by J B Cantwell
"Where to?" I asked.
"The grand tour," she said. "We can be freaks together."
And she walked out the door without another word.
Chapter 11
For some reason, I was surprised by how dark it was outside. The warm, soft light in the cabin had made me forget I was deep in the mountains, and I was tempted like a child to hold Duna's hand as we walked. Instead, I lit my hands and held them out in front of me. Duna grabbed me by the arm.
"What are you doing?" she hissed. "You'll get us both killed."
I frowned, confused.
"Killed? But you have magic. Doesn't that protect you?"
"I can't light my hands on fire if that's what you're talking about," she said. "Now put them out."
I did as she said, but in a foreign place with no way to tell which direction I was heading, I did reach out for her. I didn't know what to expect, but what I got was a huff, a groan, and her grabbing me by the arm.
"You can't tell me that you've made it all the way through these cursed mountains, and yet you can't see five feet in front of you."
She was right, of course, but I had gotten used to using the staff, the knives, and my own hands to light my way. I was no longer hiding from Phalen or from anyone, so I didn't see the point in walking in the dark.
"Where does everybody live?" I asked.
"The fact that you can't see them is a good sign. Even your magic isn’t enough to bring us out of hiding."
"Kaelin said that giants were good at disguising themselves. Camouflaging, he said."
"Hiding," she said. "Don't get the two mixed up."
"So you would rather not hide?" I asked.
She snorted.
"I don't hide, which is probably why they want me to stay away from the village. I've been banished to a cabin on the outskirts for the last five-hundred years."
Five-hundred years?
"You must have Light, then," I said.
She ignored this statement.
"Giants are immortal. I'm young."
"Immortal?"
"Well, we can be killed, but killing a giant is difficult. Unless you’re another giant, of course."
"How old is the oldest person in this village?" I asked, amazed at what I was learning.
"Oh, I think maybe around two millennia. At least, that's what Arte would have us believe."
"Arte is two-thousand years old?" I asked.
"I can't tell you for sure. He is the oldest in our tribe. Over the centuries, those who first settled here have died, killed mainly by the monsters that hide in the deep."
"Do you mean the Creepers?"
She laughed again, this time sounding a lot like Kaelin with her barking.
"No," she said. "Those little rats mean nothing to us. It requires a bigger creature to take down a giant. This is why the rest of my kind hide. I alone live out in the open. I guess you could say I keep watch."
"But wouldn't it be easier to keep watch if you kept your lights dark?"
"Oh, I do. Most of the time, at least."
I stopped walking and wrestled my arm out of her grip.
"Where are we going?" I asked. "I don't see… anything."
I couldn't even see her face, but if I had, I would have guessed that she was laughing at me.
"I guess they're doing their job then," she said. "Those who camouflage. I’ll take you to the center where we eat."
She held out her hand for me to take, and though I could barely see it in the darkness, I took it, my small hand barely able to wrap around her giant palm.
"Do all of you eat together?" I asked.
"Why? Are you nervous? You know some believe that giants eat humans."
I paused a moment. Then, "I already thought about that, and I've decided it's unlikely.”
"That was a good decision," she said. "In any case, we don't eat children."
I opened my mouth to object, but she beat me to the punch.
"Before you make a fool of yourself, remember that you’re barely a woman, and I have a fair number of years on you."
I didn't answer. What could I say? She was right.
It was then that I realized we were walking toward an enormous fire pit.
"How do you use fire to cook if you’re meant to be hiding? And what do you use for wood?"
"Ah, well, I suppose that my magic is useful, at least for that. And we don't need to hide all the time. Only when Torin's slaves come out to play."
"His slaves?"
“The Flyers,” she said.
"We call them Wicks," I said. "The Flyers. That was what Kaelin called them."
"They are nasty," she said. "But they tend to stay away unless, like yourself, there is a traveler coming through. You, for example, have stirred up quite a ruckus. I've seen Flyers in and out of the clouds, probably fighting to kill you."
If she only knew.
"So, why are you here?" she asked. "These mountains aren’t safe for humans. I don't understand why you’d choose a path through here. Where are you headed that made this seem like the right place to cross?"
"I'm headed for Brista, the port town near the ocean. My friend, Malcolm, told me about it, and I wanted to see it for myself."
"You must think I'm quite a fool," she said. "Either that or you, yourself, are insane. Take a word of warning from me: get yourself out of these mountains as quickly as you can. There’s nothing for humans here."
Around the next corner, we came upon what I could only describe as a pile of boulders. At the base, I could see a series of doorways large enough to let a giant through.
"In case you were wondering what giants eat, and I bet you are, I'll show you."
She walked inside one of the doors, but I was hesitant to follow her in. She hadn't shown me kindness, exactly, but I didn't fear her, either.
It was the other forty-nine giants I had on my mind.
I took a deep breath and walked inside. What I saw there surprised me, for in the center of the boulder pile, there was a giant pool of Light. The surface quietly undulated, making the liquid magic glow its aquamarine blue.
"Welcome to the kitchen," she said.
