Chapter 4.8 - Awake

Adam wow-ed in exhilaration. The creature had no eyes or face, but it resembled perfectly the basic exterior anatomy of a human. Being attracted to it, the Earth God hovered closer. 

Centimeters away from its face, Adam examined the immobile creature. Too close for his own good, the water being moved its head to face him. 

Adam yelled as his heart stopped with the unexpected action. The boy thought it was just a lifeless figure.

The Water God had a good laugh at the Youngling's cartoonish reaction, driving Adam to put up a frown, going back to his place. 

"Now that you've seen it, it's your turn." Whipping the tears, Calder continued. "No need to make it very elaborate, just focus on the main structure." 

Adam repeated his words in a squeaky way to mock the Old Goat, disapproving his infantile behavior.

Jokes aside, the Earth God gathered his thoughts, putting aside his anger. 

Adam held up his hand, looking at it with all his mental strength for who knows how long. Concentrating on the image of something growing, he was caught off guard when a small gray rock with tiny yellow dots suddenly appeared on his palm.

"Keep going!" 

Calder was shocked, his eyes vibrating with excitement. He wasn't expecting Adam to try to materialize the Element. The teacher thought he would just pick up something that was on the ground as it was easier for a newbie. 

Focused, Adam wasn't hearing or seeing anything beyond his tiny rock. If all of them could do it, why wouldn't he? 

Getting it to appear drained his energy. Feeling his muscles loose the grip and his mind hesitate. Adam breathed in deeply until air had penetrated all his cells, just to blow it out, burning his nostrils with the hot air. 

Pressing his eyebrows together, he was pushing through his energy limit to enlarge that little pebble. 

So, it doubled in size. 

It was working, maintaining his line of thought, picturing the rock's size, weight and density, Adam kept pushing. 

It tippled. 

More yellow dots were revealed, calling attention to the sparkling bits. Adam was feeling the object grow in his hand, the atoms expand and double, triple their quantity. It was empowering. 

To make something out of thin air, was the ultimate Divine Blessing. Creation. 

As it grew in a steady rhythm, it became clear it was a gold nugget, well a very large one since it was about to hit one kilogram. 

Once Adam got to the exact weight he wanted he let go of the effort he was making. 

Next to him, watching everything from very close, Calder quickly helped the boy, holding him up by the shoulders. 

The Playboy was limp, completely drained but with a huge grin on his face.

"I'm rich!" 

Feeling exceptionally proud, Calder smiled as the Young God blacked out in his arms. 

Almost falling off his hand, the Water God held the shiny golden nugget and carried them both back to the castle. 

Training was over. 

--

Conscience slowly found its way back to Adam. 

Confused, the boy blinked a few times before realizing he was in the dark. In his chest, his heart crashed so hard as if it was trying to escape. Breathless the boy jumped out of bed and ran to the middle of the room. 

Darkness was slowly settling, while his heartbeat only increased. Every breath he took without seeing anything was like a hammer to the chest. 

When the little light available allowed him to find the door, he bolted out of the room into the hallway candles. Leaning against the wall, Adam could finally begin to ground himself. 

I'm awake. 

He said repeatedly in his head as a way of accepting reality. Every time he woke up in that world it was a knife to the heart. Only it was worse this time, his mother's disappearance made him realize he hated that dimension. 

It would be a blessing to be just an ordinary dead human.

Adam floated up right when a door opened down the hall. From inside the speaker from the day they arrived came out in a hurry. 

"Agnis!" Adam shouted to get her attention. 

The girl looked back a little startled. But it didn't take long for her to open up a smile that captivated the Playboy. 

"Lor-" She held her words and Adam crossed his arms in front of his body, ready to scold her. "Adam…" From a distance her eyes were even more striking, which matched her silky tone when saying his name. "Are you heading to the temple? I'm late!"

Awkwardly, the Earth God uncrossed his arms and looked at himself. He was still wearing the same clothes covered in dust from the day before. 

"Shit!" 

Agnis lost her breath and covered her mouth to muffle her giggles. Adam was an unusual person—let alone a God. 

"Sorry!" He smirked embarrassed before floating to his door. "Would you wait for me? I don't know how to get to the temple. Hikari will burn me alive if I get there late." 

Having already crossed the corridor, the girl held up another laugh before nodding.

"Come inside, I'll be real quick." 

Running for his life, Adam disappeared inside the room leaving the girl waiting with her hands back. 

In the bathroom he got rid of his dirty clothes, washed his face. He threw some water on his hair, pulled it back and fixed it with his fingers. He stopped for a second to admire his own beauty and send himself a little flirty kiss, before hurrying out.

The closet was right on the other side of the wall. Only wearing underwear, Adam passed the girl who had come inside. Unmindful, he begged for one more minute and closed the door behind him. 

The boy didn't stay long enough to catch her ultimate embarrassment. Agnis turned around to face the window. She thought about leaving but it was too late. She had seen too much. 

One minute later the door opened and from inside emerged a partially dressed God. Wearing dark pants that looked like a long skirt if seen from the front, Adam was having trouble putting on the rest of the costume. 

"There are no normal clothes in there. Can you help me?" 

The trousers had a lace on them that were supposed to tie around the waist, he guessed. Adam had seen those types of clothing in some movies, but he had no idea it was that complicated to put on.

Casually shirtless, displaying his godly designed abdomen, Adam handed the girl the shirt.

The girl hadn't paid any attention to what the God had said. 

Agnis was trying to cover her eyes to avoid seeing his naked torso, but she kept peeking between her fingers; that's how she saw he was asking for help. 

Shaken, the speaker took the shirt and helped him put his arms on first. Then she wrapped his torso on the coal black fabric, rubbing the back of her hand on his chest by accident. After tying the crossed opening on the side of his body, she stepped back.

"Now tuck it in." She contained her words as if she was about to explode. 

Agnis looked down while she waited, only giving the occasion peek against her better judgment. The Earth God shoved everything inside his trousers without any ceremony.

"Done."