The Heart of Gaia

"An enigma?" my father asked.

"Yes, but it didn't have the same form... it was constantly changing throughout the dream."

"It's just a nightmare son, don't think too much about it."

Although it was a dream, it felt so real, like it was really happening but the oddest part about it was when I felt power surging inside me. That extraordinary feeling: I felt invincible, powerful, enlightened. It was something I've never felt before, as if I transcended the physical world. It was some form of spiritual realm and everyone was tied to it, the orb had veins or roots that bonded everything into it as if guiding or empowering them.

"Argh! my head hurts." I muttered to myself.

I should stop thinking about it, it was something other worldly, something that can't be comprehended even by scholars. I glanced around and saw my father feeding the horse, the leftovers of the boar was tied with a rope behind the horse.

"Here you go!" as he tossed something.

I caught it with both hands; it was an apple. I felt my hunger as I saw the enticing, bright red color of the apple then bit into it.

"where are we headed now? we can't go back home."

"I told you already, we're going to look for a comrade of mine."

"but you don't know where to find him? how are we suppose to find him then?"

"Let's go to the nearest town and we'll start from there."

He said honestly but underneath his words I knew there wasn't any certainty that we'd find this person, we we're grasping at straws, trying out our luck.

"Who is this person? why do we need to find him? and you still haven't told me why we were chased from Yorkburgen."

"I-I'll tell you soon enough but now is not the right time."

"You've been saying that ever sin--"

*Rustle... rustle...*

"Shhh!"

The nearby rustling of the bushes interrupted my sentence, I glanced at my father and he told me to wait here while he went to check. I waited that felt like ages until finally he came out of the forest with another person behind him. It was an old man with a straw hat. My father explained that this person was a merchant and that he was headed to Hennely down south which happened to be the closest town. They negotiated that my father would give him a horse in exchange that we'd safely travel with him. Soon we rode to Hennely aboard the roofed wagon of a kind merchant, we didn't introduce ourselves and the old man didn't mind. He maybe realized that we wanted to keep it that way; safer for himself too.

In the middle of the road, on the way to Hennely my father told me that we'd be on the road for a couple of days. Their negotiation included food and water provided for us. The occasional shake of the carriage was caused by the rocky road, so I took a look outside and saw that we had pass through a crossroads. I saw the sign from afar and there it was standing. The enigma was facing at our direction but for some reason it was shaking it's head as if it was displeased and then later it pointed to the other path. I saw this and was unnerved by it. It felt like it telling me something but I wasn't so sure so I turned to ask my father.

"Father?"

"Hm?"

"Are we headed the right way?"

"I asked the old merchant, he said this was a shortcut..."

Then he leaned in towards my ear and whispered.

"I don't think we're heading the right way but whatever happens just follow what I say."

I nodded.

I don't know what my father had in mind but I trust him, I didn't dare ask him about our situation even if it bugged me. The Merchant would hear so it was better to be quiet about the whole situation. Soon it was already dark and the stars littered about the sky while the moonlight brightened everything. The nightly cold breeze was blowing that chilled my bones, it was wonderful but for some reason I felt uncomfortable... Later the wagon had been put to a halt in the middle of the road. As my father went to check the merchant up front, he turned to me and said.

"No one's here..."

"We have you surrounded! hurry up and come out! Don't try anything stupid we're armed!" someone shouted.

"What are we going to do?"

"Stay here! I'll deal with them and when they come... run."

"B-but what are you going to do? you heard them! they're armed!"

"Don't worry, I'll be right back."

He then smiled and proceeded outside. I went to peek from the front of the wagon. I listened as I watched the whole scenario play out. My father walked out with both hands above his head walking towards them.

"What do you people want?!" He shouted.

From out of the shadows there was at least fifteen men and they were all armed with various weapons. They all wearily approached the hulking man standing before them. I was afraid of what's going to happen so I tried rummaging inside for a weapon or anything sharp that I could use. I opened each barrel and they only contained food or water. Then I realized that it was futile...

"Doesn't matter! and kneel to the ground!

"You caught a big one old man!" as they started laughing.

"I knew it" I thought, we were being played from the start but I didn't want to leave my father all alone. He might be strong but that doesn't mean that he can't die especially now that he's out numbered. I looked outside again and there he was kneeling, completely surrendering to them. Then I felt something creaking on my foot , I checked, it was the floor board and felt that I could lift it up. There I saw a beautiful gem, glowing bright in the night. It looked like the same crystal that I held before in Yorkburgen so I picked it up.

"HONOR YOUR PROMISE! THE CHILD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!" he shouted.

It was followed by loud laughter as they had mocked my father.

"You think we'd let 'im go? for both of your heads we could claim a lot at the Black market!"

I held the gem as tightly as I could, hoping that it would give me the same power I felt before. Desperate I needed the strength to help him, but nothing happened.

"Come out boy! I won't hurt ya!"

I can't help him like this, I was scared but I had no choice so I jumped from the backside of the wagon and started bolting away.

