Chapter 8: Truth and Answers; The Mastermind Revealed
As Bonecruncher carried a paralyzed Eric under the orders of Pacifica, the BFG made his way towards the castle. Jack was sitting on BFG's left shoulder keeping an eye out for trouble with Chamo sitting on Jack's shoulder and was Arista was sitting in the BFG's shirt pocket. She found herself looking down the whole time. She saw the distance between her and the ground along with the BFG's feet as he walked.
The land was wide open like the ocean but everything was different from the ocean. While the sea floor was normally covered in sand, the ocean floor being rock, different colored coral, and sea plants growing. The land before her covered in fields of green grass, trees as high as the sky, and different kinds of plants decorated with pedals.
'You know, despite the large number of giants that consider merfolk and humans, this place isn't so bad,' Arista thought to herself, 'I could still do without having to use legs though,' she continued as the thought of legs still made her feel uneasy.
As Arista continued to look at the land, Jack continued to look ahead and behind him for signs of the other giants. 'No stomp marks, no flying boulders, and no torn-out trees,' Jack thought to himself as he analyzed the land before him, 'They really think there's a way down this time. Like the last hundred times...'
"By the way, um..." Arista asked, gulping from nervousness, as she looked up at Jack getting his attention, "Exactly... how many giants are there?"
Jack kept his eyes up front, but answered her directly, "Well, so far there are the ten major generals, but as to the number of giants... somewhere around 400."
"And each one's is like fighting a single army," the BFG replied. "Each giant's as powerful and durbably as a southand men n' them iron beasts that fire fire and metal."
"Uhh, Mate," Chamo said getting BFG's attention, "I don't think that's helping," he said as he darted his eyes towards Arista. The BFG looked to see a nervous Arista taking all that in. Even though she didn't say anything, anyone who saw her face could tell she was feeling the fear of her childhood go through her.
"Oh... Sorry Miss," the BFG said not wanting to scare Arista further.
"No, no. I'm the one who asked," she said, "I just didn't think there were so many of them."
"I thought the same thing when he told me," Jack told her, "But most of them act the same so they're easy to deal with if one is fully prepared." He continued to survey the area.
"Nehehhehehehe," Chamo chuckled.
Jack turned to look at Chamo, unamused, as he asked, "What?"
"Watcha think of Arista, Romeo," Chamo smirked, "Bet you wish you were surveying her instead of the land right?"
"What do you mean," Jack rpelied. "She seems pretty nervous at the moment being here. But I gotta admit, she's pretty brave to go after her sister."
"Well, yeah that. But I'm talking about her bod," Chamo replied as his eyes dazzled. "Those dazzlin' blue eyes, that gorgeous golden yellow hair that flows like silk and water. Not to mention those B-Cup pillows on that ribcage, that slim trimmed waist, flawless skin you could lick all over and taste of tasty saltwater, and those long flawless legs leading to those ticklish feet, and those small hands..."
"Okay, what are you getting at," Jack arched an eyebrow.
Chamo took a drag of a chocolate cigar, as he smirked, "You are sooo getting the hots for this mermaid."
Jack blushed, "Wait, what?!"
"Not to mention that she has a really nice tail," Chamo added while winking at him in order to see how his partner would react to that comment.
"I think you're a little too excited from seeing someone new here, especially when said person is a girl," Jack told his guardian, "I just met her and we've barely-"
"We be here nowing."
The BFG's words got the group's attention as Arista looked down along with the others at the sight below. Nestled in the middle of a mass of land held up by chains and bridges, stood a castle of sorts. It looked like a number of different sized cylinders stacked next to each other. It sat in the middle of a large hole surrounded by more floating islands, some with grand waterfalls falling through the gaps of land onto the clouds below. In different places in the valley were more angry mouths carved into the side of the floating land masses. One in particular was right next to the castle as though it was a part of it.
"That's the Giants' castle," Arista asked with a shocked voice. She was so used to her home in Atlantica that seeing a castle look so decrepit was a shock to her, let alone the fact that people lived there.
"That be it," the BFG replied as he looked at the castle in sadness, "It was once much granderer centuries ago. Back when all the giants were being nice like..."
