Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground

Chapter 866  Wait

'How did it come to this?' Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The thought ran bitterly through the mind of the man chained to the wall. His features were disfigured, covered in deep lacerations and large bruises that had clearly been there for a long time.

Though he now looked unrecognizable, anyone from the Obsidian Order in the human domain would identify him in an instant.

Alvis, the branch head of the Obsidian Order in Sector 3.

From a young age, Alvis had always walked the dark path. He hadn't joined the Obsidian Order out of some grand ambition, it was simply because he had nothing left to lose. He was already on the wrong side of things, so why not lean into it?

Even so, Alvis had always wanted to achieve something meaningful in his life. When he was younger, he had a master who taught him everything he needed to survive in a cruel world. That teaching had stayed with him, and it gave him a dream: to pass on what he had learned to a student of his own.

But he had tried twice, and both students had been killed by the same person.

A child.

Someone so young that it should have been impossible.

And yet, it had happened.

The loss had devastated Alvis, and his despair only deepened when he was first captured by Avalon. Being a prisoner of the Ravensteins was something Alvis wouldn't wish on even his worst enemies.

At least, that was what he thought back then, before he escaped with the help of the other branch heads.

But now, after being recaptured, Alvis realized something far worse:

He hadn't seen the true cruelty of the Ravensteins.

After their capture, Alvis and Elysia, who was now chained beside him, had been singled out for punishment. Alvis had attacked the Ravensteins' camp and had almost killed Atticus numerous times, but Elysia's crime was far greater: she had been responsible for Freya's death.

What followed was beyond description.

For weeks, every day, different Ravensteins came to the prison to unleash their fury on them. Magnus, Avalon, the three stars, the elders, and many others Alvis hadn't even deemed important had visited the cell, inflicting unimaginable torture.

It had been nothing short of hell.

Especially for Elysia.

The Ravensteins were meticulous in her punishment, ensuring she endured pain beyond anything Alvis could fathom. At this point, he was certain she was broken.

'The Ravensteins are a family of madmen,' Alvis thought grimly.

As he reflected on his life and the suffering he had endured, Alvis couldn't help but chuckle bitterly.

'To think I, Alvis, would end up in this state, all because of a 17-year-old.'

He shakily turned his head toward the still form of Elysia.

Unlike him, she hadn't moved in hours. Her torture had been worse than his, and the Ravensteins had taken their time breaking her completely.

At this point, Alvis was certain there was nothing left of her but a shattered shell.

'What a kid,' Alvis thought bitterly, his mind turning to Atticus.

The power Atticus had shown was unlike anything Alvis had ever seen. The boy had stood his ground against Blackgate, one of the most powerful paragons.

It was insane.

As he recalled Atticus's calm demeanor, the coldness in his eyes, and the way he carried himself, Alvis couldn't help but imagine what it would have been like to have someone like that as his disciple.

He shook his head, a wave of pain rippling through his body. It was too late to entertain such thoughts.

During the battle in Sector 8, though he had been too battered to see it, Alvis had felt Blackgate's presence disappear. In contrast, Atticus's presence had remained strong and unyielding.

Blackgate had lost.

That meant there was no hope of escape. Ever.

Just as this thought settled in his mind, Alvis heard the sound of footsteps approaching the cell.

'Another round of torture,' he thought grimly.

Before he could lift his head to see who was coming, the rattling of chains echoed through the chamber.

Alvis turned his head to the side, shocked to see Elysia trembling violently, her wide eyes staring straight ahead.

'What…?'

Alvis's heart sank as he tried to understand what was happening.

They had both endured terrible torture, yet she had never reacted like this before. Alvis could feel the fear radiating from her, it was intense, suffocating.

Just as he wondered what was happening, he felt it.

Death.

It was near. It was absolute. The sensation washed over him like ice water.

'No way.'

His heart stopped as he shakily turned his head forward, and then he saw them, a pair of glowing purple eyes, staring at them like they were nothing more than slabs of meat.

'It's him.'

The room was pitch black, but Alvis didn't need to see anything else. He could feel it in his very bones.

It was Atticus.

Alvis shivered.

'Surely, a 17-year-old wouldn't be able to stomach torture,' he thought desperately, clinging to the hope. But even he didn't believe his own thoughts.

Atticus could never be compared to other children. Their last battle had proved that. Atticus hadn't flinched when over a thousand Starhavens were threatened. He hadn't blinked when the entire sector was destroyed.

It was insane.

Atticus said nothing. Not a single word. The sound of the jail door sliding open echoed through the chamber as he stepped inside, walking toward the duo chained to the wall.

Elysia's trembling grew worse. Her chains rattled, and her wide eyes were fixed on Atticus like a cornered animal.

"Please… I'm sorry… forgive me… stay away!" she sobbed, thrashing against the wall as though trying to melt into it.

But Atticus didn't blink. He didn't flinch. He just stared at her with those glowing purple eyes, silent and cold.

The room grew colder. The air was still, suffocating.

Alvis shifted uncomfortably, his heart pounding in his chest. He could only watch as Elysia broke down further. Her cries grew louder, echoing off the prison walls.

"Don't touch me! Please! No more!"

Atticus didn't move.

And then he did.

A single step forward, and Elysia's scream tore through the chamber.

It was primal, the sound of someone who had nothing left but pain. The walls shook. The chains groaned.

Alvis flinched, his stomach twisting as he braced himself for what was to come.

The scream stopped abruptly.

Silence.

And then another scream erupted, louder, sharper. It took Alvis a moment to realize it was his own.

Pain coursed through his body like fire under his skin, spreading to every nerve. His muscles convulsed, his mind blanking from the sheer intensity. He tried to fight it, but it was impossible.

He gasped for breath as the pain stopped, his body trembling. Relief didn't come.

Atticus moved again. His presence filled the room like a storm, everywhere and nowhere all at once. Sudden. Unrelenting.

"W-wait…" Alvis croaked weakly.

Atticus didn't wait.