Level Up: Voidwalker

Atlas was following Estelle away from the camp to train as there wasn't enough space, and the blonde said they needed peace. While walking, his eyes trailed down the young woman's well-trained body crafted through years of knightly training.

'She's drop-dead gorgeous,' he mused while admiring the strong knight.

Estelle was the definition of a beautiful woman with perfect facial features and enchanting blue eyes that glowed when the afternoon sun hit them. Atlas thought while looking at her, ''She had a face that could launch a thousand ships.''

But Atlas loved the two dimples on her cheeks that appeared whenever she was happy. Atlas admired her athletic hourglass figure, which any woman on Earth would be jealous of. Still, he had noticed her muscles were firm due to her life of rigorous training and hunting monsters throughout the Argonia Kingdom.

Due to being around Grishna, Estelle, and Artemis, who were older than him, he had developed a preference for older girls. Even Amethyst was closer to his age and a few months his senior.

Atlas noticed her blonde hair was cascading down to the small of her back. This drew his eyes to her toned behind, forged over many years. Estelle suddenly stopped walking while he was watching, causing him to walk straight into her.

He felt her firm behind hit his chest, and a flush of embarrassment washed over him. When she noticed what he was doing, a grin appeared on her pretty face, ''What do you think you're doing, Le Messie Élu?''

"Admiring you, Estelle," Atlas quipped with a smirk. "What did you want to teach me?"

Estelle shot him a playful glance. "Admire all you want, but don't overstep. Just because you're the Le Messie Élu doesn't mean I'm yours for the taking. First off, you're way too young for any romance. And second, you've got a long way to go to catch up to me if you want a chance, but I will wait until you become stronger,'' she replied with a knowing smile before taking out her sword and shield.

''I respect that, Estelle, and won't overstep any boundaries until I'm older and you're ready,'' Atlas stated before continuing. ''But I must ask, how old should I be?''

''Seventeen,'' she answered instantly. ''Once you turn seventeen, we will fight to see whose stronger.''

Atlas beamed before taking out his dagger, asking, ''Can I use magic?''

Estelle nodded, ''Yes, but don't complain if I use it.''

With no hesitation, Atlas unleashed several Void Bullets toward the blonde knight. She expertly sliced through them, but their explosive impact created a split-second distraction that Atlas used to dash forward, blade poised for action.

Closing the gap, Atlas launched a rapid barrage of a dozen Void Arrows, each striking Estelle's shield with force as she raised it to defend herself. Sensing an opportunity, he executed a flawless Void Step, disappearing from view only to appear behind her.

Atlas's slash aimed at Estelle's legs, hoping to catch her off guard, was met with unexpected resistance as he heard her voice ring out, "Solar Shield."

His blade struck her leg, only to be deflected, and in that moment, a retaliatory slash grazed his chest. Startled, Atlas scrambled backward, eyeing Estelle, who wore a confident smile. She swiftly readied her sword and calmly declared, "My turn."

With a burst of determination, Estelle charged forward, prompting a startled yelp from Atlas as he hastily blocked her attack with his dagger. Simultaneously, he cast Void Guard and unleashed a Void Bullet.

The azure projectile streaked toward Estelle, but she deftly dodged to the side, her blade connecting solidly with his weapon in a clash of metal. He felt his arm vibrate due to her power in the strike.

He quickly backed away to create distance from Estelle, who relentlessly pursued him, her sword thrusting toward his torso. Despite his Void Guard successfully intercepting the attack, the impact force still jolted through his body, causing Atlas to stagger backward.

The blonde knight halted her assault, allowing Atlas a moment to recover. She spoke calmly, her tone instructive yet firm, "You're fast, Le Messie Élu, but speed alone won't win battles. You need to consider where and how you strike your enemy."

Confusion flickered across Atlas's face, prompting Estelle to elaborate with a patient gesture, "Focus on vulnerable points, where the enemy is weakest. It's not just about hitting hard, but hitting smart."

Atlas nodded as she continued, ''You need a second blade to follow up on your first strike, as people's shields normally last one strike at such a range. With an additional weapon, I think you would be even deadlier.''

"Okay. I'll buy one along with some spells when we get to Volantic," he replied, earning a proud nod from the blonde knight.

