Crimson Reprisal [STOPPED FOR NOW]

XIX | The Foreign Dwindle

"Let's follow him." A change in decision was made on that instance. The dwindles could continue their journey towards West, but the appearance of the members of the forsaken clan caught their attention right away.

"Do you think it's a trap?" Concerned about the safety of the tribe, Kanor questioned his chief.

"We wouldn't know until we find out." With that, Ronald commanded the rests of the tribe to follow him. "Besides, we'll keep a safe distance from them."

"As you say."

The beta group followed the girl and the dwindle through the slimy texture of the forest. The mosses contributed an unpleasant smell towards the forest. This explained why there were significantly lesser living creatures around this area.

Out of the red, the two riders stopped. They got down their mount and found what they were looking for. Bodies painted with blood were lying all over the ground. Alorian lances jabbed through their flesh like a butcher knife. The girl's scream could be heard, "No! This can't happen!" 

It had seemed to Ronald and Kanor that they were finding for their friends, only to find them lifeless on the soils. Feeling a sense of pity for them, Ronald remained silence as he could not risks anything.

Suddenly, a lance came out of nowhere. Splisck!

The girl was impaled by it and stuck onto the ground like a puppet. The dwindle quickly whistled and roared for help. The two sabers quickly surrounded the dwindle and protected him. 

Ronald, witnessed what happened with his marble eyes, froze. What in the Rog Hells just happened.

Frowning with disturbance as he scanned the forest carefully. There they are. Two Alorian riders came out from the bushes. Their eyes emitting the color of blood was frightening. Its appearance gave Ronald a chill down the spine. This feeling... Blood magic.

As the two Alorian riders approached the lone dwindle, he shouted, "Shé Né!"

The two sabers opened their killer jaws and lunged towards the riders. "Aer!" Screams of both bloodcrawlers and deathorses filled the green forest with a hollow of fear.

It was the dwindle's only chance. Leaving the two sabers behind, he climbed a tree with his defined legs and leaped away from the bloody scene. 

It was easy to shake the bloodcrawlers away as dwindles. All the dwindles had to do was to cling on a higher branch. The foreign dwindle dashed and leaped across branches to branches, seemingly still shaking from that incident.

Oh no, he's coming towards us. Noticing that the foreign dwindle was leaping towards Ronald's tribe of dwindles, he knew it was too late to hide. Within seconds, he ordered his followers to be prepared and hid behind the trees.

"STOP!" A forceful command burst through the air as the stranger landed abruptly on a tree branch. Ronald Biscus, was standing on a higher altitude, looking down at the escaping dwindle as if he was his slave.

Shrugged by the sudden voice, the foreign dwindle flinched. As he balanced himself on the slippery branch, his eyes were fixated onto Ronald. Staring back at the foreign dwindle, it could be clearly seen that the dwindle was not one of them. 

A leather headband across his forehead and a katana tied onto his back. Metal chest piece with a scratch over the Alorian sigil, it must have been looted from another miniature knight. Oddly enough, it seemed that he was dressing just like men. 

"A dwindle I see," the foreign man replied. "You must be the dwindles from the Elven Forest"

"Who are you?!" Ronald demanded an immediate answer. Dozens of dwindles were surrounding that unknown dwindle with sharpened rocks in their hands. Though he was definitely one of their kind, his dark origin was not to be fooled.

"The name's Kyoshin, from the Mizu Clan," stated the geared dwindle.

"How did you escape?" The chief, still clouded with questions, asked for an answer.

"It is not me who escaped. It was my grandfather. He was one of the lucky ones who managed to escape during the last revolt," Kyoshin explained with his muffled voice. His right hand was supporting his left elbow. It appeared that he was injured. Ronald's face was filled with disbelief. 

"Take him down." Dwindles from all directions leaped onto Kyoshin. Bodies of dwindles slammed onto the foreigner like a wave of boulders. The foreign dwindle struggled to reach for his katana before getting pinned down by Kanor.

Kyoshin urged for help, "Please, let me go!" His arms, locked by Ronald's followers were weak and his wounds was not in his favor. "You have no rights to take me down!"

"As the chief of the dwindle, I have all the rights to take you as captive, whether you like it or not."

"What wrong have I done?!" Kyoshin protested with anger.

"Carrying the blood of a dwindle, but not living like one."

"Is that a crime?!" The foreign dwindle barked as he tried to free himself. But it was no use.

"Yes, indeed." Ronald replied with authority. Using his loud voice, he then ordered, "Kanor, seize him."