continues his wanderings throughout the forest, as night approaches Sera appears in front of him.

 

“Hello Adam… are you doing alright?”

 

Adam tilts his head, “Yes, why do you ask?”

 

Sera seems puzzled by his response, “Well you did just witness something shocking.”

 

Adam raises an eyebrow, “I did? When?”

 

Sera opens her mouth then closes it, she moves over to a clear patch of grass and sits gesturing for him to join her, he obliges.

 

“I see you do not understand the severity of what has transpired.”

 

Adam stays silent but he listens intently eager for new knowledge.

 

“Lucifer has broken the laws of Eden and has directly interfered with Lilith, defiling her.”

 

“What does defiling mean?”

 

Sera pauses for a moment, “What he was doing to her is something that must only be done between lovers. Lilith was meant for you but with this act Lucifer has taken her for himself.”

 

Adam frowns at that, he assumes lovers are people who love each other, so Lilith and Lucifer must love each other. What he frowns at is Lilith being meant for him, if that were true he would love her and she would love him right? They must have made a mistake in creating either him or Lilith because that is most certainly not the case.

 

Adam shakes his head, “Okay I still don’t see a problem, I did not love Lilith so it should be fine right?”

 

Sera’s eyes open wide as if this is shocking news, but she quickly composes herself, “I see, in that case I have an offer for you, would you like a new partner?”

 

Adam feels surprised, “You can do that?”

 

Sera nods, “Under these circumstances I deem it appropriate.”

 

Adam thinks about it, he didn’t really get along with Lilith so why would this new person be any different? His doubt however is crushed by his overwhelming curiosity on how people are created.

 

But first, “What will happen to Lilith and Lucifer? Will I still see them?”

 

“You… want to see them again? After what they did?” Sera’s shock is palpable.

 

Adam nods, “I don’t see why not, from my perspective they did nothing wrong.”

 

Sera purses her lips and relents with a sigh, “Very well they shall remain in the Garden of Eden with you. Now make your choice.”

 

“I accept.”

 

===

 

The hard part was convincing Sera that he should be awake for what was to come, she warned him that it would be a pain he had never felt before. Adam’s only experience with pain came from minor cuts and bruises, once he dislocated his shoulder after falling out of a tree but nothing more painful than that.

 

So when Sera reached in and ripped a rib straight out of his body he nearly passed out in agony, but he forced himself to stay conscious he NEEDED to see how creation worked.

 

He was not disappointed when the rib in Sera’s hand began to glow and morph into something else, it floated out of her hand and took the form of a human. Adam felt mesmerized by the process; he couldn't even blink, he wasn’t sure he was breathing.

 

When the glowing stopped a human with long brown hair dropped to the ground, she looked much different from him or Lilith, much smaller and thinner. Lilith reached up to his nose and all the Seraphim were taller than him so excluding Lucifer, Adam had never really seen someone so much shorter than he is.

 

Eve seemed to only barely reach the height of his chest, and her face looks so much softer than Lilith’s. He doesn’t know how long he spent staring at her but when she opened her eyes and they looked at each other, emerald green staring into golden yellow, he finally knew what love was.

 

===

 

Adam hypothesizes that because Eve was made from his rib they are naturally more compatible. He has no proof of this but it became evident quickly that he and Eve got along far better than he and Lilith.

 

Eve started out knowing how to walk and talk already, Sera said that she shared some of his knowledge from the start. So while he did not have the pleasure of teaching her how to do that he found that Eve was curious about anything and everything.

 

Unlike Lilith who was content with a general knowledge base of everything and didn’t care to learn more, Eve shared in his obsession with learning even the most trivial details about things.

 

Together they even started to learn new things that Adam had not known before, the only thing she did not share his passion in is making contraptions. This is perfectly fine to Adam, he did not expect Eve to enjoy everything he did, he was just happy to spend time with her.

 

Adam also learned something about himself, he very much likes physical touch, with Lilith after he taught her how to walk she refused almost all contact. 

 

With Eve the two were practically inseparable, because of her much smaller stature he could easily carry her around everywhere and often did so to feel the warmth of her body and the softness of her skin.

 

He also noticed quite a few things about Eve, like how she loved to sing, how she was quite picky about what foods she ate and it seemed to change frequently, but mostly how she seemed to always want to be around him.

 

Yes he did enjoy her company so he didn’t mind but there were instances where he would wake up earlier than her and go off to do something and when he returned he would see her rushing around in a panic looking for him.

 

Adam felt quite happy in the Garden more so than he ever did before.

 

===

 

After a few months Lucifer and Lilith finally return, as soon as Adam sees them he stops what he was doing and stares at them. This was one of the few moments where Eve had willingly parted with him to do something.

 

The returning two both look incredibly awkward but Adam says nothing.

 

Lucifer breaks first running up to Adam and dropping to his knees, “Adam I am so sorry! I swear I didn’t mean to hurt you, it's just that Lilith and I were talking, and hanging out, and it escalated from there, then it got out of hand and-”

 

“Lu”

 

“-I swear we were going to tell you we just never found the right time-”

 

“Lu!”

“-I really didn’t mean to steal your wife from you-”

 

“LUCIFER SHUT UP!”

 

“Yes sir!” Lucifer shrinks in on himself even more somehow.

 

Adam sighs and looks at Lilith, “Anything to say?”

 

She stiffens then lifts her head up to stare into his eyes, “Yes, I apologize, I never should have let it get to that point and I’m sorry.”

 

Adam nods, “Okay I forgive you two.”

 

“...huh?” They say at the same time.

 

Adam shrugs, “I don’t really care honestly, it was clear we didn’t love each other. So while yes, you should have told me, I’m not actually mad at either of you.”

 

They look at each other then back at Adam, Lilith speaks, “Are you sure?”

 

Adam’s eye twitches, “Don’t try to change my mind, I might just do it.”

 

They nod quickly, Lucifer stands up and lets out a long sigh, “Wow! I’ve been dreading this for months. It’s kinda disappointing that it was so easy.” He quickly clears his throat, “Sooo buddy! What have you been up to?”

 

Adam shrugs, “Making contraptions, learning new things, and hanging out with my wife.”

 

“Ah so just you being Adam huh- wait your wife?!” Lucifer exclaims.

 

Adam jerks back at the sudden volume, “Yes my wife and-”

 

Right on cue Eve comes out of the woods carrying a basket of fruit, “Hey Adam I’m back-” She stops and stares at the two new people then immediately gains a very sharp smile. “And. Who. Might. They. Be?”

 

Adam gestures at the two, “Eve this is Lucifer and Lilith my best friend and ex-wife.” he then points at Eve, “Lucifer, Lilith, this is Eve my wife.”

 

There’s a long drawn out silence, then Eve speaks up, “Ex-wife?!”

 

===

 

It wasn’t hard to calm Eve down, mostly because she’s small and refuses to work out despite Adam insisting it’s good for her. After a few minutes sitting in his lap, cuddling, and petting her like a cat she properly greets the two.

 

“Hello I’m Adam’s wife!” She proudly exclaims.

 

“Hi nice to meet ya!” Lucifer holds out his hand, she doesn’t shake it, “Oookay, ahem. Anyway it’s nice to see a new face! What are you interested in?”

 

“Adam!”

 

“...Anything else?” Lilith prods.

 

“Being with Adam!”

 

The two stare at her, then at Adam, he sighs, “We’re working on it.”

 

Eve looks up at him with confusion, “Did I say something wrong?”

 

===

 

Getting Eve to find other hobbies that didn’t necessarily have to include Adam was incredibly difficult. If he got her started on something she would usually drop it once Adam stopped doing it as well. 

 

Technically it was a good indicator on whether or not she liked said hobby but when she practically drops everything the second Adam looks the other way it became difficult to keep finding new things for her to try.

 

He was sincerely starting to wonder if she was her own person or just another part of him.

After trying pretty much everything he could think of Adam had to start inventing new things just to get her to try them.

 

Then the faithful day came.

 

===

 

Eve seemed to finally have found a hobby in pottery so while she did that Adam decided to hang out near the tree of forbidden fruit. It was a strange thing for some reason the tree was a calming presence to him, he would often find himself laying against its bark for hours just enjoying the passage of time.

 

As he sat there he felt a presence appear before him, looking up he could see Lucifer and Lilith. In her hand she held one of the forbidden fruits… it had two bite marks in it.

 

Panic flooded through Adam like wildfire, “Lils what have you done?!”

 

She stares into his eyes and he can see she is no longer the same Lilith he once knew, “I’ve been enlightened Adam, Lucifer has given me a gift and now we wish to pass it on to you.”

 

He stares at Lucifer who has a wide cheshire grin on his face, “Come on Adam don’t you always want to know more? Don’t you love knowledge? This fruit will give you all that and more, all it takes is. Just. One. Bite.”

 

Adam narrows his eyes, “The fruit gives you knowledge?”

 

They say nothing, simply extending the fruit to Adam, he takes it staring at it, then he crushes it in his hand, “No.” He looks into their eyes, shock written all over their faces, “You should know me by now Lucifer, I live for the process of learning, I don’t want the knowledge given to me! I want to earn it!”

 

Lucifer steps back, “I-I…” Guilt and sorrow cross his face, his voice comes out as barely a whisper, “Eve.”

 

Anger takes hold of Adam but he stomps it down, “What about Eve?”

 

“I told her you had already eaten the apple! I was so sure you would! We just happened to run into her first!” Lucifer looks on the edge of hysteria, “She’s already taken a bite.”

 

Adam pushes past them running toward the river, maybe if he can get her to puke it out it won’t count? But when he makes it there and looks into her eyes he knows he is far too late.

Notes:

I will not be shy about writing sex and sexual content but I doubt I’ll actually write full smut as it’s not really my thing.

Also I don’t know if this will go the Harem route like Beyond Paradise did, it very well might, we’ll see. (But I can guarantee Lucifer and Lilith are not included)

Next Time: Tundra

Chapter 2: Tundra

Notes:

When I was writing this chapter I thought I was being too wordy then I realized its shorter than the previous one.

“Eve?” Adam approaches her tentatively, slowly reaching out his hand as if she were a dangerous predator.

 

She stares at him with a wide smile that seems unnatural, “Adam! I’ve been waiting for you!” She rushes over and jumps at him, burying her face in his chest, before looking up into his eyes, “We have so much to talk about so much new knowledge to utilize!"

 

Adam looks at her with horror and the smile on her face falls away, “Adam? Why do you seem so distressed?”

 

Adam’s throat constricts, his entire body trembles, he slowly wraps Eve in his arms, “Eve… I-”

 

Then they move without moving, one moment they stand by the river, the next they find themselves in front of the gate to Eden. Around them the angels perch on the fence, just beside them is Lilith and Lucifer, holding each other much like Adam and Eve.

 

“Lucifer!” Michael yells at his brother, his eyes ablaze with the same fire of his sword, “How dare you! We gave you a second chance after what you did to Lilith! Adam allowed you back into the Garden, now you betray him yet again?! Betray us?!”

 

Lucifer looks back and forth between Adam and the angels, “I-I gave them free will! They had no agency of their own, just an endless repetition of tasks you gave them! I wanted them to have the freedom to choose!”

 

Adam stares at Lucifer with fury, the freedom to choose? We had that freedom all along, Adam had chosen so many times to be more than just “The First Man” he chose creativity and knowledge. He thought Lucifer understood that, appreciated that about him, was what he said all a lie? Was he ever even his friend?

 

“Enough!” Sera’s voice booms echoing across the Garden, “Lucifer, Lilith, for your crimes you shall be condemned to an eternity in hell.” She turns her gaze to Eve, Adam pulls her tighter against himself, “Eve, while you were tricked you have violated the one law of Eden and for that you shall be banished from the Garden forevermore.”

 

Adam panics, he lets go of Eve and runs forward dropping to his knees, “No! Sera I beg of you please don’t do this! Eve is a victim in this have mercy!”

 

Sera’s eyes soften, she comes down in front of Adam cupping his cheeks in her hand, “Adam I’m so sorry but this is for your own good, please don’t fight this.”

 

Adam looks into her eyes he sees an immeasurable warmth but all it does is fill him with pain, he shuts his eyes tight, “NO!” and pulls away from her, “I was going to eat the fruit!”

 

His voice is followed by a deafening silence, Sera flinches as if she has been struck. Uriel comes down next to her, “Adam you don’t know what your saying-”

 

“It’s true! When I first found that tree and you told me about it I had plans to one day eat the fruit. Now that I know what it would give me I never will but had Lucifer not told me my curiosity would condemn me just like Eve!” The angels all seem to pale, Adam looks into each of their eyes with a plea, “If you are to banish Eve you must banish me too!”

 

Eve behind him feels conflicted, on one hand she never wishes to be apart from Adam, but on the other she wishes for him to be happy, should she really allow him to leave Eden with her when she has seen how much the place brings him joy?

 

Lucifer stares at Adam with conflict and horror, he was always going to eat the fruit? Then what was the purpose of him doing this now? Was he wrong? His pride tells him that no he can’t be wrong, but deep down he knows he has made a grave mistake.

