The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 109: Parents and children (1)

Chapter 109: Parents and children (1)

"Yes. You aren’t birthed. You were created by the Witch’s Hex."

Hex looked dazed when he heard Wallen speak about how he came to be. He had often wondered why his parents had abandoned him. Through the years he had come up with various reasons why they may have done it. But not once had he considered being something created.

"Am I even human?" He asked in a flat tone. His voice was devoid of emotions. He felt nothing. It was empty on the inside.

Wallen looked worried when he saw Hex act like this. The boy had been lively, albeit crude at times, but never had he looked as defeated as currently.

Despite knowing that time was of the essence, Wallen patted Hex’s back, being patient with him. The young man had to digest so many things in such a short time. But Wallen believed that it was important for him to know all these. Whether to proceed or not, should be his choice and not the baron’s or anyone else.

"Why are you fighting this battle? Why did you keep trying to gain a Blessing, even though the baron had kicked you out?" He asked Hex calmly.

"Whatever the Dawnbringers are doing wouldn’t affect you or people you knew if you kept out of all this.

You continued to fight, to strive, to feel. I don’t know whether you are human or something else, but I know you act more human-like than most real people I have known throughout my life."

He looked at Hex, who was looking back at him. Noticing that his words were working, Wallen continued to speak.

"Even if you aren’t human, so what? Focus on being alive...be grateful you have feelings - it could be anger, love, lust, whatever it may be - know that you are still the same being with dreams, wishes, and aspirations."

Hex listened attentively. When Wallen spoke about wishes and feelings, his mind conjured the dream he often had, him defeating the baron and becoming the next baron - he thought it worked that way. Despite everything he chuckled, realizing how foolish it had been. Yet, he didn’t regret it.

’Why is it foolish anyway? Someday, I will become the baron,’ Hex smirked inwardly. He looked up, at the thundering clouds. The baron was inside. ’Have they started? Who will win? He or she?’

When his thoughts went to the Witch, he felt peaceful. She was his mother, weirdly, but he didn’t feel any attachment to her. He looked at the other woman, the baroness. He didn’t feel anything for her either but for the baron’s sake, he would try his best to save her.

"How do we save her?" He asked Wallen.

Hex’s voice was still calm and devoid of emotions but Wallen was relieved. He knew it would take time for the boy to accept his new reality. For now, he was being responsive and willing to fight. That was enough for now.

"The baron told me you can house absorb souls in your inner space. If you manage to do that, I am supposed to use my spatial affinity to help you search for Heaven’s vault. According to the baron, you can link with its door."

Hex looked confused at first but soon remembered what the baron might have referred to. ’He gave Wallen instructions some time ago. I didn’t have the monolith then! How far did he plan this? And am I just a tool in all this?’

He felt doubt arise in his head. But he quickly suppressed those feelings. It was not the time to lose himself. Once they finished the predicament, they would have time to discuss everything.

"Okay. Let’s start," he said. He was getting familiar with traveling between reality and the inner space where his heart and the monolith were.

"We will still need to defeat and destroy the divine infant. You don’t think the Witch will try to stop you from opening Heaven’s vault?" Wallen walked with him but reminded him of the crucial part. They stopped and looked at the infant who was close yet far.

"The space around it will loosen once they start to battle," Wallen said, pointing to the sky. He was referring to the baron and the Witch.

Hex nodded. He walked up to the baroness and put his hand on her chest. To his surprise, even without the heartbeat, her body radiated a warmth that put him at peace. The glyph on the back of his hand started to shine brightly. The next moment, he saw fragmented images appear around him. At first, he didn’t know what they were. The people and the places were not familiar. But then he noticed a few people in them. The baron was among them.

’Are these her memories?’

He lifted his hand to touch them. But the images splintered the moment he touched them. Everything went dark. He looked around, waiting to see what would happen next.

Nothing happened for a while. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a whisper reached his ear.

"My son..."

...

In the physical world, suddenly the sky exploded. The lightning went berserk, striking the ground at random. Althea and the others looked up.

A golden light clashed against a dark beam, blasting the air. The battle occurred hundreds of meters above the ground but its shockwave was felt on the castle ground.

Their heart tightened when they saw the after-effects.

"Hurry!" Hestia exclaimed, urging the others to increase the speed with which they saved people. They were trying to bring out of the castle ground as many people as possible.

...

Inside the main building, everything was still. No one paid any attention to it, assuming that no one was left inside. But inside one of the rooms, lay an old couple, unconscious. A young boy lay on the bed.

Suddenly, the boy sat up.

"I-Is what you have shown me true?" Gorge asked in a trembling voice.

Yes.

Gorge sat in silence at the edge of the bed. He looked blankly toward the front.

Boom.

With a start, he looked up, when lightning struck just outside of the room. Exhaling deeply, he stood up from the bed and walked up to his parents. They were side by side.

He hugged them gently, feeling their warm embrace around him. Their arms had shielded him from every harm. Despite growing up in the slums, his parents made sure he was taken care of.

A tear rolled over his cheeks as he withdrew himself from their arms.

"Thank you for everything. I love you. Being born as your son was the best Blessing Heaven’s bestowed upon me," he whispered. With a last glance at them, he left the room.

Hurry. They are going to kill me.

"Don’t worry. Don’t forget your vow. Keep them safe and happy."

I will.

"Then I will keep my vow. You will live, even if I die."