Chương 243: Fragmented Truths

Vale didn't move at first. He stood in silence, watching Ares, taking in the faint remnants of those draconic traits, the horns framing his silhouette, the crimson eyes now dulled beneath that carefully maintained, emotionless exterior. To an outside observer, the exchange might have seemed finished, cleanly concluded. But Vale knew better. There were gaps. Not minor omissions, but fractures within his words. Ares had spoken with certainty and authority, but not with completeness. The logic didn't align.

If the so-called false angel had been overtaken by the boy's soul, then how had that same entity been responsible for bringing Ares here? The sequence contradicted itself. Either the transformation had occurred later than Ares implied, or the man had deliberately obscured part of the truth. And that wasn't the only inconsistency. Ares had referenced Vale's ability, his power to glimpse memories, as if it were established fact, something already confirmed. Vale had never told him. Not once.

Which meant Ares hadn't inferred it. He had known all along. Vale's eyes narrowed slightly, tension settling into his jaw as the realization took hold of him. His hands tightened briefly at his sides, the instinct to press further rising fast, but just as quickly, he forced it down. Whatever Ares was withholding, pushing here would accomplish nothing. Not in this room. Not under that pressure.

Without another word, Vale turned and walked toward the door, his steps measured, controlled despite the unease coiling beneath his ribs. He reached the handle, fingers closing around the cold metal, and paused. For a moment, he considered leaving without saying anything further. Then he glanced back.

"I know you're hiding something, Sir Ares," he said, his voice steady, though the tension beneath it remained unmistakable.

"I don't know what it is… but I know that much." The statement lingered in the empty air. Ares tilted his head slightly, one brow lifting in faint amusement.

"Am I now?" he replied, his tone edged with quiet mockery. Vale didn't answer. His expression tightened just slightly before he pushed the door open and stepped out, closing it firmly behind him. The moment it shut, the weight hit. He leaned back against the stone wall, exhaling sharply as his breath turned uneven, his pulse pounding hard enough to feel in his throat. The delayed reaction set in all at once, the tension he had suppressed now catching up to him.

For several seconds, he didn't move, didn't speak, just stood there, steadying himself.

'Why did I say that?' The thought came quickly, unfiltered. Ares could have killed him. Easily at that. There had been no uncertainty in that. And yet, in that moment, Vale hadn't hesitated. There had been no fear strong enough to restrain him, only a strange, unshakable certainty, as though speaking had been the only natural outcome. It didn't make sense. He pushed himself off the wall and began walking down the corridor, slower now, his focus turning inward as his thoughts spiraled.

'A calamity.' The word echoed in his mind. Ares hadn't used it lightly, that much was clear. It hadn't been metaphor alone. There had been a identity behind it. So what did it mean? Vale's gaze dropped slightly as he walked, his expression tightening again.

"What are you hiding…" he muttered under his breath, more reflex than intention. No answer followed. Only more questions came to his mind. Ares knew about his ability. That meant someone had told him, or he had discovered it through means Vale didn't yet understand. Drago was the most obvious link. He had spoken with the high priestess, had knowledge about Vale that others didn't. But Drago wasn't careless. He didn't share information without reason. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site.

Support the author by reading it there. So why would he tell Ares? Vale's steps slowed slightly as the thought sharpened. Unless…

"… Did he have something to do with that?" he murmured. Drago had changed after learning his family was alive. That much was undeniable. Vale and Eskar had been there for that shift, part of whatever had caused it. But would that alone be enough to justify trust? He exhaled quietly, shaking his head. Too many unknowns and not enough structure to form a conclusion. Before he could follow the thought any further,"Vale! Over here!"

The voice cut cleanly through Vale's thoughts, sharp enough to break the spiral before it could deepen. He blinked, attention snapping back to the present as he lifted his head, and spotted Korin approaching, his expression open and relaxed, a stark contrast to the tension Vale had just stepped out of. A small smile formed despite himself.

"Korin," Vale said, stepping forward to meet him.

"Good timing." They closed the distance quickly, the shift in atmosphere immediate. Where Ares had filled space with pressure, Korin carried something far easier to breathe around.

"So," Vale continued, rolling one shoulder as if shedding the last of that lingering weight, "when are we heading out?"

