The once floating fortress was in shambles. Since Atticus seized every material radiating Redfla will, the city lost its power to hover.
He had ensured the landing caused no casualties, but the tropolis had beco a husk, barely anyone roaming its streets.
This was the city where their god Nerrot resided. And it was where Atticus was assud to stay. But the people wanted to be as far from him as possible, and fled.
"How does it feel to be hated?" Whisker asked with a smile.
"Being hated by weaklings?" Ozeroth scoffed. "Useless. The real joy is when the strong hate Ozeroth."
Whisker gave him a strange look. "You’re a very weird man."
"I believe great is the word you’re looking for." Ozeroth grinned.
"I can assure you," Whisker said flatly, staring him in the eye, "it is not."
Ozeroth frowned, ready to take offense, when Atticus cut in.
"They don’t matter to . Their hatred ans nothing. Let’s go. I don’t want us spending too much ti away."
"Yes, your eminence," Kancilot replied quickly with a bow. Though he didn’t show it, he had been waiting for a chance to speak.
Atticus was soone he could never speak casually to. And Ozeroth and Whisker were both too eccentric for normal conversation. Still, he was sure, this trip was going to be an eventful one.
Whisker smiled, Ozeroth snorted, and Atticus waved. The group vanished and reappeared deep within Nerrot’s mansion. Specifically, his room.
"If I rember correctly, I felt a portal around here."
Whisker approached the wall opposite the large bed. It was covered in engravings, ones even Atticus didn’t understand.
"Can you activate it?"
Earlier, Whisker had explained the ways they could get to the Willess World.
The first was asking the Great Verge politely. That never worked. The second was having a portal directly linked from your world to the Willess World.
For the latter, it required money and the service of an Etcher.
An Etcher was the equivalent of a rune engraver. They could manipulate will and use it to create etchings that carried their commands. These ranged from will artifacts to simple things like portals linking worlds together.
"I’m Whisker Von Pounce," Whisker declared, as if the na alone was enough. "What do you think?"
"That we’re screwed," Ozeroth smirked. Whisker turned toward him. The man looked proud of the jab.
"Smart. I’m surprised it ca from you. It must have taken so many of your brain cells. I doubt you have any left. Need help walking?"
Ozeroth fud. "You bast—"
"Stop that." Atticus walked calmly toward the portal, glaring at Whisker, who only shrugged.
"How do we activate it? And where are we going to appear on the other side?"
His worry wasn’t unfounded. This portal belonged to Nerrot. The last thing he wanted was to appear in the middle of a Redfla base.
In the Willess World, things were... different. There was no omnipotent being enforcing rules. They could be ambushed and killed before the Willguard interfered.
"You just have to channel your will into it to activate it. You should be able to choose what portal in the Willess World to use. Choose the one on the outskirts."
"Ah!" Whisker suddenly raised his arm. "Almost forgot. There’s also the small fact that the Redfla faction might be inford when the portal is used."
"Even when we’re not using the Redfla will?"
"Especially then."
Atticus sighed, but nodded. It wasn’t like they had a choice. The last thing he wanted was to owe the Verge a favor, and one glance at this wall made it obvious its markings weren’t sothing he could just replicate. At least not any ti soon.
’We get in, retrieve the root, and get out.’
As he focused, his will spread out and touched the wall. It radiated a bright red glow that spread and encompassed its length and breadth.
Atticus saw images flash through his mind. One of an enclosed space, another of an open one, and another in the middle of a bustling city.
’Portal locations.’ He realized. He chose the public one, and the brightness intensified until it pulsed like liquid lava.
"It’s ready!" Whisker said, and the group stared. A silence fell, and none could deny the tension that gripped the group.
They were stepping into an unknown world now, where the Verge’s rules did not reach. The dangers were innurable.
Regardless, Atticus was the first to move, and the rest followed.
He felt the surreal pull of teleportation, like traveling across a vast, imasurable distance. Unlike anything he had ever felt.
Soon, after the sensation of landing from a great fall, Atticus opened his eyes to a bustling city.
Behind him was a glowing portal. From it, different people erged, moving down the tall flight of stairs and joining the streets below.
Atticus took a mont to regain his bearings before he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"We should move," Whisker whispered, gesturing to a group of n donned in golden armor. Their heads were held high, their every movent radiating righteousness.
’Willguard.’
Atticus realized. They stood at the foot of the stairs, checking those entering and leaving the Willess World.
Atticus could feel their eyes on him. It was understandable, since he was simply standing there, blocking the path.
He confird Ozeroth and Kancilot were with him and followed Whisker down the flight of stairs.
The Willguard at the bottom had been in charge of checking them in. When it was their turn, they were only asked simple questions: who was the god among them, the na of their world.
Then Atticus was given a bracelet he was mandated to wear before passing.
"It’s a way for them to track the number of gods in the Willess World. With enough will, you can break free from it if needed. Don’t worry."
Whisker had explained when he saw Atticus’ cold look. He didn’t like being forced to wear sothing unknown and had almost refused, until Whisker whispered that every god had to wear it.
’Let’s just get this over with,’ Atticus thought, raising his eyes to the bustling city.
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