The Path of Giants

by B. T. Narro

  Poor Remi. “What about her family? Did they look for her?”

  “Why are you curious about this girl? Have you heard of her or Gerald?”

  Perhaps I had revealed my cards. “I’m just making conversation.” I wasn’t sure she believed me as she looked at the floor.

  “You don’t have to do that,” she said. “I won’t tell anyone you asked about them…if you tell me the truth. You seem to know this girl, Veronica. Did she tell you I was mean to her and that’s why you want nothing to do with me?” Pilla glanced up cautiously.

  “What did you do?” I asked, unwilling to reveal what I knew.

  “I teased her, but that’s because she deserved it. She was always playing tag with the boys while wanting nothing to do with us girls. She also did disgusting things like looking for bugs to put in places that would startle us. She was foulmouthed, too! I think she said nasty things just for the reactions. She once…” Pilla stopped herself, her face contorted in anger.

  “What?” I asked, too curious to let this go. Remi had always been quiet around the boys during our time in the castle, but Aliana had told me privately that Remi did say some surprisingly foul things at times. It was still difficult for me to picture it, but this image of young Remi was helping me come around.

  “She put worms down my dress, then laughed and called me the worm breeder for weeks after. She was very mean.”

  It doesn’t sound like you were too nice to her, either. But I wasn’t going to find out whose fault it was by talking with Pilla. It didn’t matter. Even if Remi was a nuisance to the other children, there was no excuse for the abuse she’d suffered from Gerald. Unfortunately, I needed Pilla on my side if I was going to uphold my promise to Remi. That meant I had to badmouth my friend a little.

  “I’ll admit that I do know Veronica. I have heard foul things and seen some of the behavior you describe,” I lied. “I wish to investigate her past a little bit while I’m here. I expect you to keep this between us.”

  She nodded dutifully. “I will. I promise.”

  “Do you know if Gerald will be coming for healing?”

  “I don’t know of any injuries he might have, but I can take you to his house whenever you wish. He works in the mine until the late afternoon, but his wife is there. She’s not well-liked, either. No one else would marry Gerald, but he seems happy with her.”

  “Have you seen Gerald hurt his new wife?”

  Pilla tilted her head curiously. “No, but I hardly see her at all. She stays in the house most of the time.”

  “I see. All right,” I said conclusively to show I was ready for bed.

  “Oh.” She seemed surprised by my abrupt end to the conversation. “What will you tell my father tomorrow?”

  I raised an eyebrow.

  “About me,” Pilla continued. “He’s always talking about how I should marry someone deserving. He will scold me if he thinks I did not try to persuade you.”

  “I will tell him you are kind and beautiful, but I’m just not interested in marriage right now.”

  “And you really mean that?”

  “I do. Good night, Pilla.”

  She started to leave, but stopped as if hearing something. Then she turned around and spoke loudly.

  “Maybe you might return one day, or I could meet you at the castle if I’m given an invitation. I know how to ride a horse, and I cook as well. I’ve enjoyed our conversation. Have you?”

  She was blushing as she spoke quickly and nervously.

  I noticed the subtle creak of a wooden board, her father listening from the hall.

  “I have very much, Pilla,” I said. “You are a gracious host and will make your husband very happy one day, whoever he might be. Unfortunately, that isn’t going to be me. I have too many obligations to be involved with anyone right now. I hope you don’t take it personally.”

  She curtsied. “Good night.”

  “Good night.”

  She closed the door on her way out. I immediately heard her father murmuring something to her.

  What I’d said wasn’t quite the truth. I did have many obligations, but I had my heart set on Kataleya just a little while ago. I had wanted a relationship with her. I had been certain we could both find time to make it work, but she had turned me down, and now I was lost. What I did know was that offering an empty invitation to Pilla was not going to help anyone in the long run.

