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Chapter Two:
Shadow of the Giant
The sun was already settling between the snow-capped mountains by the time Thomas and the girls returned to Johanna's cabin. The Woffs were flying outside, their whale calls echoing throughout the valley. Thomas sat at Hilda's window on the second floor, smiling as he watched the magnificent creatures.
"How's the speech going, Thomas?" The man looked down to see Hilda walking over to him. Smiling, Thomas turned his body to sit on the window seat. Allowing Hilda to join him.
"So far, I've got this." Thomas cleared his throat and spoke with an exaggerated, distinguished expression that made him look like a president giving a speech. "'Dear King of the Elves…'"
Hilda laughed at the funny voice he was using. "Stop being silly!"
"You're silly!" Thomas laughed back, tickling her by the neck.
It was then that Johanna came walking over. Smiling happily as she saw her daughter laughing with the young man. It was honestly heartwarming to see them together. "What are you two silly heads laughing about?" She asked.
"Oh, just messing around. I just hope it's good enough for the Elf King," Thomas said, looking at what he had written in his journal. "There's no real way of knowing how the guy would react, so I want to make sure I handle the talks carefully."
"I'm sure you'll do fine, Thomas," Johanna said with encouragement as she placed her hand on his shoulder. However, she looked at her daughter, and her smile dropped. Pulling her hand away, she rubbed her arm, anxious. "But, I've been thinking about this whole situation."
"Don't worry. This meeting will work," Thomas said assuredly.
"I know, but…." Johanna looked to her daughter and back to Thomas, wanting to be careful with what she said next to not to upset Hilda. "Even if it did work, we'd still be around people that hate us. We'd have to be careful where we step. All the while never really being welcomed or accepted by the elves."
"What are you saying, mum?" Hilda asked, confused and worried.
Johanna sighed and placed her hand on her daughter's cheek. "Hilda, all this trouble has made me realize that we're the only people for miles in this whole valley," she said, walking away to stand in the middle of the room. "The only humans."
"But that's what I love about it," Hilda told her mum.
"Wouldn't you like to have some other kids to talk to?" Johanna asked.
"I have myself to talk to," Hilda said with confidence.
"That is sad, Hilda," Thomas said.
"...W-Well, I've got you and Twig," Hilda said, kneeling as the deer fox ran over and jumped in her arms. Licking her face as her mum looked at her sadly.
"Let's take a little trip into Trolberg tomorrow and look around," Johanna insisted. She then looked at Thomas with a hopeful expression. "You think you can give us a tour of the city, Thomas?"
Hearing the beautiful woman ask made Thomas blush. Secretly, he loved the idea of walking around town with Johanna, even if he wouldn't be alone with her. The paranormal investigator smiled at the opportunity to spend time with her. "Uh, yeah! Sure!"
"What?! Mum, no!" Hilda protested, rushing over to her mother and grabbing her arm. "Please, we'll stop the war."
"I know," Johanna said, kneeling down and placing her arms on Hilda's shoulders. "All I ask is that you keep an open mind."
Hilda turned her head to Thomas, still conflicted about her mum's plan and going to see Trolberg. When she did this, Thomas was confused and wondered why the blue-haired girl was looking at him after asking for guidance. However, that's when he remembered how Johanna explained to him that the girl valued his opinion.
So, he said, "Why not give it a chance?"
"You really think that it's a good idea?" Hilda asked, looking unsure.
"Sure, it'll be a new experience for you," he said, giving the blue-haired girl a smile of encouragement. However, Thomas could see that she was still not convinced. "Don't worry. I'll be there. It'll be like our everyday adventures. Only instead of you showing me around, I'll be there showing you around. What do you say?"
Hilda looked away for a moment. "I guess…" she said hesitantly, not sounding as enthusiastic as her mum had hoped. However, the adults looked at Hilda in confusion when she started to scratch her head. "Oh, my head is so itchy!"
"Let me check it," Johanna said, coming over and turning her daughter's head to the side. As she pulled aside Hilda's hair to see what was bothering the girl, Thomas came over with a flashlight and stunned it for her to see better.
What they saw was a titty cat. Just like the mayor's nitten, Angelina. However, this one was much smaller. But then, more of the adorable cats appeared from behind Hilda's hair. Meowing and meowing happily. "That certainly explained the weight loss," Thomas said, plucking one of the nittens from Hilda's hair.
"Do I have nits?" Hilda asked.
"Not nits, nittens," Johanna said, pulling out one of the nittens herself.
A while later, Thomas and Johanna finally removed all the nittens from Hilda's hair. Gathering them all up, Johanna grabbed a shoe box and cut holes in it to allow the nittens to breathe. When she opened it, Thomas gently poured the tiny cats into it.
"There, I think that's all of them," the mother said before closing the box. She handed the box to Thomas and pulled out a book, dusting it off. "Now, I dug up my old Pocket Guide to Trolberg. You can take it on the trip tomorrow." She placed it on Hilda's nightstand, and the young girl climbed into bed. Thomas came over and placed the box of nittens on the other side of her lap.
"How's your head feeling?" He asked, ruffling her head. Making her giggle and push the redhead's hand away.
"It's not so itchy now, Thomas," Hilda said.
"Good. Don't want you crushing any cute kitties with your big head," Thomas said jokingly. He stepped back before Johanna threw the red blanket over her daughter.
"Try to get some sleep now," Johanna said, kissing Hilda on the head, making the blue-haired girl smile slightly.
However, it was clear from where Thomas was standing that the blue-haired girl was still unhappy that her mum was taking her to see the city. Not that he blamed her. It would be a massive culture shock for someone who lived in the woods all their lives.
Thomas smiled assuredly at her before following Johanna out of the room. As they walked down to the living room, Thomas said, "I have to admit, I didn't think you'd be so interested in moving to Trolberg."
"Well, we were just attacked," Johanna said. The two adults sat on the couch together, picking up their cups of tea.
"Don't worry, I'll get the elves to back off, and the two of you wouldn't have to move," Thomas said, sipping his tea.
However, Johanna had an expression of hesitation on her face and looked away for a moment. "Actually…I've been thinking about moving for…a while now."
Hearing the mother say that surprised Thomas greatly. It was the first time he's heard Johanna confess this to him. In the months the paranormal investigator knew her, the redhead's never heard about Johanna wanting to move away from the cabin. Not until the other night when the elves attacked.
