by A E Stanfill
17
The Stone Giant
There before Gawain and the others was the great mountain Everard, with its jagged edges leaning straight up into the sky. At the very top of the mountain thick clouds overlapped each other, giving anyone who made it to the top another challenge to deal with. Not only was the path up the mountain challenging, with sight limited, but there was also another danger that lurked. The stone giant Berenger dwelled in the mountain top as well, killing all who dared try to take the treasure he protected.
“Here we are, standing before the great mountain Everard.” Gawain was in awe over the sheer size of the mountain.
“You act as though you've never seen a mountain before, Sir Gawain,” Ellyn giggled.
“I have seen plenty of mountains in my days, Miss Ellyn,” Gawain smiled at her. “But never have I stood before Everard. It is truly a magnificent sight to behold.”
“Just tell us how to get up it,” Ulrich grunted.
“There is a path that leads to the top,” Leon answered in Gawain's place.
“And how do you know that, Leon?” Ulrich asked.
“Anyone training to become a knight knows that,” Leon barked back. “I do listen to some things.”
Gawain turned his back to Leon and Ulrich, “When the two of you are done arguing, maybe you will follow me up to the mountain path.” He walked on ahead with Ellyn right behind him giggling as usual. It was a hard walk up the jagged narrow path; one wrong move and any one of them could fall to their deaths.
As they made their way further up the mountain, the air started to thin and it became a chore just to breathe, which didn't make the steep walk any easier. “It's about to get cold, so take the furs out of your saddlebags and drape them over yourselves,” Gawain told them. “We don't want to freeze to death before we reach the top.” After they had prepared themselves for the extreme temperatures, Gawain and the others pressed on further up the mountain. The temperature dropped at such a rate that snow started to fall, making seeing more difficult than it already was. Not only that but icicles were starting to form on the fur they had wrapped around themselves to keep warm. Then out of the silence, a loud roar was heard that shook the mountain, causing rocks to fall, barely missing the warriors.
“What was that?” Ellyn gulped.
“That, Miss Ellyn, was a warning from the stone giant, Berenger.”
“A very pissed off stone giant,” Ulrich added.
“Well, it doesn't sound friendly. And I don't think he's just going to let us pass,” Leon joked. “Even if we tried to be his friend.”
“Enough with the jokes,” Gawain scowled. “Make sure you keep moving, or you will surely catch your death.” As they approached the top of the mountain the roar was becoming more definite. Not only that, but giant boulders were being hurled through the air at them. Obviously thrown by none other than Berenger. “Keep pressing forward,” Gawain demanded.
“But the boulders,” Leon responded.
“I said to keep walking.”
Another of the giant boulders came crashing down in front of them collapsing part of the mountain path. “How do we get across now?” Ellyn asked.
Ulric walked up to the edge, “We cannot jump such a distance either.”
“There is only one option left.” Gawain reached into his saddlebag and removed a rope with a metal claw on the end. “Shadow did say that I might need this, that woman is a smart one indeed.”
“What are you going to do with a rope?” Ulrich sarcastically asked.
“Pay close attention and you shall see,” Gawain smiled. He dangled the claw just inches from the ground and started to swing the rope in a circular motion. He flung the rope straight up the mountain; a few small rocks fell as the claw grabbed hold of something from above. He gave the rope a couple of good tugs to set the claw. Then he used all of his weight to give the rope one more mighty pull, just to make sure it was safe. “The claw is set, this should do just fine,” Gawain muttered.
“You expect us to climb?” Ulrich questioned.
“I do.”
“Will the rope hold?” Ellyn asked.
“I believe so.”
“You don't know for sure do you?” Ulrich was being a jerk, as usual.
Gawain ignored Ulrich and continued to reassure Ellyn that everything would be fine, “I shall go first, and once I make it to the top the three of you can decide who will be next. That way I can prove to you that this is, and will be, the safest way.”
“I agree,” Ulrich smiled. “That way if you fall to the bottom, I can laugh.”
