The Forest of Ransom

Alphonse filled the last of 3 bizarrely molded metal bottles with river water before turning tail towards Valerd.

The flourishing river water was cold and so clear that every fish gleamed under the sun.

With this, they had enough water for no more than 2-3 days within the Forest of Ransom which they would use to cut through the route toward Bellerg. A small isolated town no more than a few miles away from the Forest of Ransom's outskirts.

The Forest of Ransom had a multitude of animals that Alphonse could hunt and Valerd could cook so food wasn't the issue.

Although Valerd carried a spile within his robes, it was better to be safe than beheaded.

Alphonse and Valerd rubbed themselves down for grass-grolds, caterpillars found in grass full to the brim with poison, before heading down the river path once more.

"I hear the Ransom forest has been falling into glum states lately."

Alphonse whistled lowly as he let loose his words. His hood had been docked over his head for the wind was cold and cruel and snapped at warmth without warning.

"And the fact too that all the forests connected through the World Tree die together. Perhaps the state of the Orcs is far worse than we had assumed briefly."

Valerd furrowed his eyebrows.

"If the Orcs are already expending their biggest resource, the World Tree then they are most likely planning to end their excursion into the human lands within 2 years rather than 3. Whether that is good news for mankind is up to barter. The only way this affects us currently is that the forest of Ransom must be more deserted and lifeless than its fruitful days."

Alphonse tousled his silken metallic hair.

"The orcs alone won't be able to pierce through mankind's walls. The reason mankind stood strong against the orcs centuries back in the War of Achilles is that the Humans could just dump troops outside the Southern walls whenever they felt like it. The same could happen right now. The orcs are even weaker than back then so the chances of them breaching the walls are in effect even less. Although the impenetrable black walls of the South have been hollowed out slightly from gemstone rats and although the archers have lost their aim and most bountiful arrowheads, humanity is still in too much of an advantageous position as to the Orcs. We, humans, possess ample food and strong lines of supply. Meanwhile, the orcs starve by the second. Waiting will only hinder any chance that the miraculously united Orcs have at succeeding in their excursion."

Valerd sighed.

"Then again... They very well might just all starve right before mankind's untarnished walls. They haven't shown any signs of war since they left the Orkian continent down south for good. But not even a wee fool would suspect that they have come with treaties of peace at arms. Rather I suspect that they are planning something. Something to do with Frostral, that eery place in the North full of undead. Within 2 years they could probably immigrate enough undead to unleash a full-on offensive. Whether that will work is dependant on the allies of mankind."

Alphonse scoffed.

"Well. By that time we'd better be safely tucked in the middle of the continent. Being buddy-buddy with the Dwarves situated tightly in the mountains is the only way any of us are gonna lurk through this new age. But where we land is just as important as if we land. Somewhere more north would probably be preferable. Not so North that we are neighbors to Frostral but not so south that we can hear the Orcs knocking on mankind's doors."

Valerd tilted his head blankly.

"Whether or not we get to choose that is up to the heavens above."

Alphonse looked at his silver blade with a dull look.

"I suppose that is true."

The two reached a turn-off. Ahead the river path continued, but to the right led a path that cut off after 7 meters. A few scarce trees lay to the right.

Valerd scanned his memory.

"That's the turnoff."

Alphonse breathed out coldly, rubbing himself to halt the cold.

"Better be."

They left the river's side and headed right as they ought to.

Valerd tugged his luxurious black coat inwards. All around was an encapsulating pattern of thin tree trunks and fallen, tainted leaves of apple-like greens.

The sky had sobered to a plain blue and the clouds had ceased to show themselves.

"This doesn't equate. Why is it so dreadfully freezing?"

Alphonse was walking fine even only with his thin grey leather garments. He had even let down his hood.

"You're freezing? I'm pretty sure it's painfully warm."

Valerd saw a reflection of himself in Alphonse's eyes.

"Maybe I've caught an oddity, a cold."

He sniffed crudely.

The two were essentially relying on Valerd's supposedly immaculate sense of direction to pull them through the forest flawlessly.

Alphonse's eyes hooked onto a shifting shadow on the ground, he unsheathed his blade from its sheath swiftly.

Shing.