Before Arista could ask him more about what he said, the sounds of grumbling voices and loud footsteps caught their attention.
"Uh oh," Chamo said as he spotted three giants on the same land mass as the giants were heading past Jack's group.
"Now what do we- Whoa," Arista began to ask before the BFG took her out of his pocket and put her on the ground while Jack and Chamo jumped off and landed next to her.
"You three should being going," the BFG told them, "Find the sister and escaping before Fallon finds out."
"You know how much I hate this strategy of yours," Jack told the BFG as he hated leaving any friend behind.
"Consider it extra reasoning to move faster," the BFG told him as he gave him and the others his usual warm smile saying it will be all right.
Arista however looked confused as she looked at the two, "I'm lost. What is he-"
"Well look who we have here!"
The sound of one of the giant's voice mixed with laughing the grew louder with each thundering step. The BFG's facial expression was telling them to go which Jack and Chamo understood. Using his staff, Jack shot a vine out that wrapped around a stone and formed a strong knot as Chamo jumped onto Jack's shoulder. Then Jack walked over to Arista, "Time to go Arista," he told her as she wrapped his arm around her lower back and headed for the cliff. "Hold on," he told her.
Arista looked down at the cliff and back at Jack in shock, "Wait! You're not actually-" The next thing she knew, she felt a sense of weightlessness as the three quickly slide down the vine. "Not AGAAAAAAIIIIIINNN," she yelled as she wrapped her arms around Jack's shoulders on instinct. It wasn't as bad as before, but she still wasn't use to the laws of physics on the surface. She was so distracted by the feeling of falling that she didn't notice Jack's blush and Chamo's sneaky smile.
After a minute of sliding down the vine, they stopped at a cave entrance on the side, about the size of an adult human. Jack then moved a bit and allowed Arista to go first before he climbed in as well. "Much better than the last free fall," he said as he looked ahead in the cave for anything dangerous.
As he did, Arista watched Jack and Chamo before she heard voices outside.
"If it isn't the runt!"
Arista moved towards the entrance of the cave and continued to listen to the giants.
"What are ye doing here!?"
"Just passing through," the BFG said trying to act normal to protect the teens.
"What's you're hurry," one said as he shoved the BFG onto the ground slightly shacking the mountain.
Arista might not have been able to save what was happening, but based on the words, and sounds, she could tell the BFG was being bullied by the others giants. Inside, she felt a sense of sadness and anger at how the giants could treat one of their own like some toy to abuse. It made how her sisters left her to bring Ariel home seem like nothing compared to what the BFG was going through.
"'It's not right,' is what's going through your head, right?"
Artists nodded on instinct from the words of the voice only to raise an eyebrow in confusion as she looked behind to see Jack over her shoulder with a serious look on his face.
"That's what I was thinking the day I first saw them do that to the BFG," he explained as he turned around and went deeper into the cave with Chamo on his shoulder.
Arista watched them entered the cave while hiding a blush in the dark. She turned her head back to outside again for a moment, 'He's right… About all of that,' she thought to herself about the BFG as she went in after the adventurer.
Castle Dungeon
Inside the dungeon, the room was barely lite with only small beams of light shining through the cracks in the stone walls. The room was filled with cages dangling in the air containing the skeletal remains of humans. The room was filled with a musty smell and a dry air giving the room the feeling it was usually empty. However, at the moment the room was occupied. In the center of the room was a giant looking at one cage in particular that sat in the corner. He was concealed in shadows leaving his appearance a mystery.
"Tell me," the giant spoke out, "Do you believe in God?" His voice echoed throughout the room making it sound louder and more intimidating.
The cage sat on a stone slab with bits of sunlight shining through the bars. Inside was none other than Ariel who was standing as far as she could from the sound of the voice. "I've never thought about the subject," she spoke out trying to hide her fear from the giant.
"Would you like meet him to know for sure," the giant spoke out again as he paced back and forth. Every time he spoke out, an inhuman groaning was heard as well. It was as if there were two giants in the room but Ariel could only see the one giant.
