The Stonehearted Knight

Pain.

Unimaginable pain. 

That was the first thing Hex felt when he started to regain bits of consciousness.

There wasn't a part that didn't hurt. 

'What happened?'

His memories were fuzzy at first. But soon fragments of the battle flashed through his mind. 

Somehow the memories felt more lifelike than when it actually happened. Some of the memories even caused his body to react involuntarily. 

It jerked when he felt blood splattering on him, after the loudmouthed Greg's head was smashed.

He tried to scream when he remembered the talon piercing through the quiet Vin. His heart hurt at the sight of Allie's death. 

Each memory hit hard. But the most hurtful was the peaceful expression on Duter's face.

They had known each for barely a day but the Knight's willingness to die just so the others could have a chance of survival sent a shiver through his spine. 

"Argh," Hex groaned. All the memories were getting too much. He wanted to forget everything. But he could see their faces up close. 

"Hex."

Someone was calling him. It was far and vague.

"Hex."

The voice became clearer and louder. It sounded like...Hestia?

"Hex!"

With a start Hex opened his eyes. But he closed them quickly. It was too bright. After some time, he slowly opened them again.

This time, his eyes adjusted to the light around him. 

He tried to move, but couldn't. He couldn't feel his body. 

'What is happening? Did I turn invalid?'

'Wait. Didn't I hear Hestia just now?'

The inability to feel his body made him panic. He moved his head to the side hoping to see Hestia. He needed answers. 

It was indeed Hestia who stood beside his bed. She still looked beautiful, but her lively eyes had dimmed. She had dark circles and her hair was a mess. 

Behind her there was a grey wall, decorated with moonstones and other valuables. Hex realized he was laying in his own soft bed. He was at the castle. They had survived.

"Hi there champ. You took your time waking up." She spoke with a bright smile on her face. Hex could hear the relief she felt.

"I-I am sorry," he said, looking into her eyes. It was the only thing he managed to say. For a while they just remained silent. Their dazed look betrayed their feeling of loss. 

Hex was the first to pull himself away from his thoughts. Mainly because his mind was the worst place for him to be right now. 

"What happened?" He asked softly. "And what was thing?"

The mission was supposed to be an easy clean up duty. They were with several teams of Knights and Squires.

The area was the outer regions, the safest place inside the mountain range. So, how did almost everyone get killed?

"I have no idea Hex. I have never encountered such a thing. Somehow the outer regions are crawling with beasts. It would still be okay if they were Demonic of Fiend level. But the appearance of a Disaster was...well disastrous." 

"That is a stage above Fiends?" Having experienced its terror Hex understood why that stage was called Disaster. It had single handedly wiped the majority of the teams out. 

"Yes. Luckily, your master arrived on time to kill it. Or else, even with Duter's...s-sacrifice and your shocking outburst it would have wiped us out."

It had been blurry but Hex could faintly remember the creature disintegrating into dust. 

'He truly is a monster. And I wish to defeat that monster,' Hex could only smile wryly. But he didn't let the enormous gap dishearten him. He was still alive, after all.

Hestia hadn't noticed his lack of attention. She pulled a chair and sat beside Hex. 

"The only ones who have survived are Old White, Ilmar, Yrva, you and me. A group of Knights are searching for the remains of the others. Alice ran off. I doubt we will see her again."

The thought of their comrades caused them to fall into silence once again.

"You have been out for three days," she said suddenly, pulling him instantly out of his thoughts.

He looked shocked at the revelation. He thought it had been at most one day.

"You think that is long? I am surprised you even made it. The state in which your body lay on the ground was alarming. Your limbs destroyed, bones shattered and sticking out. It was truly horrifying."

Hestia shuddered at the mere description of the scene she had witnessed. 

"There was even some glowing crystal inside you," she continued, "but before I could get close you the baron took you away. I only found you once I been through my own recuperation."

'Crystal?' Suddenly Hex remembered something else.

Something that occurred the first time his chest was cut open. 'That crystal. Is that...my heart?'

It sounded strange and almost far fetched. He had not even given a thought, but when Hestia mentioned it, he also remembered the strange glow and suction during the ritual. 

'Is there really something strange with me?'

'The baron should know.' 

Hex didn't doubt it. The baron had told him he would learn things about himself in the future. And his act to cover him up before bringing away...there was something the baron didn't want him and the others to know. But what? And why?

"Are you listening?" Hex realized he was once again lost in his thoughts. He looked at the woman beside his bed. Hestia looked a bit annoyed at him.

"W-what were you saying?"

Hestia shook her head exasperated. 

"I was saying, seeing that we both don't have anything else to do for now, I will use this time to teach you general things about the world and the way of the Blessed. I doubt your master cares about those things anyway."

Hex nodded after thinking about it quickly. There was a lot he had to learn and his master remained unwilling to teach him those things. 

'Although she is doing this so we can avoid thinking about the deaths of others, it might be the best use of this period. I can't train and this way I can learn a few things.'

'I believed that becoming a Blessed was enough. I would be safe and rich. Unless I reach his level, I don't think I can be safe.'

The mission may have resulted in failure, but his resolve and goals grew.

He didn't only wish to prove a point, he wished to be strong enough to safe his friends.

Why else thread the path of Blessed if not to reach the Heavens?