His words sounded cryptic, yet at the same time simple and straightforward.
'Looks like this thing with the Fallen Star is really serious. You're from a mid-world, you don't know anything about it?'
'Don't look at me. I only cared about battles and making people hear my greatness. I didn't have time for history lessons.'
Atticus didn't bother refuting. He had already gone through the spirit's memories and seen the way Ozeroth had lived. He'd grown up with no family, and his entire focus had been on training and increasing his power.
Atticus pondered the issue for a bit before arriving at a decision.
"I'll be truthful," he said finally. "I want to know more about this Fallen Star and how it's related to me, but I have no plans of sacrificing my life. So how about this: if it's possible, I'll protect Eldoralth. But if it puts my life or my loved ones in danger, then I'm sorry, but I'll back off."
Elderish gave Atticus a deadpan stare, his expression unreadable. After a long pause, he nodded.
"I can see that's the best I'll get from you. Alright," he said, his tone resigned.
His voice shifted as he turned his gaze toward the dark skies.
"What I'm about to tell you is incomplete. Even I don't know the entire truth, as much has been lost to time. But I will share what I can."
The stars above began swirling again, faster and faster, until the scene shifted once more. Darkness gave way to a brilliant light, and Atticus found himself standing in what seemed like a void. Yet, he could feel the vastness of existence all around him. Elderish's voice echoed in the space, resonating with power.
"In the beginning of creation, there existed beings far beyond mortal comprehension. They were the Primordial Stars, entities that governed the fundamental aspects of existence itself.
"Among them, one shone brightest: Solvath, the Eternal Star. His light was unmatched, and he held the balance of power between realms. Without him, existence would have fallen into chaos."
The vision changed, revealing a radiant star at the center of an infinite expanse. Smaller stars orbited around it, their glow dim in comparison. Solvath radiated warmth and harmony, but there was an odd tension in the scene.
"But as it often happens with power," Elderish continued, "jealousy festered in the hearts of the other Primordials. Solvath's unmatched brilliance made them feel insignificant, and their envy consumed them. They conspired against him, betraying the very star that held the universe together."
The swirling stars in the vision turned chaotic, collapsing inward as shadows encroached on the radiant star. Atticus watched as Solvath exploded, shattering into countless pieces.
"The betrayal was merciless. Solvath was shattered into fragments, scattering his essence throughout the cosmos. These fragments became known as the Fallen Shards, pieces of Solvath's power that held traces of his light. Each shard bonded with beings across the universe, granting them a fraction of Solvath's strength."
The vision shifted again, showing individuals across various worlds. Each bore a glowing mark or aura, distinguishing them as something more than ordinary. They wielded immense power, reshaping the world around them with ease.
"Over time, those bonded to the shards passed their power through their bloodlines, creating what we now call the Kin of the Fallen Star. But Solvath's power came with a price. The shards chose their bearers carefully, and the bloodlines birthed only one child per generation, making them very few in number. Yet, their strength was unimaginable, power that rivaled even the strongest beings in existence."
Elderish's voice grew heavier.
"But the other Primordials could not allow this. They saw the Kin of the Fallen Star as a threat, a reminder of their betrayal of Solvath. To erase their guilt and eliminate the danger, they commanded their forces across the universe to hunt the Kin down, leaving them no place to hide.
The vision shifted once more, showing scenes of battle and destruction. Entire planets burned, the Kins fighting valiantly against overwhelming forces. Despite their immense power, their numbers dwindled, each generation becoming smaller and more isolated.
"Those bonded to the shards and their descendants live under constant threat. They are few, but they are powerful. They carry Solvath's light within them, a small light that has the potential to shine the brightest."
The scene faded, leaving Atticus standing in the dim glow of the swirling stars once again. Elderish fell silent, giving him time to process everything.
Atticus stood utterly still, silent.
It was too much.
He had only recently learned about the existence of other universes, about Eldoralth's dire predicament, and now this? He wasn't just an outcast in his world, he was an outcast in the entire universe.
A sudden burst of laughter rocked his mind, and Atticus couldn't help but feel baffled.
'Why are you laughing?' he asked, confused and irritated.
The situation was undeniably serious, and yet Ozeroth was laughing uncontrollably.
'Because it's fun!' Ozeroth replied between laughs. 'Just imagine it, we've been searching for ways to make our legend known, and now we've been handed the perfect opportunity!'
Atticus was flabbergasted. Here he was, thinking about survival and the way forward, while Ozeroth was already strategizing how to spread their fame.
He shook his head, regaining his focus, and turned toward Elderish.
"How do you know I'm a Kin of the Fallen Star? I don't feel special," Atticus said, his voice was calm but probing.
"You haven't awakened your mark yet," Elderish replied. "But I'm sure you've noticed, your proficiency with your abilities surpasses that of your peers."
Atticus nodded inwardly. He had always wondered why that was so.
'What about the other apexes?' Atticus thought, his mind spinning. 'Are they also Kin of the Fallen Star?'
Ozeroth's continuous rambling in his head didn't help his concentration.
Elderish continued, "I know this because I was told."
Atticus's gaze sharpened. "By who?"
Elderish shook his head solemnly. "Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that," he said, his tone growing serious. "No matter what."
Atticus didn't press further. Instead, he shifted the topic to gather more information.
"These Kin," he said, "you mentioned they're rare in the universe. What's their goal?"
Elderish smiled and nodded, as if approving the intelligent question.
"From what I know, most are simply trying to survive their persecution. But I suspect their ultimate goal isn't so different from our current situation," Elderish replied.
Atticus frowned, his mind piecing it together. He understood what Elderish was hinting at. The shattered shards, the 19 cores, gathering them to form a whole.
'How annoying,' Atticus sighed inwardly, shaking his head. 'Let's just take this one step at a time.'
"Is that all?" Atticus asked, his tone neutral. From everything Elderish had said, he didn't expect any sort of prize beyond knowledge and the artifact. 'The artifact to locate the cores must be the reward,' he thought.
"Yes," Elderish replied with a small smile. "But I would suggest you not leave just yet."
The stars shifted, the image of the outside world appearing before them.
Atticus's gaze sharpened as he focused on the vision. 'What's going on?'
He could see Cadence and the others from the fort facing off against the Vampyros, and they were losing, effortlessly.
The image zoomed in on a spot not far from where the battle was unfolding, and his eyes locked on a figure.
Atticus's gaze narrowed into pinpricks. Even from this distant plane, he had no doubts about what he was seeing.
A paragon.
Elderish observed the look on Atticus's face and smiled knowingly. Stretching out his arm, he summoned a radiant core that hovered in his palm. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it toward Atticus.
"This should be useful to you,"