As the massive purple construct came to a sudden stop, Atticus's gaze shifted forward, and he was met with a breathtaking sight that almost blew him out of this world.
The Starhaven sector was located in Sector 8 and it stood out among the divisions of the human domain. The sectors apart from sector 8 had been divided based on strategic considerations.
At the center of the human domain was sector one, the academy, surrounded by the Emberforge sector, which was responsible for producing weapons and armor. Sector 3, the Ravenstein sector, enveloped them both, acting as their protectors.
This strategic approach defined the division of the sectors, with one exception: the Starhaven sector. They had chosen Sector 8 for a single reason, the massive, sky splitting tree at its heart.
This was the first thing Atticus saw.
Even though it was at a great distance, the tree felt as though it stood directly in front of him. Being near Seraphina and aboard the construct already gave Atticus a calming sensation. But the sight of the tree itself seemed to strip away all his troubles, leaving him with a peace he had never experienced before.
As the construct hovered closer, Atticus noticed a sudden change in the air. It was as though he had crossed an invisible barrier. The air felt freer, cleaner, like he had been breathing in filth his entire life and was now experiencing pure, clean air for the first time.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Snapping out of his thoughts, Atticus turned to see Seraphina smiling at him.
"It really is," he replied with a nod.
He was completely enthralled. Atticus marveled at the sight. He had only been to Sectors 10 and 6 before, and neither had left him as speechless as this.
The Starhaven sector was a futuristic world that still maintained a deep connection to simplicity. There was a perfect blend of nature and modern architecture.
Atticus could see countless purple haired individuals roaming the streets, some riding flying constructs while others walked alongside beautiful spirit beasts.
'They're all somehow related to the Starhaven family,' Atticus thought, recalling Seraphina's earlier explanation.
Every other person in Sector 8 had originally been part of the Starhaven family before branching out. With his sharp gaze, he noticed that every single person in the streets had purple hair, which confirmed their lineage.
'Their population is insane,' he thought.
The population of Sector 8 rivaled that of the other sectors. Yet here, nearly the entire population, or perhaps even all of it, shared Starhaven blood.
'Their birth rate is off the charts,' Atticus thought, amazed at how one family could grow to such an overwhelming number.
The massive construct they were on soon picked up speed, and as it passed over the city, the people below looked up and bowed, paying their respects to their paragon.
Unfortunately for them, Seraphina hadn't thought it necessary to inform the entire sector about Atticus's arrival. If she had, one could only imagine how chaotic things might have gotten.
Soon, they reached an estate built around the imposing tree, its massive width spanning kilometers.
The construct descended toward a beautiful, large temple like building at the center of the estate. Waiting below was a procession of purple haired individuals.
At their forefront stood an incredibly beautiful woman who bore a faint resemblance to Zoey, Celestial Starhaven, the current matriarch of the Starhaven family and Seraphina's daughter. Behind her stood a group of older men and women. These were the elders and key figures of the Starhaven family.
Although Seraphina had kept the news from the rest of the sector, she had informed her daughter. Atticus might not see it that way, but he was no longer just the heir to the Ravensteins.
His authority now extended beyond Sector 3. He was an important figure throughout the entire domain, and he had to be treated accordingly when visiting other sectors.
Celestial's lips pressed into a thin line as she watched her mother and Atticus approach.
'He really came,' she thought.
When her mother had first told her about Atticus coming to bond with a spirit, Celestial had assumed old age had finally caught up with her. Otherwise, why would someone who wasn't of Starhaven blood even attempt to bond with a spirit? It seemed absurd.
'She's doing it again,' Celestial's gaze turned cold.
It was no secret that Seraphina wanted Zoey and Atticus to be together. But Celestial didn't want that. To her, the spirits were everything.
Zoey had bonded with a Tier 7 spirit, an achievement unseen for generations.
It went without saying that a child between Atticus and Zoey would possess extraordinary talent. But Celestial couldn't accept the idea of Atticus's bloodline diluting Zoey's. What if their child's elemental talent overshadowed their spirit talent?
In the human domain, it was well known that a powerful lineage could completely suppress another. This was clear with Avalon and Anastasia, Avalon's Ravenstein elemental bloodline had entirely suppressed Anastasia's Craford bloodline, leaving Atticus unable to access it.
It wasn't just about talent, either. If Atticus and Zoey ended up together, who would inherit the Starhaven legacy? Celestial had only one child, and currently, no one was more deserving of the legacy than Zoey, someone who had bonded with a Tier 7 spirit.
Atticus's future was undeniably bright, and he would likely become the leader of humanity. Zoey standing beside him would be a dream for most, as the political advantages for the Starhaven family would be unmatched.
But Celestial didn't care about politics. Her devotion was to the spirits, and she wanted her daughter to take her rightful place. If Zoey married Atticus, Celestial feared she would lose her daughter to another destiny, something she couldn't accept.
As Atticus and Seraphina approached, the group bowed deeply, first to their paragon, then to the apex of humanity.
Seraphina responded with a casual wave of her hand, while Atticus gave a simple nod.
As the group straightened, Celestial, along with every other person present, froze as their gazes locked onto Atticus.
"Spiritual energy!?"