Child of Omens: Part 3

Chapter 10: Devils Never Cry

It had been a long night for Hawk. He had to be reintroduced to people he had already met before, many of which he either killed or had to watch die in his world. To say it wasn't as much of a pleasure as it seemed was an understatement. But he pushed through. He hid his emotions, his inner thoughts, the nagging weight of living in a world where he shared drinks and merriment with those he failed in his past. As the night began to linger, Hawk looked out at the home he had grown up in. He longed for it to be real, for his home never to have been destroyed, and for those he cared for never to have been taken from him. He then heard a set of footsteps walk up next to him. Turning to see Neo skittishly standing near him. He could tell she was still frightened of him, he couldn't blame her though.  He knew why she was here. He could see it in her eyes. She loved Samuel, and she wanted to know what became of the person she longed to be with.

Hawk: "You miss him, don't you?" Neo nodded. "*sigh* Then I shall give you the closure you so wish for. Take hold of the Yamato...and try not to freak out." Holding out the Yamato as Neo gripped the hilt.

In a flash of red, she appeared in a place she didn't recognize. She looked around as she was in a large blue void.

Sam: "Hi, Neopolitan." Neo turns around in excitement to see Sam with his regular outfit on. She went to grab her scroll to talk but couldn't find it. "There's no need to worry. This is nothing more than your mental projection. If you wish to speak, all you have to do is think it."

Neo: "S-...Sam I-..L..Lov...Love...I Love You." Sam only smiled. "And I...Want y-You to come back...With me. We-we can be together...please." Sam now replaced his smile with a look of sadness, waking to her and taking her hands in his own.

Sam: "I'm sorry...but I can't. You see, I'm not...real. Not in the way you think. I am the sword but from another world—one where I was used to kill millions, one where I was a weapon, not a person. When I came here, I had to take the form of a human to bring back Hawk. I had no real feelings; they were fake. But when I met you, that changed. I felt something...new...amazing. I felt...alive. Neo with you, I felt real. For a short time, I was more than a sword. I was living. The point of me telling you this is that...I grew to care for you as well, Neo. I don't know what it technically is, but if it's worth anything to you...I...Love you, too." Neither didn't need to say any words as they shared a loving kiss.

When Neo opened her eyes, she was back in the real world, her hand still holding onto the Yamato—looking up to see Hawk looking down at her.

Hawk: "I'm sorry, I know it must have been hard. If you need someone to speak with, I'm here to listen. I know the pain you are going through. I've lost those I cared for. The most I can say is that never forget them and let them fuel you to do better." Placing a hand on her shoulder as she pushed past him to hug him. At first, he was caught off guard, but he reciprocated the hug.

As she walked off, tears rolling from her cheeks, Hawk couldn't help but feel bad for her. He, out of everyone here, honestly did know her pain even if he couldn't tell her. Going back to looking out over the camp, had felt a presence be hadn't felt in a very long time. It was of his mother.

Raven: "So? You claim to be from another world. Then how did you know my sword techniques? Don't think I didn't notice you use them against that monster."

Hawk: "I knew them because you taught me them."

Raven: "Explain. Now."

Hawk: "My full name is Hawk Hugin Branwen. You gave me that name. In my world, that day in the alley, unlike in this world where I was raised by Qrow, who eventually became Falke to you. You took me in, raised me here in the clan. You taught me everything I know and trained me to be the best swordsman on my Remnant. Because of that, I helped bring the clan to have control over both Mistral and Vale. But as all things do...they end. *sigh* I was too weak, too complacent, I failed to protect you, and I paid for it. Salem came after you with an army of Grimm. She and Cinder used a magic item to take the power of the Spring maiden from you, which killed you in the process. *sniffle* I...I never got to say goodbye. You've been gone for so long that one night I awoke in terror because I had almost forgotten what you looked like. I'm sorry...sorry I couldn't be there for you...to save you from my weakness." Hawk then began to break down as all the emotions he had experienced upon his mother's death had resurfaced.

Raven, at first, didn't believe him. Like she could raise a child, she was responsible for leading the clan. There was no time for the minor problems of children. But as he continued to tell his story, her doubts began to fade away. She began to see that the random stranger that had appeared and won her the battle earlier today, had now changed into her son. Granted, he wasn't HER child, but if she could do so before. She could do so again. Approaching Hawk, she turned him around to see him looking away in shame as if he didn't want her to see him crying. But she didn't care, pulling him into a loving embrace that only a mother could replicate.

Raven: "Shh. Shh. It's okay. I'm here. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. I'm so proud of you...son. I know it won't be the same, but I want you to know that I accept you. Accept you as my son, even if we are from different worlds."

Hawk didn't know what to say. He had gone on a world-destroying crusade, killed thousands of people, all so he could find and slay the gods of his world. He did all that just so he could avenge his mother, who had been killed in cold blood. He accepted her embrace.

Hawk: "*sniffle* Thank you...Thank you...mom."