  I didn’t know what I would do when this war was over, and I didn’t care. If I was still alive, I would be happy no matter where I lived or what I was up to. Perhaps I would travel more and heal others, or perhaps I would stay in the capital and let those who needed healing come to me as I invested time working on spells with Charlie. It was through his help, and Leon’s guidance, that I believed we could figure out some complex spells that only I might be able to cast. Who knows, maybe Souriff would have more time to shed some light on dvinia when she wasn’t so busy chasing her brother Valinox around the two neighboring kingdoms.

  Hell, I might even want to visit the krepps at Hammashar or venture deep into Curdith Forest with the powerful elf Eslenda, if she’d take me. There was so much of the world to explore. It was the reason I had set off from my hometown of Bhode what felt like a lifetime ago.

  First things first. I’d better get some rest so I can heal everyone who needs help tomorrow.

  *****

  The next day, there were a great number of people, mostly men, who required my services. Some of them had gruesome injuries from years ago, like a twisted leg from a bad break or fingers missing. I couldn’t do anything about the fingers, unfortunately. And the only way I could heal the twisted leg was by breaking it again first and having my mana heal it correctly this time. There were no curses to undo, however. It seemed that Hadley had only used them as a threat to escape.

  It was the evening now, and I still shuddered thinking about the mallet strike I’d performed on that man’s misshapen leg. He’d agreed to it after I’d proposed the gruesome method, but that didn’t make it any easier for either of us. I could still hear his screams and the gasps of the audience. However, he was so elated when I healed his leg after that he wept with joy. It was something I had seen before, tears of joy, and it always reminded me that this time away from training was worth it for more than just appeasing the people of Lycast before they were taxed.

  There were fifteen people who had come from the farmlands around Granlo to be healed. One of them was the old man the sheriff had spoken about, his daughter a middle-aged woman. She was one of many people who wanted to pay me for my help, but I always replied to them with the same few lines.

  “Save your extra coin for the tax collectors. Offering more than what is asked of you will go a long way toward winning this war. I have met the king personally. He is not a greedy man. All of your coin goes only toward supplying an army. Rohaer must be stopped. Their king is trying to create a world where those who are powerful through the use of dteria will be the masters over everyone else.”

  I was weary from traveling, but I could see my efforts working by the expressions on the faces of everyone I met. I had become much more comfortable in crowds than I’d been when this started, as well. Though I did find myself wondering how Kataleya’s experience had been during all this time. Was she speaking to crowds like I often found myself to be doing? Or did she spend most of her time speaking to various leaders to decide where the water she created would be best kept? Perhaps she hadn’t had the same excitement that I’d experienced during this trip, though I did imagine plenty of marriage proposals came her way. She was a sorcerer of the king, like me, and very beautiful. Not to mention from a rich family. Hell, I wasn’t sure there was anyone richer than the Yorns, and that included the king.

  Soon I would see her, but first I needed to pay a visit to Gerald. After the sheriff confirmed that there were no other people coming for healing that he had heard from, I asked if I could take a walk with Pilla. He was very pleased.

  I felt b
ad for leading him on, but I didn’t see a better way.

  Pilla took me to Gerald’s house. Like most of the homes here, it was small and quaint. I wasn’t surprised when I tried the door and found it to be unlocked. Most of the people in these small towns couldn’t afford locks. I entered and walked down the short hallway.

  A woman sat at the dining table, knitting. She seemed startled when she noticed me.

  “Y-yes? Who are you?” she asked in a small voice. She had a bruise at the top of her cheek that she quickly covered with her blonde hair.

  “I’m the healer sent by the king. I apologize for entering without knocking.”

  I assumed Pilla had been surprised to see me enter as if I owned the place, but I would deal with her after.

  “C-can I help you?” The woman looked at Pilla behind me. “Pilla?”

  I didn’t turn to see what gesture Pilla gave the young woman, if any.

  “Are you injured?” I asked. “I could heal you free of charge.”

  “No, I’m fine,” she said resolutely.

  “Can I see?” I asked as I reached for her cheek.