I marveled. “How do you keep this here? Don't they come after you? I was up at the bull just the other night, and he… well, he is no longer."
She took a deep breath. "That’s not good news. What happened?"
"The Wicks and Creepers came after him."
"I see," she said.
"Do you live on Light alone?" I asked.
"It's always been that way," she said. "For as long as I can remember, certainly, this has been our main source of food. But I'm not telling you everything. We do have other ways to grow what we eat. Come with me, and I'll show you."
She let me up a rough stone staircase that was off to the back of the chamber. The stairs were easily three feet high, intended for use by giants, not humans. I was feeling good, though, since she’d healed me, and I jumped up the staircase after her.
But what awaited me was something entirely unexpected. From the top of the staircase and for at least five hundred feet square, crops grew. I didn't recognize them, but it was obvious they were food.
"What is this stuff?" I asked.
"This is gyvu," she said. "It gives us all the nutrition we need, and it’s unseen by the monsters who travel through these mountains."
She walked over to a plant and picked a flower from a long, green stalk. She began to pull apart the petals, revealing a large seed beneath. It must not have been hard, though, because she took a big bite from it and then passed it to me.
It was the size of a large watermelon, and I struggled to hold it.
"Try it," she commanded.
And, with some degree of effort, I took a small bite off the other side.
She laughed, certainly thinking I was a fool.
But she was right. I needn't have been worried. The flavorful fruit burst in my mouth. It was unlike anything I'd ever tasted before, some strange combinatio
n of orange and melon.
"So, you live off this stuff?" It certainly seemed like a fine idea to me.
"This and the Light downstairs."
"I'm sure you hide yourselves very well, but why is no one else drawn to this place? When I was at the bull Keeper, it was swarming with Creepers. Where is your Keeper, and how do you keep all this hidden?"
"The Keeper in this place fell long ago," she said. "At least that's what Arte’s told us. You already know he’s the oldest in our group, and for that reason, we must take his knowledge at face value. He’s the only one who knows the truth about our history. By the time any more of us came along, these fields already existed, and the pool down below was as full as ever."
"This is amazing," I said indicating the seed, and I took another bite. The juice ran down my chin and covered my hands.
"You’re not the only human who’s walked this path."
"Who else has been here before me?"
"It was millennia ago," she said. "It was before my time, but we’re told that the man had no trouble eating and drinking from us."
"I wonder if it was Torin," I said. "He's a terrible sorcerer who's lived thousands of years."
Duna raised her eyebrows high, but then, before she spoke, she took a moment to consider.
"I suppose anything’s possible. That’s not the tale we’ve been told, though it might make sense of things. We’ll have to talk to Arte." She sighed heavily. "In case you haven't noticed, that’s not my favorite activity."
"Why not?"
But I thought I already knew the answer to that. If Duna was cranky, Arte was downright mean.
"Let's just say we don't get along. Here, give that back to me before your entire body is drenched."
I handed her the seed, and she popped the rest of it into her mouth, chewing greedily.
"We should wait," she said thickly. "He’s already being difficult. There is no reason for us to poke the bear if you know what I mean."
Poke the bear.
"I've heard about a bear," I said. "Is there really one who's a Keeper?"
"Let's go," she said, not answering my question. She grabbed onto my arm, and I could tell she was nervous. Her beliefs seemed to be somehow shifting. Something I had said had caused her to pause, consider.
She led me down the stairs to the pool of Light.
"Take some if you like," she said as we walked by.
I paused, deciding.
She stopped walking for a moment and turned to face the pool.
"Why do you hesitate?" she asked.
"It's just that I, well, my vials are full. And Light is very potent. And addictive. I need to be careful."
"Addictive?" she asked. "Well, I suppose since we've all be drinking it for the past two thousand years, you might be right."
And she took my hand, turned, and led me back out into the darkness.
Twenty minutes later, I found myself sitting in an impossibly large chair drinking a disgusting brew from a cup the size of my head. Duna hadn’t filled it all the way so as to make it possible for me to hold, and I used that as my excuse for putting the cup down on her kitchen table and not drinking any more of the stuff.
"Don't like it, eh?"
"Oh, it's just that…"
"Don't lie," she said.
She stared me down, and I relented. "No, not really. Sorry."
"Hmph. If you're going to stay in my house, I expect you to tell me the truth."
"Okay," I said. "What would you like to know?"
"I would like to know what this is about," she said, pulling out Torin's book from beneath her seat.
My eyes grew wide, and I tried to search around for some answer that would be acceptable to her.
Don't lie.
I sighed heavily. But then I thought about it and realized that I could use all the allies I could get. For all her crankiness, I found that I trusted Duna, at least more than Arte.
"You're going to say I'm crazy," I said.
"Try me."
I opened my hand, gesturing to her to give me the book. She frowned, but she finally did, sliding it across the enormous wooden table to me. I opened it up, and I found nothing had changed. All of the names were still crossed out—all of the names but one.
"This is called the Book of Torin," I said. "The man who gave it to me told me that he or she who finds their name in this book is destined to battle with Torin. That man, Torin's son, Bevyn, stole this book from his father many hundreds of years ago. Bevyn found me as I was walking through the mountains, and he showed me where he lived, or at least one of the many places he hid."
