As soon as Seraphina granted him permission, Atticus headed straight to the Sanctum of Origins to continue his training. Ever since his arrival in the Starhaven sector, the incubator and egg had remained camouflaged behind him, hidden from sight.
However, as he approached the temple, his gaze fell upon Dario and Niall standing just outside.
Dario approached first, bowing respectfully. Niall, on the other hand, remained still, his gaze fixed on Atticus, making no move to bow.
Not that Atticus cared. He had more pressing matters on his mind. 'I should warn them,' he thought.
Atticus was far from naïve. After everything Ismara had revealed, it was clear where the spirits stood regarding Ozeroth. The fact that Ozeroth sought to bond with him meant that same hostility could easily extend to him as well.
Their peaceful stay in the Starhaven sector was uncertain and could change at any moment. They needed to be prepared.
Focusing inwardly, Atticus connected with the spiritual well that had formed in his mind. In an instant, he could sense the spiritual energy around him.
'It's different from the elements,' he thought.
To manipulate elements, he had to use the elements molecules combined with mana. Spiritual energy, however, had a distinct source. It was a pure, ready made energy that didn't require mixing or refinement. And it's source appear to be the massive tree in the center of the sector.
Atticus extended his will, manipulating the spiritual energy around them. He drew it away, creating a dome where no spiritual energy could enter.
Then, using an air barrier combined with light, he blocked sound and masked their lip movements to prevent anyone from spying on their conversation.
'This should do.'
Although this was the Starhaven sector and he was still new to spiritual energy, Atticus wasn't taking chances. For all he knew, someone might be able to use the energy in the air to listen in.
Turning to the duo, he saw their auras sharpen and their gazes grow serious. They understood the lengths he was going to and knew something significant was happening.
"I want you both to be on alert," Atticus said. "What happened earlier was more serious than I initially thought. Be prepared to fight at any moment."
Dario nodded, his expression steady, while Niall broke into a confident smile. The latter looked eager. After weeks of idleness, he was ready for action. Maybe now he'd finally get to fight!
After issuing his warning, Atticus prepared to release the restrictions when he suddenly heard a voice in his mind.
'What about me, master?' Yotad asked.
"You too. Hopefully, considering Lady Seraphina's presence, nothing will happen. But we can't be too sure."
"Yes, master," Yotad replied, his tone serious.
Satisfied, Atticus entered the Sanctum of Origins. The guards at the entrance didn't stop him, but he could sense the shift in their demeanor.
Using the basic level of the Vampyros technique he had recently learned, Atticus could subtly read their intent.
The first time he had entered with Seraphina, their reverence had been almost palpable. But now, their feelings had shifted. There was wariness in their gazes, even bordering on hostility.
Atticus didn't let it bother him. He had expected this. It only confirmed what he already knew, the situation had grown more complicated.
Despite his philosophy of "always nip the bud," Atticus decided to let it go.
'The guards aren't the problem. It's the spirits,' he thought as he reached the sanctum and sat cross legged.
Killing the guards for showing hostility would only bring needless trouble, and Atticus knew it wouldn't truly address the root of the issue.
'These spirits… where did they actually come from?' Atticus found the situation strange.
He recalled every word Ismara had spoken earlier, down to the smallest detail. Initially, Atticus had believed the spirits come from some fantastical realm where everything was beautiful and serene. But…
'She used the word "world."'
Most might overlook that detail, but not Atticus. It stood out like a red flag.
A Spirit King? Someone who would accuse someone of treason because they refused to bow? From Ismara's explanation, it was clear the spirit world wasn't just a mystical plane. It was an entire world with a rigid hierarchy, ruled by an entity known as the Spirit King.
This same king had branded a spirit as an enemy simply for refusing to bow. Now, the entire spirit race despised that spirit, and, by extension, anyone who chose to bond with him?
'It doesn't add up.'
One question, in particular, continually nagged Atticus: 'What is their purpose for coming to Eldoralth?'
'The Zorvans had already proven that other worlds existed. Could the spirits also be from another world?'
Atticus believed this was the most plausible explanation, but the idea only deepened his unease.
'Are they trying to invade Eldoralth?'
The possibility seemed reasonable, yet something about it didn't fully align with the facts.
'They've been on Eldoralth for centuries. If they wanted to invade, why haven't they done so already?'
His gaze flickered as a new thought surfaced.
'Restrictions?'
This conclusion stemmed from two observations.
First, the Zorvans. They had been attacking Eldoralth for decades and could enter the planet freely, without any apparent restrictions.
Despite their advanced technology and power, they had yet to achieve their goal. Eldoralth was still standing after all these years.
This suggested that while the Zorvans were advanced and strong, the power gap between them and Eldoralth's races wasn't insurmountable.
Second, Ozeroth. A high ranking member of the spirit race had descended, and even with all the paragons united, they had concluded that defeating him was impossible.
In this case, the power gap was enormous, insurmountable. Yet, for all their strength, the spirits didn't seem to have unrestricted freedom to act on Eldoralth.
The difference was clear. The Zorvans, though powerful, weren't overwhelmingly so, and they could invade Eldoralth at will. Meanwhile, the spirits were far stronger but appeared to face certain limitations.
'Could it be that their power comes with certain constraints?'