As if the choir of the church's sacred hymn echoed through the air, an undercurrent of darkness seemed to emanate from beneath the melody, a chilling aura that cloaked the scene.
"Mr. Riggs!" Adel was the first to react, hurriedly bowing his head in reverence.The other four Otherkin, initially on high alert, found their unease dissipating as they mirrored Adel's respect.Seeing this, Adam smiled broadly, his movements deliberate as he walked into the room, an unseen force seemingly pushing the Otherkin aside, each instinctively retreating to give him space.He seated himself, casually crossing his legs, fingers resting lightly on his mask. In that moment, he became the undeniable center of power, and it was as if an unseen force compelled the others to kneel.
"I assume you've all heard of the God's Tear Ritual?" Adam's voice was smooth, yet rasped with authority, a sound that filled the room with an undeniable weight. "There are matters that require your assistance.""Please, Mr. Riggs, give your orders," the Otherkin exchanged glances and eagerly addressed him."Do not worry; the tasks are not difficult. I simply need your help gathering some materials," Adam murmured, his tone serene. "If you perform well, I shall not hesitate to conduct the God's Tear Ritual for you ahead of time.""Bring back a vial of holy water, monkshood from the cliffs, human garments, the bodies of various beasts, soil from both the highest and lowest points of the city..."Adam spoke calmly, his words weaving a complex tapestry. Some materials were essential for the ritual, while others served only to complicate it further, adding layers of mystery and intricacy to the process.
He spoke in a tone that left no room for doubt, commanding them to gather the required items."As for Adel..." Adam turned to the blood slave, who was hunched low. After a brief pause, he added, "At noon, gaze directly at the sun and collect your tears in a vial.""Yes, Mr. Riggs!" Adel responded eagerly, his face alight with fervor.The other tasks were trivial compared to Adel's; he alone would gather his own tears. With the mention of the God's Tear Ritual, he understood full well that the ceremony was meant for him.
The God's Tear Ritual was not one of extraordinary abilities but rather a divine ceremony, a miracle wrought through the god's power.The first stage was focused on repentance.Repentance tears—wild beasts, needing no god, had suffered in His absence. This was their sin. The second son, failing to heed the shepherd's warning, ventured into the caves, bringing suffering to the world. This was his sin.Thus, to receive the god's mercy, both wild beasts and the second son must repent for their sins.
Watching the Otherkin leave to gather their materials, Adam did not relax but remained seated, eyes closed, as he continued to collect his thoughts.Once Adel underwent the God's Tear Ritual, the gathered Otherkin would become 'loyal,' and Adam would continue assigning them tasks, urging them to invest in the ritual.The more they invested, the deeper their entanglement, securing their loyalty, and helping Adam subjugate more Otherkin, acquiring more capital."Through this, the Otherkin will be divided into tiers," Adam pondered their characteristics, assessing whether his plans had overlooked anything."Jin? Adel invited him," Adam recalled the words Adel had spoken earlier."Would the Otherkin be uninterested in something that can so effectively conceal their identities? No, they wouldn't," Adam reflected. He knew any Otherkin within the Sacred Sky Nation would be intrigued by the God's Tear Ritual, regardless of their alternative methods for concealing their abnormalities."Those who expressed interest but declined Adel's invitation are the most dangerous." These individuals had not been drawn into Adam's division of Otherkin. Until Adam controlled the majority, these individuals would target him directly to gain control of the entire ritual."Therefore, when dealing with Adel and the others, I must be more cautious. I cannot afford to let them lead those dangerous individuals to me." Adam committed this to memory, pushing aside the concern for now.
Outside, Adel had already begun his task, staring at the sun.In the God's Word, after the god departed, an endless light descended, cleansing the wild beasts.Thus, many monks believed the god was the shield of the world, guarding it from the excess light that could destroy it.This led to the creation of another god incarnation: the God of the Sky, who, with His power, separated the sun, moon, and stars to ensure they would not appear at once.There was also a theory that the god had replaced the sun, giving rise to the Sun God incarnation.When the churches of the Sky God and Sun God clashed, a third theory arose:"The god is perfect, but His perfection differs from that of humans. He is the embodiment of both good and evil, the Creator and the Destroyer. He is the god of the 'whole.'""The wild beasts drove the god away, but only His goodness left, while His evil remained to punish them."This interpretation led most churches to target those who described the god as 'whole,' as it conflicted with the belief that the god was inherently good and loved humanity.Apart from this, there were the originalist churches that believed the god was great, irrespective of good or evil.The God's Tear Ritual seemed to blend elements of all three doctrines, not merely channeling the power of one incarnation of the god.Sun, sky, and the dichotomy of good and evil.The first stage of the God's Tear Ritual, focused on repentance, directly addressed the Sun God. To gaze at the sun was to show a willingness to repent, and the tears shed were the tears of repentance.
Holy water was needed, not for its divine power but as a catalyst. Had Adam been a true monk, he would have possessed the holy power himself and could have done without it.Monkshood from the cliffs, known for its potent toxicity and ties to werewolves, was commonly required in potions or dark rituals.There was a well-known saying: "Even a pure-hearted person, one who prays faithfully at night, will transform into a werewolf on the full moon when monkshood blooms."Adam knew some chose to transform into werewolves to extend their lives, and the ritual to do so was hidden within that very phrase.Werewolves and vampires shared a close bond, and blood slaves, too, were tied to rituals involving monkshood.The human garments and various beast corpses were merely symbolic.The soil from the highest and lowest points of the city connected to the true site of the God's Tear.In the God's Word, the demon spirit entices the second son to a lake formed by the god's tears in the most prosperous place. The soil from the highest point pointed to this "prosperous" location, while the lowest soil symbolized the lake's depths.
Adam's fingers tapped steadily on his mask. Behind it, he could feel the lingering pain of the scar on his cheek.For this ritual, he had endured much.Thinking of the Otherkin, Adam reflected once again.Memories resurfaced, and Adam focused on calming his thoughts, striving to regain his composure.
"Trace the ancestors, look back at the past, and uncover your talents," Adam recalled the signs of bloodline awakening. "Is this the sign already appearing?""Memories easily resurface, and it seems my affinity has indeed strengthened."Adam set his feet down and approached the window, watching as Adel stared at the sun, hoping that the unfolding event would help him focus."Strange, the blood slave isn't afraid of the sun? I guess previous films and stories from my past life can't really be applied here." Though he had already known this, seeing a vampire gaze directly at the sun still felt absurd.In this world, vampires were products of the monk's experiments with werewolves. Their weaknesses were similar, and they only feared silver.With a bone dangling in front of them, the Otherkin moved swiftly, quickly gathering the items Adam had requested.And with that, the ritual began.