At that time, the two brothers were still young, and the awakening of the power was not successful. Then their grandfather passed away. Although the family did not lose their noble status, they lost their title. Their status was similar to that of a well-off commoner, except that they did not have to pay the taxes of ordinary commoners.
In theory, the two brothers could practice magic, but after losing their title, no priest in the shrine would continue to teach them. If they had awakened their power, they could continue to practice magic. It was not illegal, but it would be difficult for them to achieve higher achievements, not to mention that the awakening ceremony did not succeed.
Cain whispered in Abel's ear, "My brother, don't forget that our names have been registered in the ritual records of the shrine. If we learn magic, it will be completely legal. If we have the opportunity to become advanced mages, we can completely restore the title of our ancestors. Our family's status will also be more glorious than before. We don't have to work as farmers and shepherds anymore. Now, there is a rare opportunity in front of us. We can ask Amon to awaken our power and teach us magic. "
Abel had nothing to ask from Amon, but Cain's persuasion finally moved his brother. For ordinary people, mastering the magical power was as fascinating as Crazy 'Ole trying to unlock the secrets of the gods. Whether it was Medanzo, who was not qualified to learn magic, or Link, the chief of the savage tribe in the mountains, they all asked Amon to learn magic when they saw the opportunity, not to mention Abel and Cain, who were qualified to learn magic but had no place to learn it.
The two brothers discussed until midnight and decided to go to Amon early the next morning and present their respective gifts. Amon heard what they said in the field and decided to agree to the two brothers' request. The two brothers were qualified to learn magic, so doing this would not bring them any trouble. It should be the best repayment.
The next morning, Amon left the farmhouse and went for a walk in the pasture. He deliberately went to a place far away from people's eyes and ears. As he expected, the two brothers followed him with their gifts. They knelt in front of Amon and said, "Dear Lord, please accept our most sincere offerings. Although this gift isn't precious, it's something that we've worked hard for, and it represents our true hearts. "
Cain offered a bunch of golden ears of grain. He was a farmer, and sometimes he worked in the fields himself, so it could be said that the grain was planted by him. Abel slaughtered the first lamb born in his flock this year, marinated the mutton into jerky, and boiled the fat into mature oil for Amon.
Amon looked at them and smiled. He tapped the branch staff in his hand and said, "Your hospitality is already the best gift. Since I promised to agree to your request, I will naturally keep my word. I know why you're here. You want me to hold a power awakening ceremony for you and teach you divine arts. That's totally fine. "
Cain exclaimed, "You can see our hearts before we even open our mouths. Are you an emissary of God? No, in my mind, you're the symbol of the god who gives us power. "He was afraid that Amon would be afraid of his identity as a sorcerer, so he deliberately said such words. In fact, Amon had heard the same words from Link and Medanzo, but Cain's tone was not so honest.
Abel also prostrated and said, "Thank you, dear Lord. I will always remember you in my heart. It's you who gave us life and gave us magical power."
Amon waved his hand and said, "Don't be so quick to thank me. I promise to hold a power awakening ceremony for you, but it's up to you whether you can succeed or not. Not everyone can pass the test to learn divine arts. Get up first. Tonight at the foot of the hill behind the farm, I'll prepare for the ceremony, but first you have to promise me two conditions. "
The two brothers said together, "What conditions do you have, Lord? Please tell us."
Amon thought for a moment and said, "First, you can only practice according to the way I teach you. Don't go on any other path. You must have a firm belief and see it as the only source of power. Second, you can't draw my face or make a statue of me, or show my face and name to others. "
The reason why Amon put forward the first condition was very simple. He wanted to awaken the power of two sides for the two brothers. He would only teach them the path of practice that he had confirmed himself. He had also said the same thing to Link. As for the second condition, it was easy to understand. Amon was a sorcerer, and his "deeds" on the ferry had been publicized by the city of Uruk. Naturally, he didn't want anyone to know his face and name.
The two brothers immediately nodded and agreed. Although Amon's first condition was special, they had nowhere else to learn, so there was no need to consider other options. On the way back, Amon took the gifts and said, "Thank you. I just happened to need these things on the road, so I'll accept them." He returned the ears of wheat to Cain because he really didn't need them on the road.
