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DragonlustChapter IX: Innocent Blood
It was the following day. The group walked along the trail in clumps; Bjarn in the lead, followed by Willem and Graygon who were muttering to each other, then Rodurik, Marcus and Rosa, followed by Shainya and Dale, who were talking, and lastly, Reno, Aros, Alex and Luxus.
They had traveled a several more miles in this manner before they came to a clearing. Willem peered up at the patch of sky visible through the trees and said, “It’s about midday. Let’s stop for a bite to eat.”
A ‘bite to eat’ was about all everyone got. Marcus chewed a chunk of stale bread, looking worried.
“We won’t last long on this grub…” he muttered to Rodurik.
The blacksmith shrugged his broad shoulders, saying nothing. He was not hungry and had given his share to Rosa who had swallowed it whole gratefully.
Dale was playing some chords on his battered guitar and humming and tune; Shainya smiled and began to hum as well. Reno left where Luxus was chatting with Aros and Alex and plumped himself down by Bjarn, who was sitting alone away from the group.
“That Dale fellow...he seems an untrustworthy type to me...don’t you think...?” he asked the old Forestman.
Bjarn pushed aside the thoughts of leading the League of Forestmen and grinned at Reno.
“I wouldn’t say that...he saved Shainya you know…”
“No, YOU saved her.” replied Reno, peeved.
Bjarn did not argue the point. He grinned.
Reno stood and immediately crashed into Dale.
“Sorry…” Reno said, and he attempted to help dale back to his feet. Dale pushed the hand away, and stood on his own.
“Mr. Dale, please, don’t fight…” Luxus asked.
“I am not fighting!” Dale snapped at Luxus. Luxus ran towards Rosa, and hid in her arms.
Dale stomped off into the woods, and Shainya followed. Aros, Luxus, Rosa, Rodurik, Alex, Willem, Graygon and Marcus stared. Bjarn was no longer smiling.
Reno said nothing. Bjarn stood up. He left Reno and the rest of the group and walked into the woods by himself. He had to think, and he could not let the current love triangle distract him. He was now leader of the League Of Forestmen, and his duty was to his people he now ruled and protected. He had to leave. Now.
Dale sat on a fallen log, stroking the wooden length of his guitar. He sighed. He had never, ever wanted to kill someone...but today...he hated Reno...megabloks Reno...MEGABLOKS HIM!!!
Dale’s anger subsided. Feelings of anger, jealousy, fear and love boiled about in his brain. Love...Shainya...Ever since he had seen her...he had loved her....but did she love him…?…Did she...?
Dale looked up. Shainya approached. She sat down on the log and took his hand.
“Dale…” she said, “Do not be angry. Reno is a good person, and so are you. I feel for both of you…but…”
She leaned forward and kissed him.
“You saved my life, I would be deadempleo banco credito peru if it was not for you, so thank you.”
She kissed him again, and then stood up and left. Dale sat, stunned, joy well up from inside. Neither of them saw Reno, peering through the bushes.
Shainya began to walk back to the camp when a scream of rage ripped through the air. She ran back to where Dale was to find Reno crash through the bushes and draw his sword. Dale raised his guitar for protection, Reno’s blade cleaved the instrument in two. Dale kicked Reno in self-defense just as Shainya threw herself between them, crying, “No!! Stop, please!!”
Bjarn heard Reno snarl. He turned about and darted toward the source of the scream, Willem, Graygon and Aros hard on his heels.
A flash of light erupted from nowhere and Majisto appeared, no longer in the shape of a boy, powerful staff swishing through the air. He blasted Shainya away with a wave of magic and stunned Reno with another wave. Shainya was thrown ten feet and slammed into a tree, instantly blacking out. Dale, seeing this, snatched Reno’s fallen sword and thrust at the wizard and missed. Majisto wrenched the sword from Dale's hand and twisted the blade inward, skewering Dale. Majisto grabbed Reno by the collar and vanished seconds before Bjarn, Willem, Graygon and Aros entered the clearing.
“Tyco!” Bjarn swore, and bent a knee to examine the stricken Dale while Willem and Graygon gingerly examined Shainya. Aros stared at the sword in Dale’s chest, aghast.
"That’s…that’s Reno’s sword…” he whispered.
Bjarn groaned and stood, a tear glistening in his eye. “Dale’s dead.”
This news hit Aros like a hammer blow. Willem and Graygon looked up sharply, aghast. Just then, Rodurik, Rosa, Marcus, Alex and Luxus entered the clearing. Rosa took one look at Dale’s body, wheeled about, covered Luxus’s eyes and marched him away.
“What happened here?” asked Rodurik in his booming voice.
It was a moment before Bjarn could speak.
“Reno....has...killed...Dale…” he stuttered, faltered.
“He couldn’t!” Aros shouted, “HE COULDN’T! Not my brother Reno! He would never kill Dale!”
Shainya stirred. Before anyone could shield her, she glimpsed Dale’s body with Reno’s sword sticking in it and let out a wail. Graygon and Marcus knelt beside her, saying nothing, just supporting her as she sobbed. No one said anything, until Rodurik looked around and asked,
“So where is this Reno now? Has he fled?”
Willem quickly moved about, searching for clues of Reno’s departure. He found the place where Reno had hidden, spying on Shainya and Dale, but nothing else.
Willem returned and shrugged. “He has disappeared. There is no trace of him.”
Bjarn drew Reno’s blade from the lifeless Dale and wiped it one the grass. He laid the sword to one side and Alex offered his cloak. Bjarn took it and wrapped it around Dale. He then placed the two halves of the guitar on top of the bundle. They all stood in silence, save for Shainya’s wails, in honor of their fallen friend.
Shainya stopped crying at last, and by unspoken consent every left her alone. After a while, she crept forward quietly and caressed the handle of severed guitar.
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