Vastarael and Sirithiele's First Conversation

"So you're a child of Prince Dilasyus and his wife in the future? I didn't expect someone as ruthless as him was actually that... loving. And he has three wives too? That is... shocking."

Vastarael realized that his mothers did not exist in this period of time. In fact, only his father did.

In the Mopheria Pantheon, the Nexuses now were the parents of the future Nexuses. Which meant that his grandfather was the Nexus at this time, before the Destras Cataclysm would lead to the battle between his father and grandfather.

And his father would win the battle.

There were ten Nexuses, who were the parents of the second generation of Nexuses in the future. And Sirithiele was a minor goddess, who is incapable of comparing herself to them.

In terms of power level, she was a Minor Goddess. In the god rank, there are two phases; Minor and Major Gods. She was a Minor Goddess of the lake and that meant that she was on the lowest rank.

Even Stephos, the god who hunted Vastarael down at the age of thirteen, was a Minor God.

And also, the reason why Vastarael was telling her this was simple; it was her Boon, Truthful Trance.

Her Boon was an absolute force that compelled the truth to surface, bypassing willpower, mental defenses, and even divine resistances.

Once she posed a question, the person in front of her had no choice but to answer honestly. It wasn't something that could be fought or avoided. It simply unraveled the truth from their very essence, leaving no room for deception.

The moment she opened her mouth, he knew he couldn't resist.

"So," she began, tilting her head slightly, her piercing gaze locked onto him. "Why are you really telling me all of this? Surely you're not just indulging my curiosity."

His lips parted, and before he could even process the thought, the words spilled out.

"Because I need allies, even among those who might see me as a threat. I'm surrounded by forces that seek to manipulate or destroy me. If I can forge trust with someone like you, someone with a Boon that cuts through deception, it might give me a chance to survive the Epoch Cycle."

He blinked, startled at his own candor. He hadn't intended to share that, but it was as if the truth had been pulled from the depths of his soul, bypassing all filters. Sirithiele's gaze didn't waver.

"So you see me as a tool."

"No," Vastarael replied instantly, his voice sharper this time, as though fighting against the compulsion. "I see you as someone I can trust. Your Boon forces honesty but it's not just that. You're perceptive, sharp, and... you don't carry the same ambitions or malice that others do. I feel like I can speak to you without fearing betrayal."

Her expression softened slightly, though her lips twitched in what might have been amusement.

"You're surprisingly sincere for someone with so much to hide."

"I don't have a choice, do I? Your Boon ensures that."

Sirithiele leaned back against the tree, crossing her arms as she regarded him.

"You're right. You don't have a choice. Once I ask a question, you'll answer truthfully, whether you want to or not. That's the nature of my Boon. It's not something I control consciously. It's a divine compulsion that activates the moment my curiosity leads me to seek answers. And believe me... I'm very curious..."

Vastarael exhaled sharply, his golden eyes narrowing slightly.

"A dangerous ability for someone like you to have. In the wrong hands, that power could unravel kingdoms"

"Or build them," she countered smoothly. "It's all a matter of perspective. But you're right, it's dangerous. That's why I rarely use it. People don't tend to appreciate having their secrets dragged into the light. Still, it has its uses. Like now, for instance."

Vastarael tensed, sensing another question forming on her lips. He could feel the weight of her divine essence pressing against him, a subtle but undeniable force that demanded submission.

"Why are you really here, Vastarael?" She asked softly, her voice carrying an edge of steel. "What is your purpose in the Epoch Cycle?"

He opened his mouth and the truth poured out like water from a broken dam.

"I... don't know."

This took Sirithiele completely by surprise.

"The Cycle is meant to prepare us for the battles to come and the only reason I'm here is that I can defy the fate that's been forced upon me."

Her eyes widened slightly, her composure slipping for just a moment. She hadn't expected such a raw, unfiltered answer. Vastarael clenched his fists, frustrated at how easily the words had escaped him.

"You're trying to rewrite your fate," she murmured, almost to herself. "Even though you know it's impossible."

"Yeah... I don't even know my purpose at all."

Silence hung between them for a moment, the air heavy with the weight of his declaration. Sirithiele studied him carefully, her expression unreadable. Finally, she spoke, her tone softer than before.

"You're bold, I'll give you that. Reckless, maybe, but bold. I think I understand why you intrigue me. You're not just a prince or a warrior. You're someone who's willing to fight against the very fabric of fate itself. That's... rare."

Vastarael's tense posture relaxed slightly, though his golden eyes remained wary.

"Is that your way of saying you'll help me?"

Sirithiele smirked faintly.

"Perhaps. But don't think you can keep anything from me. As long as my Boon exists, I'll know the truth, whether you want me to or not. Also, you speak of these things so openly. Aren't you afraid of disrupting the flow of time?"

Her voice carried a slight teasing edge, but there was a genuine curiosity beneath it. She didn't fully understand the intricacies of temporal consequences, but her Boon ensured she believed him.

Vastarael shrugged, "The Epoch Cycle has already twisted the natural flow of time. Besides, your Boon leaves me little choice but to be honest. Even if I wanted to withhold the truth, you'd sense it."

Her lips curled into a faint smile at the acknowledgment, though she quickly suppressed it. She wasn't used to her abilities being praised so directly.

"It's not as omnipotent as you think. Truthful Trance is more... subtle. The more questions I give, the worse the mental state of whoever I'm asking becomes worse. That's my Bane, Mental Destruction."

"In your case, my Bane isn't affecting you at all because your mental strength is... extremely powerful."

"Your Bane affects others rather an yourself. That's... extremely rare."

Sirithiele shook her head, "Certainty, yes. You've been completely truthful so far but I still don't know why you've decided to share all this with me. What do you gain from telling a Minor Goddess about your lineage, your father's conquests, or even your future?"

The question lingered in the air for a moment before Vastarael responded, subconsciously.

"Perhaps because I see no harm in telling you. Your Boon ensures that you won't doubt me and there's something refreshing about speaking plainly for once. Also, I know that the Destras Cataclysm two years from now will involve you in these isles."

Sirithiele blinked, caught off guard by his candidness. Her fingers twitched as though she wanted to reach out but thought better of it.

"You're... a strange one," she said finally, her tone softer. "For someone with such a heavy legacy, you speak with surprising honesty."

"That's because I've lived through enough lies My life was tangled in fate and deception. Speaking to someone who can strip away the lies... it's almost liberating."

Sirithiele watched him for a moment, her usually guarded demeanor softening slightly. Her Boon buzzed faintly in the back of her mind, reaffirming the truth of his words. It was rare for her to encounter someone who didn't try to twist their words to manipulate her perception. Vastarael's sincerity, however unusual, was strangely comforting.

"You're not what I expected from a son of Dilasyus," she said quietly. "Perhaps that's why you intrigue me."

Vastarael allowed a small, wry smile to grace his lips.

"I'll take that as a compliment... Minor Goddess," He emphasized her rank teasingly, earning a faint glare from Sirithiele.

"Careful," she warned, though there was no malice in her tone. "Even a Minor Goddess can be dangerous when underestimated."

"I know."

"About you saying that you don't know why you're here, is it because you have no purpose?"

Vastarael blinked.