Chapter 616: Black Adam in Destiny
The Search for Hasshett
On the Rock of Eternity's Third Layer, since parting with Luke, Sivana had been wandering around. He went from the Forge Area to the Training Grounds, then to the Armory. When he passed the Colosseum, he was blocked by a light curtain and couldn't see what was inside, so he explored elsewhere.
He had been searching for Hasshett, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find him. The priest seemed to have vanished into thin air. He wasn't on the Second Layer, nor the Third. The only possibility was the Fourth Layer, but according to the records, the Fourth Layer was a void, containing nothing. Hasshett surely wouldn't have gone there?
The Rock of Eternity was simply too vast. The map Luke provided only marked approximate coordinates; the exact locations required firsthand experience.
Sivana used the main pathways as landmarks and began a systematic search of the adjacent areas. Without realizing it, he arrived at the Graveyard Area.
According to the map, behind the graveyard was the Sealing Ground, where the King of Kahndaq, Teth-Adam, known as the Slave Hero, was likely imprisoned.
Sivana was curious. He couldn't resist entering the graveyard. Utilizing his expert tomb-raiding skills, he quickly found the entrance hidden beneath a stone sarcophagus.
It was a long, downward staircase, with a length of exactly three hundred steps.
Sivana held his torch and observed the murals on the walls as he descended. The murals chronicled the history of a hero's rise.
The Legend of Teth-Adam
Five thousand years ago, late at night, a boy was born in a sheep pen. His mother was a slave, so he was a slave. At the age of six, the boy was noticed by his master and became a pre-combat gladiator, enduring rigorous combat training. At fifteen, he entered the gladiator arena, and over the next two years, he defeated ninety-seven fighters, rising to instant fame.
However, circumstances changed dramatically. His master was assassinated. According to the customs of the time, slaves were required to be buried with their deceased master, and he was unfortunately selected. A slave merchant, seeing his skill, secretly purchased him. What followed were dark, sunless years.
The boy was taken to the Death Colosseum, where he fought various non-human monsters to entertain nobles and the Pharaoh.
This place was a slave graveyard; no matter how powerful a warrior was, they couldn't last a year. But he persevered for four years. The longsword in his hand was stained with the blood of dozens of types of monsters. Due to his extraordinary valor, he earned the favor of Prince Khufu.
He was taken to the palace and became a court guard. There, the boy met a young, beautiful, strong, and mesmerizing girl: Isis, the only daughter of the court wizard, Shazam. Beneath her beautiful exterior lay a hidden side.
He fell hopelessly in love with this woman and was willing to give her everything. Isis, too, saw potential in his abilities. Under her intentional guidance, the boy was brought before the Wizard Shazam.
He frantically proved himself: courage, strength, wisdom, strategy. His reputation grew louder, spreading widely among the slave class, becoming the Slave Hero known to all.
His persistent efforts finally earned Shazam's recognition, and he was given a new name: Teth-Adam, meaning Truth Keeper. He was brought to the hall with the seven seats and, under the gaze of the Gods, became the Wizard's successor.
The powers of the Six Egyptian Gods were infused into his body, bringing unimaginable strength.
The Stamina of Shu allowed him to withstand most attacks. He required no food or breath, had an extended lifespan, and was virtually immortal.The Speed of Horus granted him movement far exceeding the speed of sound, the ability to soar freely in the air, and superhuman high-speed reflexes.The Power of Amon reshaped his body, making him the strongest being on Earth. He could easily bend steel, smash through walls, and lift massive objects over a thousand times his weight.The Inspiration of Thoth gave him the ability to see the world's underlying truth. He could memorize any book with a single glance and use superhuman thought processes to analyze and extract key points.Aten, the chief of the Ennead, representing the sky. His power was immense, encompassing various divine forces. Teth-Adam gained control over one: the Mastery of Lightning. The lightning provided the power of thunder and reinforced his other abilities, even allowing for mental transportation.Mehen was known for courage. Under his watch, Teth-Adam possessed an unyielding will. This will affected his body and mind, making him nearly immune to mental attacks and sometimes even allowing him to reflect magic cast against him.
Power confirmed his nature!
After gaining the power of the six Gods, the boy's mindset began to shift. At the urging of his friends and the persuasion of Isis, he began to help the slaves. This started with improving their lives and restoring their rights, then escalated to abolishing human sacrifice and eliminating the status of slavery.
His actions greatly displeased the nobles and the Pharaohs, and even the Gods grew weary of him.
Shazam counseled him to abandon his reckless ideas, and the King also pleaded with him. Teth-Adam fell silent. Accompanied by his wife, Isis, he visited the temple. When he saw the emaciated slaves toiling under the scorching sun, the anger in his heart was fully ignited.
The massive Slave War began. Teth-Adam became a god in the eyes of the slaves, leading them to defeat one slave owner after another. He publicly announced his intention to build a happy world of equality and freedom, devoid of any oppression.
This movement affected all of Egypt. The Pharaoh's regime was on the verge of collapse. The King had no choice but to appeal to Shazam and the Gods for help. Unfortunately, for some reason, many deities had vanished, and the remaining ones were no match for him. Shazam was no exception; though he also possessed the powers of the six Gods, he found himself overwhelmed when facing his son-in-law.
Sivana's Dilemma
The murals ended here. Sivana emerged from the tunnel and stepped into a spacious hall.
In the center of the hall, on an altar, lay a stone sarcophagus. At the four corners of the sarcophagus were statues of Anubis.
Sivana swallowed hard, overwhelmed with excitement. If his guess was correct, the sarcophagus contained the Slave Hero chronicled in the murals, Teth-Adam, a being comparable to the Gods.
He desperately wanted to know the rest of the story. Why did Teth-Adam fail? And was his wife, Isis, the beautiful, venomous sorceress, still alive?
Hasshett had once mentioned that Teth-Adam was not dead and could not die; he was merely sealed. Once the seal was broken, he would revive.
What would the resurrected Teth-Adam do? Would he teach Sivana magic, or perhaps, like Shazam, grant him the power of the six Gods?
The thought thrilled Sivana, but he instantly became hesitant.
Luke Shaw's warning echoed clearly in his mind. He had initially given up on finding the Sealing Ground, yet here he was, having stumbled upon the secret hidden in the graveyard, almost as if by destiny.
Sivana was unsure, but the instinct of a tomb-raider ultimately prevailed. He held his torch and circled the burial chamber. After confirming there were no traps or mechanisms, he cautiously walked up to the altar.
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