As the new few weeks passed, Polaris and Bel had been spending plenty of time together. However, the more time they'd spent together, the more Bel learned of Polaris's past....
"In the earliest recorded history of my family's kingdom, my great-grandfather, Atroseus Winters, began his conquest of the globe. Nobody truly knows why. It was said he was drive into a depraved state of insanity having seen a vision of the future. Apparently....." The voice of Polaris fades and becomes the voice of Atroseus.
"Brother, what news comes from father?"
"Nothing yet. Although rumor has it father is coming home to punish you for this blasphemous name change of yours. Calling yourself by your power, what a ridiculous idea."
"I wasn't asked to be born with the power known as Atrocity. I am good at killing. Great at it, and yet father never asks for you to fight whenever fights breakout on the borders."
"Yes, yes, but I have more brains than brawn. You kill, I make sure the nations understand our political position...."
Royal Guards interrupt Atrocicous and his brother, Demacrotus.
"Prince Atroseus, your father wishes to speak with you in his throne room."
"Right, Demacrotus, we'll finish this conversation later."
As Atroseus entered the throne room, the heavy doors slammed behind him.
"So... I return from conquest in the east to learn you have begun calling yourself by your power's title. So tell me Atrocicous, what say you?"
"I shall never apologize for utilizing my ability for the Wintersbane Kingdom."
"Then my son, I have a mission for you. There is a group, a large coven of dark witches deep within the Great Forest of Roon. Take a small legion with you and eradicate them from my world."
"Father... You speak of genocide as if it is...."
"DO AS YOU ARE TOLD ATROSEUS OR I SHALL HAVE YOU CAST OUT OF THIS KINGDOM. The King leans back into his throne. You are exceptional when it comes to warfare. I am asking you to wipe out the entire population of witches within the forest. Do this for me, and you shall be rewarded my son."
"As you command father."
Atroseus and his Wintersbane Legionaries left the castle at once and made their way towards the Forest of Roon. The Forest was a day's journey from their icy wasteland home and Atrocicous wasted no time in getting over to the forest, arriving under the cover of nightfall.
"Prince, what would you have us...."
"NEVER, call me that in a combat zone. Go in and attempt to negotiate with them. If they fail to heed your words, I'll clean them up."
As the Legionaries enter the Coven's nest, nothing seems to happen, until a bloodcurdling screech pierced the darkness. Atroseus mustered his strength and surveyed the area. The whole forest had gone deathly silent, no wind rustling the leaves, not an insect chirping, as if the whole forest was hiding, holding its breath.
"Aura release... This is gonna be fun." Grinned Atroseus as he rolled up his sleeves and marched into the forest. As he entered the mouth of the nest, he was greeted by blood and gore of his legionaries.
"What.... What have you all done?"
"We shall never be slaves to Wintersbane! You would be wise to run and tell your foolish king."
Atroseus clenched his face looking down at the vast amounts of spilled blood. His veins snapped to the surface of his skin. His aura became a blackened veil disrupting the witches minds and powers.
"You and your ilk would do well to heed my next few words. I honed my skills in truly murderous combat, I am commanded by no one. I am Atrocity of the Wintersbane Empire and this nest shall forever become your tomb."
A witch lunged at him, only for the cold embrace of his palms to meet her face. With a simply twitch of his muscles, his fingers tore through the witches face and skull as if they were a hot knife through butter.
"Just what the hell are you?"
"I told you, you should've listened to my men, the men strunn across the floor of this diseased forest. Fear not witches, for I am here to cleanse this world of your accursed presents."
As the witches fired off spells, Atrocity tanked them, disregarding them as if they were pebbles against this mountain of a man.
"All Mother, the warrior approaches! We must flee!"
"No. I shall control his his mind, show him the fears of the world, make him suffer from within."
As she finished speaking, a witch slammed into the wall behind her, splattering blood and viscera all over.
"So... You are the Mighty All Mother of this stained coven."
Without uttering an incantation, the All Mother fires off a spell that stuns Atrocity.
"The hell was...."
As he looked up, the room suddenly became filled with his family, friends, and citizens. His eyes widened and he began to tremble with fear has humans breeched the palace doors, slaughtering everyone inside and making their way towards him. The fear that was clouding his mind subsided. He balled his hand into a fist, so tight it tore his skin.
"Mind games.... You shall never ever win like this, but have it your way."
However, as they got closer, the faces shifted to those of his family. His fist met the face of his father, turning it into a red mist, his body now acting on impulse alone. Each wave of attackers he punched into oblivion. However, the images were causing his mind to break.
"No... Stop this... I SAID STOP THIS!"
Atrocity finally saw the All Mother standing deep within the sea of his dead family. He lunged at her, giving her no time to dodge. He ripped her limb from limb, grinding the meaty chunks of her body into nothing but paste. The illusions finally vanished with her death, allowing him to see the carnage of the witches, but witch faces he did not see. He still the faces of his brother, father and mother. As he left, the impending sense of insanity ripping his mind into shattered and scarred pieces.