In the Dark emptiness of the gap between buildings in Eternal City, days and nights were even harder to count than when barraged by constant sunlight. Yet Atlas knew that it had been a month since the grand bust of the Heavenly Beast Sect’s Branch. His own internal clock having found a rhythm, easily enough.
The group had had to run quickly after opening the vault as more and more men had been notified of the disturbance and Carius could only take care of so many, as he was not only just a shivering guy, all on his lonesome, but had also not engaged in Cultivation. He wanted to return of course, the sooner the better.
They had grabbed a whole bunch of treasure other than the orb they had gone there for originally, the kids could use to learn how to read, to write, have fun and learn of cool stories and heroes, and more. Enough money to slowly use for food, better beds, greater light in the dark, and maybe even eventually a place under the sun. For the first time in their miserable lives, with Atlas barely doing something for them, he had presented to them the Future, real hope and prospects. Before this, those words had no meaning. The children hadn’t even known them.
Bored out of their minds in the desolate, dark, emptiness of the in-between the kids were starved for something to do, and they dove head first into the trials Atlas prepared for the ever day. They feasted on a hefty spiritual meal for breakfast and struggled through painful body training. Their legs were torn open, their waists bent backwards, their arms tangled in impossible positions till they were shouting in pain. And that was just the warm up. Strengthening, Cardio, Complex training that used both mind and body took up the rest of the morning before a spar at the end. A beat-down where Atlas honed their senses and reflexes to the absolute limit. He did not pull back his punches on Cao and Lui specifically, he was harsh on them, every day he got even worse.
Even today, Cao and Lui crawled to the dining area where Carius had prepared an amazing lunch, fattening them for the latter half of the day. They sought it out on their own, essentially begging for a thrashing. The rest of the children were left behind as Atlas and the two kids traveled deeper into the non existent abyss hidden within Eternal City. Zealous faces hardened into chiseled marble as they sat in horse stance for an hour, weight on their arms pulling them down. Their shoulders screamed, and their muscles seemed raw. It was only when blood threatened to pop out of their eyes, neck, and skull that Atlas let them rest and the most serious training begun. Specialized to the talent’s of the two children, the oldest and defacto leaders of the lost children.
As the rest were put to sleep, Carius came over with a little bamboo flute, sat in a far off corner and played a soft tune, almost silent in the echoing chambers, yet it veiled the thickness of shadows and pipes with its undertones of light and clouds, and rain, and blooms. Lui sat down in pure meditation. A whirlpool of Qi gathering around her, black like the night, it ruffled her hair and caressed her skin before hurling into her body as per her orders. She had great perceptiveness for Qi, immensely so. Talented was an understatement. She would sit there for hours, gathering and growing, communicating with the vast network of dark Qi in this place she called home, unwillingly so. An effort that put much strain on the mind, most beginners could not even enter such a state. Yet she could do it for as long as needed, till it was time for sleep.
Much to Cao’s jealousy, who could only try to meditate for an hour, pulling small wisps and handfuls of Qi particles each time and barely guiding those into his body, it was hard, grueling work for him. Even then, Qi did not usually abide by his rules and will and preferred to escape him the first chance it got. Not to say that he wasn’t talented, just, on a different league to Lui.
Yet that was not were Atlas focused his training anyway. There was time to gather Qi as he grew and time passed, he had to prime his body before he advanced in the first place, as foundations were always important.
It had taken a month for Atlas to process Cao from rough coal into a shining diamond. It was through tireless persistence and the will to jump into a canyon full of swords and jagged stones that Cao reached this point, where he could take so much punishment day after day. Even now, he moved from one torturous exercise to another, his mind still hazy from the Horse Stance, he moved on, without break. Body doused in sweat, glistening orange in the light of the fires.
Atlas lunged at Cao. Controlled strikes, perfectly placed, pushing Cao to using his natural born flexibility. He twisted, bent, and flipped away from all attacks as per the drill. He slithered past punches and sneaked under roundhouse kicks that came his way. Atlas attacked wholeheartedly, solely focused on that, disregarding all defense as he knew no attack would be coming his way. It was many minutes later when a sharp palm knife dig into Cao’s shoulder, sweaty and slick, that the first drill came to an end. Both Atlas and Cao breathed hard, Cao’s limbs burned, ached, oh how good it would be if he sat down, right there, catch his breath, take a break. He couldn’t possibly go any further. Cao thought, again and again.
Yet in the end, Cao smiled wryly and pulled a blindfold over his eyes. A new drill started, a sensory deprivation debacle that had Cao stretch his other senses to his limit, in a progressive manner more and more of his senses were thrown off. His ears came second, then smell, and finally only with touch. Being deprived completely of everything else he was utterly alone, left with nothing but his own mind. He fought desperately, lunging at every slight inkling that something was coming. He could be fighting Altas, or the breeze, he wouldn’t know, nor would he find out. The last drill of the day ended with him receiving something much worse than a beating.
At the end of this day, to relax, as per Cao’s own request, the young Boy undertook muscle training in the form of the Laertis Body Refinement Art. A very difficult task the teen placed on himself once more. Even Atlas worried that he was pushing the child way too much. He did as he thought best, he was devilishly strict, yet he fed them with incredibly expensive meals that got better as Carius cooked more of them. Three times a day. All the children were showing progress in the pressurized chamber of pure martial training that was the depths in between the world, like a time chamber, with all the resources they could need they devoted one hundred percent of their time. Their progress was rapid.
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It was at the area where the children slept, near where they ate that a large jade Stone had been carved into a ceramic bowl, standing atop a light gray monolith, holding the bright red Fire Stone. Before going to bed and turning off the lights to be plunged in thick darkness all the children, along with Atlas and Carius, knelt in front of the Monument and prayed to the deceased hero of the Children. Whose name Lui had not divulged, as it has always been. Instead the stone simply said. Names disappeared after Death in the in between, so common was death.
