The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 364: Giving them fame

Chapter 364: Giving them fame

The ball splattered reaching the group, raining crimson light over the group.

Initially, they stood frozen. Whether it was due to shock or fear remained uncertain.

Elder Marcella, by some twisted coincidence, stood at the very front of everyone opposite Elize. When the crimson light touched her, she stared at it in daze. She blinked.

From Hex’s point of view it looked like her face warped slowly into a scream.

"Ahhhh. NO!"

Her scream came a little too late. The crimson light had already engulfed everyone. It didn’t help anyone. It did, however, push each and everyone over their limits. Screams and cries erupted.

One young Transformation Knight fainted before the light dissipated.

’Their Stages.’ Hex stood behind Elize and watched the chaos ensue. Seeing them turn into a mess was amusing. No doubt. But what interested him even more was the change they underwent.

He could sense it. Refined, docile energy dissipating through their pores, evaporating into the air.

Even the Enlightened Knight wasn’t spared. He dropped a Stage too.

"Does it affect their mastery of elements or Laws?" Hex couldn’t help himself. He asked, throwing precaution to the wind. He had never seen or heard about an ability or Technique like this.

Luckily, Elize didn’t mind his curiosity.

"No. Although, there have been cases where the connection to certain elements were cut off entirely. But those are too rare and are considered side effects," she explained, glossing over the more intricate details.

"But isn’t this too overpowered? With this you guys could take on the world."

It didn’t make sense that Wrixia hadn’t done so already. With an overpowered ability like these they could always lower their opponents power, gaining upper hand in each battle.

"You think it’s that easy?" Elize looked over her shoulder, scowling at him. "This ability strips one of Blessing and energy gifted by Wrixia. As such, its range is limited to the borders of Wrixia."

She held her hand up so Hex could see. On the back of her hand he noticed a green chain slithering and tightening itself.

"The user of this ability is chained too. I can still use my power but it will cost me. A lot. The only way to resolve this is to seek the Old One’s assistance. It gets resolved if He deems it worth it. Else, you are chained forever, never to be seen again."

’Okay. I take it back. This isn’t a price I am willing to pay.’ Hex lampooned but refrained from commenting further.

Behind him, the ground split open and Jonathan crawled out.

"You are a Supreme Elder?" This time he didn’t bother to hide his emotions. He stared Elize from behind.

Hex saw fear and reverence in his gaze. But there was nervousness in there too, which surprised Hex.

Elize didn’t reply. She just turned toward them.

"Knock them out and tie their limbs. To each other. We will leave for the core at once. It seems a need to visit the Council is long overdue. They have rotten to the core."

Jonathan sprang to action at once. Hex was a step behind him.

Hex took care of the Elders while Jonathan handled the others. The Enlightened Knight was the only who put up a resistance. The others were too busy wailing to even consider fighting them.

Jonathan was quick and decisive. He drowned the guy in mud and kept him covered until the clay heap stopped wriggling and splattering all around.

"I don’t understand. Is it so bad? Losing a stage? They act like they have lost their life," Hex grumbled as he bound the Elders to each other.

"What’s so hard to understand?" Jonathan chuckled. "Imagine something your life revolves around being taken away. With the reduction in power all of them will be pushed aside. And take it from me. None of these bastards have been good to others. The only thing they had more than luxury was enemies."

When put like that it made sense. Hex looked at their pitiful states and lost even the desire to look down on them.

They finished quickly. But Elize was even faster. Just when they tied the knot of the last person’s cuffs, she appeared. And she wasn’t alone.

’She brought them all. I guess, despite her acting cool, she needs to hurry to undo that chain. To prevent any mishaps underway.’

Hex watched her bring the other captives. The regular and average Blessed had no clue why they were being rushed so suddenly but none dared to protest.

He scanned through their group until he spotted Medina. She was furthest behind, helping the old mother to move. Jade accompanied them too.

It took them a few minutes to gather in front of the winged-horse-drawn coach. When the women and girls saw the huge horses with their wings, most stood mesmerized by their beauty.

Only Medina turned away, searching his gaze. She raised her brow in a questioning manner. He tried to convey by a minute shake of his head that he would talk later about it.

"How are we going to fit everyone in here?" Jonathan grumbled at the sight of the large group. But then he came to his senses, probably remembering Elize’s true might. After a little pause he added, "...Your Eminence."

"The woman and children will sit inside. As will I. You will be pulling the reins. Hex will join you."

Elize quickly assigned everyone a seat. The coach brought over ten people and had room to seat twice as many.

"And they?" Jonathan asked, pointing at the Elders and their guards.

"Did you tie them up tightly?" Elize asked as she walked up to them. Hex assured her that they did.

At first he didn’t understand what she had planned but when Hex saw her attach a thicker rope holding them all together to the coach, he understood.

"You will dangle them from the coach?" He asked, half amused, half exasperated. Surely that wouldn’t benefit their case.

She obviously had a different opinion.

"They desired more fame by bringing me in, didn’t they? I think now no one will forget them. Ever."