Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground

Zoey's mind spiraled at a speed it had never moved before.

She took in every single thing Lumindra said and… she clenched her fists.

One sentence stuck in her head, refusing to leave.

"I'll cease to exist."

Lumindra had been her companion for most of her life. The one who was with her when she was at her lowest. Who urged her to do better. Who supported her through everything.

Finding out that everything had been a lie, and she was being manipulated by the same person she had trusted with her life, shattered her.

Her aunt Jeneva's death. The death of her grandmother. The annihilation of the Starhaven family… it was all too much to bear.

But despite all of this, Zoey couldn't help but freeze as she heard those words.

"Y-You'll cease to exist?" she said, gazing at Lumindra with a look filled with anger and… sadness.

Lumindra smiled. 'I was a fool for manipulating such a wonderful child.'

It wasn't obvious, but the bond between them still lingered. Lumindra could feel everything Zoey felt.

The anger, the sadness. She was angry about everything, but sad that the only solution would end with Lumindra being gone.

It was absurd. But only someone who truly loved a person could do something like that. And that fact alone made the guilt overwhelming for Lumindra.

A century old drake. A woman, a warrior who had been through countless wars and lived to tell the tale. A Primarch of the Spirit World, and one of its powerhouses…

Lumindra, the Enchanting Drake, cried. Tears streaked from her eyes in a low cascade as she looked at the child she had practically raised.

"I'm sorry, Zoey. I know I'm beyond forgiveness, but please don't let this stop you. I want to do this, for you. Otherwise, we'll both die and the Spirit King will get what he wants."

Zoey clenched her fists tighter. She was about to speak when a voice came from behind her.

"Hm. I feared this may happen."

Zoey spun around, and her gaze trembled as it landed on a figure whose height wasn't more than seven feet tall, but whose presence felt taller than a skyscraper.

'The Spirit King…' Zoey had never seen him before, and she didn't have access to that part of Lumindra's memory.

But the raging emotions that surged through Lumindra the moment he appeared told her all she needed to know.

The Spirit King turned his eyes toward Lumindra, whose expression looked like it had been drained of all color.

The disappointment in his eyes was palpable.

Then, he faced Zoey, who looked at him like she wanted nothing more than to tear him apart, and said,

"Stop these futile attempts. Your life from the beginning has been nothing but a lie. The road you're about to tread will only lead to your misery. Go back to sleep. You're more useful when you do nothing."

But Lumindra fought through her fear and shouted,

"Don't listen to him, Zoey! He's just a fragment of his consciousness! He has no power he—"

"Shut up."

Lumindra froze, unable to move her lips. It might have just been a fragment of his consciousness, but that didn't change the fact that his words were absolute. Lumindra could no longer speak.

The Spirit King stretched out a hand, and multiple figures appeared by his side, standing and gazing at Zoey with loving eyes.

"My baby. Do you plan on abandoning your mother and the entire Starhaven family? Come back home, we miss you," Celestia said with a warm smile.

"Sweetie. You haven't even met your sweet grandmother yet. Come back, huh? I have some interesting things to tell you!" Seraphina added, her smile just as soft.

"Zo. I told you before, didn't I? If everything is peaceful and perfect, then why change that? If you leave, you'll be all alone without any family…" Jeneva whispered, and the three of them reached out their hands as if urging her over. "Come back, Zoey."

Zoey clutched her fists tightly against her chest. She gazed at the trio with trembling eyes. But surprisingly… no tears fell.

'I want to.' She admitted it to herself. She wanted nothing more than to jump into their embrace and live a peaceful life with her family. No threats. No battles. No death. Just peace.

But… memories flashed through her mind. And no matter how much she wanted to go to them, her grandmother's words wouldn't stop resounding in her head.

'Never give up.'

As those three words echoed once more, Zoey's gaze sharpened. She turned sharply to the Spirit King and spat,

"Go fuck yourself."

Her hand reached back and touched her petite spirit.

Lumindra's gaze narrowed. And before the Spirit King could figure out what was happening, Zoey shut her eyes, and a blinding violet light detonated in the darkened space.

The Spirit King's eyes narrowed sharply as realization dawned. His consciousness dispersed, and the real Spirit King, in the outside world, froze.

'That stupid drake,' he thought coldly.

He had watched Zoey and Lumindra for years. Manipulated everything. He knew his soldiers and their bonds better than they knew themselves.

That was why he had left a fragment of his consciousness inside Zoey, latched onto the bond between her and Lumindra, so he could monitor everything and ensure she never woke up from the dream realm.

Unfortunately, he could only give Lumindra direct, specific orders. Vague commands like don't betray me were impossible unless Lumindra had willingly given up her freedom.

That was why he still maintained a benevolent facade in the eyes of his people.

But what the Spirit King failed to account for… was Lumindra's capability, and her resolve.

She had modified his bonding technique. Instead of two egos, only one would remain, and the other would cease to exist.

She had sacrificed herself. Betrayed her world. All for a useless girl.

The Spirit King's gaze turned toward the horizon and…

Boom.

A blinding pillar of purple light tore through the heavens.