The Stonehearted Knight

The slums of Grindeston were packed with huts and rotten cottages. Hex made his way to his house through the maze of dirty alleys. 

In the dark, most of the alleys were deserted. Only drunks and stray dogs could be spotted now and again. 

"Stop crying. Give it."

Hex turned into a dark alley when he saw two guys hit a boy. The boy was crying and holding tightly onto something.

'Gorge.' 

Hex recognized his neighbor at once. Before any of the three noticed him, he ran towards them. 

Bang!

He hit the first guy and slumped onto the ground. Hex' punch was precise. The other guy was alarmed. He raised his arms to defend.

Thump!

But Hex planted his knees into his stomach. The guy belched, dropping his guard. Hex expected this. He followed through on his attack and hit the guy's temple, flooring him.

"Big bro."

Only now did Gorge react. He was relieved seeing Hex.

"What are you doing out at such a time?" Hex asked with a frown. The slums weren't safe any time of the day, but it was much worse in the night. 

"I…I heard Lanke's gang was extorting people for coins. I…I hid outside. I hoped to sneak in the darkness."

Hex sighed. It was the same every year. For a slight chance to gain a blessing, the gangs extorted and looted. 

The crystals offered by the High Temple were just too expensive. The cost of the most basic was around five hundred coins. It took Hex six years to scrape three hundred coins. 

He led Gorge back. Seeing his sorry state, his family understood at once what might have happened. As a thanks they invited Hex to eat with them. Hex obliged.

It was late when he returned to his own quarter. The room was barely enough for him to have a straw mattress and an urn with water.

Hex used the water to clean himself and also to lessen his thirst. Only when he lay on the straw did he retrieve the beast crystal out of the pouch?

"It's larger than most crystals I have seen. But it's a mixed-color one. What a shame."

Hex examined the crystal. It was red and green. He even noticed something dark inside.

The classes he attended when he lived in the cloister emphasized that the less color a crystal had, the higher the chance of receiving a blessing.

"Well…as long as there is a chance. I didn't even have hope this year. We will see what happens."

He put the crystal away and tried to rest. It was hard to sleep though. He was too excited.

He kept twisting and turning. Despite his inability to sleep, Hex still felt energized when he jumped up from the mattress. 

He cleaned up and put his best clothes on. This robe had only two patches, so basically it was as good as new.

"Big bro."

As soon as Hex came out of his hut, Gorge called out. He seemed to have been waiting outside for some time.

"Let me guess. You want to walk together?" Hex smirked at the boy, who seemed embarrassed to have been seen through.

"Y-yeah…but only if you don't mind."

"I don't, but only if you get me some meat buns."

"Of course."

They made their way to the town plaza. It was the busiest place. It housed the vendors, the inn, and the temple.

Gorge worked at the only inn in the town. Even though Grindeston was almost isolated from the rest of the kingdom, it did have periods of visiting merchants and hunters. Especially during the start of the year.

"How many people does your boss expect this year?" 

"A lot. He didn't tell me the exact number but he told us to check all the wine barrels."

"Well, you guys are the only place with an abundance of wine. So I think he is just making sure he can make some coins."

"No. I think it's something else. Can you believe we have already received a group last night?"

Hex turned to Gorge with wide eyes. 

"The mountain pass should still be frozen." The caravans only arrived after the frozen paths had cleared. And as far as Hex could remember that usually took a few weeks.

"I know. They used mountain goats. I am telling you. Something is different this year. See for yourself once we are there."

Hex shrugged but didn't ask anything further. As long as it didn't affect him, he couldn't care less.

They almost reached the plaza when Hex saw a group appear out of the corner. 

"Lanke!"

Gorge yelped. Hex didn't even know to look at him to know that the boy was shuddering. 

"Hex, you shouldn't have meddled." 

A lanky young man stepped out of the group of five. His build was the reason Hex gave him the name Lanke. After beating the shit out of him.

"You can always put me in my place," Hex said calmly. It didn't matter if they all came at him at once. Unlike Hex, they weren't trained in combat. 

His attitude infuriated Lanke. He cracked his knuckles and growled at Hex.

