Long Live The Crimsonians

Kassius looks around and notices someone in the cage with him.

Kassius (in head): "Joseph?"

Gray beard man: "Young man, do you know where you are?"

Kassius: "If I'm being honest, I got no clue."

Gray beard man: "Well, you've stumbled on private grounds my friend. I have a question, are you a citizen of Ritetown?"

Kassius: "Nope."

Gray beard man: "Ahh. A tourist. So you must not know of this whole thing. Maybe you didn't do your research. Let me give you a little insight. This is where the workers come from."

Kassius: "Excuse me?"

Gray beard man: "Trying to say it in the friendliest way possible. Basically the slaves. All from here."

Kassius: "Slaves?"

Gray beard man: "Yes. You see, these Crimsonians are not human. They are far different than us. They are physically more capable, they have quick growing intelligence capabilities and they live for a lot longer. Usually, we'd be inferior to a species like this. But we got to evolve first. Nature took its course and now we managed to, let's say win the war. Now these creatures do our bidding in exchange for keeping their life. Seems like a fair trade, ehh boys?!"

The humans in the crowd start going crazy.

Kassius: "What kind of twisted crap is that?"

Gray beard man: "Well, it doesn't really matter how twisted it is. If the royals demand it, we provide it. That's our job. We don't ask question."

Kassius: "Who are these damn royals?"

Gray beard man: "OK he must be playing stupid now. What kind of fool doesn't know who the royals are."

Kassius: "So these royals would tell you to hurt a whole group of people because they want you to, and you'd do it? Sounds like you guys are a bunch of sheep."

Man on his right: "What did yo-"

Gray beard man: "Stand down. I'm still trying to talk to our guest."

Kassius: "Yeah, I definitely feel like a guest alright. Tied in a damn cage like I'm some animal. And then I'm told about some slavery thing you got on here. Very welcoming."

Gray beard man: "My sincerest apologies. The name is Arthur Slava. And yours is?"

Kassius: "Kassius Moore."

Arthur: "I am intrigued to hear, how did you get here?"

Kassius: "I'd prefer not to say."

Arthur: "Confidential are we? I got no problem with that. Well, it doesn't matter in the end. Regular people should not know what happens here, so you will be executed soon anyways.

Kassius: "Executed?"

Gray beard man: "Along with your friend over there. Joseph, are you still alive? Always these damn Crims. They never know when to back down. You know I didn't want to do this. Especially ever since your friend Je-"

Joseph: "Keep his name out of your mouth human."

Arthur: "Oh now. Don't get too confident!"

He fires a pistol and it grazes Joseph's leg.

Arthur: "Need to be put in your place. Now I offered you a decent life in exchange for putting your fellow kind through the system but on the condition you won't go and abandon your duties. And then, we find you at the bridge? Oh no. That's violation of policy. And for that, you shall lose your life, along with five others from the crowd."

Joseph: "Please! They've done nothing wrong. Just spare their lives. Take mine."

Arthur: "Oh I will. Grab that one, that one, yes that one. That one too and that one as well."

Five crimsonians from the crowd are dragged out into the center in front of Kassius and Joseph's cage. They are all lined up, kneeling in front of Arthur as he stands up from his chair with pistol in hand.

Arthur: "This blood... could have been avoided. But you broke code. And for that..."

Crimsonian 1: "Please..."

He fires the gun at their neck and kills the crimsonian.

Arthur: "There are consequences."

Kassius: "Wha..."

Joseph: "You bastard!"

Arthur: "Yes, I've heard that plenty of times."

He quickly aims at the second crimsonian in the line and fires at their neck too, killing them in an instant. The crowd is silent and some people turn to look away. Arthur walks towards the other end of the line.

Crimsonian 5: "Spare me. Have mercy. I have a child."

Arthur: "You have a child? Well, at least there is someone to carry your name right?"

Crimsonian 5: "Wha-"

He fires the bullet through Crimsonian 5's neck, killing them as well.

Kassius: "Are you crazy?!"

Arthur looks directly at Crimsonian 4 with a sadistic look on his face.

Arthur: "Question of the day, where is the weakest point on a Crim's body?"

Crimsonian 4: "The.. their n... neck?"

He quickly fires are his neck, killing crimsonian 4 as well.

Arthur: "Ding ding ding. We have a winner!"

Joseph: "Please... I'm begging you."

Kassius: "Huh-"

Joseph starts shedding tears. Arthur walks up to the final crimsonian.

Arthur: "And to top it off, one to go."

Crimsonian 3: "..."

Arthur: "Seems like you are ready to die."

Arthur shoots his hands and legs.

Crimsonian 3: "Ahhh!"

Arthur: "That's more like it."

Arthur shoots him in the neck and ends crimsonian 3's life. Five lifeless corpses sit in front of Kassius and Joseph.

Kassius: "How... How?! How could you do such a thing?!"

Arthur: "It's survival of the fittest. It's just unfortunate for them we are better equipped. If they were in our shoes, they'd do the same. We are just playing the game. It's unfair but life is like that."

Kassius: "So taking lives is that easy for you?"

Arthur: "If it isn't a human life, yes."

Kassius: "I should kick the shit out of you right now."

Arthur: "Too bad you're in a cage right?"

Man on his left: "Boss! You're receiving a call."

Arthur: "Pick it up and hold for a minute! OK, I'll go handle this call, then we'll do this execution really quickly. Somebody come rid of these bodies."

Arthur steps over them as he walks away into the tent in the distance.

Kassius: "What the hell just happened?"

