Chereads / How About Heresy? / Chapter 4 - Mouldy midgets

Chapter 4 - Mouldy midgets

Trekking through the expansive woodlands, it reminds me of my time when I lived on a frontier village out in the middle of nowhere. I have no clue where I'm going, as I ditched the road and didn't bring a map, or any camping equipment for that matter.

All I really got is my trusty machete, a standard issue crossbow, and about five to ten bolts to my name. I would say being grossly underprepared is an understatement for my level of readiness, considering how dangerous it is outside the city walls. But hey, that's alright, because I still got my buddy, Lily… Who is kawing at some midgets?

Yeah, I'm not too sure what's happening. Maybe I can ask these fellows for some directions.

"Jagaga!"

He points a rusty spear at me while shouting some gibberish. I guess I was too optimistic to expect intelligent races to be out here. The midget's probably a monster. I don't want to waste my few bolts, so I rush forward and slit his throat.

One of his comrades — I presume — tries to stab me in the back, but a swift kick sends it straight against a tree.

*Crack!*

Oof, did some bones break? Are they that squishy?

"GWAGAJAJA!"

My lord, these things are loud. Slitting its throat there's now peace in the forest.

Inspecting these things again, I believe they were called gobins, golins? I've seen these guys before, but I'm not too sure of their name, so I'll just dub them green midgets.

These green midgets, to my understanding, are some kind of pack creature, meaning that there will be more of them. And a peculiar behavioural trait of theirs is to hoard and gather random metals and other loot from the people they kill. Meaning that they might have money!

And guess what I don't have at all. Money!

So that settles it, we're s̶t̶e̶a̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ requisitioning — word choice is very important— all of the green midget's stolen possessions.

Looking around the forest floor, it isn't hard to find their tracks in the autumn earth.

*Grr*

Sigh, maybe I can also find some food at their nest. It seems I hadn't eaten for just about over a day now.

Thankfully, it doesn't take long to track and locate the midget nest. They seem to camp out in a cave dwelling of some sort, and stationed outside are a couple midgets with makeshift weapons and oversized armour.

It looks like these midgets aren't that smart if they're using equipment that doesn't even suit them. I guess they didn't trade their height for any kind of intelligence bonus.

"Kakaw,"

Lily kaws at me, she wants to take out the two outside, while I block the cave entrance. Fair plan, go ahead.

Acknowledging her plan, she flies straight ahead, instantly beheading one of them with a swipe of her left wing. Following up, she claws at the other's throat, ripping out it's thyroid. Of course, I wasn't just watching her do this, I was already up against the wall beside the entrance, waiting for the response inside.

And after a second, they come rushing out mad, slashing across their throats, it's a real pain. Because they're only around a meter tall, which means I have to be in a sort of crouched position to attack them and even then I still have to aim lower than I would if I were legitimately doing anything else.

Is this their grand scheme? Be so short that they can hopefully annoy the life out of their attackers?

Well, if it is, it's pathetic and has already failed miserably. Killing about ten of them, the rest refuse to charge forward.

Come on, if all of you charge I'm sure you'll have a chance. Oh, are the corpses blocking the way? Don't worry, I'll help you out.

Kicking the corpses aside, I look back inside the cave entrance to see that they have retreated further in.

Sigh, of course they would. I mean, why wouldn't they?

Well, there's no other path than forward, so here we go! Entering the cave, I have Lily perch on my shoulder, so she can assist me if needed.

I walk through the entrance and into the threshold of the cave, and immediately the stench of piss and crap as well as a strange metallic smell fills my nostrils. Damn, this place reeked! Living in a cesspit like this would surely make one sick. Wait, is that why they're green?

Are they mouldy midgets? Is the mould perhaps stunting their growth? Yeah, nah, I can't be asked to research this. I ain't some kind of midget obsessed freak in plate armour.

Pulling up cloth over my face, I just know that I have some midgets to kill. And coming to an intersection at the cave, I spot a shabby tripwire made of hemp presumably. As is the case, it is rather thick and easily visible. And just around the corner, a contingent of midgets are just standing there. Waiting. Did they think they were sneaky or something? I know it's dark, but I can still see you.

Creeping quietly, I sneak up on the midgets, stepping over the tripwire, catching them by surprise. As I slash them, and open up fatal wounds one after another, from across the tunnel, a spear is thrown at me. Though, it's wonky and doesn't fly well, allowing me to catch it.

Seriously, these guys. They're trying too hard to mimic human society. Like, you can't use a spear, it is like, three times your height. You're better off chucking rocks mate.

Going deeper into the cave, they play the same tricks repeatedly. And each time, I just hack at them again and again.

And finally, I seem to have reached the innermost room of this stupid cave network. And this is undoubtedly their treasure room, I see piles of random equipment and weapons just laying about. And also something else that surprises me. Humans. Yup, and despite what I thought at first, they aren't corpses.

They're all in the nude, and their bodies are covered in bruises and gashes. There isn't a single part of their body that doesn't have some kind of wounding.

What the hell? What's the purpose of this? However, the purpose was as clear as day. Pleasure. The pungent odour of bodily fluids and other venereal crap is even worse than the accurst stench that plagues the damn place.

I'm starting to feel this venture wasn't worth it.

The rest of the midgets are gathered here but the midgets aren't the only ones, there are also taller midgets. Well, they aren't really midgets considering they're roughly my height, maybe a bit taller.

The taller ones, which I'll call green giants, turn to me, looking disappointed that their playtime is over. There's a total of four of them, and each of them is decked with proper equipment that will actually be of use to them.

*Fwip*

I score a headshot, right through the eye. Instant death. Though this time instead of cowering away, the midgets rush toward me madly seemingly at the command of the giants.

Perhaps they have a height orientated social hierarchy.

*Swish* *Swish*

"GRARArra!"

Lily unleashes a storm of essence blades, it sweeps across, killing a majority of the midgets. Giving a light chirp, she puffs out her chest in pride.

What the hell are you proud about?

You drained your essence for no reason. It could've been used for a much more productive cause you sped.

Like the leftover giants, who seem to have some kind of constitutional difference over the others. They too, for a lack of a better strategy, just rush me. Slinking back, I sink a bit of wind essence into my bolt, as I fire it at another one.

*Fwip*

Another instant kill.

Putting aside my crossbow, I switch to my machete, as I fight them one on one, in the narrow tunnel ways. Fighting them up and close, I can see they're nothing to scoff at.

"GRArAARrA!"

Each swing of their rusted swords brings about a torrent of wind. Abusing the giant's larger frame and telegraphed attacks, I slit its throat, before quickly doing the same to the next.

Its desperate attempts to strike me rendered futile.

Stepping over their oversized corpses, I enter back into the treasure room. Immediately, I distinctly notice some midgets laying on the ground.

Playing possum, eh?

Though they smeared themselves with a bit of blood, it's obvious that they're deadn't as the essence blades would've cut them to ribbons otherwise.

Does everyone really think I'm that stupid?