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i.
Pushing past the sweet layers of sleep, he brought himself to awareness. He tried to remember what he was last doing, only to have the icy realisation that he couldn’t remember anything at all.
It gripped his heart, squeezing it dry, but he kept a clear mind. There could be clues around.
He pushed off the lid above him and sat up, to see that he was in a large room, surrounded by snowfall.
…No, not snow. It was some kind of paper—white sheets messily littering the floor.
Curious. He picked one of them off the floor and started reading.
Once he started, he couldn’t stop. Each one sparked memories, together creating a long trail. He remembered his name, his past and the things that were dear to him.
Alongside which he learnt the trials and tribulations his student had faced in such a short time. He wouldn’t put all of it down in words, but there was much Azik could read between the lines.
Finding some writing material, he penned down his own reply. For nearly fifteen minutes, there was only the sound of pen scratching paper in the room.
Once finished, he called for his messenger. Not to deliver the letter, since he doubted his messengers could ever do that again unless specifically allowed, but to tell him about the times it met Klein.
The four-metre-tall skeleton communicated in the language of the dead, and Azik’s suspicions were fully proven true. Klein had not only become a god, but also the master of the legendary Sefirah Castle.
In the end, Azik was presented with a gold coin. It was an ordinary item, save for the aura of Sefirah Castle integrated into it.
His messenger couldn't tell what it was for, but there was no doubt it was important. Until he knew, he couldn’t keep it aside and risk missing any changes.
When Azik changed clothes, he placed the coin into his breast pocket.
The first order of business was to learn the current news and find the newest god. Whether orthodox or not, an apotheosis had effects that couldn’t be hidden from the rest of the world and that would lead him to what he wanted to know.
It didn’t take him long to hear talk about the Fool. A religion which had taken hold in the Rorsted Archipelago, silently approved by the other Churches. The Fool, the Sequence 0 position of the Seer pathway.
Klein.
He thought he had accepted it when he read the letter, but hearing it confirmed brought an odd feeling. When Azik had fallen asleep, Klein hadn't even been a demigod.
Wanting to find out more, he took a trip to Bayam, the centre of the Fool’s faith as per news in Loen. He made his way to a bookstore to find a copy of the Fool’s Bible. The contents of it were likely to be far from reality, as Klein could not put in his true origins as a Beyonder of three years, but there would have to be nuggets of truth in it all the same.
He found the book rather easily and bought it. The rather-tall man at the reception looked at Azik’s purchase with a smile, asking if he was interested in the Church. He even kindly told Azik the directions to the Fool’s Cathedral. Azik kept it in mind. While he planned to visit, that would be after he read the Bible.
It told the story of an ancient god who woke up in recent times, recovering his strength as he dealt with evil, bringing salvation to his followers. The latter part was perhaps described in the most detail—the Fool had sent his messenger to bring out the people of the Forsaken Land of Gods and show them light, after millennia of their despair.
Klein had written about this. Bringing ancient history to the present for an advancement ritual but also because he wished to help them...
“He is the ruler of the Spirit World”, “He is the past, present and future”... all of this was in line with Klein’s current abilities.
There were several astonishing things in the Bible, but Azik was brought to a halt when he reached the part about the Fool’s angels.
“The Angel of Mercury, the Lord’s most cherished angel… The Angel of Death, the consul of the underworld and the one who followed the Lord for the longest period of time…”
He read that last line again. And then twice more.
Azik hadn’t realised it until now, but his state on waking up was incredibly stable. Part of it could be attributed to him lacking the connection to his other half. Another part could be attributed to Klein’s letters bringing his memories back.
And the last part… he had a lot more anchors than before.
He chuckled softly, continuing his read.
How things changed. Once upon a time, he had been protecting his student whenever asked, providing advice even from afar. But Klein had risen meteorically, and now Azik was the one under his wings.
He couldn’t deny that there was pain for this distance, with Klein’s choice making him approach a level of danger that Azik could do nothing for. But it couldn’t be denied that it was also the proudest thing for a teacher to be surpassed.
He didn’t plan to stay in one place. With all the pasts he had lost—and abandoned, in the case of the very first one—he needed to know this world to once again root himself in it.
But along the way, it wouldn't hurt to be the Angel of Death.
.
ii.
