Crystalla
Blame

The moon hung low in the skies over the Council Chambers, almost everyone had retired to their rooms, Atlas was sat alone at the bar, with a glass of whiskey in his hand. He sighed as he looked into the glass and swilled the drink around.

"Thought I'd find you here..." Lotte sighed, as she walked up behind him.

"Well done, you found me" Atlas grumbled.

"What, so you start the day off by hitting your niece, and end it by getting blind drunk at the bar?" Lotte frowned.

"Leave me alone" Atlas shook his head, as he took a sip from the glass.

"Did you apologise to her at least?" Lotte asked.

"Of course I did" Atlas shrugged. "I'm not a monster" He added. Lotte sat on the stool next to him and ordered a gin and tonic.

"Then what's up?" Lotte asked. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the FɪndNøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"I'm dying in Roisin's place" Atlas replied, as he turned to look at Lotte.

"You... what?" Lotte said as her eyes widened.

"If it wasn't me, it'd have to be Keegan or Syl. Only people from the Luna bloodline can do it" Atlas shrugged. "My whole life has been a fucking joke, so this seems to be a fitting punchline" He scoffed as he took another sip.

"You know that isn't true" Lotte sighed, as her drink arrived.

"Maybe" Atlas said as he looked across the bar into the grimy mirror. "But it's our curse. Given this blood by some selfish god who passed their problems onto us" He replied.

"I don't want to lose you" Lotte sighed as she looked into her drink. Atlas looked across and put his hand on hers.

"I know" Atlas said as he looked at Lotte with sadness in his eyes. "But I'm not gonna let my kids die, so I can live. I can't bear to watch more family die" He frowned.

"Yeah..." Lotte nodded. "I know" She forced a smile. "I'll be here, until the end..." She nodded.

"I know you will, thanks Lotte" Atlas smiled, as he placed his glass down. "Do you think Syl will forgive me, for hurting Roisin?" He asked.

"I... I'm not sure" Lotte sighed. "I wish I could say yes, but you hurt his sister. You made her cry, you were supposed to protect her" Lotte explained.

"Some parent I turned out to be" Atlas said as he gazed into his reflection in the whiskey. "Petyr died alone, I hurt Roisin, and Syl hates me. God knows what Keegan will think when he arrives back..." Atlas shook his head, before standing up.

"Where are you going?" Lotte asked. Atlas sighed, and looked through the skylight at the moon.

"I'm leaving" Atlas frowned. "I'm not wanted here" He shrugged as he headed for the door.

"Atlas, wait" Lotte called out as Atlas walked out. She stood up and ran out of the bar and into the long hallway outside, she checked both directions, but Atlas was nowhere to be seen.

"No... come back..." Lotte sighed, as her long Hubun ears drooped down. She sighed as she headed down the hallway to the grand hall. When she walked into the room, she found it empty. The clocks all struck midnight, and the white light of the moon lit the empty room in a white light.

Outside, Atlas took one last look at the Chambers before walking off down the path through the Urasi Woodlands. As he walked, he replayed the moment from earlier that day, when he took his anger out on Roisin. He wished that he could take back what he had done. But it was too late, the only way he felt he could repay what he had done, was to sacrifice his life, to stop Infernus.

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