The Giants of Shattered Swamp

by Eddie Patin

  Then, Jason's brain registered the heavy, bipedal form, broad shoulders, and finally, the wide, sweeping lines of a massive rack of sharp-tipped horns.

  It was Nargog—the alpha minotaur—come to finish what he'd tried to do back in Maze World! Riley had been right all along! Jason felt at the metal slag focus key on his left wrist's bracelet and blazed a path through the ninth dimension, feeling his way along a line of light to lava world, reaching out with reflexes that he didn't completely understand to place a horizontal rift under the huge, black minotaur's wide, hoofed feet—

  "Stay your power, great one!" the minotaur bellowed.

  Jason's mind reeled when he realized that the deep, heavy voice came from Nargog's large, black mouth. He saw the monster's pinkish-grey tongue and large, yellow fangs for just a second as the throaty words rumbled his way. Then, the mouth blended into the minotaur's pitch-black face once again.

  His way to the lava world clear.

  He could almost see the rift opening up under Nargog's feet. All he had to do was flex, and the beast that had almost killed them all before would be reduced to a pile of flaming fat and melting bones skipping around on blazing magma...

  And yet, the alpha minotaur stood still, only stepping forward enough to reveal his huge and shaggy body in the sunlight. Jason saw plant bits and bark all over in Nargog's thick, jet-black coat, like a heavy bear-fur rug that someone had left outside for a long time. The glossy-black horns were clean and gleaming and the monster's eyes were like tiny glints of flint shining at Jason from inside the broad, dark face. Nargog's thick, black mane—longer around the neck and shoulders just like Gliath's—was long, matted, and decorated with many small, white bones woven throughout. His huge chest was also decorated with bones—much like how the cannibals wore necklaces—and Jason got a better look at the minotaur's jewelry now that it was right freaking in front of him.

  The monster held his huge club in a fist that was larger than Jason's head; the same weapon that he'd seen him holding yesterday. From up close, it definitely looked like the dead Tyrannosaurus Rex's femur, upgraded and made more deadly by the minotaur's primitive crafting attempts.

  Jason felt the horizontal rift under Nargog's feet waiting. Opening a gateway to Hell under the brute was require almost no effort. It was like he had the biggest, baddest gun pointed at the monster and his finger was on the trigger.

  As terrifying as Nargog was—huge and brutish and no doubt able to easily squish Jason like a blood-bag—he didn't radiate any sort of aggression. He wasn't poised to strike or charge; he didn't seem intent to attack at all.

  And had he freaking spoken?!

  "What did you say?!" Jason asked, shocking himself with the aggression in his own voice. "Did you just speak?!"

  The monster nodded his great head. Jason's eyes followed the wide horns.

  "I said to stay your power, great one," Nargog replied. His deep, rumbly voice sounded exactly like Jason imagined it would, coming from a huge bull or bison if it could talk.

  The minotaur had fangs like a lion's—or maybe a bear's—and they were almost as yellow as bananas. Jason had seen those teeth before.

  "You speak," Jason said. "What do you want, Nargog?" Fear zipped through his arms and legs, making his knees feel weak. Jason did his best to appear strong, bolstered by the idea that he could kill the terrifying monster at will with his lava key.

  The minotaur stared at Jason with unreadable eyes for a moment.

  "I can respect an opponent who goes straight for the point," he replied, staying where he was. "I have seen you call fire and death." Reaching up with a massive arm and pointing at Jason's bracelet with a thick, clawed black finger, he said, "You do not need your weapon for me, great one. I am not here to kill you."

  Nargog's words sent a chill flying up Jason's spine. He was wearing his minotaur-hide jacket, made from a parallel version of Nargog that he and his other Jasons had killed in universe 1242. However, he wore nothing but a t-shirt and gym shorts underneath, so he felt extremely exposed and vulnerable. Jason knew that his AK-47 would do little to nothing against the alpha minotaur. Hell—even his father's .416 Magnum Mauser, a dangerous game rifle, had failed to penetrate those minotaurs' hides and skulls a few times.

  And Nargog was big! Looking up at the broad beast, Jason was amazed at how little of the minotaur's hide Athelos must have used to make his human-sized jacket.

