The return to the cave was sudden and jarring, as if the memories of the illusory battlefield had been ripped from their minds and thrown into the depths of their souls. Tianyi staggered backward, his breathing ragged, eyes wide with an unbearable weight of guilt and horror.
"It wasn't me," he whispered, clutching his head as though to contain the storm of emotions brewing inside. His voice cracked as he repeated, louder this time, "It wasn't me!"
Zhi Yue watched him, his own expression a mask of turmoil. He took a hesitant step forward, his usual sharp tongue and mocking demeanor absent. "Tianyi…"
"I didn't plan that!" Tianyi shouted, his words trembling. Tears streaked down his face as he fell to his knees, the strength in his legs abandoning him. "I didn't use that weapon! I would never do something like that!"
Zhi Yue's breath hitched as he saw the once-proud martial god—one who had faced countless battles without flinching—reduced to a trembling, broken man. For a moment, he didn't know what to do.
Tianyi buried his face in his hands, his shoulders heaving with every sob. "They're wrong. They're all wrong. I'm not a murderer. I'm not…that monster."
Zhi Yue knelt beside him, his movements slow, hesitant. He reached out but hesitated just before his fingers touched Tianyi's trembling shoulder. His own heart was a storm of emotions—grief for what he had seen, anger at the past, and a flicker of something he couldn't name for the man before him.
"Tianyi," Zhi Yue said softly, his voice uncharacteristically tender. When Tianyi didn't respond, Zhi Yue gently placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him closer.
Tianyi stiffened at the contact but didn't pull away. Instead, his sobs grew quieter, though his tears didn't stop.
"It's okay," Zhi Yue whispered, his voice as soothing as a lullaby. He shifted, pulling Tianyi into a loose embrace. "We'll figure this out. We'll find the truth."
"How?" Tianyi's voice was barely a whisper, muffled against Zhi Yue's shoulder. "How can I prove it wasn't me? How can I undo what they think I did?"
Zhi Yue tightened his arms around Tianyi, resting his chin lightly on top of his head. The heat from their bodies mingled with the cold, oppressive air of the cave, creating an odd sense of stillness amidst the chaos of their minds.
"We'll search," Zhi Yue said after a moment, his voice steady but soft. "Only your full memory can unveil the truth."
Tianyi's hands trembled as he sat on the cool stone floor of the cave, his eyes fixed on the ancient, lifeless skeleton of the serpent demon before them. The weight of the vision they had just witnessed pressed heavily on his chest, making it difficult to breathe. His voice was hoarse, barely audible as he asked, "Could it… could it be a lie?"
Zhi Yue stood nearby, his usually sharp and teasing expression replaced by one of solemn contemplation. He ran his fingers lightly over the jagged remains of the skeleton, feeling the lingering traces of power within. His eyes darkened as he spoke, his voice low and steady, "No. It's not possible."
Tianyi's head snapped up, his gaze desperate. "What do you mean? There has to be a way—it has to be false!"
Zhi Yue turned to face him, his expression uncharacteristically grave. "This serpent… it wasn't just any demon. It was famed for its unique ability to preserve memories indefinitely. Even a single drop of its blood could reveal events from thousands of years ago. What we saw wasn't an illusion or a fabrication. It was the truth, preserved by the last fragment of its soul."
The words hit Tianyi like a hammer. He staggered to his feet, shaking his head violently. "No… no, that can't be right! I would never… I couldn't—"
"Tianyi," Zhi Yue interrupted, his voice soft but firm. "I understand how you feel, but the serpent's memories don't lie. That war… that weapon… it happened exactly as we saw."
Tianyi's face turned ashen, his hands gripping his head as though trying to block out the echoing screams and carnage of the battlefield. His voice broke, raw and filled with anguish. "But it wasn't me! I didn't plan that massacre—I wouldn't use such a weapon! You have to believe me!"
Zhi Yue's chest tightened at the sight of Tianyi's pain. He had seen this man stand unyielding against foes that would crush lesser beings, but now, he was crumbling under the weight of accusations and memories that might not even belong to him.
"I believe you," Zhi Yue said quietly, stepping closer.
Tianyi froze, his wide eyes locking onto Zhi Yue's. "You do?"
Zhi Yue hesitated, the faintest flicker of doubt crossing his face before he smoothed it away. "Yes. But belief alone isn't enough. We need to find the truth—all of it. If you're innocent, we'll prove it."
Tianyi's shoulders slumped, and he let out a shaky breath. "What if we can't? What if… what if the truth damns me?"
"Then we'll face it together," Zhi Yue replied, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his eyes. "But you're not alone in this, Tianyi. Whatever the outcome, I'll stand by you."
Tianyi's throat worked as he tried to respond, but the words caught in his throat. Finally, he whispered, "Thank you."
Zhi Yue looked away, hiding the faint vulnerability that flickered in his gaze. "Don't thank me yet. We have a long road ahead."
He moved to the skeleton and summoned a low-ranking demon with a wave of his hand. The air shimmered, and a dark, shadowy figure emerged, bowing low. "Take this serpent's remains back to the demon realm," Zhi Yue ordered. "Make sure it's treated with the honor it deserves."
The demon nodded, gathering the massive skeleton with surprising care before vanishing into the ether.
As the cave grew quieter, Zhi Yue turned back to Tianyi. "Come on," he said gently. "We can't stay here."
Tianyi nodded silently, his steps unsteady as he followed Zhi Yue out of the cave. The once-oppressive heat of the lava fields now felt cold against his skin, and the heavy silence between them was almost unbearable.
After some time, Zhi Yue broke the silence, his voice softer than usual. "You know, this serpent's skeleton has been missing for centuries. The demon realm has searched for it for nearly six hundred years."
Tianyi glanced at him, his expression a mixture of exhaustion and guilt. "Why was it so important?"
"It was the gatekeeper of the demon realm," Zhi Yue explained, his tone heavy with reverence. "In life, it guarded our borders, ensuring balance between realms. It wasn't just a guardian—it was a legend."
Tianyi's heart sank further. "Then… that vision was truly its final memory?"
Zhi Yue nodded, his face somber. "There's no way to fake something like that. The serpent's ability to preserve memories is unparalleled. What we saw… it was the unaltered truth, preserved by its dying soul."
Tianyi stopped walking, his legs refusing to move any further. His voice trembled as he asked, "Then am I really… a monster?"
Zhi Yue turned to face him, his eyes narrowing as he grabbed Tianyi by the shoulders. "You're not a monster," he said fiercely. "Don't let this vision define you. Whatever happened in the past, you're still you. And we'll uncover the truth, no matter what it takes."
Tianyi stared at him, the anguish in his expression slowly giving way to a flicker of hope. He nodded, though his voice was barely a whisper. "Together."
"Together," Zhi Yue affirmed, though his own heart felt heavy. He wasn't sure if his words could ease Tianyi's guilt or his own grief over the war that had taken his father's life. But for now, it was all he could offer.
Their journey resumed in silence, the unspoken weight of their shared burden pressing heavily on their shoulders. Both carried scars—some visible, others hidden—but as they walked side by side, a fragile thread of determination bound them together. Whatever the truth was, they would face it, together.