NOVPUBThat night, Eldoralth was unusually cold. And quiet.
There were no pollutants, no sounds of countless airships zipping through the air. No bustling cities. No bustling people.
The survivors were still reeling from the day's events, and the massive space they now occupied was almost silent, only the occasional whisper echoed faintly.
It was as though people were scared to speak, scared that another powerhouse might pop out of nowhere and threaten to kill them.
Far away from the large settlement, a figure hovered high in the sky, staring at the massive gaping hole the Spirit King had left behind.
Atticus was deep in thought. But it couldn't be helped, the news he found out today was just that insane.
"He might be trying to get into your head," Atticus said, eyes still narrowed on the hole below.
"I know that. But I can't shake the feeling there's some truth to it," came the voice from within him, Ozeroth.
Atticus sighed. "I mean, the guy's literally tricking your entire race into thinking he's some benevolent king while he pops civilizations like candy. Lying about being your father to get into your head doesn't seem off limits."
Ozeroth didn't reply right away. And Atticus could feel it, he was truly disturbed.
So, Atticus asked the question they were both thinking.
"Let's assume he was telling the truth. That he really is your father. What then?"
"…I don't know."
"You've never been indecisive. These are scenarios you should've thought about. Right now, father or not, he's trying to kill us. That makes him an enemy," Atticus said coldly.
"I'm not gonna make the choice for you, I get how important family is. But let's not forget: the Spirit King was moments away from consuming you and Zoey. If I hadn't shown up when I did, you wouldn't be having the luxury of this little crisis."
Ozeroth stayed quiet, and Atticus understood why.
It went without saying, there was no bond between him and the Spirit King. No affection. Still, he'd been alone for so long that the idea of having family was… shocking. It meant he wasn't the only one. It meant he belonged to someone.
"I'm sorry, man, but I've just gotta say this, if this is all true, I really wanna meet your mother."
Ozeroth resisted the urge to materialize and slap him upside the head. Still, he had a point.
In all his centuries on Aerethis, he had never once heard of the Spirit King being married, or even having mistresses. One would think the man didn't have a functioning dick.
Still, the possibility was there… and Ozeroth wanted to ground himself in case it turned out to be true. If the Spirit King was his father… then who the hell was his mother? Was she still alive?
Atticus left Ozeroth to rage in his thoughts and turned in the direction of a familiar presence.
"Always with the smile," he muttered as his gaze landed on Whisker, who, unsurprisingly, was grinning at him.
"You know… I'm starting to think you swing that way. What's with always pointing out my smile? Is it that charming? Hmm, I better dial it down a bit. Wouldn't want my star actor falling for me."
Atticus frowned. "Even if I did swing that way, you wouldn't be on the list."
"Oh please," Whisker snorted. "I am the list."
"Fighting your brother clearly did something to your brain. I can see your delusions."
Whisker laughed, thoroughly enjoying the banter. He loved this version of Atticus.
"Alright, alright. As my star actor, I'll give you the win." He winked. "Anyway, we just survived an event that should've killed us. Why so glum?"
He gestured toward the gloomy atmosphere. As a being of insane power, even his emotions bled into the world around him.
Atticus paused, searching for the words. Then, he simply said, "Family drama."
Whisker got the hint. They weren't talking about it. He nodded, then turned to stare at the hole as well. The silence lingered until he broke it.
"So… what's your next move?"
"That depends on you."
Whisker raised a brow. "You mean you'll let me lead?"
"Of course not. I don't trust you. I need more information before I can make a proper plan."
Whisker clutched his chest like he'd been wounded. "Damn. Harsh. I'm the most trustworthy guy in the universe."
"I'm sure you told Varnok the same."
Whisker paused. Then his grin stretched even wider, Atticus was calling him out for betraying his brother without a second thought.
He laughed. "Haa. You got me. But can you blame me? Being with you is way more fun. Way, way more exciting."
Atticus gave him a long look. "And when I stop being fun?"
"Man," Whisker shook his head. "I just don't see that happening. You're a walking reality show."
"That somehow sounds like an insult," Atticus muttered.
Whisker smiled. "It's a compliment."
As the silence began to stretch, Whisker suddenly cleared his throat. "Speaking of trust…" he said.
Atticus turned, his gaze cold.
"What's with that look?" Whisker chuckled dryly. But when Atticus didn't stop staring, he looked away. "It's not as bad as it sounds."
"What did you do?"
Whisker sighed. "I didn't do anything. It's more like… I didn't tell you the whole truth."
Atticus went quiet and gestured for him to continue.
"Remember when I said Eldoralth was the strongest world in the lower planes?"
Atticus's gaze narrowed. He didn't like where this was going. It wasn't just Whisker who said it. When he first entered the Shifting Spire, Elderish had said the same thing, Eldoralth was supposed to be at the top of the food chain.
'Was that wrong?'
"Yes," Whisker said, as if reading his thoughts. "It was wrong."
Feeling Atticus's stare, Whisker went on, "You see, the midplane is divided into different segments, each housing worlds depending on their power level. The lowerplane is also divided into segments, but we can't say for sure that it's based solely on strength."
