The once floating fortress was in shambles. Since Atticus seized every material radiating Redflame will, the city lost its power to hover.
He had ensured the landing caused no casualties, but the metropolis had become a husk, barely anyone roaming its streets.
This was the city where their god Nerrot resided. And it was where Atticus was assumed to stay. But the people wanted to be as far from him as possible, and fled.
"How does it feel to be hated?" Whisker asked with a smile.
"Being hated by weaklings?" Ozeroth scoffed. "Useless. The real joy is when the strong hate Ozeroth."
Whisker gave him a strange look. "You’re a very weird man."
"I believe great is the word you’re looking for." Ozeroth grinned.
"I can assure you," Whisker said flatly, staring him in the eye, "it is not."
Ozeroth frowned, ready to take offense, when Atticus cut in.
"They don’t matter to me. Their hatred means nothing. Let’s go. I don’t want us spending too much time away."
"Yes, your eminence," Kancilot replied quickly with a bow. Though he didn’t show it, he had been waiting for a chance to speak.
Atticus was someone he could never speak casually to. And Ozeroth and Whisker were both too eccentric for normal conversation. Still, he was sure, this trip was going to be an eventful one.
Whisker smiled, Ozeroth snorted, and Atticus waved. The group vanished and reappeared deep within Nerrot’s mansion. Specifically, his room.
"If I remember correctly, I felt a portal around here."
Whisker approached the wall opposite the large bed. It was covered in engravings, ones even Atticus didn’t understand.
"Can you activate it?"
Earlier, Whisker had explained the ways they could get to the Willess World.
The first was asking the Great Verge politely. That never worked. The second was having a portal directly linked from your world to the Willess World.
For the latter, it required money and the service of an Etcher.
An Etcher was the equivalent of a rune engraver. They could manipulate will and use it to create etchings that carried their commands. These ranged from will artifacts to simple things like portals linking worlds together.
"I’m Whisker Von Pounce," Whisker declared, as if the name alone was enough. "What do you think?"
"That we’re screwed," Ozeroth smirked. Whisker turned toward him. The man looked proud of the jab.
"Smart. I’m surprised it came from you. It must have taken so many of your brain cells. I doubt you have any left. Need help walking?"
Ozeroth fumed. "You bast—"
"Stop that." Atticus walked calmly toward the portal, glaring at Whisker, who only shrugged.
"How do we activate it? And where are we going to appear on the other side?"
His worry wasn’t unfounded. This portal belonged to Nerrot. The last thing he wanted was to appear in the middle of a Redflame base.
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