Drake glowered deeply at his brother. The man he had not seen in over ten years holding a slight grin and thin eyes, while wearing long white robes with golden accents. In his hands a staff and a small ball that radiated like a miniature sun.
After some time, Atticus seemed to find Drake and his smile grew wider.
From across the sphere Drake roared.
"Atticus! What have you been doing?! Answer me! Tell me it's not true! Tell me you haven't done these things!"
The curious eyes of the other Summit participants moved to Drake and Aralleen's sphere.
[The Summit voting will commence in 30 minutes time. Please remain inside your designated areas during this time]
Drake ignored the announcement, beginning to shout once more.
"Atticus! Why would you do this! Do you even know what you're doing! Don't you care that you put your family in danger?!"
This seemed to get Atticus's attention. As his face frowned, and his lips finally parted.
"Family?" he sneered, "Just what family are you speaking of?"
"What?!" Drake growled back.
"My only family is long dead and forgotten. You and that bitch mother of yours saw to that. Dear brother. But calling you such is a lie, isn't it? Even your last name is stolen. I know what you really are, Asuran. My god has shown me the light, the truth. And I know you are not of this world. And I know what you have done."
"What are you talking about?!"
Drake's blood began to stir, his anger becoming unhinged as his aura and mana started filling the small sphere, "What nonsense are you spouting? I haven't stolen anything! I might have changed but we're still family! Let me help you! Even after you… You killed Rvul, I know it must have been a mistake! Did they force you? Just tell me who it was. Did they threaten our family? Mom, Travis, and Dillon are safe-"
But Atticus cut Drake off, laughing maniaclly.
"Forced?! Do not make me laugh! No one forced me, I planned it all. The one who sent that woman to your doors was me, you foolish wild beast! You stole everything from me! And your blood covered bastardized race wanted me to take it with a smile! I will take everything you love from you, just like you took it from me Drake! I'll kill your mother, your brothers, and any disgusting lesser you have in your city! No one you've ever spoken to or interacted with is going to be safe! No one will love you, no one will cry for you! No one!"
"Stop…!" Drake growled, "You don't mean anything of that! Don't you remember when we were kids? When Dad-"
"Don't speak his name! You don't deserve to!" Atticus snapped, "Do you even remember your childhood? Can you even recall what happened?"
"Of course I can! I remember when we fought over the TV, when Dad would scold us for getting into fights! When you got your first computer and wouldn't let me-"
"STOP LYING!" Atticus roared, pointing the tip of his staff at Drake, "None of those things ever happened! That drivel is just muck planted for your convenience. Do you even know what my father was really like? He was the only thing I had and you took him from me! So I'm going to take, what were their names? Claire Osberg, Sah Ul' Rahk? You went and married a disgusting monster? Par the course for a monster like yourself…"
"Enough!"
Drake's arms flared with power, every endowment and attunement he could muster charging his spirit tattoos as he reared back his fist preparing to strike the sphere.
"Lord Wallen, what are you- Stop!" Aralleen said in a panic.
"Shut up!" Drake roared, throwing his fist into the transparent material.
[Please refrain from attempting to leave your designated area]
"Shut up!"
Drake slammed his fist into the sphere once more, grunting with the power he was putting behind the strike.
[Please refrain from attempting to leave your designated area]
"I said shut up!"
The striking against the system fortified container began to drown out the sounds around him, Aralleen's shouts of concern turning to a dull hum behind him.
All Drake could see was Atticus's sneering face across the area, the beating of rushing blood filling his ears.
[Please refrain from attempting to leave your designated area]
[Please refrain from attempting to leave your designated area]
[Please refrain from attempting to leave your designated area]
[Please refrain from attempting to leave…
Drake put the entirety of his status into one last strike, throwing a white flame attuned fist into the glass like container.
When his fist collided he finally managed to crack the sphere. With the opportunity he struck it again with a barrage of blows. Opening the small crack into a large enough gap for him to jump through.
His hair swiftly changing to blue for his regeneration endowment, as he threw himself across the area, landing a moment later on top of Atticus's sphere.
"What you've done to this planet, my city, the people I care about! Do you even realize the damage you've caused, Atticus!?" Drake howled through gritted teeth.
Atticus's smile didn't waver as he stared back at Drake.
"Of course I do," he said evenly, walking to the edge of the sphere, right in front of Drake and whispered, "And I can't wait to show you what I have in store for your disgusting little city. That dog of a mother, that filthy animal you call a wife. The terrible things they are going to endure because of you…"
Atticus's eyes opened and flashed golden, "It is going to be your fault! Your fault that they die! Just like it was your fault I had to leave, why I couldn't go to my fathers funeral! WHY I COULDN'T SEE THE ONE PERSON THAT LOVED ME AT HIS END!"
[You have resisted the effects of: The Merciful Love of the Sun]
Drake had heard enough. Summoning several red and blue vials he uncorked and threw the contents into his mouth. His status replenished he changed everything he had into his strike one more.
The glow around his fist increased to a deafening torrent of mana and power, the flames growing so large it looked as if his arm had turned into a trailing comet.
"Raion Hoko!!"
Crashing through the sphere Drake landed on top of Atticus, pinning him to the floor with his hands outstretched around his brother's neck. However the system prevented him from directly interacting with Atticus, Drake's hands simply hovering just above Atticus's neck, his fingers clawing into the glass like sphere below to pin him down.
[Violence during the Summit will not be tolerated. You will be transferred to your designated location in 10 seconds]
"Why! Why did this happen, Atticus!? What turned you into this monster!? Tell me the truth! Who is this god you keep talking about, Who is telling you these lies?!"