Ellyn shoved Ulrich, “That wasn't very nice.”
“I'm not a very nice person,” Ulrich shrugged. “Hurry up the rope old man, we have a stone giant to topple.”
Gawain muttered incoherent words as he started his way up the rope, “Smart ass kid, doesn't want to listen to anyone.” He took another deep breath and pulled himself further up the rope. “Thinks he knows it all, lets Caine become his teacher, bows down to that arrogant bastard Alistair.” He paused for a brief moment to look up. Not much further. As Gawain made his way upwards, Ellyn, Leon, and Ulrich stayed below deciding between them who would be next to follow.
“I will go next,” Leon said with a hint of bravery to his voice. He took hold of the rope and pulled himself up.
“I guess he didn't give us much of a choice,” Ellyn giggled.
Ulrich shook his head and smiled, “Leon has always been like that, I don't believe he will ever change.”
“What is he like?”
“Leon always puts on a brave face before he does something stupid, like now,” Ulrich frowned.
“Funny, that's the same thing he says about you,” Ellyn chuckled, and kissed Ulrich on the cheek before grabbing the rope and pulling herself up the side of the mountain.
Ulrich tried to speak but no words would flow from his mouth, he rubbed his cheek where Ellyn had kissed him. For the first time the evil in his heart faded, and a feeling he couldn't explain took its place. ‘What's happening to me?’ He thought. ‘How does one girl make me feel completely different to what I truly am?’ Ulrich grabbed for the rope and started making his way up to join the others.
After Ellyn, Leon, and Ulrich made it to the top safely, Gawain unhooked the claw from the side of the mountain and rolled up the rope, placing it back into his saddle bag. It didn't take long for him to survey the surrounding area. ‘We made it to the top. Not what I expected though.’ The top of the mountain was nothing like anything he had seen before. The clouds had parted, and the snow and lightning had stopped. Rays of light from the sun shined down upon them, warming their bodies to the point they needed the furs no longer. There was green grass and flowers all around them, filling the air with a sweet aroma.
“How could something so ugly at the beginning, hold such beauty at the end,” Ellyn happily smiled.
“Question is, how is such a thing even possible,” Ulrich wondered.
“This mountain was created by one the goddesses of light, Alicion,” Gawain said. “It is a reminder that even darkness can turn into beauty.”
“That's stupid,” Ulrich responded. “The gods abandoned humanity a long time ago. I care not to hear about them or their creations,” he said with a hint of anger. “The only thing I care about is retrieving the last piece of the Reaper Blade.”
“Those were harsh words, Ulrich,” Leon scowled.
“It's a harsh reality that you need to learn.” Ulrich snapped back.
“Enough you two,” Gawain snapped. “If you keep that up, you will lead Berenger right to us.”
“Sorry, Master Gawain,” Leon muttered.
Ulrich looked at Leon, “Don't lower your head, Leon, you have no reason to do so,” he whispered, then looked back over at Gawain. “What would you have us do?”
Gawain paced back and forth trying to decide the best course of action, “There is only one way to handle this,” he said. “I will have to distract Berenger while t
he three of you go and retrieve the item.”
“That would be nothing more than suicide,” Leon sighed. “At least allow one of us to help you.”
“No,” Gawain barked. He managed to calm himself, before talking again, “Trust me when I say, it will take all three of you, and everything you've got, just to take the piece of the blade from its resting place,” Gawain explained. “Please understand that this is the best course of action.”
Leon shook his head with displeasure, “If that is what you wish of us, then I shall not argue.”
“Good,” Gawain replied. “Find a hiding spot, and do not come out until I have gotten Berenger out of the way. That goes for the two of you as well.” When Ellyn, Leon, and Ulrich were hidden from sight, Gawain called out to the stone giant. “Berenger!” he shouted.
“Berenger, come out and face me. Or are you afraid of a puny human such as myself?” After Gawain antagonized the stone giant for a few more minutes, he began to wonder if the great Berenger would take the bait. ‘I have called out to the stone giant more times than I care for, most men would not have been as fortunate as I. Does this mean Berenger will not be so easily fooled?’