"Hey! come back here!" the man exclaimed.

I looked at my father and what I saw was horrific, he was free from the ropes that had bounded him. He looked like a beast and the men surrounding him were completely decimated in mere seconds. Everything was running slow as if time had slowed down for me to see this incredulous sight, I glanced behind me, the man wasn't chasing me anymore and went to help his comrades. I went to the bushes to sneak closer to see what's happening. I heard screams of men in despair and watched the incredible fight, His size wasn't a burden to him and had moved like a tempest. It had looked like he was completely predicting his enemies movements as he ran around fighting them with his bare fists...

"I know who you are! monster!" a man shouted.

"You're the Titan of Cyneweard! That size I'd recognize anywhere!"

Unfazed, He grasped the man by his head and lifted the person as if he didn't weigh more that an average person. Then he flung him towards the bandits behind him which sent them flying. As he turned around I saw the old merchant coming out with a knife aiming for his back. I stretched out my left hand and opened it wide. I tried remembering the same feeling as before! focusing on the energy stirring inside me as I pleaded to Gaia while gripping the gem with my right hand. I focused my gaze into the old man and there I felt my eyes burning along with my right hand. Energy swirled and flowed into my left arm that bursted out in quick succession. A bolt of energy flew fast towards the old man and had exploded! right before his knife reached my father. The power subsided, as I was running towards my father, I was afraid that the explosion had taken him as well since I couldn't see pass the dust cloud that it left in it's wake.

"Father! are you alright!" I shouted.

The dust cloud had dissipated. I saw him standing with his back turned against me, his top had been torn apart due to the fight. He had scratches and small cuts but there wasn't fatal wounds. Underneath his torn clothing was his muscular body adorned with countless scars. I moved towards him and I saw the ground was riddled with the lifeless bodies of the defeated, most of them had broken limbs. The old man was burnt to a crisp as I gagged at the ghastly smell of burning flesh. Gagged so much till I couldn't hold out and vomited on the ground. The idea that I had killed someone made me vomit even more. I've never felt so guilty in my entire life.

*Bleeugh!*

"Are you alright my son?"

"I am..."

I glanced at his emotionless eyes, as if he had done this before.

"I told you to run! why didn't you?!"

"I did! but I couldn't! you were almost stabbed by that old merchant!"

I saw him turn to look at the old man that was toasted.

"Hm... did you do that?" he asked.

"I did... If I didn't, you would have died."

"Thank you son..."

We had set up camp near the road and had moved the wagon by the roadside, my father carried all the bodies and stacked them onto each other far from us. He told me that by daylight tomorrow we'll bury them. I asked why? they're evil people I told him, he replied "Even the most vilest of men deserved to be buried. That's what makes us different from them." We sat by the fire and he had worn one of the shirts inside the wagon. I looked at him with curiosity I grew up with him but only knew him as a loving and caring father, a humble and honest man. Right now I saw him as a stranger but I knew that he only did all of that for our sake. We were roasting some sweet potatoes by the fire. The night was calm, crickets were chirping, the leaves and bushes rustled by the gentle wind.

"You might want to start asking... or else I'll fall asleep."

My thoughts jumbled around, looking for a question that I could say.

"What are you?" I mindlessly said.

"hahahaha! I'm human my boy!" he laughed carelessly.

"I meant how could you do all that? no normal person could do that? you took down fifteen people on your own!"

"Well I could do more than that when I was in my prime! my old bones are wearing me down, I can't move like I used too."

"So you killed more than that?! before?!"

"Well you see, I was a soldier before you were born"

"So the people I heard were right? you are a traitor?"

"Yes, but because I had to leave my duties for you. Your mother left you at my doorstep... The kingdom wanted me to keep fighting but I refused."

"Oh mother?"

"Yes, it was a long time ago. She was a wonderful person but eventually we had to part ways. In the letter that came with you, she said that she couldn't take care of you."

"and like you... she was gifted with magic, we fought along side each other for a long time." he followed.

"Magic? you mean that indescribable energy?" I said in awe.

He nodded.

"Then why did that man call you the Titan? how are you fine after being exposed to my magic?"

"You see..."

he paused.

"That was the title I was famous for, you can already imagine why... they called me Hector Abbot the Titan of Cyneweard..." he said lowly.

"and as for the magic part, unlike you, I wasn't gifted in magic."

"What do you mean? don't everyone has affinity for magic?"

"Well yes... normally everyone has connection to magic except for me. I have zero affinity for magic and can't be affected by it. That's why I came out unscathed from that explosion."

"How come you never told me any of this before? except for mother."

"You never asked... I didn't want you to think of me any differently. Knowing that I'd kill without question."

My emotions stirred along with mixed feelings but I was grateful, that he had been honest. I felt relieved and peaceful as the night went on. The next morning we buried the remains, along their possessions. It was considered a bad omen to steal from the deceased. After we made peace, we positioned our stolen horse among the horses that pulled the wagon and soon we went our way to Hennely.