"Not yet, no," Ariel spoke out again as her brave front started to weaken.
"Then you will answer our question," the giant ordered Ariel, "How did you get here," he asked her wanting to know himself.
"I won't answer," Ariel answered in defiance, "I understand what telling you would mean."
"Then you should know," the giant spoke again as he took a step forward as he crushed a pile of human bones under his foot, "What not telling us means." He could see Ariel back away but maintained a strong face despite the unease she felt from the inhumanly gagging sound. "Aside from your sun haired kin, where are the others," he asked.
'They still don't have Arista, then there's still hope,' Ariel thought in silent relief, "My sister and I came alone," she answered the giant, "There was no one there when I woke up."
"You think we are FOOLS," the giant yelled at Ariel causing her to cover her ears at the roar of his voice along with the powerful echo, "Where you go, many more will follow!" The giant clenched his fist in anger as he stared down at Ariel with an angry glare. "You and your sister are descendants of Poseidon the Horrible, are you not," he questioned the mermaid in a cage. A second voice spoke out mimicking the first voice as he asked her, but he spoke in a groggily voice.
"Poseidon," Ariel whispered as she took her hands off her ears after hearing the question, "But he reigned over the ocean centuries ago." Despite the lack of light, Ariel saw the giant turn around with his back now facing her while the sound of chains rattling filled the air. She could now see an area of the giant's back revealing two spines in a V shape.
"Have we faded into legends," he asked her with a bit of sadness in his voice as he looked down at the floor. After a moment, his back tightened, and his head straightened up. "We have forgotten the faces of the Kings who imprisoned us here," he spoke out as he turned around to face Ariel, "We have forgotten the sound of their voices." The giant walked over to the side of the wall where Ariel's cage sat, "But we never forget a smell," he said as he lowered himself down towards Ariel who was losing her nerve, "Your blood betrays you," he said as his face became enlightened by the light along with a second head. The first head on the right was a regular shaped head. He had a bald head, 5 o;clock shadow on his face, and brown eyes. The second head on the left was smaller, had goofy like eyes, and almost bald except for a few strands of hair sticking out. "Your Highness," the right head spoke out revealing himself to be the one speaking while the other head repeated what was said but in a groggily voice.
Ariel backed away in fear as far as she could and now knew for sure who this giant was. It was Fallon, the two-headed leader of the giants. Fallon knocked the cage causing Ariel to fall onto the floor as he lifted her cage up and left the room.
Caverns
Back with Jack's group, they made their way deeper through the dark cave. Arista was having a hard time not feeling scared from this situation. The cave they were in was dark and narrow with dead roots hanging down from the ceiling. If she could see, she would notice old cobwebs here and there in different parts of the cavern. 'Keep calm. Just relax,' she told herself as she held the wall of the cave for support, 'It's just like that time Ariel went into that human ship. Only this time, I have a guide.' She looked at Jack who was a few meters ahead of her with Chamo still on his shoulder.
"Are you doing okay Arista," Jack asked as he looked behind him to make sure she hadn't gotten lost, "It can be hard see where you are going in here."
"I'm all right thanks," Arista told him, "This isn't my first time wondering in a dark place. But are you sure we're going the right way?"
"I don't. Chamo does though," Jack said pointing to Chamo, "While I spend my days out in forest, he spends it mapping the tunnels in the castle for quick use."
"That and leaving markings on the wall for easy reference," Chamo added as he jumped down and pointed to stone in the wall with GH itched into it. "Other than fend off giants, there's nothing else to do. So, I figured I'd make a map in case we needed a quick escape," Chamo finished as he finished his cigar.
Arista saw the stone and ran her hand over the carving of the letters. But then she thought of something and looked at the two, "Why would you even want to come her- WHOOAA!" Arista tripped on something and started to fall forward. The next thing she knew, she was in Jack's arms again after he quickly turned around and caught her.
"Careful. This place can hide even the smallest of dangers," Jack said as he helped her onto her feet.
"Thanks... Jack," Arista said as she shied her face away unable to look at him in the eye. 'What is wrong with me? My face feels hot and my heart is beating so fast,' Arista thought to herself as her face blushed but was hidden in the dark.