"This was my grandfather's house, and I moved in after he passed away to keep it in the family. But…it gets lonely out here, Thomas," she said, somberly looking out the window from the couch. "I grew up in Trolberg before moving out here. Leaving friends and neighbors that I grew up with. And I want Hilda to have a normal childhood. Make friends and go to school."
"Yeah, I've been meaning to ask about where her education was coming from."
"Thomas…"
"Right, sorry."
Johanna sighed and leaned back on the sofa. "Living out here… it's wonderful, and I know that it makes Hilda happy, but I don't know if her growing up in the woods would allow her to have a future. To make friends, have a family and a job, and be happy. I don't know. Maybe this whole elf thing is making me crazy," she said, rubbing her tired eyes, trying to convince herself that her reasons for wanting to move the Trolberg were good reasons. She loved her home in the valley. But the disputes with the elves had put a lot of stress on her mind. Johanna only wants what's best for her daughter, even if it means moving away from the home she loves.
Thomas understood where she was coming from. Johanna was a mother and had to consider what was best for Hilda. "I don't think you should be beating yourself up over this. You're thinking about what's best for Hilda, and that's all anyone could ask for," he said, wanting to cheer her up and make her feel better.
Johanna knew this. He was really a sweet man who listened to anyone's problems. It was one of the many things she liked about him. She and Thomas smiled at one another, before the paranormal investigator noticed how dark the room was getting. He then saw the sun was starting to go down. "Right, well, I should probably head home," he said, drinking his tea before standing up.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you late," Johanna said, placing her tea down and standing up with him.
"Oh, no. It's fine. I like hanging out with you," Thomas said as he approached the door. Opening the door, he looked back at Johanna as she approached him. "And don't worry. I'll stop the war. I promise."
And with that, Thomas left and made his way to his truck. Walking out of the cabin, Johanna stood and watched as he opened the door of his truck and climbed in. She smiled fondly at the younger man as Thomas waved at her and drove off down the dirt road. Knowing in her heart that he would fix this mess. Thinking more about him made the mother blush, as Johanna admired him so much for all he was willing to do for her and Hilda. Turning around, she returned to the house and closed the door behind her.
Only for the door to open again and Johanna to point outside with a sour look. "Out!"
The Wood Man came walking out with a book in his arm. "You let the other one inside." Johanna groaned and closed the door.
The following day, Johanna knocked on the door of Thomas' room.
When the morning came, she and her daughter made the long journey to the city and had to deal with ridiculous traffic getting into the city. It was something that Johanna did not miss about her hometown. However, once they passed through the walls of Trolberg, it was easy to find Thomas' apartment.
"Are you sure that this is the place?" Hilda asked, holding the Trolberg guide her mum gave her.
Johanna looked at the note that Thomas had given her. On it was his address and the room he was staying in. "I'm sure it is," she said, about to knock again when the door opened.
Thomas stepped out and smiled when he saw Johanna and Hilda standing on the other side. "Hey, girls! Come inside," he said, stepping aside and allowing them to enter.
Johanna and Hilda did and looked around at the inside of the apartment. The mother herself was almost expecting the room to be a complete mess, and while it did have some places that were messing, it wasn't too bad. She was surprised to see that the redhead Pines had turned his living room into what appeared to be a workspace, but it was relatively neat. There was a workbench with a pinboard on one side of the room. For his research, the paranormal investigator pinned maps of the valley and Trolberg on its pinboard. On the bench was what appeared to be a specially-made drone.
"Sorry about the mess," Thomas said, closing the door. "I was up late last night and forgot to tidy up. But this is what you'll be getting. Two bedrooms, parking, pet friendly, and you'll be close to a playground. Feel free to look around, Johanna."
"You're sure that it's okay?" The mother asked before looking at him with a smirk. "No underwear on the ground?"
"Oh, come on! I might be out of college, but I was a clean student," Thomas said, smiling as he tried to look offended.
"I'm just messing with you," Johanna said before entering the kitchen to look around.
As she searched around, Thomas felt someone pulling on his sleeve. He looked down to see it was Hilda. "Thomas! You wouldn't believe it! I talked to a giant last night!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.
"Wha…really?!" Thomas asked, squatting down to her height. "You actually talked to a giant? What did they say? What were they like?"
Hilda sat on the couch and explained what she saw to Thomas with a big smile. "Well, he was really tall. As tall as the mountain, with glowing eyes, covered in fur, didn't have a mouth, and a…."
"Long neck?" Thomas asked, his eyes widening as he realized what giant she was talking about. "I saw the exact same giant you saw the night before."
"Why didn't you say something?" Hilda asked.
"Well, we were busy trying to save your house, remember?"
"Oh yeah." Hilda then continued with her story. "He said that he was coming around our home because he was supposed to meet someone. He said it was an old friend. However, I said that he was stood up and should just move on."
Thomas thought about this for a moment before getting an idea. "Well, if he's still around, let's see if this can't help him out," Thomas said, walking over to the large quadrotor drone on his workbench and picking it up.
"What's that?" Hilda asked as Thomas placed the drone on the table. Seeing the drone, Johanna came over to see what it was.
"It's a drone my cousin Sherman made for me. It can map out an area and pinpoint places with anomalous activity," Thomas said.
"That's amazing!" Johanna said.
"If anyone can make it, Sherman sure can," Thomas said, patting the drone on its top. He then grabbed his hat from the table and placed it on his head. "Now, let's go walk around. I've still got to give Hilda a tour."
And so, for the next hour, Thomas walked with the mother and daughter all around the city. As they walked together, Johanna looked around the town with wide-eyed wonder. She'd remembered all the locations from her childhood, and seeing how much they'd changed or stayed the same fascinated Johanna. On the other hand, Hilda was indifferent to the city and mostly read from her guidebook.
"Okay, now this is interesting," Hilda said as they walked past the library. "It says here that Trolberg was built right smack in the middle of land that belonged to trolls."
"That's right," Johanna said, smiling as she thought that her daughter was taking an interest in the city. "It's the reason they built the wall. To keep the trolls out."
Hilda sighed and pouted. "City people are no fun."
"Right, because nothing is more fun than running for your life while being chased by an angry troll," Thomas said, rolling his eyes.
