Chapitre 3 :Their second meeting
Adam straightened. His silhouette, draped in his black clerical robe, seemed to cut through the light itself. He did not look at Kafka immediately. Instead, he simply adjusted the silver crucifix resting against his chest, his mind already reviewing the spread of the churches he had established across Solaria.
Each believer was an anchor, a tiny tether holding his divinity within this plane of reality.
« She has your face, »Adam began, breaking the silence. His smile remained unchanged, but his eyes were still, expressionless. « Why did you hide her existence from me for five years? »
Kafka leaned against a marble column, crossing her arms. She showed no sign of being intimidated by the pressure emanating from him, nor by the fact that she stood inside a cathedral.
« Because five years ago, I never thought I'd end up pregnant with your child, Adam. Back then, you were a man with some potential… nothing more. And then, you changed. You took control of this planet, built a theocracy… Elio started noticing cracks in his script. »
She paused, her violet eyes carefully studying his face.
« Elio thinks that behind this façade of a simple priest, you're an ambitious man. And now that I see you in person… I agree with him. »
Adam let out a soft laugh, melodic, almost soothing, yet completely devoid of joy.
« Ambitious? » he thought. « Perhaps. But aside from searching for my Uniquenesses… what else is there for me to do? »
His gaze drifted toward the cathedral's vast stained-glass windows. Outside, children were singing and dancing, their laughter echoing faintly through the light. The world he had shaped appeared peaceful… almost perfect.
« I can no longer feel such things…But I can ensure that others still do. »
Without anchors, he would eventually dissipate… or worse, be consumed by a higher will already showing signs of awakening. Becoming the next God Almighty required careful preparation.
Unlike the Ancient Sun God, who had purged his world through fire to save it, Adam preferred another method: A spider's web, invisible, vast and deadly.
« Did you bring her here so she could grow closer to her father? » Adam finally asked, turning toward Kafka. « Or so she could serve as your eyes and ears within my Church? »
« Maybe a bit of both, » Kafka replied calmly. « But don't forget, she's not just « object. » She has my temperament. If you neglect her, she'll start giving orders to your priests… and they'll obey without even realizing why. »
As Adam turned and began walking toward the massive silver cross, Kafka followed silently, her gaze wandering across the surroundings.
« It's truly fascinating, » she said. « A god who actually answers the prayers of his believers. After all, Aeons rarely interfere in worldly matters, they tend to remain observers. I wonder… could I confess my sins as well? »
There was not a trace of sincerity in her voice, only curiosity and suspicion.
Even though Adam noticed, he showed no reaction.
« Of course, »he replied gently, maintaining that same warmth he had shown from the beginning. « Everyone deserves the Lord's forgiveness. The Lord forgives all those who sincerely seek it. »
He continued to gaze at the silver crucifix.
« I've always wondered, » Kafka continued, her charming gaze fixed on his back, "who exactly your « Lord' is, to have turned the Church of the Sun into the sole dominant religion of an entire planet. »
Adam spoke calmly without hesitation.
« The lord is The Lord that Created Everything;The Omnipotent and Omniscient; The Source of Everything Great; The Beginning and The End; The God of Gods; Ruler of the vast Astral World »
He paused briefly.
« If one day you need « His » help… simply recite « His » honorfic name."
For a brief moment, Kafka felt something.
It wasn't fear.
It was… ancient, different, overwhelming.
Her gaze shifted ever so slightly, more serious, more focused.
And then, just as quickly, it returned to normal.
« Well then, my dear « husband », » she said with a playful smile, deliberately emphasizing the word, « if your « wife » ever finds herself in danger, she'll be sure to recite those words. »
She turned away without waiting for a response, hands clasped behind her back as she began walking toward the exit, humming softly.
« You're not going to say goodbye to the child? » Adam asked, turning to look at her.
« It's fine. There's no need, » Kafka replied without stopping. « I'll come back another time when I'm free. »
She paused briefly.
« Oh, and sorry about the mess. Your guards weren't very cooperative. »
She was referring to the ones she had put to sleep throughout the cathedral.
Kafka disappeared into the daylight, leaving Adam alone in the vast expanse of the cathedral.