Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground

Chapter 1381: Trap

"Ready?"

Anorah, who had been deep in thought, was brought out of it. The voice was thick, familiar. She’d heard it practically every day of her life since she first gained consciousness.

She turned, and saw the High Synod One bowing in front of the training room door. Since before her father’s passing, she’d had to rely on his help and protection in a world filled with wolves.

Anorah released a breath.

"Have the preparations been made?"

"Yes, Saint."

She took a moment, glancing about the room. Her training room wasn’t much to speak of. Well, this one.

As the world’s god, she had far too many training rooms to keep track of. Regardless, she only used this particular one because of its serene atmosphere.

It was temple-like, quiet. The perfect place to think.

The past few days had been a long one. Anorah had been torn between different paths to follow. It was unusual, especially with the involvement of thoughts without emotions. Of Logoth.

"Kaino still hasn’t acted?"

"No, Saint."

"That stupid old fool." She cursed under her breath.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As she released, the world around her vanished, the sound of the world blurred. All she could hear was her thoughts, all she could see was Kaino.

A flicker moved across her eyes. Hundreds of scenarios ran through her mind. Hundreds of possibilities. Hundreds of scenarios where her people didn’t make it.

The one thing Anorah could have said to have inherited from her father was his heart. Though her current path was one that had been forced down on her, it didn’t change the fact that the people of the resistance were her people. Her responsibility.

It was one of the only things her father had left behind for her, and she’d be damned if she allowed anything to happen to it.

In one fluid motion, Anorah rose from her seated position and began making her way to the door.

"He’s wasting too much time."

"He does it intentionally, Saint."

"Of course he does. That old fool is always plotting. It’s either one thing or another." She clicked her tongue.

One stepped out of the way, and they began making their way towards the world’s portal.

Though she had given the High Synod Kaino the absolute order to retrieve the captured resistance members, she couldn’t force him to act immediately.

A High Synod was a title of significance in the resistance. It was given to people whose world was bigger than at least twenty minor ranked worlds. Said gods were respected within the resistance and held great power.

The man hadn’t even scouted the place yet despite so many days having passed. Clearly, he was taking his time.

"You have to be careful, Saint. Calm." One cautioned. He could see it in the way she walked, Anorah was agitated.

She paused her rapid steps and took another breath. "I know." She said.

Despite her apparent closeness with One, the man still refused to address her casually. She had given up on trying.

"Are you sure about this?" One asked. Though he addressed her respectfully, he was still the old mentor she remembered from childhood. Always quick to offer his input, especially when she wasn’t seeing things for what they were.

Her eyes flickered once more. She went through all possibilities.

"He has no plans of helping them. The old fool has never cared for another other than himself."

"So why was he insistent on you saving them?"

He’s doing it again. One had the tendency to ask questions whose answer he already knew. It was more of a way of trying to alert her to something she was missing.

"Because it’s a trap." She finally said. She had thought about this extensively, after all.

"What kind?"

Anorah continued walking, mind spinning. During conversations, she could read Kaino like a book. In the world of the Logoth, subtle nuances and gestures were like announcing your intentions to her.

Kaino had always wanted to lead the resistance. Since her father’s time, and even now. His stunt during the meeting a few days ago was a normal occurrence. But something struck her odd.

He’d wanted her to do something he would have otherwise suggested not to do.

Everyone knew how much she cared for the members of the resistance. That her people had been captured was something most knew she wouldn’t tolerate. Yet, Kaino had insisted she act immediately.

A trap. She saw it from a mile away.

But what kind?

This was where the possibilities stretched into hundreds, branching into different parts. Anorah had settled on two.

"He thinks I might refuse, because of the danger. Then use that as an excuse to gain more support from the others. Or..."

"Or..." One echoed.

"A literal trap, to ambush me when I go rescue them."

"Which is it?"

Her mind ran. The second one was a new low, even for Kaino. Though she was skeptical, it didn’t change the fact that it wasn’t impossible.

She had learned, a long time ago, that people would live to surprise you. When it came to them, assume anything was possible.

"A literal trap." She finally said.

One was silent for a moment, then nodded. She could see that he was satisfied.

He only wanted to get his point across. She realized. But the truth of the matter was that she knew the whole thing was a trap, but there was no choice. She couldn’t abandon her people.

’The precautions would have to be enough.’

She hadn’t made her actions tonight known to the others. In the resistance, only herself, One, and one other person knew. No one else.

Their walk finally brought them to the portal room. There they quickly met the portal attendants and told them their destination. As they began working to start the portal, the last figure finally arrived.

"Saint." Lazio bowed deeply in front of her.

"Lazio... have you been briefed on the mission?"

Lazio nodded with a solemn expression. "Yes, Saint. It will be my honor to accompany you."

Anorah nodded. She didn’t waste time explaining the details anymore, and instead waited for the portal to start. She didn’t have to wait long.

In a few seconds, the inactive wall of stone began radiating a bright, swirling light.

Anorah’s thoughts suddenly turned to the man currently training underground.

’That’s right. I promised to tell him what was going on.’

She had no idea why she had done that, only realizing when the deed had been done and the promise made. It was as though Atticus had used some sort of magic on her. She never shared her feelings with anyone. Anyone, ever.

Anorah shook her head. It was a topic to think of later. For now, the mission was important.

With quick nods, they stepped through in the next moment.

Blinding lights. A feeling of being pulled across the cosmos. Then... normal.

Anorah opened her eyes, quickly scanning her surroundings.

"Saint."

Her eyes caught sight of an aged, hunched humanoid man, bowing by the side of the portal. It was the same man who had helped her rescue Atticus days back. Their will etcher.

"Eryndor," she said, acknowledging him with a nod.

"It is good to see you still stand with us."

The man, Eryndor, simply bowed. "For as long as I still draw breath, Saint, my etchings and my will are yours."

Anorah’s expression softened, if only for a breath. "Then I’ll see you soon, Eryndor."

They left the room without any preamble.

It was night time at the Willess World, same in all other worlds. For the sake of fairness, the Verge had deemed it necessary for everyone to share the same clock.

Anorah had chosen the cloak of the night due to their mission. Days ago, multiple resistance bases had been raided by the Will Guard and the people arrested.

Anorah still hadn’t fully understood how the Will Guard had done this. Not even Kaino knows.

This was one of the confusing aspects about the whole situation. Due to his erratic behavior, she had kept these locations from him.

The bases were so secret that only her and a few on the council had known about them.

Regardless, that wasn’t the most serious thing. The fact that they had raided the bases just moments after she escaped with Atticus and their bounties were placed meant one crucial thing.

’They know who I am.’

Her face, her world. The fact that she was the leader of the resistance. That was by all accounts, not good.

Despite the late night, it looked as though the streets had gotten even more crowded. As they entered, they took to the skies almost instantly, heading deeper into the Willess World.

Their secret portal enabled them to enter the world without notice. This was why Will Etchers were a very important resource.

The captured resistance members were reported to have been taken to the Will Guard’s main base at the center parts. This was exactly where they headed.

The center parts, unlike the outer and middle, had a clear boundary, then a checkpoint. However, manipulating light, they were able to pose as important members of the major faction and enter. Once inside, they made their way towards the main base.

’It’s there.’

Now, they were on top of a tall building, gazing at the skyscraper that seemed to pierce through the heavens. The Will Guard’s main base.