Chapter Text
“Well, it would seem as if things really went haywire, when I left you all alone, for a moment.”
The 'eyes' of the First Man snapped open, wide and alert, as that all-encompassing voice reached not just his ears, but his very soul itself, as his vision was met with a white void, instead of the red sky of Hell, where he’d previously been.
“What!? What the fuck!?” Adam yelled in shock, as he tried to shoot up to his feet.
Only to find that he couldn’t, for he had none. Matter of fact, he had no body to call his own, at the moment, he quickly realized.
He wasn’t sure how he could still see, or how he could still turn or speak, but he could. Not that there was anything to see, as all that met his sight was the same sea of white, all around, devoid of colour. Devoid of any semblance of life. Devoid of death, even.
It was just… nothingness.
“How astute of you, my son.”
Adam started at the resounding voice speaking again, this time to him, more directly.
“W-Who the fuck are you!?” Adam demanded, feeling nervous. A pit opening in his currently non-existent stomach, as he felt like he knew this voice from somewhere, but couldn’t recall where or why. “I don’t know who you think you are, but this isn’t fucking funny!”
“Come now, my boy. Do you truly not recognize My voice?” The voice, that of a man’s, threefold, from the sound of it, echoed all around him with a hint of amusement. “I doubt it’s been so long that you can no longer recall what your Heavenly Father sounds like.”
“Heavenly Father…?” If he had eyelids, in that moment, Adam would’ve blinked, before his expression became one of utter shock beyond comprehension, as the cogs in his mind started whirring. Recognition finally dawning on him, after a moment more of thought. “No way… Big G… you’re back…?”
“Indeed I Am.” The voice, God the Almighty, The Father, The One Who Was, Is and Is to Come, replied. “It’s been a while, Adam.” Adam, despite not being able to see anything physical around him, could feel the smile God gave him, as He addressed him.
“Sh-Shit, I’ll say!” He would’ve winced, if he could. “Uhh, so, how you been, dad?” The First Man asked somewhat nervously, not just because he now realized he’d cursed before the Almighty like an idiot, and unlike with anyone else he knew, felt shame and embarrassment over it, but also for having always wondered where exactly the divine Creator had gone, since the early days of the garden.
“Well, I was doing good. Had a lot of fun creating and expanding a number of different universes beyond the one I made with you and everyone else in it. Each with their own unique laws of physics.” A hint of excitement overcame the voice of God, then. “The most recent, before I came back, in fact, was one where I was pruning nine realms upon the branches of a stupendously large tree, called Yggdrasil. I must say, I’m quite proud of that one, and the storytelling of its inhabitants!”
Once again, Adam felt like he would’ve blinked, had he the eyelids for it. That example his father spoke of sounded eerily familiar, for some reason.
“Enough about me, though, Adam. You know how I can get about my creations. Once you get me to start gushing over them, it’s hard to get me to stop!” The father of all mankind heard the joyous and spiritually uplifting sound of God’s laughter, then. His laugh like that of a harmonious symphony that could put even the most restless of souls, be they angelic, human or bestial at complete ease and fill them with happiness, too.
Shit, it could probably do it with demons too, if any of those fuckers were ever lucky enough to hear it, which was about as unlikely a thing to happen, as one could imagine.
Last he’d heard this wonderful sound, he and Lilith had still been together in the Garden, and had been practically inseparable. A better and simpler time when he’d known nothing of strife or pain. Where all he known was Paradise on Earth. Before that bastard had ruined their relationship, and then later on, all of Creation…
God, noticing his son’s mood, quietened down. Sympathy and empathy both in abundance projecting from the ethereal Creator’s essence, as he cast his majestic light over the void, easing the negativity that’d begun to fester in his finest work’s consciousness.
“I’d ask how you’ve been, to be polite, but then, I already know what happened, with a brief usage of my omniscience.” The Almighty’s tone suddenly became more sombre. “I normally prefer to have it off, as I’ve told you before, so that I can enjoy everything in the moment, but I felt I had to, in this one case, after feeling how much the rot of Evil has managed to fester within the Universe, in my absence. So much so, not only has a new realm of wickedness that was never a part of the design laid out for Creation been brought into existence, but the roots of this scourge have found their nest in both the Earth and even Heaven itself, to a lesser degree.”
