Magnus's eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion. After a pause, he took a breath and shook his head.
"You have one year before that. What do you plan to do?"
Atticus's response was immediate. "Train."
"Hmm, good." Magnus nodded approvingly, though this time, his gaze felt more probing.
"I can sense the Starhaven aura around you."
Magnus's words made Atticus's eyes widen, and he couldn't help but smile. Just like before, when Magnus had guessed that he could awaken other elements, he had done it again.
"Yes, Grandpa. I've been meaning to tell you…" Atticus went on to explain how he'd awakened the spirit element during the war and his theories about his bloodline.
It wasn't limited to the basic elements they knew, even space, and other elements he hadn't even thought possible, were also within his reach.
"Seraphina knows," Magnus pointed out.
Atticus wasn't shocked. If Magnus could detect it, then of course the Spirit Paragon herself would have noticed.
After they talked for a bit, Magnus informed Atticus about an upcoming meeting. The other paragons who had stayed behind were now in sector 3, and they all wanted to discuss the path forward.
The fact that they had requested his presence surprised Atticus. He couldn't help but wonder why.
What he didn't understand was the wave of mixed emotions that was currently sweeping through the human domain.
The meeting was held in the Enigmalnk Citadel, with only the paragons and Atticus in attendance. It didn't last long, these were beings with high comprehension and experience.
They didn't waste time on arguments but focused on discussing the underlying issues. The meeting concluded in a matter of minutes.
The highlights of the meeting focused on three main topics: Whisker, managing the backlash from Atticus's victory, and Atticus himself.
Regarding Whisker, the discussion was left unresolved. None of them were certain how to proceed, as Whisker was neither an ally nor a complete foe. For now, he was to be treated with caution.
On the second issue, backlash was inevitable.
Oberon had deduced that Whisker's intervention had actually helped them in certain ways. None of the superior race powerhouses would likely act directly, but the matter went beyond them.
The deep seated sense of superiority in each superior race wasn't just rooted to the powerhouses, but their people to share this feeling.
They already disliked the fact that a human had won the Nexus, and it was probable they would make life difficult for humans wherever possible, impacting the human domain, especially economically.
The final point of discussion was Atticus himself. His name—Atticus Ravenstein—had become a permanent mark on the human domain's history.
His achievements were that significant. Any lingering disdain from the paragons had been replaced by cautious respect.
Atticus was now seen as the sword of humanity, its apex. It was clear that humanity's future would rest on his shoulders. Though no one had directly said it, it was very evident.
This was the primary reason Atticus had been included in this high-level meeting, one that even the heads of the tier two and tier three families had not been informed of.
During this part of the discussion, the topic of the Nexus turning into a death game was raised, but Atticus withheld the full truth.
He stated only that he felt the world's rules suddenly change, with no explanation as to why. However, Oberon and, as he suspected, others believed the traitor had been from the Dimensari race.
No one knew who or how, and only the Dimensari could clarify what truly happened. The talks ended with a mutual conclusion that this issue was far from resolved.
The paragons of the races whose apexes had died left immediately after the competition, not even staying for the banquet.
This had been intentional, as they returned back to their domains to inform their respective leaders of what transpired. While many of them wanted immediate retribution, they were outnumbered and lacked full understanding of what had actually occurred.
A storm was brewing, one that threatened to destabilize the entire alliance.
After this, Oberon raised another unsettling question: how had Atticus sent the dragon apex out of the Nexus world?
The answer revealed something that, for the first time, made Magnus show a hint of anger toward Atticus. His sudden shift in aura, though brief, shocked the others.
They realized that, at any point, Atticus could have exited the Nexus world and yet chose to stay, risking his life. Though he had won, the fact remained that he could have lost, and it was this risk that had momentarily angered Magnus.
Magnus didn't say anything, but his anger was evident. After the meeting ended, Atticus found himself in the awkward position of trying to appease him.
It was the first time he had seen Magnus angry, and it was exactly as he'd imagined.
"Grandpa."
"…"
"Grandpa."
"…"
He was being ignored.
After countless attempts, Atticus finally sighed, "I'm sorry."
Magnus paused, then let out a deep breath. He wasn't one to talk about his feelings, but he remembered the fear and worry he'd felt upon learning about the death game.
How afraid he'd been when he saw other apexes die, how tense he'd been during Atticus's fight with Carius…
The thought that Atticus hadn't needed to go through all that left a bad taste in his mouth. But ultimately, it was a selfish feeling. It was Atticus's life, and he should be able to make his own choices.
Magnus turned to Atticus. "Just… be more careful."
Atticus smiled. "I will."
A few hours later, a large airship landed beside the citadel, and as Atticus and Magnus approached, the ramp lowered, and the Aegis ship crew began to descend.
As Amara and the crew stepped down from the airship, their gazes remained fixed on Atticus, even as they bowed respectfully to Magnus. Afterward, they each paid a separate and intense respect to Atticus directly.
Some might consider this a disrespect toward Magnus, but given who Atticus Ravenstein was now and what he had achieved, no one would see it that way.
Soon enough, they boarded the airship, and within seconds, it lifted into the sky, heading straight for Sector 3.