Chapter 259: A Big Reveal!
Byung stood alone in the dimly lit chamber, the bowl of his still-warm corrupted blood resting on the table beside him. The green liquid shimmered faintly under the torchlight, its oily surface catching the flames like something alive. He wiped the last traces of the cut from his forearm—already healed without a scar—and turned as Borkle came to check up on him once again, the goblin’s footsteps heavy with purpose.
"Borkle," Byung said, his voice calm but carrying the weight of absolute command. He didn’t ask. He didn’t explain. Everyone simply obeyed.
"Go find Grigmor. The hybrid child—the one born of orc and goblin blood. Bring him to me immediately. I want him here tonight."
Borkle straightened, chest puffing with pride at being chosen for the task.
"Yes, My King. Right away. Should I tell him anything specific?"
Byung shook his head once. "No need. Just bring him. Tell him his leader requires his presence. That’s all he needs to know."
Borkle nodded sharply, already turning on his heel. "It will be done before the moon rises higher."
"Good," Byung replied, his mind already shifting to the preparations he had begun on his end. He had ordered the mixing of herbs, honey, and crushed roots into the blood—flavoring it to mask the truth, turning it into "medicine" once more. The stone chamber where the mass breeding would occur was being cleaned and lined with fresh furs. Torches were being lit in a circle. The air already smelled of anticipation and smoke. Tonight. It had to happen tonight. No delays. No debates. His will was law.
Borkle had barely disappeared when Naruz burst in, her breath quick, eyes wide with urgency. "Byung! Valera—she’s awake. She opened her eyes just moments ago. She’s asking questions. I thought you should know immediately."
Byung’s head snapped toward her. The corrupted creatures gathering beyond it. The war that loomed like a storm on the horizon. Valera held answers he desperately needed—knowledge of what waited on the other side. If they stood any chance at all, he had to know now.
He moved without hesitation, striding past Naruz. "Take me to her. Now."
The walk to the healing chamber felt longer than it was, every step echoing with the weight of what Valera might reveal. When they arrived, Naruz pulled back the heavy curtain. Valera lay propped against furs, her blonde hair spilling across her shoulders, the thin fabric covering her body slipping slightly. She looked at Byung as he entered, but her gaze was distant, almost empty—like he was a stranger she had never seen before.
Byung raised a brow, the awkwardness of the moment settling over him. He forced a small, careful smile. "Valera... it’s good to see you awake. I—"
"Who are you?" she interrupted, her voice soft but steady, eyes narrowing slightly as she studied his face.
Byung stared at her for a long second, then let out a huge sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Who am I? I am the one who saved you from the pri—"
"...prison world," Valera finished for him, her tone flat at first. Then something shifted. Her eyes flickered, and Byung felt the familiar brush of her mind against his—gentle, probing, but only because he allowed it. He opened the floodgates deliberately: every memory, every shared moment in the prison world, the escape, the battles, the corruption that had changed him. All of it unfolded in her mind like pages turning in a book.
A slow smirk crept across Valera’s face as the knowledge settled. She looked around the chamber, taking in the goblin-made environment, the faint scent of herbs, the distant sounds of the settlement. "So I am really free?" she muttered under her breath, almost to herself.
Byung nodded firmly. "Yes. You’re free. No more chains. No more prison. You’re here, with us. Safe—for now."
Valera’s smirk widened into something sharper, more knowing. "Safe. That’s a bold word in this world, Byung. Especially with what waits beyond the barrier." She paused, tilting her head.
"You’ve grown strong. I can feel it in you. Confident. But you still need me, don’t you? To evolve your magic further. That’s why you’re here so quickly."
Byung didn’t deny it. He glanced behind him at Naruz, who stood quietly by the entrance. He gestured sharply with two fingers, motioning for privacy. "Naruz, leave us. Close the curtain behind you."
Naruz bowed her head without question or hesitation. "Of course, Byung. Call if you need anything." She slipped out, the fabric falling shut with a soft rustle, leaving them alone.
Valera chuckled low, the sound rich and ancient. "Byung, if someone told me it was possible to unite orcs and goblins under the same banner, I would have said impossible over a thousand years ago. Yet here you are—doing exactly that. Impressive."
The words hung in the air, sparking the question that had been building in Byung’s mind. He stepped closer, eyes locked on hers. "How old are you, Valera? Truly."
She didn’t give a direct number. Instead, she smiled faintly, almost teasingly. "Old enough to remember when the world was... different. Older than most care to admit."
Byung pressed, leaning in slightly. "Come on. Tell me. I need to understand who I’m dealing with here. How long have you walked this land?"
Valera sighed, sitting up straighter. The fabric covering her breasts slipped fully to the side, exposing smooth, pale skin, but she made no move to adjust it. Her eyes stayed on his, bold and unashamed. "I witnessed the world before the goblin king sealed it—with help from my kind. The elves, the ancient ones. We forged the barrier together in the old days. It was meant to protect us all."
Byung’s attention sharpened instantly, his pulse quickening. This was new. This was vital. "The goblin king? Sealed the barrier? I need details, Valera. Everything. The corrupted thing in Kragg’s body, what is it? Do we stand a chance?"
Before he could push further, Valera’s expression darkened. She clenched her fist slowly, testing her strength, muscles tensing under her skin.
"Before he betrayed us, that is. He is the reason I became unpure." Her words were bitter, laced with raw anger that made the air feel heavier.
"He turned on us. Used the power we gave him against us. That’s why I ended up in that prison—twisted, broken, waiting for someone like you to pull me out."
"Huh?" Byung muttered under his breath, brow furrowing in confusion. He waited for her to elaborate, but she didn’t. Instead, she just flexed her fingers again, frowning at the lingering weakness.
"I’m not at full strength yet," she admitted, voice quieter now. "Nowhere near it. But I will be. Give me time. And in return... I’ll help you evolve. I’ll teach you what the barrier truly hides. But only if you keep me alive, Byung. Protect me the way you protected your goblins. The way you protected Grishka. Because the elves, they will come for me,"
Byung’s mind raced—calculating, planning. He could take her here and now, push the evolution further through their connection, but he held back. The conversation was too important.
"I will," he said firmly, meeting her gaze.
"You have my word. No one touches you. You’re under my protection. But tell me more about this betrayal. The goblin king—who was he? What exactly did he do to the barrier? And these creatures beyond it... how do we fight them?"
Valera leaned forward, her smirk returning despite the pain in her eyes. "Patience, Byung. One revelation at a time. First, let me recover. Then... we talk strategy. Together."
The chamber fell into a charged silence, the weight of the future impeding war hanging between them.
Byung nodded once, already imagining the night’s breeding ritual continuing without him for now—Borkle would handle Grigmor, Grishka would rally her tribe. Everything was in motion. And with Valera awake, the pieces were finally starting to align.