Backlund had not changed too much, if one could ignore the healing wounds in the city’s body and heart. It felt rather strange to learn he had slept through a World War that ravaged the Northern Continent.
Azik planned to travel the world and see for himself everything he had missed, but he first felt a need to explore this country that he had lived in for so many decades.
He was walking on the well-kept streets of Hillston Borough when his gaze was drawn by a blond boy playing in the nearby park. There should have been nothing to note of someone so young, but Azik could see the fates of life and death. This boy’s existence was like an infinite loop, a snake biting its own tail.
And moreover, there was the slightest aura of Sefirah Castle that matched with his coin.
The boy’s foot caught on some wild grass and he flailed, luckily managing to keep his balance. Frowning, he turned his head and his dark eyes fixed on Azik’s. It did not feel like the gaze of a child.
Three seconds later, he ran off, back to a couple that looked similar to him. That couple however had an ordinary fate.
…A Beyonder of the Fate pathway and an ally of Klein. The Angel of Mercury?
Azik didn’t linger. He was no doubt curious, but it couldn't be explained to the child’s parents. Perhaps a better time would approach.
That night, he dreamt of desolate black plains, at the centre of which was a steeple. There was no sense of malice from the place, so cautiously, he took steps forward.
The arrangment was puzzling and chaotic, but he didn't have to finish finding his way through it, because the boy from before appeared in front of him.
“Azik Eggers,” ‘He’ greeted in a voice befitting 'His' physical age.
“You know me?”
“Yes, though this is our first meeting. I’m Will.”
Will… Azik knew that name. Angels were far and few in the world, so though he had spent his life heading the Balam Empire before losing his memory, he knew the names of most angels from the Fourth Epoch. He had met the more notable ones too.
Azik nodded in acknowledgement, then ventured, “You should know Sherlock too.”
That was one of the two identities Klein had used in Backlund. Azik couldn't be sure if he had revealed his identity to any others, and he wouldn't risk bringing attention to Klein's family.
The moment he finished speaking, Will’s solemn expression melted into grievance.
“I’ve known him since before I was born,” ‘He’ complained with teary eyes. “That guy… he has no shame, not giving even an unborn baby any rest.”
Azik worried a bit about what his upright student could have done to render an angel to this state, but despite the words, Will's tone held warmth. There could be no doubt that the two of them were on good terms.
Before he could think, Azik asked, “The last time you met him, how was he?”
I’ll be sleeping for a very long time… There was nothing else in that letter. Perhaps Klein didn’t know what else to say. Perhaps he couldn’t.
Will’s mood changed as soon as it had before, turning serious again. “You should already be aware of what level he has reached.” ‘He’ paused for a second, then continued, “Fate has been pushing him forward since the beginning. But he’s too stubborn to give up. He has his plans for what he’s up against.”
Some of the pieces fell into place. Azik pulled out the coin. “Like this.”
“Like that,” Will agreed.
They conversed for a while more. It wasn’t friendship, not yet, but there was undoubtedly a kind of alliance. They were two angels bound by a mutual friend, after all.
When Azik woke up in the morning, it was with a sense of peace. At some point, Klein’s letters had turned from seeking help to pieces of his own life, the places he visited and the people he met. But from the start, he had rarely talked about his troubles.
It was good to know that whatever he went through, it wasn’t fully alone.
.
iii.
Among the many places Azik visited, he couldn't avoid the Southern Continent. The political situation, both on the ordinary level and the extraordinary level, was heated, but this was a place that could be considered his birthplace, even though he had no strong link to it for the many centuries he had been repeating life.
While he wasn't one to seek out such situations, every time he came across cultists carrying out dangerous rituals and harming innocents, he felt the need to step in. In the Southern Continent as well, with the prominence of the Rose School of Thought, he often had conflicts with them.
As he was travelling through the Spirit World to East Balam, he felt powerful forces at a certain region, the chaotic flow of a battle that involved Beyonders powers connected to the Rose School of Thought.
He froze as his gold coin resonated with one of the presences. Carefully choosing a safe spot, he manifested in the real world, in the midst of a battle between a group of demigods wielding Sealed Artifacts and a weakened angel. There was a moment where everyone stopped to register an unexpected addition, then Azik swept in, summoning spirits of the dead.
He did not know the angel involved, but 'Her' headless body and complicated dark dress were rather unique. He had a feeling Klein had mentioned 'Her' to him before, and that made it rather likely that 'She' was one of his allies.
