Atticus had tried everything.
Every technique, every method. He had cycled through all the elements, utilizing them in tandem, but there was still no change.
A deep sigh left his lips.
"I've told you the way from the beginning! Why aren't you listening to me?"
Ozeroth's voice suddenly boomed in his mind, filled with annoyance.
Atticus didn't even flinch. "I am listening to you. There's a list we're following, remember?"
That list had been meticulously crafted by both of them.
Atticus had come up with theories. Ozeroth had, rather forcefully, pitched his own. Now it was time to test Ozeroth's idea, but, of course, the spirit had no intention of shutting up.
"I told you your ideas were worthless! When the great Ozeroth speaks, his words are law!"
Atticus sighed, rubbing his temple. "I'm about to try it, so chill."
Tuning Ozeroth out, he closed his eyes and let himself drift into focus.
He turned everything else off. The noise. The distractions. Even his own doubts.
Instead, he focused solely on Ozeroth's theory.
'Emotions.'
During his training in domain formation, Atticus had discovered something.
The connection with the elements wasn't just about power. It was about resonance. Each element carried emotions tied to it.
Each one was distinct, a separate entity that required deep emotional synchronization.
But…
If he wanted to advance all his elements together, then according to Ozeroth, he needed to search for something deeper.
A singular emotion.
One that tied every element together. One emotion that resonated with all.
The air around Atticus stilled.
The world blurred.
He let go of himself, allowing his senses to feel.
And then, it started.
A swirl of emotions danced around him. Each familiar, each tied to an element.
He let them flow through him, stretch through his core, connecting in fragments, yet still separate.
Time stretched.
Hours passed.
And then;
'There.'
The word resounded in Atticus's mind like a war drum.
It was faint. But there.
A connection. A flicker of something… deeper.
Atticus felt his pulse quicken, excitement surging through him. But just as he reached for it…
It slipped away.
His eyes snapped open.
The moment was gone.
A frown settled on his face. 'I felt it. But I can't reach it…?'
"Hah! I told you, Bond! When the great Ozeroth speaks, you listen!"
Atticus ignored him completely.
Even with this new discovery, his frustration only deepened. Because despite knowing something was there, he couldn't grasp it.
Why?
What was holding him back?
His fingers curled into a fist. He hated bottlenecks.
'Again.'
Atticus closed his eyes and entered his focused state once more.
The swirling emotions surged around him.
And then, there.
The same faint connection.
He steadied his mind, firmed his resolve, reached out. But… nothing.
Like smoke slipping through his fingers, the moment disappeared once more.
His eyes opened. His jaw clenched.
'What the hell…'
But he didn't dwell on the failure. He immediately re-entered the state.
Again.
And again.
And again.
But no matter how many times he tried, no matter how much he pushed, he simply couldn't reach it.
Minutes turned to hours, and yet, nothing.
"The more you try, the farther it will slip away from you."
Ozeroth's voice suddenly echoed.
Atticus's brows furrowed. "What?"
"It's obviously not something you can grasp now, Bond. I'd suggest you wait… and let it come to you."
Wait?
Atticus hated that answer.
But as much as he disliked the idea, it seemed that he had no choice.
For now, at least.
Exhaling sharply, he made a decision. If he couldn't reach it now, he would focus on something else.
The afternoon passed quickly, and so did Atticus's frustration.
Although he couldn't push past the bottleneck today, he had finally found a path forward. In the grand scheme of things, that was a lot.
After settling his mind and ensuring his emotions remained balanced, he decided to give it one more try.
But it seemed today wasn't the day for breakthroughs. Because just as he was about to enter his focused state once again;
"Are you okay? You look like an actual serious human being for a change."
A smug voice rang out.
Atticus opened his eyes with a sigh.
Aurora stood at the edge of the clearing, arms crossed, her lips curled into a smirk, clearly pleased with herself.
"Don't you have an army to train or something?" he asked flatly.
Aurora raised a brow. "You're making it sound like you don't want me here."
Atticus met her gaze, his expression blank. "Really? I thought I made it very obvious."
Aurora's smugness shattered in an instant.
"You—!!"
Her face twisted in fury, and for a second, Atticus was certain she was about to set the entire island on fire.
But before she could actually commit arson, he chuckled and raised his hand.
The ground in front of him rumbled.
Two chairs of smooth, polished stone emerged from the earth.
Atticus gestured towards the seat across from him. "Relax. Sit."
Aurora glared at him.
For a second, she debated just kicking the chair over out of pure pettiness.
But, despite herself, she still sat.
Atticus smirked. "Alright, alright. I was kidding. Of course, I want you here."
Aurora hmphed, crossing her legs. "Obviously."
Atticus leaned back. "So, why are you actually here?"
"Most of the recruits left for their specializations." She flipped a strand of her hair. "Training is winding down before the banquet."
Atticus made a sound of realization. Aside from the challenges, most of the recruits had specializations that required instructors to teach. Forging, rune engraving, and similar disciplines. Because of this, many of the recruits had to leave the island for their respective locations.
He had noticed multiple airships earlier, but there was no hostility, so he simply ignored them, especially when he saw that they belonged to the military sergeants.
Then, his lips curled slightly. "Ah. So you're here because you missed me."
Aurora choked.
"WHO MISSED YOU?!"
Atticus chuckled. "You. Clearly."
Aurora pointed a finger at him, about to retort—
But then, she stopped. Her mouth closed.
She turned her head away, looking suspiciously at the sky.
Atticus's brows lifted slightly. "Aurora…?"
"Shut up," she muttered.
Atticus smirked.
And just like that, the two continued talking and laughing.
…
Inside a darkened space, where shadows stretched infinitely in every direction, two figures stood facing one another.
The silence between them was thick.
One of them exuded an overwhelming presence of raw, primal power.
A towering frame, covered in dark, obsidian-like scales. His fiery, slit pupils burned like embers in the void, and two sharp, jagged horns curved back from his forehead.
His long, razor-sharp claws gleamed as he flexed his fingers, the air around him filled with heat and aggression.
Behind him, massive wings remained folded, though even at rest, they radiated an imposing dominance.
Draktharion Ignisyth.
The Apex of the Dragon Race.
And standing before him was a figure that no one, no one, would have expected.
Where the Dragon Apex burned with presence, the other man was like an enigma, a void that swallowed everything.
His silver hair glowed faintly against the abyss, trailing behind him like a banner of eerie dominance. His ethereal, almost translucent skin made him appear as if he existed between realms.
But it was his eyes that truly set him apart.
Abyssal black, filled with calmness, calculation, patience.
The Apex of the Dimensari Race.
Carion Valarius.