Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground

Chapter 1756: Longing

Atticus could never forget that face. That infuriating grin. They were ingrained in his mind.

Ilyshkara’s eyes narrowed. Countless calculations were already racing through her mind. Atticus didn’t care. Asmerion had lied, straight to his face. Then it was safe to assume everything he had told him was a lie.

The Primordials descending. Time running out. Everything. They had been played. He had been played.

His thoughts became a tangled mess.

What now? Was he still supposed to go after the remaining fragments? Was Asmerion even trying to revive Solvath? The Star Killer...

Atticus’ eyes slowly lowered. This must have been its true purpose, why Asmerion had given it to him in the first place.

Assurance.

A way to make sure he followed through.

’I need to get rid of it.’

Atticus glanced at his katana, then froze.

It was glowing.

"Atticus, listen to me." Ilyshkara stepped forward and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. Her abyss-black eyes held his.

"We’ll figure this out later. First, we’re leaving."

The air around them began to distort, then it froze. It wasn’t just the air. None of them could move. In that sudden stillness, Atticus met his mother’s gaze. They both realized what it meant. Only one power could restrain both of them.

A tremendous impact struck the structure. The ground lurched beneath their feet. The walls groaned, cracks racing through stone. Then an entire section of the mountain was ripped away. Sunlight flooded the chamber, piercing the pitch darkness.

A freakishly tall man hovered above. His body radiated emerald light. Toned. Built for war. A broad grin stretched across his face, one that made Atticus clench his teeth and Ilyshkara pale.

"A-attimax... what are you doing?" Ilyshkara asked.

Atticus had only just met his father, but he knew one thing for certain; his father did not grin.

That was not his father.

His gaze drifted toward the horizon. Two streaks of light were plummeting toward the earth. From their auras... the other Avatars. His father had defeated them, but they weren’t dead.

War raged across the city. Airships unleashed torrents of fire. Countless warriors clashed in the skies. Screams echoed across the land.

Yet the moment the man spoke, everything seemed to fade into the background.

"I asked my warrior for a brief moment. There are a few things I wish to see through personally."

"Asmerion."

Ilyshkara glared at him with naked hatred.

"Hm. Such hostility. Is that any way to look at your better?"

He waved a hand. Ilyshkara’s eyes vanished, leaving crimson blood pouring from empty sockets.

"Mhm! Mhm!"

Veins bulged across Atticus’ neck as he fought against the restraint. No matter how much strength he exerted, it was absolute.

Still, Ilyshkara hadn’t made a sound. Hadn’t even flinched. If she still possessed eyes, Atticus was certain she would still be glaring at the Primordial.

"Hm." Asmerion chuckled. "How stubbornly pointless. I’ll deal with you later."

Then he turned toward Atticus, a gentle smile on his face.

"My child. It’s unfortunate you found out this way. I had hoped to spare you this disappointment."

He raised a hand. The next moment, Atticus found himself lifted from the ground, dangling effortlessly within his grip.

He still couldn’t move, yet his glare could have pierced mountains.

"Come now, don’t look at me like that. You’re about to fulfill a grand purpose. You should be proud."

Atticus felt the restriction around his mouth loosened. But he didn’t shout. He simply asked,

"Why did you kill me?"

"Hm. Impressive. Most people spend their final moments screaming."

Asmerion nodded faintly.

"Despite what you think, not everything I told you was a lie. The other Primordials truly are nearing descent. Time was running out. I needed Solvath’s fragments gathered before that happened. Their arrival would have complicated things, and I dislike complications."

Complicated... it all began to click.

"You’re after Solvath... you want to consume him."

Asmerion’s smile slowly widened.

"Such a remarkable child. It’s unfortunate your fate was decided long before you were born."

He snapped his fingers. The next instant, they appeared underground. A radiant purple crystal hovered at the center of a vast chamber.

Asmerion snapped his fingers again. Dozens of people within the room instantly turned to ash. He stared at the fragment, longing in his eyes.

Atticus remained suspended in his grasp. His mother and cousin had been brought along as well. He wanted them to watch.

"Beautiful, isn’t it?"

He slowly drifted forward.

"A star capable of bringing all things together... and tearing them apart. The power to weave different things into life itself. Into existence itself."

The longing in his eyes deepened.

"Such an enviable power. And so are the others. Ruin. Order. Chaos. Silence. You won’t exist after this, so I suppose I can afford a little honesty."

He glanced back at Atticus.

"You see, I was born alongside my brethren amidst endless silence and darkness. We had no purpose. No direction. Yet we were all given one thing; Longing. frёeωebɳovel.com

"It was different for each of us. Asmyr longed for ruin. Elysion longed for order. Vaelos longed for chaos. Noctyra longed for silence. Solvath longed for unification."

His gaze drifted back to the fragment.

"Each of us chased that longing in our own desperate way. After all, you are the product of Solvath’s longing. His desire to unify was so great that he convinced us to create the universe."

He paused, staring at the crystal as though admiring a lost treasure.

"Me, however, I longed for ascension. To evolve. To become the perfect, absolute being. I am the Primordial Star of Ascension. It is my nature. But no matter how much I evolved... I could never surpass my brethren. I could never satisfy my longing."

"You were responsible for Solvath’s death." Atticus finished.

Asmerion smiled.

"That’s right. To truly ascend, I needed the powers of all the Primordial Stars. First, I needed the one capable of unifying them."

"So I convinced the others to kill Solvath. It was surprisingly easy. He created this remarkable world, then decided none of us were allowed to touch it. Chaos hated that. Ruin hated that. Even Order and Silence eventually grew tired of it."

He laughed.

"But I never expected the fool to shatter himself into so many pieces. Always dramatic, that Solvath."

So everything had been a game. A game he had unknowingly played. This man... being had orchestrated everything. Atticus ground his teeth so hard they cracked. There had to be something, anything he could do...

"Anyways." Asmerion lifted him closer to the fragment. "I have my warrior to thank for gathering the fragments for me."

Atticus’ heart lurched. He was only inches away now.

"Now... it’s time to fulfill your destiny."

"NO WAIT!"

Ilyshkara’s voice thundered through the chamber.

"Hm."

Asmerion glanced toward her, genuine surprise flickering across his face.

"You can still speak?"

Then his gaze shifted, landing on Bourn standing behind her. Blood streamed from his eyes and nose, running down his face. His arms were stretched toward her.

’He’s resisting it,’ Atticus realized.

"ATTIMAX! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!? ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO LET THIS BASTARD WEAR YOU LIKE A SUIT!? YOUR SON NEEDS YOU, YOU STUPID BASTARD!"

"Useless." Asmerion shook his head. "It’s useless. There’s no possible way he can—"

His arm froze. His eyes flickered with countless lights. Atticus felt himself being dragged away from the fragment.

"L-leave... m-my body..."

Atticus’ eyes widened. His father was fighting back. Yes. The Primordials couldn’t descend yet. If Attimax could resist, then there was time. Time to think. Time to find another way. For the first time since Asmerion had appeared, Atticus felt a sliver of hope.

Then Asmerion sighed.

"You didn’t honestly think I hadn’t accounted for this, did you?"

The lights within his eyes intensified.

"Total Domination."

Whatever struggle had been taking place instantly vanished. Every trace of emotion disappeared from Attimax’s face.

Atticus felt his heart sink.

"Thank you for your service."

"NO!"

The next moment, he was hurled into the fragment.