  "So why are you here?" Jason countered, barely keeping his voice from trembling.

  He lowered his hands, still touching the focus key. He could still feel his way to lava world under Nargog's hoofed feet, and he felt pretty confident that he'd be able to quickly adapt the rift's opening if the monster decided to charge him.

  In fact, Jason felt that he could kill the beast quite easily now. A second of concentration was all he'd need...

  "I approach the great one with an offering," Nargog said with his deep, guttural voice. "I come to earn your mercy. You are strong, great one, and—"

  "Mercy?" Jason said. "Mercy for what?"

  "I must pay you for the mercy you gifted me in the other place."

  Jason felt his mind balancing on a knife's edge. On one hand, he was desperate to relax and lower his defenses. On the other hand, he was shocked as hell that he was standing here talking with an eight-foot tall monster that had almost killed Riley and had fucked Gliath up pretty good. And yes, that was this Nargog, Jason thought. It was this version of Nargog that had initially bull-rushed his way through the rift into Jason's garage after goring Riley in that deadly ambush on Maze World. This was the Nargog that had caused all of that calamity on Kestrel Drive then ran off into the mountains. They had to hunt him down the next morning. This particular Nargog was not the one that had killed Mr. and Mrs. Hines in universe 1241, although it very easily could have done that on Jason's u934. It also wasn't the one that Jason had ultimately killed with Jason 1241 and 1242. That one was now his jacket.

  Nargog was a monster, through and through. But, Jason also remembered the words of Athelos, the weird multidimensional tailor. Nargog had been full of confusion and sorrow. Jason and his friends had killed the minotaur's mate and his mate's brother. Jason had assumed that the beasts were all feral.

  This alpha minotaur—somehow speaking English before him—was clearly not feral. Nargog was not a mindless animal, as bestial as he was.

  "You don't need to do that, Nargog," Jason said. "I gave you my mercy freely."

  "I must, great one," he replied, taking a thumping step forward and sending a bolt of cold adrenaline through Jason's body. "It is my way." He gestured down to the valley, waving his huge clawed hand at the area where Jason had fought the mini-rexes. "Yesterday, great one, you battled the three great feathertooths. I watched as you battled the largest feathertooth with your thunder stick, then you drove the others away with your terrible fire!"

  "Nargog, don't call me great one. My name is Jason."

  "Jason," the minotaur replied, trying the word.

  "I didn't 'battle' it on purpose. I just—"

  "Until now, Jason," Nargog went on, plowing over Jason with his heavy, guttural voice, "I have watched you and your warriors come and go with your magic, thinking on how I may repay you for sparing my life and delivering me here, to this world of plenty."

  "Oh, you like it here?" Jason asked. He found himself smiling and lowered his hands to his sides, releasing the focus key. He lost his grip on the interdimensional lay lines or whatever the hell it was that he instinctively visualized, but he wasn't worried. Jason knew that if this was some sort of trick, he could kill Nargog easily if he kept paying attention and didn't zone out. "I see you've decorated yourself with bones, Nargog. Getting lots to eat?"

  "Yes, Jason," he rumbled. "Well, after seeing your battle yesterday, I have finally realized how I may earn your mercy."

  Jason sighed. "How's that?"

  "I spent the night wondering why you attacked that great feathertooth then allowed it to run away in
stead of finishing your kill."

  Jason opened his mouth but closed it again. He could see how maybe Nargog thought of his fear-soaked, frantic self-defense against the three huge carnivores as something other than what it was. Jason had been scared shitless, of course, and he counted himself lucky that he didn't end up a screaming, writhing snack for those hungry dinosaurs yesterday.

  "And ... uh ... what have you reckoned?" Saying the word made Jason think of Riley. He felt a stab of sadness and worry, thinking of his friends waiting across space-time for his help.

  "You are powerful, Jason," Nargog bellowed. "I watched as you consumed the bodies of the dead giants with your fire, pulling them into the earth! Perhaps you desired more of a challenge from the feathertooth? I feel that you desired a good hunt; to pursue the wounded feathertooth into the forest this morning. With that, Jason, I, Nargog, offer to finish your kill for you. It would be my honor to slay the great feathertooth for you, Jason, and share with you its mighty heart. "

  Jason blinked.

