Rewrite The Star

CHAPTER 35 : VINDICTIVE

CHAPTER 35: VINDICTIVE

Atlas's eyes burned with revenge the moment he learned that Thanatos had been hunting his family’s bloodline for ages. "So it killed everyone I’ve loved. Thanatos, I swear, I will kill that demon," Atlas growled, his eyes filled with rage.

"I'm taking this quest, and I’ll start tomorrow. I’ll be gone for a while, Father." Atlas turned to leave his father’s room. Gildarts quickly grabbed his hand and said, "Be careful, my son. Always remember to control your emotions, or you might do something you’ll regret." His warning carried weight. "You are wise, Atlas. I trust you know the right path. Follow your heart, and your bloodline will guide you," Gildarts added.

"Yes, Father," Atlas said, embracing him.

Atlas made a stop at the recovery room to see Darren one last time. When he arrived, he found Darren and Nowell together. "Darren, I’ll be gone for a while. Sorry for the sudden news, but I hope you can manage the recovery room in my absence," Atlas said.

"That's fine, but are you sure you want to go alone?" Darren asked.

"I’m sorry I can’t come with you, Atlas," Nowell added apologetically.

"Hey, it’s okay. It’s time for me to do this alone." Atlas smiled, but his heart suddenly skipped a beat as the words "The time is coming" echoed in his mind—a phrase he had heard in a past incident. The memory hit him hard, and his face momentarily paled.

The weight of the phrase pulled Atlas back to that troubling moment, filling him with unease. His mind swirled with thoughts of that fateful warning and what it might mean for him now.

"Are you okay, Atlas?" Nowell asked, sensing his discomfort and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I’m fine," Atlas replied quickly. "I need to go now," he added, embracing Darren. He then turned to Nowell, hugging him too. Nowell’s face turned red from the unexpected affection.

"Goodbye, Atlas. Please don’t come back in pieces this time," Darren teased.

Atlas smiled faintly. "Don’t worry about that," he said before leaving swiftly for home.

Once there, he quickly packed a few things. Sitting at his desk, he glanced at the Demon Book and the Stellaria Coetus. When he touched the Demon Book, a sharp pain struck his chest, and suddenly, Creed appeared.

"Where you going, hooman?" Creed asked casually.

"To kill every demon I encounter," Atlas replied.

"Alright, I’ll wait for that day," Creed said, laughing.

Atlas couldn’t help but feel annoyed. "Seriously, where are you going?" Creed asked again, now standing behind him.

"I’m going on a quest to earn some money," Atlas lied.

"Sounds interesting. I’m in," Creed responded with a grin.

"No way! You’re not coming," Atlas snapped.

"I’m your boss; I don’t follow your orders," Creed grinned wider.

"Ugh, fine," Atlas relented.

"I’m hungry, hooman. Don’t you have any souls to feed me?" Creed asked.

"No," Atlas replied curtly.

"Brat," Creed muttered, irritating Atlas further. With a sigh, Atlas finally said, "Fine, follow me." And so, they sat down to have dinner together.

"That’s the first decent meal I’ve had in a while. I’m tired of eating old souls. They stink," Creed said.

"What? How can a soul smell bad? I thought they didn’t have a scent," Atlas asked, curious despite himself.

"The deeper your sins, the more damaged your soul becomes, and that causes it to stink like hell," Creed explained.

"Alright, then. What does my soul smell like?" Atlas asked, half-joking.

"Like a rotting corpse," Creed said without missing a beat.

 Atlas was instantly triggered. "I swear, I’m going to kill you one day!" he barked.

Creed burst into laughter. "I need to sleep. Why don’t you go back to hell?" Atlas suggested, hoping to get rid of him.

"Nah, I’m more comfortable in this bed," Creed replied nonchalantly.

"Fine, I’ll sleep on the floor then," Atlas grumbled.

"Alright," Creed responded, already lying down.

"What the hell? How can this demon sleep in my bed?" Atlas thought, frustrated. "Never mind, I’m too tired to argue," he muttered to himself, settling down on the floor to sleep.