Gawain's thoughts would soon come to an abrupt halt as the ground began to tremble beneath his very feet. Not even a moment later a stone hand, the size of a castle, came over the side of the mountain readying itself to squash him. He managed to roll out of the way, as the giant hand came crashing down. ‘That was close’, he thought to himself, wiping the sweat from his brow.
“Who dares to set foot on this holy ground and call me out?” a mighty voice grumbled.
“A puny human who is not afraid of such a being as yourself,” Gawain huffed, rolling out of the way of the giant hand that came crashing down at him yet again.
“Such insolence will be rewarded with death,” the mighty voice bellowed. Instead of bringing its hand crashing down at him, the giant placed the side of its hand on the mountain and started moving it towards him in a swiping motion.
‘Berenger is trying to push me off the mountain, well let's see how he handles this!’ Gawain raised his open palm and muttered a spell and a fireball erupted from his hand, blowing off the tip of the stone giant’s index finger. Berenger pulled his hand away, and grumbled in pain, “So you do feel pain, giant,” he jeered. He had the giant distracted as he had planned. He turned to where the others were hidden, motioning for them to make a run for it.
Ellyn, Leon, and Ulrich hurried past Gawain and the stone giant Berenger. If it wasn't for Gawain blowing off part of the stone giant’s finger, then they would never have made it past without getting pummeled into the earth. There was no doubt about which direction they needed to proceed in. Off in the distance a stone pillar could be seen, and protruding from the top was the last piece of the Reaper Blade.
“Hey, there it is.” Ulrich pointed. “The last piece of the Reaper Blade.” He took off running in the direction of the pillar without aid from his fellow warriors.
“Wait for us,” Ellyn and Leon shouted at the same time, trying their best to keep up with him. Then out of nowhere, two lizard-like creatures came up from the ground to stop them in their tracks.
“Dragons.” Ellyn jumped backward.
Leon drew his blade standing his ground, “Dragons are noble creatures, not like these things before us.” He lunged at the one in front of him barely missing his mark, almost getting bitten in the process.
“What are these things, if not dragons?” Ellyn asked, grabbing hold of Leon pulling him back, saving him from the creature's wrath.
He swung his blade at the lizard-like creature again, “These are Wryms, a distant cousin to the Dragon. Though do not underestimate these creatures. They don't look like much, but they are vicious and hard to kill. And their bite can rip limbs from the body with ease.”
Ulrich had caught a glimpse of what was transpiring behind him, but he was so close to the pillar that he could reach out and take the piece of the blade. “What should I do?” he whispered. “Help my friends? Or take the last piece of the blade and complete my journey?” He was hesitating, fighting hard with his inner emotions.
He decided he could do both, take the blade and then rescue his friends. That thought had changed the moment he heard Ellyn's cries for help and he turned to look back yet again he saw that Ellyn was in trouble. One of the Wryms had Leon pinned to the ground, while the other had locked its jaws onto Ellyn's arm to the point that she had dropped her blade.
“Ellyn!” he screamed out, taking off running in her direction with blinding speed. In an instant, he was on the Wrym’s back that had Ellyn and cut its head off with his sword. While standing on the dead Wrym’s back, he quickly sheathed his blade and removed his bow from his back.
Ulrich reached into his quiver and pulled out an arrow, and he readied the arrow and sent it humming through the air. The arrow pierced the Wrym’s eye that had Leon pinned down. The creature hissed and released his friend. Leon took up his blade and shoved it into the stomach of the Wrym. It didn't kill the creature, and to his dismay it still tried to attack him. When the Wrym bent down to bite at him once more, he took hold of the arrow and shoved it through the brain of the creature and out its other eye, killing it instantly. Leon crawled out from under the dead weight of the Wrym, covered in its green oozing blood. When he glanced over to make sure Ellyn was okay, he saw that Ulrich was already tending to her.