That night, the moonlight illuminated the treetops in the forest. Abel and Cain came to the forest clearing at the foot of the hill. Amon was already waiting there, with his branch-shaped magic staff in front of him. Amon had always been a man of few words. When he saw the two brothers coming, he waved his hand and said, "The awakening ceremony of the power will begin now. My staff is its source. This is the first ceremony. Don't think about what kind of power you will awaken. It is both the power given by the gods and the power sleeping in the blood.
When the power is awakened, it will also awaken the desire. This desire comes from both the body and the soul. It is one side of the same. You must learn how to face it and not be controlled by it. Awakening the power through the ceremony is only the first step. In fact, this test is not a temporary one. It will run through your whole life, even until you live forever. Pray to my staff. Please examine your body and mind. The one who gave you the power is not any known god. This kind of prayer may be difficult, but I hope you can find that state of focus and devotion. "
Amon now had a new understanding of the various tests in the practice of divine arts. Whether it was the "awakening of desire" or the "firmness of faith" or the "temptation of the devil", they all had two meanings. The first meaning meant that when practicing the basic meditation of divine arts, one would not be controlled by it and could continue to practice more advanced divine arts. The second meaning was more complicated. It did not mean that the test would disappear after passing the form. It would run through everyone's faith from beginning to end. Just like the temptation of the devil would always exist, and desire would always accompany people's body and mind.
Amon stayed in the farm for another seven days. With the help of the magic staff, the two brothers' bodies and minds showed signs of budding power. Amon also completely recovered. He stayed in the farm for a total of half a month. He felt that his energy and physical strength had returned to their best state. Even his power was vaguely stronger than before.
He was a little surprised that it took him so long. In fact, Amon did not know that overusing magic beyond the limit was very dangerous for a mage. It would put them in a state of weakness, unable to protect themselves. In the same situation, an ordinary mage would probably need two or three months to recover. In just half a month, he was back on the road again. This speed was amazing, not only because of the training of body arts, but also because of his unusual way of practice.
Before Amon left, he left a parangon for the two brothers. His purpose was to let them continue to awaken the power through it. Amon could not leave the staff here. The most difficult first step had been taken. The rest was up to the two brothers. They had to face the test of desire on their own.
Two parangons were enough to compensate for the brothers' hospitality. He did not want to accept it. Although he was not rich, he still had the parangons collected by his ancestors. However, Amon persuaded him to leave the parangons, telling him that he would need the parangons when embedding the staff in the future, and the cost would be much more expensive than one parangon. Amon was very thoughtful. He even thought that the two brothers might not be able to afford a decent staff after becoming mages, so he taught them the skill of making staffs.
Before becoming advanced mages, they would not have the ability to make a staff. But it did not matter. Amon was used to practicing magic without the help of a staff. Naturally, he also asked his disciples to practice the same way. He awakened the power of two sides for the two brothers. He found that the two brothers had their own differences. Abel was better at mastering magic skills, while Cain's talent was more focused on body arts.
The situation of the two brothers reminded Amon of Bair's commentary on the practice of the power of two sides. "Everyone may focus on their own abilities, but this does not affect the practice of the power of two sides. If you want to use any ability to the extreme, you may not be able to do it even if you spend a lifetime. This path itself is so difficult, so it is reasonable to first reach the most basic requirements and then focus on the next."
Amon left the two brothers with different methods of practicing the power of one to six levels. The main reason he did this was to confirm Bair's speculation. Amon's situation was somewhat different from Bair's. Crazy 'Ole wanted him to become an encyclopedic master of magic and explore the path that Bair had not finished. So he wanted to try all kinds of possibilities. Therefore, Bair's commentary could only be confirmed in the case of the two brothers. Amon, whose mission was to unravel the secrets of the gods, could not focus too much on one path.
