Jena and the others' hearts pounded as they stared at his broad, calm back. Despite the overwhelming terror they were all feeling, somehow, they felt a spark of trust. He was their apex.
The Vampyros attacked.
Thousands of blood shards shot forward like a crimson storm, hurtling toward Atticus with impossible speed.
But Atticus remained still.
Humans had never stood a chance against the Vampyros. This was because, to humans, the Vampyros' blood powers were absolute, as humanity lacked any true counter against them.
Not even the Enigmalnk, with their high will, could nullify such abilities. Atticus's use of his will was still unprecedented in Eldoralth, and only he could remain unaffected by their ability in this way.
Because of this, Atticus's mind had the opportunity to focus on one element that could counter the Vampyros' ability.
They weren't the only ones who could form a domain.
Atticus's lips parted, his voice booming like thunder.
"Water Domain."
The world shook.
A blinding blue light erupted, piercing through the crimson fog. In the next instant, a world of blue formed, encompassing everything.
The storm of blood shards froze mid-air. Suspended. Motionless.
The Vampyros froze. Their crimson gazes trembled, and utter confusion filled their faces.
"What…?" Draeven muttered, unable to understand. No matter how he tried, he couldn't move any of the blood shards. It was as though there was an invisible force stopping them from moving.
The realization hit them like a tidal wave.
Their dominion over blood had been countered. The absolute control they wielded was gone.
Atticus had taken it.
Water. It was the water.
They had absolute dominion over blood. But Atticus had dominion over water. The water within the blood, he had taken control of it.
It was hard to comprehend. Draeven, Kaelith, and Serila had fought multiple water elementalists before. Most wouldn't even last long enough to think of doing something like this. And even if they had, said person would still have to wrestle control of the blood with them. It was inconceivable.
They were three, and he was one. And yet, he had taken control of every single shard.
Draeven's eyes widened, his heart slamming against his chest. 'We can't win.'
The same thought echoed in Serila and Kaelith's minds, and they reached the same conclusion. They had fought hundreds of battles and knew the instant a situation was above their power.
They had to escape.
Draeven turned, his body ready to vanish into the mist.
But he couldn't move.
None of them could.
Their gazes snapped to Atticus, who stood calmly below them, his arm raised. His will encompassed the water around them, holding them in place like marionettes.
Panic flashed in Draeven's eyes as he struggled.
But Atticus's voice was calm, chilling.
"Come."
The Vampyros were pulled from the sky, plummeting like meteors.
BOOM!
The ground shattered as they crashed, their armored forms slamming into the earth with cataclysmic force. Dust and debris erupted into the air, obscuring everything for a moment.
When the dust cleared, Atticus stood before their broken forms.
Their hearts skipped a beat as they discovered that they couldn't move.
No matter how much they willed their bodies to act, they were completely immobilized.
Three grandmaster+ Vampyros. Immobilized with a single thought.
Draeven's heart pounded. His mind raced. He didn't understand. What kind of monster was this human?
Atticus's voice broke the silence. Cold. Direct.
"Who sent you?"
The Vampyros' gazes narrowed.
Their trembling eyes met Atticus's unyielding stare, and for a brief moment, silence reigned.
Then—
Serila laughed.
At first, it was low, a soft chuckle that echoed in the stillness.
But it grew louder. More unhinged.
Her voice was filled with mockery and disdain as she forced her gaze to meet his. "You think you can harm us?"
Her laughter grew, as though she had turned mad. "Kill us, and the Vampyros will declare war on your pathetic race! The entire human domain will be wiped off the map. Every human slaughtered. Your kind are nothing more than bugs to be squished."
Jena, Mira, and Crescendo froze.
Her words hit like a hammer. The reality of it was undeniable.
The Vampyros were a nightmare. One that humanity had been trying its best to avoid fighting. If war broke out…
Jena's fists clenched. Her body trembled as the truth of the situation sank in. She turned to Atticus, her gaze darkening. Would he let them go?
He would have to.
Wouldn't he?
A wave of anger surged through Mira. They were still shocked by Atticus's prowess, but the thought of letting the Vampyros escape made her seethe. They had wanted to kill them!
Draeven instantly noticed the shift in mood, and his confidence grew. His gaze turned to Serila, who was still laughing manically, her voice echoing through the forest.
Then he looked at Atticus.
And froze.
Those eyes.
Calm.
Unbothered.
They weren't the eyes of someone who had no options.
They weren't the eyes of someone who cared about consequences.
"W—"
SHINK.
A streak of silver cut through the air.
The laughter stopped.
THUD.
Serila's head hit the ground, rolling lifelessly across the dirt.
Draeven's breath caught in his throat. Kaelith's eyes widened in shock.
Atticus had done it.
He had killed her.
The air grew colder. The metallic scent of blood thickened, choking the forest in silence.
Jena gasped audibly, her body stiff. Even Mira, who hadn't wanted the Vampyros to escape in the first place, took a step back.
War.
The devastation. The deaths. The carnage. They all flashed in their minds. Atticus had just killed a Vampyros. Not just any one, a grandmaster+. If word got back to the Vampyros, they shuddered to imagine the consequences.
But Atticus's expression didn't change.
Calm. Collected.
Uncaring.
He turned to the remaining Vampyros, his voice slicing through the tension.
"Who sent you?"
Draeven and Kaelith's gazes snapped to him, and they realized.
They knew.
They weren't getting out of this alive.
"You… you don't know what you've done. The Blood Council—"
Atticus stepped forward.
Kaelith's words died in his throat.
"The Blood Council isn't here."
He raised his blade, the silver edge glinting ominously in the crimson haze.
"You'll regret this… You'll—"
"Wrong answer."
SLASH!
Kaelith's head hit the ground with a sickening thud, blood pooling beneath him.
Draeven froze, his crimson eyes staring calmly at Kaelith's lifeless head.
He was the last one standing. And yet, he had suddenly turned calm and composed.
Atticus turned to him, his blade still dripping with blood.
"Who sent you?"
Draeven met Atticus's gaze for a moment before he spoke calmly.
"It was the Blood Council."
Atticus tilted his head slightly. His gaze bore into Draeven's, cold and calculating.
"We were ordered to assess your strength. We never intended to harm you."
Atticus didn't respond.
The silence stretched, suffocating.
'Is he buying it?' Draeven wondered.
Then, Atticus finally spoke, his tone flat. "You lied."
Draeven's eyes widened. "No, I—"
SLASH!
The final blow was swift.
Draeven's body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Atticus calmly sheathed his katana and turned his gaze back toward the frozen scouts.
"You should all head back."