Atticus's eyes flickered open, and his gaze landed on a pure white ceiling. It was unfamiliar.
'Shit…'
His vision was blurry, and although he could tell the ceiling was white and unfamiliar, he couldn't make out much else around him.
'I'm on a bed?… And there's someone here.' Atticus thought.
He felt the soft touch of the bed beneath him and the warmth of a hand holding his arm.
The warmth was familiar, so familiar that Atticus could never forget it, not even if the world were ending.
He instantly tried to sit up, fighting through the intense pain that surged through his body.
The hand holding his arm tightened, and Atticus could feel it, the happiness radiating around the room. It was intense.
Atticus's blurry vision prevented him from clearly seeing the person, but he didn't need to. He already knew.
"M-mom?"
Without warning, he found himself enveloped in a hug so warm it felt like it could melt anything.
"Atticus," Anastasia's voice cracked as tears streamed down her face. Her hug was tight, but not so tight as to hurt him in his current fragile state.
It had been so long. Too long. Atticus had fallen into hibernation multiple times before in the past, but he had always woken within a few days. But this time was completely different. This time had been the longest, and Anastasia had feared he might never wake up. It was a fear that gave her many sleepless nights.
The hug lasted for several minutes, and it seemed as though Anastasia never wanted to let go of him.
But Atticus didn't mind. He hugged her back as tightly as his weak body would allow.
Eventually, they separated. "Are you okay?" Anastasia asked, her hands still resting on his shoulders as she searched his face for any signs of discomfort.
Atticus shook his head slightly and placed his hands over hers. He smiled faintly. "I'm okay, Mom. Just… tired."
Anastasia's eyes trembled, and she sniffled, nodding her head.
"How are you feeling?" a deep voice asked. Atticus turned to see Magnus watching him with a concerned gaze.
Atticus smiled. "I'm not sure… but I think I feel good."
During the hug with Anastasia, the memories of everything that had happened flooded back to him.
The carnage he had unleashed on Veylor and the elder Lorthan. The fight with Blackgate. The latter had been cataclysmic, and he had tapped into powers he had never imagined himself capable of using for now.
But most of all, he remembered the feeling of losing his overwhelming powers as he fainted. At that moment, it had felt like he was losing everything, every single one of his abilities.
It had been insane. Yet now, as he woke up, he had briefly inspected himself. Despite feeling tired and drained, he felt… good.
The world felt slower than before, as though his perception of time had shifted again. His body was weak, but Atticus knew. He had grown stronger by leaps and bounds. He couldn't wait to check his status.
Magnus placed a gentle hand on Atticus's head and gave him a faint smile. Their eyes met, and Magnus nodded firmly. Atticus could feel it, the pride radiating from Magnus's gaze. It was almost overwhelming.
Atticus's smile widened, and he nodded back. There was no better acknowledgment than what he received from Magnus. He cherished Magnus's praise.
Magnus was a man who rarely gave compliments, but when he did, it came from deep within.
After a while, news spread that Atticus had woken up. Soon, Avalon, the Three Stars, and many elders flooded into the advanced training room to check on him.
The room quickly filled with white haired Ravensteins. Atticus watched as familiar faces and strangers alike smiled warmly, bombarding him with questions about his health.
The room buzzed with excitement, and Atticus could feel the genuine happiness radiating from everyone present. He knew they were truly glad he was awake.
But Atticus, still exhausted, soon felt overwhelmed by the surge of attention and questions.
Noticing his discomfort, Anastasia shot Avalon a cold look. Without hesitation, Avalon acted, ushering the others out of the room. They understood and soon left.
Only Magnus, Anastasia, and Avalon remained.
Atticus glanced at the three of them and from their looks, he immediately understood. 'They're dying to ask questions.'
They didn't need to speak. Atticus already knew what they wanted to know.
How the hell did he face a paragon?
Atticus smiled faintly and suddenly called out, "Ozeroth."
"…"
Nothing happened.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Atticus tried again. "Ozeroth."
His gaze narrowed. He could feel the spirit's presence, could tell he was listening. But it was clear Ozeroth had no intention of responding.
