Crimson Reprisal [STOPPED FOR NOW]

XXII | The Mizu Clan

RONALD

"I'll butcher you all. One by one," whispered to himself. The voice of the foreign dwindle was faint yet desperate.

Seized by Kanor, Kyoshin was struggling as he was held captive by the dwindles. The sounds of shoes mashing into the slimy ground echoed through the Mossy Forest as they look around carefully. Another ambush from the Alorian knights would be catastrophic for them and Ronald could not risk it.

"Where are you taking us?" One of the dwindles warned Kyoshin as they approached deeper into the forest. "You better not pull any tricks, fellow friend," said Kanor who had his eyes deadlocked onto the captive.

The sky was covered by the tall mossy trees that stood tall like mountain giants. The red sky did not help in the navigation. Ronald clenched his fist as he enhanced his senses. Looking from left to right constantly, fearing to walk into a trap that Kyoshin had set.

"We're here." Kyoshin announced to the beta group.

With a quick punch onto his face, Kanor warned him with a thirst for blood, "I've warned you. Don't pull any tricks on us." His eyes from calm and gentle soon turned into a blazing monster.

"We have no use for him anymore." With a decisive manner, Ronald gave his order. "Kill him. We'll find our way through this forest ourselves."

A laughter broke out of nowhere and big wide smile followed on the face of the foreign dwindle. He laughed so hard that Kanor lost his grip as he was holding onto his stomach.

"Do you really think I was going to bring you our of this forest? For after what you've done?!" With fire in his eyes, the geared dwindle was furious. "You let my friend die back there, without even helping. You guys are pathetic."

Kanor lost his balance as he shook in fear from the power unleashed by the geared dwindle. Turning his head towards the chief, he screamed, "Chief, run! It's a trap!"

"It's too late now." Grinning, Kyoshin from the Mizu Clan took his stance and blew a whistle with his fingers. "Dinner's ready."

Five. No... Ten... No... Fifteen...

Soon the whole tribe was surrounded with deadly sabers staring down at them from the top of the trees. Their eyes was as sharp as their claws. The younglings screamed in fear as they held their hands tight into the older ones.

"Shé Né!"

The sabers leaped and attacked all of the dwindles at once. Kanor, with his quick reflexes threw several sharp rocks and knocked some of the sabers. Rocks were thrown in every direction to prevent the sabers from coming any closer. Not enough. At this rate, we're going to be dead. It was a battle against the odds. Ronald shouted, "Get close everybody!"

Forming a circle as close to each other as possible, the dwindles defended themselves with fear. Sabers carefully surrounded them as they circled their prey.

"Well, well, look what do we have here." A different voice emerged out of the red. Behind Kyoshin was a dozen of men with Alorian armor. But it certainly seemed like they were not knights because their weapons are not the common long swords.

The one with the nine-ring blade walked forward and approached Kyoshin. "Are these your fellow friends, Kyoshin? They certainly have your height."

"Enough joking around. They killed B." Kyoshin spoke with a light tone. No one knew if he was being serious or not as his face was stone cold at this point.

"Oh? That new girl we recruited got killed? Too bad for her. Did you find the Kay and the rests though?" Swinging his nine-ring blade like a toy, the man leaned his head closer to Kyoshin's ear.

"Yes. They're all dead, killed by Alorian knights. But something's wrong with them. They don't seem... human," Kyoshin replied.

Another voice joined the conversation, this time it was a girl's. "What are you talking about, Kyoshin? You don't make sense at all. But enough of this, what are we going to do with these cute little creatures here?"

"Don't call us that, you wildling. We're dwindles of the Elven Forest," Kanor announced with a sense of anger.

"Oh, isn't that obvious?" The man with the nine-ring blade replied with a chuckle. "Slaves to the Alorian knights deserve to die anyways. Let's finish them."