Chapter 19 Atlas

 

I watched one of them die. When I came too, everything was gone, destroyed. All that remained were the goddesses. They were beings of golden light, and though mortal only minutes before, they knew of their purpose as gods of a world that was not their home.

 

              Atlas was not left much time to deal with the complex emotions that was pouring through his mind at the revelation that this incredible hero in which he was just taught was not just someone with similar abilities as himself but was more than likely the actual being. The lack of evidence of the heroes demise and Atlas’s mental affliction only aided this growing theory. Though he knew something was wrong with his mind, he was still cognizant enough to think critically about this utterance before admitting it to himself.

              If he was in fact the Last Hero of Elkin, Atlas was unsure what he would do with such information. He was clearly not as powerful as the stories spoke, but there was a whole religion in which looked at him as their deity, or something, he was still unsure on that. How could he be this hero when he couldn’t even protect his home.

              Atlas also contemplated the idea that if he were the Hero, he was the Hero of Elkin. Elkin was not a shining light of morals and support; they were the opposite in fact. They were ruled by a hegemony with an iron fist and broke little to no dissent. The only populations in which would escape their powerful military would be the far off villages boarding the Wildlands in which provided little to nothing to their might. In fact, this was preying more and more on his mind. Though many people wished to escape the lower rungs of Seton’s society, the Immortal King was supposed to be this beacon of love and honest power for his people. His power along had kept his population not only alive but thriving for hundreds of years. How could he have opposed such a man who clearly cared so much?

              Then everything went black for a few hours. When day returned, no one had any clue on what just happened.

              “I have never seen anything like that.” Friend told him. “I can see in darkness, even magical darkness, but I was left as blind as a Merrin Cat.”

              “Merrin Cat?” Atlas asked.

              “It’s a monster to the west of here. They have six eyes that are all blind, which is odd. But they use echolocation like a bat to hunt.”

              “Hmm… Did you sense anything during the blackout?” Atlas asked seeing if the man had felt what he had.

              Friend’s face scrunched up trying to gather his thoughts. The large scar down the side of his face bulged out which forced his left eye to shut completely.

              “I thought I did, but then it was gone.” Friend said.

              “Same. It felt… it felt familiar.”

              “Familiar?”

              Atlas nodded. He looked back down at the few hundred people that made up their caravan. They decided to hold for a few days in order to see if anything else happened. The darkness came quickly, but not fast enough that didn’t allow them to pause and hitch up the animals. Atlas had to hand it to him, Friend band of thieves and smugglers were well disciplined.

              “How do you build such a group? I mean you’re a self-proclaimed thief.” Atlas asked.

              “I am a thief.” Friend replied as a matter of fact.

              “And a smuggler.”

              “I am a smuggler.” He replied in the same tone.

              “I can’t think that such professions build groups with such high morals, or even a willingness to help people like them.” Atlas said gesturing towards the refugees.

              Friend nodded and didn’t reply immediately. They were sitting around a small fire as night was coming around. He was cooking a pair of legs from an animal Atlas didn’t recognize. They were nearly the size of his arm, which made the tiny fire look incapable to cooking the meat properly. But, as Atlas has continuously discovered, Friend was a man of many talents. He would cast something into the flames every few minutes or so and the heat generated from it would increase exponentially. Atlas first thought that he would burn the outside of the legs before the insides would cook properly, but Friend did his thing over and over again and what was left was a delicious mean that Atlas was reluctant to share with the others around them.

              “You know, most people aren’t bad people naturally.” Friend said.

              “What do you mean?”

              “Here we go…” He heard Fray say from behind.

              Atlas turned to see Friends right hand and closest confidant, Fray walking towards them. Of course, Bane was lumbering behind with a tale tucked and a lowered snout. Atlas laughed at himself seeing that his dog was no longer his dog anymore, he followed that woman around with every free moment he could.

              “Bane do something wrong?” Atlas asked?

              “Nothing a small healing potion and some firm chastising couldn’t handle.” She replied.

              Spotting his master, Bane bounded overlooking for gratification from Atlas. Thinking he was in the clear, Atlas quickly dashed the giant dogs hopes.

              “What did you do?” Atlas asked firmly.

              “Go ahead, tell him Bane.” Fray prompted with fists on her hips.

              The dog let out a sad whining sound that only dogs knowing that they’re in trouble can do.

              “Tell him that you did like the way Brogen was speaking to me and smacked him nearly fifty feet in the air.” Fray said looking at the chastised dog.

              Friend snorted out a laugh, spitting out chunks of mean and nearly choking when inhaling.

              “Bane!” Atlas said glaring down at the dog.

