Atticus appeared in the skies above his training continent. His gaze settled on the figure seated cross-legged, dangerously close to the vein root.
'Grandpa Magnus.'
He frowned as Anorah's words surfaced in his mind.
"Go see Grandpa Magnus. Aside from mother Anastasia, I think he took it the hardest."
According to her, Magnus had tried to enter the portal to the Willguard domain the mont he heard what happened. But with no one else knowing its location, he had been forced to stop. Since then, he hadn't left the portal room even once.
With a quiet exhale, Atticus descended and appeared before him. He could see the heat from the veil root pressing against Magnus's body, making his skin faintly sizzle.
"Grandpa…"
Magnus' eyes slowly opened. He tilted his head slightly as his gaze fell on Atticus.
"Atticus."
"You're too close to the tree. You'll burn yourself."
The words felt oddly out of place coming from him. Of all people, he shouldn't be the one worrying about how far soone pushed their limits. Yet… seeing Magnus like this made it hard not to.
"It's fine."
"…you don't look fine."
"I said I'm fine."
"…"
An awkward silence settled between them. They simply stared at each other.
Then, Magnus' frowned slightly. "…is that all?"
"…no. I ca to apologize. I—"
"You already did."
Atticus didn't miss the subtle twitch in Magnus' fingers.
"…so that's it? It's fine?"
"It is."
'It's clearly not fine.'
Since his advancent, the world itself felt… closer to him. Clearer. Magnus' emotions didn't need to be spoken anymore. He could feel them as plainly as his own.
'He's angry. At ?'
"…is that all?" Magnus asked again. "…no. I still want to say it properly. I shouldn't have acted like that."
"It's fine."
"…you're angry."
Magnus' gaze sharpened.
"I am not."
"Then what is this?"
"Nothing."
"Grandpa… I'm standing right here apologizing. How are we supposed to move forward if you won't even admit you're upset?"
"I said I'm not."
"…"
"I'm not."
Atticus gazed at him for a mont, speechless He had never known the man to be this stubborn.
"…alright. Then I guess it doesn't matter if it happens again, right? Since you're 'fine.'"
"… "
Magnus' arms silently curled into fists. He hid it the mont he caught Atticus' stare, then lifted his head and t Atticus' knowing eyes for a brief mont.
Magnus exhaled, then spoke quietly.
"…don't let it happen again."
A small smile ford on Atticus' face.
"…so you are angry."
"… "
As Magnus gave him a blank look, Atticus coughed.
"…alright. I hear you."
"And…" Magnus hesitated, tightening his fists.
'Is he perhaps shy?'
Atticus tilted his head slightly. He knew Magnus wasn't the type to talk about his feelings, but not talking about it was one thing, being unable to was another. Magnus seed to fall into the latter.
For a brief mont, Atticus found himself wondering what Magnus' relationship with his father had been like.
'I wonder if he ever said "I love you" to Dad.'
He couldn't imagine it no matter how much he tried. Finally, Magnus unclenched his fists.
"…just… don't do that again."
"What exactly?"
It was rare to see Magnus speak like this, he simply couldn't help himself.
"…what you did. With the Willguard."
"…you an leaving without telling anyone?"
"…yes."
"…and why is that a problem?"
Magnus' face twisted slightly.
"…because you disappeared without a word. If sothing had happened to you… we wouldn't have known. We wouldn't even know where to start looking. We would have just… lost you."
"…"
At that point, every shred of hesitation left Magnus. He clenched his fists as he t Atticus' gaze.
"…I know you're stronger than us. I know we can't keep up with you. But that doesn't an we don't matter. Don't forget why you're doing all this. Family matters, Atticus. If you start shutting us out… you'll lose sight of that."
Atticus' hands slowly curled into fists.
"…We care about you too. Just as much. So don't do sothing like that again. Don't be selfish."
Under the crimson glow of the shroud root, Atticus lowered his head.
