Lord of The Mysteries: Eternal Suffering

East Borough, Unknown Den, ???

Atlas slowly opened his eyes, the bright sunlight still shining down on his face. He winced, quickly covering his eyes in pain.

"Where am I?" he groaned, his voice laced with discomfort. He felt something nuzzling him, the sensation surprisingly pleasant. His eyes darted to see what it was.

To his amazement, a Siberian Husky was laying beside him. The dog had a fluffy white double coat, with streaks of vanta black, and its eyes were a deep, captivating shade of navy blue.

Looking around, Atlas realized he was in a cave. But this wasn't the same cave he remembered—it was a den, a den for the dog. Unlike his previous experience with dark caves, this one was bright and welcoming.

He gazed at the dog, his lips curling into a cheeky smile.

There was no way he could've survived those ravings. The only explanation he could think of was that he'd been washed away in the Tussock River.

"Did you save me, boy?" Atlas asked, rubbing the dog's soft fur. "Wait... you're a girl!"

Atlas continued stroking the dog for a few minutes before letting out a sigh. "I gotta go, girl."

A sad expression crossed his face. "I wish there was some way for me to repay the favor... actually, I might have a way!"

His mood shifted, his eyes lighting up. He had always wanted a dog—especially a Husky. It seemed this was fate.

"Let's go, girl!" Atlas whispered as he gently led the dog out of the den. The dog barked in excitement and rushed after him.

---

West Borough, Black Estate, 11:00 PM

Atlas entered the house quietly, doing his best not to make any noise. But he was quickly noticed.

Alfred stood in front of him, his gaze judgmental. "So, you've finally bothered to return home, Master Atlas?"

Alfred huffed in displeasure. "Do you know how long you've been gone? Two days! That's how long. I've been worried sick! Your father and mother entrusted you to me. I scoured all of Backlund looking for you!"

"And now, when you finally return, you come back with tattered clothes and a mutt!"

Atlas looked down, unable to meet Alfred's gaze. "I'm sorry, Alfred. Please believe me, I didn't mean to be gone so long. I'll explain everything... just let me freshen up."

Alfred's expression softened with concern. "I'll be waiting, Master Atlas."

Atlas smiled, introducing the dog. "This is Lucy. She'll be living with us. I've got a few ideas for her. Anyway, I'm going to freshen up!"

Alfred sighed, taking Lucy with him.

.....

West Borough, Black Estate, 11:10 PM

"That hit the spot!" Atlas exclaimed, relaxing under the luxurious shower. Who knew that showers in the Victorian Era could be this fantastic? It was pure bliss.

He lazily made his way to the towel rack. As he glanced at himself in the mirror, he noticed a few changes in his appearance. His red eyes had deepened to a crimson hue, and his white hair had grown long enough to reach his shoulders.

'I look like Accelerator from Toaru now,' he thought to himself, a wry smile crossing his face.

He donned a classic suit and slipped a hat on his head before quietly making his way to the dining room.

His strides were filled with newfound confidence. Atlas decided it was time to tell the truth about what happened in the cavern. His intuition told him that Alfred was a High Sequence Beyonder, and he was certain that Alfred would know what to do about the cavern.

.....

"Master Atlas, you're telling me that you overheard some people talking about children being kidnapped. You asked them how they knew this, and they revealed they heard it from a man named Tommy."

"You went and questioned Tommy, who told you the children were being held at Tussock River. You went to the riverbanks and found a cavern. You explored it and came under attack."

"You helped the children escape and fought three men. You killed two of them, and when the third man was about to kill you, a statue of a phoenix they worshipped came to life and whispered in an unknown language. You then woke up in a den and found Lucy. Have I got everything right?"

Alfred asked, his tone skeptical. Atlas paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Yes, you've got everything right."

Alfred sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He clicked his tongue, looking at Atlas with a mixture of concern and disapproval.

"Well, Master Atlas, I don't see anything wrong with you. My best theory is that you haven't been corrupted. The phoenix was probably an evil god—a severely weakened one that could do no harm. I'll keep a close eye on you for a while."

He then looked at Atlas seriously. "I also won't allow you to play Batman for a week. I'll go check out the cavern you're talking about later."

Atlas widened his eyes. "But, Alfred, I need to be there. Who knows how many more children are going missing?"

Alfred raised his hands in exasperation. "Master Atlas, you will not go out for a week. It's too dangerous."

Atlas tried to argue, but Alfred quickly shut him down.

"Now, let's talk about what you want to do with Lucy."

Atlas thought for a moment before responding. "I want to make her a Beyonder."

Alfred shook his head. "Master Atlas, the chances of her becoming a Beyonder are extremely low. The potion will only kill her."

Atlas shook his head with a cheeky smile. "Don't worry, Alfred. She's resilient!"

Alfred sighed, clearly unconvinced. "Whatever you say, Master Atlas. I'm sure there are still more ingredients for the corpse potion."

Atlas immediately objected. "I don't want her to be a corpse collector. I got a potion formula from that darned phoenix's rap. The formula goes up to Sequence 7."

Alfred raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And pray tell, what is the name of the potion, Master Atlas?"

Atlas chuckled heartily. "It's called Sequence 9: Assassin"

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A/N - If you want extra chapters this is amount of powerstones you have to give

50 Powerstones - 1 Chapter

100 Powerstones - 2 Chapters

200 Powerstones - 3 Chapters