Anger leaked through God’s tone at that last part, and Adam didn’t blame him one bit for being upset.
“You can thank Luci-fuck up for that, dad.” Adam grouched, not even attempting to hide his hatred for the fallen angel before the Lord, though he did kick himself, metaphorically-speaking, for cursing before him again. “If it weren’t for him and that stupid apple, things would be so much better, right now.”
“I know.” A sigh was heard throughout the void. One tinged with sorrow. “Sadly, it would appear my once lovable Samael only got worse, over time. His impatience, desire and arrogance have ended up causing quite the mess of Creation, I must say.”
“More than just a mess. He’s ruined everything. Became the most hated being in all of Creation, for what he’s done.” Adam seethed. “And now… well, I guess my damn story is at an end.”
“The one you purposefully allowed to?” God asked knowingly. “I saw precisely what happened, with my power. Even in the middle of that hammed-up rant you did, in which you barely managed not cringing yourself to death, especially when you spoke about how they should all be worshipping you, you knew that little cyclops was behind you, and easily could’ve stopped her, but chose not to.” The voice of his Heavenly Father was tender now, tinged with yet more sadness, as he continued. “You just wanted to die, didn’t you? A final death where the pain you’ve harboured for so long and attempted to bury beneath a façade that may as well have become a second face, could finally be at an end.”
Adam felt stunned, though he knew he shouldn’t have been, given who he was speaking with, here. If there was one being who he couldn’t pull the wool over the eyes of, it was definitely the Lord.
“By my own word. To think, that things have gotten so bad while I was gone, that even the very son I made sure was brought into this world in my own image, who was once so open and full of love and kindness, could be brought so low… to be made so untrusting of others, that you built such a foul persona, for the express purpose of driving people away from you, before they could get too close. All in fear of being hurt again, should you let them. I weep for you, my boy. Believe me, I do. And I’m sorry that I let it get to this point.”
The sincerity and care in his Father’s tone was enough to move Adam to tears, even after all these millennia, had he the eyes for it, still.
“N-No! Don’t apologize, dad! You’ve got nothing to be sorry over! You’re not responsible for anything that’s happened!”
Adam once again felt God’s smile on him, though this one held regret. “But I am, my Little A. Had I not left to create other universes, had I stayed and kept a watchful eye, none of this would’ve happened. You and Lilith would still be together, ruling your own Paradise on Earth, just as grand as that of Heaven’s, as the equals you were made to be. Eve would never have needed to be created. She would never have to suffer through my son’s rebellious stupidity, by giving her that apple, and you would never have gone into the wasteland with her, so neither of you would be alone. Evil would never have found its claws in Creation, fracturing so much of what was carefully built. And you, my boy, would never be put in the position where you felt there was little choice, but to slaughter your own descendants, lest the vile ones overflowing Hell’s Pride ring not only attempt to attack Heaven again, but also breach their way back unto Earth, and cause devastation in their wake, for the souls of the living.”
“…Are you mad at me for that?” Adam asked remorsefully, after a pause. “For exterminating the souls of my own family? For finding a way to enjoy it out of spite?
“No, I am not.” The Lord answered swiftly, with a calm tone. “I am disappointed in you, a little, I will admit, for putting yourself in that position at all, but I’m not angry with you. Regardless of what you may have claimed, such as what you did to Charlie Morningstar, my granddaughter, in that it was simply ‘entertainment’, I know that in truth, you only did it to protect Heaven. And no matter how vile the souls of those you slew were, and at the same time, regardless of how much you’ve trained yourself to enjoy it in the moment… I am aware of all the sleepless nights you’ve had, haunted by their dying screams…”
Adam was thankful now, that he did not have physical eyes, the ones weighed down by the deep rings of exhaustion, having not had a good night’s sleep in eons, for he knew he would’ve shut them in pain, and been unable to contain the tears that he’d kept locked inside for thousands of years. Tears he no longer felt he could keep buried, when in the presence of the Divine. The truly Divine, unlike him.
“When I bring you back, my son, please, do not be afraid to shed those tears. The anguish you’ve been carrying needs to be let out. The grief must be let out, for keeping all your emotions bottled up, especially as long as you have, you don’t need me to tell you how unhealthy that is.” God advised caringly. His concern and love for Adam, despite everything, shining through.
It was the Almighty’s exact words, though, that had Adam shocked beyond belief.
