"…I'm curious. If I'm just a bonus, what exactly did you sell to the Lord?" Medici said, his dangerous glint fading. His expression unreadable, he smirked playfully.
"My deal with the True Creator is simple: [to bring the Creator of old back to this era]. That's the entirety of it." Alaric said with a smile, watching with satisfaction as Medici's pupils contracted in shock.
"Do you realize what you're saying?" Medici's gaze locked onto Alaric, all trace of nonchalance gone.
For Medici at this stage, the Ancient Sun God was a deeply sensitive topic, a nerve not to be touched.
"I know exactly what I'm saying, Mr. Medici." Alaric replied with a chuckle. In that moment, he released his summoning of Azik and, using Medici as the medium, called forth another.
A familiar figure coalesced... the Ancient Sun God, manifesting once more in this era.
Unlike his initial summoning, when he'd been wholly disoriented, this time the Ancient Sun God recognized Alaric and understood what was happening.
His gaze swept the surroundings, landing on Medici. The ever-present gentle smile on his face vanished, replaced by sorrow in his golden eyes.
The Ancient Sun God sighed, and in that moment, Backlund's rare clear sky clouded over. A light drizzle began, soaking every corner of the city.
In the underground chamber, the long-departed Creator looked at his former War Angel, his voice heavy with compassion. "Who did this to you, Medici?"
Medici couldn't quite name the emotions swirling within him. It had been millennia since he'd seen the Creator like this. After the divine war at the end of the Third Epoch, the Ancient Sun God had fallen, replaced by the True Creator born from His remains.
Though Medici, unlike Amon or Adam, still viewed the True Creator as the Ancient Sun God, he knew his Lord had changed. Deep down, he hoped the True Creator might one day revert to his former self, but he also knew the odds were slim.
A fallen god might never return.
Medici had never dreamed he'd see his familiar Creator again.
As a master conspirator, he should have been analyzing this young summoner's identity and motives, unraveling the schemes behind this moment.
But as the War Angel, Medici could only stare at the Ancient Sun God, his lips parting to utter a title so familiar yet strangely distant in this moment. "…Lord!"
"I'm here." The Ancient Sun God replied gently, sighing again. He stepped forward, patting Medici's shoulder. "You've endured much these years, Medici. I'm so sorry."
"…You don't need to apologize." Medici said, his lips tightly pressed. The usually sharp-tongued War Angel seemed at a loss for words, managing only a stiff response.
"So, who did this to you? Can you tell me?" The Ancient Sun God asked again.
Medici's body tensed, a flicker of struggle crossing his face before he met the Ancient Sun God's gaze. "Adam. It was Adam who betrayed me."
The Ancient Sun God froze, visibly shocked, a trace of pain creasing his brow.
Looking at Medici, he closed his eyes briefly. "I'm so sorry, Medici. I'm so sorry."
Medici seemed puzzled by this reaction, but before he could dwell on it, Alaric coughed lightly.
"Ahem, friendly reminder... you've got about forty-five seconds left. Might not be enough time for a full reunion!" Alaric said with a smile, observing the touching scene. Knowing the truth of Medici's "hot pot" fate and the future where he'd ally with the Eternal Blazing Sun against Adam, Alaric felt like he was watching dark comedy unfold.
"The loyalty is real, the betrayal is real, the conflict is real… All I can say is, the gods play a cruel game." Alaric mused inwardly, as the Ancient Sun God turned to him.
"We meet again, Mr. Alaric."
"We do, Mr. Grisha. I made a deal with your present-era self. Are you satisfied?" Alaric said with a smile, noting the Ancient Sun God's slight head tilt, as if listening to something.
Clearly, he was already in contact with the True Creator of this era.
"I'm very satisfied." The Ancient Sun God said, having exchanged information remotely with the True Creator. "So, one minute this time, correct?"
"The first deal was a trial run. If you're pleased, Mr. Sun God, we can deepen our cooperation, and I'd be happy to let you linger longer in this era." Alaric said, embodying the perfect merchant.
He was truthful... for the True Creator's price, summoning the Ancient Sun God for a minute with a Red Angel as a bonus was a generous deal.
Even at full strength, Alaric's spirituality could only sustain such a summoning for a few minutes.
"I look forward to it." The Ancient Sun God said, giving Alaric a deep look. "I'm curious, Mr. Alaric. Aren't you afraid I might alter the established past?"
Alaric laughed, his smile bright and expectant. "Actually, I'm hoping you'll change something."
In his previous world, Alaric had tested countless times whether a summoned Shadow of Time, aware of the future, could alter the past. The results were consistent: the past could be changed, but the more significant the impact, the harder it was to shift.
In this new world, Alaric was eager to see if the rules differed and whether the Ancient Sun God, once Earth's mightiest, could achieve what others couldn't.
The Ancient Sun God understood his meaning, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. Suddenly, he turned to a specific direction.
Alaric followed his gaze, spotting a figure in a white robe... a golden-haired priest with a beard and golden eyes. At first glance, those eyes seemed to brim with boundless compassion, but a closer look revealed an unsettling emptiness.
The Angel of Imagination, Adam!
***
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