Chương 376: Reading one

(Nym POV) Vale's legs trembled violently as Nym slipped an arm around his waist, taking as much of his weight as she could. Every step made him wince, blood continuing to drip from the countless wounds covering his battered body. She guided him carefully toward the rocky wall of the ravine, opposite the enormous corpse of the slain beast, her expression growing more troubled with every stagger he took.

"Take it easy, will you?" she muttered, her voice softer than usual.

"I don't know what just happened to you, but whatever it was..." Her eyes lingered on the blood soaking through his clothes.

"... it clearly pushed your body far beyond its limits." Vale let out a weak, bitter chuckle.

"You're worried about me?" he asked, smiling through bloodstained lips.

"I like that." Nym sighed in exasperation.

"Can you stop flirting for five minutes?" she complained, though there was no real anger behind her words.

"I'm supposed to be the one embarrassing you, remember? You're practically half dead. How do you still have enough energy to flirt in a state like this?" She slowly lowered him against the cold stone wall, supporting his shoulders until he could sit upright. Across from them lay the massive corpse of the predator, its thick hide still leaking fresh blood into the cracked earth. Vale leaned his head back against the rock and looked up at her with tired eyes, nearly half his body stained crimson.

"I guess..." Vale murmured with another weak laugh, his voice barely more than a breath.

"... that tells you just how serious I am about loving you." Nym simply stared at him. She wanted to answer. She could feel a thousand different responses fighting for space inside her mind, yet none of them ever reached her lips. Before she could say anything, Vale doubled over as another violent coughing fit tore through him. Fresh blood splattered across the stone between them, and every trace of embarrassment disappeared from her face, replaced by raw panic.

Her eyes swept across the ravine, searching every cliff face, every shadow, every possible path they might have overlooked.

"Any way out?" Vale asked between uneven breaths. Nym reluctantly shook her head.

"None that I can see." Her gaze lingered on the narrow ribbon of sky high above them before dropping to the tracking device strapped to her belt.

"But... we still have the tracker. Once the others realize we've stopped moving, they should start looking for us." Vale followed her eyes before glancing past her toward the enormous corpse lying in the center of the ravine. Blood continued flowing steadily from the beast's wounds, pooling across the cracked stone floor. He smiled bitterly.

"... Assuming something else doesn't find us first." The corpse smells of fresh blood. It would spread through the forest long before sunset. Every predator within kilometers would eventually catch the scent, and unlike the monster they had just defeated, those creatures would arrive fresh, hungry, and ready to claim an easy meal. She bit her lip.

'He's right.'

'This place isn't going to stay quiet.' Before the silence could settle any further, Vale weakly reached out and wrapped his trembling fingers around her wrist.

"Hey." Nym turned back toward him, their eyes meeting. For a brief moment, everything else disappeared. Without realizing it, her gaze drifted lower, settling on his lips. Even now, even after everything they had survived together, she still couldn't explain the strange pull he had on her. Every other person she met was an open book. Their emotions, intentions, and thoughts constantly brushed against her mind, whether she wanted them to or not. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen.

Report the violation. Vale was different. His mind was silent. No emotions bled into hers. No thoughts whispered at the edge of her consciousness. There was only stillness, a quiet emptiness that should have frightened her. Instead... It was peaceful. Comforting. Beautiful.

'I wonder...' Before she could stop herself, the thought slipped into her mind.

'... what would it feel like to kiss him?'

"Hey." Vale snapped his fingers in front of her face. Nym blinked violently, her entire face turning crimson as she immediately looked away.

"S-Sorry... I just..." Vale couldn't help smiling.

"It must be nice," he said softly, "having your own thoughts for once." She hesitated before giving a small nod.

"... It is." Her voice had become almost inaudible as she stared at the uneven stone beneath their feet, trying to ignore how quickly her heart was beating. Neither of them spoke for several seconds. Then Vale slowly lifted a trembling hand and gently rested two fingers beneath her chin, guiding her face back toward his. His smile was softer than before.