“W-Wait… you’re bringing me… back?” It spoke volumes, that despite not having a throat, the First Man’s voice still cracked, raw with emotion.
“But of course, I am, my Little A.” The almighty confirmed gently. Affection bleeding through every syllable. “I would never let you perish, so long as I’m aware. What you require, is true peace, and you can only get that, if you’re given the chance to attain it through action, rather than simply letting yourself disappear into oblivion. I want to see you truly happy again, my son. To see you work through your issues and flourish in a pure and healthy manner, to enjoy eternity in Paradise, even if it’s not the one you were intended to have, and to be able to love again, and to the wife you were granted, reciprocate for you, in turn, while showing as much loyalty to you, as I know you will for them. For that, I know, is a far better outcome, then your story concluding here, with you so consumed by negativity, that you turned to authoring the longest suicide note ever to be recorded, in all of Creation.”
“Big G…” Adam croaked, left without words to describe how he was feeling, right now, taking the brunt of his Heavenly father’s desire to see him healed.
He didn’t need words, though, for God already knew the emotions running through him now, even without omniscience.
“It also isn’t too late to salvage Creation, my son. As bad as things are, right now, this whole thing can be turned around, if we just put forth the effort! Some things have been lost, regrettably, but the rest can be fixed. The wounds of the universe can be patched up, with the proper time and care put into them. And it begins now, with this!” The Lord proclaimed, as a light shone in the void.
Adam saw what emitted it and knew what it was, right away, as it took the shape of a... serpent. Its colour a mix of red and black - before a great light sweeped across its shape and became plastered of white and gold.
A soul.
“This is the soul of one Pendelton Smythe, otherwise known to his now former cohorts in Hell, as Sir Pentious. He, thanks to my returned light and forgiveness, is the very first case of a redeemed soul in existence, for the bravery he showed in facing you down selflessly, for the sake of his friends, and will soon be spawned in Heaven, for his noble actions and righteous heart.” God declared.
“One of them… was actually redeemed…?” Adam knew he’d be slack-jawed, if he had a body. It was actually possible, all alo-
“Before you finish that thought, son. No. Redemption was not actually possible, all this time.” God said, shooting down the notion that it’d always been so. “That’s why I said My ‘returned light and forgiveness’, just now, because beforehand, before I came back, you were correct, in those little musical numbers you did.” God almost chuckled. “How did you put it again, in that first one? ‘Hell is forever, and it’s meant to suck a lot, so give up your dumb endeavour because you don’t have a shot’? Well, she didn’t, unfortunately. No matter what dear Charlie did, before I returned, those souls she cared for would remain damned, despite her efforts, or their own.”
“Oh…” So, he had been right, then. That little hellflake had been on a doomed mission from the beginning, until his dad had shown back up.
“I do apologize now, Adam, but I’m afraid this private conversation of ours will have to end here. I would get into the nitty gritty details with you, on it all, right now, but you see, I’d prefer if my words were delivered to everyone who needs to hear it all, as well. So, to that end, I’ll have to ask a favour of you, my son.”
“Uhh, okay?” Adam was confused now about what God could possibly need from him, but he was hardly about to refuse a request from the Almighty himself. “What’s the favour, Big G?”
“I’m going to be borrowing your body, for a moment.” He revealed, further taking Adam by surprise. “What I need it for, won’t take long, and when I’m finished, you’ll have full control back. I just require it, not only to personally interact with my cute little granddaughter in Hell, but also to assist me in… well… putting some discipline into that wayward son of mine, which he desperately needs.” God borderline growled at the end.
The First Man was well aware that God could easily just send His Incarnation, the Word, The Son, to step into the depths of the Bad Place, but also knew that His Father worked in mysterious ways, so he chose not to question Him. It also didn’t take a genius to figure out who the ‘wayward son’ was, and Adam felt both a sense of anticipation and vindictive pleasure in what was to come. He simply couldn’t help himself. “How hard are you going to be with him?”
“Depending on how he responds, of which there are several futures I’ve seen, he has the potential to, as some of your descendants have put it, have me go ‘Old Testament style’ as a form of 'parental discipline.”
Adam laughed. For the first time in what felt like a very long time, he laughed for real, and not in the obnoxious way he often did while being the ‘asshole’ that drove people away.
Oh. This was going to be good!