"Eliot's room?" Tezznin questioned.
"Yes. You see, when the prophesy was foretold about my son, I sought ways to keep him away from the eyes of those who wanted him dead. So I made this room especially for him. A room with no windows and one that could suite the likes of his powers. Where he could be, save without anyone seeing him. I know a childhood without colors and playtime is the worst life I could possibly give him as a father but I had no choice. I needed to keep him away from everyone. How wrong I was. The darkness itself was the boy's friend. That, I did not know until I realized the boy getting stronger even though I never trained him to harness his powers. I cannot help but think now that it was I whom had made the boy the monster he is today." The king said with a sullen expression on his face.
"I did not know that the boy's powers fed on the darkness and that the more stronger he got the more darkness he could consume. His mother had become wary when the boy could go on for days that were unusual without food and still be as energetic as ever. He sometimes went on without food for a month and I was left wondering how until I figured out from an incident that the boy's source of power was mainly the darkness. He could go on for so long and not falter."
"That is weird." Tezznin declared.
"I know. That is why my boy really needs our help. I'm afraid staying locked up in that stone for so long would only make him stronger over a long period. Strong enough to even free himself."
"But…but…the necklace…is broken." Tezznin stated but soon regretted saying that. Her heartbeat hastened at the awaiting moment of when the man would lose his cool and smack her over the face for being so careless. Many thoughts began to flood her mind and her eyes began to well all the while as she waited for the man to say something. The room instantly felt hot and tensed that the poor girl inched away from the man. Heracles moved to her aid and held her by the shoulders that now tensed up at his touch. The lord stood unmoving with a deadly yet calm aura oozing off him. A long shiver ran down her spine and she instantly made a mental note not to ever fall on the man's bad side.
With his dark aura, Lord Asmodeus moved towards the girl with an unreadable expression on his face. She flinched back but a solid pillar kept her in place. Heracles. At that moment she so hated the man for holding her shoulders.
"I saw that coming." The girl's eyes shot open at the feel of the man's hand parting her head gently and saying so to with a calm voice quite the contrast of the air around him now. Just like that, he was out of the room.
"Huh?" Tezznin darted her eyes between the retreating back of the king and the man standing now beside her. She moved away. "What did he mean by that?"
"Uhm… I guess it's all part of the vision he's refusing to share." The cornered man said in exasperation not sure himself what to say anymore.
"So then what now?"
"I guess we wait in his call again I guess."
"But until then, what happens?"
Silence filled the dark room with Heracles seemingly in a deep thought. "You go home." He said suddenly and grabbed her wrist firmly leaving no room for protest and just like that, they disappeared from sight.
......
Where were you young lady?" Her mother's voice sounded, seated in a blue single sofa at the corner of the room. Tezznin's heart beat rapidly in her ears as she pulled herself from the man's grip and looked at the face of her raging mother. She felt utterly helpless now.
Her angry mother folded her arms waiting for a tangible reason from the duo but seconds turned into minutes and minutes soon into hours.
"Oh Gaia Empusa. Why all the fuss. The kid was with me." Heracles said, finally breaking the silence and moved closer to the woman.
"Huh?" Tezznin stared at both her mother and Heracles facing each other. "You two know each other?"
Heracles turned to the girl, his lopsided smile telling a silent and important message to her. Then it dawned on her. He had explained to her before that Asmodeus and her mother had had an encounter. It must have been that Heracles must have met her as well.
"Of course I'll create a fuss. You can't just pop out of nowhere after all these years and take my daughter anywhere you like."
"Oh c'mon. Is this how you treat an old friend?"
"An old friend indeed. You don't suppose I'd find delight in your arrival after everything that happened?"
"What happened meant to have happened for a good course."
"A course you never intended to explain even until date." Silence enveloped them now. Tezznin staring at the duo in oblivion of what they were talking about. It seemed to her they had forgotten about her presence. She shrugged.
"I'm sorry Gaia. I wish there was a way. You know it." For first time, Tezznin heard the all so great Heracles speak with agony in his voice. She wondered what happened between them now. An emotion so strong glimmered in his eyes as he stared down at Gaia. Gaia's eyes welled.
"Sixteen years Heracles. Sixteen years of being tormented by the void you left." Gaia's pained voice sounded. Her eyes for a moment stared at the man for a little hope but as he said nothing and only stood so still, she sighed and nodded thoughtfully and walked out of the room.
Was it hurt she heard in her mother's voice? What did she mean by sixteen years? "Heracles. Sixteen years?" She questioned cautiously in a low tone to the unmoving man standing there still like a statue. He moved after a while and looked for short moment at the girl. His face distorted in a way that showed the guilt and pain he felt.
"That is how long I've been away." He whispered and disappeared from her sight even before the girl to ask any more questions. Tezznin frowned in confusion. What's with everyone walking out like that? She groaned from frustration and stared at her bed.
....
A week had gone by since Heracles' and her mother's encounter. "I don't want you to talk to that man again. I don't know whatever he's showed you but believe me; he'll leave you when you need him the most." Her mother told her. The girl felt disturbed and confused as to why the woman would say something like that. However, knowing her mother, her pride would not let her tell her why.
"Henceforth, I will be keeping a close watch on you. I won't let that man get anywhere near you much less that Lord Asmodeus." The woman declared with finality.
Since then, her mother saw to it every night that she was in her room and was not getting in touch with that man. Tonight was no exception. A knock sounded from the door. "Come in." She spoke.
The door opened and her mother's head peeked through it. "Just doing my regular inspection dear. Have a good night sleep." Just as she was about to close the door, Tezznin called her.
"Yes dear." Gaia responded and peeked through the door again.
"Heracles is not a bad person."
Her mother's face twitched and her lips parted but she said nothing and only walked into the room and sat at the edge of the bed. She stared at her daughter with a sad look.
"Heracles is not what he looks to be."
"Why?"
"Because." Her mother remained silent and the girl watched as her eyes began to well with a very sad and pained look on her face. "He hurt me deeply."