 

The angels are in the most conflict, for one Adam could be lying so he can be with Eve, but what if he isn’t? What does that mean for humanity and the purpose of Eden as a whole? That humans would always become evil? That it was always destined to fail?

 

More than that they simply just do not wish for Adam to leave, decades have gone by and many have made a strong friendship with the man. To lose that connection would be incredibly painful.

 

However three among them are in the most agony, Michael, Uriel, and Sera.

 

Michael had spent the most time with Adam out of the three, he taught Adam what it meant to be strong, he showed him how to effectively use his body and how to train it. He drilled the idea that intellect means nothing without the strength to wield it and vice versa.

 

Uriel is Adam’s closest confidant, the two would spend hours talking about anything and everything, with Adam Uriel felt they had an equal in someone who simply desired to know everything. Uriel understands the most out of the three why Adam would eat the fruit.

 

Sera felt her heart tear in two, she did not have much to offer Adam in terms of knowledge or strength, her job was to simply watch over him and protect him from pain. But Adam would always approach her first, if he had a question he would always seek out her guidance and her warmth.

 

As she looks into his eyes she can see that there is no turning back, he has made up his mind, with a heavy heart she closes her eyes and stands tall, “Very well Adam for the sin of your curiosity you shall be banished from Eden.”

 

Michael whips his head around in disbelief, “Sera no! You can’t do this!”

 

Uriel hangs their head in resignation, they return to their perch silently gazing at their friend.

 

Adam clenches his fist and nods, “Thank you.”

 

Michael, seeing that he cannot change this, looks away before returning his gaze to Lucifer, “I shall now condemn you for eternity, may you suffer for all time.” He stabs his sword into the ground and rends a hole in the earth, he then grabs both Lucifer and Lilith and throws them in.

 

Adam watches, unable to turn away, just before the two disappear completely Adam catches both of their eyes. Then they disappear and the hole closes up.

 

Adam returns to Eve who clings to him, Sera and Michael return to their perch, “I shall now open the gates of Eden.” Sera waves her hand and the gates reveal a frozen landscape of ice and snow.

 

Adam steels himself before walking through the gates, once he is through he turns around as they close, “You shall now grow old and weak until you succumb to your age, Eve you will feel the pains of childbirth.”

 

The gates close and Eden disappears from sight, Adam stares off into the empty landscape where paradise once was, he then turns around and walks off into the distance.

 

===

 

Adam has never experienced temperature beyond the idyllic landscape of Eden but he quickly finds out that cold is an insidious monster. It licks at him constantly sapping his energy and strength until he can no longer feel his extremities.

 

He continues on regardless, Eve curls up in a ball bringing a slight warmth to his chest, that alone is enough for him. Adam sprints through the lands looking for somewhere to hide from the endless cold, eventually he comes across a cave.

 

As soon as he enters something feels off, the cave is warm and damp, it smells of something horrible, something he would only later know as the stench of decay. He travels deep enough into the cave to where the cold no longer permeates but he can still see outside.

 

While there is still deeper to go he can not risk it at the moment, he has spent hours outside and his limbs are a shade of dark purple. He curls up with Eve and the two of them drift off into a deep slumber.

 

When he awakens Eve is still asleep, outside the wind has stopped howling and the sky has turned from a dark gray to a deep purple. His limbs are aching but they are no longer cold, feeling stiffness in his joints Adam begins stretching.

 

A memory pops into his mind unbidden, the first time he met Michael.

 

===

 

It was a fairly normal day for Michael, only a few months after Adam had been created, he patrolled the border of Eden when he felt the inexplicable urge to wander deeper into the Garden. Soon after he reached its very center, there at the tree of the forbidden fruit sat the first man, leaning against its log seemingly asleep.

 

Curious Michael gently flies toward him, as he gets closer the man opens his eyes suddenly and stares at him. Michael is surprised, he is quite sure he was being silent yet Adam knew he was there anyway.

 

“Greetings Adam my name is Michael.”

 

Adam stands up and nods his head, “I’ve heard about you from your sibling Uriel.”

 

Michael tilts his head, “Oh and what is it Uriel told you?” I swear if he's shit talking me…

 

“He said you have knowledge of combat and fighting.” Adam states.

 

Michael nods, “Yes I do.”

 

“Can you teach me?”

 

Michael raised an eyebrow, “Oh? Why do you wish to know? Eden is a peaceful place where you shall know no strife.”

 

Adam tilts his head in confusion, “I simply wish to know for the sake of knowing. Is there a reason one needs to learn?”

 

Michael smiles and shakes his head, “No I suppose not, very well I shall teach you but beware my lessons will be painful and grueling. I will not simply tell you what to do you shall learn with your body. Are you sure you can handle it?”

 

Adam nods with a bright smile, “I will do anything to learn.”

 

I have a feeling we will get along perfectly, “Then let us begin.”

 

===

 

Micheal taught him many things, his first lesson being that a warrior’s greatest asset is flexibility in both their body and mind. To be able to react to any situation or threat no matter how unexpected or new.

 

He also taught Adam about the dangers beyond Eden, knowledge that is now in the forefront of his mind. His only regret being that he didn’t try harder to convince Eve to join him, he doubts that he can be with her all the time so he will have to teach her to defend herself.

 

Once he finishes stretching Adam looks out into the frozen landscape outside, he has decided to call it the tundra. Right now he does not know where he is or what is around him, knowledge is his greatest asset and weapon, so looking back at Eve he decides to take a short walk outside.

 

===

 

Eve wakes up alone, immediately she stands up and looks around for Adam panic overwhelming her, but she takes a second to breathe and calm down. He left Eden for her; there's no way he would abandon her so quickly.

 

So Eve sits in the dark and listens to the gentle wind blowing outside the cave, she curls in on herself trying to mimic a hug. She sits there for about an hour when she hears the crunching of snow outside the cave.

 

When Eve looks over she sees Adam's silhouette and he’s holding onto something. She rushes over to him and when she gets closer she sees he is covered in blood and wounds.

 

“Adam!”

 

===

 

Adam is in pain, he was wandering around when he found a forest, thinking he might find fruit he entered but there were no plants along the ground or fruit among the branches of the trees.

 

As he was thinking of heading back he heard a growl next to him, when he looked over he saw a creature he once considered his friend, a wolf. In the next second the wolf lunged at him, Adam didn’t panic his mind and body remembering what Michael had taught him.

 

Unfortunately his opponent had sharp teeth and claws which he lacked, he focused on minimising injury rather than fighting. Eventually he stumbled over a rock and the wolf leaped at him pinning him to the ground, just before they dealt the killing blow tearing out his throat they hesitated.

 

Adam did not.

 

The wolf fell limp over his body, a rock now buried in their skull. Adam couldn’t move for a long time just staring at the corpse. Soon the cold became too much and he was forced to retreat back to the cave, taking the carcass with him.

 

“Adam!” As soon as he entered Eve came to him in a panic, “Adam, are you okay? Oh god… here, sit down, sit down.”

 

Adam did as he was told, his mind in turmoil and his body weary, he gently set down the wolf and sat beside it. Eve started fussing over his wounds, she quickly found none of them to be serious and breathes out a sigh of relief.

 

“Adam, you should have told me you were leaving. I was worried sick!” She climbs into his lap and looks into his eyes with fury.

 

Adam winces at her words, realizing he told something similar to Lucifer and Lilith. What a hypocrite, “Yes… yes you're right Eve I’m so sorry, I just wanted to get a better idea of the area around us.”

 

Eve’s expression softens, “Okay I forgive you just don’t do that again.” she looks back at the wolf, “Is that…”

 

Adam nods, slowly he begins to stand and Eve moves to get off him, Adam moves to kneel before the corpse. He stares at it like before, noticing its thin body, his hands cup the sides of its face as Adam stares into its now dull eyes.

 

They hesitated, a living creature just like him, one most likely recently kicked out of Eden, they were hungry and scared yet they hesitated to deal the final blow. Adam crumbles under the weight of what he has done and begins to weep, Eve comes up behind him and gently strokes his back.

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

The agony Adam feels is far greater than his wounds, he has never felt such pain in his life not even when Sera ripped out his rib. It is all encompassing, rending pain, he prays for the poor beast begging the angels high above to grant it peace in death.

 

In the back of his mind a voice speaks to him, it tells him his sorrow can end and that it may take the burden of this agony from him. All he must do is tread down into the cave. Adam refuses, for he does not deserve to be released from his pain.

 

===

 

His prayers are heard by the angels above, but one more hears not just his prayers but the agony in his soul. Deep down in the ocean, he is heard.

 

===

 

Adam forces himself together, he is not well but he must be, if food is not found then he and Eve will starve. When he offers to go back out and look for fruits to eat, Eve tells him that they can eat the wolf he brought back.

 

The idea makes Adam sick to his stomach but remembering the forest bare of greenery he reluctantly agrees. Eve tells him to leave the carcass in the snow so that it will not rot, then she tells him they must start a fire, so Adam leaves to get wood.

 

Adam spends a long time in the forest trying to get dry branches off the tall trees, all the while looking for anything else he can eat. He finds nothing, when he returns Eve carefully instructs him on how to set up a fire, he lays the thinner sticks over top the thicker ones in a triangle pattern.

 

Adam then gets a short but rigid stick and a layer of bark, he rubs the stick between his hands against the bark to create an ember. After a few tries he finally lights the wood aflame, the fire is mesmerizing but Eve warns him not to touch it lest he get burned.

 

After bringing in the wolf carcass and setting it near to fire to defrost, Adam sits by the flame with Eve in his lap making sure to look away from the corpse.

 

“Hmm, this is quite nostalgic isn’t it?” Adam says.

 

Eve leans back so she can look up at him, “In what way?”

 

Adam smiles at her, “It reminds me of when we first met, you were so excited to learn about all of Eden, I was so happy to teach you then and now you are teaching me.” He leans down and kisses her, “I will certainly be relying on you from now on.”

 

She smiles and considers asking Adam for sex, but eventually decides otherwise, now is not the time, if she were to get pregnant in this frozen land it would only make things harder. So for now she just embraces his warmth.

 

Soon Eve decides that the carcass is defrosted and Adam decides to make some cutting tools to more easily butcher it as Eve instructs him too. So using two rocks to chip each other away he makes a rudimentary knife.

 

It’s not very sharp or precise, it's certainly not as good as the tools he made in Eden to carve wood but it will do. The process is slow and disgusting, Eve makes sure to emphasize that the fur and hide must be intact so they can use it later.

 

Once Adam has successfully butchered it, he skewers a few pieces of meat and sets them over the fire while he buries the organs in the snow for later. Once the meat has been cooked Adam cautiously takes a bite of it, he hates it.

 

Knowing that this was once a living creature makes him sick but beyond that the texture is rough and chewy, it's soft in an uncomfortable way, and the thick grease that trails down his throat makes him want to gag.

 

Adam forces it down because he knows he must but he does not get down much before he can’t take it anymore and he leaves the rest for Eve. Once again the voice speaks to him, it tells him that he will never have to endure this again all he must do is leave behind everything and come into the cave, Adam ignores it.

 

===

 

Once Eve has eaten Adam decides they both need a weapon to defend themselves, Eve directs him to the bones of the wolf and he begins to meticulously carve them into knives. He sets aside the largest bone for when he has better tools to craft with.

 

After this their days continue in a loose routine, they wake up and Adam would spend the first half of the day teaching Eve to fight and getting her to work out. They eat the meat left over from the previous day and then Adam would set off to hunt, soon Eve joins him as he deems her skills to be capable enough.

 

Adam never gives up hope that he may find another source of food but in the end he never finds one so he is left to stomach the vile acts of murder and consumption. As the days go by Adam crafts better and better tools and both he and Eve become capable at butchering.

 

Eventually they become precise enough to remove the sinew of the flesh and dry it out, Eve tells him this can be used as thread to make clothing so that they may stay out longer in the cold.

 

Adam takes to sewing quite well, by twining the sinew and attaching it to a thin shard of bone he quickly learns to create coats and pants and boots. This is also the point where Eve’s knowledge thins out.

 

Eve was given a vast knowledge over a variety of subjects, but when it comes to skilled labor she becomes incapable, she knows what clothes are and what you need to make them but not how to make them.

 

This is fortunately where Adam shines, in testing and effort he creates clothing and better tools to do so, he crafts sharper weapons and makes tighter stitches. Soon the two of them barely feel the cold at all when they wander outside now.

 

Both of them agree they cannot stay here, Adam makes a pack to wear and store all of their belongings. Finally he turns to the bone he had set aside months ago, he pulls out all of his best tools and spends the entire day carving it into an ornate dagger.

 

Its carvings are thin and compromise the structure of it as a weapon but that is not its purpose, Adam strings it into a necklace and hangs it around its neck, so that he will never forget his first murder, and to always feel the weight of a life.

 

The cave speaks to him one last time as he and Eve prepare to journey out of the tundra, it tells him that if he does not wander its depths he will face endless suffering. Adam does not turn around.

 

It says they will meet again.

