The Taste of Seduction

"And now, thanks to you, I can see my little baby again, and my lovely wife Gwen." His voice softened significantly when he acknowledged his wife.

Atlas watched him with admiration in his gaze; he noted within him that Meredith was the luckiest woman on the planet for her parents to have so much love dwelling inside them for each other, that was the major explanation for her ability to give love. It literally existed in her blood.

It made her the best choice for him. He\'d bask in all the love she had to give, giving back to her much more than he may receive.

There was so much love in the bond between her parents, it almost felt palpable. He did not want to imagine what it would be like when they are finally together after such a long time. He would definitely know that because they were about to make their way out of the void.

He suddenly had the urge to leave as fast as possible, not wanting to let it wait another minute. "Tell me what I have to do."

"It\'s simple," Lucious replied as he took his stance, holding out his hand as a signal for Atlas to interlock his in. He did as expected.

"Chant with me, Atlas," Lucious said.

"I don\'t know any chant," Atlas replied with panic.

"Don\'t worry, it\'ll come naturally," Lucious added, and then he began.

Dia photus tou panselenou,

Epikaloumen tin dynamin entos,

Gia na xypnisoume ton desmo

Metaxy mas kai tou mas syntrofou

Kai na enosume tis psyches mas o syngeneis.

The air around them grew still as they closed their eyes, focusing all of their energy on the task at hand. For what seemed like an eternity, they stood in silence, only interrupted by the sound of their puffing. Suddenly, their eyes snapped open, glowing with a fierce intensity.

Lucious\'s eyes were a piercing blue, while Atlas\'s shone with a radiant golden yellow; the results of their merging was a coalescing that resulted in a potent force.

With a sudden jolt, the space around them quaked and shuddered, as though a massive explosion had occurred in their midst. The ground shook beneath their feet, and the fabric of their reality began to give way.

************

Meredith leaned against a boulder, staring into space. With no clue of what to do to bring Atlas back, she seemed lost and desolate in her sadness. Marcus stood at a suitable distance, observing her. He loved her dearly, so much that at one point in his life, he wanted her to himself.

He wanted nothing more than to ease her pain, but all attempts to move were halted by his spirit. He was hesitant, as he\'d promised himself never to interfere in matters between herself and Atlas.

He respected them very much as a couple, and he was bound to honor his word of not doing anything to ruin their bond, no matter the situation that may arise. But watching her go through this much grief hurt him just as much.

Gwen watched the duo from where she sat, close to the entrance of the cave. She could sense the hesitation in Marcus as he maintained the distance between himself and her daughter. She smiled knowingly, applauding his loyalty within her.

It took a lot of self-control to keep one\'s word when there was every reason justifiable to break it. And what Marcus displayed at that moment was god-like self-control.

She remembered that she was the one who had created the soul tie between them. If she trusted anyone with her daughter it was him and he has proved her right.

Her respect for him grew even more, and then her mind drifted to Austin. If he had this level of sustenance in his spirit, he wouldn\'t have given in to the hatred that drove him to his death.

There wouldn\'t have been a battle to fight, and there wouldn\'t have been a need for war. Meredith would not be mourning the loss of Atlas. Her heart tugged at the last thought as she beheld her one last time.

She adjusted her apparel and was about to get on her feet when a whooshing sound drew their attention.

Wheeling their heads in the direction, they were stunned at the sight of a tearing in the space within the cave. A gust of wind came from the black space within the tearing, and then it widened into a black portal.

While they struggled to get accustomed to the otherworldly presence in their space, two familiar-looking figures walked out of the space, smiling ear to ear as they graced the trio with their presence. After a moment, the portal drew shut with a zap.

"What\'s up, guys? Guess who I found," Atlas said gleefully.

"Atlas!" Meredith yelled his name at the top of her voice and threw herself upon him, causing him to lose his balance and topple to the ground. "Meredith, sweetheart, it\'s been so long," Atlas whispered against her hair as he rained kisses on her locks.

"I thought I lost you," Meredith said, shedding tears while she hugged him. She had been overwhelmed by his appearance that she didn\'t realize she\'d been shedding them right when she recognized his figure.

"Well, I\'m here now. Don\'t cry anymore." He whispered as he nudged her slightly and cupped her face, placing his forehead against hers—a gesture that signified his adoration for her. In her impatience, she launched her lips atop his in a fierce dance of joy and pleasure mingled together to form a pleasant adhesive for their already blooming bond.

Marcus gave a genuine smile as he beheld the two getting lost in each other. He noted with humor that they must\'ve lost touch with reality with the way they allowed themselves to get consumed by each other\'s presence. It was a heartwarming scene, that was very certain. He had thought that it would take longer for them to figure out how to have him back with them.