At his word, the ti of the hundreds of billions of people across Eldoralth stopped.
No one moved. Even breathing beca impossible. The temperature of the world rose, and sweat drenched the clothes of many.
At this mont, Atticus stared at the world with a widened gaze.
'My mother?'
The singular thought shook him more than anyone could have imagined. Soone had tried to kill his mother?
It seed ludicrous. He was god in this world—absolute. That anyone would think of doing such a thing was pure madness. Yet…
Atticus slowly scanned his surroundings.
'They had been so close…'
If he hadn't placed runes on Anastasia that transported him to her side in case of danger, she would be dead.
Atticus clenched his fists.
'Soone died.'
He had scanned the world upon arrival and noticed the absence of his Raven Guard. Yotad had chosen to guard Anastasia since protecting him was useless. From a glance at the scene, Atticus could tell what had occurred.
'He sacrificed himself.'
His rapidly beating pulse slowed, and he felt himself reach a calm that bordered on divine.
'They will pay.'
His eyes landed on Neresa, and ti resud.
Everything occurred so rapidly it was hard to keep track.
The barrier surrounding the whole of Novareth shattered into motes of light. Across the grand coliseum, the sa scenes played out.
Caldor and Ember clashed with the surviving mbers of Surnix Hold mbers.
'We're almost there,' Caldor thought with glee.
He had successfully killed one of his opponents, leaving only Nira, while Ember had killed two and was currently battling with the leader.
Any mont now, and they would be victorious.
'I just have to deal with her.'
He fixed his eyes on Nira. Nurous wounds littered her body, with blood oozing out. She breathed heavily, yet her eyes were resolute. Caldor had a sudden thought.
"Why are you doing all this?"
He was curious. Even if they succeeded in killing them, there was simply no way they would live. Atticus would hunt them down and kill them.
"…"
"You might as well tell ," Caldor added. "You're about to die, wouldn't it be better if your reason is out there?"
"…"
"Yo—"
"Revenge…"
Caldor raised an eyebrow.
"On Atticus?"
She nodded.
"Why?"
"He killed my father." She settled into a stance.
"I see…" Caldor also entered a stance. "The thing is, the Atticus I know only kills for a reason. The chances are, he deserved it."
Caldor smiled as her killing intent flooded the skies.
'Take that as revenge for tricking !'
They were about to move when they suddenly found themselves frozen.
'W-what…?'
Caldor tried, but he couldn't move an inch of his body.
'It affected everyone.'
Nira, and even Ember and her opponent in the distance, were also frozen in place.
'Who?'
Caldor thought of the answer before the question even ford. Only one person on this planet was capable of sothing like this.
'Atticus.'
A grin ford on his face just as the temperature across the planet rose. And Caldor watched as Nira, along with Ember's opponent, was engulfed in flas so hot the air around them distorted.
Their screams pierced the night sky.
…
Aurora stood in a sea of flas.
The lifeless corpse of Draen lay beneath her, lting into ash as the seconds passed. The battle had been intense, yet she'd turned out victorious.
For a brief mont, she'd felt ti pause, then resu. Though nothing occurred, she still turned towards the direction of the hill where she felt a familiar presence.
'Atticus.'
…
Squelch!
Kael retracted his blade from the skull of a Somnera woman, her body falling lifelessly on the ground.
He glanced around. Lifeless corpses, everyone was dead.
"Did you feel that?"
Nate rushed over to his side, panting.
"Yes." Kael looked at his arms.
Their ti had suddenly stopped, then resud. Only one person had such powers.
"Atticus."
The god of Eldoralth was back.
…
"Who is responsible for this?"
The four leaders found themselves writhing in pain. An unseen force had bound them, rendering them unable to move. Periodically, pockets of mana in their bodies imploded, tearing chunks of flesh apart.
"Irk!"
With their bloodied bodies, Neresa and the others glared at Atticus, but it was his stare that unnerved them.
'What's with this reaction…' Neresa gritted her teeth. Where was the anger? The fury? His mother had almost died, yet he was so calm. Had all of this been for nothing?
More pockets of mana imploded across their bodies, sending them thrashing about.
"Ahhh!"
Anastasia clutched Noctis tightly. The furry creature had jumped into her arms the mont he appeared.
"Kuu~" He gently licked her face, trying to remove of the ash.
"I'm fine, honey."
Anastasia reassured him, gently brushing his fur. Still, her eyes were focused on Atticus.
'He's different.'
This was the first ti she would see this side of her son. She clenched her hands tightly, trying to stop them from shaking.
It was the first ti she had ever seen Atticus angry.
Lyanna, Sirius, and Nathan had gathered by her. From their tense silence, it was obvious they each wondered the sa thing. What would Atticus do?
"Irk! Y-you might as well kill us now! We'd rather die than talk!"
"Kill you?"
The pain abruptly vanished, and the air grew lighter. The four leaders slowly turned toward Atticus.
"Why would I grant you rcy?"
They vanished the next mont, appearing high in the skies.
"W-where are we…"
Neresa and the other four glanced around in panic.
"This is Surnix Hold," Atticus said, waving his arm.
The clouds cleared, revealing a vast land filled with different nations and territory.
"W-what?"
Neresa's eyes narrowed. Surnix Hold, along with other worlds, upon rging, had been placed in the sa part of the world, like a massive continent.
But why would Atticus bring them here?
Atticus waved again, and the earth below them traced lines across the vast land, forming a boundary around it.
"I've transported everyone that is not a mber of your world away. Now the billions present are all inhabitants of Surnix Hold."
"W-what are you—"
Atticus raised his arm, and the silver light of the moon vanished, replaced by a blinding scarlet.
As the leaders looked up, their faces paled.
"A-are you serious?" Caelum muttered.
"You don't an to…" Rehn stamred, horrified.
Mae said nothing, but her trembling eyes revealed everything.
From above, a colossal teor was descending at terrifying speed, heading straight for the Surnix continent. There was no doubt, if it hit, nothing would remain but ash.
"I'll ask again," his voice was cold, "who is responsible for this?"
"Don't be shaken! He's bluffing!" Neresa shouted. "There's no way he'll kill billions just to make us talk!"
"Bluffing?" Atticus burst into laughter. They had gone after the woman who raised him, and yet claid he was bluffing?
He only shook his head with a smile and faced the world. The paragons of Surnix Hold, surging up to intercept the attack, froze midair and plumted.
The billions of fired missiles screaming toward the teor imploded before even reaching halfway. The people of Surnix Hold could only stare, horrified, at the sea of fire that consud the skies, unable to move a single finger.
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