Atticus' question was as direct as it could be, and somehow, it made the atmosphere even heavier.
Whisker laughed, attempting to lighten the tension, but Atticus' expression remained firm. He was serious.
"Hmm, honestly, not even I am sure of my next move. Generally, I can't ask you to trust me," Whisker placed his hand on his chin as though in deep contemplation. Then he turned and met Atticus' stare.
"But what is certain, though, is that when it comes to you, my star actor, I want you to reach your full potential. Trust that."
Whisker's tone took on a serious edge at the end, and although Atticus hadn't known the beast for long, he could feel the sincerity. Whisker's will couldn't lie; he meant it.
Atticus nodded. It wasn't complete assurance, but for now, it would do. The fact remained that Whisker could probably kill or kidnap him right here and now, and no one in Eldoralth would ever know.
Whisker suddenly hopped down from the edge of the fountain, dusting off his clothes. "Well, now that that's settled, let's get to the reason I came here, shall we? My favor."
He turned towards Atticus with a smile.
'I knew this was coming.'
From the start, Atticus was sure Whisker wouldn't just show up without an important reason, likely to collect on a favor.
"Now, now, I don't like that look on your face. Do you know how stressful it was talking with all those prideful egomaniacs?"
Atticus' mouth twitched. Calling the most powerful beings on the planet "prideful egomaniacs" was absurd. This beast was truly one of a kind.
"I'm listening."
"Good, good. Don't worry; it's something simple, and it should benefit you. You have one year to train before you head to the military, right?"
Atticus nodded.
"Great. Here," Whisker suddenly tossed a small metallic sphere, and Atticus caught it, examining it closely. 'An artifact.'
After his experience with the Obsidian Order in the Abyssal Chasm, Atticus had learned never to underestimate any artifact he came across.
"What is this?"
"It's a map," Whisker explained. "During your training period, I want you to go to the border. From there, follow the map and head to the location it directs you to. Alone, of course."
Atticus' eyes narrowed. "What will I find there?"
Whisker smiled. "Now, what would be the fun in that? I'll let you find out for yourself. I'd advise you to go early, so you'll have enough time to prepare."
"It's been fun talking with you, my star actor. I'll take my leave now."
Atticus felt Whisker's presence fade, and with a sigh, he placed the map inside his spatial storage.
Atticus turned his gaze to the moon, and for the first time, there wasn't a shred of longing or hope in his eyes. He simply admired its beauty and lived in the moment.
It was peaceful.
He remained like this for a few minutes until he sensed another presence approaching the fountain.
"You look like you've been through a war," Avalon laughed, noticing Atticus staring into the sky. He sat down beside his son, who returned the smile.
"Where's Mom?"
"She's handling the guests," Avalon replied with a shrug.
Atticus gave him a sidelong glance. "You're literally the head of the family. Shouldn't you be the one doing that?"
"Ah, she's better at that stuff than I am. They're all so pretentious. It's exhausting. Anyway, what's on your mind?"
"Nothing much. Just thinking about the whole family."
"'Nothing much,' he says. Thinking about me alone should be enough to give you a headache."
Atticus chuckled, turning away from the moon to meet his father's grin. "You wish."
"You rascal," Avalon laughed, reaching over to mess up Atticus's hair. They tussled playfully, both of them laughing until they finally stopped, with Atticus trying to fix the mess Avalon had made of his hair.
"Son," Avalon's voice took on a softer tone.
He paused, as if carefully choosing his words. "You're the apex of humanity. And I know you understand what a huge responsibility that is. The expectations, the weight… it's a lot to carry, and from what I've seen, you're already stronger than I ever was."
Atticus looked at Avalon, his heart skipping a beat at those last words. As both a father and a warrior, Avalon likely felt a bit of sadness seeing his 17-year-old son, who should have been looking up to him, surpass him in power. But still, there was genuine happiness in Avalon's gaze.
Avalon placed a hand on Atticus's shoulder, his eyes steady. "But I want you to know, whatever problem you face, whatever you need… I'll be there. Always."
"So please, just ask."
A soft smile crossed Atticus's face, and he nodded.
In the next instant, Avalon pulled him into a warm embrace.
After a while, they separated, and Avalon returned to the party, leaving Atticus alone by the fountain.
Atticus lingered there for a few minutes before deciding it was time to leave.
However, he didn't go back to the ball. He had no intention of wasting time talking to people he probably wouldn't interact with the next day.
Still dressed in his well-fitted tuxedo, Atticus made his way through the estate and ended up at the door of the advanced training room.
But as he reached the door, he paused, noticing the figure standing there.
"Am I that predictable?" he smiled, seeing Anastasia waiting for him with a calm expression. The fact that she was so calm only made him more scared.
"No, I'm just that good," Anastasia replied, stepping forward and cupping his face, looking into his eyes.
"Your eyes look clearer now, At. Have you gotten over what was troubling you?"
Atticus was a bit taken aback. "You knew?"
Anastasia nodded, smiling warmly. "I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but I want you to know that I want what's best for you."
"I know, Mom," Atticus said, hugging her tightly.
"You're a grown man now, At, with so many responsibilities. I just want you to know I'll always be rooting for you. So, do what you need to do."
She stepped back, giving him a kiss on the forehead. "Good night."
Atticus watched her walk away with a small smile. Although she hadn't said it outright, she'd just given him permission to train as much as he wanted.
He smiled, muttering a quiet, "Thank you," then turned and entered the training room. However, it seemed he was destined to encounter everyone tonight.
In the middle of the training room stood Magnus, his aura calm and his gaze locked on Atticus.
Unlike the others, Magnus didn't say a word; the crackling lightning surrounding him was enough for Atticus to understand his intention.
Come.
Atticus grinned as an inferno of flames erupted from his body. He blazed forward with intense speed, and a cataclysmic explosion echoed as their fists collided in a devastating clash.