Bloodbound Codex: I Grow Stronger in Secret

Meanwhile...

In the realm where Zaakrax had once appeared, the same realm where the Tree of Astraya existed and where Mostleon, Yulia, Aurelis, and Garthax remained for reasons that were still unknown, Atlas suddenly appeared through the portal that had dragged his body away from the battlefield. He remained standing there for several moments, completely dazed and unable to process what had just happened.

His mind was still occupied by the image of Kael suddenly piercing Orivian’s stomach and everything that had followed afterward, making it difficult for him to immediately understand where he had been taken.

The moment the change in his surroundings finally registered in his mind, Atlas slowly came out of his reverie. He looked around the unfamiliar realm before asking, ”Where am I?”

His voice was unusually weak, and the despair he had felt on the battlefield was still weighing heavily on his mind. However, before he could investigate further, he sensed five powerful presences behind him, causing him to immediately turn his attention in their direction.

”You are in the Realm of Astraya, Atlas Mariorett.”

Atlas turned around and saw five different figures standing before him. Four of them were humanoid, consisting of a Human, an Angel, a Dwarf, and an Elf, while the fifth wasn’t humanoid at all. It was a floating orb that radiated an intense amount of energy, so immense that Atlas immediately understood it wasn’t an ordinary object.

He stared at them for a moment before asking, ”Why was I dragged here?”

Mostleon glanced toward Atlas’s lowered head for a moment before turning toward the floating orb. ”Eliomor, shouldn’t you clear things up quickly? Luberion’s soul fragment has finally taken action.”

Atlas’s expression changed slightly at those words. He followed Mostleon’s gaze toward the floating orb and frowned as he tried to understand what he meant.

Why was he calling that orb Eliomor?

The name itself was familiar, but Atlas had never imagined that something resembling a floating sphere could possibly be the world itself. Still, considering the immense energy radiating from it and the circumstances surrounding his arrival, Atlas decided to remain silent and listen first.

A brief silence followed before the floating orb finally spoke. Its voice was slightly mechanical and heavy, spreading through the entire realm as it said, ”Atlas Mariorett, first of all, allow me to apologize for everything you had to go through because of me during this battle...and thank you for keeping Orivian at bay while the plan devised to take him down was progressing smoothly with your help.”

Atlas became even more confused after hearing those words. He didn’t understand what Eliomor was apologizing for, nor did he believe that he had intentionally helped with any plan. ”I was trying to kill that man because he tried to kill me, and I already had a grudge against that bastard Human King. So, it has nothing to do with you. As for the apology, I would prefer to know what you have done before I accept it.”

Atlas spoke firmly without hesitation as he looked directly toward the floating orb. From the immense energy he could sense from it, he could tell that it was no ordinary existence, and after Mostleon had called it Eliomor, Atlas finally decided to believe that it really was the World.

However, believing its identity didn’t mean he trusted it. After everything that had happened on the battlefield, Atlas had more than enough reasons to demand an explanation before accepting an apology from anyone.

The floating orb remained silent for another moment. Then, without warning, something suddenly materialized in front of Atlas.

No.

Someone materialized.

Atlas’s eyes widened as he saw Seraphiel’s body and soul appear directly in front of him, separated by barely an inch. For a moment, he simply stared at her without moving, as though his mind had stopped functioning. The image of her soul in Orivian’s hand immediately returned to his mind, followed by the despair he had felt when he believed that he would never be able to reach her again.

”This is the reason I was apologizing,” Eliomor said.

Atlas didn’t respond immediately. His eyes remained fixed on Seraphiel as if he needed to confirm that what he was seeing was real. Eliomor continued before he could say anything, ”I did not only take out her soul. It was everyone from my own world. I needed to take their souls all at once, including hers, to begin the final phase of the plan. And before you believe otherwise, let me put her soul back into her body.”

Atlas’s expression changed the moment he heard those words.

”S-Seraphiel...” he muttered.

Her soul suddenly began moving toward her body.

Atlas watched with his eyes wide as the translucent figure of Seraphiel slowly floated toward her physical body. The closer her soul came, the more clearly he could see the faint connection between the two.

Tiny strands of silver-white light began forming between them, extending from her soul toward different parts of her body as if they were searching for the places where her soul had once been connected.

The moment her soul touched her body, those strands spread throughout her entire form.

A soft white glow immediately surrounded Seraphiel as her soul slowly began merging back into her physical body. Her translucent figure gradually became less distinct as it sank into her chest, while countless threads of light continued spreading through her body, passing through her heart, her limbs, and finally reaching every part of her existence.

A few moments passed before the white glow surrounding Seraphiel suddenly became brighter only to slowly fade away a moment later, leaving her physical body completely intact.

His anger, which had begun rising after hearing Eliomor’s explanation, was temporarily forgotten as all of his attention became focused on her.

Seraphiel’s body immediately began falling, but Atlas instinctively stepped forward and caught her before she could touch the ground. Her eyes fluttered open as her blurry vision gradually became clearer, and the first thing she saw was Atlas’s face only a few inches away from hers.

Her cheeks immediately turned red as she stared at him in confusion.

”A-Atlas? I-Is this some kind of afterlife...? Didn’t I die?”

Atlas looked at her awkward and embarrassed expression for several seconds. He had spent so long believing that he had failed to save her that seeing her alive again made it difficult for him to organize his thoughts. Yet there was one question that continued occupying his mind, a question that had existed long before this battle.

”Why?” Atlas finally asked.

Seraphiel blinked in confusion.

”Why did you love me?” Atlas continued, his expression remaining serious despite the strange situation. ”You risked your life for me...”

Before Seraphiel could answer, Eliomor’s voice interrupted them. ”Now that she is alive, you can ask those questions later. For now, I need one last help from you to keep the world safe, where both you and she can continue living.”

Atlas slowly turned toward the floating orb. He didn’t like being interrupted, but the words keep the world safe immediately reminded him that the situation wasn’t over yet. He immediately used his Spirit Weaver Trait to create a floating spirit chair and carefully placed Seraphiel on it before looking back toward Eliomor.

Seraphiel also turned toward the five figures standing nearby before shifting her attention toward the floating orb. She still looked confused about what had happened, but she remained silent as Eliomor prepared to explain everything.

”I will explain everything briefly, as we do not have much time.”

Atlas narrowed his eyes slightly before nodding. He wanted to know what Eliomor had been doing, why the souls of the entire world had been taken, and what exactly Orivian had been planning. However, now that Seraphiel was safe, Atlas didn’t particularly care what Eliomor or anyone else wanted from him.

His own objective hadn’t changed, he still intended to kill Orivian and...he still intended to kill Azarion.

So, Atlas simply listened.

”That man, Orivian, has two purposes...

- - -

[A/N: Do not get angry at me and say that Atlas has become weak-hearted due to Seraphiel, just wait and remain patient, these emotions were the first time he was feeling so they were obviously overwhelming for him. ]