Vyn, standing just behind Candence suddenly tapped him lightly on the shoulder. The fortress commander jolted out of his stunned state, realizing that Atticus was steadily approaching.
'Shit,' Candence thought, his chest tightening.
This wasn't just any visitor, this was the apex of humanity. His importance far outweighed anyone else in the fortress. Allowing him to approach without a proper greeting wasn't just disrespectful, it was outright unacceptable.
Candence moved quickly, followed closely by Vyn and the other commanders. Within seconds, they met Atticus halfway.
Candence lowered his head into a deep bow, surprising even himself.
"Apex Atticus," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside him. "Welcome to Fort Echohelm."
Behind him, the commanders followed suit, bowing deeply. The warriors scattered across the courtyard mirrored the gesture, their respect and awe palpable.
Candence couldn't explain it. He had planned to offer a small bow, as the fortress commander he still had to save face, but his body had acted on its own. The annoyance, the jealousy, everything he'd felt before, was gone, replaced by something much greater: awe.
Atticus stopped before them, his piercing gaze settling on Candence and the commanders. The weight of his presence alone made their hearts race.
After a brief pause, Atticus finally spoke.
"Thank you for the thoughtful welcome," he said, his voice calm but piercing. "I look forward to fighting alongside you all in the coming days."
Candence's lips parted, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words. The respect in Atticus's tone contrasted sharply with the overwhelming aura he exuded. It felt surreal.
It was akin to a king addressing peasants with a formal tone.
He managed a nod after a second, forcing his voice to remain steady. "The honor is ours, Apex Atticus."
Gathering himself, Candence gestured to the aged man at his side. "This is Vyn, our chief strategist," he said. "And these are my commanders."
Atticus's gaze shifted, briefly scanning each face before landing on Vyn.
And then everything stilled.
His purple eyes narrowed slightly as they rested on the strategist. The air grew heavier, and even Vyn, who had lived decades immersed in the chaos of war, felt his composure falter.
Vyn bowed slightly, his expression cautious. "Is there something the matter, Apex Atticus?"
The other commanders exchanged nervous glances, wondering if something had gone wrong. The last thing any of them wanted was to offend the apex of humanity.
Even Candence frowned, trying to read the situation.
Atticus held Vyn's gaze for a moment longer before finally speaking.
"It's nothing."
His tone was final, leaving no room for further questions. The tension lingered for a few seconds before it was clear that Atticus had no intention of elaborating.
Candence cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
"You must be tired, Apex Atticus," he said quickly, seizing the opportunity to move things along. "Allow my son to escort you to your chambers."
Turning slightly, he barked, "Lyric! Come forward and introduce yourself."
At the back of the group, Lyric flinched.
"C-coming!" he stammered, stumbling forward and stopping in front of Atticus. His eyes widened as he stared, clearly awestruck.
"Lyric," Candence said sharply, snapping his son out of his daze.
"R-right!" Lyric straightened, bowing so deeply it was almost comical. "My name is Lyric Resonara! It's an honor to meet you, Apex Atticus!"
His voice cracked slightly as he spoke, and he looked up nervously, his admiration shining through despite his obvious nerves.
Moments later, Atticus stood in a luxurious room filled with every amenity and more. It was clear they had gone to great lengths to prepare for his arrival.
'Bond,' Ozeroth's voice echoed in his head, low and questioning.
Atticus's eyes turned cold as he responded silently. "I know."
A slight pause followed before Ozeroth spoke again.
'Then why didn't you do anything? This isn't like you.'
Atticus walked toward the large window, drawing back the curtains and letting sunlight flood the room.
Ozeroth could have plucked the answer directly from Atticus's mind, but his ego wouldn't let him. He would never rely on shortcuts unless absolutely necessary.
"I wanted to," Atticus replied calmly. "But I decided to wait. I need to fully understand the situation before I act. Besides, he's not the only one."
"Hmm. That sounds boring and stupid. You should just round them all up and kill them," Ozeroth said, his tone filled with annoyance.
A faint smile tugged at Atticus's lips. "That's exactly what I'll do, eventually. Just give me a day."
Ozeroth went silent, clearly dissatisfied, leaving Atticus to his thoughts.
He stood by the open window, gazing out. His chambers were on the top floor of one of the fortress towers, offering a sweeping view of the entire fort.
"How surprising," he muttered to himself.
If he were honest, Atticus was a bit shocked. He had come to the Resonara Fortress with two purposes. The first was to visit the location Whisker had instructed him to, and the second was to study the Resonara mana signature.
Of all the tier one bloodlines in the human domain, the Resonara's ability to control sound and the Stellaris family's solar energy manipulation were the only ones Atticus hadn't explored, the ones that had to do with energy manipulation anyways.
After bonding with Ozeroth and discovering the potential of Omnicognition, he had made it his goal to learn the unique abilities of every tier-one family.
It was a daunting task, but he was confident he could achieve it.
Coming to the Resonara Fortress was supposed to be straightforward, a chance to accomplish two goals at once. The fort was close to Whisker's location, and he could use the opportunity to study the Resonara sound ability. It was meant to be quick and efficient.
What he hadn't expected was drama or complications.
Yet, from the moment he arrived, trouble had greeted him.
Through his spiritual eye, Atticus had discovered multiple spies from the Vampyros race hidden within the fortress.
And one of them was none other than the chief strategist of the entire fort.