"I know, right?" Hilda threw her arms up, thinking that he agreed with her. Thomas sighed and facepalmed.
Soon they were walking by the elementary school of Trolberg, Edmund Ahlberg Elementary School. Named after its founder, Edmund Ahlberg. As they walked by, the group of three saw that the students were outside in the playground. The two adults stopped at the playground's entrance and watched the kids play while Hilda frowned with her arms crossed, pouting.
"This could be your school," Johanna said, placing her hand on her daughter's head. Hilda raised a doubtful eyebrow at her. "Go ahead, explore the playground."
"Fine, but I'll keep a low profile," Hilda said, walking off with her arms behind her back.
"Said the girl with blue hair," Thomas commented as he and Johanna watched the girl from where they stood.
Hilda walked into the playground, passing by many of the kids who didn't even notice her. With a critical eye, she scanned the other kids around her and noticed they all wore the same clothes: A dirty-yellow colored sweater with a white emblem on the left chest. A white shirt with a collar, worn underneath the sweater, with only the collar visible. Around their necks, the kids wore a red necktie underneath the sweater, and either black trousers, black shorts, or a gray skirt with black leggings.
The blue-haired girl continued walking across the playground when the sound of a bell tolling startled her. Looking in the direction it was coming from, she saw the bell tower at the top of the school.
The kids stopped playing when they heard the bell. Together, they all ran back inside the building.
"Wait! Where's everyone going?" Hilda asked, stopping one of the students.
"Inside. Break's over." The young boy said. He was about Hilda's age and a bit taller than Hilda. He had short brown hair and black dot eyes.
"What's break?" Hilda asked, not understanding the school's rules or how the system works.
"A waste of time if you ask me," said a young black girl with black hair with a light brown highlight that was tied in a tail. "Come on, David."
"What's with that incredibly loud bell?" Hilda asked the two.
"It means time to move it, or you'll be late and in trouble again." The girl said, before grabbing David's arm and dragging him off towards the school.
"Yep! Gotta go!" He said, waving to Hilda as he was pulled away.
Alone, Hilda sighed as she stood in the middle of the playground. As she sighed and looked down with a miserable look on her face, Thomas and Johanna stared at her with worried expressions. "She's…doesn't look happy, does she," Thomas asked.
Johanna sighed. "No…"
When the three of them drove back to the cabin, Hilda was the first to jump out of her mum's car. Thomas saw her and noticed how much happier she was than while in Trolberg. The young man and Johanna exited the vehicle and walked up to the door, with the young mother unlocking the door and walking in first.
Seeing his owners had returned, Twig rushed over to Hilda as Thomas came in after her. Seeing her pet again, Hilda knelt and greeted him with pets. "Twig, it's good to be home, boy!" She said, with the deer fox licking her and running around the blue-haired girl playfully. "I'm telling you two, those poor Trolberg kids live in fear of bells, just like trolls."
Thomas laughed as he closed the door behind him. "Actually, Hilda, that bell lets the kids know their fun time is over. It's pretty normal," he said, walking around her and Twig to stand by Johanna, who was hanging her purse on the railing post of the stairs.
The conversation was cut short when they heard the whistling tune of the Wood Man. Just like always, the intrusive spirit opened the door and walked into the house with an armful of wood.
"Ugh, Thomas. You let the Wood Man in again," Johanna said, annoyed with the Wood Man again.
"Have you ever thought about putting a lock on the door?" Thomas asked as he and the woman watched the Wood Man walk to the living room.
Smiling, Hilda said, "I bet we wouldn't have neighbors like this in Trolberg."
"Exactly my point," Johanna said, holding her arm out to the creature as he made himself home inside her house. Placing the logs that he brought on the pile he made before noticing Thomas's journal on the table. "Civilized neighbors don't walk into your house without asking first."
As the Wood Man walked over to the journal and picked it up, Hilda walked over to him while talking to her mum. "But he's like part of our family. Just like Thomas."
"No, I'm not," said the Wood Man. "Can I have this when you move?"
"That's my journal," Thomas said, crossing his arms and looking at the spirit with a raised eyebrow.
"Then can I have this when you move?"
"I don't even live here."
"And we're not moving!" Hilda shouted at the Wood Man as she grabbed the journal and slammed it down on the table.
The Wood Man just looked at her and sighed. "Fine."
He then just walked over to the rug and lay down.
Johanna rolled her eyes. "It's been a long day. Let's get some rest. Goodnight, Thomas," she said, tiredly walking up the stairs to get ready for bed.
Thomas grabbed his journal and placed it in his satchel. He was about to leave when Hilda turned to the Wood Man and asked, "Have you seen a giant as big as a mountain roaming the valley?"
The Wood Man stood up and faced her. "I don't come here for the conversation, you know," he said. The creature then walked past her and started whistling his tune. This annoyed Hilda very much, as she wanted to follow him.
However, Thomas placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Nope. It's time for bed, Hilda."
The blue-haired protested. "But he could know something about the giant I met last night."
"That's why I'll talk to him. You get some rest. I'll see you in the morning," Thomas said, ruffling her hair before taking off after the Wood Man. Hilda groaned in annoyance. She wanted to talk to the Wood Man.
Closing the door behind him when he stepped outside, Thomas started walking after the Wood Man. However, he first had to step over the houses of the elves. "Hey! You didn't answer Hilda's question," he said. Thomas walked a little faster to catch up with the Wood Man. "Look, me and Hilda have been seeing a giant that's been showing up. Hilda talked to him and said he's been coming back to the valley to see an old friend. You've lived in this place all your life, right? So, you must know what's going on."
However, the Wood Man kept walking, and Thomas followed him.
Thomas continued to follow the Wood Man into the forest, even as the sun descended over the horizon. No matter what Thomas did to strike up a conversation between the two of them, the living wood remained silent. This silence continued, even as they both approached the Wood Man's surprisingly modern-looking home built into a tree. "You know, Wood Man is a long name to say," Thomas said, trying to get a reaction from him. "What about if I called you Woody? What do you say, Woody? Huh? You like that, Woody? You like the name Woody, Woody? Howdy, howdy, howdy."
The Wood Man opened the small door to his home and walked inside. Thomas smiled, thinking that the Wood Man was inviting him in to talk about the giants. However, he was taken aback when the door slammed in his face. Annoyed, Thomas banged his fist against the door.
