Atlas decided to take a walk. He needed to think. As he walked around Fort Bone, he bumped into Amber, who was heading home for the night.
“Hey Amber, are you doing anything right now?”
Amber said, “No, just heading home.”
“Well, I was going to get something to eat, but then head home,” Atlas said.
“You know what, I haven't eaten yet either. Let me pick up something from the machines, and why don't you come back to my place, and we'll eat there.”
Amber smiled, “That'd be great.”
Atlas couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief at her easy-going nature. Being around Amber always had a way of putting him at ease, even when his mind was a storm of thoughts. They went to the vending machines and picked out two meals. Atlas got a steak. It was his favorite thinking meal. And his favourite indulgence meal. And his favourite post workout meal.
‘Actually I guess it’s just my favourite meal.’
Amber had a salad with salmon belly and nuts.
“This is good,” Amber said as she scanned the salad. But her mind wandered to Isabella’s new restaurant, Bone Appetit. ‘It’ll be fun to see what she comes up with,‘ she thought, feeling a flutter of excitement. She had been chatting with Isabella for weeks about the menu.
They walked to Atlas's house, where the trolls were still playing around in front of it with the mini faeries.
“Yay, it's Amber!” the trolls cheered.
“Hi, Amber,” said the two baby trolls, their eyes lighting up in recognition.
Amber grinned, her heart warming at the sight of the trolls’ boundless energy. “Wow, you two are real big now!” she said, feeling a bit of pride for how far they’d come.
The mini faeries circled around Amber, chanting, “Amber, Amber, Amber,” like a sweet little choir, their tiny bodies buzzing with excitement.
Amber laughed, handing out rock candy to the faeries. She always carried some with her, knowing how much the mini faeries loved them. The mini faeries had been a huge help to the Crafting Association, and this was her way of showing appreciation. They swarmed around her, grabbing their candy with gleeful squeals.
She and Atlas walked inside his house. It was cozy, with nothing grand about it. Simple, much like the other houses in the area. Still, it felt like home, and that was enough. There were thirty of them now, and the coins from the daily auction had been bringing in more money than they had ever expected.
“Let’s eat,” Atlas said, his voice carrying a weight Amber hadn’t noticed earlier. He seemed tired, though his usual commanding presence was still there. “I have something to chat with you about. And I need your opinions. You're smart as a whip and I miss talking to you.”
Amber smiled softly, appreciating the compliment. Atlas had always been straight with her, and she valued that. They had both been caught up in their own responsibilities lately, and this chance to reconnect felt long overdue.
They sat down, eating in comfortable silence as they caught up on the smaller details of their lives, the easy parts. But as they finished dinner, the atmosphere shifted.
Atlas took a breath, gathering his thoughts before explaining the situation with the Faith and Belief settlements. He spoke with a seriousness that Amber rarely saw from him, and she listened intently, watching the furrow in his brow deepen as he laid out the dilemma.
They discussed the possibilities, tossing ideas back and forth. But despite their efforts, they couldn’t think of anything that hadn’t already been brought up in the leadership meeting.
Eventually, the conversation faded, and they let themselves relax into more intimate moments, seeking comfort in each other’s arms.
***
Two hours later, Atlas lay exhausted in bed, Amber nestled against him. For a little while, his mind had been blissfully blank, but now that familiar weight settled back in. His thoughts returned to the issue of the two settlements.
“Maybe it was the sex,” Atlas mused with a small smirk, “or maybe it was chatting with Amber.” He sighed, glancing down at her. “I think I have an idea, Amber. But hear me out and tell me what you think about it.”
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Amber lifted her head slightly, her cheek resting on his chest. “Oh, go ahead,” she said sweetly, always willing to listen, her voice full of warmth and encouragement.
“I think I'm not sure what I want to do with the two settlements because I'm not sure what I want,” Atlas admitted, his voice tinged with frustration. Saying it out loud felt like admitting defeat, but Amber always had a way of coaxing honesty out of him.
Amber’s expression softened. “What do you want?” she asked gently, knowing this wasn’t just about strategy.
“Well, my goal coming back here a second time has always been to save people,” Atlas said. Amber nodded silently, her gaze never leaving his. “But it was never to save EVERYBODY because there's a whole bunch of assholes out here in the wasteland, and they don't deserve to live at all.”
His words were harsh, but Amber understood. Life in the wasteland didn’t leave room for idealism. Still, hearing it from Atlas reminded her that he hadn’t grown softer over time. He was still a warrior at heart.
“So what are you thinking?” she asked after a moment of thought, her voice soft but steady.