Notes:

Fun fact I am a vegetarian (Mosty) for similar reasons to Adam, I can’t stand the texture of meat or the flavor of fat, I do eat meat on occasion when there are no good alternatives but every single time I eat meat I feel bloated and sick.

Also I don’t know where this wordy holier than thou writing came from I sort of just naturally fell into it.

Next Time: Land and Sea

Chapter 3: Land and Sea

Notes:

That's right I’m making them walk bitches! Eat your heart out Tolkien!

The tundra seems nearly endless, all around then is a never ending blanket of white only broken by the occasional patch of trees. The first day of their travels is nothing but endless walking, they entertain each other with conversation.

 

“What do you call that?” Eve points to a tree.

 

“That’s a pine tree.” Adam says, “Shouldn’t you already know that? Or did the fruit not give you that knowledge?”

 

Eve ponders that for a second, “It does give me the names for things, but they're in a language I can’t speak. For some reason when you or I name something it suddenly becomes that name.”

 

Adam smiles, “How interesting, almost makes me wish I had eaten the fruit after all.”

 

Eve pouts, “Oh don’t you dare Adam! We’re already in trouble with the angels. I can't imagine what they would do if you ate the fruit as well.”

 

Adam shrugs still smiling, “Maybe they’ll banish us to hell as well? Then we’d see Lucifer and Lilith again. I miss their banter.”

 

“You aren’t mad at them?”

 

“No I’m pissed, when I see them again I’ll be collecting some teeth.”

 

Eve giggles, “Save some for me!”

 

Adam suddenly stops and Eve walks around him to see why, there she sees large tracks in the snow, “Oh those aren’t good…”

 

Adam nods, “Yeah even I can see we should probably avoid that.” He gestures at the large claw marks gouged into the snow.

 

They turn and follow the tracks in the opposite direction until they disappear, then continue on their original heading. As the sky darkens above them they seek out a shelter and end up under a pine tree with low branches.

 

“Well at least the snow is soft, that cave was murder on my back.” Adam comments as he packs down the snow.

 

Eve lays down beside him, “Oh it wasn’t so bad.”

 

Adam gives her an unamused look, “That’s because you slept on top of me!”

 

Eve smirks, “Hey it’s your fault for being so tall! Plus you're very comfortable.”

 

Adam shakes his head with a smile, “Alright fine, come here.”

 

Adam pulls Eve close, “Goodnight Eve, I love you.”

 

Eve snuggles into his chest, “I love you too.”

 

===

 

They walk through the tundra for weeks, the snow slowly thinning out around them until it completely disappears and the trees change around them. The forest floor becomes vibrant with plant life with a multitude of colors.

 

Adam looks giddy, at all the new things around him, “Eve what do you think we should name this plant?” He kneels down next to a plant with hundreds of small leaves, it resembles a feather.

 

Eve kneels next to him, “Oh! Uh… green feather?”

 

“...”

 

“You put me on the spot okay!”

 

Adam chuckles, “How about fern?”

 

Eve mumbles, “Yeah I guess that's better.”

 

They spend days wandering around the forest naming everything in it, (Mostly Adam), and Adam is delighted to find fruits he can actually eat. Some of them are apparently poisonous so he makes sure to check with Eve before he actually eats anything.

 

As they continue walking through the forest they find themselves sweating profusely and they have to take off their clothes which are far too thick for the heat.

 

“Guess we’ll have to make thinner ones at some point.” Eve comments.

 

Adam nods already thinking about how to make clothes out of anything other than pelts so he doesn’t have to murder another animal, plus it makes a great challenge.

 

They continue on their journey, the terrain changing around them, gradually it slopes upward and the trees disappear giving way to thick grass. Then they come upon a beautiful sight, the ground drops beneath them leading to a large grassy field surrounded by rocky ridges, bordered by an endless expanse of water on one side, and a forest on the other side.

 

“It’s amazing.” Adam whispers.

 

Eve blinks trying to take in everything around them, “I think… we should settle here.”

 

Adam nods and they look for a way down, seeing a small break in the ridge they follow a path down into the basin.

 

===

 

Weeks go by as they clear out a patch of land near a river leading out to sea, Eve builds up a stockpile of wood while Adam begins to make dirt brick, soon they have a small brick hut with a thatched roof.

 

They move on to creating a field alongside the river, Eve shows Adam how certain plants can be cultivated for food and he eagerly works on planting the seeds. Once their basic needs are solved they finally settle down.

 

Their bed is just their old pelt clothes, laid out with the stitches removed in a pile, one night they stay up and watch the stars glimmering around them.

 

“Hey Adam?”

 

“Yes?” Adam turns to her with a smile she never saw even in Eden.

 

He really seems to be happy here. Eve smiles back at him, suddenly not so regretful that she ate the fruit, “I want to make a baby.”

 

Adam is still smiling but he clearly looks confused, “Okay! Two questions: what is that and how?”

 

Eve giggles and quickly pulls him into the hut, “Let me show you~”

 

That night Eve thinks to herself that it's a very good thing she started working out.

 

===

 

“Eve I’m so sorry.”

 

Eve waves him off, clinging to the doorframe of their house, “Adam I’m fine really!”

 

Adam crosses his arms, “Really? Walk in a straight line.”

 

Eve glares at him but she does attempt to walk in a straight line, failing miserably and collapsing on her knees, “Stupid legs…” She grumbles.

 

Adam sighs and helps her up, “Eve please just rest for the day, I can tend to the crops on my own.”

 

Eve pouts but nods her head, “Fiiine but I promise to work extra hard tomorrow!”

 

===

 

“AHHH!!!” The hut is filled with agonizing screams of the first mother, her body shuddering as it pushes out a new life.

 

Adam holds her hand feeling fairly mostly useless, all he can really do is bring her water or fruit. His side burns where his missing rib is, he wonders if he's feeling a part of her pain, if so he doesn’t want to imagine what she's feeling right now.

 

Eve lays there panting, she looks up at Adam with a weary smile, “You know this is going to take a while, you might want to go do something else.”

 

Adam blinks, “Eve are you fucking serious?”

 

“Absolutely not if you leave me I’ll tear off your arms.”

 

Adam smiles at her, "There's my wife.”

 

Hours pass by until finally Adam holds two small bodies in his arms, “Look at them Eve, you did it.”

 

Eve gazes at them with an intense fondness before passing out, Adam gently caresses her cheek, he turns to his children with a brilliant smile, “Hello Cain, Aclima.”

 

===

 

Years pass by and Adam has thoroughly enjoyed teaching his children, he has always enjoyed teaching others but children are so receptive to learning that they are practically attached to him.

 

Of course Adam also finds new things to do constantly, he finally found a substitute for pelts that could also be used for other things. He found an animal with white fluffy fur, he named it sheep, Eve told him that their fur grows constantly and they won’t need it in the long term.

 

So Adam started to make clothes out of that wool after creating a spacious pen for them, he also came to a realization. He is very tall, now he already knew he is taller than Eve but Lilith was pretty much his height and in Eden the angels were all taller than him, excluding Lucifer.

 

Now that his children have grown up and stopped growing he realizes that he is practically a giant. Most of his children are around Eve’s height or shorter, only Aclima seems to have surpassed her mothers height but not by much.

 

Adam wonders if it’s because he was made with the proportions of an angel as he and Lilith were made in the same way. He does think that Eve is so short because she was made from so little material, having only come from his rib.

 

Of course this also means it’s quite easy for him to pick up and carry his children which he is certainly happy about.

 

Quicker than one might expect a century passes by.

 

===

 

“Dad!” Aclima runs up to Adam with Cain trailing behind her, “What are you working on?”

 

Adam looks up at them with a bright smile, “It’s called a plow, a person or an animal can pull it and it will till the field for them.”

 

Cain kneels down next to it, “That's great dad! It’ll be so much easier to tend to the field with this!” He stands up and gives his father a strained smile, “I only have one question, what are you wearing?”

 

Aclima snorts into her hand as Adam poses, “Oh, Interested in my latest fashion are you.”

 

“Dad, it looks ridiculous.” Cain gestures at the multi-colored garment draped over Adam’s body.

 

Adam places his hands over his chest in mock offence, “What you don’t like my toga? I even made it in pretty colors!” The main part of the toga is a deep blue with green accents.

 

Aclima elbow Cain, “Aww lighten up bro, I think it looks great! What was your inspiration this time dad?”

 

Adam grins and picks up Aclima, “Well I’m glad someone has taste!” Placing her on his back he looks out toward the ocean, “I’ve been thinking about the sea a lot lately, something about it calls to me.”

 

Cain shakes his head with a smile, “I’ll never understand you and Abel’s obsession with fashion.”

 

“That’s because you have your head buried in the ground with your crops.” Aclima teases resting her head on Adam’s shoulder.

 

Cain bristles, “Hey! Dad loves my crops, right?!”

 

Adam pets his head soothingly, “Yes of course I do Cain. Also don’t mock my clothes. I guarantee one day this will be extremely popular!”

 

Cain rolls his eyes, “Yeah sure Dad, how's mom by the way?”

 

Adam opens his mouth then closes it with a smile, “Ask her yourself son.”

 

Eve runs up to Adam and tackles him in a hug, “Adam! I found a new plant in the forest!”

 

Adam’s eyes light up with glee, “Really?! Where?”

 

Eve beams at the look in his eyes, “Just on the edge where it meets the sea.”

 

Cain taps his mom on the shoulder, “What no hugs for me?”

 

Eve wraps an arm around him, “Of course not, how’s the field tending working out for you?”

 

Cain smugly states, “It’s going perfectly, ever since Dad introduced irrigation we’ve been able to expand the fields much farther.” Then he looks at his mother with worry, “Also are you sure you should be out in the woods by yourself?”

 

Adam chuckles, “Clearly you haven’t seen your mother with a spear, I wouldn’t be surprised if she comes back with a bear carcass one day.”

 

Aclima chimes in, “Yeah, haven’t you gotten your ass handed to you by me enough times to realize the women in our family are monsters? Or do you need another demonstration.”

 

Cain holds up his hands in surrender, “Nope I like living thank you very much.”

 

Eve stares at Aclima with narrowed eyes, “Aclima you're not a child anymore you don’t need your father to carry you.”

 

Aclima tightens her hold around Adam, “I don’t care, Dad’s comfy.”

 

Eve’s eye twitches, “Adam you’re going to fuck me tonight.”

 

Adam gasps, “Eve in front of the children!” Then he smiles, “For shame.”

 

Eve throws her hands up in exasperation, “Oh please they already know!”

 

“Only because you're so loud! I swear I can hear you from across the valley!” Aclima snidely cuts in.

 

“You wouldn’t hear shit if you just moved out!”

 

“Why would I do that? Dad’s here.”

 

Eve pinches the bridge of her nose, “Are you going to live with your parents forever? You're a hundred years old, settle down with someone already!”

 

Aclima just sticks her tongue out and buries her face in Adam’s shoulder.

 

Eve shakes her head, “Honestly what am I going to do with you.”

 

Adam suddenly claps his hands together, “Oh right! Cain, I have something for you.” He unties a pouch from his waist and hands it to Cain.

 

Cain looks inside, “White powder?”

 

Adam nods, “Yep, it’s crushed sea shells, I’ve been experimenting with them and if you spread some of that on your soil the crops will grow better.”

 

Cain looks stunned, “Wow Dad how did you figure that out?”

 

Adam shrugs, “I just sort of just tried everything until something worked.”

 

Cain shakes his head, “I have nowhere near enough patience to do that.”

 

Adam grins, “Well then it's a good thing I’m around then!”

 

Eve frowns suddenly, “Adam I’ve been meaning to ask but what is the purpose of that contraption behind our house?”

 

Aclima lifts up her head, “Oh I saw that as well, what does it do?”

 

Adam grins, “Why don’t I show you?”

 

===

 

Adam leads them behind the house, which has grown from the small hut it once was to a large two story building, and there they see a large wheel in the river constantly spinning, attached to it is a bunch of wooden gears leading to two contraptions.

 

“Everyone this,” Adam points at the wheel, “Is the boringly named Water Wheel.” He then points at the two contraptions, “And those are a millstone and the thresher. They move on their own by using the constant motion of the water wheel to power them.”

 

Cain walks over to the thresher, “Hey Dad, what's up with all the farming inventions?”

 

Adam shrugs, “It’s easy to create a bunch of farming tools, you really only have a few different things you do.”

 

Eve crosses her arms, “I already knew about these, I'm talking about that.” She points to a wooden contraption that could easily be mistaken as part of the millstone.

 

Adam walks over to it, “Oh this? It’s just a little experiment of mine.” He pulls on it and it unfolds into a large bow-like structure, “I call it the balista.” 

 

Adam turns it around pointing it out into the empty field, he then grabs a long pointed log and pulls back the rope to set it in place, “Ready?”

 

Everyone nods warily, Adam smiles with a manic grin, “Fire!” The rope snaps forward and the log goes flying off into the distance, a few seconds pass and they hear a loud CRASH!

 

Aclima’s mouth hangs open in awe, “Wow Dad! That’s awesome!”

 

Cain blinks, “It’s certainly interesting.”