  “It’s nothing.” She turned away. “Gerald, the healer is here. I don’t know why.”

  “Tell him to go away.”

  “He’s here, in the house,” she specified.

  “What?”

  I heard someone stomping down the short hall. He glared at me when he entered the dining room. He was a large man somewhere in his mid-twenties, clearly a miner, given the span of his shoulders and the dirt under his nails. The scrapes on the back of his hand, however, spoke not of an incident in the mines but of one in this home.

  “I don’t care if you’re the king’s healer,” he threatened. “You ain’t got the right to enter my home without permission.”

  “Actually, that’s not true. The king has given me permission to enter any premises so long as it pertains to the law.”

  Gerald folded his massive arms. “And how might you entering my home pertain to the law?”

  “How did your wife get that bruise on her face?”

  She gave me a practiced answer. “I fell.”

  “You fell onto the back of his hand?” I inquired facetiously.

  Gerald absentmindedly covered his right hand. “What happens between a man and his wife is no one’s business but ours. Now I’m asking you to leave.”

  “You know, Gerald, I think we have a friend in common.”

  His breaths were heavy as he stared at me.

  “Veronica Ryler,” I said.

  His face fell. “How do you know her?”

  “She’s said things about you.”

  “Lies!”

  “You didn’t even hear what they were.”

  “It don’t matter. She’s a liar.”

  “So you didn’t hurt her like you are hurting this girl?”

  “What business of the king’s is this? You ain’t got nothing better to do than bother me and my wife?”

  I hadn’t had a plan upon entering, but one was quickly formulating.

  “Normally yes, but Veronica—or Remi, as she goes by now—is actually a sorcerer of the king, like myself. When she found out I was traveling all around Lycast, eventually making my way to Granlo, she asked me for a favor. She wanted me to see if you are hurting anyone else like you did her. She wanted me to stop you. You see, she’s a little busy to do so herself. She’s currently in Koluk with a number of my peers, trying to finally put an end to the Thieves’ Guild that preys on the citizens there. But I figured I’d make a quick stop in your house after I had healed everyone in your town.”

  His face lost color as I spoke. His fists unfolded.

  “Remi’s a powerful fire mage now,” I went on. “When she’s done in Koluk, she might want to pay you a visit next. I think she would be very interested to find out what I saw here today. And trust me, Gerald. No amount of your strength would win a bout against a fire mage like her.”

  “I looked for her after she ran off,” he said without the same aggression. “I wanted to apologize and bring her home, but she never gave me the chance. She’s really a fire mage now?”

  “She really is,” I confirmed. I took a breath, then added, “Here’s what I’m going to do. What’s your name?” I asked the girl.

  “Shelly Berger.”

  “I’m going to tell Remi about your wife, Gerald, and I’ll leave it up to Remi when she wants to visit, if at all. Now I can’t say what’s going to happen when she comes, but I think I’ve gotten to know Remi decently enough to tell you that she won’t be too happy if she does decide to visit and sees any injuries on Shelly’s body, and I’m sure she’ll look for them. You probably know Remi well enough to understand that she doesn’t handle her anger as well as I do. See, I’m actually quite livid right now after seeing what you’ve done to this poor girl, but I’m not going to take any action because I believe you’re a man who can change with words alone. Am I right, Gerald?”

  He seemed to be in thought as he looked at Pilla. I looked over my shoulder. She didn’t seem too happy that I had lied to her, her hard gaze set on me.

  “I swear I didn’t know anything about this,” Shelly told Gerald with fear in her eyes. “I’ve never met this healer before.” She took hold of his arm as if to prevent future aggression.

  “That’s true,” I said. “Shelly had no part of this.”

  “Both of you shut up.” He pushed her away as he glared at me. “I don’t appreciate you coming in here, lying about Veronica, and threatening my family. Now I know my rights. I have asked you to leave. I don’t want you or Veronica coming back here. I don’t care if you’re employed by the king himself. I’ll defend my family against any threat. Get out of my house.”