When the door opened, Woody opened it and looked Thomas up and down. "Oh, it's still you."
"Were you expecting Prince Charming?" Thomas asked sarcastically. "When we first met, you had a book on giants."
"You're very observant."
"Comes with the job," Thomas said with a prideful smirk.
"It's unnerving."
"So is the stuff I investigate."
"Come in." The Wood Man opened the door for him. Happy to see Woody warming up to him, Thomas crouched down and stepped inside the treehouse.
Thomas was thoroughly impressed with the inside of the house. The house was quite spacious on the inside and featured, among other things, a fireplace, a record player, a piano, and an extensive collection of books.
"Swanky crib," Thomas said, looking around as he sat on the couch.
The Wood Man came over with two mugs. When he set one of them down, Thomas saw that he'd filled it with dirt and mud.
"Would you like some tea," the Wood Man asked.
"Tea is soily water with sticks in it?" Thomas asked as the Wood Man walked over to the record player and put on some music for them.
"Why so interested in giants?" The Wood Man asked as mellow music played.
"Because one's been coming around Johanna's house. A huge one, taller than the mountains," Thomas explained.
The Wood Man walked over to a bookshelf and looked at the books on it. "Giants that big haven't walked the earth for an impossibly long time," the Wood Man said. That's when he found the book Thomas was talking about. He sighed with satisfaction and brought it over to the PI. "This is the book you need."
Thomas took the book and opened it. The first page showed him many giants of different shapes and sizes. Some were made of stone, some from the land, and others were hairy.
"These giants were the first things to live in these valleys long before people or guys like me," Woody said as Thomas turned the page, looking at a giant with horns with details about him written down. The more pages he turned, the more information was given to Thomas about each giant. "Hehe, but most people have forgotten—"
"Wait! I found him!" Thomas pointed to the giant he had seen the previous night. "According to legend, 'it was crucial that one giant must, at all times, be sat atop the tallest mountain, a long-forgotten peak in the north. There, he or she would gaze tirelessly into the black expanse, guarding the earth against anything that might threaten from above. Any young giant could be summoned as a guardian, a duty that could last for millennia.' And according to the legend, the last giant to take up the mantle was named Jorgen."
"Well, you found out what you wanted to know?" The Wood Man asked.
"Not really. Where did the other giants go?" Thomas asked.
The Wood Man turned the page for him. "Well, you see, everything started to get smaller," he said, pointing to a picture of giants and a village of humans. Just seeing that village alone made Thomas's heart sink. He's seen this similar story play out over a hundred times when researching races of beings that disappeared. "People appeared and built towns. Giants would accidentally step on them. There were arguments and fights. It just wasn't their world anymore. So they had to leave."
"We…We forced the giants out," Thomas said sadly. "And now history is repeating itself…Johanna and Hilda are the giants, and the elves are the humans. But if the original giants left, then where did they go?"
The Wood Man changed the music to a more jazzy song. "No one knows where they went. Some say they all just jumped as high as they could and drifted off into space."
Thomas questioned the validity of the giants jumping off into space but didn't voice it. One problem at a time. "Then…that means Jorgen's the last true giant on earth. He's been guarding the planet all by himself. For thousands of years, he didn't even know that everyone left without him. Hilda said Jorgen was supposed to meet a friend, but she's gone too. Poor guy's all alone."
"The world became too small for his kind to live in anymore," the Wood Man said, sipping his mud tie. "By the way, how are your negotiations with the elves going?"
"You know about that?" Thomas questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"You're not the only one that observes things."
Thomas sighed and leaned back on the couch. "Alfur's gonna take me to meet their king tomorrow. If all goes well, we can stop what happened to the giant from happening to Johanna."
"So, barging in on people who aren't even your neighbors is your new thing," the Wood Man commented. "I may have to move."
A few hours later, Thomas was once again sleeping in his bed in his apartment. However, at about 5:30, his alarm went off. He opened his eyes slightly and sat up, yawning. Usually, he hated having to wake up this early in the morning. But today was a big day. After throwing on his clothes and having a quick cereal for breakfast, Thomas gathered all of his equipment and gear and raced down the stairs of his apartment. He then hopped into his truck and ignited the engine. The redhead drove off towards the gate of Trolberg.
By the time the truck arrived at the cabin, the sun was climbing into the sky. After parking and stepping out of the car, Thomas was greeted by Hilda, Johanna, Twig, and Alfur, who was standing on the blue-haired girl's shoulder. The little elf was wearing winter clothes and a tiny yellow scarf.
"Alright, let's go," Thomas said with determination as he held his hand out in front of Hilda's shoulder. The elf hopped onto his palm, and Thomas brought him over to his shoulder.
Looking at Thomas's clothes, Alfur said, "Oh, uh, I'd suggest dressing a little warmer, considering our destination." He pointed in the direction of the king's castle.
Thomas followed his tiny little arm, and his jaw dropped. Alfur was pointing to the nearest mountain in the valley, all the way up to the very peak. It was a massive mountain, and it looked as if it was reaching out and was just an inch away from scraping the sky.
"That would have been much more helpful to know beforehand," Johanna commented.
"Don't worry, I've come prepared," Thomas stated with a proud grin as he zipped up his jacket. Walking around to the back of his truck, he opened the tailgate and spotted a duffle bag that was lying on the trunk. Grabbing it and sliding it over to himself, Thomas opened the bag to reveal winter clothes and mountain climbing gear.
After stepping inside the house to change, Thomas reemerged from the house with warmer clothes, including a larger jacket over his leather one, gloves, and mountaineering boots. His grappling hook was attached to his waist alongside a pair of ice axes.
"Alright, I'm off," Thomas said, approaching the girls. Noticing that Hilda looked anxious, Thomas knelt down and patted her head. "It'll be fine. I promise that I'll get the elves to stop."
Not looking convinced, Hilda nonetheless nodded her head.
Thomas then stood up and looked at Johanna. The mother was holding a maroon scarf in her hands and blushed as she smiled at the handsome man. It was a little side project she's been working on for a month, and Johanna had completed sewing it a few days ago. She stepped towards him and held out the scarf, much to his surprise. "I was hoping to give this to you on your birthday," she said.