‘Here lies, Big Brother and Guide to all the Lost Children. Peter. May he rest in peace.’
The name was a touch added by Atlas, a ceremonial name for the children and a reference for his and Carius’ ears. Just a nod which he has left behind, as he is now stepping closer and closer to never being able to easily leave this place. As long as the Seal remains closed shut that is. Atlas hoped and dreaded he could and would keep the Seal tight over Eternal City.
The children slept dead through the night, even the youngest, made not a noise. It was relief to Carius’ ears, who sat awake next to a sleeping Atlas. His thoughts could not find peace. With every day that they spent here the more out of character Atlas’ actions seemed, the worse his anxiety got, his mind was churning at high speeds even right now, restless tired. Stuck between bringing back the Atlas he knew and whatever was down the other path.
It is because of this constant worry eating away at him that he heard the distinct shuffling sound that echoed in the covering the floor and walls of the in-between.
Carius nudged Atlas awake as the sounds got closer, more intense. Atlas shot up from his bed and rushed deeper, towards the sound. His eyes watched the darkness with eagle eyes, any hint of Qi, any reflection from the dim light of a few pocketed lanterns would not escape him.
It was before any hint of a threat showed that a call reached him and Carius. “We come in peace. We are also lost children. We want to propose a trade.” The voice of a teen whose voice had just dropped, a grungy voice still not used to its forced maturity, echoed in the dark halls.
“Show yourself then. We can talk after.” Atlas responded, he straightened to a more casual position.
The footsteps of one person slapped the ground, stepping over small and big pipes through fumes and exposed liquid until the young, changing, acne filled face appeared in the light. The teen clasped his palms and presented them forward as he bowed in greeting.
“You can Relax, speak what you want.” Atlas confirmed the safety of the situation and sat back on a large metal pipe.
“I am the Big Brother of these children behind me. We know the changes that have come upon this gang of Lost children here after you came. We know of your Wanted Poster. You’ve become famous among us.” The Teen started, he offered no name. He had probably long discarded his.
“So you know I have money. And you want a share?” Atlas raised a brow as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“We don’t want the money necessarily. The Food, the Beds, the Firewood, the Lanterns, the Books. The items are even better. We don’t want to starve and die of disease anymore."
“Sure, I can do that. We have enough to last us for a long time without any more thievery. But what can you offer me?” Atlas wasn’t really concerned what they could offer him, but to Lui and Cao and the children he had taken under his care, some form of assurance of his good will.
“We know you’re from the other world.” Atlas raised the other brow as well. “While it doesn’t look exactly the same, there is another poster about an unregistered entrant that had been flying around the city about a month ago. You looked nearly identical.”
“Smart. I guess they stopped bothering with that poster and forgot all about it. But what does this have to do with my question?” Atlas thought he knew where they were going. His heart palpitated. It had been
“We have news of a trade. Between those other world soldiers and the Crystal Palace. The Heavenly Mirage. It’s become a big deal. Even simple home owners speak about it. The hastening of the Escape.” The big brother, a fledgling really, recounted the information.
It hit Atlas like a hammer. The teen did not understand the seriousness of the matter. If that deal went through the world would end. His clan could not do anything even if they tried. It needed to be stopped. That crystal that would be traded had to be stolen, or destroyed. Whatever effect the Crystal Palace carved into its body could not fall into the hands of NUN soldiers .
Atlas stood up and shook the unprepared teen’s hand. “You got your supplies. From the morning I will be getting all the things you need to try and live a respectable life. Welcome aboard.” He said and left the flabbergasted teen behind as walked past his bedding and to the outside. Carius followed.
“Atlas, we need to prepare, You can’t expect us two to stop this? Do you not remember the strength of that Store Manager? I am not even a Cultivator!” Carius paced after to Atlas, over pipes and obstacles, hands flailing about.
“It won’t be the two of us. It’s gonna be me. You’re gonna make sure the Children get their training done.” Atlas ordered. He stopped and turned to stair into Carius eyes. “Seriously.” He resumed walking.
“Best case Scenario our two scavenger friends will be there again to take the item off my hands and make it disappear for good. Worst case I destroy it.” Atlas thought of Bi-Ran and Al-Sen remembering the conflicting circumstances that bound them. “They are gonna be there. The goings on of the Seal really matter to them, for different reasons. If I get it in my hands, it won’t be the end of the world as I won’t be damaging the process of the army, just buying earth more time. What could the crystal be?” Atlas reasoned. His thoughts running ahead of him.
“This is crazy. You are being crazy Atlas.” Carius pulled at his hair as he rushed after Atlas, who kept picking up the pace.
“At this point Carius, what else should I do?” Atlas shouted, throwing his hands up in the air. “My integrity is gone, My home is gone, My family has thrown me away! The Only thing I have left is the Planet itself. I know right now out there someone is trying to get in contact with the army and spread the truth. And I am not going to let their efforts turn out to nothing but ash. I’m gonna stop that trade. And you are gonna protect the Children.” Atlas spoke. His heart ached at the things he lost. Carius stopped following him, he was shocked, he was terrified, he felt the ground before him crumble. His world lot just a little bit more of its light. It seemed as if Atlas was speaking from the heart, and from the mind. His Truth. Yet the storm brewing inside Carius said otherwise. He had been through something similar before. When he was younger. Carius knew plenty. He wasn’t always such a stickler for orders, a coward, a goody two shoes.
As an Uncle, and as a friend. He hoped it didn’t get any worse. Atlas was walking down a path that held too much turmoil for a single person to handle, and Carius had given up once, he could not handle another attempt.