The sight was nothing like theyâd ever seen. Felt.
Beautiful wasnât the right word to use to describe it. It had some sort of effect on them. The kind that made one want to stop to look, to admire. To stare, eyes wide and filled with nothing but awe.
This was what gripped Atticus and the Eldorians the moment they laid their sights on the scene. It was the same thing that gripped the billions on Eldoralth the instant they turned their eyes towards the skies.
It was magnificent.
The sun had vanished, and in its place was the vast, endless void of space, dotted with colossal planets that made Eldoralth feel small and insignificant.
Each planet had the same shape, spherical, but varied wildly in size. And their compositions were just as strange.
One looked like it was made entirely of swirling brown fog, another gleamed like polished metal. A third pulsed with veins of glowing blue, like a living heart.
Regardless, despite their varying sizes and looks, even from a distance, Atticus could feel the sheer power radiating off from each one of them.
âTheyâre bigger than Eldoralth.â
That was the first thought that echoed in Atticusâ head. As Eldoralthâs god, he could instinctively tell that each of these worlds were bigger and more vast than his. He struggled to tell by how much.
There was some veil blocking each one from his probes. And aside from this, though they gazed at each world as though they were just out of reach, Atticus could feel that reaching them wasnât as simple as one would imagine.
âTheyâre farther,â Atticus realized.
Still, just as Atticus was about to take his gaze away from the worlds, his eyes narrowed as he finally noticed something.
There was no star for the planet to orbit around. It was just orbiting around itself, as though it were spinning in a perpetual cycle, in one position.
And yet Atticus couldnât feel any difference. Light still shone down on them like there was some sort of sun, hiding.
It was snowing in some parts of the planet, and was scorching in some other part.
It didnât seem as though there was any sort of change brought to the seasons despite the absence of a star. But that wasnât what Atticus had just noticed.
âWeâre at the lowest.â
Their world, Eldoralth, was at the lowest elevation. Each world they saw was at a higher elevation, and as Atticus peered down from another part of the planet, he could see that there were no worlds below them.
And judging from the heavy scowl on Ozerothâs face, he seemed to have figured that out too. Atticus was glad the man had decided to hold his tongue rather than complain.
"How are you guys?" Atticus glanced at the Eldorians. Since the ascension began, he hadnât missed their discomfort.
"Weâre fine, son," Avalon said with a smile. And as he glanced at Magnus, predictably, all he received was only a firm nod.
Atticus sighed. "I know both of you too well. You wouldnât say a word even if you were dying."
Atticus turned towards Oberon and simply raised an eyebrow. Oberon coughed and avoided Avalon and Magnusâs stare.
"Supreme ruler... the effects of the plane will seem to have increased since the time we first felt it," he explained.
"How does it make you feel?"
Oberon thought for a moment, accessing his body. "I feel weaker than I am, physically and mentally, even though my strength didnât decrease."
"Is this the same with everyone?" Atticus asked, glancing towards the rest of the Eldorians, who nodded in response.
âPlane will huh.â Whisker had already warned him of the force.
Despite what they all think, Atticus was currently feeling the full brunt of the plane will, but he just didnât show it. He was the god, and so it was his will that enveloped all of Eldoralth.
It felt like a heavy weight was constantly clashing against his mind. And he knew, without the worldâs will, none of them would survive.
"None of you can leave the planet until weâre sure that you can withstand the full brunt of the plane will."
Atticusâ eyes were focused more on Avalon and Magnus. They were the only two who he knew could be so reckless.
"No matter what," he emphasized, staring at them until they both audibly cleared their throats, not meeting his eyes.
"Alright, alright."
"Okay."
They both finally nodded and agreed. And just as Atticus was about to turn towards Ozeroth and speak, he felt a pull. His eyes narrowed.
"Iâm being called."
The expressions of Ozeroth and the Eldorians shifted.
"The star?" Ozeroth asked, glancing around. "I donât see any pathway."
"I donât think itâs that kind of call," Atticus said, suddenly closing his eyes.
Iron Crown had summoned them to his world by using a blue pathway. But Atticus could feel that this was different.
He felt some sort of pull leading him to another place. It wasnât forceful, and he could refuse it if he wanted.
But Atticus felt that it was something important. If he didnât go, he would be missing out on a lot.
"Iâll be back soon."
Ozerothâs eyes widened. "Wait! Bonâ"
The voice of his spirit reached him just as he vanished.
Atticus opened his eyes to a world of darkness. No matter where he looked, there was only an endless stretch of darkness.
âWhere am I?â Atticus began to wonder when a voice rumbled through the world.
"Finally."
A figure suddenly burst to life in front of him. Massive, with shifting armor plates and glowing six eyes. His presence was boundless. Eternal.
"I am the Verge," he said, staring at Atticus. "I finally meet the child god."
Atticus didnât say anything. He just stared at the massive, boundless presence in front of him. If he felt any awe at the magnificence of the figure in front of him, he didnât show it.
"Hm." The Great Verge tilted his head slightly. "Weâve only just met. How is it possible for you to hate this old man already?"
Atticus didnât miss the trace of amusement in his tone. The Great Verge had obviously just made a joke, but it did nothing to dim the intensity of Atticusâ gaze.
"Iâm at a loss. I donât think I can ever recall being treated in such a way by non ascendants. Itâs different."
"I canât say I miss the boring formality, though. But pray tell, why such hostility?"