Jack wasn't much different as he too had a blush on his face for reasons unknown to him as he too turned his face away even though the darkness hid his blush as well.
"Aww. Don't you two look cute," Chamo said with a mischievous expression as he hid his tail that he used to trip Arista, "Maybe you two should think about getting married when this is over."
"Three? How did they get up here?"
The sound of a loud voice prevented the two from responding to Chamo's teasing and the two broke apart and moved towards the source of the sound. With a light shining in from a small crack in the wall, Jack could see a group of giants walking down the hallway.
"I don't know," another giant said, "Perhaps they've learned to flyin the air like birds," he joked causing the other giants to laugh
"Nah, they're probably too stupid for that," the other giant said causing the rest to laugh at his insult as they entered through a doorway.
Jack looked through the crack as best he could while Chamo and Arista listened in. "Are all giants aside from the BFG that rude," Arista asked not liking how they could laugh as such rude comments.
"No... Some are worse," Chamo said as he checked his map, "There are a few that take a dump in the middle of the road just for the heck of it."
Arista cringed in disgust at the comment but stopped when Jack turned to face the other two. "It looks like they're heading for the grand hall," he told the two.
"Do you think that's where Ariel is," Arista asked with hope in her voice.
"I bet my crumpets she is," Jack said earning a confused expression from Arista, "It's a pastry from England. Goes great with raspberry jam actually," he said as the three went down a tunnel towards the Grand Hall.
Grand Hall
After a few moments of going through the cave, Jack, Arista, and Chamo emerged from the tunnel into the bright light of the room. Arista looked in fear and amazement at the room before her.
The room was large, even from a Giant's prospective. The room was lit with some torches on the wall and sunlight from the wide doorway that led outside with different waterfalls. On both sides of the room were long wooden tables and cheaply made seats made of wood. In the center of hall at the end of the room stood a large thrown made of brown metal. On both sides of the room were giants sitting and eating and drinking waiting for the reason for the big announcement.
"So many giants," Arista said as she back from the view in fear.
"It's okay. Despite their height, they can't reach up here," Jack told her in order to comfort her, "Just don't make any loud noises and we'll be safe."
"Right... Right," Arista said as she took a few deep breathes, "You know, I'll never get used to not seeing bubbles whenever I breath," she said trying to lighten the mood.
"My brothers...at long, long last."
Fallon's voice got everyone's attention, including the three spies near the ceiling. They looked down as Fallon moved through the crowed holding a cage. "The mankind have returned!"
Arista looked down and became horrified at seeing Fallon for the first time and his second head. But she forgot all about that when she saw who was in the cage. "ARI- Hmmp," Arista started to yell out but was stopped by Chamo covering her mouth.
"Sorry ma'am, but we need to be silent," Chamo told her, "There are too many to handle so we just have to watch for now." Arista silently nodded in agreement as they continued to watch even if she didn't like it. However, Chamo looked down at Ariel and his eyes suddenly turned into bulging hearts at the sight of her. "A... A... A... Lovely- HMMMMphhh," Chamo stated to say before Jack covered his mouth stopping him from giving them away. He gave his partner a 'Not Now' glare as they all watched the scene before them.
Back with Ariel, she found herself being rocked back and forth in the cage with different giants looking at her through the bars. "They're uglier than I remember," one said causing her to back away to the wall of the cage in fear.
"And among them... comes the blood... of one of our jailers," Fallon continued as he showed Ariel to different giants in the crowd while heading for the throne, "Poseiden the Horrible!"
"Poseiden," Fallon's second head said with a smile on his face.
Suddenly, Ariel felt the cage being lifted onto its side as she was forced to see Fumm, the same giant that caught her in the forest "Hello there. Remember me," he said with an evil smile causing Ariel to gasp in fear.
"And today... we will taste," Fallon continued as he placed the cage on the throne, "The sweet nectar... of revenge!" This earned a loud roar of joy from the other giants as they gathered around the throne like a pack of wolves circling their prey.