“Is she hurt badly?” Leon asked when he walked up.
“She shall live,” Ulrich answered. “The wounds on her arm are not that deep, these bandages should do the trick,” he said, as he wrapped the last piece of cloth around her arm.
“That's good,” Leon let out a sigh of relief.
“No thanks to you.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“It means that you failed to protect Ellyn.”
“I can protect myself guys,” Ellyn intervened.
“You didn't exactly prove that, did you,” Ulrich snapped at her.
“I do my best,” Ellyn replied.
“Your best wasn't good enough,” he retorted.
Leon stepped in front of his friend to confront him, “You don't have to be an ass with Ellyn, I messed up. I should have a kept a better eye out for her. But I let my guard down and it almost cost Ellyn her life, as well as my own. Don't blame her for my mistake.”
Ulrich got nose to nose with Leon, and it looked as though a fight between the two of them was going to break out. “You two are ridiculous.” Ellyn turned, walking away.
“Where are you going?” Ulrich questioned.
“I am going to retrieve the last artifact, something you should have already done,” she said with her nose up in the air.
Gawain was now dealing with an angry stone giant, “Why can humans not stay away from this place?” Berenger bellowed.
“Because I am in need of something, and it just so happens it rests on the top of this mountain of yours,” Gawain said loudly.
“What is it that you seek mortal?” Berenger roared.
“Show yourself first,” Gawain insisted. “That way I know that I won't be squashed while trying to explain myself.”
“How about I kill you instead?” Berenger responded back.
“You can try, and for your efforts I will blow off another one of your fingers,” Gawain bolstered.
The stone hand that had been previously trying to crush Gawain, now missing part of a finger, came up and planted itself on the ground. A second later, another stone hand planted itself on the ground. And then Berenger's head could be seen rising above the side of the mountain, then his body was next to be seen, and last but not least his legs and feet.
The stone giant stood over twenty feet tall, his eyes beamed a dark red, his body almost resembled that of a human but made from boulders, not flesh. “Tell me what it is that you seek, puny human,” Berenger grumbled. Gawain stood before the giant looking up open-mouthed; Berenger's sheer size and human-like a
ppearance caught him off guard. “Speak human,” Berenger bellowed.
“I came for a certain item.” Gawain nervously swallowed.
“What item shall that be, mortal?”
“A great treasure created by man, I believe the last piece of what I search for rests on this mountain.”
“Does this treasure have a name?”
“It is called the Reaper Blade, we have collected all the pieces except for one.”
“The Reaper Blade?” The giant's eyes glowed with an intense red, more so than before. “Every last human that has climbed this mountain in search of the piece of that dark blade has died by my hands.”
“Why kill so many? What purpose does that serve?”
“The purpose that I was created for, to protect against those that seek out what rests here atop this mountain. If that power is what you seek, then you too shall die,” the giant proclaimed.
“I do not wish to pursue a fight with you, Berenger.”
“Then leave this mountain empty-handed, and I shall spare your life.”
Ellyn, Leon, and Ulrich came running up to Gawain with a look of excitement in their eyes. None were paying attention to the fact that the stone giant towered over them all. “We have it Master Gawain, let's get out of here,” Leon said, tugging at Gawain's arm. “Did you not hear me, Master Gawain? I said we have the item, we can now get back to Drasal.” He tugged at Gawain's arm once more.
“You tricked me, and in the process, these little runts removed the dark blade from its resting place!” Berenger roared.
“What in the hell is that?” Ulrich asked, looking up to the sky.
“That, my friends, is the stone giant, Berenger,” Gawain answered.
“How do we kill it?” The words slipped off Ulrich's tongue, not realizing the trouble they would cause.
“Not only did you steal the piece of the blade, you wish to snuff out my existence as well?” Berenger howled.
“We do not wish to take your life.” Gawain held up his hands, “Please, you have to believe me. My student is young, and cannot comprehend what he does not understand.”