The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 119: The Divine Heart

Chapter 119: The Divine Heart

"Watch out!"

Silvera’s warning pulled Hex out of his worries. The light came at him with blinding speed.

Slash!

The first rays reached him while he was stepping back. But before they could wrap around him, the baron slashed them apart.

Silvera reached them too. With the Witch gone, she was freed up. She reached Hex and, to his surprise, swallowed the cut-off threads of light. The baron glanced at her coldly.

Silvera chuckled dryly. Seeing another thread come Hex’s way, she swung her chain, knocking it aside.

"Don’t look at me like that. A Templar is also a Priestess of Heaven. My energy absorption techniques are based on holy light. And these are the holiest of the holy light."

The baron ignored her as he cut more of the incoming threads. "Try to absorb a few, too."

Hex shook his head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He was about to be captured by Heaven, and these two advised him to steal Heaven’s energy. Did it need to be provoked any further?

"It might help you gain an affinity with the light element," the baron said, seeing him focused on evading the light but not making use of the opportunity as Silvera was doing.

Although Hex didn’t believe it to be the right time, he followed his advice. ’I might as well take advantage of it as long as I can. If I manage to survive this, I will have gained another element.’

He evaded the light threads using his Flex Step. The baron, even one-handed, was a master swordsman. His sword danced in the light. Even the slightest touch of it tore the light apart.

As soon as the cuts flew in the air, he jumped and caught it. He followed Silvera’s example and stuffed it in his mouth.

The light didn’t burn him as he was afraid. It was soothing. It bathed him with a warmth akin to a mother’s hug; at least, that was the best comparison Hex could come up with.

The light dissipated quickly, leaving a hair-width of energy thread. Before it could go through his digestive system though, it was absorbed by his heart.

It refined it within a fraction of a second, leaving it to be fused with his bloodstream, nourishing him.

The first success led to greed. He started to consume them each time he could get his hands on them. They evaporated too quickly after being cut. Plus, Silvera was competing with him for the pieces.

Neither could cut the threads themselves. Only the baron was capable of doing it. It led to a situation where both stood behind him, jumping like chicks after worms.

For a moment, Hex forgot everything. He didn’t think about losing his mother - they had spent so little time - and he forgot about being pursued by Heaven itself.

He kept feeding off the Heavenly light. His body was growing stronger. All impurities were being cleansed.

But nothing lasts forever. Especially not when they enraged Heaven.

Slam!

The door of the vault, which was half closed, burst open. An infinite amount of light threads shot out, coming straight at Hex.

Hex stood right behind the baron. The baron swung his sword, cutting the first wave. Silvera wasn’t as lucky. She was on her own. The threads slammed into her, burning her to crisps.

Her charred corpse left Hex horrified. He didn’t wish to die like that. And he didn’t know whether Silvera had any lives left. She died too many times in one night.

The Vault rumbled louder. More and more threads flew out.

"This is the end," he mumbled. He sighed and then accepted his fate. The baron wouldn’t be able to cut so many. He had noticed the baron becoming slower as time passed.

"Yes," said the baron, without looking back. "This is the end." And with that, the baron walked toward the door.

"What are you doing?!" Hex shouted.

"The Vault will not stop till it doesn’t get what it wants. It wants a heart, and a heart it will receive."

Just as the baron finished talking, a bright golden light burst out of his chest. It caused all the threads to freeze.

"No, no...NO!" Hex shouted. "You can’t do that! It wants me. My heart!"

The baron finally turned toward Hex. "Your heart is indeed a treasure but mine is no less valuable. After all, it once belonged to the Divine Lord." He looked at the north of the mountains, his gaze distant. "I should have died ages ago."

...

Beneath the hill, in the chasm, Solos watched the light burst out of the Vault. He quickly turned towards Ella.

"Now. We need to move now!"

He walked toward his mother, who sobbed silently. When she saw Solos come before her, she didn’t scream or curse.

"Sorry, Mother," he said, picking up an exquisitely carved dagger.

"Don’t be," his mother said, just before he slit her throat. "I...I am the one...w-who...should be...s-s..."

Solos hugged her as she bled to death, not caring that her blood-drenched him.

No one noticed, a dark thread of purple light came out of the Vault and fell into the chasm. It was only when it wrapped around Ericka’s abdomen that the people around her noticed her glow.

...

The threads of light wrapped the baron but didn’t drag him inside. It seemed afraid to ruin his dignity.

Hex tried to run toward him but halted when the baron put up his hand.

"Live. Don’t forget. You promised to follow a path of your choosing. And didn’t you wish to beat me? Do it after you can tear this door down."

The baron had an amused look in his eyes when he said that. Hex, however, didn’t notice it.

"Why?" Hex demanded instead. Tears streamed down his cheeks. Why was he the one left alone, again?

The baron grabbed the door. He pulled the door to close, as he spoke.

"Once, I asked the same question. I didn’t understand the answer then but now I do. So, I will tell you the same. Because I am your master!"

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