              “It’s alright, he was very clear with his apology to Brogen.” Fray said.

              “Was he being rude again?” Friend asked.

              “You know how Centoids are. Luckily for him, he had that hard carapace. Now, are you about to get on your soap box?” she asked Friend.

              “You were saying?” Atlas prompted him to continue.

              “Yeah, people aren’t inherently bad.”

              “You said that.” Fray said exasperated.

              “Hush you. I mean, no one just does that from the start. I mean I’m sure there are some who are just naturally psychopaths, but most just need something. Food for their family, or perhaps just some money to pay off a loan. Everyone makes mistakes and very few of those mistakes are something to be executed for. It is just a long road of making exceptions for their situations.”

              “And you?” Atlas asked.

              Friend gave him a wicked smile.

              “I, my friend, am an exception.” Friend said.

              “Of course, you are.” Fray rolled her eyes.

              “Exception?” Atlas asked.

              “Yep. I just like the art. I also don’t steal from people who don’t deserve it… often… and then, only when it’s a challenge and they’re rich. But, since the war has gone on, things have gotten worse, and I find myself further and further aware from that line of work.”

              “More towards the smuggling things in and out?” Atlas asked.

              “Mostly things in, and people out. You will be a new one on getting someone in, but it shouldn’t too difficult.” Friend told him.

              “And your people? How do they fit in with your morals.” Atlas asked.

              “Most of them are better than me. An honest band of thieves.”

              Friend looked over at his people. Despite the few hundred of people readying up their camps, only a fraction of them were members of Friend’s and Fray’s group.

              “Most just made a single poor decision. We offered a better life, one where they could excel in their skills towards people that deserve it. We get a bad egg here and there, but everyone deserves at least one more chance. If they can’t nutt up, then they’re excised from the group. That is much less pretty as they generally try and come for me. Only once did I let my guards down.” Friend absently felt the scar on his face. “Never again. We do too much good for people to let a few idiots ruin it.”

              “I must admit, you’re not what I expected. That is especially considering that you immediately attacked me when I appeared.” Atlas told him.  

              Friend smiled back at him.

              “Well, I knew what you were, not who. It seemed smarter to try and take you out before you could kill everyone.”

              “What he is?” Fray asked.

              “Yeah, he’s an Earth User.” Friend said nonchalantly.

              Fray’s eyes went wide, and she stood fast. Atlas spotted her hand flexing towards her sword, but he held herself back.

              “An Ea…”

              Fray’s exclamation was muffed when a long blue hand stretched from Friend’s actual arm and covered her mouth.

              “That’s freaky.” Atlas said looking at his now ten-foot-long arm.

              “Fray, I trust you not to say anything.” Friend said to his companion.

              Her eyes glared over the hand and she crossed her arms.

              “Looks like I’m in trouble.” Friend said with a slight giggle and dropped the hand.

              “Damn straight you’re in trouble.” She growled at him.

              “Any chance the punishment could be some light spanking?” Friend asked with a grin.

              Atlas stifled a laugh. Though he and Friend were more powerful than this woman, she was capable of something neither of them were, the infamous female glare. They both shut up and sat straight up.

              “An Earth User…” she growled again. “I will spank you; I spank you so hard that…”

She paused seeing his smile grow again.

“Men…” she scoffed. “I can’t believe you!”

              “I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out yet.” Friend said.

              “Don’t start with me. And you!” she pointed an angry finger in Atlas’s face. “You…”

              “Hmm?” Atlas asked with his own crossed arms.

              “I don’t actually know. But are you kidding me!” she turned her fury back on Friend. “Do you know what will happed to us if the hegemony finds out?”

              “They won’t. They won’t even be able to find him.” Friend told her.

              “And how can you be so sure?” Fray asked angrily.

              “You noticed that you can’t sense him?” Friend asked.

              As if something suddenly snacked her in the face, she turned back towards him.

              “Yeah… why is that? I’ve felt one before, just a child outside the siege. He was killed only minutes after I noticed him.”

              “All the Earth Users are killed as just children. They are unable to hide their power from the ones around them who can sense magic, which is nearly every magical user. Atlas here, has the benefit of growing up outside the city states, he hides his aura without even thinking of it.”

              That was true. Atlas could hide his magical nature from those around him. He was unsure how he learned, or when, but it came to him naturally now. Atlas had spent so long alone that he was surprised that he still hid himself with such proficiency so subconsciously.

              “He is fine. Earth Users and Wind Speakers are only dangerous as untrained and emotional children. If they survive as an adult, then they can be something amazing.” Friend said.

              “Shit…” Fray cursed.

              “What?” Atlas asked.

              She glared back at him.

              “He’s up to something…”