 

Eve raises an eyebrow, “Okay but what is it for?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Nothing?”

 

“Nothing!” Adam exclaims proudly.

 

Adam’s children stare at him in confusion, Eve facepalms.

 

===

 

Adam wanders the beach at night, he makes it a point to do this every month, he enjoys the feeling of sand between his toes, the sparkle of the night sky reflected off the ocean, and the sound of the waves crashing to shore.

 

Adam has been fascinated by the sea ever since he arrived here, a place he cannot wander or travel, the ideas he comes up with from just standing on the shore come in multitudes, he promises that one day he shall conquer the waves and find what’s on the other side.

 

Something in the distance catches his eye, a small shadow coming out of the water slowly growing larger and larger, he quickly realizes it’s getting closer, the waves grow larger as they crash against the shore but he is not touched by a drop of water, the sea parting around him.

 

Adam watches in awe as the shadow grows in front of him, a long scaly neck pulling itself out of the water, its head sharp and angled with two large yellow eyes, the scales practically glow with power, its entire body a mosaic of color, as Adam stares at the gargantuan creature only one thought comes to mind.

 

“Beautiful…”

 

===

 

Leviathan blinks, Beautiful? She expected him to run in terror or freeze in place, then again Adam has never been a normal person. She lowers her head so her nose is only a few feet in front of him, “Adam.”

 

Adam startles breaking out of a trance, “Oh, hello… who are you?”

 

Leviathan smiles internally, unable to feel an ounce of fear from him, “My name is Leviathan, I am an angel and the mother of all beasts.”

 

Adams mind is flooded with guilt and sadness, he clutches the knife hanging around his neck with a white knuckled grip, dropping to his knees he clasps his hands together in prayer, “I-”

 

Leviathan feels his guilt like a weight around her neck, before he can say anything she gently taps him with her nose, “Silence I need not hear your apologies for I have heard every word you have prayed, I have felt your anguish in every prayer you’ve made over the corpse of my children.”

 

Slowly she lifts him up on his feet and with a softness in her voice she says, “You of all humans have the least reason to be sorry to me, I know the tears you’ve shed and the guilt you carry.”

 

Confusion clouds Adam’s mind but for just a moment a little bit of his guilt disappears, “I still must apologize, not just for me but for my descendants as well, we have trapped your children for work or slaughter. This is surely unforgivable.”

 

Leviathan sighs, “I understand your concerns but I must correct you, even before your kind came into existence my children have slaughtered each other for centuries. You are simply another part of the cycle of life.”

 

Adam frowns, “Then if you are not here to punish us for our sins then why have you appeared to me now?”

 

Leviathan moves around Adam surrounding him with her long neck, “I am here for you Adam, I desire you, your kindness and your creativity. As well as your body.”

 

Adam’s eyes open wide, “What? I can’t leave, I'm married to Eve!”

 

Leviathan narrows her eyes, Why is Eve so special? She’s a mother as well isn’t she? Adam would be happy with her! “I care not for your wife! You deserve far more than the life you’ve been given Adam, I simply wish to save you from suffering.”

 

Adam shakes his head, “If you don’t care for my wife then what of my children? I beg of you don’t take me from them!”

 

Leviathan softens at that, “Very well I shall allow you to spend your remaining days with your children, but heed my warning first man, you will face trials in your life that will break you. If you wish to save your family from your fate you must endure whatever may come.”

 

Leviathan lightly touches Adam’s chest and he feels a bright warmth spread through him, “One day I will return for you, I expect a more favorable answer then.” Then she retreats into the sea, the waves obscuring her form as if she was never there.

 

===

 

“Hey Mom, where's Abel?” Aclima pokes her head into Adam and Eve’s room.

 

Eve stops making the bed and thinks, “I think he and Seth left to do something at the stables.” She turns around and raises an eyebrow at Aclima, “Why do you ask?”

 

Aclima smiles, “I’ve been meaning to get some wool for a project I’m working on with Dad.”

 

Eve smiles, “Oh and what would that be?”

 

“It’s a secret!” Aclima runs out of the room heading towards the stables.

 

===

 

Adam is brushing the hair of a spotted mare when Abel and Seth walk up to him.

 

Abel waves, “Hey Dad! I’ve got a question for you.”

 

Adam stops and peers around at them, “Hello Abel, Seth, what is it?”

 

Seth steps forward, “I was wondering if you could help us with a present.”

 

Adam tilts his head, “Oh for who?”

 

Abel elbows Seth, “This guy finally decided to settle down with Azura.”

 

Adam gasps and runs forward to crush Seth in a hug, “Ha! Took you long enough, you two have been dancing around each other for decades!”

 

The horse behind in huffs.

 

Adam chuckles and sets down Seth before turning to the horse, “I know right?”

 

The two stare at him for a second but decide to ignore it, “Anyway, I want to give her something special to propose with and I was wondering if you could help me think of something.”

 

Adam smirks, “Funny you mention that because I might have just the thing already in the works.”

 

Abel raises his eyebrows, “Really?”

 

Adam nods, “Yep me and Aclima have been working on it for a while now.”

 

Right on cue Aclima enters the stables, “Hey guys I need some wool for a project- Oh hi Dad!” She runs up and jumps on him, “Did you already ask Abel for the wool?”

 

“I was just getting to that, also we might have to adjust some things.”

 

Aclima tilts her head, “Oh why?”

 

“Becaus Seth and Azura are getting married and he needs a proposal gift.”

 

Aclima whips around with wide eyes, “Wait really?! Wow, I thought that would never happen.”

 

Seth grumbles, “Yeah, yeah, I get it we’re slow.”

 

As Abel and Aclima make fun of him Adam whispers to Aclima, “I’ll have to make something for Azura to give Seth as well.”

 

===

 

“Here we gather to bring together two souls in holy matrimony.” Adam stands at the back of a large slab of stone, in front of him is Seth and Azura dressed in ornately embroidered togas.

 

Seth’s is in pink and yellow, embroidered with white thread.

 

Azura’s is in purple and red, embroidered with gold thread.

 

Both are adorned with jewelry of amber and jade, in front of them is a crowd of their siblings off to the side stands Abel and Cain with Eve and Aclima on the other side.

 

“Seth, do you take Azura to be your wife in sickness and in health?”

 

Seth smiles softly, “I do.”

 

“Azura, do you take Seth to be your husband?”

 

Azura looks absolutely giddy, “I do!”

 

“Then with the blessings of the angels high above, I declare you husband and wife. May your bond be sealed with a kiss for all eternity.”

 

They jump at each other and eagerly lock lips, the crowd cheers all around them. Everyone steps off the slab, starting a grand feast.

 

“I can’t believe Dad made them fucking wedding togas.” Cain grumbles.

 

Abel slaps his back, “Aw come on they look great!”

 

“I will never, ever, be caught dead wearing that hideous thing.”

 

Aclima chuckles, “Is that your way of saying you’ll never get married?”

 

Eve sighs, “Honestly, why is it that all of my children except my eldest are married?”

 

Abel looks offended, “Hey don’t lump me in with them! They choose not to get married. I still have a chance!”

 

Adam ruffles Abel’s hair, “I’m sure you’ll find your one someday, you're far too charming to die alone!”

 

“Thanks Dad.” Abel mumbles.

 

“Hey Dad!” Seth and Azura run up to them, “Thanks for the togas they look amazing!”

 

Adam waves them off, “Hey all I did is make them, you guys are the ones who decided on how they look.” He smiles and leans down to inspect them, “And you both choose some beautiful color schemes.”

 

Cain scowls but bites his tongue.

 

The party continues for the entire day and ends the next morning, the whole village filled with the inherent joy of matrimony. Adam has an easy smile on his face the entire time, but deep down he feels tense, ever since Leviathan gave him her warning he’s been stressed about the future.

 

Whatever may come I will protect my family.

Notes:

I’m putting it in your heads, my version of Adam is a chiseled twink, I can’t get it out of my head so now it’s in yours.

Next Time: Sin and Slaughter

Chapter 4: Sin and Slaughter

Notes:

The chapter where everything goes wrong.

Eve wakes up alone. She sighs, stretches, and sits up. This has been happening more and more lately, Adam is always off working on some new project. She’s starting to suspect the man doesn’t sleep; at night he’s either wandering the beaches, having sex with her, or inventing something. Not that he neglects her, she sees him plenty during the day. She just wishes he could sit still for an hour or two. But then, he wouldn’t be Adam if he did.

 

Smiling fondly to herself, Eve gets dressed and steps outside. The air is crisp with the first hints of fall. Life has been good. They’ve lived here for two centuries now, and their children have had children of their own, many of whom have left the valley to settle elsewhere. Of course, her eldest three remain single.

 

Cain outright refuses to meet anyone. Since all his closest siblings are married, he claims it feels strange to date people a century or two younger than he is. Eve doesn’t really see the problem; Adam spent decades in the Garden before she arrived after all. But Cain will likely never marry.

 

Abel constantly moans about being single, but Eve has no sympathy. He spends every waking moment tending to his herd. He’d meet more people if he actually tried. There are still plenty of girls out there for him… or guys! She doesn’t care. Not every one of her children needs to fill the earth with offspring, there are already hundreds doing that.

 

Aclima, meanwhile, is a daddy’s girl through and through. She always has been, and Eve usually doesn’t mind, though there have been more than a few nights when Aclima has sneaked into their bed. She’ll likely never marry either, spoiled as she is by her father’s attention. At least Eve understands it, and the two of them get along well. Aclima is helpful around the house and loves working with Adam on all his contraptions.

 

CRASH!

 

Eve blinks and turns toward the sudden cacophony behind the house. She can’t decide whether to sigh or smile, she’ll wait until she sees what Adam has managed to break this time.

 

===

 

Aclima coughs as the dust settles around her. She feels warm and quickly realizes her dad wrapped his arms around her the moment everything collapsed. She smiles and clings to the fabric of his toga, breathing in his scent… If Cain ever heard that, she’d never live it down.

 

“Are you alright, honey?” Adam gazes down at her with the same immeasurable affection he has for all his children.

 

“Just some dust in my eyes, that’s all,” Aclima replies, giving him a bright smile.

 

Adam frowns. “We should wash that out. You never know what could be in the dirt.”

 

Aclima nods. She whines softly as he sets her down beside him, but before she can head toward the river, something catches her eye. “Dad!” She stares at the large gash across his back. It isn’t bleeding much, thankfully, but it looks painful.

 

Adam turns and offers her a gentle smile. “It’s fine, Aclima. I’ll clean it later.”

 

Aclima scowls. How can he worry about dust when he’s the one torn open? …Oh, who am I kidding? That’s just Dad. Before she can scold him, her mother rounds the corner. Eve stops short, taking in Adam, the wound on his back, and the splintered pile of wood behind him.

 

Sighing, Eve hurries over and checks Aclima for injuries. Finding none, she moves to Adam with a deepening frown. “What happened this time?” Her voice is an exhausted mix of resignation and disappointment.

 

Adam gives a sheepish smile and gestures toward the ruins behind him. “Well, Nathan brought back a new kind of wood he called redwood, and I wanted to stress-test it to see if it’d work for a project I’m doing, and… I may have pushed it too far.”

 

Eve’s frown only deepens. “Reeeally? I hadn’t noticed.” She sighs and waves Aclima off. “Go clean yourself up. I’ll make sure your father doesn’t die of an infection.”

 

“Allow me, Eve.”

 

A tall woman with six white wings appears, accompanied by several others like her. Aclima stares in awe. There are people taller than Dad?! They must be angels…

 

“Sera?!” Adam looks completely bewildered, while Eve only seems mildly confused. “What are you all doing here? Not that I mind, of course, it’s just…”

 

Sera lifts her hand, and Adam’s wound vanishes in a warm glow of light. “We have decided that for your two-hundredth birthday, we will bless a child of your choosing.”

 

Adam blinks. “Really?!”

 

===

 

“Why are we competing again?” Cain asks, leaning in the doorway of his parents’ house. “If they’re angels, why not just bless both of us?”

 

Abel grins and elbows him. “Afraid of a little competition, bro?”

 

Cain scowls. “Yeah, right. I’m just asking why they made Dad choose.”

 

Adam, who has been rummaging through the closet, walks over holding two togas. “The angels have always worked in mysterious ways. If they’ve decided this is best, I’m inclined to trust them… mostly.”

 

Both sons raise an eyebrow. Cain speaks first. “Mostly?”

 

Adam nods. “Lucifer.”

 

“Ah.” They say it in unison. They’ve heard the Eden story more times than they can count.

 

Abel clears his throat. “Okay, so what are we doing?”

 

Adam hands him a very ornate toga, white and red, much like the wedding togas he made for Seth and Azura. “I told them I couldn’t choose just one of my children. They said to bring the ones I would have chosen, and you’ll both offer a sacrifice. Whichever they prefer will receive the blessing.”

 

He then hands Cain a yellow and green toga. Cain frowns at it. “Seems easy enough, but I am not wearing this thing.”

 

Adam shakes his head with a fond smile. “Come on, son. Don’t you want to look your best?”