"…yes, Grandpa."
…
Magnus' words struck Atticus more than he had expected. To be honest, he still had every intention of repeating the sa thing again if the need arose. But now… he wasn't so sure. Sohow, his old ideals had turned sour.
Still, he recognized what needed to be done next.
He went to see the others.
As it turned out, Avalon had been pissed. Aurora had been pissed. Caldor hadn't said much, but the hurt in his expression had been clear. Even Ember, who rarely showed it, had let a trace of anger slip through.
It hadn't been easy.
But after a long day, Atticus managed to make things right, offering his apology to each of them, and promising he wouldn't repeat such an act again.
Whether he would actually keep that promise… he didn't know.
For now, he chose not to think about it.
Monts later, Atticus appeared within his personal training continent, isolated from the rest.
He lowered himself into a seated position, crossing his legs as he closed his eyes. A slow breath left him, the weight of the entire day settling over him all at once.
He stayed like that for a mont.
Then, he opened his eyes.
Every trace of hesitation was gone.
"Status."
He called out, and an interface materialized before him.
Na: Atticus Ravenstein
Race: Kin of Solvath
Age: 23
World Anchor: Eldoralth
World Rank: Dominion (200 )
Will Type: True Will
Will Na: The Burning
Lineage Core: Primordial Elental Bloodline Solvath Fragnt (59)
Attributes:
Physical Aspect (100%): Higher Grand Sovereign Rank
Intellectual Aspect (100%): Higher Grand Sovereign Rank
Will Authority (100%): Higher Grand Sovereign Rank
Presence (100%): Higher Grand Sovereign Rank
Katana Art:
Transcendent Slash Godspeed Grace (100%)
Endless Strike (100%)
Vorpal Nova (100%)
Sundering Storm (100%)
Still Blade (100%)
Absolute Domain (100%)
Elental Integration:
All forces and energies in the world bend to your will.
(World Abilities)
…
Atticus took in the changes at a glance. Aside from the addition of Solvath's fragnts and the katana arts, the only other transformation was with his bloodline.
'Every force.'
A smile appeared on Atticus' face. As he had thought, the power of Solvath had influenced his bloodline and mutated it into sothing he had never expected. Before, he had to be exposed to each elent and master it over ti.
But now… he could move all things. Elent or otherwise.
'Let's see what else.'
Reining in his excitent, he raised a palm. First, Atticus reached out to the different energies occupying the atmosphere. Orbs ford above his arm, combining instantly to create new energies.
After getting the hang of it, he shifted his focus to sothing else entirely.
He had used energies to battle the avatar. But after considering it further, Atticus reached a conclusion.
'All force.'
While it was true that Will was an extension of one's being, in a sense, it was still a force. Albeit different and individual, but still a force.
Atticus decided to start with sothing simple.
He sent out his awareness, feeling every force in the air. The endless energies… then the wills. Eventually, he found his target.
'Co.'
A mont later, a radiant orb ford above his palm. Though he had controlled other wills before, this felt different. He wasn't forcing control over it.
He simply… could.
Observing it for a mont, he summoned an orb of his own will in his other hand, then slowly brought them together.
As they drew close, they shot toward each other, rging into a radiant, flickering sphere of light.
'Light and fire.'
They were compatible. He felt no strain harmonizing them.
Atticus smiled.
'It worked.'
A surge of thrill coursed through him. Now, he could fuse multiple wills together to form stronger variants. It was simply… insane.
Clearing his thoughts, Atticus paused.
A mont later, he frowned.
He had unknowingly been waiting for a comnt from the Arbiter.
Atticus felt a faint ache settle in his chest as he rembered what she had done for him. His fists clenched.
'She's not gone yet.'
Only slumbering.
At the very least, his newfound power would make up for the loss of the exo-suit. When he climbed high enough… he would bring her back.
Atticus' gaze grew intense as he exhaled.
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