Four Pillars: The True Apparatus

"Something special…" Valyr muttered to himself, soon recalling the ethereal state he was in while fighting against the Lee twins back in the Gates of Awakening. "Are you talking about that otherworldly state I was in?"

"Nah, that part is just a bonus of absorbing the Shard of Defiance," replied Vaughn, leaving the young man slightly surprised. "In fact, there's a way to willfully harness its powers, but let's save that topic for after this conversation."

"In any case, what I mean about the Shard of Defiance being special is…"

"Something I can't really talk about," said the man with a bitter smile.

Seeing Valyr frown in response to his words, the man's smile turned even more bitter as he scratched the back of his head.

Getting the feeling that the young man was thinking that he was beating around the bush on the real answer, a hint of hesitation flashed on Vaughn's face before he eventually made a decision.

Whoosh!