The Stonehearted Knight-Chapter 425: Attacking the tower (1)

The crowd’s cheers filled the air with fiery passion. The early hour of the day didn’t stop them from flooding the arena. This round of the tournament required two fixed towers, which is why a large open air arena in the city below had been chosen as the location.

Hex accompanied his team toward their end of the field. The size of the field felt surreal. A field with a few hundred meters in diameter? Unless they hosted ’capture the flag’ each week, this place wouldn’t have much use.

"Saint Tectonic is as great as proclaimed," Sterling whistled, his eyes darting all over the place. The noise from the stands became more of a distant buzz as they approached the two-story tower. For some time now, Hex had noticed the seats directly behind the towers being empty.

"What do you mean?" Hex asked, confused. Truth be told, his thoughts continuously drifted to the night before. The conversation with his mother moved over quite a few topics. Some of the information he had known, some he had guessed, but a lot had been unknown.

"Saint Tectonic used his abilities and knowledge of shifting lands to enlarge this arena without affecting the rest of the land. How absurd is it?"

Very. Hex finally understood the excitement and awe on everyone’s faces. Despite his mastery over the Earth element, he wouldn’t know how to replicate such a feat. Perhaps, that was the difference. Mastery helped understanding the basic law governing an element. Saints, however, could alter and adjust these laws as they saw fit.

"This will be my fortress, huh," he heard Sterling sigh. The guy had difficulty accepting his role as a tower princess. He preferred the sidelines or the frontlines, not the protected line. Luckily, he couldn’t change the rules. To Hex and everyone’s amusement.

"Rules are rules," Hex patted Sterling’s shoulder, suppressing his laugh at the guy’s resigned look. "Now do your job and stay put inside, waving at the crowd prettily while we protect your delicate self."

The group burst in laughter. Even the twins, who usually hated seeing Sterling being mocked, grinned. Sterling cursed but even his thunderous looks didn’t stop the team. On the contrary, they burst into an even louder laugh.

...

The Green Tigers hailed from a country east of Astarella and south of the Endless Mountains, covered mostly in lush forests. Hex observed the five opponents as they all gathered in the middle of the ground.

Three women and two men, with the leader being a girl. Yes, a girl. He estimated her not to be older than fifteen. She was the leader. Her smug look at them showed her childish side as she hung half outside of her window. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"Good day everyone," an old man welcomed them, fulfilling the role of referee. "I will start the countdown and by the count of ten, we will start. While I count you will first retract your steps toward your respective towers and move out from there. How you decide to win is up to you. Understood?"

Everyone nodded.

"Excellent. I will start now."

Hex readied himself.

"One."

They ran back. Hex had taken a few steps when he sensed something. At the nick of time, he sidestepped as a tree exploded out of the ground. In his peripheral vision he noted more trees and bushes burst out.

"What the heck."

At first he assumed they were being attacked. A glance behind, however, showed a similar fate befell the other team. Actually, they suffered more. One of the men dangled from a tree, his leg pierced by a side branch.

"Two."

Just then he heard the referee’s count. The old man was smiling, not surprised even a little by the development.

"Keep moving!" Hex turned and made his way toward the toward, shouting to spur the others. "Just be careful. They are altering the field." The field had been empty. He had wondered whether they expected a frontal confrontation. He had his answer. The field itself would be an obstacle.

His shout helped. His team followed. It worked a little too well, as the opposite team also began to run. Nothing he could do about it. The noise of the crowd reached an unprecedented height. People enjoyed their plight a little too much. The poor guy dangling at the other side received quite a bit of mockery.

Hex didn’t unleash his full strength, for now. Still, he reached the tower even before the referee reached the count of five. By the count of eight, his entire team had gathered. The twins, Quid, and Gronke were the others. They were powerful in their own right.

"This changes things," Quid said, out of breath. He eyed the field with fear and anger. Clearly, he didn’t like traps.

"It changes nothing," Hex said. "We will proceed as planned. Gronke and you will be in charge of defence. These two will be our attackers, harassing the opponents. I will infiltrate and capture the opposite leader."

They had planned ahead. While they didn’t expect the field to change, their plan was based on their respective strengths. It allowed for such surprises. And Hex believed he was best suited for the task of capture.

While Quid wished to argue, they heard the referee shout ’ten’. The others didn’t mind proceeding as planned, so the majority vote decided their course of action quickly.

Hex didn’t unleash his full strength, for now. Still, he reached the tower even before the referee reached the count of five. By the count of eight, his entire team had gathered. The twins, Quid, and Gronke were the others. They were powerful in their own right.

"This changes things," Quid said, out of breath. He eyed the field with fear and anger. Clearly, he didn’t like traps.

"It changes nothing," Hex said. "We will proceed as planned. Gronke and you will be in charge of defence. These two will be our attackers, harassing the opponents. I will infiltrate and capture the opposite leader."

They had planned ahead. While they didn’t expect the field to change, their plan was based on their respective strengths. It allowed for such surprises. And Hex believed he was best suited for the task of capture.

While Quid wished to argue, they heard the referee shout ’ten’.