I - Battle of Red Valley 1

"Her steps muffled by the rustling sound of wheat blown by the wind, her long and black thick hair blown by west wind .Her brown eyes reflect the sun when our eyes met. With quick succession she ran and jump into my embrace.

"Big brother!",Abigail say, "Do you wanna see my knit result?".

She's my little sister, the youngest of us all, Abigail Byzan.

"Hahaha, of course, but can you wait? I'm hunting", I answer, then I point to a rabbit that's eating some fresh weeds. It's white fur clearly contrast with the green color of weeds.

Abi nodded, and then she stoodd behind me. I grab my arrow, fixed it into the bow, and then pull it until it barely touched my cheek, my eyes are level with the arrow.

I took a deep breath, waiting for the right moment. I don't want to repeat the same mistake i did 15 minutes ago, the one that made me lost my prey, a rare blue fur rabbit inside the mysterious forest of Cidel. I chase after it for sometime, but I ended up losing it while also hurting myself.

The rabbit leaped couple of times, stopped, and then proceed to look around.

It's not time yet.

The rabbit then jump into the nearest grass, it's tiny mouth greedily chewing.

Now.

I let the arrow loose, darting and piercing the rabbit's body. I get close to it, and it's dying for sure. I decided to end it's suffering by stabbing it one more time.

Abi ran to my side, wincing immediately when she saw the dead body of the rabbit. She hold my hand with her little hand, scared and uncomfortable. I pulled her away.

"Brother, did u hurt yourself?", she asked and then point at the scratches on my arm. It's not that bad, so i didn't pay to much attention.

"It's okay, I'm not careful enough. Abi, can you go home first? I will catch up. I will give you this rabbit's foot, but I will give it to you later". She lighten up immediately after hearing that, and without being hesitant she went back immediately. She wave hand, and then proceed to ran across the tall wheat and grass. She was going huff and puff, but she didn't even consider to slow down. Her short leg made the entire thing look cuter than it is, and soon after she disappeared from my sight.

I cleaned the rabbit not far from there, the blood flows and disappear with the current. After I washed my face, and drink some water, I walk back to the village.

Step by step i walk down the tiny road, the scratches wound wasn't bleeding anymore but it stings. Even so, I'm still proud that I was able to hunt down this little rabbit, the one that I proudly hold in my left hand, I can't wait to show it to everyone at home, especially Fort, he loves rabbit meat.

'Midan' signboard, the name of this village, I gently tap it as some kind of tradition to respect the ancestor.

It's still afternoon, and the weather wasn't too hot. Gentle wind blew 'the arrowmaker' Mr.Jinbe's hat to me. I pick it up, and return it to him.

"Oi kid, thanks!" said Mr. Jinbe who then wore his hat. "Woah, well done kid, your dad can retire soon now, hahaha", he said before pointing at the rabbit.

"He need at least ten years to be able to beat me Jinbe!", I looked behind me to see Dad carrying a deer by his shoulder, with an arrow hanging by it's head. Altis, my dad, is one of the best hunter in this village.

"Don't be so rough Altis, your son is pretty talented, well, maybe I'd say he'll beat you in nine years?", Mr.Jinbe replied jokingly, they both laugh.

Dad rubbed my head, "Of course, he is my son. Good job Rex", he said, walking before me. I then followed him.

Before long, a slim but well built person ran to my dad, he then stopped to catch his breath. I never see him before, there are some scratches and bruises around his arm and leg. His clothes are full of stain and tear, his face looks tired but determined.

"What's wrong Pram?", my dad asked.

The person called Pram then gave my father a scroll, with some kind of a map engraved on top of it. There are some red spots scattered around, not too apart but not too close.

"Pram, aren't those villages east from here? What's with the red mark?"

"No more villages, only ruins and destruction left, with some corpses. Well, a lot of corpses.", Pram replied, he frowned recalling what he saw, things he wanted to forget.

"Even Gildwell?", by Dad's reply, it seems like this is not small matter.

"Yes, and i believe it won't be long before Midan will be their next target", said Pram firmly.

Dad definitely caught off guard by that reply. He froze for few second, he looked panicked eventhough he try to hide it.

"Who are they?", asked dad, full with curiousity and slight uneasiness.

Pram opened his mouth to answer, but halted after realising there are someone other than dad and himself in that conversation. Me, and somehow he seems to know me. He looked at me, and then signaled Dad that I'm there. It seems like Dad forget about my existence for sometime.

"Rex, can you go home first? I'll catch up later.", Dad said. I know I missed my chance to hear anything more now, so I say my goodbyes, and then walked back home. Things like bandit raid and battle between villages are not common but not that rare, and I saw or heard couple of them, so I dismiss any bad thought.

The moment I opened the house door, I saw Abigail immediately, waiting for me like she knew I will enter the moment I did. She gave me a piece of fabric, knitted fabric with unique patterns she knitted herself. It's not tacky, and with pattern and colours that feels right. It's actually quite beautiful.

