Chapter 71: The Greater Shadow
The news kept multiplying and ended up saturated with the same intensity that characterized them.
He observed dozens of publications in front of his eyes, which quickly extinguished without importance. Few could really have a real impact.
Even so, he went through them patiently. He had not lost the feeling of insecurity.
The world could evolve in a totally unreal direction at any moment. Gabriel was very aware of that truth.
But finally he found nothing that really altered the panorama. There was no news about irregular movements or leaked videos.
The city and the people continued the conventional course of their lives.
The most significant events only stopped at pollution and corruption. Great evils that humanity had shared throughout its history.
But his doubts remained lurking. Preferring to ignore it for the moment, concentrating on other things.
He only archived the news he considered moderately interesting. But whose transcendence was common.
The rest disappeared from his screen.
He disconnected from the forums and the web. He could not continue wasting time.
He had finished breakfast.
The apartment remained in silence, only contaminated by the outside noise. As he approached the broken window, the neon signs pierced through it.
The sky of Neo-Atlas Lower remained covered by a thick layer of gray clouds.
Clarity could not pierce the thick layers of smoke.
There were several police drones that slowly patrolled the streets, patrolling any suspicious behavior.
Projecting a slight blue glow that scanned the locations.
He remained observing that panorama for a few minutes. Finally looking away, without interest.
At that moment it no longer held any significant importance to him.
His main source of income had become the clandestine currency markets within the video game.
He had the opportunity to reject the chaotic environment of the outside, with its mediocre and unhealthy jobs.
He put on the helmet with a smile, with the darkness covering his vision.
***
The cold was the first thing he felt.
The north wind gently hit his face.
In front of him the streets of Bérsaic stretched out again.
The difference between both realities became even greater each time.
They had their own virtues. But he understood those who preferred to remain inside the video game in a parallel life.
When he began to walk, his destination became evident.
He needed to return to Edward’s shop, the Alchemist.
He had to seek his own answers, without remaining motionless. It did not take him too long to arrive.
The old shop was open. Its neglected aesthetics welcomed him again.
He pushed the door and the bell rang.
Inside there was a deep silence, with no customers in sight.
Behind the counter, Edward slept deeply like an old man who had lunched sumptuously.
Gabriel almost laughed at the scene.
Then he raised his hand and knocked.
The counter trembled.
"Old man... they could rob you."
Edward opened his eyes startled.
He immediately noticed how disoriented he was from his eyes.
But his reaction was surprising. A long sword appeared from under the counter.
It was unsheathed and sharp.
Evidently it was the shop’s security.
"No one will rob me while I have my god by my side!"
Gabriel did not retreat, observing his little show.
For a second, both remained observing each other.
Then the old man narrowed his eyes. His expression slowly began to change.
"Damn insolent! It’s you..!"
The sword disappeared again under the counter.
"Your mother must not have educated you too well," he said between laughs.
"My education was enough not to rob a defenseless old man," he replied with an unchanging expression.
Edward laughed again. It was grave.
"Insolent boy... You came for business, right?" he said regaining composure.
Gabriel placed both hands on the counter.
"You’re not yet in a residence for me to visit you out of obligation, Edward."
The old man let out a snort.
"We’ll assume I understood that."
"Now get your ass in there. I’m going to close."
He pointed to the back room calmly.
Without arguing, Gabriel obeyed.
In quick movements the old man closed the shop. Putting up a small sign that said: "We’ll be back in five minutes... Maybe fifteen!"
***
The back room looked much worse than the last time.
Scattered books covered the floor.
With scrolls and maps. It did not look like an alchemist’s office at all.
The chaos had multiplied in a brief time.
"Don’t pay attention to the disaster!" Edward shouted from the shop.
He didn’t need to. The scene evoked a certain harmonious feeling.
He slowly took a seat.
On the desk rested a huge book bound in dark leather. Its golden letters stood out even with the scarce illumination.
The Life of Acts was its title.
