Chapter 6: Resolve [2]

The next day, I awoke from my slumber and went to the living room to eat breakfast.

As I travelled through the labyrinth of corridors, I started to appreciate the general architecture of the building. Room after room after room passed my eyes, each having the mansion staff occupying a chamber with a different purpose from each other and carrying on with their work. After travelling through a seemingly endless hallway, I finally encountered the magnificent imperial stairway, leading to the lobby of the mansion. As I peered down, I could see Aunt Mary waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

"Ray... come down to eat breakfast!" she called fondly.

Aunt Mary was wearing a dark blue one-piece gown, covering her slim, but toned body to just below the knees. Her long, silky black hair rested on her shoulder, and the top of her dress uncovered her defined neckline and shoulders, with her porcelain skin contrasting the colour of the dress. She stood straight and high, crossing her hands together on her waist. Overall, she looked stunning and captivating, being able to seduce any man if she wanted to.

As I walked down the stairs, I began to think of reasons why Aunt Mary didn't have an actual husband yet, only living alone, and off of the money she brings in for herself. I had heard from the servants that she was a powerful woman, in charge of keeping the neighbouring countries in check politically wise and annihilating any threats that posed a danger to the Steelheart family.

I also began to think of why my mother did not have such luxuries as the famed 'Hero', but quickly dismissed that thought since there was nothing we could do about it now.

She was dead.

My eyes, once innocent and curious, began to shift into a steely and cold glare, after once again igniting my seething flame of vengeance.

'I will do anything to get stronger...' I resolved in my heart once again.

_____

Aunt Mary and I sat down at the dining table, waiting to be served our food.

The table was one of the long, and luxurious kind, with a large oak table surface, clean-cut edges, and embellished with a glossy finish.

We both sat at opposite ends of the table, awkwardly waiting for the food.

"Ray..." Aunt Mary suddenly asked, "do you miss your parents?"

Startled, I was unable to answer the question without looking like I was taken aback, which I was.

"Your mother was a valiant hero, presenting a perfect example of what the perfect human should be. This is not to mention your father, who supposedly reigned as the feared 'Demon King' in his realm. With two powerful parents, it could only mean their lineage would be as -if not more powerful." she said.

"Your point is...?" I asked as I dug into my breakfast with a beastly appetite.

"Become the next Hero, so that I could personally train you, and you will be able to make so much money, that even a house like mine, would be considered a worthless expense to you." Aunt Mary proudly proclaimed.

I spat out my food in surprise.

Honestly, the offer was tempting. As a child, only God knew how many delusions I had, which could all have been possible, with the power of money.

I would have been able to create a private beach, where my family all could have hung out together. Or, I could have bought a better house, where we would all be able to stay up until midnight watching films. The possibilities were endless, such was the effect of money.

But it then hit me.

What was the point of all this if my parents were dead?

Why do I still believe they are alive?

Am I going crazy?

One by one, each of my delusions were shattered, leaving me in total despair

Gloomily I replied, "No... life does not mean much without someone to live it with, be it parents or a lover."

At that moment, I could have sworn to see the glint in Aunt Mary's eyes change, as it became a serious and cold gaze.

"So Ray... what you mean to tell me is... you want Power. Strong enough... for revenge." she remarked, with the ends of her lips curling.

With those words, I could feel something resonate inside my heart. The blood and adrenaline in my body began to pump quicker, as I could hear the thump of my heartbeat increase by the second.

A few seconds passed, as I stared deep into her eyes; remembering this invigorating feeling from inside my room. A dark, bloodthirsty aura began to emanate from my body.

'How did she know?'

I wanted-

No- I 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒅 to tear apart the limbs of the person who touched my mother. I simply could not believe that my Mother could kill my Father as everyone thought, and so I promised, knowing that someone out there was alive after assassinating them.

The only problem I had, was that I needed the power to find out who killed them, and the strength to obliterate them.

While I was deep in my thought, Aunt Mary continued to stare at me with an inscrutable look.

"Ho... would you look at that... the boy already wants to kill." she thought, being able to feel his bloodthirst from her seat.

"Raymond Steelheart, if you become the Hero, not only would you get a lot of money, but you would also gain unimaginable power, influence, and strength."

Aunt Mary's words came out of her mouth like honey, sweetly enticing my dark desires.

"This is not to mention, the personal training I will give you, and by the time you graduate Athena Academy, you will become a stronger prodigy than Arabella," she said, with an unsettling smile plastered on her face.

Athena Academy was a prestigious school from which any student from age 11 onwards can attend. It also happened to be compulsory for any of the heirs of the Three Great Houses, who aimed to be the next Hero. They were rumoured to be able to raise a hardworking child who can use magic, into a monstrous warlock or mage. Also meaning that it was incredibly expensive.

"All you will need to do to be the next Hero is to follow my every order, and most of all... is have resolve."

Aunt Mary's words had now struck a chord within me. This was the perfect chance to become stronger, and it was at the price of nothing.

By now, Aunt Mary could see a wall of determination in my dull grey eyes and a burning fire of vengeance.

Without me even being able to agree to her pleading, she simply said,

"Great, at most we have 7 years to bring you up into a worthy hero candidate, meet me in the training hall tomorrow. A servant should take you there." And with that, Aunt Mary left the table with an unexpressive expression on her face, leaving me confused and anticipating what I would be trained with.

I only ever had one goal in my mind though,

'To kill the one who dared to touch my parents'.