  He didn't know what to say.

  Of course he was never intending to finish off the Albertosaurus. Hunting a dinosaur that could take off half of his body with one bite through heavy, shadowy woods was not Jason's idea of a good time. Had Nargog assumed that Jason was intending to hunt it down this morning?

  That got Jason wondering about the minotaur and whatever sort of 'culture' it had. Hadn't Nargog grown up transplanted on a world not native to his people, among many other minotaurs that were feral? Weren't most of the minotaurs little more than animals? What was it that Rush Watson had said? They'd been placed there by the sky people on that world to serve as a food source. What sort of notions could Nargog possibly have about 'honor' or the desire for challenge or earning or mercy when he'd lived his whole brutal life surrounded by animalistic beasts?

  The alpha minotaur snorted suddenly.

  "I have offended you, Jason," he rumbled. "I am sorry, great one. I only—"

  Jason dismissed him with a wave. "No, Nargog, it's fine. I'm not offended. I would be ... um ... honored to share that feathertooth's heart with you."

  Saying the words frightened Jason, but he felt like it'd be okay. With his lava key, he was sure that he could kill just about anything in this area if need be; either a mini-rex, or Nargog himself, or anything else that wasn't too big to fall through his portals. Maybe a T-Rex would be too big. An Alamosaurus would be too big. What would happen if an Alamosaurus stepped through my portal? Jason thought. What if it got stuck between worlds? What if I closed the rift with its leg in there? Jason shook the wandering thoughts from his mind. Either way, it was clear that the minotaur might stick around this area for a while. Maybe Nargog liked living in Jason's spider cave across the valley and up the ridge. Or, perhaps he'd taken over the cannibal's camp and lived in a bigger cave there now. It would be a good idea to invest in peace; in an alliance with this imposing monster.

  But how the hell was Jason understanding him?

  Nargog nodded again. Jason expected the creature to smile, but maybe minotaurs couldn't.

  "Thank you, Jason," he said. "I will prove to you that granting mercy was not a waste of your warrior's heart."

  What's different? Jason wondered.

  Had the minotaur really learned how to speak English? Or was something else going on?

  "But first," Jason said, "if you don't mind, I've got to wash myself and my equipment in the creek through the forest. Would you like to come back later for ... um ... the hunt? Or would you like to come with me?"

  Suddenly, the idea of an alpha minotaur guarding over him and watching for crocodiles while he bathed and cleaned his clothes and armor seemed very appealing.

  "I will go with you," Nargog replied. "I thirst, anyway."

  "Okay," Jason replied, approaching the cave mouth, wary of drawing close to the huge monster. He felt his right hand involuntarily drifting to his lava key often.

  Jason and Nargog crossed the valley and entered the eastern wood, heading toward the Wilderlands' version of Doe Creek. As they walked together, Jason was awestruck by the monster's towering form stomping along a healthy distance to his right side. He never let Nargog out of his sight for an instant. The ground shook slightly underfoot with each heavy, hoofed step of the minotaur, and the trees surrounding Nargog and his huge bone club seemed strangely—almost comically—small next to the beast.

  After chatting for a short while—Nargog told Jason about how he'd tracked the wounded Albertosaurus to a particular place in the woods nearby. Then, Nargog told him about how he'd dug into the back of Jason's old cave to create a tunnel system. Apparently, the minotaur was living quite comfortably in there.

  Jason wondered and wondered about how the hell he was communicating Nargog now.

  He thought about the magical items from the necromancer's tower.

  He'd used the lightning gun several times by now, of course. But, Jason was also carrying those two colorful, magical stones in a belt pouch on his battle belt, and he was actually wearing the two magical rings. Before they reached the creek, Jason gave the rings a quick glance as he parted the waist-high ferns of the forest floor before him. He looked at the ring of brushed steel with the ruby and subtly slipped it off as Nargog was speaking. Nothing changed, so he put it back on. Then, he removed the silver band with the gold stripe, and Jason's mind was blown as Nargog's speech suddenly shifted from deep, clear words into a garbled, guttural grunting.

