"Adam? Adam. Wake up. How long do you intend to sleep? Adam…" 

'Miss Adelaide? How long have I been out?' Adam thought as he slowly opened his eyes. 

"Miss Adelaide, what—?" before Adam could finish his statement, the sun's radiance fell on his face; and he immediately shut his eyes. For the first time in a long while, he could feel the warmth of the sun on his skin while a cacophony of noise reached his ears. 

Slowly opening his eyes for the second time, Adam realized he no longer lay in the dark tomb; instead, he sat on a red leather chair in an unfamiliar room decorated with transparent windows. 

"Are those clouds?" Adam muttered as he stared outside the window. Apprehension overwhelmed him, jolting him awake. 

Before he could react, a familiar voice reached him, "Relax, Adam. I'm here with you." 

Raising his head, Adam's gaze fell on Adelaide who sported a warm smile. She sat opposite him, still donning the same clothes from the necropolis. 

"Miss Adelaide, where are we? What happened to the kids? What—?" 

"One question at a time. Don't worry about the children. I told you earlier, I'd escort you to the outskirts of the Wazar Canyon. We are aboard a flying ship. Master said you had something better than this in your world," Adelaide injected, her soft voice buried among the chatting passengers. 

'Oh. So this is their version of an airplane,' Adam thought as he lowered his head. He realized he wore a plain white upper garment that complemented his snow-white hair. He also wore black cotton shorts, coupled with a pair of worn, thigh-high leather boots. 

While Adam stared at his clothes, Adelaide took the moment to ask instead, "Adam, what happened after I left?" 

Adam raised his head, meeting Adelaide's gaze. 

"What do you mean? What happened?" Adam asked. 

"Don't you remember?" Adelaide's brows furrowed. 

Nodding his head, Adam admitted his ignorance. 

Adelaide's brows creased further as she watched Adam. Her mouth opened, and yet she said nothing. 

'Why is she reacting like that? Did something happen in the tomb? Damn it, why can't I remember any of it?' Adam cursed under his breath as he stared at Adelaide. 

"When I returned, I found your unconscious body laying on the floor, covered in sweat," Adelaide whispered with a grave expression. "The seven coffins had disappeared as well as the blood and runes of the septegram. I couldn't even find the corpses of the heretics. You truly can't remember what happened?" 

"I'm sorry, I can't—" before Adam could finish his statement, his body trembled; and he shrieked involuntarily. With both hands clutching his head, Adam's shrieks echoed, drawing the attention of other passengers. 

Alarmed, Adelaide rushed to his side before placing her right hand on his head. At that moment, Adam's shrieks ceased, and his countenance slowly recovered. 

"Are you okay? What happened?" Adelaide asked, unable to hide her concern. Her hand still rested on Adam's head. 

With the distance between them non-existent, an alluring fragrance filled Adam's nose, causing him to blush involuntarily. 

"Thank you. I'm fine now. I don't know what happened earlier, but it seems the headache brought back my repressed memories," Adam said while turning his head to the side. 

Adelaide's countenance brightened as she noticed Adam's reaction. Naturally, she knew he looked away because he was overwhelmed. 

"Please tell me what you remember," Adelaide whispered as she slowly returned to her seat. 

Meanwhile, the concerned passengers no longer focused on them, especially after Adam's expression returned to normal. 

Wasting no time, Adam recounted everything he could remember right from the moment Adelaide disappeared. He told her about the eerie changes that took place in the tomb and the mysterious voice and display projected in his mind. 

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"Adam, be honest with me; is what you said true?" 

Adam could see her quivering eyes and that she tried her best to remain composed, but her shaking hands gave her away. Without saying a word, Adam nodded in affirmation. 

Adelaide could barely contain her surging emotions. Her trembling hands curled into a fist while she mouthed inaudible words. Although her gaze fell on Adam, he could tell she was in her own world. 

"Miss, is this how it is for all the Awakened?" Adam asked. 

His words brought Adelaide back to reality. 

"Of course not. Even the Awakened are segregated based on their Blessings. Generally, they are divided into seven levels. In ascending order: E, D, C, B, A, S, and Blessed. The Blessed are the Awakened who have been granted unlimited access to the Blessings." She hummed as she recalled the basics of being an Awakened. "Although some Awakened can have similar Blessings, they can't have the same level of access. However, exceptions exist. The odds of it happening are a million to one. 

"Not getting at least one skill or title is a surprise to me. Granted that my knowledge on the—" Adelaide paused as her gaze scanned the nearby passengers. 

Confident that no one eavesdropped on their conversation, she continued, "My knowledge on The Omen pales compared to Master's, I have never heard of a case as yours. Whether one awakens via The Blessing or The Omen, they would always receive a Title or a Skill. Often, some acquire both. 

"The Skill or Title received is usually a representation of one's desire." She took a few looks at the child, hoping to find what was wrong. "To be honest, I don't know what kind of Omen you have received. That it's is only at 'E' level is a big surprise to me." 

With his eyes on the floor, different thoughts raced through Adam's mind. From Adelaide's explanation, he knew something was wrong. Although he did not panic, Adam could not hide his bitter disappointment. 

