'My elements…'
Atticus' eyes had brushed through his status in less than a second. He had seen everything, especially his stats that had barely moved.
Hard would be an understatement when describing how he had achieved that small result.
Now that Atticus was in the paragon rank, it was as though the difficulty of increasing his strength had intensified manifold.
Months of painstaking training had only given him so much improvement. However, every point gained had far more effects on his body than before. He could feel the power surging through him.
Still, of all abilities, Atticus' eyes had settled on his elements.
'I can't seem to make them budge again.'
He had wanted to level up before the military began; however, no matter how much he tried to increase his connection with the molecules and become one with them, it wouldn't budge. Every one had stopped at the 80% mark as though he was missing something.
'Grandpa also didn't know what it was.'
He had instantly inquired from Magnus about his problem, but the man hadn't been able to offer a solution, much to his displeasure.
Ozeroth had also been asked, but the spirit didn't know much about it either.
Because of this unknown reason, his proficiency in most of his elements had stalled at 80%.
'How annoying.' Atticus shook his head.
There was nothing Atticus hated more than a bottleneck he didn't know how to break through. At this point, he didn't know what he was working towards.
He sighed, turning his attention to his other abilities.
All his other abilities had also leveled up, aside from the Auralithian abilities, which he had only focused on getting used to using in tandem with his other abilities.
This made using the abilities very seamless and, most importantly, easier. Now, Atticus just couldn't wait to enter the battlefield.
Atticus dispersed the status page. Taking one more good look at himself, he turned to leave the room.
However, after taking just one step forward, he paused, facing forward as though waiting for something.
The air suddenly became electrified, a crackle of lightning, and Magnus appeared in front of him.
Atticus smiled. 'Feels good to finally be able to sense him before he appears.'
In the past, Atticus had no control over when Magnus appeared or disappeared. He couldn't even sense his movements. But now, he had known before he entered the room.
"You're ready?" Magnus asked, and Atticus could sense a large amount of reluctance in his tone.
Atticus' smile widened. "I am."
Magnus stared at him for some seconds as though trying to memorize every detail of his grandson's face, as if he knew it might be the last time in a long while that he'd see him.
Lightning still danced faintly around him, casting shifting shadows across his hardened expression.
"You've grown," Magnus finally said in a low and steady voice, but its weight was heavy.
Atticus' smile softened, but he said nothing. There was no need. The silence between them spoke volumes.
Magnus stepped closer and placed a firm hand on Atticus' shoulder. His grip was strong, stronger than necessary, but it wasn't just about strength. It was grounding, anchoring.
Atticus didn't raise any guard. He didn't need to. There was no one he trusted more. He locked eyes with Magnus and waited for his words.
"This path… it will change you."
Atticus' expression didn't change. The path to the top. He knew well how perilous his journey would be, the challenges, the obstacles, the death, love, hate. Everything.
His expression was serious and his voice steady as he responded.
"I know."
Another pause. Then, Magnus' hand tightened on his shoulder.
"Don't lose yourself."
For a man like Magnus, whose every word always sounded like a decree, Atticus could instantly tell, those words were not an order. They were a plea.
Atticus' chest tightened, and his heart felt incredibly warm. He responded in a steady tone.
"I won't."
Magnus' hand lingered for a moment longer before he let go. He straightened, the stoic mask slipping back into place like armor. But just before he turned, his voice dropped to a rare, gentle murmur.
"Your grandmother would be proud."
Atticus felt something shift in his chest, and his eyes felt incredibly moist, but he swallowed it down, standing tall.
"I'll make sure you are too."
Magnus paused. He didn't respond, but the faintest spark of emotion flickered in his eyes. His expression broke into a smile before he disappeared, leaving only the faint sound of his voice:
"I already am."
Atticus took in a deep breath before breathing out. He wiped his moist eyes with his sleeve, regaining his composure.
He straightened himself before walking out of his room. As he reached downstairs, he was instantly enveloped in a tight hug, one he was all too used to.
"Be careful out there and don't skip your meals," Anastasia whispered in his ear, making a smile appear on his face.
"Alright, Mom," he whispered back, hugging her tighter. Anastasia had gotten used to Atticus' life. She had stopped all her habits of forcing him to take breaks or trying to make sure he wasn't doing anything dangerous.
Although her worry and care were still ever-present, she had come to understand that there was simply no stopping him. It was futile, especially with his current position and importance. It was better to express her support.
They both separated after some time, and Atticus' eyes landed on Avalon and the three stars standing at the side.
Avalon placed his firm hand on Atticus' head. At this point, Atticus was taller, but the matter was too serious for Avalon to care.
He locked eyes with Atticus for a few seconds before a smile appeared on his face.
"Don't carry the weight of the world alone, son. You've got us. You've always got us."
"I know."
Avalon ruffled his hair. "I know you'll do great out there."
Atticus smiled before embracing Avalon, who returned the hug without hesitation.
Afterwards, Atticus received well wishes from Sirius, Lyanna, and Nathan.
"Make sure you respect your teachers over there, brat," Sirius said with a smirk.
"Never spare your enemies; they're worth more dead. The only time you should spare them is if you want them to feel unimaginable and excruciating pain before their death," Lyanna advised in a whisper while hugging Atticus. The whole room had suddenly gone many degrees colder.
"Thank you so much, Atticus… for making me— I mean us— so rich," Nathan said while holding back his tears. His money maker was leaving!
After giving each of them their appropriate responses, Atticus reluctantly said his goodbyes, walking out the mansion door.