Thomas took it and smiled as he wrapped the scarf around his neck. Blushing as it not only smelt like her, but also because of how warm it was. "Thank you."
And with that, Thomas began his ascension. Guided by Alfur, he walked up the base of the mountain and headed toward the castle. As the redhead did so, the redhead watched as his hot breath became puffs of smoke. Before, when he was at the cabin, his clothes were toasty to be in. However, Thomas felt his body temperature begin to cool down as the cold air surrounded him and the elf.
Alfur, on the other hand, was shivering as he held on behind Thomas' ear. To keep himself warm, he pulled down one of the ear flaps of the lumberjack hat. Smiling as it gave him some much-needed heat.
About an hour into the journey, the green ground under Thomas' became snow-covered.
Climbing over a ledge, Thomas panted as he looked to his guide. "How much further are we going?" They couldn't go straight anymore because of the cliff before them. Meaning the paranormal investigator would have to find another way up.
Pulling out the map, Alfur looked it over. "Uh, 1,500 elf miles," he said nervously.
"So how many human miles is that," asked Hilda.
"Well, we'll need to do some math, HildAAAAAAAH!" Thomas yelled in shock. To the redhead's shock, the blue-haired girl was standing beside him, wearing her own winter clothes. Seeing Hilda made Thomas's head snap back and forth from her to the cabin. "Wha….how did…when did…Hilda, what are you doing here?!"
"I'm coming to see the elf king, too," Hilda declared.
"What?!" Alfur exclaimed in shock. "No, no, no, no! I only planned for Thomas to talk to the king. He's the mediator."
"But it's my house. Shouldn't I have a say?" Hilda argued. "Please, Thomas, let me come along."
Thomas sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. This puts all of his efforts to save Hilda's home in jeopardy. However, Hilda had a point. She and Johanna should have a say at the meeting. But since Johanna wasn't here, her daughter was the only one to accompany him.
"I should be mad at you, and if I were your father, I'd ground you!" Thomas said, looking at Hilda angrily. The blue-haired girl looked away, upset. "...but I doubt that'll stop you from coming along. And you're right. You do have a say. But you'll let me do the talking and stay back until I tell you to talk. Got it?"
Hearing this, Hilda smiled and nodded. "So, how do we get up there?"
Thomas sighed, puffing out a cloud of hot air as he looked up at the mountain. That was the big question. Typically, on his own, he would be able to scale the mountain without any problems. However, Hilda had complicated things. She didn't have the gear or the knowledge to climb a mountain.
However, the situation came to him when he heard whale sounds above him. Thomas looked up to see a pod of woffs flying in the direction of the mountain. Hilda looked at them before glancing at Thomas. Seeing the look he had on his face made her grow a smile.
"You thinking what I'm thinking," she asked, nudging him.
"Frighteningly, yes," Thomas admitted. He knelt down on the snowy ground, allowing Hilda to climb on his back. The young girl wrapped her arms and legs around him as Thomas looped his arms under her legs.
Then, he ran as fast as he could.
"Thomas, where are you going?" Alfur yelled, trying to hold on as much as he could. Looking forward, he saw that the human was running for the cliff's edge. Making his eyes widen in fear. "Wrong way! Wrong way!"
The little elf screamed as Thomas dived off the cliff, hanging on to the redhead's ear. Together, Thomas and Hilda fell towards the ground as woffs passed them. However, the three of them were saved by a woff passing by. Thomas landed on the back of the flying creature, startling it as it pitched up and flew upwards.
"Whoo-hoo!" Hilda cheered as the woff broke through the clouds. Thomas grabbed onto the ears and steered the woff towards the mountain.
"What are you doing?! Woffs are unpredictable!" Alfur yelled into Thomas' ear. "They mirage willy-nilly!"
"Don't worry. I've got it under control. Hilda, you and Alfur keep an eye out for—Whoa!" Thomas was cut off as the woff angry started flipping and thrashing around. Flying faster and stopping all of a sudden to throw the redhead, the girl on his back, and the elf off its back. "Hang on!"
"He's trying to shake us off!" Hilda screamed.
"Oh, this is why one should never fly without a permit!" Alfur shouted.
"Alright, ride's over!" Thomas yelled as he stood up on the back of the woff and grabbed his ice axes. The woff was heading for the face of the snowy mountain and was about to turn away to avoid hitting it. Thomas took that chance to jump off. He yelled as Hilda and Alfur screamed as he flew across the sky with his arms over his head.
When he hit the mountain, snow was thrown everywhere as he quickly dug his boots into the snow and stabbed the ice axes into the rock. Thomas and Hilda were covered entirely in snow, but as it turned out, they didn't need the tools. They had landed on a ledge and were safe, for now.
Thomas and Hilda popped out of the snow, with Alfur popping out from behind the investigator's ear. The man let out a sigh of relief and stood up. Hilda jumped off his back and brushed the snow off her head. "Well, that was a close one."
"And a lucky landing. Look over there!" Alfur pointed across the ledge. Thomas and Hilda turned around and saw that they had made it.
The king's castle and the elf king were a few meters away from where they were standing. His majesty himself was standing outside the doors, reading a scroll.
"We made it!" Hilda exclaimed, about to run over to the king. However, Thomas grabbed her shoulder and halted her.
"Remember, let me do the talking." Thomas reminded her and started walking towards the dollhouse size castle. Hilda followed behind him.
Together, the three friends approached the king, who hadn't noticed them.
"Uh, hello," Thomas said.
However, instead of a friendly greeting, the king screamed in terror at the sight of the two humans. Cowering at the sight of them, he cried, "The giants, sworn enemies of me and my people!"
"No, no, we're not your enemies!" Thomas quickly said, holding his hands up while trying to calm the king. "We're here to talk to you about that, actually."
Alfur spoke up then. "Your majesty, this is Thomas and Hilda, and they would so appreciate a moment of your royal time," he said, with the redhead nodding in agreement.
However, the cowardly king whimpered and stammered as he shook his head vehemently. He quickly rolled up his scroll and cried, "No! I'm busy, busy, busy! My royal hands are full!"
He then opened the door to his castle and ran inside.
Hilda stared at the castle in disbelief as the cold air blew through her hair. This wasn't supposed to be how the adventure ended. The king was supposed to hear Thomas' speech. He was supposed to stop his people from attacking her home. That way, she wouldn't have to move away from the place she loved. The king was not supposed to be a baby that cowered from her and Thomas. He wasn't supposed to run inside his tiny castle and not listen to them.
