The gym was eerily quiet, the hum of mana-powered lights casting soft glows over the reinforced walls and polished floor. It had been a week since Team Unknown began testing Val's Void Projection ability, and though Val had made considerable progress, the strain was beginning to show.

Alone in the gym, Val sat cross-legged on the mat, his breaths steady but heavy.

Tendrils of dark energy swirled around his hands, coalescing into the shadowy figure he had worked tirelessly to perfect. It glided effortlessly through the room now, its movements sharper, more purposeful.

"Good," Val muttered, his focus unyielding.

But Deleo's voice, usually tinged with humor or mockery, broke through with an unusual gravity. "Val."

Val frowned. "Not now, Deleo. I'm finally getting it right."

"That's the problem," Deleo replied, his tone firm. "You're pushing too far."

Val didn't answer immediately, his focus entirely on guiding the projection as it maneuvered through a complex path of obstacles.

"Val," Deleo said again, his voice sharper this time.

The projection flickered, and Val's control wavered briefly before he reasserted it. "I've got this, Deleo. Stop worrying."

"I'm not just worrying," Deleo snapped, uncharacteristically serious. "You're crossing a line you can't see. This ability takes more out of you than you realize."

Val clenched his jaw, sweat beading on his brow as he directed the projection to the final marker. "You're the one who suggested this, remember? If you didn't think I could handle it, why bring it up at all?"

Deleo's silence stretched for a moment before his voice softened. "Because I wanted to help you. But I also warned you that this is uncharted territory. You're the first Bellator heir to fully control the Void. That's an incredible strength—but it's also a burden. Even I don't know your limits, Val. But I can see you're close to reaching them."

The projection dissolved into thin air, the strain finally catching up to Val as he slumped forward, his hands bracing against the mat. His breaths came in shallow gasps.

Deleo's voice was quieter now, almost tender. "Look, Val. I know I suggested it, but remember, even I do not know the limits. So rest. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Val exhaled slowly, his frustration evident. "I don't have the luxury of resting, Deleo. You know that."

"And I know you'll push yourself until you break," Deleo replied. "That's why I'm here. And besides…" His voice gained a lighter, almost mischievous edge. "With your Void Projection practice for a week, I think you can handle me being outside for a bit."

Val's eyes snapped open, confusion laced with surprise. "What do you mean, 'outside'?"

Deleo chuckled, the sound reverberating through Val's mind. "Oh, you'll see."

The air around Val shifted, a low hum filling the room like the deep thrum of a tuning fork. Shadows gathered in the center of the gym, pooling together as if drawn by an unseen force.

Val pushed himself upright, his eyes widening as the darkness began to take form. A hazy silhouette emerged, less defined than his projections but undeniably present.

This time, as Deleo materialized, the hum deepened, vibrating through the floor. The edges of his form shimmered like heat rising off pavement, a faint wind brushing against Val's skin. His eyes, though still that familiar night-dark, pulsed with an intensity that seemed to pierce through the room. A faint violet glow coursed beneath his translucent skin, a soft blue at the edges that shifted to a deeper purple at his core.

A delicate tinkling sound, like distant wind chimes, accompanied the transformation.

As Deleo took his first breath in the physical world, he exhaled softly, his newly formed lips curling into a faint, mischievous smile.

Val stared, speechless. "Deleo…"

"Yes, yes," Deleo said, waving a shadowy hand with a flourish. "I know. I'm magnificent."

Val's brow furrowed as his gaze zeroed in on Deleo's translucent, shifting form. "Wait… are those lips?"

Deleo paused mid-hover, his ethereal head tilting slightly. "Excuse me?"

Val pointed, his finger wavering in disbelief. "You have lips now. Like… real ones. What's the point of that? You don't even eat."

Deleo crossed his barely-formed arms, his tone dripping with mock offense.

"The point? The point is refinement, Val. Do you think I wanted to float around as an ambiguous blob forever? I'm a primordial force, not a poorly drawn cartoon."

Val blinked, trying to suppress a laugh. "But lips, Deleo? Really? What's next? A nose?"

Deleo's form flickered slightly, as if puffing up in indignation. "Don't you dare mock my aesthetic evolution. This is art, Val. Art."

Val raised an eyebrow, gesturing vaguely at the faint violet glow surrounding Deleo's shifting features. "It looks more like someone threw glitter at a shadow."

