The Stonehearted Knight

Hex led the team away from the path they were on.

The mountain goats proved their worth. They traversed steep walls and paths with ease. Compared to them, Allie's team had trouble keeping up.

Hex focused on the sounds of the screeches. He continuously adjusted their route in response to the direction he heard the noise coming from.

But it was not easy. With each passing moment the creatures seemed to spread out. At first the noise kept coming from one direction, but now he heard it in different spots.

"What are these creatures?" Alice finally asked. She seemed on the verge of a breakdown. And they had yet to face these creatures.

"Heartless are humanoid creatures," Duter replied in a soothing voice. During this whole excursion he remained calm. He even volunteered to close rank by staying behind everyone.

"The stories tell that they were once humans living in the mountains. To survive they offered their hearts to Heavens. In exchange they were gifted with sharp olfactory sensors, great strength and demonic bodies."

"They are one of the scariest creatures to meet in the mountains. They live in tribes and hunt in packs. They are never alone. But their most fearsome aspect is that they always reach demonic levels upon maturing and have a few that reach the level of Fiends."

Hex's heart skipped a beat. Fiends were at the level of Knights. That was not something he could fight against. But there was something he didn't quite understand.

"But why do you guys fear them? Aren't they equal in power to you guys?" He asked without turning his head. The goats were great climbers but were at the same time dependent on the rider's instruction. One mistake on Hex's part and they might all disappear into the darkness of the mountains.

"Haven't you heard Duter?" Hestia chuckled wryly. "They hunt in packs. And not in weak packs like those wolves. Only the strongest of their groups hunt. We can fight a couple of them, but not tens of them."

Screech!

Hex's face fell. The noise came from the front. But a moment ago he heard a similar noise from somewhere behind him.

"Hestia, we have some in front and some in the back," he shouted behind him. He heard Alice whimper. Hex knew she was losing control but he didn't have a choice. They needed to make a choice. Right now.

"No," Duter shouted. "Keep going. They are trying to encircle us. We need to break through their formation."

"Yes, keep going," Hestia agreed with Duter.

Hex didn't stop.

The screeches seemed to come from everywhere. They even heard it come from one of the chasms.

The entire mountain echoed with the screeches of those creatures. The sounds of all the other beasts had disappeared.

'I doubt they left anything else alive. They are killing everything in their path. And they won't stop at that,' Hex felt his nerves become tense. It was a terrifying experience.

Clang.

"Stay your ground."

The sounds and shouts were distant, but still very audible.

"A battle. A group is fighting them. We need to hurry," Hex shouted as he urged his mount to make haste.

Hestia responded in agreement. She urged the team to follow closely behind Hex.

They were not being brave or kind. They knew that with more people they would have a higher chance to break the encirclement of the creatures.

Hex hurried up the wall. The climb was almost vertical, but the mountain goats were built for such tasks.

The noise came closer and closer. He was almost there. He climbed up the platform. And then he saw them.

Their tall frames and long limbs were inhuman. They were pitchblack and seemed to have razor-like teeth. Their mouths opened wide. It even looked as if they split their heads into two.

'Were these things really human once?' Hex had his doubts. His team was already gathering around him. Alice nearly screamed at the sight of the creatures. She was trembling.

"Three…no, four Fiends." Hestia did a quick count of the larger creatures in the pack besieging the other teams.

"I will help the Knights contain and kill them. You guys should try to break through the horde of demonic creatures."

Hestia quickly relayed her instructions to the Squires. They were already rushing to join the teams. Only Alice remained behind. She was still trembling.

"Alice, go up," Hex shouted, pointing at the tall columns at the side of the paths. These were rock formations that were half way up to the ceiling.

Alice shook in fear, but scrambled up. She seemed eager to stay far away from the creatures.

Duter was the first to reach the pack. For the first time Hex saw light appear around Duter's arm. He was finally using his skills.

A beam of yellow light shot out his hand and coiled around the hammer. The creatures, noticing other humans joining in, jumped towards them. They were swinging their clubs.

Bam!

Duter met the first wave of creatures. With one swing of his hammer, he sent more than three creatures flying. They spat a black liquid, splattering the ground with it.

"Ilmar. Yrva, come!" Hestia shouted as green light wriggled everywhere. The other team had three Knights in total. Two of them, a man and a woman, ran towards Hestia and Duter.

Hex, together with Greg and Vin, joined the other Squires. It became quickly clear that all the Squires were tasked with one thing. To clear a path.

Hex teamed up with Greg and Vin. Greg used himself as the tank at the front. Hex pierced and cut from the side. Vin finished the wounded creatures.

Greg used a broad sword and Vin used a thin rapier.

The creatures were hard to kill. Hex needed a lot of strength to even wound these creatures.

Just as the Squires were slowing down, the third Knight, who stayed with the Squires, unleashed her mark. A wave of blue mist wafted over.

As soon as the mist fell onto Hex, he felt a cooling sensation. The fatigue that appeared in his arms lessened quite a bit.

The battle was hard, but the Squires were making progress. When Old White's team appeared, they finally started to see the end of the crowd.

When Hex heard the screeches intensify, he looked over. To his joy he saw Duter slam his hammer on the head of a Fiend. It was killed on impact.

"We are almost there," Greg shouted in glee.

"Haha," Hex laughed. But then it happened.

A black blur past Hex.

Bam!

Blood splattered on his face. Greg's body fell over. It happened so fast Hex couldn't even react properly. He saw Vin attack the creature. But it's talon-like finger pierced through his chest.

Crack.

Bam.

"A Disaster. Run!"

Hex heard someone shout.

Hex was too stunned to move. All he saw was heads of the Squires blasting open. The creature looked almost normal. If not for its dark hide, he would look like a human.

Hex saw the creature turn towards him. He blinked. The next moment the creature was close to his face.

Bam!

Hex felt his chest sting. Blood splattered. The pain woke Hex up. But it was late. He cried out in pain. His chest was broken. As he flew to the side a few glimmering crystals flew in the air. The pouch with crystals had torn open.

Hex crashed on the path, far from the battle. He tried to move, but the pain was too much.

His ribs were broken. His chest had burst open. Hex thought he saw a glimmering piece inside his chest.

'Is that my heart? Why i-is it like a crystal?'

His heart beat became slower and slower. He closed his eyes. He tried to open his eyes. But he couldn't.

Gradually his heart stopped.