Chương 64: To Bear Witness

Hyun's location ping triggered a buzz from Gray's communicator. He tapped the alert, and a moment later, the screen pulsed with a steady yellow glow beneath the words: OPEN SYSTEM MINIMAP Unable to store the communicator in his ring, Gray shoved it into his pocket. He opened his status interface and expanded the minimap in the bottom-right corner. A blue arrow flashed across the display, pointing toward the far northeastern quadrant. Distance: 2, 000 feet Looks like that's where I'm going.

"Are you sure you don't want backup?" Eugene asked.

"It's better if I go alone." Gray gripped the engineer's shoulder.

"I have ways to escape if things go bad. Don't worry about me." Eugene lowered his head, his voice dropping to a murmur.

"Still… letting you go by yourself doesn't feel right."

"This is something I need to handle on my own." Gray flashed him a reassuring smile.

"I'll be back before the level ends."

"I understand," Eugene said reluctantly.

"Good luck, man." Andre glanced up from Delilah.

"And hey—sorry about going off on you back at the—" Gray raised a hand, cutting him off.

"That's in the past. Tensions were high. Don't sweat it." Andre grunted in acknowledgment and returned to wringing out a damp cloth for Delilah's forehead. Gray moved swiftly through the dense forest, keeping the blue arrow centered on his minimap. To his relief, he encountered no stray Hydras along the way. The creatures rarely wandered far, instead clustering tightly around the Astral Rifts to defend their cores. Accidentally stumbling into one was nearly impossible.

Each portal emitted a low-frequency hum that carried through the woods long before the Rift itself came into view. Using the vibrations as an early warning, Gray easily skirted the guarded areas as he closed the distance to his brother. Eventually, he reached the final stretch. Distance: 300 feet So far, he hadn't encountered a single hostile squad. But the closer he got to his destination, the more his instincts warned him not to relax. The finish line was exactly where complacency became dangerous.

Letting his guard down now would— A body fell from the sky. It slammed into the ground barely ten feet ahead of him. A sickening crunch shattered the quiet. Blood burst outward on impact, splattering the surrounding grass and streaking the nearby tree trunks crimson.

"What the fuck!" Gray threw both arms over his face as warm droplets sprayed across his sleeves. He froze for a beat before cautiously approaching. The corpse lay twisted in a mangled heap. Both arms had buckled inward, jagged shards of bone jutting through the flesh near the elbows. The legs had folded unnaturally, snapped so violently that the toes of the victim's shoes were pressed against the fronts of their own thighs. Bile surged up Gray's throat.

He swallowed it down hard, pressing the back of his hand over his mouth as he forced himself closer. Dark blood pooled beneath the victim's head, soaking into the grass. The body appeared to belong to a woman, though her face was turned away and hidden beneath a spill of long ginger hair. An icy dread tightened around Gray's chest as he stopped a foot away. He hadn't even seen her face yet, but something about her felt horribly familiar.

Drawing a shaky breath, he carefully stepped around the widening pool of blood to get a better look. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. It can't be. Ariel. You share a strong bond with your brother, Hyun, Edward transmitted. Some would call that a blessing. Others would consider it a liability. He might be a liability, but he's my liability, Hyun shot back.

Such unwavering conviction toward your own blood, Edward replied, genuine sadness creeping into his voice. Why couldn't you afford me that same loyalty? Hyun's brows bent into a scowl. What do you mean by that, Edward? Why have you lied to me, Hyun? Edward's tone sharpened. I truly believed you would understand me. You struck me as a highly rational man, after all. Lie? What are you talking about? It's somewhat embarrassing to admit, but I am a cautious man, Edward explained.

I always make sure my accomplices are thoroughly vetted before I invest in them. In other words… I had to read your mind. Hyun's body tensed at the confession before he slowly forced himself to relax. I figured as much. You made it kind of obvious, he replied, keeping his mental voice deliberately even despite the spike of anxiety rushing through him. That's an incredibly cliché move, you know. But there's obviously been a misunderstanding.

Maybe the nullstone interfered with your telepathy and you didn't read me properly. Hyun. Edward's voice turned cold. Did you know you have quite the crafty side? It's one of the reasons I've grown so fond of you. And why I need you. A brief pause followed. We'll call it even, because I've lied to you as well, Edward continued, his tone settling into an unsettling calm. Specifically, about what happened to my former disciples. Hyun stiffened. Everything I told you about them abusing their power was true.

But I omitted one minor detail regarding their eventual demise. Edward paused. I caused it. I temporarily borrowed their vessels during the race to carry out my own plans. Only for a few minutes. Nothing more. But the strain proved too much for their minds, and their brains simply shut down afterward. You… killed them? Hyun stammered through the connection. They had it coming, boy. I feel no pity for those cretins. Edward's voice rose with contempt. Trust me, they deserved far worse than a short-circuited brain.

"That doesn't change the fact that you were the one who killed them!" Hyun blurted aloud, his composure finally cracking. A few feet away, his teammates abruptly stopped talking and turned toward him. He raised an apologetic hand, pointed to his temple, and mouthed, My mentor. Sorry. I understand where your anger comes from, Edward continued. But it was a necessary evil. The ends justified the means. The objective was to eliminate the disciples of Mikael—the leader of the Astarchs.

Hyun flinched, his gaze slowly drifting toward Ariel. In the past, I carried out this duty vicariously through my vessels, Edward continued. I do not wish to burden you with the psychological toll of the act. The implication was unmistakable. Edward was giving him a one-sided ultimatum: kill Ariel with his own hands, or surrender control and watch his body do it for him. Hyun was out of options. So he did the only thing he could—tried to seize control of the conversation and put Edward on the defensive.

What is the actual purpose here? Hyun demanded, deliberately sharpening his mental voice in an attempt to prod the man's ego. Why target Mikael's disciples? Is this spite? Rage? Some deep-rooted grudge against the man who threw you into a cell? Are you really willing to kill innocent people just to get revenge? He softened his tone. You can change, Edward. I believe in you. A light chuckle echoed through Hyun's mind. Ah, an occupational habit I see. Very cute, Hyun. Edward sounded almost amused.

Why don't I indulge this little therapy session? Hyun's expression flattened. So much for the empathetic-therapist routine. Am I driven by spite? A grudge? Not at all, Edward replied. I would never sacrifice innocent lives merely to settle a personal score. Mikael's disciples dying by my hand would be a mercy compared to the fate he has prepared for them. Just stop, Hyun cut in, exhaustion bleeding into his mental voice. It doesn't matter anymore whether you're telling the truth. I'm done.

I'm done with whatever grand scheme you're trying to drag me into. It's exhausting, Edward. Get out of my head. Edward released a heavy sigh, the sensation of his resignation seeming to fill Hyun's skull. That is unfortunate to hear. But this matter extends far beyond either of us. I apologize. SEIZE The world vanished.

Hyun's consciousness was violently extinguished, ripped away from his body and plunged backward into something suffocating—like sinking into a bottomless lake of wet cement buried deep within his own mind. Yet he could still see. His body stepped forward without his consent. Hyun screamed at his legs to stop, but they continued carrying him toward Ariel. His right hand entered his peripheral vision, the fingers slowly curling into a fist. Ariel was ripped off the ground. She thrashed helplessly in the air.

Bones snapped. Her limbs folded grotesquely inward as an invisible force crushed them against her body. A wet gurgle escaped her throat, followed by white foam bubbling between her lips. Hyun could do nothing. Say nothing. Couldn't even close his own eyes. Edward had left him with only one purpose. To bear witness.