Night ca quickly after that. The moods of the apexes had soured to the extent that even the drama on screen didn't seem watchable anymore.
It didn't help that the usually cold-faced Maera made a pained sound with practically every action. From walking to sothing as absurd as sitting down.
The apexes had all been legends during their ti, strongest in their respective worlds. Maera was no different. But from her reactions, they could tell this pain was unlike anything they'd ever felt. Beyond death. Beyond birth.
The sun had fallen. The moon had ascended.
Lirae made her way out of the large building that belonged to the teenager who now ruled their world.
Atticus had originally built the house for himself and his closest family, but she and the apexes had basically claid it as ho.
Not that anyone minded. Anastasia, especially, had been very welcoming, more so to anyone who claid to be Atticus' friend.
She knew her son. The fact that he even had friends had been cause for celebration.
'The air is nice,' Lirae thought as the cold night breeze graced her skin. Her mood had been sour all day. She needed air. Space. Ti to think.
She walked out of the building and made her way around back.
'I wonder what he's doing,' she thought, only to shake her head a mont later. She already knew the answer.
'Training.' Lirae chuckled.
Sotis, it was hard to understand Atticus. He had the power to wipe out the world in seconds. The power to demand anything, to control all.
If he wanted people to worship him, they would. No one would question it.
And yet, all he did, day in, day out, was train.
Right now, she had no doubt that was exactly what he was doing.
However, as she finally reached the back of the building, her steps froze.
'I stand corrected.' A small smile touched her lips.
Ahead, at the highest point of the hill, stood a lone figure bathed in silver moonlight. He looked nothing short of otherworldly.
Before she realized it, her feet had carried her forward, stopping a few ters from him.
There was silence.
One that startled Lirae. She'd never had trouble talking to anyone before. She could even charm n to their deaths if she wanted.
But now, standing in front of the teenager who ran the world… her mind drew blank.
Then, his voice broke the silence.
"Sothing on your mind?" Atticus asked, his eyes still fixed on the silver moon above, deep in thought.
Lirae snapped out of her reverie, clearing her throat.
"Aside from your jaw dropping appearance? Doubt that."
Atticus smiled but said nothing. Lirae stepped closer, finally standing beside him.
"I should be asking you that. You're the one staring silently at the moon in the dead of night."
Atticus didn't reply for several seconds.
"I'm just… wondering how all of this is possible."
"What is?"
"In my ho world, we had a silver moon just like this. But our lives were… vastly different. I can't help but feel like the moon should at least have a different color."
Lirae gave him a strange look, then laughed. "Ah. I know what this is. It's one of those monts where your brain suddenly starts overthinking random nonsense."
She shook her head, chuckling. "You're lucky you're breathtaking. I've always believed beautiful people can't go mad."
Atticus released a soft chuckle.
Lirae raised a brow. "You know… you've been smiling a lot lately."
Atticus paused, "Hmm? I have?" He turned to look at her, and for a mont, her heart froze.
'Beautiful.'
That was the only word that ca to her mind.
"Lirae?"
She quickly looked away, flustered. "A-ah, yes. It's just sothing I noticed. You never used to smile in front of others, but now… it feels like second nature to you."
'She's right,' Atticus thought.
He had been smiling more. Laughing more. But the shift didn't happen during his battle with the twins. No. It had begun after he awakened his Will.
Had awakening his Will changed his entire personality?
He wasn't sure. But it was sothing worth keeping tabs on.
"How do you do all of this?"
At her sudden question, Atticus raised an eyebrow. "Do what?"
"Take responsibility."
She gestured at the settlent in the distance. "All of this."
"In my past life, I was forced into leadership. Forced to serve my people. I hated it. Why should I live my life for others? So I ran."
"But you… you're doing all of this, and you're so calm about it."
Atticus nearly laughed. But he held it in, amused.
"That's where you're wrong."
"Huh?" Lirae blinked.
"I'm not doing this to serve the people. I'm doing it for myself, by protecting the people close to ."
Her eyes widened. 'I got it all wrong.'
She had assud he was driven by duty or compassion for the people of Eldoralth. That he had a soft selfless heart buried beneath all that cold.
But she'd been utterly wrong.
"You beco more and more mysterious with every new thing I learn about you," Lirae said with a smile.
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No." She shook her head, turning back to the moon. "I find mysterious people sexy."
Atticus chuckled. Silence fell once more, until Lirae broke it again.
"The offer still stands, you know."
"What offer?"
"I'll help you pop your cherry. I know you still have it."
Atticus coughed. "What makes you so sure?"
"You don't?" Lirae gave him a knowing look. Atticus glanced over his shoulder.
She followed his gaze and humd. "Ah. I see. You still have lingering feelings. I assu she's the one you told about at the banquet?"
Atticus nodded with a small smile.
"Are you both official now?" Lirae asked, though there was a faint hope in her voice.
"We're not."
Lirae blinked. She had hoped, but to hear it confird still surprised her.
"So… what's the deal? Do you love her?"
Atticus considered it for a mont, then shook his head.
"No."
He couldn't call what he felt love. It was more like… he couldn't let go.
So would call that obsession. But that was just who Atticus was.
He was never one to give up on anything he'd invested in. He had spent one full year with her at the academy, and while many might call it stubbornness, he simply didn't want to let it all go. Just like that.
Doing so would feel like admitting he'd given up. Except… he ca to the realization that it wasn't possible anymore. But before the war had started, their relationship had begun to develop.
"So you're not official. You don't love her. But you still don't want to let go?"
Atticus nodded.
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