Being Chapter the Fourth
~RR~
"God, it's cold!" Tyler complained, which seemed to be all he was capable of doing on their three-day journey to the Rushien mountains. He shivered in the snow that blanketed the peak of the mountain they climbed. "I don't like this. Tell me again… Why are we going all this way for one guy? Your EX, might I add?"
Kitty rolled her eyes, and kept onward up the mountainside, until a large stone door came into view.
"Because," Kitty replied firmly. "He's, like, the ambassador of the Rock Giant community. He can band together more Rock Giant soldiers to help. Besides, I ended up with you, didn't I? Him being my ex is totally nothing to worry about."
"For you," Tyler retorted.
"This is it!" Kitty said excitedly. "It's been so long, I was afraid I had forgotten the way."
Kitty grabbed a nearby stone from the ground and used it to hammer on the door.
"Strangers beware," Tyler read across the archway. "Rock Giant Territory. I still don't like this," Tyler grumbled for the millionth time.
"Aww," Kitty grinned, grabbing Tyler by the chin and standing on her toes to compensate for her low height. "You're so cute when you're jealous."
Just as she leaned to connect with a strong kiss, the stone door blew open surprisingly fast, revealed Daniel who stood with several others gigantic men, all arms in rock form and at the ready for battle. As soon as Daniel recognized who stood at their gateway, he lowered his fists and a sorrowful look came over his face. Kitty only blushed, having been caught in an embarrassing position with Tyler, who now stood cross-armed and defiant, looking at Daniel like an opponent.
"Kitty!" Daniel breathed in surprise. "And the Chosen One! It has been too long, my friends! Pardon the precaution, but we still live in untrustworthy times. Won't you come in?"
~RR~
Caleb kept his head down the entire way though the forest trails. The trees were peaceful, relaxing, and it gave him plenty of time to think, since Fin wasn't much in the way of conversation. Lithlin was a forest far west from the New Guild, and it had taken many days journey to even say they were halfway there. Fin glanced at him often, worry shaking her features, and Caleb knew he needn't explain to her his troubles, because her powers let her know of them already. Over the years, Fin had evolved into a creature near omniscient, and it was a frightening thing. Caleb wondered about her offspring, wondered why the son of an all-knowing woman and a half-demon man had come out to be a mute. Hunter had barely spoken five times in all the years Caleb had witnessed him. Three of them had been to his mother, one to his father, and one just recently to Tyler's daughter April.
Fin stopped every so often to put a hand on her head in her mind's concentration, then change their direction suddenly.
"Fin, I've been meaning to ask," Caleb shuffled his feet a bit in fatigue. "Is it true what Etrigan says, about Sybilla and you?"
"You mean," Fin quirked an eyebrow at Caleb's vague question. "Is his theory true, about Sybilla's power being passed to me when she died? I suspect so. Our power can be willed away, just like yours. Usually Magicals with that kind of power, like Sybilla, announce what we call their Second, which is the person or object named to claim the power after their death, like an inheritance. I was the closest thing to family that Sybilla had. One can only assume."
Fin sighed loudly, rubbing her temples as if suffering a severe migraine.
"The only problem is, I could barely handle my own power. If she gave me hers as well, I'm not sure I could take it all."
"Guess time will have to tell on that one," Caleb frowned, patting Fin on the shoulder. "You've done a pretty good job of handling it so far."
"Yeah," Fin nodded. "So far… This way."
Fin took a sharp left again, and Caleb could swear they were going in circles by now.
"So," Caleb asked with worry. "You think Roarden had a Second?"
"I think Reid and Ro are about to find that out."
~RR~
Reid walked across the dirt roads towards the main square of Bosin, now the most populated city in Aromesia, and near to the location of the New Guild. The streets were bustling with merchants and townsfolk, mostly housewives shopping for groceries. A few drunkards were stumbling out of the local tavern, and kids ran wild in the streets. It was a very different state than last Reid saw it, and it had thrived since then. Since he had saved it from Roarden's men, not so very long ago.
He glanced at his wife, who was lagging behind. That's when he something on the brick walls behind her. A poster of a man in black, dressed like some sort of assassin or ninja.
"Well, would you look at that!" Reid announced, backtracking to the wall past Ro's head and putting a hand over the words:
WANTED: Crusader vigilante
REWARD: 10,000 gold
"You'd think they'd offer more reward money," Ro commented.