Deleo gasped theatrically, placing a translucent hand over his newly-formed chest. "How dare you. Glitter is beneath me, you ungrateful little mortal."

Val leaned back slightly, his tone half-teasing. "Ungrateful? You're literally in my head. And now you're out here—hovering, glowing, and… accessorizing?"

Deleo straightened, his shimmering figure flickering with exaggerated pride. "I am enhancing the experience. Honestly, Val, you could learn to appreciate my effort. Do you know how much energy it takes to look this good?"

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Val couldn't hold back the grin any longer. "Sure, Deleo. Your 'effort' is very… inspiring. I'll be sure to tell the team all about your breakthrough into skincare."

Deleo huffed, his form shifting slightly as he floated closer to Val. "Mock all you want, Val. But let me tell you, these lips are iconic. You'll miss them when they're gone."

Val held up a hand, laughing now. "Okay, okay. I'll stop. But I swear, if you come back with eyebrows next time, I'm calling Dr. Lewis."

Deleo paused, considering for a beat. "Eyebrows… hmm."

"Don't even think about it," Val warned, the grin still plastered across his face.

Just then, the doors to the gym hissed open, and the rest of Team Unknown stepped inside.

"What the hell is that?" Riggs blurted, his gaze darting to Val. "Did you finally nail the projection thing?"

Fon tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "It's more… defined than before."

Bo crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "That doesn't look like your usual work, Val."

Deleo, ever the cunning primordial, turned to the team without a word. He glided across the gym, inspecting each of them with a quiet curiosity, his violet glow casting faint shadows along the walls.

Riggs shifted uncomfortably. "Okay, this is getting creepy. Does it talk, or is it just going to keep floating around like that?"

Val opened his mouth to explain but closed it again when Deleo's smirk grew.

"He's doing it on purpose," Val muttered under his breath.

"Doing what?" Fon asked, glancing at him.

Val sighed. "Being himself."

Deleo stopped in front of Ember, who stood with his arms crossed, his expression skeptical. Ember studied the figure for a moment before exhaling deeply. "Deleo. How nice of you to show your presence before us again."

The rest of the team stared at him, startled.

Riggs blinked. "Wait. Deleo? As in… Deleo?"

Deleo laughed, a rich, resonant sound that filled the room. "The one and only. Nice to see you all again."

Bo's posture stiffened slightly, his gaze flicking between Val and Deleo. "So… this isn't a projection?"

"No," Val said, his tone flat. "That is the same Deleo."

Deleo's tone turned playful. "Surprises keep life interesting, don't you think?"

Ember pinched the bridge of his nose. "Great. As if one Val wasn't enough, now we've got a shadow version with an attitude."

"Attitude?" Deleo repeated, feigning indignation. "I'm a delight."

Val sighed, too tired to argue. "Can we just get through this without breaking something?"

Deleo chuckled, gliding toward him. "Relax, Val. Remember, you have to rest."

Ember heard Deleo's decision, and raised an eyebrow? "Why, what's wrong?"

Val sighed, while Deleo turned towards to Ember, too close to his face, "Ah, Ember Bellator. Tell your little brother to rest for today, or he will be burned out." earning a "Too close Deleo" from Ember.

Deleo continued, "I know my powers, so if I say he's going to go on a rampage if he pushes one more further, you'd all better listen.", his voice dripped with slight amusement, but more laced with threat.

Before Ember could say anything, the door to the gym hissed open, and there came Dr. Lewis.

Deleo switching back to his usual mischief tone, "Ah, Dr. Lewis, glad to see you again.", as he hovers towards Dr. Lewis who flinched at the sight of Deleo.

His eyes widen, gazing from Val who sighed, slumped on the floor, then back at the shadowy figure in front of him. He said, "Mr. Void."

Deleo just chuckled, and motion for Dr. Lewis to continue. "Alright, we got the results, and we would need you all for deployment tomorrow, so rest up."

Dr. Lewis then turned rigidly, without waiting for another response from the team.

"What was that?" Riggs said incredulously. "Is it me or did Deleo scare him off?"

Val shook his head, pushing himself to his feet with a groan. "I'm not even surprised at this point if Deleo has that effect on people."

Deleo floated toward Val, his translucent form flickering slightly as if basking in the attention. "I'll have you know, Val, my presence commands respect, not fear."

