The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 306: The coast defenders (1)

Chapter 306: The coast defenders (1)

"Get up. We have reached Wrixia."

Hex shook Sterling and Quid when the distance to the coast became one kilometer. The Saint had stopped conversing with him a few kilometers back. He did instruct Hex, though, to jump to the coast within a short time. After all, He had no intention of staying in the shallow waters.

Instead of waking the group up one by one, Hex used a part of the journey to familiarize himself with his newfound strength. The injuries and pain suffered through the Crack was well worth it. His strength had improved by leaps and bounds.

His gains included the free entry into the crystal, the improved and refined Dragon Bear Soul, and the growth of the Dragon. She might not be linked with Hex, but her presence in his inner space meant he could understand some of her actions.

When he saw her play with Time, Space, and the Ice around her, Hex felt his understanding of these three deepen. She didn’t mind sharing some of the things she knew due to her bloodline inheritance.

Hex might still need some time to heal but the improvements were there. Plus, even without trying, his recovery sped up considerably just by staying near the tree. He would still require some battle and training to truly condense everything.

Hex suspected that the refined Dragon Bear Soul worked as a refinement of his soul, fulfilling the first criteria of the Method’s first step. If he was right, he only needed to achieve three more before trying to ascend further.

Only when he had run out of ideas to test, did he decide to barge into Sterling’s tent. Lucky for him, his fears remained imaginary. The four were each in different beds, clothed and all.

Sterling woke up startled at first but groaned in pain the next second. Hex ignored his complaints about being shaken too wildly. His reply was a repeat. This time his victim was Quid, who jumped out of his bed, with a shrill cry. Not only did his reaction stun Hex and Sterling, but it also helped to rouse both females from their sleep.

Hex didn’t bother with the other twenty or so servants. They weren’t his responsibility. Old man Perl, Gronke, and the captain were different. He could shake them awake but he wasn’t needed. At some point, Gronke had been up and woke the other two from their slumber.

We are here.

The Saint’s voice reverberated in his head. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed Quid signal the others to be ready too.

Under Sterling’s lead, they lined up at the edge of the island and readied themselves. Hex stood not far from them. As soon as the sand beneath the water became visible, he jumped down.

Cold.

As an Ice user, Hex developed some resistance to cold. Yet, he shivered, and his teeth clattered as he waded a couple of meters toward the sandy coast.

"Brr."

As soon as he stepped out of the water, he stood at a spot where sunrays managed to slip through the leaves above him. The others were worse off. They followed Hex’s example upon leaving the freezing waters and dried themselves under the sun.

Only when he dried off enough to stop shivering did he turn to observe the coast? The sand beneath his feet was soft and white. It stretched as far as his eyes could see. The width awed him too. Never before had he seen a coast with a width of a couple hundred meters.

The coast bordered a forest of sorts. Hex didn’t expect to see such a lush and thriving cluster of trees below the world tree. He knew little about forests but he heard they required sunlight to thrive. He understood once he looked up.

Similar to the coast, there were wide patches of light across the forest. The leaves of the world tree resembled green clouds above, allowing sunrays through the gaps between them. A rough estimation revealed the gaps to be around a hundred meters in some places.

See you when our paths cross again in the future.

Just as he immersed himself in imagining the wonderful ways life thrived in such an environment, he heard the Saint greet him. With a start, he turned but saw no traces of the island.

"Where did He go?" Sterling, who stood not far from him, noticed his actions. He came up to Hex with a curious look on his face.

"Gone. I think he completed his task. I suspect he considers his promise to your elders fulfilled." Hex hadn’t revealed his link with the Saint through the Witch nor did he plan to disclose it. Some secrets remained a secret only when they remained hidden inside the heart.

"What now?" Quid asked while looking at the others in their group. Most looked lost and scared.

They set out with Sterling due to various reasons. As far as they knew their journey led to the headquarters of their organization. Crashing into a desert, fleeing from Enlightened Knights, and losing all memory of a journey that led to a giant tree weren’t things they had been prepared for. Hex threw Sterling a subtle glance, indicating to consider the morale of his group.

"Our first priority is to reach a Treetown or a Treevillage before dark. Once we are rested and fed, we can plan the rest of our travels," Sterling said with a calm but confident look in his eyes. With his people disheartened, he couldn’t allow to reveal his hesitation or fears. Only someone as sharp as Hex detected the trembling hands and the irregular heartbeat in his chest.

Hex took the front as the group made their way to the edge of the forest. As they got closer, Hex started to discern the truth. The forest before him didn’t have trees. It was a cluster of overgrown weeds and bushes.

The weeds were mostly vine-like but far thicker than the usual type of vines Hex had seen. The overgrown grass leaves were wide and tall, with veins thick as an arm. The group was about to enter the bush when Hex halted his steps.

Woosh.

A spike missed him within an inch of his head. He had moved in the nick of time. He barely dodged this one when he sensed a three more slice through the air, aimed at him.

Hex dodged two of the three and froze the third one in its tracks. He could sense the power in them. Even as a Refined Knight–one who had completed the soul refinement–he would suffer grave injuries if he took them head-on.

"Take cover!"

The attack occurred so suddenly and at such speed, that the others only became aware of it when the third spike shattered after being frozen. Sterling took immediate charge of his group. They ducked behind the captain who erected a wind barrier. In time too.

The attacker upped the ante. Hex sensed the spikes coming from multiple directions. He helped with the defense by creating multiple Ice walls. At the same time, Gronke, who had been passive so far, jumped over the barriers and charged toward the forest.

"Where are you going?" Hex shouted as he tried to follow behind him.

"Druids," Gronke replied as he transformed into his semi-boar-like state. He let a growl out as if challenging the other party.

It worked. Sort of. The attackers diverted their attacks toward Gronke instead of the group. At the same time, he heard a loud buzz. The leaves before him shuddered and rustled loudly.

Hex had tried to sense the location of the attackers. But this place bustled with life. From faint flickers to piercing glows. His senses picked lifeforms all over the place. Without the Dragon Bear Soul’s refinement, he would be shutting everything off in fear of his senses being overstimulated.

Gronke growled as his massive body weathered the storm of spikes. Hex didn’t turn to help him immediately though. The Warlord looked bloodied and injured but Hex sensed his thriving lifeforce. The man wouldn’t be brought to his knees so easily.

Their enemy, on the other hand, finally emerged from the forest. She flew out of the thick grass and hovered in midair. She wasn’t alone. An army of other similar-looking people stood around her.

Gronke, upon seeing them, grunted.

"So, you finally appear, Queen Bae."

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