"Right now, actually," Korin replied with a grin, his eyes briefly scanning Vale as if checking for damage beyond the obvious. There was a flicker of curiosity there as well.

"How was your conversation with the commander? He doesn't usually call people in privately." Vale hesitated, just for a fraction of a second, before lifting a hand to the back of his neck, scratching it with a faint, deliberately casual smile.

"Guess I'm just special like that," he said. Korin let out a quiet huff of amusement but didn't push. Whatever he noticed, he chose to leave it alone. Vale's attention drifted past him, drawn by movement further along the platform, and then it stilled. Among the steady flow of guards preparing supplies, organizing crates into reinforced transport baskets, a familiar figure stood out immediately.

Long blonde hair caught the light as she moved, her posture composed but efficient, hands working with practiced ease as she coordinated with the others. Vale's eyes widened slightly.

"…Is that Nova?" he asked, more to himself than to Korin. Korin followed his gaze, then nodded without hesitation.

"Yeah. She made it here too. Turns out she's more capable than most people gave her credit for. Got recruited alongside me, and a few others." Vale watched her a moment longer, something quieter settling into his expression, relief, subtle but real, before his focus snapped back.

"Wait," he said, turning to Korin again.

"Where's Eskar? He was looking forward to seeing her." Korin's expression shifted, just enough to register. He brought a hand to his chin, thinking it over before answering.

"He left," he said finally.

"Said something about not being worthy of all this. Same mindset as always." A quiet exhale followed, tinged with mild frustration.

"Too much honor for his own good." Vale frowned, folding his arms as he processed that.

"So he went back to the library?"

"Most likely," Korin confirmed.

"It's the only place you guys really have to go to right now." Vale didn't respond immediately, though the thought lingered. Then he shifted, pushing the moment aside.

"…What about Nym?" he asked.

"Is she here?" Korin let out a quiet chuckle. Vale raised a brow.

"What?"

"Nothing," Korin said, waving it off lightly.

"Just funny. You're both asking the same questions." He straightened slightly, tone shifting back toward something more practical.

"I'll give you her address later. Her birthday's coming up, you could visit." Vale blinked, then exhaled softly as the realization hit.

"Right… I completely forgot." A small, genuine smile followed.

"Thanks." Korin clapped a hand onto his shoulder, firm but easy, already steering him forward.

"Don't mention it. Come on, you're with me." They moved together through the last stretch of the corridor, the space opening up as they approached one of the larger transport platforms. It was wide, reinforced with thick supports, a massive basket structure anchored at its center, clearly designed to carry both personnel and cargo through the air. Korin stepped up first, pulling himself onto it without effort.

Vale paused briefly at the edge, eyeing the setup with a raised brow before climbing up after him, his boots landing with a dull thud against the reinforced surface.

"So what's the plan?" he asked, glancing around, taking in the structure, the positioning, the lack of any visible propulsion. Korin's grin widened, something almost mischievous settling into it.

"Well," he said, tilting his head slightly toward the open air beyond the tower, "we get a lift." Vale followed his gaze outward. The sky beyond the structure was alive with motion, dozens of flying creatures circling in controlled patterns, their silhouettes cutting across the light as they moved with trained precision. Then he heard it. A sound that didn't belong to the others. Sharp and piercing. A screech tore through the air, slicing across the wind with enough force to make it feel tangible.

Vale stiffened slightly, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the sky, senses sharpening.

"And… who exactly is lifting us?" he asked, a note of caution slipping into his voice despite himself. Korin chuckled under his breath, clearly enjoying the moment.

"Who else?" he replied. A blur streaked across the sky. Fast, far too fast to track cleanly, cutting through the air like a distortion rather than a creature. The pressure shifted a split second before it arrived, the atmosphere itself compressing in anticipation, and then it hit. BOOM. A violent gust slammed into the platform as something massive tore into the open space of the tower, its descent controlled but overwhelming in sheer force.

Wind howled outward, rattling the structure, tugging at clothing and loose equipment as the entire platform shuddered under the impact. Vale braced instinctively, feet locking into place as he absorbed the force, muscles tightening as the structure trembled beneath him. Korin didn't move.

"…None other," he said calmly, lifting his gaze toward the towering presence that had just arrived,"than Tachyon."