"Why would they have a reward at all?" Reid huffed, his face scrunching into a deep frown. "Can't those council bastards see that I'm helping this world out? What are they doing to help? Talking and sitting on their asses? Just like the Guild?"
"Reid, calm down, they're just upholding the law-"
"Extra, extra!" said a local news-scroll tender. "Crusader finally in custody! Giving a speech to the council tomorrow night! Read all about it!"
Ro and Reid silenced immediately, raising their eyebrows in surprise at one another. Ro was the first to act, running up to the tender and anxiously grabbing at one of the scrolls. Unraveling it quickly, a picture was plainly seen across the front.
"Holy crap," Reid breathed, recognizing the face immediately, as Ro could only gasp out a single name.
"Rems…!"
~RR~
It seemed that Daniel was the runt of his family, as his entire clan rivaled the size of earthen elephants. Tyler cowered in their presence, as one false move of theirs could be his demise. On the other hand, Kitty, who was more than a head smaller than Tyler, walked with comfort and ease, shaking the hands of some of the tallest giants there.
"Its good to see you again," one of the taller ones with a long braided beard said. "The light of the mountain, you are."
Another one with gray hair was laughing and slapping a friend on the shoulder boasting:
"I knew she couldn't stay away!"
Tyler was sure to catch glances with Kitty, complaining boldly with his eyes. This was not fun for him, and he made sure she knew it.
"Ah, yes," Kitty interrupted everyone, putting up her hands for attention. "I didn't come here to stay, sadly, I do have business for Daniel."
"We're sure you do!" a gray-haired giant laughed, pushing Daniel forward, making both him and Kitty blush wildly.
"Serious Guild matters," Kitty clarified, and Daniel put up a hand to make her wait.
"Give them a moment," Daniel assured her. "You have been greatly missed."
"Alright," Kitty agreed. "But Daniel, please, no banquets."
"Of course," Daniel nodded. "We attend to business as soon as possible."
~RR~
"Here comes the next course!" a Giant bellowed, as a large platter of steaming monster was laid before Tyler and Daniel at the head of the table. Kitty had been swept off to get suitably dressed for their ceremonial guest banquet, to celebrate Kitty's return, Tyler guessed, as she seemed to be the main attraction around these parts. Tyler pouted as he sat in their oversized potato sack of a shirt that had been provided for him, and impatiently waited for Kitty to return so that they could nab Daniel and leave. He drummed his fingers on the table, as the humungous men dug into their even bigger feast. The Giants, however large and threatening they were, were a peaceful and welcoming race, provided one didn't get on their bad side.
"Do Chosen Ones eat?" said an older giant, his booming voice making Tyler's ears ring a bit. He rubbed them, while faking a thankful smile.
"Yeah, sure," Tyler reluctantly replied.
"Then EAT!" the giant laughed, shoving a plate the size of a large desk in front of Tyler. Steaming eyes of an unknown creature glared up at Tyler, as a fork bigger than Tyler's arm was given to him.
"Oh, Martin," Daniel laughed at Tyler's frightened face at the prospect of somehow eating what was before him. "There's no way he can fit that fork into his mouth. Even the baby size one."
Tyler gazed at the supposed 'baby fork' he held, which was half the size of his head. That's when Daniel let out a small gasp and suddenly arose, making the rest of the Giants rise and turn toward the courtyard entrance, where tiny, little Kitty stood. She was clothed in a potato sack as well, though she wore it much better. The gray material clung to her small, thin body, the off-the-shoulder style making her seem like a goddess among simpletons. Stone shoes were on her feet, and tiny rock beads were weaved into her chocolate hair.
Tyler rose slowly, in awe of his wife, forgetting everything else except her. He scooted out of his mammoth seat, and gathered his breath to greet her, but he was beat to it.
"Kitty," Daniel cooed, embracing her. "We do not deserve you."
Tyler hung back, not liking having to wait his turn to be with his own wife. A large goblet was raised in Kitty's direction by the head of the table, and the other Giant's followed their matriarch's example.
"To the wedding feast they never received. To Daniel and Kitty!"
Tyler dropped his fork to the floor in surprise. Kitty whirled her head around to meet her husband's eyes, an apology being uttered between them.
"Would the best man like to say a few words?" the matriarch wrongly guessed, but Tyler knew it was too late to back out now. He raised his enormous goblet to his wife.
"I hope you are both very happy together," Tyler huffed out in a single breath, then took a drink of their wine, and walked out.
~RR~
Please review. Thanks!
Signed,
-RedRogue
