Mathias’s eyes glinted as though delivering a final blow.
"And we have also heard he is a fragnt bearer, Saint."
Anorah’s eyes narrowed.
"The council believes," Mathias pressed on, "that for the betternt of the resistance, the best option is to absorb his fragnt and turn his body over to the Willguard. Claim the rewards."
His words drew nods of agreent from most of the council. Many of their eyes shone. The thought of so many will stones thrilled them.
"All I hear," Anorah said, her tone like steel, "is that he is enemies with our enemies. That makes him an ally."
She glanced around the council.
"The resistance is enemies with more than a faction. We exist to fight the injustice wrought by the major powers. Tell , how will our mbers believe in our cause if we betray a god simply because he made enemies of our enemies?"
"But he’s not a mber of—"
Her aura surged, cutting the speaker’s words before they could form.
"That god, Atticus, has allied himself with the resistance. I have given my word for his protection. There will be no turning him in. Am I clear?"
Mathias shuddered beneath her stare. He held his tongue and bowed.
"I understand, Saint."
"This eting is adjourned."
As Anorah stood, the council mbers followed. Conflicting expressions marked many of their faces, but she paid them no mind. Without another word, she turned and left the chamber.
Monts later, as though impatient, her figure vanished, down into the underground cavern, where a man was currently deep in his world.
...
Atticus’ world had fallen silent.
The usual roar he heard when his training began had vanished. He felt hunger, he thirsted, yet he remained still. Calm.
He felt no urge to do. No urge to use his power. He would use his power only when he wanted to, not otherwise.
This silent state lasted until the fourteenth day. And just when he began thinking it wouldn’t end, a voice finally shattered the long silence.
"You’ve found it."
Atticus opened his eyes. They were sunken, and his body felt frail, but in his gaze there was a steadiness Anorah hadn’t seen before.
’He doesn’t feel desperate for his power any longer.’
"The first step," she said, smiling. "Disruption. You’ve broken the chain."
Atticus let out a long, slow breath. The pressure still pressed on him, but he had long since stopped fighting it. He accepted it.
And in that acceptance, he felt free. Truly free.
As the pressure receded, Atticus took a mont to steady himself. His power wasn’t back yet, and hunger, thirst, and weakness was all he felt.
He sat up, taking deep breaths.
"Two weeks. Looks like I’m not as fast as I thought I am."
Anorah approached him, lowering herself to his level.
"Oh how wrong you are." She shook her head. "It seems like two weeks have passed, but it’s only a few hours in reality."
The words made Atticus’ eyes widen.
"Then—"
"Yeah." Anorah offered to help him stand. "Ti is distorted here."
’I see.’ Atticus’ thoughts were calm. He took her hand, and raised himself. The softness of her palm was all that filled his thoughts until a wave of disorientation hit him.
Atticus staggered, but was caught and held by Anorah.
"Easy." She said, "it’s a funny scene seeing a god in such a state. It’s just hunger and thirst, right?"
Atticus scoffed, steadying himself. "I’m sure you were in a worse state during your training. If I’m like this, then you probably couldn’t even stand."
A smile blood on Anorah’s face as the mories of her training flashed in her head. She shook her head as she felt sadness wash over her.
"Has anyone ever told you that you’re prideful to your bones?"
"Wait till you et Ozeroth."
"That golden man?"
"That’s the one."
Anorah led him to the entrance of the building, and they both sat down by the door.
"Does he really speak in third person? I honestly thought I heard wrong. I started calling myself crazy when I heard it multiple tis."
Atticus almost burst into laughter. "Yes, he does that sotis. Amongst other things."
Anorah tilted her head. "What other things does he do?"
Atticus smirked. Oh he had so many absurd things to choose from.
"He once gave a speech to himself in the mirror for half an hour... and then thanked himself afterwards."
Anorah blinked, then covered her mouth. "No."
"Oh yes. And he bowed too. To himself."
That broke her. She laughed.
Atticus chuckled. "What a man."
"What a man," she repeated, shaking her head.
And then they both burst into laughter.
’Sorry man.’ Atticus thought to himself. He made a determined thought to block this scene from Ozeroth.
’For his own good.’ He convinced himself.
Atticus found himself looking at Anorah as she laughed. Her laugh was soft, lodic. Every mont of it seed to calm him.
He found himself in a trance, staring, and not even realizing when she stopped and turned towards him. Their eyes t.
"What?" She asked softly.
"Nothing." Atticus answered, taking his eyes away. For a mont, there was nothing but silence.
But Atticus soon broke it.
"So, what is the next lesson?"
"Hmm, I like your energy. It’s... manly." Anorah smiled. "But you should get so rest first. We’ll begin in a few hours."
Anorah stood and walked away after deciding to give Atticus so ti to recover.
’He’s not passively using it anymore.’
Atticus didn’t know it, but Anorah could feel it. He had stopped passively using the fragnt’s powers.
’I’ll tell him later.’ She thought, a wide smile on her face. When was the last ti she smiled so much?
Not since before her father’s death, definitely. Yet, in the past two days, she found herself smiling. It was uncanny. And not even she knew why.
As Anorah vanished from the underground cavern, Atticus closed his eyes and began to ditate.
Now that he was done with the lesson, he felt the restrictions on him lessen, then the rush of mana flowing through his body.
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