  Jason stopped. He gasped.

  The minotaur halted and looked down at him, making a low, animalistic sound.

  Slipping the ring back on, Jason couldn't keep himself from grinning.

  "Sorry," Jason said. "What was the last thing you said?"

  Nargog's small, glinting dark eyes considered him. "I said that the cave's entrance was small, so I widened it."

  Jason could understand him again!

  It was the ring! The silver ring with the gold band was somehow letting him communicate with the minotaur! Jason stared in wonder at the ring on his finger then remembered that Nargog was watching him, waiting, so he tried to hide his excitement.

  "Yeah—I guess that might be a bit tight for you."

  Nargog nodded. Jason continued walking and so did the minotaur.

  Oh my God! Jason thought, barely containing a wild grin. If this was DnD, he'd have a Ring of Comprehension! Then, he gasped, thinking back to the Shattered Swamp. Is that how I understood the troll? he wondered. He'd understood the ettins, too. Were they actually speaking in some wild giant language, and Jason was the only one who'd understood their words? Oh God—and the troll had understood him as well!

  "Of course it did," Jason said to himself, drawing a questioning look from Nargog. The minotaur understood him, as well. He could communicate ... with the ring!

  They followed the rise and fall of the foothills before the ridge, then descended toward the creek. As Jason listened to the growing sound of the trickling stream, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing up and a very real sensation of danger prickled across his skin. Every time he'd been here in the past, one crocodile or another had tried to eat him or chase him down.

  "No predators," Nargog said, sniffing with his huge black snout at the air and scanning the creek below them both ways. "I have eaten many of these long riverbeasts. The meat of their tails is thick and good."

  Jason scanned the water himself, looking extra-hard at every floating piece of deadfall caught in every crook and shallow area. Nargog's declaration and the fact that the minotaur had supposedly killed quite a few of them was slightly comforting.

  "How do you kill 'em?" Jason asked. "Wrestle them? Break their necks?"

  He thought back to the day when he saw Riley and Gliath heading back across the valley after bathing in the creek themselves. Gliath wrestled with a croc until it ran away, Riley had said.

  "Wrestle them?" Nargog asked. "That is pointless. I only have to break their jaws and they are disabled; long prey full of
meat for the taking."

  Jason headed down into the water after setting his AK-47, boots, battle belt, and OCS on the shore. He did not take off the focus keys he was wearing, but he was starting to feel like Nargog was okay. Jason was afraid of crocodiles for a while, but Nargog was right. They weren't bothered by the wildlife at all. It felt good to feel the cool water on his body and in his face and hair. Jason washed his clothing and armor as best he could in a natural stream without soap. Afterwards, he changed the dressing on his wound, geared up, and spent a minute eyeing the bony remains of two large turtles up the creek in a sand bank, thinking back to when he used such turtle shells to catch rainwater to survive.

  After washing everything, Jason set his armor out in the sun to dry for a little while. He talked with Nargog about Maze World as they waited. The minotaur had no knowledge of the supposed 'transplant' of his species. He'd been born there, and had grown up stalking the maze-like canyons, surviving on the dead, other minotaurs that he'd killed in combat, and occasional non-minotaur visitors that were unfortunate enough to cross his path.

  Eventually, Jason was able to put his clothes and armor back on. He geared up.

  Jason and Nargog began walking south through the woods, gradually drifting away from the creek and back toward the valley.

  "This way," Nargog said, leading them. "I have tracked the feathertooth for you, Jason, and it awaits its final battle before moving on to the next world."

  "The next world?"

  "Its next hunting grounds," the minotaur rumbled, squinting and scrutinizing the distance through the trees. Nargog sniffed and snorted at the air. "I will send him there for you, just as you did for me."

  As ... he did for him?

  Jason hadn't killed Nargog; not this one, anyway. This wasn't the afterlife. Is that what he was thinking?!

  Maybe the minotaur was so confused by bursting into Jason's garage then being rifted from the mountains to the wyvern's cave, that he thought of the whole experience as a crazy mind trip of some kind; a spiritual journey. Perhaps Nargog truly believed that he'd moved on to a new life.