The steel came out meaninglessly. The shadow had merely been a flicker of Alphonse's imagination. As he looked above, he saw nothing but paled leaves and dried-up tree branches shadowing the timid blue sky.

Alphonse shook his worried feelings off.

He wasn't one to be scared of mere wildlife and even if threats such as treants were nearby they would be cut down in one clean swipe.

Valerd just couldn't shake off the freezing terror that had consumed him subtly. Every move he made came with insufferable shivers.

"We should stay on the lookout for treants-."

Silence. Too much silence. The kind that consumed weak and loosely put-together men.

"Alphonse?"

He received no response.

Valerd turned his head right, where Alphonse should've been haughty.

Nothing.

Just as Valerd assumed that he was going insane, muffled rowdy shouts swung into his ears from the left.

His head swerved swiftly as he saw the prideful Kingslayer hung upside down from a tedious string controlled by a disgustingly large spider. It was the size of a huge boulder and its 8 eyes all looked to be bulging out from their tight sockets.

Its black fur scratched at the wind around it like metal needles.

Below Alphonse sat another revoltingly large spider of darkness. Its eyes were red and it had a tail with a ruby-red pincer.

The two were a team.

"VALERD. GET YOUR BLOODY ORB OUT. DON'T MAKE ME COME DOWN THERE MYSELF."

The shouts were unmuffled and became clearer.

Alphonse swung his arms out madly.

"Oh. There's my favorite Kingslayer."

Valerd got the orb out in a rush and aimed at the spider hanging Alphonse by the leg.

"Viotin Death."

Alphonse let out a huge grin.

"Take that, you bastards."

Soon, rapid strings of violet-lightning pierced and ravaged the airborne spider. No sound emerged, the death was swift.

Bzzt.

It fell to the floor, charred and ultimately dead.

Alphonse's string began to part from the branch he hung from. His weight was too much.

His smile slowly flattened out.

"Now I just have to..."

"Land."

Swoosh.

Alphonse's figure rapidly shot down, like a blur.

Heading straight into the lazy Spider's mouth... Alphonse watched his entire life flash before his eyes.

The lazy spider shut its mouth at the last moment swallowing some flowers it had been chewing mindlessly.

Boing.

Alphonse's figure bounced from the spider's back.

Terrified for his life, Alphonse instantly aimed all his emotions at the spider, using it as a catalyst.

Just as Alphonse's figure began to sink and just as Alphonse himself got in range of the spider, Alphonse released another blade art.

"Blade Art: Twisting Rush."

Alphonse's body turned rapidly before it burst out the other end of the spider, leaving behind a golden aftermath of two revolving golden cycles. Blood spatted all over the floor, as Alphonse panted out in distress.

All of Alphonse's blade arts were golden because that was the color of his Knight's will, the key to becoming a knight.

Alphonse grimly walked over to Valerd.

He shouted out in craziness. His facial expressions were almost comical.

"What would you have done if that spider wasn't bouncy?"

His hands almost prodded into Valerd's chalky face.

Valerd instead was... awed?

"How many blade arts do you know?"

Alphonse rubbed his nose smugly.

"Ah well... You know... Just a few- Oi wait."

"You can't change the conversation when things get a little rough on your side of the rainbow."

"What would you have done if that spider didn't bounce me up after I fell 50 feet?"

Valerd shrugged.

"You've got some... Big... Bones... Right?"

Alphonse cursed the boy.

"Well... We'll see just how tolerable my bones are the next time you're in danger."

Valerd hurriedly slapped Alphonse on the back.

"Oh don't be like that! You're the Kingslayer. You slay Kings! I mean it's really a compliment that I didn't go out of my way to help you. Wouldn't you say-."

"We're going."

Alphonse smirked.

"Before I forget, bring the spider meat along with you."

Valerd's eyebrows shifted oddly.

"Eh? But there are far better things to eat than that sickly spider meat."

Alphonse shrugged his shoulders innocently.

"Maybe for the Kingslayer. You gotta earn your food. Just like how I earnt myself the title of Kingslayer. You know what? Get your hands off the spider I slayed righteously."

Alphonse swatted Valerd toward the Spider he had roasted poorly.

"Enjoy your meal, I'll be hunting deer in the greenery with my big bones and all that."