 

Cain opens his mouth to protest but finds his usual sharpness softening under his father’s earnest gaze. “Alright, fine,” he mumbles.

 

===

 

Cain is livid. He hadn’t truly wanted to do this in the first place, he would’ve been perfectly fine letting Abel have the blessing. But if the angels wanted them to compete, then apparently that was what they had to do.

 

So he harvested the best of his wheat crop for the year, thankfully, the angels had arrived in the fall, when it was ready. When he reached the altar, Abel was already waiting with meat from one of his prized sheep.

 

Cain raised an eyebrow at that. Surely the angels his father spoke so highly of would share his respect for life. Unfortunately, he was dead wrong. Not only did they choose Abel’s sacrifice over his, they even mocked his wheat, calling it “simple.”

 

How dare they?! Cain burned with anger but held his tongue. Did they not understand the labor behind his work? The effort he poured into every square inch of his “simple” field? The many uses of wheat and its ability to sustain life over time?

 

Cain takes a deep breath and tries to let it go. Why should he care about the opinions of angels who had discarded his parents? Their judgment meant nothing to him. Dad doesn’t even eat meat!

 

He and Abel begin heading home, Abel sheepishly apologizing for receiving the blessing. Cain waves him off, then freezes as a whisper brushes through his mind:

 

What would your father think?

 

Cain stops and looks around wildly. “Who said that?”

 

“Cain?” Abel frowns at him. “What is it?”

 

Cain stares at him. “I, ”

 

Your father speaks so highly of the angels. What will he think of the son they scorned?

 

Cain jolts. “That voice! Where is it coming from?”

 

Abel’s worry deepens. “Brother, there is no voice. Are you alright?”

 

Cain blinks hard and clutches his head. “I- yes. Yes, I’m sorry. I must be tired. It’s getting late.”

 

Abel studies him for a moment, then nods and continues walking.

 

Cain follows slowly, until the voice returns.

 

You will not be welcomed home.

 

Cain scowls. My father would never do such a thing…

 

How can you be sure?

 

Cain nearly yelps when he realizes it can hear his thoughts. What are you?!

 

The angels have never been kind to those they deem unfit. How can you be sure your father will not listen to them? He has known them far longer than you.

 

Cain clenches his teeth, his vision beginning to spin. Begone! Do not lie to me any longer!

 

There is a way to ensure your father’s love.

 

Cain stumbles and falls to his knees, gasping for breath. He can faintly hear Abel calling his name.

 

The angels want a sacrifice?

 

Cain trembles violently, fingers digging into the dirt. Abel kneels beside him, hands gripping his shoulder.

 

Then give them the ultimate sacrifice.

 

Cain’s face drips with sweat. He lifts his head. Abel is hysterical, his mouth moving, but Cain hears nothing.

 

After all…

 

All Cain can see is red.

 

There is no better feast…

 

His hand closes around a rock.

 

…than sin.

 

Crack!

 

===

 

Adam frowns as the moon rises into the sky. “They should be back by now…”

 

Eve peers into the distance, worry creasing her face. “Maybe they just lost track of time?”

 

Adam steps forward. “I’m going to check on them.”

 

Eve presses her lips together. “Alright, just be careful.”

 

Adam nods and heads toward the altar. His unease grows with every step; an oppressive presence hangs in the air, growing thicker and heavier. The smell of rot clings to the wind. He breaks into a run, then abruptly stops.

 

Cain sits on the ground, choking on sobs. Adam’s heart nearly stops when he sees Abel, limp in Cain’s arms, the ground beneath them soaked with blood, a rock embedded in Abel’s skull.

 

“Cain?” Adam’s voice is barely a whisper, the sound frayed with horror. Cain stiffens and slowly turns.

 

When he sees his father, he scrambles to his feet and backs away. “D-Dad, I-I don’t know what happened! I just- I didn’t want to!”

 

A storm of emotion whirls through Adam: rage, grief, regret, confusion. He wants to scream, to curse the heavens, to collapse in shame.

 

If you wish to save your family from your fate, you must endure whatever may come.

 

Adam takes a long breath and forces his expression calm. What his son needs now is not fury, but understanding.

 

“Cain,” he says softly.

 

Cain flinches at the sound, biting back a sob and turning his face away.

 

“Please… I need you to tell me-”

 

A flash of light cuts him off. Both men look up as angels descend from a glowing ring in the sky.

 

Michael rushes forward, eyes blazing. “To spill the blood of your own kin,  you have committed an unforgivable sin!” With a single sweep of his hand, Cain’s hands burst into flame. Cain screams and tries to smother it, but the fire vanishes on its own, leaving his hands a dark, blood-red. “May you wander the earth for the rest of your days. Never again will you yield the fruits of your labor. Your hands tainted with the blood you have spilled.”

 

Sera steps beside Michael. “To ensure you serve your punishment in full, anyone who kills you shall suffer vengeance sevenfold.” She points at his chest; the skin tears open, leaving behind the mark of a serpent.

 

Adam stands frozen, torn apart by turmoil. What should he do? What can he do?

 

He makes his choice the moment Uriel raises his hands.

 

Adam bolts forward in desperation, reaching out to his son. “Cain!” He has already lost one child today, he will not lose another.

 

Cain panics and reaches for him, but jerks his hand back at the last second, eyes wide with shame. Light engulfs him, and he turns away, unable to face what he’s done. The light disappears and with it so does Cain.

 

===

 

Abel’s funeral fills the air with grief. The entire village gathers in mourning for what they have lost. Eve weeps over her son’s body while Adam gently rubs her back.

 

Adam’s free hand curls into a fist, his nails biting into his palm until they draw blood.

 

I have failed you, my children. I cannot fail again.

 

The funeral continues for many weeks. News of Abel’s death, and of Cain’s fate, spreads far and wide, and many travel from distant homes to say their final goodbyes to their brother.

 

When the time comes, Adam buries Abel in a shroud of pure white, woven from the wool of the sheep Abel tended so devoutly in life.

 

===

 

“Dad?” Aclima approaches Adam where he stands at the edge of a wheat field, the full moon hanging directly overhead. “Are you alright?”

 

Adam turns and offers her a weary smile. “No. No, I’m not.”

 

Aclima shifts her weight. “Is there anything I can do?”

 

Adam pulls her into a tight hug, which she returns without hesitation. “It isn’t your job to cheer me up, my dear. I doubt I will ever fully recover from what we’ve lost… but I cannot let myself drown in misery.” He rubs her back gently. “And, I should be asking you if you’re okay.”

 

Aclima sniffles into his shoulder. “No…”

 

Adam closes his eyes. “That’s alright.”

 

Silently, Adam holds his daughter close while she weeps.

 

===

 

Eve hasn’t been doing well. After Abel’s death and Cain’s banishment, she has withdrawn further and further into herself. More often than not, she refuses to leave the house or see anyone besides Adam, choosing instead to hide away in her room.

 

This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the angels.

 

Eve tries to block out the voice that has haunted her for weeks. Shut up…

 

Why were your sons not good enough? All they had to do was bless them both, and Abel would still be alive.

 

Eve clutches her hair and buries her face in a pillow. GO AWAY!

 

And what of Cain? Are all your children doomed to sin? What if they come for you next?

 

No! My children would never do that!

 

Why deny the truth? It has already happened. You could be next… or Adam.

 

Eve goes still. Her fingers slowly loosen from her hair.

 

Adam?

 

===

 

Aclima has been in a daze. Adam does his best to cheer her up, but she hasn’t felt like doing anything. She keeps circling the same question in her mind: why? Why would Cain do that? Jealousy? It makes no sense. He could be a hothead sometimes, sure, but killing Abel in a fit of rage? That wasn’t her brother.

 

With a heavy sigh, Aclima goes to look for her father. Maybe working on a new contraption will take my mind off things. As she walks past her parents’ room, the door creaks open.

 

Eve steps out.

 

Aclima’s eyebrows rise. “Mom? Are you okay? I haven’t seen you in a while.” She reaches toward her, then freezes when she notices the knife in her mother’s hand. “Mom…?”

 

Eve lunges at her with a scream.

 

===

 

Eve trembles as she steps out of her room, a knife clenched tightly in her hand. She sees Aclima standing in the hallway.

 

She wants to take Adam from you. She always has.

 

Eve grinds her teeth so hard it echoes in her skull. The sound is deafening. She lunges at Aclima.

 

Aclima yelps and jumps to the side, narrowly avoiding her mother. Eve whirls around and raises the knife again. Aclima scrambles on all fours to get away, barely dodging as the knife slams into the wooden floor.

 

“What the fuck Mom?!” Aclima scrambles to her feet. Eve glares at her with wild, unbridled rage.

 

“You bitch! How dare you!” Eve charges at her again. Aclima spins around and bolts out of the house.

 

“Mom, stop!” Aclima shouts, running in a panic toward the stables.

 

“Shut up and die already! I know you’re trying to steal Adam from me!”

 

Aclima stumbles. “What?! No I’m not!”

 

Eve doesn’t miss her opening. She leaps onto Aclima, and the two crash into the dirt. Aclima manages to grab the arm holding the knife, and they end up with Eve on top of her. Eve tries to punch her with the other hand, but Aclima catches it just in time.

 

“Mom, please! Calm down! I’m not trying to steal Dad!” Aclima gasps, struggling beneath her mother’s terrifying strength.

 

“Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP! Don’t lie to me, you brat! I know you are, I know you are! Don’t lie to me when I know what you do at night!”

 

Aclima freezes. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

 

Eve’s eye twitches violently. She leans in closer, and Aclima tries to pull away.

 

“You left the door open. I heard you moaning your father’s name, you whore!”

 

Eve jerks her head back and slams it into Aclima’s face. Aclima cries out, and Eve tears her arm free.

 

Eve raises the knife high into the air.

 

“Eve, stop!”

 

She flinches. Adam is running toward her, panic carved across his face. With a scream, Eve brings the knife down, straight into her own stomach.

 

“EVE!” Adam drops to his knees beside them, pulling Eve into his arms. “No, no, no! Hold on, we can fix this, I can-”

 

Eve grabs his face, her hands trembling violently. “A…dam… I’m so…rry…”

 

Aclima pushes herself upright, staring at her mother in stunned horror. Adam watches helplessly as the light fades from Eve’s eyes and her arms fall limp.

 

===

 

Adam watches the waves roll in at the edge of the pier. Months have passed since Eve died, yet he still can’t shake the image from his mind, her lifeless body turning pale in his arms. He failed again, and the worst part is that he still doesn’t understand why. Why would Eve try to kill Aclima only to end up killing herself? Why would Cain kill Abel when they had both agreed to the competition?

 

He shakes his head and looks up at the sky, wondering whether the angels are watching him. “Please… help me.”

 

“Dad…”

 

===

 

Aclima approaches her father. It’s as though he radiates sorrow into the very air around him. His muscles have atrophied, his hair lies greasy and matted, and the spark in his eyes, once bright enough to lift anyone’s spirits, has gone dim. Even his usually extravagant clothes seem dull on him now.

 

Adam turns to her with a small, pitiful smile. “Hello, honey. Are you alright? Did you have another nightmare?”

 

Aclima bites her tongue. She has had nightmares of her mother chasing her, trying to kill her. She’s slept in Adam’s bed nearly every night since. “No… I was just feeling restless.”

 

Adam pats the spot beside him. Aclima quickly sits and leans into him. He wraps an arm around her, and together they stare out across the water.

 

You know what you must do.

 

The voice speaks to her, as it has for months now. It whispers things she doesn’t want to think about, her father’s suffering, his loneliness, his pain. It tells her that his happiness will return only if he can see those he has lost, that if she truly wants him to smile again, he must be reunited with them.

 

Aclima looks up at him. He meets her gaze with a tired, gentle smile.

 

She smiles back, and pushes him into the water.

 

===

 

Adam freezes as the cold water closes around him. He tries to swim upward, desperate for air, but a heavy weight slams down on top of him, forcing him deeper. He fights against it, cursing his weakened muscles as his head is shoved underwater again and again. Through the panic, he dimly realizes, it must be Aclima.

 

“Dad, please stop struggling!” Aclima’s voice is muffled and hoarse, barely carrying over the splashing water. She uses every ounce of strength she has to keep him submerged. “I want to help you! Just give up and you can see Mom and Abel again!” She screams the words, trying to make sure he hears them even beneath the surface.

 

“I’ll come with you, so please!” she sobs, her tears disappearing into the churning water as they fight.

 

Adam manages to seize a handful of Aclima’s hair. He yanks, dragging her underwater with him. With a desperate gasp, he breaks the surface and immediately grabs the edge of the pier. Releasing her hair, he lunges for her arm instead. With tremendous effort, he hauls them both up onto the wooden planks.

 

They collapse on the pier, coughing and spitting up water. Minutes pass before Adam lifts his head, only to see Aclima standing over him. She flinches when their eyes meet, then turns and bolts.

 

Adam staggers to his feet and follows. “Aclima!”

 

She doesn’t look back. She runs as fast as her numb limbs will allow, her breath ragged and painful. Her mind swirls with confusion and horror, how could she do something like that to her own father?