Growing angry, she glared at the castle and sucked in a deep breath. Then, Hilda yelled, "YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE HANDS!"
Her voice echoed all over the mountain. However, a moment later, after it had dissipated, the two humans and the elf heard the sound of rumbling. At that moment, Thomas knew what was happening.
"Oh no." Turning his head toward the top of the mountain, he gasped in terror at the sight of an avalanche coming towards him and Hilda. "Hilda!"
Grabbing her, Thomas carried her over to a large rock jutting out of the ground and hid behind it. The two of them held each other tightly, with the man using his body to shield Hilda as the wave of snow came down on them.
Luckily, they were completely safe. Letting Hilda go, Thomas looked at the girl as she buried her face into his chest. When she pulled away and looked up at him, they both smiled in relief. Thomas then reached for his ear and grabbed Alfur. The little elf was fine, if not shaken up a little.
Passing the elf over to Hilda, Thomas stood up and looked around. However, his eyes widened, and his mouth dropped at the sight in front of him. "Whoa."
When the snow came down, it revealed a cave. But there was something off about the cave. It was oval-shaped and tilted a bit to the right.
Stepping out from behind the rock, Thomas stepped towards the cave. "Do you feel that?" He asked Hilda, holding out his hand.
The young girl mimicked him and felt what he did. "It feels…warm," she said, surprised.
"Uh, Thomas, I don't think we have time to explore," Alfur said, nervously looking at the cave.
Thomas glanced at the elf on Hilda's ear before walking over to the cave. The cave seemed incredibly deep and pitched in darkness. "Hello?" He called out, his voice echoing off the unnaturally smooth walls.
The paranormal investigator was about to enter the cave when the mountain vibrated. The rumbling started the two humans and the whimpering elf.
When it stopped, the three of them heard a woman's voice coming from the cave. "Hello. Who's there? Reveal yourself."
Thomas gulped and took a step into the cave. "I'm right here."
"You sound like you're just a voice in my head, that's all."
"Well…" Thomas trailed off as the rumbling started again. However, he was nearly knocked off his feet when the entire mountain seemed to tip over. He heard Hilda's screaming and turned to see her rolling down the sloping ground. "HILDA!"
Luckily, she was stopped by the rock they previously used. "I'm okay!"
The shaking of the mountain was felt all over the valley as trees were knocked over. In her cabin, Johanna was working on another project when she felt the floor shaking.
"Whoa!" She stood up, believing that there was an earthquake. That's when Twig came down from Hilda's room, whimpering and crying. "Twig! Where's Hilda?"
The deer-fox made a slight whimpering sound as he looked at the cabin door.
Johanna gasped as she understood. "Thomas."
As rocks and snowballs rained down all around them, Thomas kept a firm hold on the cave's entrance. "Hilda, come on!" He yelled, holding out his hand to her.
Hilda stood up and was about to walk over to him when Alfur shouted, "The king!" Both Thomas and Hilda turned their heads to the castle, realizing it was sitting on the edge of the ledge. "We have to save him!"
"I'm on it!" Hilda declared.
"Wait, Hilda!" Thomas called out, but she was already rushing towards the king. Forsaking his own safety, he ran after her. Together they dodged falling snow and rocks while running to save the elf king.
However, time was running out. The mountain was cracking and breaking apart. The man and girl's path to the castle was cut off when the ground in front of them split apart.
The two of them looked up at the castle, only to see the ground at the edge give way, making the castle title. To make matters worse, it was still breaking apart. Meaning that in a second, the king would fall down the side of the mountain to his death.
And then, the ground that had held the castle gave way, and the building fell towards the ground.
Hilda gasped and acted quickly. She bravely jumped across the wide gap of the ledge and caught the castle. Landing on the other side, the girl looked inside to see that the king was alright. The inside of his house was a mess, but he was at least safe.
"Quick!" Thomas yelled to her. "Back to the cave!"
Together, they ran back into the cave the voice came from and hid in it. Hoping to wait out the earthquake until it was over.
But what was thought to be an earthquake was far from over.
Johanna and Twig rushed outside as the land around the mountain was cracked and ripped up. With the tremors worsening, she was about to go out and find her daughter, despite the danger. However, nothing could prepare her for what she saw.
In stunned silence, she watched as the mountain lifted itself off the ground with a pair of long, tall legs. Bursting from the snow were a pair of slim arms. As the snow fell off, Johanna watched as the top of the mountain revealed itself to be a humanoid head with snow forming around it in a short hairstyle.
"What on earth is going on here?!" Johanna shouted as she stared at the giant woman in shock and awe. Twig shook in fear as he curled himself around her leg.
When she stood to her full height, the giant woman opened her eyes. "Oh dear," she said, groaning as if she'd been sleeping. She looked around in confusion and worry. "How long have I been asleep?"
Inside her ear, Hilda looked at Thomas with wide eyes filled with shock. "That mountain is a giant!" She exclaimed. However, her expression turned to a look of shame. "Oh no. Do you think that she's Jorgen's friend?"
The giantess was rubbing her eyes when she heard the girl speak the giant's name. "Jorgen? Have you seen him? Am I too late?" She asked, looking sad. "I've waited for so long."
Thomas and Hilda glanced at one another before the paranormal investigator spoke to the giant. "He's been coming here for days. How come you didn't notice?"
"I…I told him not to wait anymore," Hilda said, ashamed of what she had done.
The giantess placed her hand on her cheek. "The snow must have blocked my ears."
Hearing that made Hilda's heart sink even more. Jorgen's friend had been waiting for him. She was here all this time, and Jorgen didn't know, all because she couldn't hear him. "I'm so sorry."
Thomas placed a hand on her head to comfort her when something outside the giant ear caught his attention. He gasped in terror when he saw it was the giantess's finger. Coming to pick them both out. "Move!" Thomas grabbed her hand. Together, they jumped out of the ear before the giant could crush them.
Thomas slid down the snow of the giant woman with Hilda on his stomach, Alfur holding onto her ear for dear life, and the young girl trying to keep a grip on the king's castle. Thomas quickly tried to pull out an ice ax to stop their slide, but it was too late.
