The Hunt begins [2]

Outside the heavy iron gates of Heaven's Net Castle, the chill of the early morning air was cut by the sharp metallic clinking of steel, leather, and heavy iron boots.

All thirty of the Viscounty's Superhuman knights stood fully geared in their polished battle armor, their crests gleaming beneath the rising sun.

A handful of the higher-ranking officers had already mounted their armored war stallions, their steeds snorting white plumes of steam into the cold air, while the rest remained stood in rigid, perfectly ordered ranks upon the cobblestones.

They were not heading into the red zone alone.

Assembled behind the knightly vanguard was a reinforced infantry detachment—a total of one hundred and fifty foot soldiers clad in heavy chainmail, carrying long pikes, shields, and supply packs.