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Family: Brother = Kyn, Primal God of Peace and Vengeance. Children = unknown †

ATTES’S JOURNEY TO DATE:

Attes is a bit of a conundrum for me. I wanted to like him right off; he is, after all, the ancestor of some of the most pivotal people in my current history. Yet the things I saw led me to be incredibly wary. I thought, even at first, that he might be playing both sides a little and working behind the scenes, but I had no proof to substantiate that, and thus kept waiting and watching.

Luckily, I didn’t have to wait too long.

As close to Kolis as a brother, Attes knows about Sera and watches her. He even saves her once as his nota form, the silver hawk.

After Sera arrives in the Shadowlands, Attes travels there to meet her. He remarks that she’s no mere mortal and says she carries a mark and an aura. When she lashes out verbally as Sera is wont to do, Attes remarks that she has bite and asks Nyktos if Veses has seen her.

When he turns his attention to Nyktos, he inquires why the Primal killed the Cimmerian, Dorcan, and states that he thought they were fond of each other. Ash answers by reminding him what Attes did to his brother’s guards.

Attes asks if Sera knows not to repeat what she hears, and she snaps at him again. He tells her to mind her tone and says that while he finds her boldness refreshing and alluring, others will not. Nyktos says that Sera will kill those who don’t.

He attempts to use a bit of provocation magic on Sera and realizes that his presence does not affect her. He then turns the conversation to the Ascension that was felt and asks how a god Ascended in the Shadowlands. When Nyktos says it had to be Kolis, Attes clearly doesn’t believe him. He says he knows it was a god from Hanan’s Court and guesses it was Bele.

He tells Nyktos that Hanan has been having a fit in Dalos, and the other Primals are worried. He then adds that he hasn’t forgotten who Nyktos’s father was or who Nyktos was meant to be. If Nyktos wasn’t the one who Ascended the god, then the embers are in the Shadowlands somewhere.

Attes says he’s at the House of Haides out of curiosity and on Kolis’s behalf. He believes he was chosen to deliver the message because he was the closest—and the least likely to be thrown into the Abyss. He then drops the bomb, telling Nyktos and Sera that Kolis denies their right to the coronation. He says the Primal of Life wants it to be more formal, and that requires his permission. He adds that Kolis will summon them and then comments on Nyktos being Kolis’s favorite. When Sera calls the fake Primal of Life a son of a bitch, it makes Attes laugh.

Testing the waters, Attes offers himself to Sera if she’d rather have a warmer climate in bed. Nyktos is not happy, and Sera threatens Attes again. As he leaves, he tells Theon about Sera’s threat on his way out and admits he was both turned on and amused.

In Dalos, Attes enjoys the show as Nyktos and Sera kiss and then interrupts them, flirting as usual. Nyktos threatens him again and says he’s bound to lose his eyes. He tells Nyktos it would be worth it.

When Dyses enters, Attes finds joy in watching the Revenant provoke Nyktos. He remarks that Nyktos killing Dyses would either annoy or amuse Kolis. He also says that he imagines there will be many heartless, dead gods by the end of the day.

He tells Sera and Nyktos that he was awaiting their arrival, saying they’re better company than the rest in attendance. He also remarks that Dyses has always felt off to him and tells the couple that some of the bodies they saw were from the last Rite.

When asked why he’s there, he says that Kolis summoned Kyn, so he decided to join his brother. Not to mention, he wanted to see Sera again and remind her what he said when they first met about her watching her sharp tongue.

He adds that he’s only been in Dalos for a few hours and that no other Primals are there but him and Kyn.

He sets off to find his brother before Kyn gets himself into trouble. After, he tells Nyktos why he killed Kyn’s guards when the Primal of Death brings it up again.

Kolis arrives, and Nyktos blocks the Primal of Life from touching Sera. Attes remarks that Nyktos is quite possessive and says that the Primal of Death has threatened to rip out his eyes at least three times.

When talk turns to the Ascension they all felt, Attes chimes in and clarifies that what Nyktos says means that only Kolis can Ascend someone.

Kolis demonstrates his life-restoring powers with Dyses, and Attes sits up straighter when Dyses enters, restored. Kolis asks him if he has the same doubts as Hanan since he seems surprised to see Dyses alive and well. Attes explains that it’s just been a long time since Kolis has bestowed the honor, so it was a bit of a surprise.

He lies so smoothly.

Kolis tells Kyn to retrieve what he was ordered to deliver, and Attes swears when he sees the youngling, Thad. After Kolis makes his decree, Attes brings a dagger to Sera. Once Sera takes Thad’s life, Attes lifts the draken’s body, the blood singeing his flesh.

Later, in Vathi, Attes inquires as to why Nyktos and Sera are on his balcony without invitation or warning. When Sera asks about the draken, it takes Attes by surprise. He explains that Kyn went to burn Thad. Sera urges him to stop his brother and bring the body to them. When he hesitates, Sera shouts at him, and Nyktos orders him to do it.

It surprises me that he’d listen given how much older he is, but his loyalties really do lie with the Primal of Life. And he was Eythos’s friend.

He returns with the draken’s body and is told not to speak of what he sees. Nyktos says he will level his Court and hunt him down if he does. To which he responds that he’s getting really tired of the Primal of Death’s threats.

Attes watches, stunned, as Sera revives the draken; so shocked, he stumbles back from the table and swears.

The couple tells him he’ll have to keep Thad hidden, and Attes confirms that the gods and Primals would have felt the revival. It will be hard to keep him hidden, especially from Kyn. They tell him to bring the draken to the Shadowlands and promise he’ll be safe there. Attes says he knows Nektas will take care of him.

He comments on Sera’s charm, saying it won’t work there, but vows that no one will learn about what happened in Vathi—he swears it. He bows to Sera and promises not to betray what she did.

Attes insists that he knew something was different about her. He had even more suspicions when she didn’t react to his presence. Nyktos asks why he didn’t go to Kolis with his assumptions and gain favor, and he says that he could have, but again, he remembers who Nyktos’s father was and who Nyktos was meant to be.