The two brothers sent Amon far away until he was out of the jurisdiction of Uruk and on the official road to Bablon City. Although Amon was a sorcerer, he did not encourage the two of them to offend or blaspheme any of the gods. He only awakened their power and taught them all the training content before becoming a supreme mage. This was something that could not be learned in any shrine at once.
The gratitude in the hearts of Abel and Cain could be imagined. When they said goodbye, they said to Amon, "You are our eternal benefactor. You shine with the light of the gods."
Amon drove the carriage on. No one in the vast kingdom knew who he was, so Amon did not encounter any trouble along the way. He passed through Laga, Nippur, Kish, and other cities. It took him more than three months to reach the capital of Bablon City. At this time, Amon was no longer the boy who had just walked out of the mountains. His temperament seemed to have matured a lot. After experiencing so many things, he began to gradually understand this strange and vast world. Traveling in the continent was indeed a fortune.
He understood what the so-called "devil's temptation" was. He could advance by passing the test when practicing magic, but the test was still there. He was also trying to understand and verify what he said to the two brothers. Amon was not stupid. The experience along the way had taught him many things. He always paid attention to the thoughts and desires of the people around him.
In his eyes, everything was so novel. There was always something new under the sun. If one could not see it, it could only mean that one was not attentive enough to experience it. Amon walked slowly because he was waiting. Schrödinger had said that it would come back for him, but the cat never showed up.
Amon missed Schrödinger a little. He even wanted to go back to Som, where the cat had left. Could the cat cross the Euphrate River and catch up with Amon? But Amon suppressed this thought and continued on his way to the capital. He would think about it when he saw Medanzo. He would go back sooner or later anyway.
He wanted to see Medanzo for no other reason than that he didn't know anyone on the continent when he had just walked out of the mountains. So he decided to make Bablon City his first stop. At the same time, he wanted to see how Medanzo was doing with the power of two sides. Amon had received the message from Bair that there were many things that Medanzo had not taught him after he left.
If Medanzo had reached a bottleneck and didn't know how to continue, then Amon's trip would be a good guide for him. There was another reason why Amon wanted to see Medanzo. After all, Medanzo was an advanced warrior who grew up in the capital. He had learned many fighting techniques that Amon was not familiar with. These were things that Amon needed to learn.
The closer he got to Bablon City, Amon couldn't help but think of Yoon Namna. Would he meet her again in the capital? She must be with her fiancé, Gilgamesh. It was said that Gilgamesh would go to the capital soon. Would Princess Sissila go with him? If she came to see Amon again as Yoon Namna, how would he meet her? But the possibility was very small. How would Yoon Namna know where to find him? Better not to think about it.
When he arrived at the outskirts of Bablon City, Amon encountered his first obstacle since he traveled the continent.
After all, Bablon City was the capital of the kingdom. Although it was peaceful, it was still heavily guarded. The guards at the gate were all warriors. Even the captains of the squads were at least advanced warriors. Each gate was guarded by three mages, one of whom was at least an advanced mage. They didn't show their faces in the watchtowers, but they could detect any suspicious people with magic at any time.
Amon had thought of sneaking over the city wall at night, but he discovered a faint fluctuation of magic power on the wall. It turned out that a magic formation had been laid around the entire city. Only the capital could have such a grand formation. Goliath had also temporarily laid such a formation in Syah. Among the known cities on the Heaven's Pivot, there were only five that had permanent magic formations: Thebes, the capital of Eygut, Montefiore, the capital of Hittite, Niveh, the capital of Assyria, and the capital of Bablon City.
The magic formation here was much more complete than the one Goliath had temporarily laid. When fully activated, it could be used for both offense and defense. It could protect the city like an impregnable fortress. However, it was usually not fully activated. It only had the function of detection. If one wanted to detect any abnormalities in and out of the entire city, it would cost several parangons every day and a supreme mage would be in charge of it. Only the capital had the power to send enough supreme mages to take turns to carry out this task.
It was impossible for Amon to sneak past the detection of the magic formation without alerting anyone. He could only enter the city during the day. He had a document issued by the Cape States of the Empire of Eygut. As long as he filled in his name, he could prove that he was a citizen of the Empire of Eygut. However, this was the Kingdom of Bablon. Amon didn't have any immigration documents. Carrying such a document would only cause him more trouble.
