Chapter 7: The Starboy And His Trusty Axe

“Enel? My son?”

Back in the manor of Widow’s Wall, Mira had been knocking on Enel’s room for a good minute. But when he still wasn’t responding, she entered with a worried look on her face. She glanced back, and Robert was there in the hallway, lightly biting his nail in worry.

“Are you not… feeling well?” Mira asked, seeing Enel still on the bed, completely covered with a blanket.

Mira glanced back at her husband again, the worry in both their eyes turning even deeper. After all… Enel had never been sick before.

“Is there something wrong, my son?” Mira whispered. “You’ve… never slept this late before.”

She gently made her way to the bed, sitting beside the hump.

“Enel…?” Mira carefully pulled away the blanket… only to see Lamb awkwardly smiling at her.

“G-good… good morning to you, Baroness,” she stuttered.”

“Lamb…?” Mira quickly moved away, gasping. “What… you did not tell me you were sleeping over? And where is…”

Mira then pulled away the entire blanket this time.

“Where’s Enel?!” she screamed out. Robert quickly barged into the room as soon as he heard that, his eyes staring at Lamb for a moment before scanning the room.

“Where is my son?!” Robert rushed at Lamb, but Mira blocked his path and motioned for him to calm down.

“I will talk,” she whispered before returning to Lamb, who was now sitting up curled on the bed, awkwardly chuckling by herself.

“Where is Enel?” she asked again.

Lamb refused to look at her for a moment, then slowly pointed to the nightstand where a letter was resting.

“He… he went out of the walls,” Lamb quietly whispered. But Mira and Robert heard it loud and clear.

Robert was about to rush out of the room, but his steps paused as he slowly looked back at Lamb.

“Where?” he asked… calmly.

“He is just… exploring, M’lord.” Lamb gulped.

“Outside…? Without you?” Robert squinted—and soon, Mira realized what Robert was hinting at. And without even saying another word, she jumped toward the letter, almost ripping the paper in half as she read its contents.

She read it exactly five seconds before dropping to the floor, letting out an almost howling groan.

“He…” Mira looked up at her husband. “...He’s going to the Northern Whiteplains to get Gregor.”

“The… butcher?” Robert’s eyes instantly closed upon hearing this—he already had an idea. But knowing that he was right.

“Ah. My Breath is leaving me, Mira,” he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “He… He is not ready to be outside. What if… what if he encounters bandits?”

“He… he is going to be alright. I have… I have trained him for this very moment. He—no one will be able to hurt him.”

“That is exactly the problem, Mira.” Robert sighed. “This is what we talked about. But we always knew this was going to happen. But—I should have talked to him. This was the reason he was asking about the war. This… Ah. My Breath.”

“He… he will be fine.” Mira clutched her chest, stuttering. “I have trained him to hold back.”

“You… are a hunter of the 3rd Depth, Mira.” Robert shook his head. “Bandits are not as strong as you. Ah. What are we going to do?”

“I will ride—”

“No.” Robert shook his head again, sitting on the bed and awkwardly making Lamb scooch to the side. They have completely forgotten she was there.

“I think… it is time to let him spread his wings, Mira.”

“Robb…” Mira approached her husband, holding his hands tight.

“The kingdom is a big place.” Robert nodded, more to himself. “Even if people saw him, they would not know who he is.”

“Uhm…” Lamb quietly raised her hand. “...He is wearing your armor, M’lord.”

“My armor…” Robert’s smile froze on his face as he looked at Lamb. “...The one with—”

“The one with Blackwood’s insignia, M’lord.”

“Ah… Ah.”

***

“Are we there yet, Axe?”

“We… just continued our journey, M’lord.”

“Very well. Tell me when we are there.”

The journey was unusually cold, with the sun covered by thick clouds that stretched to the horizon. And yet, Axe found himself sweating profusely. He glanced at his city’s young lord, whose back was so straight and hair so bright and glowing—it looked incredibly weird seeing him riding on a cart as old as his.

But then…

“Were you… hiding beneath the cart this entire time, young baron?” he asked, gazing down at Enel’s hands that were covered in ink.

“Yes. Of course.” Enel nodded. “My plan was to hide until we were close to the battlefield.”

“The… battlefield, M’lord?” Axe gulped. “My apologies, M’lord. But I’m afraid I am only going so far as Riverdown. My horses would not survive the journey and… I need to go back to Widow’s Wall.”

“Then we will separate at Riverdown.” Enel nodded. “That is… the trade settlement, correct?”

“Ah. Yes, M’lord.” Axe also nodded. “Have you visited it before?”