Ariel looked at her surroundings in fear, 'No room to waterbend, an entire army of giants wanting to eat me, and no idea where I am now,' Ariel thought going over her situation hoping for a solution, 'Now would be a good time for Eric to come to my rescue like I told Arista and Daddy he would.'
Ariel suddenly felt the cage shake as Fallon got both his heads in front of her, "So Princess... Are you ready to tell us where the way down is," he told her with an evil tone of voice, "Or will the idea of being eaten help loosen your lips?"
"No, General. I found her," Fumm's voice filled the hall before Ariel could respond as he walked forward, "The right to eat her is mine alone."
Fumm's claim to Ariel was answered by Fallon with a chain mace to the head sending Fumm onto the floor. "I know the rules... of the hunt, Fumm," Fallon told the down giant as he circled around him while the other giants backed away, "But she is different," he exclaimed while pointing his chain mace at Ariel.
"The general abuses his power. You're not our king," Fumm shot back while picking himself up and challenging Fallon with a roar. Fallon and his second head roared back at him like a lion with a larger roar defending its claim.
"You're right about that..."
The new voice caught everyone's attention as they turned towards the door. The sight confused the giants but horrified Ariel beyond belief. There stood Bonecruncher with Eric clenched in one hand and held Pacifica in the other.
"ERIC," Ariel exclaimed as she grabbed the sides of her cage.
"But I'd say I'm more of a queen than a king," Pacifica said with a grin and a sly look in her eyes as she waved to Bonecruncher to move forward.
"Bonecruncher," Fallon asked in a dumbfounded tone of voice.
"I had no choice General Fallon," Bonecruncher admitted in shame as he was forced to approached the throne, "She's has the same powers as... As the..."
"I believe he's referring to this," Pacifica said as she tapped the sweatband around her forehead as it magically changed into a bronze looking crown that gave off a golden glow.
"The crown," Fallon said in silent shock as the feeling of the crown began to overtake him and the other giants.
"That's right. The crown cut from the very same stone as your hard hearts and bound by the magic of the three rulers to control you," Pacifica explained in a confident tone of voice as all the giants groaned as they were forced to get onto their knees, "They are inextricably linked. To deny the crown... is to deny your existence." As Bonecruncher continued towards the throne, Pacifica looked to see Fallon continuing to fight the crown's influence to the best of his ability. "Come now General, you should know there's no resisting the crown," Pacifica said as she pointed her finger down instructing Fallon to bow. Much to his dismay, Fallon was forced to bow with his head down onto the floor. Never before had he felt such humiliation go through him.
This earned a chuckle from Pacifica as Bonecruncher put her onto the thrown while placing Eric next to Ariel. Ariel looked at Eric, "Eric, are you all right? Please tell me you are okay," she pleaded to Eric. However, all he could do was move his eyes towards Ariel as he struggled to speak. She looked at Pacifica in fear, "What happened to him Pacifica and what you doing here?!"
"That's thanks to me actually," Pacifica replied in a cruel voice causing Ariel to look at her in confusion, "I paralyzed him like I did before at the beanstalk. He'll be fine in a little while though. You should be more worried about you and your Catch's current situation... Angel Fish."
Ariel's eyes widened in shock at Pacifica's words, especially what she just called Ariel. "Ursula," Ariel asked in horror hoping she was wrong.
This caused Pacifica to grin evilly at her foe's dread, "That's right. It's a shame you're too late to do anything about it," she told the Little Mermaid before turning her attention to General Fallon and the Giants. "Now then, on to business. Giants of Giant's Land... I am Ursula, Witch of the Seas and the future ruler of the Oceans. I have a proposition for all of you." These words caused random giants to start talking to themselves.
"Another sea person?"
"Looks and smells like a human to me."
"Maybe she's hiding her tail somewhere like the other two are."
"Well than your future highness," Fallon said as he stood with his brothers, "What is the proposal of yours?"
"It's actually quite simply... I will lead you to the beanstalk... The beanstalk that I grew on the Earth below us and your way down as you put it and I will give you the land to rule as you please," Pacifica/Ursula explained the terms of her deal with the giants, "In exchange, you will help me acquire the Three Hearts of the Sea and leave the oceans alone for me to rule over." This caused a large number of giants to grin at this deal as they chattered among themselves.
