There was no sign of the bird nearby, even though Micaiah knew it had to have crashed not too far from where she was. It was hard to see far in the long grass, when one was the size of a thumb.
“Yune! Where are you?” Micaiah called out for the bird.
Maybe Yune didn’t fall after all? The tiny woman wondered. Without my weight, Yune might have been able to fly once again.
It was difficult to tell exactly what had happened when Yune lost altitude. Micaiah had ended up on the ground of course, but she didn’t see or hear what had happened to Yune. All she knew was that she had to find the bird again, else risk being lost in the forest forever. At her size, there were any number of predators that would see her as a tasty little snack. She had to get away, before…
Micaiah sensed something. Emanating thoughts of ill intent. Worse than any woodland animal.
“Somebody’s nearby…” Micaiah breathed. She could hear their footsteps, soft and muffled as they rustled through the grass. She had to get away. But where? She looked to be in the middle of a massive clearing, judging from the ring of titanic trees she could see in the distance. Likely too far for her to run. She glanced around, paralyzed by indecision as the footsteps drew closer and closer.
Her eyes moving to the surrounding grass, the blades as long as she was tall, Micaiah had an idea.
I’ll hide! She decided, crouching down and pulling some of the grass over her like a blanket. I’m small enough to avoid being seen! I just hope nobody steps on me…
The titan approached. Slow but sure steps, with the slightest clink of metal. As the footfalls amplified, Micaiah thought they were sure to be on her. Curling down into the grass, the next one was sure to be too close for comfort…
Only, no such footstep came. Silence, save for the rustling of leaves in the wind. Micaiah was confused but did not dare move. Curiosity was not cause enough to jeopardize her life. The thoughts she could feel from the nearby person were unbearably strong and filled with nothing but contempt. Such an individual could not possibly be allowed to find her.
“You are rather more foolish than I thought.” Came a man’s voice. “Curled up, like you are waiting for death to claim you. Did you really think you were hidden?”
Panicking, Micaiah scrambled to her feet and launched into a run, propelling herself as fast as she possibly could away from the massive man. She pushed aside the thick forest of grass, determined to give herself every edge to escape.
A wall of crimson steel thudded down in her path. Squeaking in fear, she dashed to the side. Another, wider wall blocked the way. She turned around, only to find herself in the shadow of a boot. A laugh filled the air as she barely evaded. She scurried away, no longer knowing in which direction she ran.
Suddenly everything went dark. Her legs kicked in the air, no longer touching ground. She couldn’t breathe. Just a second before she thought she might pass out, she was tilted on one side, and the world opened up again. She was on someone’s hand again, only this man was not her friend.
“My, but you’re a slippery little thing.” The man smiled. “I never expected I would find the silver-haired maiden in such a state… But I’m glad I did.”
Laid on her back, Micaiah shuffled away from the gigantic face of her captor but felt a finger on her back. As if things weren’t bad enough, she saw a wall of men clad in red armor behind the man.
They’ve been looking for us, ever since we left the manor! She realized. Then, does that mean Laura was…
Micaiah searched deep for the courage she needed to address these titans.
“Where is Laura?” She squeaked. His only response was an even wider smirk.
“M-Micaiah! Is that you?” Laura called out from somewhere in the distance.
“Laura! Let her go, she isn’t one of us!” Micaiah demanded, glaring up at the giant man.
“Now, you know I can’t do that.” He responded, wagging a finger at her tiny form. “She’s a valuable hostage, just like you!”
“No! Please…” Micaiah near begged. Her will did not normally falter so easily, but shrunk down to such a small size, she felt unable to do anything.
“Hm, perhaps you are a little clever after all.” The man mused. “You came alone, giving your friends a chance to escape.” He gestured to his soldiers. “Search the forest. They can’t have gone far.”
“Sir!” Micaiah had to brace herself against the rumbling of countless footsteps, seemingly surrounding her in all directions. The man holding her continued to speak, but she could not hear him over the noise.
“The leader in my hand, and the others scattered to the winds… It seems there will be no dawn for the Dawn Brigade.” He sneered. “Too bad. Now then, I didn’t expect to find such a tiny prisoner. What to do with you…?”
A chirp rang out in the air. Micaiah turned to see a small, orange object assaulting the giant man, fluttering around his face.
“Yune!” Micaiah called out. “You came to save me!”
However, despite the energy it was putting behind its attacks, it was clear from the man’s grimace that Yune was only able to pester the man and nothing more.
“Argh, dratted bird!” He growled, attempting to swat the little creature out of the air.
“No! Yune, fly away!” Micaiah urged.
The bird complied, taking to the air as the man swiped at it one final time.
“Yes, get that mangy flying bag of bones out of here, before I squash it like a fly!” He huffed. “Tch, how annoying.”
Micaiah was glad to see Yune escape unharmed. But she knew her last chance to escape had just fluttered away.
“Enough of this!” The man growled, turning to his remaining soldiers. “Back to the castle. As long as we have these two, the others don’t matter.”
One of the men saluted.
“Sir. All hands, withdraw!” He commanded.
Micaiah heard Laura whimper as the men started to move. She didn’t want the cleric to be dragged into her mess, but any pleas she would make were sure to fall on deaf ears. All she could do now is hope that the others escaped unharmed.
“Now then, what to do with you…” The man who held her pondered. “I could stow you in a bag of some sort, but… No. It’s best I keep hold of you.”
The landscape tilted again. Micaiah cried out as snake-like fingers wrapped around her tiny form, compressing her from the shoulders down. Holding his prize prey out in front of him, the man followed his men as they marched out.
His grip was too tight. As much as Micaiah wriggled and squirmed, she could not slip out of the giant fingers. Every second he carried her, she was taken further and further away from her friends. She had thought herself useless not too long ago, yet she worried that without her guidance, the Dawn Brigade would not know what to do. Her dream of a free Daein may never come to fruition, so long as she was the captive of these blasted soldiers.
I have to get away! Micaiah thought as she renewed her struggle. Somehow! Anyhow! It doesn’t matter, so long as I can escape!
She seemed to be making no headway. Perhaps a different approach was needed…
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