'What's the point of being an Awakened if I don't even have the perks?' His expression grew dark. 'Why did the voice sound like that of a game? Is it because of my gaming experience?' 

On any other occasion, the game-like voice would have fascinated him. Right now, it made him bitter and angry. Although he could be considered an Awakened, he had the lowest level. Worse, he didn't receive any skills or titles. 

'Does that mean The Omen does not acknowledge my desire for vengeance? No… No! I can't accept this.' 

While Adam pondered his fate, Adelaide noticed his heightened frustration. She spoke, "Fret not, Adam. Master is more knowledgeable than I am. I'm sure he will understand the peculiarities of your situation. We will arrive at our destination in two weeks. That means you have four weeks to spare. You are way ahead of schedule." 

Adam's brows creased as he heard Adelaide's words. 

"Don't you mean six weeks?" 

"How long do you think you've been asleep?" Adelaide retorted. 

Adam's mouth opened, but he couldn't say a word. 

'Two weeks?! I was unconscious for two whole weeks…' 

"Trust me, I am just as surprised as you are." Adelaide twisted her lips lightly in displeasure. "If you hadn't woke up, I planned on violating Master's orders." 

Adam had yet to recover from the shock of the news. 

"If you feel hungry, let me know. Although the chair is not as comfortable as a bed, you can rest on it." Knowing the possible things plaguing Adam's mind, Adelaide tried what she could to comfort him. "Don't trouble yourself with matters out of your control. When you get to Wazar Canyon, I'm sure Master will provide answers." 

She donned a dazzling smile as she stared at Adam. From the corner of Adam's eyes, he could see several men gawking at her. Some muttered inaudible words under their breaths while others took deep breaths to calm their pulsating hearts. Unlike the carefree men, Adam had bigger issues to worry about. 

"Thank you, Miss Adelaide. One day, I hope to repay this favor." Adam declared. 

"Oh. Is that a promise?" She began to giggle. "That's a promise, right? You can't take it back. I'm anxiously waiting for that day." 

Her dazzling smile, coupled with her playful words, calmed Adam a bit. Reclining on his seat, he closed his eyes while donning a smile. 

'Two weeks. I wonder what awaits me in Wazar Canyon.' 

Two weeks later… 

Adam trudged under the radiance of the noon sun. He tied his white upper garment around his head, leaving his body at the mercy of the scorching heat. 

"How long do I've to walk before I get to the Canyon? How can they ask me to wander in here alone?" Adam muttered as he wiped the sweat off of his face.  

He stared at the vast expanse of desert surrounding him, and he could not stop himself from cursing. A fairly large flagon hung around his neck while he held a white parchment that depicted a map of his location, the Wazar Desert. 

On the white map, Adam's position flickered in red. Just ahead, the words 'Wazar Canyon' flickered in black.  

Although the distance was non-existent on the map, Adam couldn't see the canyon from his standing position. It meant he had to travel farther into the desert. 

"I wish Adelaide came with me. If not for her map, I wouldn't have ventured into this desolate place," Adam muttered as he drank a mouthful of water. Refreshed, Adam continued his journey underneath the scorching heat. Neither man, plant, nor beast entered his sight; a testament to the harsh conditions of the terrain. 

Later that day, the silver moonlight cascaded on the Wazar Desert. Howling winds echoed, bringing a terrifying cold along with it. 

Adam, fully clothed, stood before a large canyon as he struggled to stop his chattering teeth. 

"Finally. Even with my thick clothes, I can still feel the cold. It feels as if I'm standing naked in the snow. Hmmm… where am I supposed to find Mr. Vicar?" Adam's hands shivered as he stared at the map. 

"You got here earlier than I expected. Adelaide definitely has a hand in this." A voice slipped through the quiet night, startling the freezing boy. 

Adam flinched as he turned his head, he had almost let go of the map. 

"Mr. Vicar?" Adam said as he stared at the middle-aged man who resembled Vicar Reeves. His wrinkled skin seemed to be pulled back by an unexplained youth. His stance and his image had more glow than the old man he was in Adam's recollection. However, the goatee and the sideburns had remained. 

'Wasn't he an old man? How did he suddenly become younger?' Adam thought. 

"Congratulations. I didn't expect you to survive the demonification process. Oh. That reminds me. Adelaide said you have already Awakened; is this true?" 

"Yes. It happened—" 

"When it happened is not important." He waved a hand, saving Adam from the trouble of narrating. "Congratulations. You became an Awakened barely two weeks after surviving the demonification process. I'm impressed, delighted, and relieved, too. You have saved me a lot of time." 

"Huh? What do you mean?" 

Adam retreated instinctively. Save him a lot of time? Was he planning to turn him into an Awaken? What for? Was that why this man had saved him multiple times now? 

"Let's head into the canyon. We have much to discuss. This place will also be your new home. At least until I'm done training you." 

Before Adam could react, Vicar grabbed him by his waist. At that same moment, he jumped towards the depths of the Canyon. While the howling winds echoed across the Wazar Desert, one could hear the screams of a young boy along with it.