"You really are beautiful." Nym froze. Her heart pounded so loudly she wondered if he could hear it. For what felt like an eternity, she simply stared back, completely unable to think, until she finally gathered enough strength to gently push his hand away. Her expression became conflicted.

"I already told you." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"I can't be with you... not after everything that happened." Vale searched her face for a long moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

"... Alright." There was no bitterness. No disappointment. He carefully shifted his body, trying to lean against the stone wall.

"I'll try to get some sleep. Maybe it'll help my body recover a little." The attempt lasted all of two seconds. Another brutal coughing fit bent him forward, his entire body convulsing as fresh blood spilled from his mouth. Nym was beside him, supporting his shoulders before he could collapse.

"Don't move." She carefully steadied him against the wall.

"I'm going to see how bad it is." Vale managed a weak chuckle.

"You have an ability that actually works on me?"

"Sort of." She nodded as she placed a hand against the center of his chest.

"I rarely use it." The instant their skin made contact, a tiny fragment of his existence became visible to her. It wasn't even close to complete. Most of him remained hidden behind whatever impossible force constantly obscured his nature. But a fraction... A fraction was enough. Her emerald eyes shimmered as the world around her gradually dissolved, replaced by translucent lines of information unfolding across her vision. Name: Vale (Self-Given) Health: 3 / 100 Power Points: 80 Connected Plane: #$^@ — ERROR.

Unknown Plane detected. Nym frowned. She hated using this ability. It demanded direct contact, immense concentration, and rarely provided enough information to justify the effort. In battle, it was practically useless. Now, however... She prayed it would tell her something she wanted to see. More lines appeared. Enigma: ^%$@ — ERROR. Unknown Enigma detected.

Abilities: Unknown Current Injuries: Punctured lung Pierced stomach Extensive blunt-force trauma Severe muscular tearing Atum overload/recoil Her heart tightened. Desperately, she continued reading until one final entry slowly materialized beneath the rest. Estimated Survival Chance: 20% Survivability Condition: Medical treatment is required within 8 hours. Failure to receive treatment will result in the subject's death. Nym quietly released the breath she'd been holding. The odds were terrible.

But they weren't zero. Vale noticed the subtle change in her expression and managed another tired smile.

"So..." His voice cracked.

"I live?" She nodded hesitantly.

"It looks like you will... as long as we get you proper medical treatment within eight hours."

"Lucky me." The words ended in another cough that painted the stone beneath him crimson. He wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand and managed a crooked smile.

"... Though at this rate, I'm not completely convinced I'll make it that long." Without thinking, Nym grabbed his hand. Her grip tightened.

"You have to." There was no uncertainty in her voice. Vale blinked before a faint blush spread across his face.

"Look what you've done," he laughed weakly.

"You made a dying man blush." His smile widened just enough to tease her.

"Shame on you." Nym rolled her eyes, though the corners of her lips betrayed a tiny smile as she reached into his armor and retrieved the tracking device. She turned it over repeatedly, checking every switch, rune, and hidden compartment. Nothing. Only the quiet glow shows the locations of the others. She couldn't call for help. Couldn't send a warning. Couldn't even tell them they were trapped beneath the ravine. With a frustrated sigh, she placed the device beside Vale.

"Piece of junk." Silence settled over them once more. Only the distant calls of birds, the slow drip of blood from the beast's corpse, and Vale's strained breathing disturbed the stillness. After several minutes, he finally looked toward the narrow strip of sky above them and spoke without taking his eyes from it.

"So..."

"What happens now?" Nym followed his gaze. White clouds drifted lazily overhead, utterly indifferent to the battle that had been fought beneath them. She drew a slow breath, slid down the wall beside him until their shoulders rested against the same stretch of stone, and allowed herself to lean into the silence.

"I guess..." A faint, tired smile touched her lips as she looked toward the endless patch of blue overhead.

"... we wait."