Vale and Callum remained seated at the grave of young Adrian long after the world around them seemed to move on. The ravens circled overhead in wide, deliberate arcs, their black feathers cutting silently through the air before the stillness was broken by the occasional low caw. It was not loud, nor frantic, only watchful, as though the birds themselves understood the gravity of the place they guarded.
Time passed slowly.
At last, Callum let out a deep, weary sigh and rose to his feet. Vale looked up as the man stepped closer to the grave and placed his hand against the stone, his touch gentle despite the armored gauntlet that covered it. For a brief moment, he said nothing. Then, quietly, almost fondly, he spoke.
"Alright, buddy," Callum murmured. "Hero's gotta go again."
He withdrew his hand and turned away, already walking off as the loose cloth of his armor fluttered in the wind behind him. Vale stood a moment later. He looked down at the grave one final time, eyes lingering, before giving a small, respectful bow. Then he turned and followed.
They walked in silence.
Callum moved with his eyes closed, his posture relaxed, his steps confident and precise. Watching him, one would never have guessed he couldn't see, his movements were too fluid, too certain. Vale stayed close behind, his ravens gliding around them in lazy spirals while Ember remained perched on his shoulder, calm and observant.
After some time, Callum opened his eyes and glanced back at Vale. He slowed his pace slightly and turned just enough to face him.
"So," Callum said, his tone casual but curious, "did I scare you away from becoming a Guardian?"
Vale blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question. He considered it for a moment, then let out a quiet chuckle.
"Not at all," he replied. His voice was steady, his expression unwavering.
Callum grinned.
"That's good, then," he said. "If that had been enough to scare you, I wouldn't have allowed you to become one in the first place."
Vale tilted his head, surprise flickering across his face. He seemed to consider responding, but ultimately chose silence. They continued walking until Callum suddenly came to a stop.
"Get your ravens," he said with a smile. "We're leaving."
He raised his wrist and activated the device embedded there, tapping several buttons in quick succession. Vale whistled sharply. At once, the ravens broke formation and swept toward him, responding with practiced ease, likely something Ember had taught them.
A faint circle of light formed beneath their feet, its edges glowing softly. Within seconds, it expanded and was consumed by radiant white brilliance. Vale closed his eyes as the ravens began to caw again, wings beating against the sudden surge of energy.
and then, just as abruptly, the light vanished.
They stood in the teleportation chambers of Sector Zero.
Vale exhaled and glanced sideways.
"So," he asked flatly, "what now?"
Callum considered him for a moment.
"Well," he said, "if you're up for it… we could spar."
Vale's eyes widened.
"I thought you said your powers were unstable," he replied. "Yesterday."
Callum chuckled.
"Well, yeah," he admitted. "That was yesterday. I've got them under control now."
Vale studied him skeptically, then closed his eyes and sighed.
"Alright," he said at last. "Let's do it."
A wide grin spread across Callum's face, wider than before.
"Whatever you want, kid," the Shining Knight said. "Just follow my lead."
They walked through the facility together. As they passed the thick reinforced windows, Vale glanced out, searching instinctively. Chimera was still nowhere to be seen. Though she was healing, she was likely hidden deep within her hollow mountain, refusing to emerge until she had fully recovered.
'Guess I won't see her anytime soon,' Vale thought.
Callum noticed the glance and looked at him sidelong.
"Wondering how Chimera's doing?" he asked.
Vale nodded once.
"You know," Callum continued, "you could always check the control room. They've got everything you'd want to know about her."
Vale frowned slightly.
"Am I allowed in there?" he asked.
Callum nodded without hesitation.
"Of course," he said. "You're the one who healed her."
Vale stared at him briefly, surprise evident, then let out a small chuckle.
They stopped before a massive door, one Vale recognized instantly. The dojo.
Memories of his fight with Yuki surfaced immediately. A grim expression crossed his face as he remembered the destruction left behind.
Callum, however, seemed unbothered. He stepped forward and placed his hand on the handle.
"Alright," he said. "Let's go."
The doors opened.
Vale froze.
The dojo was immaculate, every beam, every mat, every weapon rack restored to perfection. Exactly as it had been before the fight.
"But… how?" Vale muttered.
Callum chuckled softly.
"This place gets repaired fast," he said. "Even if it's completely destroyed, our personnel can have it restored within a few hours."
Vale nodded slowly, taking it all in. His ravens and Ember fluttered away from him, perching among the weapons lining the walls.
"I see," Vale said.
Callum turned to face him, tilting his head.
"So," he asked, "any idea what weapon you're going to use?"
Vale hesitated. He hadn't brought his own blades, he hadn't expected to fight today, let alone spar with Callum. His gaze moved across the racks, scanning, weighing options.
At last, he stepped forward and reached for a large spear.
He lifted it carefully, focusing on the energy flowing through the weapon. Dense. Stable. Powerful. A good match. Vale spun it a few times, adjusting to its balance and weight, then nodded in approval.
"I'll take this one," he said.
A satisfied grin spread across Callum's face as he began to applaud lightly.
"Very good," he said.
Vale smiled faintly.
"And you?" he asked. "What about your weapon?"
Callum chuckled softly before reaching out with a casual flick of his hand. One of the weapons mounted on the wall, a massive claymore, trembled for a brief moment before tearing free from its rack. It flew through the air and slammed neatly into his grasp as though drawn there by an invisible force.
He lifted the blade upright before him, its broad steel covering nearly half his face. For a moment, only one of his eyes was visible over the flat of the weapon, sharp and focused.
Vale felt a spike of unease crawl up his spine.
'He's strong… really strong,' Vale thought. Still, he forced himself to breathe. 'He'll go easy on me. He has to.'
Callum lowered the claymore slightly and smiled, the tension breaking just enough to feel deliberate.
"Get in position, Vale," he said, extending the tip of his blade toward the far side of the dojo.
Vale obeyed, stepping back until he stood opposite Callum. The dojo was empty, no spectators, no observers. Whatever happened here would remain between the two of them. That knowledge did little to calm Vale's nerves.
He raised his spear, letting its tip rest lightly against the floor. Despite his efforts to remain composed, a bead of cold sweat slid down his cheek as he watched Callum take his stance across from him.
"Alright," Callum said calmly. "Here are the base rules. No dirty fighting. And whoever gets the other into a clear killing position wins."
Vale raised an eyebrow.
"Really?" he asked. "Those are the only rules?"
Callum nodded once and lifted his claymore effortlessly with one arm, resting it against his shoulder.
"That's all you need."
Vale let out a small, nervous smile and adjusted his grip on the spear. He centered himself, feet planted firmly, every muscle tensing in anticipation. His focus narrowed until there was nothing left in the world but Callum.
Yet Callum didn't move.
Not a step. Not a twitch.
'What is he doing?'.
Vale blinked.
And in that instant, the distance between them vanished.
When his eyes opened again, Callum was standing directly in front of him—far closer than should have been possible, his claymore already lowered, his posture relaxed, and a wide, almost amused smile on his face.
As if the fight had never truly begun.