Holding the celestial sheet tightly in his hand, Atlas made his way back to the living chamber. The room was calm —the faint hum of divine energy flowing through the walls, the soft radiance of the ambient light reflecting off polished marble.
Lilim, no longer asleep; she sat upright on the couch, her posture straight, though the gentle tilt of her head gave her an almost delicate grace. The moment Atlas entered, her attention shifted immediately toward him —her crimson eyes meeting his with instinctive reverence.
"Lilim," Atlas began, his voice firm but even, "I want you to create a dimensional gate leading to this realm."
He pointed at the first coordinate on the celestial sheet —one of the many realms Fate scarcely monitored.
"Yes, Master," Lilim replied softly, her tone carrying that familiar hint of shyness that clung to her no matter how obedient she'd become.
She stood gracefully, her obsidian hair flowing down like liquid night, and extended her hand forward. The air around her rippled, bending under the weight of her divinity. A deep hum resonated through the chamber —low, heavy, and sharp.
Then the space before them tore open.
An obsidian portal manifested, swirling with molten darkness, its edges traced with faint red lines that pulsed like veins. It was unlike Luminaria's portals, which shimmered with divine light and serenity. This one radiated depth, silence, and shadow —a gateway that didn't just connect worlds, but seemed to consume the space around it.
Atlas studied the portal with quiet intrigue. "Impressive," he murmured. "Yours has more weight to it than your sister's."
Lilim lowered her gaze slightly, her voice humble. "My portals mirror my essence, Master. They take on the form of death and shadow —whereas Luminaria's reflect light and life."
Atlas nodded, satisfied with her explanation. "Good," he said, stepping closer to the swirling darkness. "Then this one will do perfectly."
The portal pulsed once more, waiting —alive, breathing, and ready to take them into the unknown realm Fate had long ignored.
Atlas looked over his shoulder at Lilim. "Prepare yourself," he ordered. "We'll begin our first conquest with this world."
"Yes, Master," she said, her voice firm despite the faint tremor in her breath.
And with that, the two of them stepped toward the edge of the portal.
They stepped out of the portal, their bare feet pressing against a rough, uneven surface. The air was dense, filled with the faint tang of metal and smoke —a smell Atlas recognized immediately.
His crimson eyes scanned the surroundings, taking in the tall glass towers, the blinding glow of neon lights, and the restless sea of people moving along the streets. Cars roared past, lights flickering in patterns that felt both familiar and alien after so long.
Atlas stood completely still, his gaze locked on the skyline. "What are the chances?" he muttered, his tone low, almost to himself.
Lilim blinked, her expression soft with confusion as she followed his gaze. Before she could ask, voices from nearby broke through the air.
"Did they just appear out of a portal? Do you think they might be high-ranked hunters?" one stranger whispered to another, his tone laced with excitement.
"Who cares about that —look at her," another said, pointing openly at Lilim. "That's one heck of a baddie."
Lilim turned her head slightly, her crimson eyes narrowing, but she said nothing.
"Damn, she's hot," another voice chimed in. "But what's with their clothes? They look like they came out of some fantasy convention—well the world did change after the big catastrophe."
"Yeah, people started wearing weird shit after that year," a fourth added. "They might be into medieval theme or something. That'd explain the no shoes and the… uh, royal vibe."
Atlas and Lilim stood there silently as more whispers spread through the growing crowd. It was strange to Atlas —to be surrounded by mortals again, hearing their meaningless chatter, their laughter, their shallow amazement. Once, he would have been one of them. Now, their words barely registered as noise.
"Master, are you okay?" Lilim asked softly, her concern breaking through his thoughts.
Atlas blinked, coming back to himself. His expression softened —barely —before returning to that detached calm that defined him.
"I'm fine," he said. His eyes drifted across the street once more, watching a child holding his mother's hand, a group of friends laughing near a food stand, and a couple arguing over directions. Then his voice came again, quiet but sure. "Lilim, this world… is actually the one I came from. It's called Earth."
Lilim's eyes widened slightly. "Oh…" she breathed, processing his words. The revelation carried weight —this was not just another world to conquer. This was his home.
For a moment, she hesitated, her mind torn between obedience and emotion. Does this mean… this world will be spared? she wondered silently.
But then, as if hearing her thoughts, Atlas spoke again, his tone steady and unflinching. "Before we destroy this planet," he said, "let's do a bit of exploration."
Lilim's eyes widened, the faintest tremor in her breath. "You're still going to destroy this world? Even though it was your home before?" she asked carefully, her tone uncertain —almost pleading.
Atlas turned to her, his expression unreadable. The glow of neon reflected in his crimson eyes like blood over glass. "Yes," he said simply. "That's not enough reason for me to spare it. Even if it were, I still wouldn't."
His gaze hardened, a faint edge of truth and conviction beneath the calm. "Only the strong can grant mercy without consequence. I'm not one of the strong… not yet."
The words struck Lilim like a quiet thunder. To hear such ruthless honesty from her Master —not cruelty, not arrogance, but clarity —made her chest tighten.
She lowered her head, awe flickering in her crimson eyes. "Understood, Master," she whispered.
As Atlas began walking down the neon-lit street, the humans moved aside instinctively, their primal fear whispering that he was not one of them. Lilim followed closely behind, her loyalty burning brighter than ever —for the man who would one day make even Fate herself bow.