Pivot of the Sky
chapter-131-30041322

Once achieving the seventh level, Amon could feel the fusion of his soul and power. His power no longer felt like it was awakened or bestowed by nature, rather, it felt as if he was born with it. The world had not changed, but Amon’s feelings towards it had changed, and now it seemed as if he could breathe in harmony with the rhythm of nature.

After travelling through the wilderness infested with monsters and leading Lynk’s people to the fertile lands between the swamps, he met Inanna and Kella. By that time, he was completely certain that he had been treading the path to godhood. After “bidding farewell” to Enlil in Syah, he then witnessed the events of the great flood as well as everything Crazy’Ole had done thanks to Golier. Now, he understood what he was about to face.

His faith no longer wavered, but he could not help but end up getting involved in the war between nations. He became the Head of An-Ra legion and managed to hold the Hittite King hostage, leading to the signing of the peace treaty. Eventually, he was appointed the commander-in-chief of the Ejyptian army and led tens of thousands of troops into the battlefield to defend against the great Uruk legion. Although this series of events might seem incredibly exciting to an outsider, and Amon even experienced several close encounters with death because of Enkidu, his heart became more tranquil than ever.

After everything he had gone through, including several fierce fights with Enkidu, Amon’s power of two sides had unknowingly reached the peak of the seventh level.

When he calmed down his soul and emptied his mind, cleaning out worries and thoughts, no longer thinking about the thrilling but dangerous war and only focusing on bathing in the starlight, his body and soul seemed to melt into the starlight. It was as if he had completely merged with the world, forgetting where he was, or to say, he was everywhere.

In this strange world of meditation, for the first time, Amon felt as though he had disappeared. Then, in the midst of nothingness, something appeared. It was renewal. It was power. It was light. It was a seed. It was like a pure thought. It was real, yet formless … It was as though he had just experienced the rebirth of himself, and was about to experience a new life that was completely different.

One’s body and soul both come from nature. Every being comes into being from nothing. When everything disappeared, it was as if one went back to the status inside the mother’s body. This unique feeling was so inspiring. There was something essential, something fundamental that needed to be explained. However, when Amon attempted to grasp it, he turned back to the conscious world. Taking a long breath, he felt that his body was inexplicably filled with power and restlessness, causing him to yearn for a fight, no matter who it may be. Even if he were to confront Enkidu right now, he felt confident in winning.

The sudden swell of power and confidence felt very comfortable, but Amon suddenly realized what was actually happening. He was on the verge of a breakthrough, and the test was coming. The problem was: he did not know what kind of test he was going to face. It was a peculiar feeling. Amon knew clearly that he was not a match for Enkidu, but nevertheless, he desired to fight him once again.

Opening his eyes, he found that the rays of dawn had already risen. The next moment, he was startled by what he saw. Last night, he had given strict orders not to be disturbed. Even if someone had ignored the orders and broken in, Amon must have noticed him in the first place, for one’s perception was the sharpest during the state of meditation. However, this “someone” was not a person, but a cat.

Schrodinger sat in front of Amon and gazed at him with a complex look, one which he had never seen before. Amon was not aware of its arrival, and it was the first time he had seen the cat come so close to him on its own accord. Detection magic did not work on the cat. Even Inanna had not been able to detect the presence of Schrodinger when it hid in Amon’s bag.

But when Amon opened his eyes, he could see Schrodinger right in front of him, truly just a cat, nothing more or less. Closing his eyes, he could feel the warmth of the cat’s body and the unique breathing pattern of the cat. Sensing the familiarity of the cat, Amon held the cat in his embrace and caressed it’s furry body. “Schrodinger, what’s wrong? Why are you looking at me with such pitiful eyes? Are you worried about me? Don’t worry, we have gone through so much danger but we have always managed to survive, I’m not afraid!”

Then an even more shocking thing happened. Schrodinger spoke to him!

Its voice appeared directly in Amon’s mind like a conversation between souls. The gentle voice of a woman spoke to him: “Amon, you are not afraid, that is why I am worried. After waiting for so many years, I finally see a glimmer of hope. Bair could not save me, nor could Nietzsche. Even if they could, I couldn’t trust them. It is so hard to find someone who I can trust and who can help me as well!”

Amon replied in his mind, “You…you…you finally spoke!”

“Is it strange for you?”

“No, it would be strange if you couldn’t talk. I’ve always been wondering when I’ll ever get to hear your voice. But I wasn’t expecting it to be today.”