 

Suddenly, she’s lifted off the ground, her arms pinned to her sides. “No! Let me go!”

 

Adam uses the last of his strength to hold her tightly. “Aclima, please… talk to me.”

 

“NO!” She screams and thrashes, begging him to let her go, to release her, to let her disappear so she can never hurt him again. Adam doesn’t move. Her screams fade into broken sobs as her voice gives out, her struggling weakening until she can barely keep herself upright.

 

Adam slowly sits down, keeping her in his arms, settling her on his lap and pulling her close to warm her chilled body. One arm stays wrapped around her waist; the other gently strokes her hair.

 

Aclima cries until exhaustion overtakes her, finally falling asleep in his arms.

 

===

 

Aclima wakes slowly. As her eyes flutter open, she finds herself still cradled in her father’s arms. Instinctively, she snuggles closer, burying her face against his chest, then her eyes snap fully open. She tries to pull away, but Adam tightens his hold.

 

“Dad, let me go!” Her entire body aches, her arms trembling as she weakly struggles against his grip.

 

Adam opens his eyes and looks down at her with a tenderness that steals her breath. “And why would I do that?”

 

Aclima stops fighting, realizing how futile it is. She shakes her head. “You shouldn’t be around me… I’m dangerous.”

 

Adam gently pulls her closer until she’s pressed fully against him. “You’re not dangerous sweetheart. You’re my daughter, and I love you.”

 

Aclima squeezes her eyes shut. “I don’t deserve your love…”

 

Adam sighs softly, his breath tickling her face. “You don’t get to decide that.”

 

They lie there for a long time, wrapped together in silence. Eventually, Aclima drifts back to sleep. Adam watches her for a moment, then presses a gentle kiss to her forehead.

 

“At least I saved you…” he murmurs.

 

===

 

After the incident, Adam’s mood improved significantly. He had spent so long drowning in self-pity that he failed to see he still had things worth living for. Aclima, however, hadn’t forgiven herself. Her nightmares grew worse, every one ending with her killing her father.

 

Hoping to take her mind off everything, Adam threw himself into a new project. Months passed, and finally he brought her to the beach to reveal it.

 

“Why do I have to keep my eyes closed?” Aclima asks as Adam leads her by the hand.

 

Adam grins. “Because it’s a surprise!” He guides her a few more steps, then stops. “Alright, open your eyes.”

 

She does, and gasps. Before her stands a massive wooden structure, long, curved, and crowned with a tall wooden mast. Attached to it billows a wide white sail.

 

“Wow, Dad… what is this?”

 

Adam practically vibrates with excitement. “It’s a boat! I designed it for long-distance travel across the water.” He turns to her, eyes shining. “I want to explore the world, and I want you to come with me.” He holds out his hand.

 

Aclima hesitates. Should she really be alone with him for so long? What if she loses control again? What if she hurts him? But when she meets his gaze, all those fears soften, fading like mist.

 

“Okay,” she says, smiling. “Let’s go on an adventure!”

 

===

 

The two of them travel the world by land and sea, meeting siblings, children, and descendants, sharing stories and exchanging knowledge wherever they went. Adam was amazed by how well the boat performed, and even more amazed that they never encountered weather worse than a simple rainstorm. He suspected a certain scaly angel was watching over them, and every night he offered her a quiet prayer of thanks.

 

But as the years passed, Adam felt himself growing weaker. He had never been certain humans could die of old age, though he had seen it happen in animals. Yet after centuries of life, he could feel his time approaching. And so he decided on one final journey, one he would have to make alone.

 

They return to the valley where he and Eve had settled so long ago, and Adam parts from his beloved daughter. Their farewell is filled with tears and joy, remembering the years they shared and the stories they created together.

 

With one last embrace and a kiss to her forehead, Adam heads north with snow gear in hand, retracing the path of the first journey he ever made, the path that led them out of Eden.

 

Back to the cave from so long ago.

 

===

 

The tundra is exactly as he remembers it, save for a few new trees and others grown taller with time. Adam even encounters a bear like the one he and Eve once avoided. He simply waves at it, and the creature wanders off, uninterested.

 

Before long he sees the mouth of the cave where they first sought shelter. Adam steps inside and removes his snow gear; the cave is just as warm as it was all those years ago. He stares down the tunnel, and hears that same voice calling to him, beckoning him deeper.

 

He listens.

 

The cave is lit by bioluminescent moss, its gentle glow guiding him forward. The path twists and turns, carrying him farther and farther below the earth. The heat grows nearly unbearable, but Adam presses on with quiet determination, ready to face whatever lies ahead.

 

The stone around him darkens, shifting into jagged brimstone. The walls become coated in a thick, viscous black fluid. Eventually the tunnel straightens, the moss-light fading until he walks in near-total darkness, guided only by a dim glow far ahead.

 

When he finally reaches the end, Adam is trembling, his whole body protesting his presence here. He tries to make out the source of the light, but his vision blurs, his head throbs, as if his mind is twisting in on itself.

 

There is something here.

 

Watching him.

 

Moving.

 

He cannot see it.

 

Something is in the way…

 

M̴̄ͅY̷̡̏̕ ̶̭̓e̵͚̯͘Y̷̰̗͌ě̵̯̟S̸̭͓̑̚ ̵̨͍̀̔A̴̧̼̾ŕ̶̬͐e̷̯̅ ̸̠̼̀͛ỉ̴͇͠N̴̻͋ ̶̙̄t̵͈͛̉h̷̛̭̒e̸͍͒ ̴̖̇̎W̸̡͔̿A̶̫̦͊͝Y̸̫͆̇

 

Adam reaches for the dagger hanging around his neck and lifts it to his face. Slowly, meticulously, he removes the obstruction.

 

And then he sees.

 

He sees everything.

 

Something brushes against his mind.

 

Adam collapses, his body going cold as blood pours freely down his face.

 

In the darkness of that cavern, the first man dies alone.

Notes:

Next Time: Forgotten and Alone

Chapter 5: Forgotten and Alone

Emily waits by the gates of Heaven as she always does. As a Joybringer part of her role is to greet and welcome newly arrived souls. Even though only one soul has reached Heaven so far, she takes her responsibilities very seriously.

 

Emily loves being the Joybringer, though she has to admit, there isn’t much for her to do. She had been created not long after the first humans were cast out of the Garden of Eden, and for a millennia now she has cared for only a single soul: Abel.

 

She doesn’t interact with Abel very often, simply because he was so easy to keep content. He spent his days tending his herd and crafting outfits. Every so often, Emily would check in to see if he wanted company, but she always received the same question.

 

“Is any of my family here?”

 

When she tells him no, he would smile gently and say he was fine being alone.

 

To Emily, it's obvious that Abel feels uncomfortable around angels, especially seraphim. Perhaps it has something to do with how he died. Still, she can’t help feeling a little disappointed that she can't even perform her one duty properly for the only human soul in Heaven.

 

No! It’s fine! I just need to wait a little longer. Surely someone else will arrive.

 

…Though now that she thinks about it, is it wrong to wish for someone’s death just so she can do her job?

 

With a sigh, Emily recalls something Sera told her not long ago.

 

===

 

Emily was on her way into Sera’s office to discuss her concerns about Abel when she spotted Sera shuffling about in a frenzy.

 

“Sera, what are you doing?” Emily asks, tilting her head innocently.

 

Sera pauses and turns to her with a warm, motherly smile. “Ah, Emily, sorry for the mess. Adam is nearing the end of his life, and we want to be sure we greet him properly.”

 

Emily nods. She has never met the first man herself and knows him only through stories of Eden. Unlike the other angels, many of whom had formed friendships with him, Adam always felt distant and abstract to her. Because of that, she often found it strange how the other seraphim spoke of him, almost as if he were one of their own.

 

She means no disrespect. A human soul is precious, and Emily cherishes every one of them, as her title demands, but a human and a seraphim exist on entirely different planes. Comparing them feels impossible.

 

“Anyway,” Sera continues, “I expect he’ll be quite… distraught when he arrives. He has lost those dearest to him more than once, and only one of them made it to Heaven. I have no doubt he’ll look for his wife, so I believe it’s best to gently explain that she isn’t here.”

 

Emily nods again. Eve’s absence isn’t surprising. Eating the apple hadn’t been an unforgivable sin, and Eve had once been on a path toward redemption, but after attempting to kill Aclima and then taking her own life, she sealed her fate.

 

Sera places a hand on Emily’s shoulder, pulling her from her thoughts. “Adam is a… unique soul. It may not be obvious at first, but he is deeply conflicted. You’ll have your work cut out for you. Still, I believe that if anyone can bring Adam joy, it will be you.”

 

Emily beams up at her. “I won’t let you down.”

 

===

 

Emily has been waiting by the gates for Adam’s arrival for months now. In hindsight, Sera probably would have told her the moment he died, and Emily could have simply teleported there alongside her, but she’d been far too excited to think that far ahead.

 

Then her ears begin to ring.

 

That shouldn’t be possible. Seraphim don’t have human biology, only human form. As suddenly as it starts, the ringing stops, replaced by a sickening weight in her gut, like the sensation of being watched by a predator. A primal fear, one that should not exist for her.

 

Emily looks around frantically but sees nothing. Confusion flickers across her face. What was that? As she tries to recall the feeling, something interrupts her.

 

“H̸e̴l̸l̵o̵?̷”

 

Emily yelps and jumps back, the sound jarring her senses in a way she can’t explain. “AH! What-?!” She freezes, staring at the figure that has appeared before her.

 

He is… b̵e̶a̸u̶t̷i̴f̶u̵l̵.

 

His wings are vast and shimmer with sparkling gold. His skin is smooth and sun-kissed, his hair a rustic brown streaked with red. A brilliant smile seems permanently etched on his face. And his eyes, Emily finds herself staring into two radiant golden irises set in an ocean of pure void.

 

Beyond his appearance, something else draws her in. An unspeakable allure, like a carnal desire but aimed at the soul itself. She doesn’t even know what that means, yet she feels it all the same.

 

“M̶i̵s̷s̷,̷ ̶a̶r̶e̸ ̶y̸o̴u̶ ̴o̷k̵a̶y̴?̵”

 

His voice makes her flinch. Something brushes against her mind, gentle as a kiss, eliciting both a scream of pain and a shiver of pleasure.

 

“Emily?”

 

Sera appears in a flash of light, joined by Michael and Uriel. Concern lines her face. “Emily, are you alright? You don’t look well.”

 

Emily forces herself to respond. “I-I’m fine, Sera. It was just… greeting a new soul!” She flashes a bright smile, though it’s clearly strained.

 

Sera frowns. “Emily… there’s no one here.”

 

Emily looks at the man, then back at Sera. “What?”

 

“U̸r̸i̶e̷l̶?̴ ̸M̴i̷c̵h̶e̴a̸l̷?̵ ̶S̵e̷r̵a̷?̵”

 

The man speaks again, and Emily’s knees nearly buckle.

 

The three angels startle, as if only now realizing his presence. Michael immediately draws his sword. “Who-?!” He squints. “Wait… Adam?”

 

Sera stares, stunned. “We came because we saw that you had died, but you weren’t here.”

 

Uriel looks the most shaken of them all. “Adam… how are you speaking that language?”

 

Adam tilts his head. “W̷h̸a̷t̷ ̷d̵o̶ ̷y̴o̸u̶ ̵m̷e̷a̴n̶?̸ ̴I̴’̴m̵ ̶s̷p̸e̴a̴k̵i̵n̶g̸ ̶l̵i̸k̶e̴ ̴I̷ ̶a̶l̴w̶a̸y̵s̷ ̶d̸o̸.̶”

 

The three exchange uneasy glances. Uriel opens his mouth to ask another question-

 

-and Emily collapses to the ground.

 

===

 

Lilith used to tell Adam that when he wasn’t actively trying to be nice, he came across as cold and aloof, the sort of person who could watch someone be eaten alive without flinching. Of course, that isn’t true. Adam is implicitly kind; he feels compassion even for the smallest creatures around him. Still, in this moment, he feels strangely distant from his own emotions.

 

Adam is certain he is dead. Whether it was the torrent of blood that poured from his eye sockets or his mind shattering under knowledge humanity was never meant to grasp, it hardly matters, either way he died in that cavern.

 

Unfortunately, his perfect memory is doing him no favors. He can recall every vivid detail of his final moments and the forbidden knowledge that led to them, even if he can’t fully comprehend it now. For the moment, he is very deliberately not thinking about the thing that touched his very being.

 

So yes, he’s completely out of sorts. He feels like he could sleep for an eternity. But the world has never allowed him to process one problem at a time. When he and Eve left Eden, they were immediately thrown into an unforgiving tundra. When Abel died, Eve lost her mind soon after. While he was still grieving her, Aclima tried to kill him.

 

And now, after his horrific death, he opens his eyes to find himself facing bright golden gates, eerily similar to those of Eden, and a silver-skinned angel standing at a podium, staring straight through him as if lost in thought.