Citizens of the kingdom didn't have to show their documents, but they had to be interrogated by the guards at the gate. Amon didn't want to have anything wrong with the things he was carrying with him. At least, the bone couldn't be picked up by ordinary people. If it was found, it would definitely attract special attention.
Amon didn't expect that he would have to rely on Gilgamesh's help to enter the city. He heard that Gilgamesh would arrive in three days with gifts for Marduc and Princess Sissila, and there would be a grand celebration. The King ordered the people to go out of the city to welcome Gilgamesh and hold a grand parade in the city. Amon could blend in with the parade and enter the city without being questioned by the guards.
Would he see Yoon Namna sitting in Gilgamesh's luxurious carriage and entering the palace with the hero amidst the cheers of the people? Amon thought to himself.
… …
However, three days later, Amon didn't see Yoon Namna. Gilgamesh's carriage was still the same, without a shed and a large umbrella. Gilgamesh himself had changed into a dignified and luxurious robe, with an exquisite warrior's long sword. He stood under the umbrella, accepting the cheers of the people, smiling, nodding, and waving from time to time.
Gilgamesh's carriage was the second to enter the city. The first carriage did not have a shed either. There were two altar-like decorations placed on top of the carriage, on which were Enkidu's spoils of war — the snake tendons and fangs extracted from Humbaba's body. These were the bones of the legendary gods, so Gilgamesh exposed them to the sun, so that the people in the city could see them clearly.
Amon also saw that the snake tendons were much bigger than the one he got from the river. Each tendon was as thick as a thumb and more than a foot wide when coiled together. They were golden in color and shone with an orchid luster under the sun, like ripples flowing under the golden light of the setting sun. On the altars on the left and right sides of the carriage were three coiled snake tendons, and on each tendon were four snake fangs, two long and two short. The long ones were more than three feet long, and the short ones were more than two feet long. One could imagine how terrifying the snake's mouth was.
The snake tendons and the bones of the gods were in Amon's bag, so he was particularly interested in them. At first, he was careful not to use detection magic to investigate, lest he expose himself in the crowd. But when the carriages passed through the city gate, Amon sensed countless magical fluctuations coming from all directions.
Some came from the royal guards who welcomed Gilgamesh, some from the city walls, and some from the people who lined the streets to welcome him. Amon didn't see anyone with a staff in the crowd. It seemed that many mages had come out of the city in disguise today.
Who wouldn't be curious about the bones of the legendary gods? Even the magic formation guarding the city walls had been deliberately activated. The supreme mage who was presiding over the magic formation must have used the formation's powerful detection ability to carefully study and analyze the snake teeth and tendons that passed through the city gate.
Since Gilgamesh had put them on the first carriage and entered the capital without concealment, he wanted everyone to see them, to prove that he was not lying, and to increase the prestige of himself and Enkidu. He looked arrogant to the extreme, and frank to the extreme.
There were also many women in the crowd, but they were not interested in the snake tendons and fangs. They just waved their headscarves and screamed at Gilgamesh, "Dear Gil, the great hero, I worship you … Look, he's smiling at me, nodding and waving at me, it's the great Gil waving at me!" The girls who were shouting looked so happy that they were about to faint, but Gil still had a humble and noble smile on his face, waving at everyone.
Unlike those infatuated girls, Amon took advantage of the opportunity to carefully sense Humbaba's tendons and fangs while he was not discovered. The fangs were different from the bones in his bag, and could be clearly sensed by the detection magic. They had a terrible aura. Just as Amon was concentrating on sensing them, a roar that sounded like thousands of bison roaring at the same time sounded in the depths of his mind, with a huge impact and shock.
Amon had heard this sound the night Enkidu killed Humbaba. If it weren't for his strong and profound mind, his state of meditation would have been interrupted. He had already determined that these fangs could be used as materials to make the best staffs and rare magic artifacts. But they were not the same as Osiris's ribs. The bone in his bag was either a real god's bone or had been magically processed.
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