Before Thomas could do anything, he and the others slid off the side of the giant woman's shoulder and started falling to earth.
Thinking quickly, Thomas then grabbed his grappling gun. Wrapping his arm tightly around Hilda, he pointed the gun at the giant and fired. The grappling hook shot up towards the living mountain, and for a moment, Thomas thought they would be saved.
However, the rope ran out of line—just inches away from a ledge.
Down on the ground, Johanna could hear the sound of her daughter screaming. She frantically looked around the giant woman, trying to see where Hilda was. However, her heart sank to her feet when she saw her blue-haired girl falling to her death with Thomas.
"NO!" She screamed, tears forming in her ears.
Seeing their last hope for survival slip from his grasp, Thomas could do nothing but hold Hilda close to his chest and turn their bodies around so that his back was facing the ground. There was little to no chance of them surviving, but he would still do something to protect the girl he's come to see as a daughter.
However, just before he was about to meet his maker, a giant hand caught Thomas and Hilda. Saving them before they hit the ground. "Ah, got you."
Thomas looked up and gasped as he saw Jorgen. The furry giant was on his knees and had caught the man and Hilda just in time. Saving them and placing them back down on the ground. Feeling the ground on his back, Thomas sighed.
"Hilda!" Johanna shouted as she ran over to her daughter and friend. From his height, Jorgen watched as the mother hugged both Thomas and Hilda.
"Jorgen." The giantess said, standing behind him.
Hearing her voice made Jorgen's eyes widen. Standing up, he turned around to face the stone giant. For the first time in a long time, he's finally seeing her beautiful face. "Illus, you're here," he said with such joy in his voice. "But how? Where were you on the nights I waited?"
"My love, things got complicated after you left. The little people came, and everyone was fed up and decided to leave or hide. But I couldn't bear to. I came to the spot we arranged to meet not long after you left. I sat down and waited…and waited. I must have fallen asleep at some point," Illus told her lover. Ashamed, she looked away from him, knowing he would be angry with her for not waking up sooner. "I'm so sorry."
However, instead of being angry, Jorgen placed his hand on her cheek and gently turned her head to face him. "You waited for me for 4,000 years."
Illus gently grasped her love's significantly larger hand with her smaller one. "Yep."
The two giants then placed their foreheads together and closed their eyes. Jorgen could only say one thing. "Wow."
With the elf king's castle placed on the ground, Thomas, Hilda, Johanna, Twig, and Alfur stood in the middle of the elf village and watched as the two giants in love hugged one another. They smiled happily, glad to see them reunite.
"So, all this time, she was waiting for Jorgen," Hilda said. "That's insane."
"Love makes us do crazy things, Hilda," Johanna said, placing a hand on the back of her daughter's head. "So, did you talk to the king?"
Thomas nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Well…"
"Oh, um, sir Thomas! Ahem, young lady!" called the king from his castle. Looking at it with confusion, Thomas and Hilda knelt down in front of it. From his royal castle, the king of the elves walked out with his scepter and a scroll in hand. The awakening of Illus brought all the elves outside to see what was happening. However, they never would have expected to see their king. "Giants of the giant home, in light of, um, recent events, I, the king, would like to declare the conflict between yourselves and my people over!" He declared, shocking all of his loyal subjects as he unrolled the scroll to show the contract he's made. "You've shown yourselves to be honorable and proponents of peace. I will speak to the prime minister immediately and inform him of the news."
"It's not official until you sign it," said Alfur, crossing his arms with a satisfied smile
Thomas pulled out a pencil and handed it to Hilda. "Oh, I'm signing it this minute!" She declared, writing her name down.
The moment she did, the townsfolk erupted into cheers and appalled. Filled with joy and relief, Hilda jumped into Thomas's arms and hugged him tightly. Thomas laughed and hugged her back as Johanna walked over to the two of them, smiling happily at his and her daughter's accomplishment.
"We did it, Thomas! We don't have to move!" Hilda cheered.
And then it happened.
SMASH!
Out of nowhere, Jorgen's foot came down on Johanna's cabin. Stepping on the home her grandfather made, reducing it to rubble when he lifted his foot off it. The sight of her home wholly destroyed made Johanna gasp in absolute horror as Thomas and Hilda looked shocked and devastated. "The house! Everything! It's all gone!" Johanna screamed and rushed over to the pile of broken bricks and wood.
Thomas stood up and placed Hilda on the ground. Together, they walked over to the mother as she looked towards the giants.
They didn't stop.
They didn't even seem to care. They just walked away, holding hands.
"They haven't even noticed what they've done," Johanna said, standing up. However, in doing so, she accidentally kicked the side of a home.
"My home!" The elf that lived in the tiny home screamed.
"Oh no! Oh no! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" Johanna said in a panic as she backed away. "Oh God…I didn't…oh God…." As tears started to run down her face, the mother collapsed on the ground and started to sob lightly. The loss of her home had already placed enormous stress and pain on her. Now she feared she might have just started another war with the elves.
Thomas looked at the woman with pity as he knelt down next to her. Placing a hand on her back as she cried. He looked at the cabin the giants had destroyed, and then he looked at the wrecked elf house. It was then that he felt a sense of defeat in his heart. He had failed despite his best efforts to stop what happened to the giant from repeating itself with Johanna and Hilda, even though he did stop the elves. The girls still lost the house.
He looked at Hilda with an apologetic expression. Despite how sad she was to lose her home, Hilda didn't blame him. Wanting to think of a way to cheer the two of them up, Thomas thought for a moment. What could he possibly say to make them feel better after losing everything that they've been fighting to protect?
The truth was there wasn't. All Thomas could do was be there for them in their time of need.
Gently, Thomas took Johanna's hand. The mother stopped crying and looked at the young man with red eyes. The paranormal investigator helped her stand up. Grasping her hand in one hand, Thomas then reached his other out for Hilda to grab. He gave her a reassuring smile and said, "When one adventure ends, another begins."
Glancing between him and his hand, Hilda smiled and grasped his hand. Thomas looked at Johanna and saw her smiling at him gratefully as she wiped away her tears. She nodded and moved closer as she laced her fingers with his.
Together, they walked as Jorgen and Illus walked up to a cliff. Turning to face each other, the two giants kissed one another, then turned, facing the horizon. Holding hands, they crouched down and jumped up into the sky as high as they could with all their might. Disappearing into the great beyond.