“I had been waiting too. Waiting for a good moment to talk with you. My powers are restrained by a seal, so I can’t freely use them. You have finally passed the threshold of renewal. If you succeed in taking the next step, you will be able to get me out of my predicament.”

Amon was surprised: “Restrained by a seal? What kind of seal is it? How do I help you?”

“You knew that I am more than an ordinary cat. When you are finally able to help me, I will tell you what to do. However, before that happens, you will face the most dangerous test you have ever faced in your life. You must survive the test and live on. When that day comes, are you willing to help me?”

Amon was perplexed by what Schrodinger meant, but he replied unhesitatingly: “Of course I am willing to. You have already helped me too much. It is all because of your companionship and advice that I am able to achieve everything thus far. As long as you need my help, I will do everything I can. Not simply out of gratitude, but because I want to do so.”

Schrodinger sighed. “For so many years, I have been looking for a person who not only possesses the ability to undo my seal, but is also able to resist the greatest temptation in this world when I place my fate in his hands. I need to be absolutely sure that that person will not seize my divine power, force me to divulge the secrets of gods or enslave me. It is because I am finally certain that you are such a person that I am asking you for your help now.”

Amon was stunned by what he heard, and a long time passed before he finally replied: “Who…who was the one that sealed you? Do you mean that when a person releases you from the seal, he can also seize your power and seal you once again? Don’t worry, if I can help you, I will do whatever you ask me to do. You have done enough for me! So you are…”

Schrodinger interrupted his words: “Don’t say my name, not even in a conversation in mind. No matter what you have achieved so far, your attitude towards me has never changed. To you I’m always the cat when we left the town of Duc. All these years you treat me with your true heart. It is my luck to have met someone like you. So I wait and wait, until today.”

Amon had long suspected Schrodinger’s identity. Why did Bair take it with him when he left Memfis? Schrodinger never talked to him until today. It was not that Amon had never thought that it could be a deity. He had even guessed which deity it might be. What he failed to imagine was the experiences that Schrodinger had gone through.

Amon’s suspicion was confirmed after Schrodinger talked to him today, still, he felt a bit awkward. It meant that he had been holding a goddess in his embrace caressing for years. Although she had taken the form of a cat, she was a goddess after all.

What actually had happened to Schrodinger? Amon had no way of knowing. Today, she spoke only because she wanted a promise from Amon. The only thing he knew at the moment was that the upcoming test was going to be very dangerous.

……

In the same night that Amon had spent in meditation, Enkidu was also doing the same thing on a hill some distance away from Khenmet. Gilgamesh was waiting by his side.

At sunrise, Enkidu opened his eyes. His body was enveloped by the first rays of the sun and he glowed with radiance and emanated an aura of invincibility. It seemed the pain and fatigue from the past battles were completely washed away.

Gilgamesh spoke first: “You have never practiced magic nor experienced the second awakening of power. However, you managed to master the most sophisticated method of meditation and you are able to make use of the fundamental power of any type of magic. Is this the final achievement of the body arts?

Enkidu nodded his head. “Yes, I did not do anything in particular. I simply let my power grow spontaneously. Like a brand new life embracing a whole new world, I entered this state naturally. There must be something that the gods have always been hiding from us. Your conjecture is correct. Mortals can be equal to the gods. And I have truly felt that for myself.

“What else did you feel?”

Enkidu frowned as he replied: “It seemed that I saw a world. A world that has nothing yet boundless and infinite, including everything. A world that is filled with unknown and mystery, as if it symbolizes eternity. It beckoned me and I walked towards it. At the same time, it also walked towards me. It felt like I was about to transcend the form of life that I used to be.”

Gilgamesh sighed. “You have discovered this world before me. It seems that you are to take the next step. All these years, you have practiced the body arts single-mindedly and vanquished countless powerful foes. On the other hand, as the governor, I have been distracted by too many things. I have also tried and thought of too many different paths. I was not as focused as you were.”

Enkidu replied: “Gil, although we have been walking on different paths, it could be that we are both right. It’s just that our experiences differ, that we’ve been feeling different things. It was not until today that I was suddenly enlightened and was able to glimpse a streak of light behind the darkness of the night.”

Gilgamesh continued asking with great interest: “I can tell that you have been confused for a long time after you slew Humbaba. You have proven that you are able to fight against the gods, but since then you were lost, unable to take the next step. However, this battle has made you stronger and stronger. It seems that you’ve reached a new limit. Can you explain to me what is happening?”