"BEAN- HMMPphh," Jack exclaimed before his mouth was shut by Arista leaving all three viewers covering each other's mouths to keep themselves silent.
"Why should we believe you," Fallon said not trusting the witch, "It was thanks to the Beings of the Sea, the Man Kind, and the Lightning People that we were banished to this place. How do we know that you won't just banish us back to our prison?"
"Prison," Fallon's second head responded.
"Simple General," Pacifica/Ursula responded, "I wish to rule the denizens of the sea. I could care less what happens to the land. But as a show of good faith to you and motivation to hold your end of our deal... Once you bring me the Hearts and agree to leave the oceans alone... I will give the crown."
The caused all the giants to gasp in shock, even Fallon's two heads were taken back by this. Their number one weakness, the one that led to their defeat centuries ago in their hands... "Very well... Your highness," Fallon replied in a cruel tone still not trusting Ursula while she wore the crown, "You shall have your Hearts of the Sea." Then he pointed to Ariel, "But the Princess and her sister where ever she is now belong to me!"
"I'm afraid not," Ursula/Pacifica replied back, "You see she and her sister are the daughters of King Triton, my arch enemy and the descendant of your enemy Poseiden. Both of them will be needed in order to make getting the Trident easier." She then pointed to Eric who was struggling to move, "And this boy is not only the new Seablade Bearer, but also the son of the current King of Atlantis. The Lightning People who helped defeat you before." This caused the giants to glare and growl at Eric. If it wasn't for the crown holding them back, they would've jumped him at that moment. "Once I have the Hearts of the Sea, you can do whatever you like with them. But Trident and her are mine," Ursula responded while looking at Ariel, "You see I too wish to exact my own revenge on her."
"You've gone mad Ursula," Ariel exclaimed getting Ursula's attention, "If the giants return to the surface, they'll consume everything! Including the ocean!"
"As I said, what happens to the land is of no matter to me," Ursula responded, "And once the Three Hearts are mine, I won't need to possess this girl any longer. She, the rest of the humans, and the Atlanteans can be eaten by the giants for all I care!" Ariel was in horror at Ursula's words, "Besides, I have gone mad. After all, this new power has gone to my head," she replied back as she pointed out the crown around her puppet's head.
Pacifica/Ursula turned her attention back at the giants, "Now then," she said getting the giants attention, "Have these two put somewhere safe. Another group of you will form a search party to find the other mermaid out of water. The rest of you... Sharpen your swords, gather your armor, and prepare for battle," Ursula ordered her new subjects, "Tonight we feast and attack the surface at dawn!"
All of the giants cheered in joy at the thought of returning to Earth below, extracting the revenge they dreamt of for years, and devouring the humans they had grown a taste for. Fallon on the other hand was silent as he still remained uneasy about the crown being used on them. But for now, he knew he had to play along.
Back with Jack's group, they continued to look on in horror at the scene before them. "Ursula has lost her mind," Arista said, "They'll turn on her the moment she gives them the crown and then we're all doomed."
Jack and Chamo didn't say anything as the watched a giant take a still caged Ariel and Eric over to Fallon who whispered something in his ear. The giant nodded and headed down a hallway, one that Chamo knew full well where it went. "Uh oh," he said as he looked at the teens, "Let's panic as we go after your friends who are about to live out the giants' worst form a torment," Chamo told Arista and Jack as they headed back into the tunnel as the Giants continued to cheer for their new ruler and her plan.
Next Chapter: The Sidekicks' Troubles; Ariel and Eric's Dinner Date
Hey, I'm really sorry this is late. One of my co-workers left so it's been down to two of us a while. Now I know there are some questions on your mind like Jack and Chamo are so surprised by the beanstalk and what the others are doing. That's in the next part. It was going to be in this chapter, but I looked at it, and I thought it would be too much to read in one setting. So I split it in two. I also want to thank Stone-Man85 for his help again with some of the scenes. If not for him, this might have taken longer. Now that things are calm, I'm going to have more time to work on it again. Happy reading.