"You! Don't think you are unbeatable. You are just an outsider. Men…"

"Stop."

A sixth person strolled out of the alley. A smile hung on his lips. He was tall and lean, with a clean-shaven face. His light brown eyes kept looking at Hex.

"You are as haughty and irritating as always, Hex?"

As soon as the boy had exited the alley, Hex became serious. Unlike the slum thugs, this old friend of his couldn't be taken lightly.

"Sloan. I didn't know the son of the guard's captain required thugs to steal for him."

"Yes. It's shameful, but you know how hard earning coins is. I need more resources if I want to enhance this."

Hex looked solemnly at the glowing red mark on the back of Sloan's hand. Even though he expected his former classmates to have gained blessings, he still felt his heart sink when confronted with a Blessed Squire.

"So, what's it gonna be?"

Sloan seemed to enjoy having the upper hand on Hex. It made sense. 

'To think that the brat I used to knock around can intimidate me. Life truly is treacherous.'

"Everyone with common sense would surrender if there is no hope."

Hex shrugged and fumbled inside his robe. He pulled the pouch out.

Lanke's group burst out in laughter. Gorge handed his pouch to Hex. He had already given most of his earnings to his parents so didn't mind giving this to Lanke. Plus, the enemy was a Blessed.

"What a shame. The unruly champion from six years ago has become a tr…"

Sloan sneered but looked alarmed suddenly. Hex had run up to him. Hex punched out, but Sloan was different from the thugs. He dodged in time.

"What are you doing?" 

Hex grinned at his cursing opponent. The others seemed shocked. 

Hex didn't stop. He followed through. He lashed out with kicks and punches. Sloan was quick to retaliate. He had become stronger. 

But Hex had spent years hunting. His reaction speed and nimbleness had evolved beyond the realm of a normal human. 

"Didn't you just say someone with common sense would just surrender?" Sloan asked angrily whilst exchanging blows. 

"But I never said I have common sense."

Blood seeped between his teeth, but Hex's eyes seemed to glint. It sent shivers down Sloan's spine. 

The memories of six years ago returned. The crazy black-haired kid in front of him was the nightmare of the class. The orphan who dominated the children of all Grindeston's elites.

"Ahhh! You pushed me to do this."

Sloan pushed against the ground and jumped back. He needed the distance. He lifted the hand with the mark and focused on activating it.

'And you think I will let you?' Hex closed in. Just as he was within reach, Sloan opened his eyes. A bright red sword appeared in his right hand.

"I got…Ahhh!"

He had trained for a long time to be quick with the activation of his mark. It had activated sooner than Hex would expect. But Hex had his own plans.

Hex had pulled the moonstone. Its bright light blinded Sloan.

Bang!

The shock of it had stunned Sloan. He failed to react. Hex punched with his full might. Sloan spat out blood.

Crack!

With one fluid motion Hex grabbed his right hand and twisted it with his full strength. Sloan screamed in pain. The red sword disappeared. 

Hex pulled Sloan's pouch and watched around. When he looked at the thugs with a grin, they all fell onto their knees. 

Hex jumped at them. With smooth and precise punches he knocked them unconscious. 

"Gorge, help me."

Only now did the boy react. He had been staring in disbelief. His worldview had shattered. A regular had defeated a Blessed.

"Brother, who are you?"

"A great human," Hex replied nonchalantly. "Help me put these people in these trash barrels."

Hex quickly tied everyone's hands and gagged them. With Gorge's help, he put them into the trash barrels on the side of the alleys. After that, he sealed the barrels.

"Won't they suffocate?"

"I hope so, but I doubt it. Especially Sloan. A Blessed will not remain sealed. Quick, let's leave."

"But won't we get in trouble?"

Hex grinned. He pulled a couple of matchsticks and started a fire in the trash bins opposite the alley.

"If his father finds him, Sloan will be in much more trouble. Quickly, I am running late."

Hex laughed loudly as he ran towards the plaza with a nervous Gorge close behind him.

The fire behind them grew rapidly. Guardsmen on patrol sounded the alarm. Hex however ignored the men running past him. 

His gaze was fixed on the golden dome of the temple, as the first rays of the rising sun illuminated it.