The Heartstone Journey

Book 2 | Ch. 21 - The Hollowed Lands [Inner]

An entire day later avoiding creatures of the night and monsters by dawn the sunrise was quick to appear. They tallied up their resources having enough food to last another week if used wisely and had enough medical supplies to fully care for two people. While moving around they used up most of the baits they brought to avoid a large scuffle with a group of monsters. Finding a safe place to sit for a snack they unloaded all their gear and kept their guard up. Their weapons were still within arms reach besides Hunter with his blade nowhere to be found since the time he ran off to find supplies.

"The ship is likely gone by now."

Royal suddenly commented.

"It's been a week so they must've sailed away."

Cloudy said agreeing with what he pointed out.

Hunter had nothing to say still eating what he took out from his bag. Nick lied down to take a quick nap rather than eating still a bit groggy from staying up guarding the other days.

I observed carefully, meticulous of Hunter's actions. He seemed so cold at first but when looks at us its more like he forces a smile when he is down. Strangely enough his laughs are genuine albeit rare when we aren't goofing around. Mainly when Nick and Cloudy act like morons. His eyes could switch between lapis and crimson which I'm certain has something to do with his supernatural strength and abilities. But the biggest question I have that triumphs all of these is his name. Why not tell us his real name? A curse? If that was the case it makes sense but that doesn't seem like it at all when I get a good glance at him. ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕟𝕖. That is what we are looking for and yet his last name is ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕟𝕖. Is he hiding something from us? The closer we get to his goal the more his expressions change. It becomes far more expressive and not in a good way. Desperation is the word I'm looking for. Above that w-

"Royal?"

Hunter spoke lowering himself to his face level.

Oh- right. I forgot I was staring for too long. He must've gotten uncomfortable, I should change subjects if he brings up why I was looking.

"Are you alright? The poison fog hasn't gotten to you has it?"

"I'm doing well and no the poison isn't affecting me like I've said for the fourth or fifth time this hour."

"You've been glaring at me for a long time now. Is there something you want to ask?"

"N-no there really isn't anything at all."

Despite me saying all those things earlier there is one thing about him that hasn't really changed and is what proves to me that he means well for us and won't betray us. His caring nature when it comes to the three of us. When he worries for us it truly shows, when he is sad for us it can be seen a mile away. That gives me the confidence to satisfies my curiosity somewhat. He isn't a bad person nor is he a heartless monster. He is selective about the people he cares for and takes priority over them then anyone else and that's ok.

"Say.. Hunter, what lies within the void?"

I chose carefully what to say ensuring he doesn't push further on the matter before. He had this face on him that couldn't help but raise a question in his mind but stopped before answering me.

"Truthfully I've never been to that place before so even I'm a tad weary. All I know is what I want lies within that dimension."

I got cold feet knowing from this point on unknown territory for us all would be where our future selves would be treading toward next. While our little talk was happening somehow-.. No it wasn't "somehow" but bound to happen. Nick and Cloudy once again clashed about useless things bickering and whining louder and louder drawing our attention. I saw Hunter stroll over to them trying to get in between them and split them up.  From what I remembered he was not the best person for the job to deal with this. He awkwardly asked them to stop fighting with no sternness to his voice despite his intimidating appearance. In return the two morons didn't see any threat to stop and continued fighting like children. I slid over to Hunter planting my hand onto his shoulder pulling him away already fed up with their bullshit.

"I'll handle the brats."

I said while grinding my teeth.

"O-oh ok~."

Hunter replied in a low voice noticing the look on my face.

I slowly gave them enough time to realize I was walking up to them step by step. Nick was the first to hear then turn around while putting Cloudy in a headlock. The moment he realized what he had done was the second he got a glance at my smile although I didn't even know I had such a look on me. His face went pale real quick with his hold on Cloudy released. This time Cloudy took that moment of hesitation freeing himself before smacking Nick upside the head with a karate chop before also witnessing why Nick was frozen. The two stomped backwards in freight as I took two steps forward to make up for the lost distance. Nick went to his knees begging for forgiveness but I didn't exactly care for his words of plea. I plopped my whole palm at the top of Cloudy's head before tensing and wrapping my five fingers to a fist grabbing a large chunk of hair yanking on it. A laugh almost managed to escape out of nowhere hearing him scream like a little girl. I made sure they wouldn't so much as talk to each other until I otherwise said so.

It didn't take too long to reach the inner sanctum of the hollowed land. It was vastly different compared to the outer region of the massive island. Crystals prodded out of the ground like flowers with numerous wilted trees having the appearance of glass instead of dead bark. The skies also shifted into a more murky grey color with clouds forming a spiral around presumably the core of the land. The terrain was the second most thing that caught our eye. It was bumpy, spiked, irregular, unsymmetrical and a place that was not suited to tread on without problems. At the very least the outer parts were fairly simple to move across but this place raises the difficulty. The first thing that caught our attention although was the fact there were hardly as many monsters and beasts roaming the place that could kill us all. It was far too peaceful-... no-.. dead in a sense compared to the vivid and active hell in the outer section. The terrain itself was a greater threat than the little abundance of monsters that resided there. That's not to say that the monsters were no kind of threat, with looks alone they were obviously of a higher race than its kin in the outer parts. Without Hunter there to subdue them we would've all been food the moment we encountered one of the beasts on our own.

The destination could be seen with the naked eye, the Void. In order to get there though was much tougher than the group anticipated. Crumbling cliffs, toxic hot geyser, and loose hills that could collapse if pressed on with too much weight. It took an entire day with each step closer they felt an ominous feeling looming never in plain sight, in the shadows. Finally Hunter's goal took one major leap toward the wish he desires most. We've reached the outskirts to enter the Void.