The Heartstone Journey

Book 2 | Ch. 18 - Indecisive & Foreshadowing

Nick barged in asking the question Hunter and them had been wondering. Why? Why did he push them off the cliff knowing if they fought together they could've won. There were numerous possibilities and understanding how intelligent Royal was he could've easily chosen the best solution yet he didn't. He could've pushed them in a different direction, warned them in advance instead of leaping, and most importantly told Cloudy to fly but chose not to.

We both could tell he was hesitant and uncomfortable but we weren't going to let things slide this time especially when his life was a hair away from dying.

"Tell us why Royal why you did it."

Royal was silent contemplating what to tell them. Lie? No, Nick would break that lie apart despite how idiotic he can be at times. The truth would be best but would they respect that? They won't just say "Oh ok." They will obviously be furious with me for how childish I was.

Nick brought his face down and in front of Royal not letting him escape and with no time to properly give an excuse. It was as if he was reading his thoughts through expressions. With no other choice he gave in telling nothing but the truth. He stared at them both blankly worried about their opinions.

"𝐼-...𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝒹𝑜 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓂𝑒𝒶𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝒻𝓊𝓁."

"𝒩-𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝓌𝒶𝓉𝒸𝒽𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝒹𝑜 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐼 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒹𝑜!"

"𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹-... 𝒩𝑜 𝐼 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝑔𝓊𝓎𝓈 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹𝓃'𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑔𝑒𝓉 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒾𝒹𝑒𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑒. 𝓘 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓻𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓸𝓯~.."

Nick's pupils widened unable to get out a single word, only capable of gazing into his violet eyes knowing he was always hiding how he truly felt. Throughout his childhood, and teenage years to this day. Almost like he was a child again looking for a parents approval. That is what came to mind in the back of Nick's head. Upset at himself he removed himself away from Royal and walked away from the camp to guard like he did beforehand. Cloudy couldn't help but keep his head low with his eyesight at the soil until Nick was out of sight. He glanced at Royal seeing him also facing him. He only gave a small smile so soft and gentle making Cloudy tremble without Royal's realization. Seeing him smile so brightly like that so kindly said so many things without hinting a single letter. "It's ok.", "Whatever happens I will always forgive you." Those were what Cloudy thought was being conveyed through that innocent smile. Royal had no idea what Cloudy had committed but watching his face in grief he cheered him up but giving a single raise of his mouth hoping he understood that he would be there with him and everything was going to be ok.

For that day they spent time with one another as a family, no training was done while they were keeping an eye out for monsters that could reach where they were.

--Day Four--

It's been three days since Nick had proper rest and the fatigue was beginning to hold him back greatly. He begun hallucinating seeing people just appear beside, in front and even above and below him. They were the people who had taken care of him since he was a child in the orphanage and even the Gatekeeper by his own surprise. Just in time Cloudy noticed how off he was looking and ordered him to get some well deserved rest. Nick obviously resisted not wanting to disobey an order from Hunter. Not wanting to fight over it Cloudy chose the best option, stop talking. It clearly wasn't worth the energy and immediately chose to fall asleep again beside Royal to keep warm. After half an hour went by only judging purely on the clouds shifting he woke up in a daze taking multiple glances at Royal's body.