 

Adam steps off to the side, confirming his suspicion that she can’t see him. Then he walks directly in front of her. Still nothing. Finally, he decides to speak.

 

“H̸e̴l̸l̵o̵?̷”

 

Everything goes downhill from there.

 

The angel screams and somehow blushes gold (he briefly wonders how that works). Then Sera, Michael, and Uriel appear, yet none of them can see him until he calls out directly. The angel (Emily, as he later learns) stands there shivering for a few moments before promptly passing out.

 

Everyone’s attention snaps to her. Sera scoops Emily up and vanishes in a flash of light, with Michael and Uriel following close behind.

 

Adam is left alone.

 

Honestly, he isn’t sure what he expected when he saw the three of them again. Their last meeting had been brief, and ended with Cain being banished to wander the earth. (Adam and Aclima spent centuries searching for him, never finding so much as a trace)

 

At the time, the angels had seemed rushed. Probably not eager to linger over his other son’s corpse. Adam hadn’t exactly felt like catching up either.

 

Whatever expectations he did have certainly didn’t include an angel passing out just from meeting him. (She’d looked scared and… aroused at the same time. Is that a thing? Scaroused?)

 

Shaking his head, Adam pushes open the pearly gates and strolls into Heaven.

 

===

 

Sera flashes into Raphael’s office, where he immediately rises from his seat and takes Emily from her arms.

 

“What happened?” he asks.

 

“We went to the gates to greet Adam and-” Sera falters.

 

Adam wasn’t there. No, that isn’t right. Someone was there with Emily, wasn’t there? Sera can almost remember another presence, they were there-

 

No. There was no one.

 

So why is her mind so insistent that there was?

 

Sera shakes her head. That isn’t important right now. “I don’t know. One minute she was perfectly fine, and the next she just collapsed.”

 

Raphael gently lifts Emily from Sera’s arms and lays her on the nearest medical bed. His brow furrows in concentration as his hands glow with angelic light, moving slowly over her body.

 

“Well,” he murmurs, “that’s strange.”

 

“What is it?” Sera presses.

 

“She’s suffering from exposure to forbidden knowledge,” Raphael says.

 

Sera stares at him, baffled. “That doesn’t make any sense. She’s a seraphim, forbidden knowledge shouldn’t affect her like this.”

 

“She’s a new seraphim,” Raphael counters. “If I recall correctly, she hasn’t even learned the Tongue of Creation yet. Is that right?”

 

Sera looks down, thinking. It is a plausible explanation.

 

The problem is where the forbidden knowledge came from.

 

She hadn’t noticed anything unusual at the gates. So unless an ancient being, one powerful enough to slip into Heaven unnoticed and tamper with the mind of the high seraph, has made its way inside…

 

Sera exhales slowly.

 

If that’s the case, then they have an entirely new problem.

 

===

 

Adam wanders through Heaven for a time, finding it mostly barren. Not entirely empty, though. Whether it’s because he’s dead or because of the forbidden knowledge slowly settling into his mind, he can see something hanging in the air around him, a golden mist, twisting and drifting like smoke.

 

Thinking back, the angels all had a ring of golden haze encircling their forms. Sera’s was especially bright.

 

Adam looks down at himself.

 

Black.

 

A thick, oozing substance coats his skin. No matter how he turns his limbs, he can see them perfectly, outlined in that viscous darkness, as though reality itself is recoiling from him.

 

He tries to wipe it away. Nothing happens. He can’t even touch it.

 

Frowning, Adam continues on until he comes across a large, ornate building of white marble and clear glass. With nothing better to do, he steps inside.

 

The halls are tiled and stark white, utterly empty. He wanders for a while before voices drift through a nearby door.

 

“-the security of Heaven has been compromised, Sera!” Michael exclaims. “We can’t just wait around for whatever this thing is to show up right in front of us!”

 

“Then what do you propose we do?” Sera snaps back. “If it can affect me, it can affect all of us. No one is safe.”

 

Adam opens the door.

 

Everyone turns toward him.

 

Sera, Michael, and Uriel all look like they’ve just swallowed a watermelon. Raphael, on the other hand, looks pleasantly surprised.

 

“Oh, Adam!” Raphael says. “I was told you were missing. It’s good to see that isn’t the case, but I must ask, how did you avoid detection after you died?”

 

Adam tilts his head, confused. “I̴ ̶h̶a̸v̴e̷ ̵n̶o̷ ̸i̴d̶e̷a̵ ̵w̶h̷a̸t̵ ̴y̸o̴u̴’̷r̵e̴ ̴t̵a̵l̵k̸i̷n̵g̵ ̸a̸b̷o̷u̴t̴.̸ ̷T̶h̴a̴t̷ ̷a̴n̸g̷e̵l̶ ̸p̸a̸s̸s̸e̷d̴ ̷o̷u̸t̸,̸ ̷a̵n̶d̸ ̸t̵h̴e̷s̴e̷ ̴t̷h̴r̷e̵e̵ ̸p̵a̶n̴i̶c̵k̶e̶d̷ ̵a̴n̸d̸ ̴l̸e̴f̶t̶ ̴m̴e̴ ̴a̵l̵o̸n̷e̴.̴”

 

Raphael blinks. “Oh. This is not good.”

 

“Adam,” Sera says, stepping forward. She leans down to meet his gaze. “I need you to hold still for a moment.”

 

Adam narrows his eyes but complies.

 

Sera places her hands on his cheeks. Adam watches as her golden mist flows outward, pouring over him and sinking into the black ooze that coats his body. Slowly, the darkness recedes. When it’s gone, Adam can see a faint outline of golden mist around himself.

 

He looks back at Sera.

 

Her aura is noticeably dimmer now, and strain lines her face.

 

“S̸e̷r̴a̷.̵.̵.̸ ̸a̴r̴e̸ ̸y̵o̴u̸ ̴o̶k̷a̴y̸?̵”

 

She gives him a tired smile. “Yes. I’m fine. Adam, what did you do before you died?”

 

Adam frowns. “I̸ ̷w̶a̶s̸ ̶w̶a̴n̷d̴e̷r̴i̶n̶g̵ ̵t̵h̸e̵ ̴c̸a̶v̵e̶ ̷E̴v̵e̶ ̸a̸n̷d̷ ̴I̶ ̶f̸i̶r̴s̷t̷ ̷s̴t̶a̶y̸e̷d̴ ̴i̸n̴ ̸a̷f̵t̸e̶r̸ ̴w̸e̴ ̶l̷e̷f̴t̶ ̸E̸d̸e̸n̷.̸”

 

Sera’s eyes widen. “You didn’t die peacefully in your sleep?”

 

I died quite painfully. “N̴o̶.”

 

Sera straightens, stepping back as Uriel moves forward. “Adam, do you know what you’re speaking right now?”

 

Adam gives him a curious look. “Y̷o̶u̶ ̵s̸a̷i̷d̴ ̸s̴o̸m̸e̵t̴h̷i̷n̷g̴ ̶a̸b̶o̴u̵t̷ ̷a̸ ̶l̶a̴n̴g̷u̵a̵g̸e̸ ̴b̸e̷f̶o̴r̸e̴.̴ ̶W̶h̷a̸t̷ ̴i̵s̴ ̵t̷h̷a̸t̷?̵”

 

Uriel smiles softly. “A language is simply a different way of speaking. You normally speak Hebrew, think of this as a different set of words with the same meaning. You are not currently speaking Hebrew.”

 

Adam considers this. It doesn’t feel like he’s speaking any differently. Then again, a lot hasn’t felt normal since he died. He’s only just now realized he has golden wings.

 

Closing his eyes, Adam focuses on the knowledge he gained before his death. If he’s speaking a language he never learned, it must have come from that.

 

Parsing the information is difficult, he doesn’t know where it begins or ends, but somehow he understands much of it. Words he has never learned make perfect sense to him.

 

It’s strange. It doesn’t feel like learning new words so much as slipping into a different dialect of the Hebrew he already knows. In life, he learned that people who are separated long enough begin to speak differently from one another. (Aclima nearly got into a fight with one of her siblings over how they pronounced "tomato")

 

Adam concentrates, deliberately speaking as he always has, plain Hebrew. “Is this better?”

 

Uriel blinks. “You-” He stops, then shakes his head with a smile. “Never mind. I shouldn’t be surprised. You were always a fast learner.”

 

Raphael speaks up from behind them. “Well, that explains what happened to Emily. She wasn’t ready to hear the Tongue of Creation.”

 

“The what now?”

 

Sera leans down again and gently cups Adam’s cheek. “We’ll explain everything later. For now, why don’t you go speak to Abel? He misses you greatly.”

 

Adam is certain they’re hiding something from him, but he knows pressing the issue won’t get him anywhere. He nods, and then vanishes in a flash of light.

 

===

 

As soon as Adam is gone, the four of them exchange uneasy glances.

 

Michael speaks first. “Even with the influence of the corruption gone, it’s still hard to remember who we were just talking to.”

 

Raphael nods. “Yes. We’re fortunate it only clung to him instead of infecting him fully. It’s a good thing Adam is such a pure soul.”

 

Sera frowns. “Uriel, we watched Adam die in his house, didn’t we?”

 

Uriel nods. “Yes. The last few months of Adam’s life were spent with Aclima in the home he and Eve lived in.”

 

Sera’s expression darkens. “Which now appears to be false, given what we’ve learned. I want you to find this cave Adam mentioned. We need to investigate immediately.”

Notes:

I feel like this chapter is weaker than my other ones.

Next Time: Reunion and Suspicion

Chapter 6: Reunion and Suspicion

Adam stands at the edge of a vast grassy field. Before him stretches a pasture filled with sheep of every color, and just beyond it sits a small brick house. He feels strange. He knows he should be elated to see his son again, yet all he feels is a cold, steady calm.

 

Under normal circumstances, Adam’s emotional distance from himself would be worrying, but he doesn’t feel that concern either. He can imagine how Abel might feel, how his own lack of visible emotion could hurt him, but standing still accomplishes nothing.

 

Adam steps forward, crossing the field slowly, listening to the soft rustle of grass and the gentle bleating of sheep. When he reaches the house, he knocks lightly on the door. It opens, and the thoughts weighing on him vanish as he takes in his son once more.

 

Abel looks just as he did in life, the only difference being the white wings folded behind his back. “Dad?”

 

Adam grips his son’s shoulders and pulls him into a fierce hug. “I’ve missed you so much.”

 

Abel returns the embrace just as tightly. Adam doesn’t cry (which he finds strange) but he feels something settle deep inside him. For the first time in a long while, he feels whole.

 

===

 

Emily jerks awake, breathing heavily. She clutches her ears, the ringing louder than before. She thinks she hears someone speaking, but all sound is drowned out by the pounding in her head. Just as she’s sure she can’t take it anymore, her hands are pried away from her ears.

 

“Emily!” Raphael looks down at her in concern, then exhales in relief when her eyes finally focus on him. “Oh, thank God. I thought you were going to rip your ears off.”

 

Emily blinks as Raphael releases her hands. She looks down at her fingers and notices flecks of gold beneath her nails. “What just happened?”

 

Raphael sits on a nearby stool. “You had a panic attack.”

 

“A panic attack?” Emily frowns. “Why?”

 

Raphael’s expression darkens. “You were exposed to forbidden knowledge. Your mind couldn’t process it, and you collapsed.”

 

Emily’s thoughts spiral. Forbidden knowledge? From where? “I don’t-”

 

A̷d̷a̸m̴

 

Emily seizes, clutching her chest. Raphael immediately stands and rubs her back in slow, soothing motions. “Okay, calm down. Let it settle. Don’t fight it, you’ll only make it worse.”

 

Emily draws in deep, trembling breaths, focusing on the sound of the name. It burrows into her like an insect carving out a place to live, wriggling and scraping against her psyche. Slowly, the sensation dulls, fading until it feels like part of her.

 

With a final, shaky sigh, she slumps forward, resting her hands on her knees. “I feel… strange,” she murmurs.

 

“That’s normal,” Raphael reassures her. “It’s common after something like this. You should go home and rest, you’ll feel better tomorrow.”

 

Emily nods. Instead of teleporting, she decides to walk home, craving the fresh air. As she leaves the hospital, she feels a subtle pull in a specific direction.

 

Without realizing it, she follows.

 

===

 

Sera frowns to herself as she stands in a vast, open cavern on Earth. Uriel had found the cave Adam mentioned with ease. She and Michael had come to investigate, and were shocked to discover that the cave somehow led directly to Hell.

 

At its end, they found nothing but a bloodstain and an empty chamber. Still, there is no denying it: the influence of evil lingers here.

 

“Not even a body,” Michael mutters. “This doesn’t make any sense. Something clearly happened here, and no other humans live anywhere nearby. This can only be Adam’s blood…”

 

Sera sighs heavily. “Send a sample to Raphael. I fear this is far more dangerous than we originally believed.” She straightens, resolve hardening in her expression. “I must speak with God about this.”

 

Michael blinks in surprise, but he doesn’t hesitate. He swiftly collects a fragment of the dried blood, then vanishes in a flash of fire.