'What the hell is wrong with you?'
Just as he was about to explain the situation to the others, he felt Anastasia's palm on his forehead.
"Baby, are you okay?" she asked, her face filled with concern.
Anastasia sounded truly worried.
'Does she think I've gone mad?!' Atticus was flabbergasted. Turning to Avalon, he noticed the same concerned look on his face, confirming his suspicion.
A deep, rumbling laughter echoed in Atticus's mind as Ozeroth found the situation hilarious. Turning to Magnus, Atticus saw the man smiling faintly from the side.
Magnus already knew Atticus had bonded with a spirit, but the others weren't fully aware of the details. All they knew was that he had fought a paragon. That was all Magnus cared to explain, and neither he nor Ozeroth had any intention of clearing up the confusion.
Atticus sighed, feeling embarrassed even trying to explain. "I'm fine, Mom…"
It took some time and convincing, but eventually, everyone got on the same page. However, no matter how much Atticus tried, Ozeroth still refused to appear when called.
Anastasia and Avalon remained utterly shocked by the fact that he had battled a paragon. Even with his explanation, their disbelief didn't waver.
To them, no explanation could lessen the surprise. A 17-year-old fighting a paragon, a being practically worshipped as a god in Eldoralth, seemed impossible.
Still, though it was hard to accept, they eventually came to terms with the situation.
After a few minutes of ensuring Atticus was alright, Anastasia and Avalon left the room, leaving him to his thoughts.
Unfortunately, his thoughts would never be alone again.
Ozeroth's deep, rumbling voice echoed in his mind, interrupting him.
"For someone whose thoughts were filled with bloodlust not too long ago, this is quite a surprising scene," Ozeroth said. "A lover boy, surrounded by warmth and smiles. Truly a spectacle."
Atticus's gaze narrowed. "Are you mocking me for having a family?"
"I am merely pointing out the contrast," Ozeroth replied. "Moments ago, you were a cold-blooded killer. Now you're fawning over your mother's hand on your forehead."
"Whatever," Atticus muttered before narrowing his eyes. "Why didn't you come out when I called?"
There was a brief pause before Ozeroth responded. "I have no need to answer every whim of a child, even if he is my bond."
Atticus raised a brow. "Uh-huh." He wasn't buying it. Not for a second. He could feel Ozeroth's emotions and knew something was off.
Focusing, Atticus delved into Ozeroth's memories. Luckily, Ozeroth was too proud to block him.
After a few seconds, Atticus froze. Then, he burst into laughter.
It started as a snort and quickly turned into full-blown laughter, echoing through the room. Ozeroth remained silent.
"Don't tell me…" Atticus said between laughs. "You were shy!"
"I was not!" Ozeroth roared, but his voice lacked its usual edge. "How dare you insinuate such nonsense!"
Atticus chuckled, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "Oh, it makes so much sense now. You've never been around anything like this before, have you? No family. No comrades. Just you. Alone. For, what, centuries?"
Ozeroth growled, but his silence confirmed everything.
"Admit it. You didn't know what to do, so you hid."
"I'll have you know, millions bow before me. My presence commands reverence, not… whatever this is!"
"Yeah, yeah," Atticus said, smirking. "You're a big deal. Got it. But I've got better things to focus on right now."
Ozeroth huffed, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Ah, yes. That 'status' thing, right?"
"You sound old."
"I am not old!" Ozeroth bellowed. "I am timeless! My age is irrelevant to beings like me!"
"Right, right."
Atticus could practically hear the spirit fuming. It was hilarious. He was even surprised at how they were bickering like this. Aside from his closest family and friends, Atticus had never interacted with anyone in such a casual way.
From Ozeroth's memories, it was clear the spirit was the same. He had rarely interacted with anyone, let alone argued with them.
Yet because they were bonded, had shared memories, and essentially shared the same feelings, it felt like they had known each other forever.
It was a bond as profound as it was universal.
Smiling, Atticus muttered under his breath, "Status…"
His eyes lit up as his status appeared before him.