The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 110: Parents and children (2)

Chapter 110: Parents and children (2)

"My son..."

The whisper came out of nowhere, but as soon as the voice reached him, the darkness faded, and he found himself in the middle of the inner space where his heart stood.

Opposite him stood the baroness, looking at him with a warm smile. Under her gentle gaze, he felt at peace.

"You have grown into a handsome young man," the woman said. Her voice was soft but clear.

"Y-yeah," Hex said, unsure how to proceed. "W-we need to find a door...Heaven’s door..."

He pointed clumsily at the monolith. He felt his body heat up and his heartbeat accelerate.

"Are you nervous, son?" Hex flinched when she called him son. It felt strange. It felt...nice. He didn’t reply and stood there, averting his gaze from her.

Suddenly he felt her arms around him. Before he could react, he was pulled into a hug. His mind went blank and his body stiffened.

’Warm...’

That was the only thought in his mind. Hex couldn’t hide the tremblings of his body. The hug was different from anything he experienced before. It made him feel at peace and... safe. For a second, he forgot about the Heavens, the Divine Lord, the baron, his dreams, and the big world outside. In more than eighteen years of his life, it was the first time he believed everything would be all right.

"I am sorry for whatever you might have experienced," the lady, h-his mother, said softly as she withdrew her arms and looked him in the eye.

"It was okay. Plus, you gave me life. The Witch caused all this," he replied, trying to ignore his desire to prolong the hug.

"Did Mikhael tell you? Was he nice to you?" She asked, gently caressing his face. Her cold hands seemed capable of healing his soul.

"Mikhael? Is that Wallen’s other name?" He asked, visibly confused. He had never heard that name. Not even in the town.

He saw his mother’s eyes widen and then close for a bit. She seemed a bit sad when she looked back at him.

"No. That’s his master’s name," she whispered, shocking Hex greatly.

"The baron has a name?" He blurted but closed his mouth in haste. His exclamation made the baroness burst out in laughter.

"He has. And it’s Mikhael Lichtenmane," she said. "It’s a northern name. But after our home was destroyed by a Taboo being, we crossed the mountains."

"The nation north of the mountains?" He asked, remembering hearing about it from Hestia when she told him about the ranks of Knights and creatures.

"Yes. After losing our home we came here. One of our main targets, the Witch, was here. At that time we didn’t know she was my sister," she nodded and explained. In the last part, she looked sad again.

"Had she already created me by then?" Hex asked, deciding to learn as much as he could.

"Yes and no. She already had all the bloodlines she needed but creating you was a taboo. She needed a ritual and enough energy to do so," the baroness explained. She gave Hex a hard look before continuing. "The destruction of Northesol helped her with both."

Hex looked aghast. "I was created by killing countless people?"

"Yes," came the reply, but she followed it quickly with, "You shouldn’t blame yourself. The baron did. He wished to destroy you but I couldn’t punish you for something you didn’t do. So, when I linked with my sister, I passed my life energy to you. I am only telling you all this so you know that you truly are my son. You should cherish the life I have given you or else my act will be in vain."

Hex nodded. He knew there was more to it. But she was telling him so he would have a sense of belonging and purpose.

"There are still so many things you need to know but time is running low. Before you can search the door, you will need the spatial element."

"I don’t have that," Hex said. The only person he knew with that element was Wallen.

"Wallen has," the baroness said. "Tell him you need it. He will know what he has to do."

Hex felt reluctant to leave. He wished to stay here...with her. Talk about all the things he had been through. He even wanted to complain about her husband to her. But he still nodded and focussed on exiting the inner space. As he faded, he gave her a last glance. There were very few moments they would have together.

...

Boom!

The moment he became aware of his surroundings, he heard a thundering explosion. It came from the sky.

When Hex opened his eyes, the sky was the first thing he saw. Dark clouds coiled like snakes chased behind a silvery light flashing through the night.

Behind the darkness, he saw golden light explode against thundering whips wielded by a black-robed woman.

Their battle produced noise that drummed against his ears. It felt like the sound alone was able to explode their heads. The difference in air pressure caused the wind to blow in all directions. It lashed and blew everything.

"What are you doing here?" Hex turned and saw Wallen trying to keep the area around him as undamaged as possible.

Hex hurried to explain the reason he came, although he didn’t know how exactly the butler could give him an element.

"So be it," Wallen said calmly. "Put your hand forward with the glyph up."

Bam!

But before Hex could do as he was told, a bolt of lightning struck the tower. The space trembled and faint cracks appeared, disappearing almost immediately.

Seeing this, Wallen’s eyes lit up. He swiveled and looked at Lira and the infant glowing with golden light. Hex followed his gaze. He understood at once why Wallen was smiling. There were tears in the space.

"The lock is damaged. Let’s go!" Wallen urged as he put his hand on Hex’s shoulder. "You will have the spatial element after this."

Hex nodded. The next moment, he saw Lira and the infant right before him.

Their presence alarmed Lira. She shrieked and put the infant in her embrace. Golden-colored veins appeared all over her. She growled angrily.

"I will kill everyone who wants to harm my baby!"