“I’m thinking, how do I accomplish that?” Atlas said, frowning. “There’s one other thing bugging me. We are only two settlements away from connecting all of that blue-tinged area around the Fort Bone Empire.”
Amber tilted her head. “Oh, you mean that blue line that seems to appear, tracing parts of the territory for no reason?”
“Yeah, that's what I'm talking about,” Atlas said. “In my past trip here, nobody—and I mean nobody—in the whole wasteland connected a whole continent. We're close, though. The settlements underneath me due to the Overlord setting are a lot. The two territories that are bordering us, the Faith settlement and the Belief settlement, are the two that are preventing us from connecting it. If we take over those settlements either through diplomatic or military means, we would have a full continent. I don't know what happens if we do, but I'm thinking it'll be a good thing.”
Amber remained silent, taking in the enormity of what Atlas was saying. This wasn’t just about two settlements; it was about something much larger, something historic.
“Oh,” she finally said, her voice almost breathless from the realization.
Atlas stroked her hair absentmindedly. “I think what we should do then is let them destroy each other.”
Amber looked up at him, her brow furrowing. “Really?”
“Yeah. When I visited the Faith settlement, they had level three walls. And the Belief settlement only has level two walls. I doubt the Belief settlement has raised their wall’s strength any time recently because they’ve been paying off our bounty for those POWs and also giving them MediPod treatments. So their defenses aren’t as high. I didn’t attack the Faith settlement straight out because those level three walls are really hard to get through without sacrificing a lot of men.”
Amber’s mind raced, trying to keep up with Atlas’s logic. She nodded, staying quiet as she processed everything. His mind worked in such unique ways, always considering every angle.
“But if the Faith settlement is sending out a large army, we could take advantage of that,” Atlas continued, his tone thoughtful.
Amber’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Oh, do you mean to sneak in and attack them like you did the Sons of Valhalla?”
Atlas shook his head. “No, we can’t do that because if they have their army out and we march in, we won’t be able to take out that castle before the army turns around. Especially if they have messengers set up.”
“Messengers?” Amber asked.
“Yeah,” Atlas said. “The vending machine sells those flares. So if they have a messenger outpost or runners, they can get word out quickly. Before you know it, we’re caught between the castle walls and a returning army.”
Amber shuddered. “That wouldn’t be good.”
“No, it wouldn’t,” Atlas agreed. “But I’m thinking.”
He made exaggerated thinking noises—“Hmm. Hur. Hmmmhurr”—making Amber burst into laughter.
“If the Belief settlement gets attacked in a few days,” Atlas said, “it won’t be over immediately...”
Amber raised an eyebrow. “And?”
Atlas’s eyes sparkled with his idea. “If the Belief settlement gets attacked, and we attack the Faith settlement’s army while they’re already in a fight, they’ll be crushed between us and the Belief settlement’s walls.”
Amber blinked, surprised. “That could work.”
Atlas nodded, excitement building in his voice. “We’d wipe out their army without facing a siege situation. We hit them in the rear while they’re preoccupied.”
Amber smiled, impressed. “That sounds good.”
“It does sound good,” Atlas said with more confidence. “That’s what we’ll do.”
Amber rested her head back on his chest, sighing. “And then what will you do with the Belief settlement afterwards? Will you—”
“We have a non-aggression treaty with them,” Atlas interrupted.
“True, but…” Amber began.
“The treaty says we can attack them with a day’s notice if necessary,” Atlas said. “But I bet after the attack, I could convince them to let us become their overlord.”
Amber thought it over. “Not before?”
“No,” Atlas said. “Right now, they’re desperate, but not enough to accept our rule. But after we help them, they might not have a choice, depending on the state of their settlement.”
Amber’s lips curled into a wry smile. “Shouldn’t we at least ask?”
Atlas grinned. “If we ask, they’ll know we’re holding back. But if we show up to help during the attack, they won’t be able to say anything.”
Amber leaned in, resting her forehead against his. “It’s dangerous, Atlas. But… if anyone can pull it off, it’s you.”
Her words were meant to reassure him, but he could still hear the concern in her voice. Even so, they brought a small spark of confidence back into his chest. He smiled, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Thanks, Amber.”
As they lay back down, the weight of the future pressed on Atlas’s chest, but this time it felt a little lighter. With Amber by his side, at least he knew he wasn’t alone in carrying it.
Atlas was glad he had the pillow talk with Amber, it had helped clear up his messy thoughts. ‘Is that why they say behind every great man is a great woman…and in my case many great women?‘