The Stonehearted Knight-Chapter 466: A Fated Foe
"You guys should leave."
The clerics stiffened, probably about to protest.
"No arguing. Just do as I say," she added. She sensed their unwillingness – she wouldn’t admit enjoying their devotion – but they wouldn’t be much of a help, not against the three before him.
She didn’t turn towards them, though she did keep an eye out for any sudden movements from her opponents. They, however, allowed the clerics to leave, which made sense in a way.
The clerics wouldn’t affect anything. Without Althea, even the High Temple wouldn’t be able to stop Orosol. Not even the High Altar, despite her status as the strongest person alive.
Elron smiled and whistled, awaiting her move with patience. His strings weren’t joined to her, yet she knew he wasn’t worried or scared. From the very beginning, in Grindeston, he never seemed flustered.
’Everything is a game to him. As long as he is entertained, he doesn’t care about anything else.’
Out of the three, she hated him the most. Not only because of his connection to the Dawnbringers but also because of his unpredictable character.
Anything and everyone served only for his merriment.
The other two took their position, ready to attack at any time. Althea ignored the petite woman with the large sword, to which the sword-wielding Paladin didn’t react well.
"This might be late but are you certain you want to proceed with this?" Althea focused on the large man with his shields up.
"This is the path I have chosen," the old Templar replied. "I don’t hate you or anything. In fact, I am happy you are part of the Temple. With us opposite each other, humanity’s hope continues, irrespective which of us two wins."
"I am intrigued," Althea smiled at Hans. "How is it possible for a man such as yourself to yield before another? You were a staunch believer in the philosophies of the High Temple. Your devotion toward Fate and order rivaled the old timers."
Her words brought creases on Hans’ calm face, followed by looking away from her gaze. Starshe shouted something from the other side. Neither Althea or Hans heard her. She was annoying but nothing more than a crazy girl who believed herself to be more than she really was. No matter how much she hummed like a fly, she could be squashed. Hans, however, could surprise her.
"I used to think Heaven held the answers," Hans began, breaking his silence at last. His voice heavy under the weight of his uncertainty and worries.
"I believed Fate maintained order, and order kept society functioning. But having seen what I have seen, having heard what I could hear, I’m not sure anymore. The order is there but it has been there since ages. The world stopped evolving. They repeat the mistakes and actions, thinking Heaven will take care of everything, whereas many examples exist that suggest Heaven isn’t able to just do that. So, a new order is needed, which can only come when the old one is destroyed."
"I see," Althea said, holding her sadness buried inside her. She read Hans’ files. "For what it’s worth, I do apologize for the Temple’s failure. And crimes. They didn’t deserve what happened to them. You didn’t deserve what happened to them."
Hans trembled. His eyes flared wide before dimming again.
"Apologies won’t change the past. This...this will help change the future, though, bringing a new dawn."
"At what cost, though?" Althea countered. "Do you wish to see the world burn...like them?"
Hans closed his eyes. Perhaps she triggered memories he buried deep inside. She knew she was doing the very same thing others had done in the past, manipulating him. But if she could just cause his anger to fade and his beliefs to sway, she would happily pay the price of losing her character.
"What the fuck is he doing?" Starshe shrieked. She looked at Elron. "We should make a move. Now is our chance."
"Nah," Elron replied, his grin nearly splitting his head in half. "This is way more fun. Let’s see if the big guy goes insane or crazy."
Althea ignored them. Hans stood there. Motionless.
’This isn’t who I am. But I have to be.’ Althea knew what Hans was going through.
The deputy Altar gave her all the information on Orosol’s followers. To know them. To understand them. To...eliminate them.
In many cases she agreed with them. In some she didn’t. Hans’ case was one of such cases.
The guy grew up as an orphan inside the Temple despite having parents. Parents never mentioned by name in any file.
Hans belonged to the children fated with the Temple. Or so the priest overseeing his first Blessing claimed. As such, the Temple had first right over him. Even if he was all his parents had.
Through the years Hans never showed any signs of missing them. His devotion and brilliance surpassed even the children born inside the Temple.
No proof of his disloyalty appeared before one fated mission. Althea even believed he had been part of the Temple in heart and soul up to that point in his life. Until, he oversaw the elimination of a town believed to be harboring cult members.
Browsing through memories of his old squad members they saw Hans walk through burnt houses, smoked streets, charred corpses, his face calm and cold.
The cries of pain, of prayers, of seeking help washed over him, like a tide against a mountain. But even mountains shatter.
And Hans shattered when he pried away a half burnt picture from a burnt woman, lying beside a man with his face bashed in. The picture showed Hans as a child, clinging to a hand, with the rest of the picture missing.
The memories of his squad turned hazy from this point onward. Flashes and bits could be recovered.
Piecing them together proved impossible at first. A beast-like man covered in blinding light, a roar that destroyed the minds of everyone who heard it, coupled with zero clues to find the remnant of that town, to know why an entire squad lost their minds and existed in a limbo aside from one man, and how to this day nothing could exist in that place.
Only when Orosol appeared with Hans on his side, did the Temple understand their fate with their former Templar. A fate of being enemies for life.