"Your Void Bullet spell is effective; it explodes on impact. Meanwhile, Void Arrow is an armor-piercing spell, ideal against heavy armor and knights like myself because it punches a hole through most metals," Estelle added, smiling at him as she spoke.

Her beautiful smile caught him off guard, but Atlas shook his head and spoke, ''Do you want to continue? I want to see if I can land a hit on you.''

Estelle giggled with a mischievous glint in her blue eyes, ''If you manage to touch me, then I'll give you a prize,'' she challenged.

Atlas agreed, and the duo continued fighting, causing Lilith to wander over to see what he was doing. When the honey badger noticed he was training, she laid down to watch them with her curious yellow eyes.

Lilith watched Estelle lead Atlas around, encouraging him to think of new attacking methods. By the time he dropped to the ground and breathed heavily, he had never managed to touch her.

The blonde knight stood above him with a smile, declaring, "Maybe next time, Le Messie Élu. The prize is still on offer, but let's call it a day with the training." She began to walk away but glanced back over her shoulder. "Come and get something to eat before you rest."

Atlas sprawled out on the hillside, panting heavily, when Lilith sauntered over and launched herself onto him. "Hey, Lily! Can't you see I'm beat?" he groaned, trying to fend off the honey badger's playful nips at his ears and neck. "Seriously, stop with the surprise attacks!"

The two of them started wrestling, but Lilith overwhelmed him due to being tired and stood on his chest with a victorious glint in her eyes. Atlas noticed she looked down at him before lovingly licking his cheek while chirping.

This made him chuckle as he began to stroke her, but it only encouraged Lilith even more, and she launched another playful attack. Atlas surrendered and let her have her way, but then she started tickling him relentlessly.

Soon, a voice cut through the laughter, "Aetos! Stop making love with your furry girlfriend, and join us ladies to eat! Grishna cooked a delicious soup," Artemis shouted at him.

Lilith stopped playing games and let Atlas pick her up as they returned to the camp that had already been set up. After that, everyone started eating, and as the sun set, they painted the landscape a beautiful pink color.

While sitting in front of the fire, Atlas shivered, causing him to wrap his enchanted cloak around his body. Amethyst looks at him with a smile, ''Frostwinter is upon us. The nights will grow colder, and the snows will come soon.''

''Is it bad?'' he questioned while drinking some tea Estelle made.

"Depends on where in Astoria you are, my Amore," Amethyst explained, leaning against him. "North of the Sands of Sorrow, the snow can get pretty bad. Some years it blocks the trading roads for days. But south of the desert, it might only reach your ankles."

Atlas nodded. "Thank you," he said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her into his cloak. "I don't intend to head south anytime soon. Looks like we'll be tackling snow-capped mountains on our way to the Thalassia Empire."

Following that, the group planned out the next days while eating their dinners; the plan was simple: find a boat at the docks and sail toward Volantic, where they would be welcomed, thanks to Estelle being the fifth princess.

Before long, the two moons hung high in the sky, shining upon the hills, and Amethyst pulled Atlas into the tent, eliciting giggles from the older girls. Once inside, the couple settled under the covers the phoenix had set up earlier.

As they got comfortable, Atlas turned toward Amethyst and noticed her soft, pink lips looked inviting. Unable to resist, he leaned forward to kiss her. She initially stiffened but quickly returned the kiss, pulling him closer in a warm embrace.

The young couple continued kissing until they eventually separated and drifted asleep. Lilith watched with jealous eyes for a moment before crawling on top of Atlas and snuggling in between them, joining them in dreamland and ensuring a peaceful night passed by.

Atlas was awoken to explosions and screaming, causing him to rush out only to see Estelle blocking several spells as Grishna and Artemis fought mercenaries. They wore midnight black armor with skull-shaped helmets that sent shivers through his spine.

Most stood as tall as six feet and looked menacing as their armor reflected the morning light, but soon Atlas got over it and rushed forward while readying his dagger when he closed in on the closet mercenary and cast a Void Arrow at the man.

The enemy raised his shield, blocking the spell. In response, Atlas swiftly cast Void Step, vanishing from sight and reappearing behind the soldier. With a decisive thrust, he drove his blade through the man's ribs.