Apparently it was the current reading of the crazy alchemist.
Edward appeared scratching his hair. His gaze quickly found him.
"It’s a great book. Very ancient biographies. Its author never signed the work."
Gabriel gently touched the binding.
"What are you studying?"
The old man’s eyes seemed to light up.
"Research! It’s called research! Young people today read a single source and think they have understood the world."
He proudly hit the book, like a conqueror.
Gabriel was frankly surprised at the thickness of the volume.
"I give you that."
Edward smiled instead.
"I don’t blame you."
He settled in front of him.
"So that you really like it you have to be a son of a bitch bastard. Fortunately... I am that kind of man."
The old man proudly pointed to his own chest.
For the first time he had heard someone insulting himself.
Edward seemed satisfied.
But finally his expression became more serious, squeezing his hands while saying:
"The Alchemists of God... They are there!"
He said pointing to the walls and the different shelves.
"Everywhere!"
The atmosphere quickly recovered its seriousness.
"The Alchemists of God?"
Edward began to speak much more slowly.
"They are a kind of migratory entity. They go from land to land. They bring misfortunes, they bring changes." His voice was extremely low.
Gabriel had leaned in to hear him better.
The old man continued.
"I have read too many books. Too many." Finally he showed a smile.
"And I discovered something really curious. Their shadow... It is too small to survive under the sun." He had leaned forward, murmuring every word.
He did not understand where that conclusion was leading.
But Edward continued.
"That’s why I understood that... There must exist a much greater shadow." He whispered.
Those words remained suspended between them. Gabriel did not respond immediately.
It was the first time Edward spoke of a hypothesis instead of facts.
He should not rush.
"A greater shadow?"
Edward nodded with intensity.
"How did you reach that conclusion?"
The old man did not respond. He simply suddenly grabbed Gabriel’s arm.
With unexpected strength he pulled him toward him.
"Gabriel... The ring. Why...? Why do they share such a similar ring?" His eyes were completely open.
He began to understand from that small insinuation.
Every great fact came from small insinuations.
Until now they had always considered the possibilities separately. The relationships apparently were not too transcendental.
But Edward had just established a base point.
"You’re not an alchemist. You don’t smell of herbs."
Gabriel recognized the direction the conversation was turning.
But he still needed to reorganize those complex connections within his mind.
The rings were definitely a great unknown.
Edward continued speaking, almost whispering.
"Behind them... There must be something... Gigantic."
When he wanted to respond and continue inquiring.
The old man suddenly changed completely. His eyes covered with a fog of confusion.
"Go away."
He got up violently.
"Go away right now."
He practically pushed Gabriel to the door, throwing him out of the shop.
"Don’t bother old people!"
He had no time to react to the surprising reaction.
The door closed in front of him.
"And stop hitting my counter!"
The lock sounded from inside.
Gabriel still did not understand what had happened. Observing the outline of the old shop.
But it was not the first time it had happened. The same phenomenon had occurred previously, as sudden and violent as today.
For a few minutes Edward seemed like another person.
The next day he would probably regain his sanity. As if nothing had ever happened.
Even so, he began to walk slowly through the streets. His mind was deeply concentrated on the recent events.
Edward was not crazy. He could reveal short periods of madness...
So at least... not completely.
Each of those crises always appeared when they got too close to certain information. As if something tried to prevent him from continuing.
There was another more far-fetched and terrifying supposition.
Could his mind not bear it?
At that moment, a vibration came from his interface. It was loud and immediately woke him from his thoughts.
A notification appeared slowly in front of his eyes.
____________
[Achievement unlocked.]
The Tail of Ouroboros
[Description: Whoever stares long into the abyss... will end up with the abyss staring into you]
_____________
Gabriel doubted, massaging his temples.
There was no reward or explanation.
Only that description on his interface.
But he felt an uncomfortable sensation. As if he were being watched.
Perhaps he was not the only one investigating the world.
It was that world that had slowly begun to fix its gaze on him.