Over the time he had spent travelling, Azik had polished his skills. While he would struggle against an opponent of equal level due to how long he had spent living an ordinary life and the incompleteness of his existence, he was still an angel and one who had taken part in the Pale War as a major combatant.
With his presence, the scales of the battle shifted. The demigods put up a tough fight, but they fell quickly under the combined onslaught, though one of them managed to escape.
The other angel did not give chase. Instead, ‘She’ went over to the bodies and retrieved what looked like a limb.
Four heads with blonde hair and red eyes, complicated dress... Now he remembered where he had heard this description. That was the messenger that Klein had found.
Well, it made sense why he didn’t recognise the “spirit creature”. ‘She’ was not a native of the Spirit World to begin with.
He also understood how Klein's vague rituals had summoned such powerful messengers. With his connection to Sefirah Castle, there was no end to those in the Spirit World who would want to form a contract with him.
“You’re Gehrman's messenger, correct?”
The four heads opened their mouths one by one– “Right… I'm… Reinette… Tinekerr…”
That name... he was familiar with that too. This had to be the same person he was thinking of.
Azik had not met ‘Her’ before, but he remembered the events that had happened after his father’s fall. In the collapse of the Balam Empire, many new kingdoms were born, and one of them was the Highlands, ruled by Tinekerr’s father.
“I’m Azik Eggers. Gehrman is a dear friend of mine,” he explained. ‘She’ appraised him, but did not speak.
A line from the Bible crept into Azik's mind- "The Angel of Redemption, the Lord's bugle and the messenger of 'His' revelation…"
His lips almost quirked into a smile. It was an interesting way for a god to find an angel.
"What are you doing here, if I may ask?"
'She' seemed to be considering 'Her' words, before briefly explaining how 'She' had split from the Rose School of Thought due to a difference in opinion, with the two sides now at loggerheads. Azik felt there was more to the story, but he knew better than to ask again.
"Thank... you... Azik... Eggers..." 'She' said, then vanished into the Spirit World.
He took his leave as well. Whether they met again or not, it was enough to learn who the other holders of the gold coins were.
.
iv.
Encountering Arianna was unexpected and somewhat awkward. An epoch ago, they had been on opposite sides, him leading an army of undead and the Evernight Church sending as much personnel as they could spare to stop him.
But this time, they did not face each other as enemies. The Evernight Goddess had, even if for ‘Her’ own purposes, given him the option to preserve his life. And there was no doubt that ‘She’ had been watching over Klein, from what Will had told him.
"The Goddess has a request," 'She' started. "You may state what you wish for in return."
Azik was wary, but willing to hear 'Her' out.
"'She' wishes that you take the control of the Numinous Episcopate."
That was doable. Azik had planned to stay away from his past now that he had refused it in its entirety, but he couldn't deny the curiosity he had to the people who had once been his subjects and some even his family.
There was nothing Azik wanted from the Evernight Church, or from anyone really, so his request was simple. "Their faith will be turned to the Fool."
That wasn't as doable, with the belief in his father having been prevalent in Balam since an epoch before, but Azik still wanted to do what he could. Every anchor would be an advantage to Klein.
Arianna easily agreed.
For a long time, the Southern Continent had been under the oppression of the Northern Continent. Even the belief in the God of Death was for most commoners a hope to return to the times they were their own people.
The Church of the Sea God, now a subsidiary of the Church of the Fool, had been a strong force in the background for Bayam's rebellion. With its rise in the continent, the similar discontent in the hearts of people was boiling over.
Azik didn't want to see the start of a new war that would spill the blood of millions, but sparks were igniting faster and faster in the populace. Even the Numinous Episcopate, buoyed by his return, was rearing for conflict.
And he could understand it. Freedom was the natural right of every person. With their military force, Loen, Intis and Feysac had crushed the Southern Continent not even two decades prior. And now, after their own war, the three countries were still in the process of recovery, which made it the perfect time to strike back.
So Azik sent a message to the Evernight Church, hoping a more peaceful solution could be attempted with their aid before it became impossible.
In response, they sent two representatives for Azik to meet at a neutral spot away from the city. One was the archbishop for the Southern Continent, Ilya, and the other was a black-haired, green-eyed man. Deacon Leonard Mitchell, Ilya had introduced him as.