Fon raised an eyebrow, his tone drier than usual. "Respect? Sure. That's exactly why Dr. Lewis left the room like he'd seen a ghost."

Deleo placed a hand over his chest—his new lips forming into a dramatic pout. "Ghost? I am offended. A primordial being reduced to a mere specter in their eyes. Val, your team lacks vision."

Riggs smirked, arms crossed as he leaned against a nearby wall. "Nah, we've got vision. What we don't have is an explanation for how you've got… lips now. And don't even get me started on the glowing wind chime sound. Is that new, or am I just noticing it?"

Deleo turned toward Riggs, his violet glow intensifying faintly. "It's called evolution, Riggs. Some of us progress. You, however…" He trailed off, his expression suggesting something unspeakable before turning away with an exaggerated flourish.

Val groaned, running a hand down his face. "Deleo, you've made your point. Can we not start a fight right now?"

Bo, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up. "He's right, Deleo. We're a team. This isn't the time to play games."

Deleo chuckled, gliding effortlessly to Bo. "Oh, Bo. You're so grounded. No wonder you're always the voice of reason. It's charming, really."

Riggs coughed pointedly. "More like boring."

"Careful, Riggs," Bo replied without missing a beat, his icy tone cutting. "I might actually listen to Deleo and evolve just to deal with your jokes."

Fon sighed, rubbing his temple as he muttered to himself, "We're never going to hear the end of this."

Deleo, undeterred by the banter, floated back toward Val. "Alright, fine. Let's bring this circus back to focus." His form flickered slightly as his tone grew serious. "Val, rest now. No arguments. Tomorrow, you'll need your strength. And your team, for all their… quirks, needs you at your best."

Val narrowed his eyes at Deleo but didn't argue. The weight of exhaustion, coupled with the week of training, was undeniable.

Ember, having watched the entire exchange with thinly veiled exasperation, finally spoke up. "Deleo's right. Rest is mandatory. You've pushed yourself enough for one week."

Riggs grinned, giving Val a teasing nudge. "Wow, Val. Ember and a shadow coach ganging up on you. You must feel real special."

"Shadow guardian," Deleo corrected with a smug tilt of his head. "I have standards."

Bo smirked faintly. "Standards? You're floating around like an overgrown nightlight with glitter, and you're talking about standards?"

Deleo clutched his chest theatrically again, as though mortally wounded. "I am offended. This glow is refinement, Bo. You should appreciate my aesthetic choices!"

Before Val could even muster a response, Deleo's tone shifted once more, carrying an undercurrent of mischief. "And to prove my worth, let me help you prepare for tomorrow… by ensuring Riggs stays out of trouble."

Riggs blinked. "Wait, what—"

In one smooth motion, Deleo circled Riggs, his form flickering playfully as faint pulses of Void energy surrounded him. Riggs flailed slightly, swatting at the harmless energy tendrils.

"Hey! Stop that! What is this, some shadow spa treatment?"

Deleo chuckled. "A gift, Riggs. Consider it protection. Or, perhaps, just a way to keep you entertained."

Bo snorted quietly. "He's entertaining himself at your expense. That much is clear."

Riggs huffed, glaring at Deleo. "If you're so evolved, how about evolving some boundaries?"

Deleo didn't answer immediately, his laughter fading into a faint hum as he turned to Val. His expression softened, the playful edge giving way to something quieter. "Val, trust me on this. Rest now. You've earned it."

Val nodded, though the fatigue in his frame was evident. "Alright. I'll rest. But if I wake up to find you've added eyebrows or something, we're having words."

Deleo grinned. "Noted. But I make no promises."

The rest of the team shook their heads as Deleo hovered lazily toward the center of the gym, his translucent form shimmering faintly. Ember gestured for the group to leave Val alone for now, his tone curt. "Let's give him space. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."

As the team filed out, Riggs muttered under his breath, "I'm telling you, one day, that shadow's going to decide it needs legs, and then we're all screwed."

Bo chuckled softly. "One problem at a time, Riggs."

The doors slid shut, leaving Val alone with Deleo.

Deleo's tone was softer now, his glow dimming slightly as he addressed Val. "Get some sleep, Val. I'll be here."

Val nodded, leaning back against the wall. "Thanks, Deleo. For everything… even the glitter."

Deleo's laugh was soft, his form flickering faintly. "You're welcome. Now rest. Tomorrow, we face the world."