"And he's the one who gave this to you?"
"This, and many other things. I believe the items in question are with your leader, Arte."
"Not anymore." She raised one eyebrow at me and winked. Then she got up, walked across the squeaky wood floor of the cabin, and brought out my pack and staff. They looked impossibly small next to her, the staff a mere twig in her fingers.
"How did you get this?" I asked.
"Oh, just a little magic," she said. "Nothing that should concern you. It seems very obvious that it would've been impossible for you to take these things back from him. But I just happen to know the man who was guarding them. In fact, you do as well."
I smiled. "Kaelin?"
She smiled, too, and nodded. "The one and only."
"Isn't he going to get into trouble?" I asked.
"Isn't he always in trouble? Besides, it seems obvious to me that you’re of little threat. At least, it did before you told me about this book. So tell me, are you some great sorceress that I need to be worried about?"
I smiled a little, but only a little.
"Well, I don't know. I appear to have been chosen to wage war with Torin. But my knowledge of magic is somewhat limited. Honestly, I'm not sure what I’ll do if I'm ever faced with him. Actually, I’d much rather just go home and forget about the whole thing."
"Where’s your home? she asked. "I know already it's not Brista." She gave me a knowing look and smirked.
"A place called Eagleview," I said, deciding on the truth. "Though, honestly, it's not the best place to call home. Maybe if these mountains weren't so miserable, I might stay."
"If you're expected to be the one to beat Torin, why are you messing around here?"
"I'm not messing around," I said, frowning. “I’d been trying to get across to the other side as quickly as possible. But then I met Bevyn, and he took me in. He was a sorcerer as well, though far less powerful than his father or brothers. Still, he taught me what he knew. It would be good if you could do the same."
She barked with laughter.
"I'm no warrior," she said. "I know very little of magic, myself, which is unfortunate considering that I hold power I can’t harness."
"Then we’re the same. I don't know. Maybe I can teach you some things."
She didn't laugh this time but instead shook her head sadly.
"It isn't allowed," she said.
"It isn't allowed where I come from, either. And yet you managed to heal me in a matter of seconds. That's something that I've done, too, back in Eagleview. I don't understand. Why is magic forbidden here? You're the only one, right?"
"Yep, I'm alone in my magic. The others are afraid of me because when I was young, I’d curse them for making fun of me. Over the years, many have come to hate me. Unless, of course, somebody needs healing. Then all of a sudden, I'm incredibly useful."
"I understand that," I said. "One has to pay for magic in Eagleview. And there's only one man who gives you permission to practice magic the entire kingdom."
"Sounds familiar," she said. "Maybe you and I together could convince Arte to allow magic in this place. Though, it would be easier if I knew how to do more than I do."
"I don't know what I can teach you," I said. “I’m very new to this as well."
"I think this book makes it obvious that you’ve got talent. You got one day to teach me what you can, and I'l
l join you on your journey. I've always wanted to see the sun."
My journey.
"I… I don't quite know where I'm going," I said, a little forlorn. "I was headed for Brista, as I was told I'd be able to amass an army there. But I don't know if that's true."
Tears of frustration threatened, and I picked up the big cup once more to hide my face from Duna.
She leaned back in her chair, exasperated.
"Well, this isn't going to work at all."
She was angry, and the cranky woman I’d met back in Nia's house seemed to have returned.
"What isn't going to work?" I asked.
"Well, I don't see what sort of warrior you're going to be if you're crying all the time."
I slammed the mug back down on the table, suddenly irate.
"You don't know what you're talking about. You haven't seen. You haven't been with me. You're safe here in your little village, even in this house, which is barely visible from the valley. There are monsters out there, servants of Torin's; they're everywhere. They hunt me."
"There she is," she said. "There's the fiery little devil I knew you were. It was only a matter of time. Now, show me."
"I don't need a traveling companion," I said.
"Oh no? Shall I let you go now? I daresay you haven't slept in a bed so comfortable for many long months. But if you must, be my guest. Only, make sure to keep that army away from us, as I'm not equipped to protect us."
"All you need to do is hide. That would be enough to get you through what's coming."
"And why should I trust you?” she asked.
I looked up into her eyes, and I knew she had me. I was not, could not, be a quitter. There were people out in the world who needed my protection, even if they were people I didn't yet know.
"Fine," I said. "I'll show you what I know, but it isn't much."
I tried to think about how I could teach her the most important things over the course of only a day. I had spent weeks with Bevyn, and even that wasn't enough.
Still, I was the best she had. I would try.
It was hard to know what time of day it was, even though I was staying in a village full of giants who lived by the brightness of the sky. It turned out that the only thing Duna knew how to do was heal and light fires in the fire pit in the dining area. That wasn't a bad thing because when I found out the details, it came to light that she could heal without limit. Unlike me, she didn't exhaust herself by healing another, even bringing someone back from the verge of death. Maybe this was because she was a giant, but either way, I was jealous.