Wasn't he one of the officers who was investigating Welch's and Naya's deaths?
Azik wouldn't have recalled, if it wasn't for him being an official Extraordinary with a lackadaisical style.
And he wouldn't have taken note of him if it wasn't for the Marauder pathway angel parasitising him and the aura of Sefirah Castle.
The Angel of Time, a king in ancient times who surrendered to the Fool… There was no chance it could be referring to Amon, so Azik had guessed an angel of the Zoroast family was more likely, but he wondered how Klein had come into contact with ‘Him’. This explained it.
In the presence of Ilya, there was nothing that could be said, so Azik put it aside.
"If I may speak with Deacon Mitchell alone?" he asked after the discussion had come to an end.
Ilya said nothing for many seconds, then she agreed and left.
Mr. Mitchell had a strange expression on facing Azik, though he had no clue why that would be so. They had met once during the investigation and never again.
"I must thank you for Ince Zangwill," Azik started on an easier note.
"I had my own reasons for it."
Azik didn’t press it. “The angel who is with you– do pass my regards to ‘Him’. That’s all.”
Mr. Mitchell looked equal parts tense and confused, but he nodded, turning to leave. Then he stopped, struggling with himself, before he finally asked, “Do you know… if Klein will be fine?”
“I wonder too,” Azik answered honestly. “But as long as each of us do our part, there’s no doubt he’ll be able to give it his all. We can only trust in that.”
He nodded again then walked away.
Leonard couldn’t help but think over that conversation. He’d met Azik Eggers once before when ‘He’ was playing Dwayne Dantès and ‘He’ had called out the old man then, but now ‘He’ made it sound like it was their first meeting.
The old man only snorted, refusing to say a word.
.
+1.
Once more, Azik was in Backlund. The Angel of Death was known to ordinary people as well as Beyonders, but only a small fraction of the latter had any clue of his appearance.
After he had left Khoy University, he remained in contact with Quentin somewhat infrequently. While there was much that couldn’t be shared with him, he was still one of the few friends Azik had in his current life. Since Quentin was currently in the city for an academic gathering, Azik had made plans to meet up with him.
There was still an hour before that though, so Azik walked into a place on the way—the Bravehearts Bar. He chose an inconspicuous corner and ordered a drink. As he sipped it, he took out a sheet of paper and wrote about what he had been doing recently.
"...The world is changing as fast now as it did during Emperor Roselle's time. When you return, there will be many things that are new to you, but the people you know will still be waiting..."
After a few more paragraphs, he stopped. There was a familiar heat at his chest, pulsing from the gold coin. Azik immediately looked around the room, and his gaze fell on a pair talking to the barkeeper. Among the two, the blonde woman too froze and turned.
Azik smiled and raised his empty glass in a silent greeting, before returning to his letter.
Over the past year, he had encountered three other holders of the gold coins. All three had been angels, though that was applicable a bit differently to Mr. Mitchell.
The Angel of Retribution was most likely Klein acting as Gehrman, which left the Angel of Life, the crystallisation of wisdom. Could that be this person?
'She' and 'Her' companion seemed like demigods and Azik had so far faltered little in reading people's existences, but perhaps 'She' was capable of hiding 'Her' strength.
The two went deeper into the bar. Azik was curious about them, but it couldn't be helped. He paid his tab and went to meet with Quentin.
"Sharron?" Maric asked quietly. His partner was excellent at not showing her emotions, but he sensed that something about the man had thrown her off-kilter. Maric hadn't seen him clearly, but he couldn't think of what might affect Sharron so.
"The coin Sherlock gave us responded to 'His' presence," she answered.
"'His'?"
"That was the head of the Numinous Episcopate."
Maric's skin, already pale, whitened further.
As members of the Temperance faction, even though they were in Backlund, both of them kept a close eye on matters in the Southern Continent. The dual attack on the Rose School of Thought by two churches was good news, and recently the Numinous Episcopate had joined on the same side too. In fact, much of Balam was coming under the latter.
Who would have thought it was spearheaded by someone affiliated with Sherlock?
"We already knew the organisation behind Sherlock is powerful. Even Teacher is aiding them," Sharron justified, composed as ever.
Not for the first time, Maric wondered what Sherlock was facing and the trust with which he had made them a part of it.