Atticus breathed heavily as he took large steps backward, trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and the massive Nathan.
"Huh? Where are you going, my beautiful boy!" The ground shook as Nathan surged forward, attempting to envelop him in another tight hug.
But Atticus wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. His body reacted instinctively, evading the hefty embrace before zooming off.
The estate quaked as Nathan began chasing Atticus around, determined to catch him in another hug.
The family members watching from the side had wide smiles on their faces as they saw the troubled look on Atticus's face.
Throughout the Nexus competition, where Atticus had battled other apexes, his gaze had been cold, almost robotic, as if he were more machine than human.
But seeing him now, running around with a look of genuine discomfort, melted the hearts of Anastasia and the others.
Anastasia leaned on Avalon as he wrapped his arms around her. Neither of them spoke, but the happiness on their faces as they watched the scene was unmistakable.
The chase lasted for quite a while until Nathan, exhausted, collapsed on the ground, his face flushed red as he breathed heavily.
Atticus then approached the others. Unlike Nathan, his breathing was steady, and there wasn't a hint of sweat on him.
"You're welcome, kid," Sirius said, placing a hand on Atticus's shoulder with a cheeky grin.
Atticus raised an eyebrow. "For what, exactly?"
"For being your first teacher, of course," Sirius replied. "You know, first teachers are always the most important in a person's life."
Atticus snorted. "You call what you did teaching? All you did was show up, bark a bunch of weird rules that made zero sense, and yell at me whenever I got something wrong."
The sound of Lyanna and Avalon laughing from the side filled the air, each second of it making Sirius's face flush red.
Sirius took a calming breath. "I yell for emphasis, alright? To make sure the knowledge sinks in. It's an ancient teaching technique."
"Oh, yeah? Must be from the prehistoric era, then."
Avalon and Lyanna burst into laughter, and even the tired Nathan couldn't help but chuckle. It was great to see Sirius going through such a range of expressions.
His face had already turned crimson. "Laugh all you want, but one day, you'll look back and thank me."
Atticus chuckled. "Maybe when I stop having nightmares about your so-called 'ancient techniques.'"
Sirius snorted. "The mark of true wisdom is rarely understood in its own time."
"Or maybe it's just rarely understood."
"You—!"
"All right, I think that's enough," Anastasia quickly intervened before the situation could escalate. "You just got back, honey. You need to rest."
There was a smile on her face as she took Atticus' hand and led him upstairs; it was clear that she, too, had found the whole exchange amusing.
To think Atticus had such a witty mouth. When they reached his room, Anastasia gave him one more hug before leaving him alone, though Atticus knew he wasn't truly alone.
"Come out," he called.
His voice echoed, and a figure emerged from the shadows with her head bowed. 'Not again,' Atticus thought, already knowing what would happen next.
Without a word, he pulled Arya into a hug. Her eyes widened, her body momentarily stiff, but he held her gently. "I'm home," he said softly.
It took her a moment, her emotions swirling, but she soon hugged him tightly. "Welcome," she whispered.
They separated, and Arya immediately dropped her gaze, her face flushed a deep red.
Atticus chuckled; her shyness was oddly entertaining.
"What about Ember and Caldor?" he asked. Before he'd left the estate, they had been around, even seeing him off before the competition.
"They've already left for the military, young master."
"The military…" Atticus' expression turned serious. In one year, he too would be heading to the frontlines. Given his title, he was sure he and the other apexes would be thrown into the thick of it.
'The Zorvans,' he thought. He'd learned about them back at the academy, and even after seeing the overpowered abilities of the other races, he understood why the Alliance was still losing the war. They were relentless, a true menace.
Arya noticed Atticus had fallen into contemplation and chose not to disturb him. She hadn't expected them to talk much—Atticus wasn't one to enjoy simple conversation.
It was just like him to return to business the instant he was home. She was simply glad he was back, safe and sound, and that her lady was smiling again.
Melding back into the shadows, Arya left Atticus to his thoughts.
He settled on the bed, lost in contemplation. There was so much yet to do, so much to think about. Just like the Nexus, he expected the worst and knew he had to prepare himself thoroughly.
There was nothing worse than being underprepared. After some time, Atticus began to meditate. He wasn't the type to nap during the day, even though Anastasia had hoped he would rest.
'Technically, this is resting,' he reasoned.
Meditation always calmed his mind. During each session, Atticus would replay his most recent battle, analyzing each moment and noting how he could have done things differently, even better.
It was as though he was improving without moving a muscle. In its own way, it was training.
The day flashed by quickly, and by then, the people of the human domain had largely gone about their business.
Sector 3 was still flooded with people from other sectors, and judging by their demeanor, it was clear that most had no intention of leaving any time soon.
Many stayed, hoping to catch a glimpse of Atticus should he decide to roam the sector. Others had something else on their minds.
Almost everyone had learned about Atticus and his accomplishments, practically memorizing everything about him. They knew what was coming soon.
Atticus remained in meditation, letting the hours slip by. When evening arrived, Anastasia came to inform him that it was time for dinner.
Feeling refreshed, Atticus stopped meditating and made his way to the dining area to share a meal with his family.