  “I will gladly leave once you show me you understand that if you hurt Shelly again, Veronica might put an end to your actions permanently.”

  “I don’t understand shit. Now I warned you!” He stomped back down the hall and out of view.

  Shelly had a pleading look in her eyes. “Please go before he hurts you.”

  “You’d best be gone by the time I come back!” Gerald yelled from the other side of the house.

  “Please!” Shelly said.

  I waited in the dining room. Gerald came back with his rusty pickax.

  “Last warning!” he said. “Get out, and tell Veronica I’ll kill her if she tries to harm me.”

  “You really are stupid. Didn’t you hear anything I just said?”

  He grunted as he swung his pickax at me. Seeing as how it was aimed at my shoulder, I didn’t bother to dodge it.

  I tensed as he lodged his pickax deep into my flesh. He appeared shocked when I didn’t move or say a thing.

  “The fuck?” he blurted as he pulled the pickax out of my shoulder.

  I calmly put my hand over the wound as I kept my eyes on him and repaired all the damage in a matter of seconds.

  “Now who’s going to fix this hole in my shirt? I’m no good with thread and needle.”

  Aggression flooded his face as he went for another strike, this one at my head. I was more than ready, grabbing him with a thick ring of dvinia and hoisting him into the air.

  He groaned and struggled, trying to free himself as he squirmed. “The hell is this? Dteria?”

  “Of course not, you ape. It’s dvinia.”

  “Put me down!”

  “Do you agree not to harm Shelly? Or anyone else, for that matter?”

  “Fuck you!”

  “Fine, we’re taking a little trip.”

  I opened the door behind me and walked out backward, bringing the floating Gerald with me as if he were tethered.

  I was pleased to see that a number of people had gathered after most likely hearing the commotion. Even the sheriff had arrived.

  “I want all of you to listen to Gerald, who is going to vow not to hurt Shelly ever again.”

  “Put me down!” he yelled.

  “Vow.”

  “Fuck you.”
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  I figured it was his pride speaking at this point. A little pain should do the trick.

  As angry as I was, I was a little excited as well. I didn’t know exactly what would happen here. I had never gotten to practice this on anyone but myself.

  I tossed Gerald into the air as high as I could, knowing I had already exerted myself too much to force his body to a height at which a drop would kill him. But I was a little surprised at my strength as he flew up a good deal higher than I thought he would, screaming all the way as I heard gasps around me. A couple children laughed.

  Oh no, children shouldn’t see this. Too late now, though.

  Gerald dropped like a sack of rocks.

  I didn’t bother softening his fall as he struck the hard ground. There was a crack that might’ve been sickening to everyone else, but I was used to the sound.

  He screamed and grabbed his leg. I put my hand over it and healed it, fixing his broken bone faster than he could realize that his pain was gone.

  “You’re fine,” I told him, and soon he stopped yelling. “Do you want to go again?”

  “What’s the meaning of this, healer?” the sheriff asked me.

  “He’s been abusing his wife.”

  Gerald slowly got up and moved his leg around. Finally, he no longer seemed angry as he gazed at me with what looked to be fear.

  “Vow,” I told him.

  “Fine, I vow.”

  “Veronica will be returning to hold you to that, but I can’t say when. Now I must be leaving. Sheriff, would you take me to your house so I may fetch my horse and my belongings?”

  He nodded.

  Gerald went back into his house and slammed his door. The dozens of people watching began to murmur, Veronica’s name buzzing. Pilla had a dark look for me. I didn’t bother showing her any semblance of an apology. Yes, I had lied. But Remi was my friend, and she had clearly suffered greatly here. It pissed me off.

  I didn’t care if Remi had put worms down Pilla’s dress. Remi did not deserve what had happened to her. No one deserved to be forced into an abusive marriage. I just hoped her parents were somewhere in the audience. If not, I was certain they would hear about what happened here.