Earlier...
Atlas stood alone, surrounded by ard n in a clearing. Laser dots peppered every inch of his body, locking him in from every direction.
One wrong move, one wrong breath, and his blood would spill.
But he didn’t care about that. Atlas was used to being threatened with every breath. Just seeing people, especially when they were walking in his direction—the horror.
"I’m claiming the Shadow Order."
His eyes were on the granny, who had just co out of the hut and seed to be going sowhere. The granny held her hand behind her, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
"And you are...?"
"Atlas Bennet," he answered without a second’s hesitation, pride lacing his voice. "The one who will take the Order."
The granny’s brows rose; she had heard the na. Of course, she rembered. After all, that young lady nad Penny had started a bet with her.
"I see. So, you’re the one she’s talking about, huh?"
Her remark made him furrow his brows mildly. "She?"
"Hmm?" the granny cocked her head to the side. "Right. You must not know, but your sister was just here."
The flatness of his expression quickly crumbled as his pupils dilated. His heart thudded once, exhaling a heavy breath as if it had been trapped in his chest.
"Penny," he whispered. "So, she’s okay?"
"She is," the granny smiled. "If I may add, she’s almost too okay—it was slightly concerning."
Atlas stabilized his breathing, not dwelling on it. As long as Penny was fine, he knew he had to do this better. But now that he knew she was fine, the heaviness in his heart and shoulder lifted.
"My little sister was swapped when she was a child, so a few screws in her head weren’t properly locked," he said. "Must have been loosened during the swap while her skull was still developing. I apologize if she caused so concerns."
"Haha!" the granny laughed. "She is silly, but I find her silliness delightful."
Hearing that, his face slightly twisted. "I’m... even more sorry."
The granny’s laughter echoed louder.
"What a surprise!" she mused. "And here I thought the two of you got along, but it seems you do get along... just differently."
She smiled and nodded at him. "So, you are here to claim the Shadow Order?"
"That is what I said."
"Do you have the code?"
"No."
"Then, no," the granny’s smile stretched a bit wider. "I am sorry, young man. However, you are not the first to co to claiming the Order. The code exists for a reason."
She waved her wrinkly hand slightly, making the n lower their weapons at Atlas.
"Besides, your sister made a bet with ," she added. "She said her brother, nad Atlas, would claim the Order, and I have to put my bet on soone else. I’m not letting her win. However, I would let you leave here alive."
With that, the granny reached out, and the bulky guy standing near her offered his arm for her to hold on to. They walked away to the side, not wasting a second. But with the granny’s age, they walked more slowly.
Suddenly, a whisper made them stop.
"Kill her."
All the ard n in the area imdiately pointed their rifles at Atlas, while those near the madam surrounded her to protect her. They looked around, and no one opened fire. They assud Atlas was talking to soone else and was giving an order to shoot the madam down.
But all they heard was the quiet whisper of the night, the rustle of the leaves, along with the cold breeze.
Slowly, all eyes returned to Atlas. Those who blocked the madam moved aside, giving way so the granny could see Atlas.
"Hmm?" the granny humd, tilting her head to the side. "Young man, it seems your n’s comms aren’t working. I suggest you speak louder like I do."
Atlas blinked. "I have no n in the area, and I do not have any communication device with ... unfortunately."
This confused everyone even more. Their puzzlent was evident on their faces, so looking around just to make sure. But then again, Atlas was able to reach this area with all of them now here because he was all alone.
If it were a group, it would be more obvious and easily detected.
"I am talking to you," Atlas continued, snapping his eyes at the guy near his right.
The man, who was clearly pointing a rifle at him, furrowed his brows. With Atlas keeping his gaze on him, he couldn’t help but point at himself.
"?"
Atlas nodded. "Yes, you. Shoot her."
"???"
Everyone’s thought bubble was imdiately filled with question marks, confused by the situation. Atlas coming here all alone to claim the Order was courageous—they had to admit that. But it seed this man was confused.
Had he forgotten that they weren’t his n he could order around?
Even the granny was utterly confused, rendered speechless by this level of delusion. Now, she wondered why Penny even had so much faith in her big brother when it seed Atlas was getting things mixed up.
"Young man," the granny chuckled. "I know I am the elderly here, but it seems you are having an early-onset problem. You must get checked. Confusion might be a symptom."
"I am not confused," Atlas clarified flatly, then pointed at the sa man. "I am asking him, one of your people, to shoot you."
The granny scoffed, yet was still confused. "And what makes you think he would listen to you?"
"Because you’re in the way." His answer was quick, adding an indifferent shrug. "You are in my way of claiming the Order, and you are robbing these n of the opportunity to protect their land, the Order’s integrity, and their pride and dignity."
"You are in our way," he stressed.
Atlas blinked ever so slowly before he scanned the people in the clearing, and then he set them on the old lady.
"You’ve been in that position for quite a long ti now," he muttered. "It’s ti for the Order and the new generation to welco change."
He paused, his eyes sharpening. "Step down now and get out of my and my people’s way, Sybil."
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