The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 213: Schemes behind schemes (3)

Chapter 213: Schemes behind schemes (3)

Screech!

A Heartless jumped from building to building, stopping now and then. Each time it stopped, it scrunched its nose, deciding the direction it smelled something alluring to satiate its hunger.

"It’s started."

Elron stood on top of the highest building at some distance. Seeing the Disaster act as he intended, filled him with glee. Five more Disasters moved in the same direction, depending on their nose.

"Time to move to other areas."

Elron leaped from the roof, making his way to other areas. He missed the appearance of the SS2 troops, going toward the Disasters. Oblivious to the changes in the plan, he proceeded.

Soon, other Disasters also moved in the direction of the gates. The SS2 personnel left behind didn’t notice the change in behavior in their respective areas.

...

Hex moved through the night. He utilized as much speed as he could without attracting attention. Time was of the essence.

His senses tingled continuously, alerting him of Disasters coming in his general direction. Ignoring them, Hex put haste in his step.

Even if he attracted attention, he didn’t mind at the moment. After all, he morphed his appearance once again.

When he landed on the roof of a two-story building, he stopped. He had arrived at the targetted location.

’The well is behind me. The guards are at my right. To my left and in front of me I don’t sense a single energy fluctuation. I wonder where the Calamity is.’

Calamities couldn’t be detected before they appeared. But Hex didn’t mind. He only wished to attract it. He didn’t need to find it.

He moved toward the location of the guards. He sensed two people. They were both Knights and strong ones too.

"Who is there?"

As soon as the distance between him and the guards shortened to five meters, one of them turned and looked in Hex’s direction.

’Incredible senses,’ Hex felt surprised at the abilities of the Knight. He never encountered someone at his level who could detect him.

Hex rushed out, confronting the two Knights. The ambush took both by surprise. It had been years since they faced another human.

Within a single move, Hex knocked the guard closest to him unconscious.

"Who are you?" The second one exclaimed. But Hex reached him before he could retreat. Staring in his eyes, Hex chuckled.

"My identity isn’t important. All you need to know is that a new Dawn has come. The Divine Lord shall prevail!"

The guard looked confused but soon his eyes lost focus as he slumped to the ground. Hex withdrew his fist. He dragged both guards into the building and threw them down.

’Sorry for the broken bones but I think once this is over, you will be grateful to have survived.’

His plan involved risks for everyone. Although Hex didn’t wish to kill wantonly, he didn’t think his action to be wrong. Once a person threaded the path of Knighthood, they should be prepared to take or lose a life.

He drew a vial from his pocket and sprinkled it below the building. The purple liquid bubbled ominously in the dim moonlight.

’I didn’t expect to use this drug after all this time. But nothing I can do,’ Hex shrugged as he threw the empty vial away.

After checking his environment once again, he retreated in the dark. Just before entering the dark, his features morphed back to his own.

The guards would only remember someone looking distinctly like Elron. It didn’t matter if they got some details wrong. After all, they didn’t get much time to get a good look at him.

’Now I need to prepare for the arrival of the goods.’

...

’Where is it?’

Hex stood in the middle of a compound. It was part of a large abandoned estate. It was hard to find his target in the overgrown area.

Suddenly, he looked up. His senses revealed the Disasters around this building moving away.

’It has started.’

The revelation urged him to put more haste in his search. He bent his knees and put his hands on the ground, crawling rapidly. Suddenly, he touched a moist patch of ground.

’There hasn’t been any rain in the past few days. This should be the spot.’

Hex used a staff he found in the storage of the building and dug the ground. The moisture beneath it had softened it considerably.

Gurgle.

After a few minutes, with a plop, water spilled out. Hex dug deeper and deeper until the hole caved in, revealing a tunnel, partially filled with water.

Cloaked in his energy, Hex entered the tunnel on his belly. The opening wasn’t wide but he used his knees and elbows to crawl down.

The tunnel went down first and then followed horizontally. The distance between the narrow channel and the main line was about five hundred meters. The dense mud took its toll.

He estimated it took him a half hour before he noticed the tunnel widening. He could already hear the gentle sound of water flowing forward.

Laying in the mud, he used his senses. Only when he didn’t detect anything, did he emerge out of the mud. He pulled a leather bag and used the water to clean himself.

’Let’s wait now.’

The underground stream was veiled in darkness. There was no light coming in. Hex waited patiently. Suddenly, his senses tingled.

Slowly, the energy fluctuations he picked up, came nearer. After a few more minutes, he started to see the outline of the people coming through. The group wasn’t large. Hex counted seven people being led by an eight at the front.

The man at the front was a Knight whereas the group behind consisted of Squires and Knights. The seven at the back were bound by a rope. It didn’t look strong enough to prevent the seven from escaping but seeing their dejected looks. He saw the look on their faces as they passed the spot he hid in. Their lost and dejected eyes revealed their hopelessness and unwillingness to fight. They had surrendered to their fate.

Hex didn’t leave his spot, waiting for his chance. He saw how a ladder was lowered when the group reached the opening of the well’s wall. The person in the lead climbed first and the others followed.

Soon, the sixth person started to climb, leaving the last person. The man looked late in his twenties and was at the Knight stage. Just as he was about to climb up, Hex shot out from his place.

...

"...and that makes it seven," Hex heard the Knight who led the group here tell his colleague. Hex looked at the SS3’s Vice-Captain but lowered his head quickly.

He stood with the rest, looking dejected and spaced out but he remained alert. His sharp senses detected the distant arrival of Disasters at first.

’Almost there.’

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