NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 80: Day 2 Atlas Admits His Mistakes
They had made their decision, and it was time to give everyone else their thoughts.
With that, they stepped out of their little closed meeting and headed to where the Portal Crushers exploration team was gathered. Atlas raised his voice, getting their attention. "Team, we want to have a chat. Do you think we could have gotten by last night without any major injuries if we had our regular weapons and not just clubs? You need to tell us because we need to decide if that’s what we’re buying today."
Wang Bo—or “The Celestial Emperor Who Can Slay Dragons,” as he liked to be called—was the first to speak up. "Yes, absolutely. Switching from using a staff to a club—it was ridiculous."
Stu, ever the hothead, chimed in, "Fuck, even though I use two maces, you gave me one club. I was only half as useful. Yeah, I could fucking use my fucking weapons."
Alexander nodded in agreement, his voice steady but with that familiar rural twang. "We’d have been in a whole lot better shape if we had our real gear, no doubt 'bout that." He paused for a second, shaking his head. "Kinda like tryin' to ride a bull with no rope—just ain't gonna end well."
Isabella took in the group’s responses and turned back to Atlas. "Well, it looks like everyone agrees that if we had had our weapons, we could have handled one demon dog."
Just then, the wind picked up, carrying with it a faint but unmistakable sound—a distant, guttural growl that sent shivers down the spine of anyone who heard it. The newbies, already jumpy from the previous night’s attack, looked around nervously.
“Did you hear that?” one of them whispered, their eyes wide with fear.
“Yeah,” another replied, trying—and failing—to keep the tremor out of their voice. “And I don’t want to hear it again.”
Atlas noticed the unease spreading through the group. ‘They’re green‘—he could practically see the terror rising in them. The reality of the demon dogs was sinking in, hard and fast.
He needed to squash this before it turned into a full-blown panic. “Listen up!” he called out, his voice cutting through the murmurs. “The dome will protect us tonight. That’s a guarantee. Got it?”
There was a murmur of agreement, though it was clear the newbies were still rattled. They hadn’t had time to harden yet, and the demon dogs were a harsh introduction to the brutal realities of their new world.
But Atlas knew they didn’t have the luxury of time. ‘They’ve got to learn fast,‘ he thought with resolve. ‘Or they won’t survive at all.‘
As the group dispersed to prepare for the night ahead, Atlas caught sight of Isabella. Her earlier frustration had faded, replaced with a steely resolve that he recognized all too well. It was the look of someone who had been through hell and was ready to fight their way out.
“We’re going to be okay,” she said, more to herself than to Atlas.
Atlas gave her a small, tight smile. “We are,” he agreed. But in his mind, the plan was already forming—how to make sure they didn’t just survive tonight, but every night after that. They had to be smarter, tougher, and more prepared. And that meant making the right choices, starting now.
“Let’s get our weapons,” Atlas finally said, loud enough for the others to hear. “Tomorrow, we’ll be ready. Tonight, we just survive.”
‘‘‘
He started walking back to the main settlement area and saw the group. He wanted to apologize to them all for his mistakes, but before he could, John said, “Hey Atlas, the group wants to say something to you.”
As they walked, a few of the newer recruits gathered near the fire, voices hushed but laced with anxiety.
“This can’t continue,” one muttered, shaking his head. “Why were we not protected? Not like we can escape. This is the worst.”
“They were all feeling defeated,” another chimed in. “How did we even end up here?”
“This is a death sentence,” someone whispered. “We’re so fucked.”
“Guess we’re stuck with it,” the first recruit sighed. “Just gotta pray Atlas knows what he’s doing.”
“Guys it was bad last night, but we’ll have to have hope,”said Amber.
Gulp. ‘Time to face the music,‘ thought Atlas as he walked through the camp. And that actually was what happened. He was surprised as some of the group stood up and started singing, Atlas Will Bring Us Home.
[Verse]
In the still of the night, under southern stars,
We dream of home, though it feels so far,
Brought here by force, the miles we've roamed,
There's a promise made, Atlas will bring us home.
[Verse 2]
In shadows we whisper, 'bout a world beyond,
Through the fabric of time, and the heart's old song,
No portals to damn, no gates to roam,
Just a path laid clear, Atlas will bring us home.
[Chorus]
We'll go back, through fields of golden wheat,
To friends waiting, where our hearts will meet,
From every corner, no matter the stone,
Atlas will bring us home, where we belong.
[Verse 3]
In the face of the dawn, we stand unbowed,
With the hope of return, it's our solemn vow,
Doesn't matter our past, or lands untold,
With every footstep traced, Atlas will bring us home.
[Chorus]
We'll go back, through fields of golden wheat,
To friends waiting, where our hearts will meet,
From every corner, no matter the stone,
Atlas will bring us home, where we belong.
[Bridge]
Oh the journey is long, the nights are cold,
But in each other's arms, our stories unfold,
We've crossed every storm, hearts made of chrome,
With Atlas in our souls, we’ll always find home.
‘‘‘
Unprompted, the entire settlement joined in. Even the newbies. Atlas was stunned by the show of support, and looked at John, "Thanks, John."
John said to Atlas, “I know you’ve been beating yourself up. It couldn’t be easy running a settlement, and I know you’ve done this once already, but you’ve got to remember you’re still human, and humans make mistakes. Besides, aren’t I the one who’s supposed to be helping you run the settlement?” He smiled and laughed. “Look, people haven’t given up on you. This was just a slight hiccup. We’ve got a long way to go.”
‘I can't believe John arranged all of this. Here I am, thinking that it's all on me, but I guess it’s part of the whole deal. It’s not just about me; it’s about the whole camp, the settlement, the people, the Portal Crushers. For me, I should just be grateful. It turns out they don’t hate me and haven’t lost faith,‘ Atlas thought, a flicker of relief breaking through the heaviness in his chest.
‘Maybe I’m not as alone in this as I thought,‘ he reflected, realizing the strength of their unity. Each face around him, every bit of support, reminded him that he wasn’t carrying this burden solo. ‘It’s easy to get wrapped up in my own mistakes and forget that we’re all in this together.‘ He felt a twinge of hope; perhaps he could turn this around, not just for himself but for all of them.
“Yeah, and I also broke out the emergency booze from the backpacks. Here, have a shot.” John was relieved to see his friend cheering up, and no longer just mentally flogging himself.
“Yeah, this use of emergency booze was a pretty good choice.” Atlas poured back some whiskey from the flask, a smile growing in his heart.
***
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