“No. I have never been outside Widow’s Wall.”

“Never been—” Axe’s eyes widened. “Then… perhaps this old man can offer some advice?”

“The counsel of the people is always appreciated, Axe. Speak.”

“Go home, M’lord. Bring someone with you.”

“Lamb was supposed to be with me on this journey. But alas.”

“I mean someone older, M’lord.”

“Who?”

“That’s…” Axe couldn’t really say any names—most of the capable adults of Widow’s Wall had been conscripted to war.

“That is enough of that, Axe. I value your counsel, but sometimes a man must take his journey alone,” Enel said, waving his hand.

“...But you are but three and ten, M’lord.” Axe sighed. “Big and strong your body may be, war is not for boys. You are a boy, M’lord.”

“I am not going to war. But merely retrieving Gregor, Ansel, and others who wish to go home.”

“But—”

“Enough, Axe.” Enel crossed his arms, and Axe couldn’t help but feel… he was just imitating his father’s voice and actions.

“Ha…” Axe sighed once more, even deeper this time as he imagined all the chaos this would bring. In truth, almost all of Widow’s Wall had strict orders not to let Enel wander off outside the city.

Everyone in the city knew Enel was one of the Blessed—if the royal family found out about him, they would surely take him away and make him one of their own.

And now, he was practically delivering him to them. If the baroness ever found out, Axe could really only imagine his fate.

“Ha…” He sighed once more. He was about to say something else, but Enel beat him to it.

“Ah. Spirits!” Enel suddenly pointed to the side of the road.

Axe nearly dropped the reins.

Several tiny humanoid figures stood upon a boulder beside the road. Their bodies were gray and rough like stone, with hollow eyes and limbs as thin as twigs. One sat on top of the rock while another peeked from beneath it.

But as soon as he waved, the spirits immediately melted into the boulder and vanished.

“Oh...” Enel slowly lowered his hand.

“I think you frightened them, M’lord.” Axe chuckled.

“Frightened?” Enel frowned. “They are spirits.”

“You are also a giant in armor.”

“I am not a giant.”

“You are taller than me.”

“Most people are shorter than me.”

“That does not help your argument, M’lord.”

“You are just old.” Enel crossed his arms.

Axe laughed under his breath. It was quiet for a moment after that, only a moment.

“Have you seen many spirits?” Enel eventually asked.

“I have lost count.” Axe nodded. “They are everywhere.”

“Everywhere?”

“There is probably one sitting on your shoulder right now.”

“Huh?!” Enel immediately froze.

“Ha! M’lord, you need not look so stiff.”

“I… I am being respectful.”

“Of course you are.”

Enel then very carefully turned his eyes toward his shoulder, only to see nothing there.

“You lie.”

“No, M’lord.” Axe grinned. “Spirits are everywhere. That is no lie.”

“Mother never told me that.” Enel narrowed his eyes.

“Perhaps the baroness did not wish to frighten you.”

“Please, Axe.” Enel sat up straighter. “I am not a child.”

“If you say—”

“Ah! There!” Enel nearly stood up, shaking the entire cart as his fingers trailed in front of him, following a spirit that suddenly crossed the road. “Did you see that?”

“I did.”

“It disappeared into the grass!”

“That is generally what spirits do. They choose where and when to show themselves.”

Enel stared at the grass for several moments before calming himself down to his seat.

“Can they understand us?”

“Some can.”

“Can they speak?”

“Some can.”

“Can they fight?”

“Some can, M’lord.” The old man pointed toward the distant hills. “You know what Breath is, yes?”

“The gift of the gods.”

“Hm. So they teach.”

“So they teach?” Enel repeated.

“My grandfather used to say spirits carry the gods' whispers through the world.” Axe shrugged. “Whether that's true or not, I couldn't tell you, M’lord.”

“You… have a grandfather? But you are old.”

“A long time ago, M’lord.” Axe laughed, then glanced back at their cargo. “Tell me, M’lord. Did the baroness ever tell you that the Dark Forest was not always dark?”

Enel's eyes immediately brightened.

“No.”

“Well now.” Axe smiled. “That is a story worth telling. Long ago—”

“Ah!”

“M’lord…?”

“If spirits are everywhere...” Enel glanced around suspiciously. “How many are listening to us right now?”

“Well… the land itself listens to us. And as I was saying…”

Axe’s story went on and on. Only taking a pause as he pointed at certain things throughout the journey. Fortunately for them, no brigands have blocked their path. Well, it could also be said that it was fortunate for the brigands not to meet Enel.

The journey went on for another hour, until finally—

“That… is Riverdown?”