Joseph: "You really don't know do you? Where are you from anyways, you don't seem like the regular human."

Kassius: "That I can't say. But I didn't know people here were so horrible."

Joseph: "It's been like this for as long as I can remember and even longer I presume. We've been seen as nothing more than merchandise to these people. And now not only did they die because of me, I've also failed Jeremiah and Ulqora."

Kassius: "Guess I won't be able to see Arnold. I hope he can take care of that red girl and move on."

Joseph: "Red girl?"

Kassius: "Yes. We were in this forest because we were trying to get her some help. Had to split up though, because my wallet was snatched by that turtle monkey."

Joseph: "Do describe her in more detail, please."

Kassius: "Well, she was red. She had long black hair, and if I remember she had a small horn growing from the front of her head."

Joseph: "Ulqora is alive?"

Kassius: "Oh you know her? Well at least she has somebody to look after her. After seeing this, there's no way I'm bringing her back here. Frankly, I'm not even a babysitter. So this is may be the last nice thing I do."

Joseph: "She has no more family ever since her brother died. At the slightest chance you are telling the truth, I need to ask a favor of you."

Kassius: "Hmm?"

Arthur walks out of the tent and towards the cage.

Arthur: "Just made another sale, so it's looking good on my end. Now where were we? The execution if I recall correctly. Lift the cage."

Kassius and Joseph stand as the cage is lifted. Arthur walks up to them.

Arthur: "Well, I'll give you the honors as our guest. Any last words?"

Kassius: "I guess... surprise?"

Joseph hits the gun from aiming at Kassius. Kassius jumps and reaches for Arthur's pants, picking something out on his side. He throws it on the floor and it creates a smoke screen. A few moments ago, before the cage was lifted, Joseph was speaking to Kassius.

Joseph: "I only have one plan to escape this alive. He always has smoke bombs on his sides. We'll have to get it when he's close by. Otherwise we will both die. I'll cause the distraction, you'll get it, and we'll run away."

Kassius: "I need to get my bag though. And I need to head for the train station. Do you have a clue where they are at?"

Joseph: "The bag is in his tent. However the train station is not in a specific direction I can give you. But I can give you a path to follow. Once you get your bag, exit in that same direction through the forest until you reach the river. Then follow the river until you exit the forest. You will see Ritetown from there and you can find the station on your own."

Kassius: "Sounds like a plan, but won't he kill more people if you escape?"

Joseph: "Don't worry. I have a plan for that."

Back in normal time, Kassius lands on the floor and Joseph ducks as shots are fired all around. Everyone in the crowd panics and people start running around. Kassius stands up and runs towards the tent. He reaches it and picks his bag but notices all the devices around.

Kassius: "Tough luck."

Kassius breaks it all and runs out the tent.

Kassius: "Yo! Let's go!"

As Kassius yells, he sees Joseph and a few Crimsonians fighting the humans.

Kassius: "We gotta go!"

Joseph continues fighting.

Kassius: "You said you had a plan! Use it right now!"

Joseph: "This is my plan! It was to ask you a favor! I need you, to make sure she lives."

Kassius: "What?"

Joseph: "I cannot abandon my people, or it will just get worse! This is my final request! Can I put my trust in you, human? No... can I put my trust in you, Kassius?!"

Kassius looks at the catastrophe in front of him. Blood being spilt, people running around screaming for their lives, but he manages to remain calm.

Kassius: "You got it!"

Kassius runs off into the forest and a group of men spot him and chase after him. After a while of fighting, Joseph and the other red men get outnumbered and stopped. They get tied up and placed in line. Arthur walks up to Joseph as other troop members walk up to the other red men.

Arthur: "You've caused me a lot of trouble. You remind me far to much of that friend of yours."

Joseph: "Jeremiah was a hero."

Arthur pistol whips him and blue blood gushes out Joseph's lips.

Joseph: "Hahahahahaha! Looks like we won."

Arthur: "Yet you are the same person who's about to die?"

Joseph: "You may have won this battle, but the war is far from done. As long as my kind breathe, we are still in the game. Seems like I can die knowing not all humans are as disgusting as you."

Arthur: "You damn Crim!"

Arthur kicks and punches him countless times, causing blood to ooze from his body. He clicks back his gun.

Joseph: "We aren't called Crim. Derogatory names are for the weak. Call us what we are."

Arthur: "Anything else, you vermin?"

Joseph: "Yes. Long... live... the Crimsonians!"

Arthur gets angry and shoots him in the neck and fires more bullets through his body.

Arthur: "Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!"

Kassius runs through the forest and gets chased by a group of four men. As two of them gain on Kassius, he hurdles passed trees and they hit their heads on them. The other two continue chasing and one tries grabbing Kassius but Kassius dodges under and kicks him down the hill that they just approached.

Kassius: "That must be the river."

Kassius runs ahead down the hill running passed the man he kicked down. With one last guy on his tail, he reaches the river.

Kassius (in head): "I just gotta follo-"

Man: "Hands in the air!"

The man aims a gun with a light at him.

Kassius turns around and sees a giant moth behind the man.

Kassius: "Um... you may want to put that light down."

Man: "Shut up! Now, prepare to di- Ahhhh!"

The moth grabs the man and flies away.

Kassius: "Phew."

Kassius runs down the path of the river. At the end of the forest , Arnold exits passed the trees. He still has the girl tied to his back but Arnold has sustained multiple cuts and is covered in dirt.

Arnold: "Finally out. And that must be Ritetown."

Arnold arrives at the outskirts or Ritetown.