376 Faus (2/2)
Amidst the stunned silence, the sharp and rugged city hung between the sky and earth. It cast a terrifying shadow over Auschwitz.
The world held its breath!
-
”That's…how it is… That's how it is!” In a pile of rubble, it suddenly dawned on Colt. He gritted his teeth and murmured, ”The Romulusians used all their effort to absorb strength from Heaven and the abyss to create a Scepter and turn humans into natural catastrophes…and become a god! Caligula, that guy, he seriously…”
Seriously what? Was fearless? Daunting to the extreme? He could not even imagine it. He was shaken by everything he saw.
From the ground to the sky, as far as one's vision extended, everything was covered by the alchemy array's glow. Everything was connected and turned into parts of a whole. They had become variables in an 'equation' and all struggles were futile. The result on the other end of the equal sign had long been decided.
Was there someone else in this world who could create an alchemy array at such a terrifying scale and hide it under everyone's eyes?
What kind of beast had the Romulusians found?
Colt was swallowed by the coldness.
-
”Yes, I did it.” Hermes nodded in the Holy Temple. ”I set up the alchemy array in Auschwitz and I was the one who transferred the Sacred Fire into Elsa's body. I created the array to attract Cereus and I helped them find the King of Yellow. And finally, I gave that city to them.”
”Hermes, why?” the gentle voice asked in the air. ”We all know what that city represents to you. It's your source. If you gave yourself to them, you will end. It's suicide.”
”It's simple, Nibelungenlied.” Hermes smoked and suddenly chuckled. ”Have you ever thought about truly becoming a person? Not a creature, not a spirit, but a real and live human?”
Nibelungenlied fell silent.
”To be honest, it was quite hard to make this decision.” Hermes sighed. ”Thinking that my body would change and get fat, I almost couldn't bear it. But it doesn't matter. After all these years of hesitation, there had to be a result. Now, I'm finally not a strange creature. To be honest, this feeling isn't bad. Other than dying, there aren't any shortcomings.”
”Aeneas' death affected you.”
”That's part of the reason.” Hermes shrugged. ”It's my fault for owing him. At that time, I didn't mind but now, I realize that the interest of this debt is too high. I want to pay him back, but the hole in the bill is so big I can barely fill it in…So why shouldn't I be generous and make a sacrifice, giving something I don't want to others?”
Nibelungenlied paused. After a while, it said, ”We cannot understand.”
”You don't need to understand.”
”Don't you hate killing?” Nibelungenlied asked. ”Then why did you sacrifice Caligula's daughter.”
”First, Elsa is not Caligula's daughter. She inherited Aeneas' blood. She was born with the duty to inherit the fire,” Hermes replied indifferently. ”If the empire still exists, then she would be the current emperor of Romulus, the 'Augustus' of all Romulusians.
”Unfortunately, the empire no longer exists and the people have no home. They were at the brink of extinction…she must take this responsibility. Only she can inherit the seed of the Sacred Fire but she won't die. Instead, she will receive the power and become a new holy spirit. The price is that all her memories will be used as firewood and burned completely.
”This is a cruel matter, I know, but someone must make sacrifices. And…” He paused, his expression turning troubled yet filled with anticipation. He murmured, ”And I am curious. Is there anything in a man's heart that cannot be burned?”