"How is it brother?", she asked earnestly, her eyes glowing with expectation.

I squatted so our eyes are even, "It's beautiful Abi, you did great", I said with smile, then I rubbed her head.

She smiled lovingly, her small mouth squeezed her round cheeks 'till it looked like it might burst.

I looked around, but saw nobody else.

"Abi, where is mom and Fort?", i asked Abi.

"I think Fort is playing by Jonet house, and mother is in the kitchen.", Abi answered. "Can I continue my mission?", she asked me while lifting her knitted fabric. I nodded, and she ran back to wherever she wants.

I hanged the rabbit in the living room, in line with few animals dad hunted, I placed the arrow bag along with the arrow to the corner of the room, and then I hanged the bow where I usually hanged them.

The bow was made by Altis, my dad, made by bamboo from the outskirt of Cidel forest. He made it around three weeks ago, when he teaches me how to hunt for the first time.

"Rex, are you home?", said mom, from the voice, she's at the kitchen right now.

"Yes mom, I got a rabbit today!"

Her footstep get closer, she showed up and with her a faint scent of bread tease my appetite. Her yellow long hair always catch my attention.

"You should take a nap first, I'll wake you up when it's time to eat", she said smiling.

"Alright mother", I replied. I entered our room, where me, Abigail and Fort sleep. I feel tired, after running, jumping and crawling, my entire body feel stiff.

I lay on our bed, it's not the comfiest bed but I'm to tired to complain. My eyes are heavy, and I fall asleep within seconds.

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"Rexx!!!", Fort shout wake me up. My head hurts like hell and my ears can't stop ringing.

The deafening sound of sword clashing with each other combined with the warcry and the scream of pain make everything more confusing. It took me some time to remember we are in a battle, and someone hit my head so I passed out.

"Rexxx wake up!!!", Fort shouted again, someone is running towards me, then swing his sword.

I reflexively rolled to the side, and then stood up with slight daze.

I unsheathe my knife from it's scabbard on my right leg, the small size doesn't reduce how lethal it is.

The person now stand before who, he lunges forward swinging his sword again aiming me.

We stare at each other, and I can see he's scared. I ducked, bareling avoiding the attack. With two steps, I sneak to behind him, and stucked the dagger around his neck.

I will let him go if he give up.

He tried to counter by changing his grip, but I saw it and have to finish it quickly, with a single stroke. I take couple step back, and he try to stop the bleeding in vain. He slowly drop, laying on the ground, not dead, but soon will be.

I take his sword, presuming he don't need it anymore. His sword is a little bit heavy, but not bad. He struggle to breath, his eyes are teary from the effort. I walk away with the same heavy feeling, never get used to seeing that.

I approach Fort, he just killed another soldier. "Not bad, you really are my brother", i said to him. He look turn to me and smile cynically.

"You are the one who don't deserve to be my brother, how can you sleep in the middle of a battle", he answered jokingly. "You dropped this", he gave me my bow back.

"Arghh", our attention were drawn to our ally soldier, who are being surrounded by two enemies. The soldier are wounded, and the situation doesn't look good for him. Me and Fort look into each other, and immediately know what to do.

"HEEI YOU BASTARD", Fort howl, gaining the attention of both from our wounded ally as well as the enemies. I picked up an arrow that was embedded to a dead body nearby, draw my bow and pick my target. They are around 50 metre away, so i aim just slightly above the enemy on the left side. Without any doubt, I let my arrow loose.

*zleb*

It hits his chest, straight through his unarmored clothes and flesh. He fall down backward, and pool of blood starts to form. His ally is in shock, as he didn't immediately realised Fort is rushing towards him. He barely defended against Fort attack, series of slash and stab sloppily blocked by him. Our ally stabbed his foot, caught him off guard. And with ease, Fort slashed through his body, and he too took his final breath.

"Thankyou Rex, Fort, damn that was close", i took a closer look and it turns out our ally is Dav, one of our melee unit. We don't know him very well, but i remember he isn't the worst soldier around.

Suddenly a loud warcry can be heard from where the main battle took place, we can't see it well but it looks like the battle is getting fiercer and bloodier by the seconds.

"You guys should stay here, even Pritj died a little while ago. It's a bloody mess up there, won't worth our lives ay", Dav said with bitter smile while clenching his fist. Pritj was our vice captain, he isn't as skillfull as our captain Waly nor Ope the crazy, but he was dependable nonetheless.

"Do you know who are opponent is?", Fort ask Dav, we only know they are from some Eastern Kingdom.

"I think they are called Aggardia or something". Akkardia. Suddenly a flashback played in my mind, a story from not-so-distant past that still haunt me to this day. I froze for sometime, until a gentle tap to my shoulder wake me up.

It's Fort, who greet me with smile.

"So, wanna have some fun?", Fort asked me. I replied with smile, tap his shoulder and walk past him

"Let's go"

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