Heint picked up the steel object, it's cold metallic surface causing goosebumps to run across his arm. He'd finally done it. He'd finally created the child he never had. Ever since his wife had died in childbirth he had never been the same. He would drink himself into a worthless rage every night just to make the pain go away, even if just for a second. But now he was going to be free from those thoughts. He was going to be free from all those thoughts, because now he had that child. He was going to finally make a worthwhile invention.
As he pushed open the door the smell of musty carpets and mouldy food attacked his nostrils.
"When the child settles in I must clean out this room"
Looking around he could see old manuals and rusty tools strewn across tables and even in the floor.
When he finally reached the end of a room he stood in front of the red curtain covering his future and pulled. Standing there was the frame of a young boy. He had brown hair, blue eyes and he wore a stained shirt with navy overhauls. The child he always envisioned. The child he thought he'd lost. The child reborn.
He pulled out a stool, placing it at the child feet before slowly placing the steel heart within a opening in his chest. At that instant the child jerkep upright, his joints cracking and twisting as they were brought to life. And just as quickly as he had risen he slumped back down... But this time he was alive.
He laughed, he'd done it, he'd finally done it. Now all he needed to do was raise the boy.
"Who... Are you?" The child asked, his voice riddled with fear.
"I am Heint Glonswint, but you, you may call me father."
"...Father, who am I?"
"You, you may be called Abel, Abel Glonswint."
"A...Bel."
"Yes, Abel."
"Thank you father, for your words, for they bring me happiness."
"That's good Abel."
"What do we do know?"
"How about we go eat, would you like that?"
"Yes," he said before getting off his stool and walking to the main room.
Heint couldn't help but smile at his achievement, "I've done it haven't I, I've made my child."
And so it seemed he had.
Just as he was about to follow his son he glanced to the left and caught a shadow through the window. "Must just be nothing" he thought to himself before continuing onto the main room.
"Father what is this?" Abel asked pointing at a small knife laying on the kitchen counter.
"Oh that's a knife buddy, it's used for chopping food."
"Can I play with it?"
"No Abel, a knife is very dangerous for it is sharp and can cut your flesh just as easily as it can cut vegetables."
"I see, what can I play with father?"
"Hmm," he pondered before remembering an old clockwork man he had stored in his bedroom.
"I'll be a second Abel," he said before rushing into his bedroom to try and find the toy man. After a minute or two of scrambling around like a mad man he finally found the toy.
"Coming back now Abel!" he shouted.
"So son," he said holding up the little clockwork machine, "this can be your toy, what do you want to call him?"
"Cain"
"Hmph, that's a nice name."
"Thank you."
"Your welcome."
"Where do I play with him?"
"Follow me," he said leading him to a small nursery prepared just for Abel.
"What's this?" he asked.
"Your room," heint replied.
"I see," the boy laughed his eyes going wide with excitement as he grabbed the toy man out of his hands and began playing with it. Heint smiled as the boy played thinking back in his entire life, from when he was born to now. He was happy, fulfilled even. His child was alive, he was alive, his wife was... Dead. But that doesn't matter right now does it.
He turned to go, leaving his child playing for a bit, but then he noticed it in the windows again. The shadow. It was still here. And now he could really tell it wasn't just his imagination playing tricks.
He stared out looking at the shadows general shape, then it turned and looked at him. He gasped, it had a long bone mask, with a cloak covering the top of it's head to the bottom of it's back. It had a leather suit with straps to hold it's weapons. In it's left hand was a dagger made out of the same bone as it's mask and in it's right a small flame. "A member of the ebony order." He needed to get him and his son out as soon as possible.
"ABEL!" he shouted for his child, "GET HERE RIGHT NOW WE NEED TO LEAVE!"
"Why?"
"B...B... Because someone is coming, someone who wants to hurt us."
"Ok, father."
"Good, now come with me," he said ushering him to the back door to leave as safely as possible.
Just as they both left he heard a clattering sound before the abony order member appeared before him.
"Leave us alone, please let me and my son live in peace."
"You know we can't let you do that Heint," a gravely voice called from behind the mask, "after all youe child has something we still need, doesn't he?"
"No, you can't take him too, you already took everyone else."
"Then we'll take some more still," the figure said before summoning bone arrows from the sky and launching them at him.
He died out the way before responding, "I'll always protect my son, even if I die trying." He then threw a fire ball at him searing his mask but not injuring him.
"SON RUN!" he shouted to Abel, hoping he'd take the hint and save himself.
"But what about you father?"
"IT DOESN'T MATTER ABOUT ME JUST RUN FOR GOODNESS SAKE!"
And so Abel did run, he ran as fast as his little legs would let him, and still he went even faster.
"Good, at least he would be safe," he thought to himself as he continued battling the order member.
"You can't defeat me Heint, your barely a silencer," the man roared.
"I can at least try," he said before combusting himself.
As he dropped to the floor the last thing he heard was the order member screaming as he was burned alive.
"At least... At least Abel will survive," he thought to himself before falling asleep forever under the watchful gaze of moonlight.