"Where are they going?" Hilda asked.
Thomas smiled. "Home."
It took hours for Thomas, Johanna, and Hilda to dig through the rubble of the cabin to find everything that they could salvage. They then loaded it into Thomas's truck while Johanna and Hilda packed all their clothes into their suitcases. When they finished the process, there wasn't much for Thomas to pack into the trunk of his truck. Jorgen had accidentally destroyed everything in the house. The giant had left the small family homeless with little to nothing, except for the clothes on their backs and a few personal items.
After fastening the last moving box down with a bungee cord, Thomas jumped down from his trunk and closed the tailgate. He looked at Johanna and saw her placing her last bag into her car. Hilda was helping her, while Twig was trying to dig through the remains of the house.
Turning to face the young man, she was surprised to see the Wood Man standing a few feet away with an armful of logs. Instead of seeing him as a pest, Johanna walked up to him with a smile.
"For the fire in your new place in Trolberg," he said, holding up the logs to her.
"Oh, thank you," she said, taking the logs from him and walking back to her car.
That's when Hilda and Thomas walked over to the sentient wood. "Found this in the rubble." Reaching behind his back, he pulled out a familiar book.
"My sketchbook," Hilda said happily, taking it from the Wood Man.
"I certainly have no use for it. It smells like troll spit."
Opening her book, Hilda looked at the drawing she had made of Thomas on the first day they met. Her smile turned to a frown as she sighed. "I wish I didn't have to leave here. I'm going to miss all of this," she said, closing the book. Hilda then smiled at the Wood Man. "I'll even miss you."
"Your friend knows where to find me," the Wood Man said, looking up at Thomas.
"Can I expect an interview if I come around, Woody?" Thomas asked.
"No." The Wood Man then turned his head, then his body, and walked away back into the woods.
Opening the door to her car, Johanna called to her daughter. "Hilda, I'm afraid we need to get going."
Hilda looked at Thomas, and the man nodded his head. He watched as the young girl walked over to the car. Then he started to walk back to his truck. However, he was stopped by a familiar voice.
"Thomas! Hilda! Wait!" Alfur yelled, waving his arm at them as he ran over with his tiny suitcase.
Thomas looked down and smiled. "Hey, what are you doing?" He asked, reaching his hand down to allow the tiny elf to jump on his hand. Alfur excitedly hopped on, and Thomas brought him up to his face.
"I've been up all night filling out the required paperwork for travel, and it's official!" Alfur excitedly pulled out a tiny passport and waved it around. "Look!"
Thomas squinted his eyes. "'Northern Elven Counties Passport and Permission to Travel.'"
"I'm the first elf from these parts to visit Trolberg and file reports on life in the big city!" Alfur shouted joyously with a giant grin. "And, if it's not too terribly inconvenient, I'd like to hitch a ride with you. If you don't mind, that is."
"Not at all. It'll do Hilda some good to have a friend from home," Thomas said, happy to have the elf accompany him and the girls. Speaking of them, he turned to the mother-daughter duo and waved as he called out to Hilda. "You hear that, Hilda? You've got a roommate."
A moment later, everyone got into their vehicles and started their cars. Thomas was the first to pull away from the wrecked home and start driving down the dirt road before Johanna followed behind him. The elves of the town surrounding it watched as they drove off. What lay ahead would surely be a massive change for Hilda, and Thomas knew the young girl would have a hard time. But he promised himself that no matter what, he would be there by her side to guide the blue-haired girl.
Before long, the sun was going down when they arrived in the city of Trolberg. The bells were tolling, letting everyone know that it was nearing nighttime and that they should be going home to their families.
Thomas opened the spare bedroom door for Johanna and Hilda in his apartment. Allowing both mother and daughter to enter the small room with a single bed mattress in the corner. The bedroom will be where Hilda will sleep tonight. Her mother took the couch in the living room. However, the mother and daughter only grabbed their suitcases and left everything else in the car and truck.
It was already night when Thomas and his friends arrived at his apartment complex. Due to how late it was, the landlord wouldn't be available until the following day. Johanna still needed to go over her finances to ensure she had the money to afford the floor upstairs and replace all the items they lost in the cabin.
So, to lighten the stress, Thomas had an idea. He'd let Johanna and her daughter stay with him. Just until they could secure either the apartment upstairs or another one if someone else took it by the time Johanna could make the deal. However unlikely that was. However, the woman couldn't say no to a roof over her and Hilda's heads and agreed.
"I know it's not too big, but I hope it's enough until tomorrow," Thomas said, placing Hilda's suitcase down near the door.
"I think it's a perfect size for Hilda and Twig. What do you say, Hilda?" Johanna asked her daughter with a smile. However, her smile turned to an expression of sadness.
Hilda sat on her bed, looking at her sketchbook with a miserable expression.
Thomas and Johanna looked at one another, worried for the young girl. What was supposed to be an exciting new experience for all of them wasn't felt the same way by the one person the mother was doing it for. Together, Johanna and Thomas walked over to the bed. They sat on both sides of Hilda, as her mother wrapped an arm around her. "I know you didn't want to leave, Hilda. But what choice did we have?"
"I know, mum," Hilda mumbled.
Thomas rubbed the top of her head. "Don't worry, blueberry. We'll be able to have our adventures in Trolberg," he said.
"But how? It's loud and crowded here," Hilda said, crawling over to look out the window. "You can barely see the sky, the trees are too small for climbing, and they built a wall to keep out anything interesting."
Thomas and Johanna looked out the window with her as the redhead smiled. "My family has an old saying, Hilda. 'The real adventure is where you least expect it.'"
And Thomas couldn't have been more right.
Outside of the apartment and standing on the roof was a giant raven. With a body that was bigger than a car, it opened its powerful and massive wings. Taking to the dark sky and disappearing into the clouds. Its silhouette was visible when lightning flashed around it.
AN: To everyone that was patiently waiting, thank you. To everyone that wasn't (you know who you are), I want you to know that I view people that ask "When are you going to update [insert story here]?"as scumbags.
Now onto talking about the chapter, and this was fun to write. The moments Thomas and Johanna had were delightful, and we got to see more moments of him being a father to Hilda.
I'll be working on Gem of War and the Seventh Son next. Until next time, farewell.