 

In the next instant, Sera finds herself standing before the doors of God’s holy sanctuary. She steels herself, draws a deep breath, and pushes them open.

 

I̷̡̧̬̥̞͈̾͑̓ͅn̶̬͌͜s̴̝̬̀̂ï̵̲̲̩̬͈̗͉͊̐̚ḑ̸̫͔͈̣͉̈̅̌̄̄̕ḛ̸̮̻̖̼̘̫̈́͂ ̸͇͇̜̲̪͔̓͜s̴̡͓͉͓͙̺͂̃̇͆h̷͇̔̾3̵̘̻̪͕͍́̃̃͌̚ ̸̨̪̓̍$̶̱̫̘̬͕̂̀͋̆̍͘͜i̶̢̭̫̙͙͆́̈̈̈́ņ̴̧̛̣̪̥̀́̽͐̔4̵̤̀̀̈́͛5̸̧̮̱̰̗̟͆̉́͌̋͝ ̸̙͂͗̾̀͘s̵̢̭̦͖̤̗̑̀̾͜h̸͍͇̳̣̗̰͈̀͆1̵͇̒͆̄͜o̴͓̺͉̘̽̀͘l̵̪͖͊́́̅͑̕n̵̞̪͖̥̓̈́̀̂̄ͅ ̵̮̹̼͍̰̏̄̇͐͠3̶̧̪̬͉̲̂́͌̉̓̄͜͝q̸̧̢̛͙͉̦̱͒̇̔̆̅̕ͅ2̴̼͈̫͇̣̖̀̎͛̌̊8̸̲̙̞̝͈̖͆́̓̈́͘u̵͍̗͔̥͆̚ņ̵͈̱͙̠̔ ̷̨͕̩͈̦͕͓̑̾̕a̵̢̖̝̠̟̽u̶̝͇̲̬̇͊͒̀͛u̴̙̿̈́̓̚ḑ̶̨̧̟̲̒̐͆̓͆ͅa̴̳͖̟̯͂̍̈̂̚̚͝ņ̵̳͉̦̲̃̕l̶̘͎̈́̽͐ẇ̸͈̤͛͑͐̄ǹ̶̹̟̖̙̬̦͐̓ä̵̮͍͔͈̲̻̲́̏͋ų̵̨̱̰̙͕̿̆͑̓̄ͅj̸̨̡̜̳͔͍̣̏͋̍͛̀̉̕s̶̹̰͋́͑̿̃͝͠j̶̹̳̮̬̫͔͊̓͜n̶̡͈̖̹̄̈̍̉̃͠d̴̹͍͇̮̐̽͋̃̈̀j̴͚̐̂̽̐̊ä̷̲̬́̈́̍̂l̴̘̙̙̹̜̂̔͋͂ŝ̴̛̼͕͑͛͝ṋ̵̨̝̰̆̈́̅̄́̕͝ͅd̸̤͚̪̗́̐̃͛͝͠͝í̸̧̨̮̯̠̓̈͝ã̴̡͎̳͙͖͍ų̷̦̦͎̺͍̻͒̌̈́̍̎͝ẙ̴̧̙͎͔̬͉͜w̷͈͎̭͚̣͔͂͒̾h̸͉̙̱̥͎̀̍̏͑d̴̼̜̳̀͒̒̌ȕ̴͈ỉ̵͖͙̲̞̻ͅa̶̻̟̳͍̐͛b̶̘̑̓d̵̨̨͕̟̺̆̿̀̕k̴̻̼͛̃̐̑a̵̫̼͋m̵̩̟̺̹͔͖̓͠s̷̨̧̢̙̹̣̀̀͆̊͋ḑ̶̹̠̞͕̯̀́͊͛̽́̕k̷͇̋̔̽a̵͚̯̝̎̃̽g̷̢̛̠̮̞͉̱͓͒͗́̊b̶̪͍͈͓̩̳̏̀͒̉́s̷̯̬̩̲̤̖̼̈́́̈́͂̚ḓ̸̪̰͈͓͕̭͋̒̅͘͝͝g̸͕̜̩͋͘ǘ̵̧̼̼̖̺́͐͊̈́̽͜͠j̵̧̧̺̟͆͊̀͑b̶̨̼͖̭͌̍ä̶̲͉́͋̅̄͛͘͠d̴̡̪̜̭͔̯͂̂̑̐͘j̵͇̙̯͚͉͖̝́̒͂͑

 

===

 

“So… how have you been?” Abel asks. After their long hug, he invites Adam into his small, rustic house. “I know a little about what happened after I died, but I kind of stopped paying attention after Mom passed…”

 

Adam’s breath catches. “Yes… well, before that, I have to ask, have you seen Eve?”

 

Abel shakes his head sadly. “No. I haven’t.”

 

Adam closes his eyes. He had already suspected as much when she hadn’t appeared with the others to greet him. Even if Abel hadn’t kept up with events, Eve would have watched over him every day until his death.

 

“I see,” Adam says quietly. “Well… I’ve been doing fine. After your mother died, I took Aclima around the world in a boat.”

 

Abel raises an eyebrow. “A boat?”

 

Adam smiles and begins to regale Abel with stories of their adventures: the time they nearly died in a dense jungle, the weeks they spent stranded on a remote island, the countless contraptions he designed along the way, and the knowledge he gathered over the years.

 

“Writing became quite popular after the Congress of Eight,” Adam continues. “I wanted to make it easier to copy and distribute information, and that’s when Aclima said, ‘Just slap the paper with ink!’ And that’s how we made the printing press.” He finishes with an exaggerated bow.

 

Abel snickers. “Yeah, that sounds like Aclima, all right. I’m surprised she managed to help you at all, she’s always been all brawn and no brain.”

 

Adam shakes his head. “Aclima is very smart, just not in the most obvious ways. She may not be gifted in the technical aspects of invention, but her ideas often inspired my greatest work.” He sits back and adds softly, “I couldn’t be more proud of her.”

 

Abel leans back with a gentle smile. “I’m glad you got to experience all of that, Dad. I’m sure you’ve got so much more to share, but I have to ask… did you ever find Cain?”

 

Adam’s voice catches. “No. No, I didn’t.”

 

Abel looks down at his feet. “Ah… okay.”

 

Silence stretches between them until Adam sighs and stands. “As much as I’d love to keep talking for the rest of eternity, something happened earlier, and I need to check on it.”

 

Abel stands as well and pulls his father into a hug. “All right. You’re always welcome back. I love you, Dad.”

 

“I love you too.”

 

===

 

Adam has no idea where to find the seraphim, and Abel admits that he doesn’t either. With no other option, Adam is left wandering Heaven once more, searching for something, or someone, to guide him. It strikes him again just how barren Heaven is: an endless expanse of clouds with not a soul in sight.

 

With nothing better to do, Adam watches the golden mist drifting through the air, studying it with quiet curiosity. He compares it to the mist surrounding himself and realizes that his aura is very different from that of the other angels. Abel hadn’t had one at all, and the seraphim possess brilliant golden rings, but Adam’s is more like a second skin.

 

The golden mist clings to him, seeming to emanate from his body as well, constantly shedding shimmering particles. The old falls away, dissolving into the atmosphere around him, while new light replaces it.

 

As he watches, something slowly begins to emerge, a pattern within the mist’s seemingly random movement. It gathers into long, flowing bands, like fine silk, twisting and undulating as though they are leading somewhere.

 

So Adam follows.

 

The bands guide him to a massive building of black granite. Oval-shaped, its walls are an endless repetition of arches. It reminds him of the Colosseum Romulus dreamed of building. It’s a shame Adam left before construction ever began, though he hopes his idea of concrete proved useful. He never did see Remus again, which was strange, the two had been inseparable as children, especially as twins.

 

Shaking the memories away, Adam approaches the structure and quickly finds an entrance. The golden bands of mist twist and writhe around it, draping the colosseum in a luminous sheet of gold. One band in particular catches his eye, slipping inward as if beckoning him to follow.

 

He does, and it leads him to a door on the fifth floor. Adam raises his hand and knocks.

 

“Who is it?” Michael calls from inside.

 

“It’s Adam,” he replies. “I was hoping to discuss a few things.” He had been looking for Sera, she was the one who promised him an explanation, but at this point, anyone would do. Besides, it would be nice to catch up with Michael while he is here.

 

There is a sudden pounding of boots on the other side of the door before it’s wrenched open. A frantic-looking Michael stares back at him. Adam blinks in surprise, then even more so when Michael pulls him into a bone-crushing hug.

 

“You’re in Heaven?! We thought you wouldn’t die for at least a few more months!” Michael exclaims.

 

Michael finally lets him go and ushers him inside. Adam watches as he sits behind a desk, noting how the golden band he had been following leads directly to Michael, feeding into the radiant ring around him.

 

What truly catches Adam’s attention, however, is the streak of black across Michael’s chest. It looks like a gaping wound, slowly dripping the same oozing black substance that had covered Adam previously.

 

Adam takes a seat in a plush red armchair. “So… how did you die? We were quite certain you wouldn’t be here for some time.”

 

Adam is someone who trusts knowledge and information, but he also trusts his instincts. They once saved him from indulging his curiosity too early, when he delayed exploring the cave until the end of his life. A decision that, ironically, led to his death.

 

Now, sitting across from Michael, his instincts are screaming at him not to tell the truth.

 

“I don’t know,” Adam says evenly. “One day I went to sleep, and then I woke up here.” He leans into the version of events Sera had already assumed, just to be safe.

 

Michael tilts his head. “Ah, that’s how we thought you’d die. I suppose Raphael just made a mistake.”

 

“Right…” Adam replies.

 

===

 

“Adam!”

 

Uriel flies over in a panic, grabbing Adam by the shoulders and inspecting him. “I thought you wouldn’t die for a few more months!”

 

Adam’s gaze flicks to the oozing black wound on Uriel’s chest. He forces a smile and meets Uriel’s eyes. “I died in my sleep.”

 

===

 

Raphael drops his pen, staring at Adam with wide eyes. “I-I could’ve sworn, ”

 

Adam glances at the creeping ooze before smiling faintly. “I guess I wasn’t as tough as you thought.”

 

===

 

Sera wraps him in a crushing embrace, her wings encasing him completely. “Oh, Adam! I didn’t expect you here so soon. You must have been terrified, wandering Heaven all by yourself!”

 

The wound on Sera is the worst of them all, large, with thin, spiderweb-like cracks spreading across her body like roots digging in. Adam hugs her back, closing his eyes as he absorbs her familiar, motherly warmth. “I’m here now…”

 

===

 

Emily finds herself wandering through a field of bluish-green grass, dotted with patches of small white flowers and scattered rocky outcrops. The landscape resembles a high mountain tundra, somewhere Adam had apparently loved in life.

 

At its center rises a low hill, with a set of doors embedded into its side. The doors are made of solid walnut wood, fitted with brass ring handles. Emily reaches out to touch them, but a sudden, overwhelming urge forces her to turn around.

 

When she does, her heart stops.

 

A̸d̵a̴m̵

 

Every instinct screams at her to run, but her feet remain rooted to the ground. His gaze flicks toward her and locks onto her eyes, stealing her breath. As he draws closer, Emily can feel a comforting warmth wrapping around her, settling deep within her soul.

 

Slowly, the tension drains from her body, leaving behind only that pleasant heat. Emily lets herself sink into it, a bottomless, soothing warmth she isn’t sure she ever wants to escape.

 

===

 

Adam finds himself in a place he once loved dearly while he was alive. After everything he has learned, the familiarity calms him. Soon, he notices another seraphim, the one who fainted earlier, watching him with a half-lidded stare.

 

“Hello?”

 

Emily startles and blushes gold, quickly offering him an awkward smile. “H-Hello! You’re A-Adam, right?”

 

Adam doesn’t respond. He’s too busy staring at her chest, where, unlike the wounds he’d seen on the others, there is a rose. Its petals are blue and shimmer like sapphire, its stem a brilliant gold. Thin golden roots spread outward across her body.

 

“Adam?” She gently brushes his cheek, then recoils as if burned, clutching her fingers and blushing even harder.

 

He blinks and gives her a warm smile. “Sorry, I was lost in thought. You’re Emily, right? We met at the gate?”

 

Emily nods frantically. “Yes! Oh, I’m so sorry for fainting on you. I don’t know what came over me!”

 

Adam waves it off. “Don’t worry about it.”

 

Emily bites her lower lip and looks away. “Okay…”

 

“So you’re a seraphim, right?” Adam asks. He already knows the answer, the golden ring around her gives it away, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

 

Emily straightens, suddenly confident. “Yep! I’m the Joybringer! My job is to greet new souls and make sure everyone in Heaven is happy!” she declares proudly. “I’d do anything to bring a soul joy.”

 

Adam’s smile tightens slightly. He knows too well how people can be, but he keeps his expression pleasant. “Oh? In that case, I have a few questions about Heaven.”

 

Emily lights up. “Of course! Ask me anything, I’ll answer them all!”

 

Adam tilts his head innocently. “Can an angel die?”

Notes:

Shorter than my other ones but a lot to unpack here.

Next Time: Experimentation and Creation