Chapter 3: The Collaboration
"So you're saying the world is broken… and it's not just my village that was destroyed?" Cael's voice was low, disbelief threading through his words.
"Yes," Atticus replied plainly.
"And you want me to fix it?"
"Correct."
Cael narrowed his eyes. "Why would I want to do that? What's in it for me?"
Atticus smiled faintly. "Revenge."
"…Huh?"
"Revenge," he repeated calmly. "I know what happened to you. You were betrayed—by your girlfriend, your teammates, even your best friend."
Cael tensed. "How do you know all that?"
"I'm a god," Atticus said with a shrug. "Watching people like you break is part of the view."
Cael's eyes darkened. "A god? I've never heard of any god named Atticus."
"I'm not the kind of god people know," Atticus replied smoothly, tone unreadable.
Cael hesitated. The way Atticus spoke—like the world itself bored him—unnerved him more than any divine title.
"So if I help you fix this broken world… you'll give me revenge?"
"Yes."
"But why not fix it yourself?"
Atticus exhaled slowly, almost like a sigh. "I've lived too long. Created too many worlds. Seen too much. At some point, even chaos starts to repeat itself."
Cael crossed his arms. "Then why me?"
"There were others before you," Atticus said, slowly pacing. "Many. Most were disappointments. Three came close. But you?" His mismatched eyes glowed faintly. "You're different. How should I say this… You have this air about you that draws me in."
Cael looked down at his hands—the same hands that once held a broken sword.
"Alright… I'll do it. But you should know—I'm starting from nothing. My family's a mix of swordmasters and mages. In this timeline, I'm back to being the weakest."
Atticus smirked. "Then start over. But smarter. You have knowledge of what's to come. That alone makes you more dangerous than before."
Cael clenched his fists. "You're right. I can become stronger."
"And if I share a fraction of my power with you," Atticus said, "you'll be more than strong. You'll be unstoppable."
Cael blinked. "Wait… You want me to be your vessel?"
Atticus laughed softly. "Vessel? Please. I don't need one."
"Then what?"
"You'll be my contractor. I offer power. You use it. Simple."
"And what do you get out of it?"
Atticus gave a sly grin, his eyes drifting lazily toward the sky.
"Me? I just want to see what happens when a broken man tries to rebuild a broken world."
Atticus held out his hand.
"Let's begin the contract."
"What should I do?" Cael asked.
"Say this oath:
I, Caelus Von Valemont, promise to help Atticus restore the world and appease his boredom in exchange for his power."
Cael took a deep breath, then sliced his palm with a hidden blade. He poured his blood into a bowl that Atticus conjured from thin air.
"Now drink," Atticus said. "With my power mixed in, the contract will be sealed."
Cael drank, and a surge of energy jolted through him like lightning in his veins.
"What is this mark on my hand?Cael asked, raising his palm.
A glowing orb swirling inside a spiral galaxy appeared on the back of his hand, pulsing faintly.
"That symbol means we are bound in contract."
"Now, try using my power."
"How?"
"Say this:
Skill: World Sculpting"
Suddenly, a small globe materialized before Cael. A scroll unfurled in the air, ancient and glowing with divine energy. Words etched themselves across its surface:
Rules of Planet 1,357,659
Codename: Esyclaria
1. No otherworldly being may enter unless accepted by Atticus.
2. No one may overwrite the rules of this world.
3. Humans are limited to one unique skill — excluding the gifted and god-chosen.
4. Any being — human, elf, dragon, or god — who attempts to hack the world's law will be punished or killed.
5. Summoning souls from other worlds requires either a vast mana reserve or a contract with a god.
6. Recognizing your creator results in death.
7. Attempting to peek into this world's law or to ascend into godhood will lead to instant death.
...and so on.
"How many rules have you made?" Cael asked, eyes scanning the scroll.
"Two hundred," Atticus replied with a yawn. Most are trash. But with access to this world's laws, you'll see the future, track threats, and find the resources you need to grow stronger. Plus… you'll be able to wield fragments of my power."