The dove flew ahead, its white feather flattering along with the wind each time it moves its wings. Behind it, Darius and Brennan followed closely to make sure not to lose sight of their guide.
Darius sighed deeply, the sight of the seemingly end forest gets tiring over time.
"How far do you think we will need to travel?" Brennan asks, looking at his companion in the corner of his eye.
"I'm sure really, Cernunnos just said south but not how far. I think we will just have to follow the guide and see where it will take us."
"We are traveling west though," Brennan noted.
"We did meet Cernunnos in the forest the Slazgo, so maybe he meant. We will travel south from Slazgo."
"Maybe…"
However, to their surprise… the dove turned south upon reaching the clearing just before the bridge.
At that moment, Brennan felt his guts turn. His eyes widen and his heart started founding, this is a path he never thought he will ever take again.
"There's a path here?" Darius asked, his brows knitting together.
"Yeah," Brennan replied bitterly.
"Let's just walk, it's too dangerous to go through this path on horseback," Brennan suggested, his gaze falling into the cliff beside the grass-covered path. The darkness of its depths calling his name.
This is a painfully familiar place, a path that he once took along with his old friend Robbie Hunter.
As they dismounted the horse, the dove immediately flew in their direction. Comfortably sitting atop Brennan's head.
'The poor thing must be tired,' the young man thought as they walk along the path.
Nostalgia spread like wildfire in Brennan's mind as they continued along the path. Seeing the huge tree that was blocking their way, he remember that time when he slipped and almost fell into the cliff.
"We should go around the tree into the forest," he suggested.
"Of course, or would you take the other way? Climb over those thick roots and risk falling into the cliff," Darius chuckled.
Brennan remained silent because he once did take that route.
'Scared?' he remembered Robbie provoking him after he successfully climb over the tree root and safety landed on the other side.
Unconsciously, Brennan chuckled. 'That psycho,' he thought as he remembered his friend.
"Are you alright?" Darius asked.
"Ah! Of course. We should hurry," he exclaimed.
After following the path beside the cliff, they reach the clearing of the forest. Now standing in front of the young traveler is a vast open field and in the distance, Darius could see a small town.
"I didn't know there's a town here," he mumbled under his breathe.
"It's abandoned though," Brennan stated.
"You've been here before huh," Darius concluded.
"Yes, when I was traveling with Robbie. That town had burned down and became a home for a family of cannibals."
"Do we have to fight them?" Darius asked.
"No, they were already dealt with. The royal knight was seeking them like hounds, we just happened to be there." Brennan decided to leave the part where they fought those people, the knight only arriving after the battle.
"It's probably empty now."
The dove flew in the direction of the town, making Brennan sigh. Why does it have to be this route? He asked himself.
As they got closer, Brennan finally realized the changes in the town. It was no longer dead, the burned down buildings are now rebuilt, the thick grass growing in the pavements are now weeded out. And most importantly, stores lined the stone path while people walk back and forth. Lively chattering hit his ears as the people offered goods and the others made their purchase.
It was almost like a dream because the last time he had seen Bell town… it was barren with nature starting to retake the place. After the fire that burned the town, people left and abandoned it.
But now it is so much better… so much so that he almost failed to recognize the place.
"Travelers ey?" a man called their attention. "Do you need to replenish supplies?" he asked.
"No, not really," Darius shook him off.
"I'm curious… since when did people start living in Bell town?" Brennan asked.
"Ah, that… you know what happened huh. Well, word has it that the royal knights had passed through the town during an excursion. Deciding that the town is still livable, they proposed to re-establish the town." The stranger explained.
"I see…" Brennan muttered.
'They hide the fact that it became a home for a group of savage killers huh. But maybe that's for the best.'
"Thank you but we must be going," Brennan nodded politely.
"Of course, of course!" the stranger exclaimed as they head forward, just like before following their guide.
Eventually, the travelers exited the southern gates of Bell town leaving the lively place behind them.
Unfortunately, as the town slowly shrinks in the background…
A figure leaped out of the side of the road, taking the travelers by surprise.
Standing at the dusty road- blocking their path. Is a giant at least twice Darius's size, with dark brown rough skin, a massive deformed body full of well-toned muscles, a bald head with only a few strands of hair hanging out, crooked fingers with dirty yellowish nails, and a huge nose with flaring nostrils.
"So you're the rats Balor was talking about," he chuckled. His dark eyes squinting with joy and excitement as if he was already anticipating their death.
Taking the clove next to him, the giant swing it to his shoulder where it now rested. "I hate to say this but you won't make it your destination, the little lady was very irritable. She only wants her toys with her so I have to guard and keep you in the distance."
"Who?" Darius said bitterly his purple eyes glaring at the monster.
"I can't say much because we were told to keep everything a secret. But that doesn't matter, because at the end of the day I will be crushing your skulls leaving nothing but a splatter of blood and brain in the side of the road for the worms to feed on." The giant said enthusiastically as if the picture he painted in their minds was something to be happy about.
Brennan could feel his back shudder by the thought alone, such a massive creature will be a tough opponent.
"What a shame…" Darius begun.
His eyes suddenly sparked with a dangerous light, like a crackle of electricity. A sly smirk presented in his thin lips, "You won't be able to back those words with actions." He said, taunting the giant.
His insult made the giant angry. Its eyes grew red, teeth gritted, and a huge vein popped in its temple.
"Why you!" The giant raised its clove, its huge shadow creating a shade big enough to keep both of the young travelers hidden from the sun.
"Scatter!" Darius commanded, kicking Brennan's horse in the right direction. While his horse headed in the other.
From the sound of his voice, the stallions immediately galloped away. Just in time before the clove hit the ground, with so much force it created a big cloud of dust and a strong blast of wind.
If that landed in either of them, they will be turned into a pile of human mush.
'Keep distance and just provoke it for now. Those things have a lot of strength but have too little brain.' Darius reminded himself.
Raising his hand, he signed at Brennan telling him to go forward. Maybe… just maybe, if they decided to run it won't pursue them.
But to his disappointment, the giant persisted. Running at a terrifying speed in his direction.
Darius could feel his stomach turn for a summersault as he watch the giant close the distance. His once pinkish face, turned into ghostly white as the blood drained from his cheeks.
"Don't chase me! Go chase the other one!" he shouted at the giant.
"What the fuck!" Brennan shouted from the other direction, his reaction almost made Darius laugh.
"Go!" Darius shouted, yet the giant remained persistent in its trail. Just because of an insult it was hell-bent on taking out Darius first.
The giant kept gaining speed, that distance between them now hardly a meter.
"I'm going to rip you to pieces!" the giant announced making the butterflies in Darius's stomach go wild.
Making a terrible mistake, Darius turned to look at the giant. Its bared teeth are so dirty their in a shade between yellow and brown. Its brows are furrowed together, while its eyes are glaring dangerously at him.
Darius cringe, he never wished for anything to the gods before… but this time he did.
'If I'm going to die, please not from his bite. The last thing I want is to die with his breath the last thing I would remember.'
"Speed up!" Brennan told him.
"I'm trying!"
An arrow whistled into the air, the weapon going straight into the monster's face.
The arrow embeds itself into the monster's face. But it didn't even flinch neither did it stop running.
'What in the world!' Brennan regrets not using the exploding arrow. But he has to use them sparingly, there are only a few of them.
Brennan shot another arrow, this time it landed in the giant's chest.
But just like before, it didn't appear to be affected, the resistance to pain is just too high.
"You're annoying!" the giant shouted.
"Oh no" Brennan uttered, his eyes grew big as the giant changed its course.