Atticus scoffed, "Monster? I think we can all see just who the monster is here. You've shown these people more than enough to facilitate your own disqualification from this vote. And haven't you realized? Villains aren't born, dear brother. They are made. And you made the one you see before you. All I knew was my father. And you and your lying deceiving, false, family took that from me the day you were so conveniently dropped into our laps. Father was never the same, he could barely recognize me, he barely knew me. And what was worse? Neither did I. But this system and by the grace of my god I was freed! Freed of that nightmare and allowed to remember. But now father is gone and you were the one that killed him! So to steal back that love I will make the whole human race love me. The whole universe will be pure, fair, and just under my bright glowing rule! All will love me and in turn I will free them. There will be no more monsters! THERE WILL BE NO MORE YOU!"
[You are being relocated]
In an instant Drake was moved, his hands clenched around nothing as he yelled in frustration.
His mind went blank and he repeated his actions in a fit of rage, powering his strength through his endowments and attunement. Striking the newly made sphere with abandon, but was unable to force his way through this time. The system seemed to have adjusted the strength of the containment, not allowing him to penetrate it again.
Forced to look back at Atticus across the room, he stood waiting. Simmering in his thoughts.
Why! Why is he saying these things?! Does he really believe we aren't related? How could he have done such heartless killings with no remorse?! And what was that skill I resisted? The system allowed it to go through so it couldn't have had a physical effect… He thought, clearly flustered as his mind ran a mile a minute.
"L-lord Wallen..?"
"What?!" he growled, turning his head.
Drake's face went from a rabid animal to embarrassment. He'd forgotten that Aralleen was even present.
"I-I'm sorry. What is it?" he said, correcting himself.
A breath of relief left Aralleen's mouth, "You were not yourself just now… That man… He is your brother?" she asked pensively.
Drake sighed, taking a deep breath and doing his best to calm himself
"He is… I thought I could reason with him. I thought everything that has happened might just be some sick joke or mistake. Y-yeah… that's it…" Drake stammered, his hands clenching, "He's sick. He's just sick, I- I have to get him to someone that can help, I have to save him somehow, right?"
Aralleen only looked back at Drake evenly. It wasn't her place to say what Drake should or shouldn't do. They had only known each other for several days and regardless if they would be obligated in the future to nurture the World Tree, it was simply too early for her to give him advice.
[10 Minutes until Summit Voting commences]
Drake stilled his breathing, trying his best to calm down once more. This time he refrained from staring down Atticus, not wanting to lose his temper again.
He knew what he did was foolish, but the overwhelming feeling of betrayal when he saw his brother, and the words he said had pushed him over the edge. The festering problems in the back of Drake's head, the Asuran Blood that seemed to grow stronger each battle within him. As if the thrill of battle was acting as a distiller for the blood to grow more potent within him.
His eyes wandered from sphere to sphere. Catching the gazes of several people he didn't know but could easily guess they were undead or part of Atticus's group. Some had pale skin and dull red eyes, others wearing similar robes to Atticus, small golden suns emblazoned on their shoulders.
Then his eyes met with someone. Someone powerful.
The man wore golden clothes with similar golden trinkets and jewelry adorning his neck and hands. His clothes somewhat resembling Drake's with a vest leaving an open chest and baggy harem pants.
The man stared back with an even gaze, as if measuring Drake.
Drake could feel his body tense. His senses telling him a fight was coming yet they were unable to leave or hurt one another within the Summit.
[Your Asuran's Magic Insight Skill is too low to identify this target]
What? That's a first. He has a stronger skill than a Primordial enhanced one…? Just who is this guy? He thought surprised.
After a few minutes of a staring contest Drake began scanning the spheres again.
"Looks like roughly a third are undead, just based on looks. Maybe the higher undead races don't show the same features? But either way this doesn't look good. And I didn't help by going crazy…" he turned to Aralleen, "Sorry, I might have made your job a little harder than it needed to be. Can you point out this Valor guy by the way?"
Aralleen nodded, scanning the area for a moment, but quickly found who she was looking for, pointing him out.
Drake followed it until he saw the man. Green robes, a large staff in hand and a face so punchable Drake almost laughed.
"Oh he looks just like I thought he would," he scoffed.
[Valor Alvea Level 28]
"He isn't hiding his status..? Is he a moron or is he just that confident?" Drake murmured.
"I am not sure. He has grown quickly since leaving the trials. Even my own progress has stalled due to the current monster's levels and scarcity, yet Valor's continues to rise steadily. I am not sure as to why," she replied.
Drake felt his stomach drop slightly, remembering Xavier from Sandal. Killing sentient creatures seen by the system as above monsters provided massive quantities of experience. He had seen it first hand with Xavier, himself, and many other people who killed for pleasure.
"I have a few ideas. None of them are pleasant…" Drake sighed, continuing to scan the room.
He came to the last few spheres finding several familiar faces.
A dark skinned woman with puffy black hair who stared glaring daggers at him.
"Haha… Looks like Jacqueline is alive and well, and still can't stand the sight of me," he smiled giving a wave.
Jacqueline scoffed crossing her arms and turning her head. Drake couldn't help but laugh, evening his mood. Looking next to her Drake saw the man she stood across from in the same sphere.
The man wore a leather-like vest and pants, looking like the spitting image of a pirate of the caribbean.
[Pablo Cortez Level 22]
"Not the best but respectable. Looks like I won't have to worry about Jacqueline's safety for a while. I'll have to touch base though and figure out where she is."
Continuing to the remaining sphere, Drake's grin widened. But the person on the receiving end only grimaced at being noticed, the man next to him jumping for joy.
[Shigure Kenzo Level 24]
[Sato Naioki Level 19]
"SHISHOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sato screamed, waving his hands to get Drake's attention, Shigure covering his face with a hand, but Drake could easily see his reddening face.