The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 118: A vile heart

Chapter 118: A vile heart

"What’s happening?"

"Heaven have mercy!"

"When will all this be over?"

Cries and shouts erupted in the crowd, huddled inside the hollowed mountain. They had seen symbols appear out of nothing, flashing brightly. They had felt the tremors when the light flared. They had heard the sound of rocks crumbling and rolling alongside the slopes.

And they saw the light fade. The crumbling had stopped. But the sky shone brighter, even dying in a golden hue.

Although Hestia, Althea, and the other Knights tried to calm them, they didn’t miss the worried glances the ladies threw toward the hill.

"Old man, I hope our Gorge is safe there," Aunt Jute sobbed, leaning into her husband. She felt guilty for leaving her son behind. Even if she wasn’t at fault, she and her husband had been unconscious at the time of the evacuation.

George seemed to have aged a couple of years since night came. He patted his wife’s back and spoke softly to her, trying to sound hopeful and strong.

"Don’t worry. The baron is there. Plus, our boy is just a simple boy. There is no way he will be entangled in the business of those powerhouses. Believe in your child, he isn’t as weak as you think."

...

"What have you done?"

Hex was on his knees. He was trying to pour his healing energy into Gorge’s wound. But no matter what he did, the gaping hole in his chest didn’t close.

The infant body had burst into golden flames the moment Gorge had pierced through it. The golden flames merged with the rays of light coming from the Vault. The light seemed to fuse, after which each ray disappeared into the Vault, one after the other.

The shrieks and screams of the Witch reverberated in the night sky. She was unwilling to leave. But she couldn’t break from Silvera’s chains, which were empowered by the baroness’ soul energy and Heavenly lights. The light corroded her powers, weakening her with each passing moment.

The light acted as a thread. Hex saw even a thin one connected to him. ’That should be the one connected when the baroness burst into the monolith.’

He didn’t pay much heed to it. He was more concerned about Gorge. How would he face the old couple, who had looked after him when no one else did?

Using his enhanced perception - he kept the monolith active - he sensed the fragments of Gorge’s soul leave his body. At the same time, he sensed a dense soul energy, giving a holy aura, appearing outside of the infant’s body.

"INSIDE THE VAULT I WILL BURN THAT WORM’S SOUL FOR ETERNITY!"

The Witch shrieked viciously when she noticed Gorge’s soul. Her words fueled the hatred Hex felt towards her even more. Was that vile woman truly going to sully the soul of an innocent child?

BAM!

Out of nowhere, the door of the Vault emitted a thunderbolt, aimed straight toward the place Hex stood in. Hex’s spine went cold but he couldn’t evade it.

The bolt struck the floor where he stood before, creating a small crater. Hex was too slow. Thankfully, the baron came to his rescue.

From up close, Hex saw more signs of the baron’s miserable state. He was filled with bruises and cuts, and, of course, he was missing a limb.

"M-Master...," he started to say but was interrupted by the baron.

"Heaven will not tolerate a divine soul to be tarnished in the mortal realm. It will destroy any living thing close to it."

Hex turned toward the evaporating soul of the divine infant. "Is this whole area in danger?"

The baron was about to nod but froze. Hex followed his gaze. The sight before them made even the Witch shut her mouth.

The holy soul and Gorge’s soul were merging. The holy soul was more powerful and assimilated Gorge’s soul within.

"What is that?" Hex asked in shock, seeing the fused soul flow into Gorge’s body. As soon as the soul touched the body, the hole in the chest started to close.

"Soul link," the baron whispered. Although Hex didn’t notice any emotions in his voice, he suspected the baron to be equally stumped as him.

The moment the soul entered the body completely, he saw the chest move. It was weak but there was a heartbeat.

"Is that Gorge or the deity?" Hex asked, hoping for it to be the first.

"Both. Although the deity will be the one in control, Gorge’s soul will remain inside him," the baron replied.

Hex wasn’t happy with it but he accepted it for now. Maybe, someday, he would find a way to reverse it.

"Ahhhhh!" The Witch’s voice shot out.

The light around her remained intact. She looked older. But her hateful gaze lingered on the baron and Hex.

"You guys think you won, right? But I refuse to remain locked inside for eternity."

She cackled loudly, giving them a venomous look. She then looked at the Vault and screamed.

"A soul for a soul, a life for a life. I offer my heart as the seed of the world!"

With a start, Hex looked at the Vault. The light had faded but hearing the Witch’s offer, it brightened again. It seemed eager to take what it was promised.

"Mikhael, look how I take the one thing you vowed to protect. Look how I undo all the sacrifices my sister made. The boy will remain in the Vault, suffering for eternity!"

She withered at a visible speed. Her skin loosened, her hair fell out, and her nails shattered. Soon her flesh rotted, leaving only bones. The light around it loosened, causing the dried-out remains to fall into the ground.

From his viewpoint, Hex saw clearly that they fell directly into a hole dug freshly in the ground.

The Witch had died, but Hex couldn’t rejoice. He didn’t feel sad. He was worried.

All the light flashed and flared, slithering out of the vault-like snakes. The bright light burned stronger. The Vault was coming to claim him!

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