Whisker shook his head. "Yeah, but what if it isn't? That's the real problem. We're outnumbered, outgunned. What are our soldiers supposed to do against will?"
"Can't we teach them?" Magnus asked.
Atticus shook his head.
"I've tried countless tis. They never learn," he said. "I thought maybe they weren't ant to, or maybe it wasn't ti yet. Looks like I was wrong."
A heavy silence settled over them before Anorah finally spoke.
"We're overthinking this."
All eyes turned to her.
"What do you an?" Atticus asked.
"Atti, the challenges are random. Sure, the armies might clash, but they also might not. And we're burning energy stressing over sothing we can't influence. What we can control is us, our people, our prep, our side of the board. That's where we should focus."
"She's right," Magnus said. "One thing at a ti."
Silence stretched again before Atticus finally nodded.
"Alright. One step at a ti. We have one day to co up with counterasures."
The eting was over after that.
To start, Atticus decided to target one of their biggest issues, army numbers. The abyss army he'd seen was larger than theirs by a terrifying margin.
To address this, he traveled to the territory of the Will Guard he'd killed, repeated the sa speech he had given countless tis before, and secured their loyalty. Afterwards, he rged the territories, gaining millions more soldiers in an instant.
While the others focused on integrating the new troops, Atticus retreated to his training room. Sitting cross legged, he allowed his mind to drift.
Anorah had been right, they were wasting ti worrying about uncertain possibilities. But even so, Atticus couldn't shake the pressing need for a contingency against the abyss army.
Even a tiny chance of their troops clashing against each other filled him with unease.
'A way to counter their will…'
He pieced through everything carefully. The rging of territories had elevated them to Eternal Age. He'd hoped it would grant his people the ability to use will, but nothing had changed.
The only real difference was the will density. It had beco nearly endless, almost like Eldoralth. But from a glance, Balanar was sure to have the sa advantage, even more when his people could tap from the boundless will.
'I have to find another way.'
Sohow, his clash with the Will Guard kept on playing in his head. He unfortunately couldn't give life weapons or exo suits to any other person, talkless of millions of soldiers— Atticus's eyes narrowed.
'Why am I just thinking of this now?'
He appeared instantly in the training grounds. The land was vast, yet soldiers covered every inch, each one deeply engrossed in training. Atticus found the others and called for a quick eting.
"I might have found a way to counter them."
Their eyes sharpened imdiately.
"We're listening," Whisker said.
"Will armors."
Confusion flickered across most of their faces, except Whisker, whose expression was filled with understanding.
"You an armors that let the soldiers use will?" he asked.
"Exactly." Atticus nodded. "It puts them on equal ground."
"Smart… but you see the issue, right?"
"There are too many soldiers." Anorah added, frowning.
"Exactly." Whisker gestured around. "How do you expect to craft hundreds of millions of armors before tomorrow?"
They were right. Atticus would have to make each armor from scratch. Even if he was a literal god, making sothing that can conduct Will wasn't an easy task.
"We don't need to equip everyone," Magnus said suddenly, drawing their attention.
"Exactly," Atticus said. "We only need a select unit, soldiers whose job is to shield the rest from will. And I guarantee not all of Balanar's people can use will. If they could, he would've sent an army to the city, not a handful."
The others fell into deep thought.
"Do we even know if our soldiers can wear sothing like that?" Whisker asked.
"Only one way to find out."
A mont passed as he and Whisker held each other's gaze before the latter finally smiled.
"Alright. Let's try it. Not like we have a better option."
The others nodded in agreent.
Atticus left imdiately, fully intent on putting his idea into motion.
Ti passed swiftly, and the dreaded mont arrived. Once again, Atticus floated in the air with the others, staring at the abyss army stretched endlessly across the horizon. Below them, his own army stood in rigid silence.
Whisker squinted at the endless black mass.
"Great. Just great. Did they multiply overnight or what?
Atticus examined the abyss army.
'I think so too.'
The abyss army looked like an ocean of darkness eating through the land. It was difficult to see where they ended.
"Welco back, Atticus Ravenstein."
Balanar's voice drifted across the sky. Atticus didn't respond. He exhaled calmly, glanced at his people, then at his army. Everything was in place.
"I accept the challenge."
The world warped around him, blurring until he stood in the familiar challenge space. Balanar waited ahead of him.
It was the first ti Atticus saw him standing upright, and the man was taller than he expected. Far taller than even Atticus himself.
"A mont alone. Perfect," Balanar said with an easy smile. "Atticus Ravenstein… I have a proposition. Will you hear it?"
Atticus narrowed his eyes but stayed silent.
"Oh, co now. Don't be so rigid. The outco of this chat might save a lot of aningless corpses from decorating the battlefield."
"What's the proposition?" Atticus asked.
Balanar's smile stretched.
"You see…" He raised a finger. "I watched your battle with the Will Guard. Truly remarkable. Almost knocked right out of my seat. You're an anomaly, Atticus Ravenstein. No wonder the Will Guard are bending over backward trying to capture you."
Atticus remained unmoved.
"At first, I ca for the bounty. Wealth can buy many things, you see." He shrugged lightly, "But then I saw sothing far more… tempting."
Atticus felt his gaze lower to his chest. "That… thing on your chest. Where did you get it?"
User Comments
0 comments from readers