The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 320: The dark patch

Chapter 320: The dark patch

The City of Changing Colors lacked most of the colors. In fact, as Hex stepped out of the branch, he faced only one color, the color of decay.

Although it was daytime and the rays of the sun fell through the leaves, it lacked the warmth and brightness Hex was used to. Somehow, the world around them seemed gray.

"Stick close to me," Elize said, wrapping a shawl around her head to hide her face. Hex followed her example with the shawl she brought for him. Hers was grey, his black. "The city is notorious for being home to many outlaws and newcomers aren’t treated well."

"Is anyone here able to threaten you?" Hex asked with a frown. If so, he would turn and leave the same way he arrived. A city where even an Enlightened Knight could fall wasn’t a place he dared to stay for long.

"No."

Luckily, she seemed confident in having no equal inside the city.

"Though, it would be best if we aren’t forced to reveal ourselves here," she said, grinning with a twinkle in her eyes. "I am not allowed to be here. And your presence here will cause mayhem."

Although she grinned when saying everything, Hex sensed she meant every word. He didn’t need to inquire why his presence would cause a disturbance. This city, as Elize explained to him, was the nearest point to reach the village Medina, the one known as the Witch, came from.

Even if every other place in Wrixia had forgotten about her and her appearance, this part of the Wrixia would never forget her. Both extremes regarding the Witch existed in this place.

There were people who hated her so much, that they would rather die and sacrifice their own blood and kin to harm the Witch or those related to her.

Those on the other side of the extreme existed in this city as well. The Witchkin, as they called themselves, were a group of women without a Blessing who opposed the established rulers of Wrixia and considered Her the first savior of the oppressed.

Without a doubt, the first group would skin Hex alive or die trying. The second would consider them as someone sent by their guardian to increase their forces. And what better way than to use him to birth daughters who could embody the Witch the best in their fight against the oppressors?

Hex stared in shock at Elize, wishing she would burst into laughter, claiming to be joking. Sadly, she remained serious.

He walked in silence behind Elize. The place near the dock was abandoned to such a degree that no one spotted their arrival.

The first people appeared in his sight only when they arrived at the junction where multiple branches connected, serving as the city’s plaza.

On his way to the plaza, he realized that the place was called a city due to its sheer size, not because of the people living in it. There were many buildings dangling about without the slightest trace of being inhabited.

The buildings themselves reeked of rot and mold. The wood and steel seemed to have corroded over time.

Hex lifted his head and observed the ’sky’. The leaves above their heads were grey, dried out, and filled with tears. They hung lifelessly on the branches.

"These leaves have lost their vitality once the Witch gained her powers. They don’t fall off no matter how much time has passed. They release some sort of acidic vapor mixed with the moisture the tree feeds these branches with. The mixture of water and acid condensed and caused acidic rain, which resulted in these corroded buildings and branches."

Without slowing down, Elize whispered some information as she had done during each stop.

’Rain that burns.’ Hex summed up in his head, realizing only now that the burning sensation in his nostrils.

They reached the plaza without much hiccups but as soon as he stepped onto the plaza, he sensed multiple eyes landing on them. With almost no visitors, the citizens were familiar with each other. Even with their faces covered, they stood out.

Elize walked toward one of the largest buildings at the plaza, ignoring every gaze directed at them.

"Welcome."

A young girl with her hair tied in two braids received them. Her clothes seemed old and plain. She wasn’t a great beauty but her fresh smile and bright, curious eyes enhanced the traces of innocence on her.

"My name is Jade, and I am your host at Hotel Rainbow."

She spoke without showing any of the grace or friendliness he had seen in the large cities. Her directness and lack of charm charmed Hex even more. She sounded exactly like the people of the mountains.

Hex couldn’t help but glance at the building when he heard the hotel named Rainbow. Like everything else in the city, the hotel lacked all color. The paint flaked off the walls. But even the flakes had faded over time. Only a close look revealed smudges of yellow and blue at some edges and corners.

"Two rooms."

Elize didn’t sound like her usual self. Her voice was cold and detached and her eyes lacked all emotions.

"N-Nights? How many?" Elize’s demeanor affected Jade. She stammered as she flipped the notebook on the desk open. Despite the dirty and torn appearance, she was still on the first page of the notebook.

’Is this a recent book?’ Hex inspected the handful of dates before their entry. There were nine entries before them. The first five were dated a year to five back. Unless they used the books without proper organization, the dates indicated they only had five visitors in the last five years.

"You got other guests?" Elize asked, pointing at the last four entries in her notebook. The dates were all of the past few days.

"Yes," Jade replied, sounding quite excited. "I don’t know why but this week we had more visitors than ever before. All these four belong to Green Guards."

"Is that so?" Elize replied, her voice still even, but Hex noticed the twitch in her eyes. She didn’t like the information Jade so casually shared with them.

Hex watched everything in silence. He understood some things and others he had yet to understand. What he did know was that Elize had some plans that involved him and the village the Witch came from. He didn’t know what yet. And the others came for something that involved the village too. Most likely, that something was related to Elize’s goal. And she didn’t like their presence. Not one bit.

They ascended the stairs in silence. Jade hummed some song he didn’t know. She seemed lost in her own mind. He sensed a hidden gaze when he reached the third floor but didn’t react to it. The gaze didn’t linger for long. Whoever was on the lookout, knew not to alert others. Even Hex had trouble localizing the person.

Their rooms were on the fourth floor, which was the highest floor. To his surprise, the condition of the rooms was far better than he expected. The sheets were clean, he didn’t detect any dust or webs, not even in the corners, and the smell wasn’t moldy.

Hex showered and ate his meal, delivered by Jade, alone. He spent the rest of the day inside the room. He hadn’t discussed with Elize what they were here for and when they would meet. But he knew they were waiting.

It was late in the night when his senses picked up the presence of people.

’Three.’

That was the number of people he sensed leaving their rooms and descending the stairs. After a while, the distance between him and them increased so much, he lost track of them.

’Have they left?’

Hex didn’t know. He waited.

It took another hour before he heard a knock. He stood up and walked to the window. The knock came from outside his room.

Elize hovered in the air. She had faded the colors of her golden wings to make them less eye-catching.

"We are leaving."

Hex nodded.

Flex Step

He followed her with small strides, kicking up the air, without creating a sound. His enhanced soul enabled him to do so.

The night brimmed with more life than the day. He sensed many people moving around in the dark. None seemed too strong or a big threat, so they ignored them.

After some time, he sensed something. A patch of darkness, darker than anything he sensed ever before, stood at the end of a thick branch. But he didn’t fear it. On the contrary, the darkness felt familiar. Like the embrace of a mother.

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