Mathis stood against the wall of the tunnel that led to a room lite by torches. The glow washed down the walls and allowed both Mathis and Kraygoss to see. It also allowed them to move unseen as the hall was not lite hiding them. Both moved slowly and would stop if there was noise. Trying not to cause an echo through the hall as it was made to accommodate a giant. Mathis had a laugh in his head as he walked forward. He felt as though he had shrunk. While Mathis and others made their houses from materials around them, these giant literally made their house into a mountain. As they were approaching the opening he could see that a room opened up and show cased a large chandelier lite with many candles, which to Mathis looked like torches a man would be carrying around.
Mathis stopped just before getting to close to the opening. He made a hand gesture towards Kraygoss to lay down and hold his position. Suddenly the ground shook slightly and Mathis braced himself. Through the opening, a giant passed by and blotted out the light. Now Mathis had a chance to see this giant. It was stout in the face. A long slopping pointed nose and hair that grew in stiff forms of fibers just on the top of its head. They were bent back and then flowed down the back. He caught a glimpse of its eyes and saw that they were orange with a black pupil. Its body was stout from head to toe. Strong for certain, but it was twenty foot tall being making him even more dangerous. Nothing in Neilbring had been seen by Mathis before. He was curious as to why they had never been seen before.
Mathis needed to move forward and get on through this place. The fortress that he wanted to recon was still a long ways away. These creatures were definitely not some that he wanted to cross but going through here would be a faster route and safer to some degree. The climb over the mountain would be cold and slow. Then there would be creatures of a terrible temper out there to confront. Possibly getting in here and moving through here would be easier. He didn’t know if he would have got another chance to get in. Mathis realized as well that he wasn’t breathing hard. There was no signs of the fog here in this place. Mathis laid down and crawled to the opening to look about. Once there he looked about the room. There was no sign of any of the giants. He popped up and motioned for Kraygoss to move forward with him. There was a large table in the center. Mathis then looked up and saw the chanticleer. Then wooden beans as supports. He smiled finding what he was looking for. He looked right and there were columns that jutted out of the wall evenly spaced about the room. A man’s room would be made of small bricks and such, but here they were boulders to Mathis and Kraygoss. They ran to the nearest one and started to climb up.
Foot holds were easy for Mathis, but Kraygoss was having a harder time. Mathis stopped at one point and grabbed a rope from the pack. The looped it around his right shoulder then it went under his left arm. He then attached it to Kraygoss. Helping him gain a better footing and pull him up slightly if he slipped. Mathis knew however if Kraygoss did fall then both him and Kraygoss would be traveling to the floor. A floor that was fifty feet in the air. Sweat was pouring off his face making the climb. Kraygoss was standing straining to stay on edge. “Good boy”, said Mathis. Mathis felt the wall vibrate once more. He gritted his teeth. They needed to hurry and reach the beam, but the rocks were growing smaller and places to grab were getting far and few between, especially for Kraygoss. Mathis moved on up but found that the rope that he tied to Kraygoss did not follow. There was no spot to for him to move up. They needed to make another ten feet before they could make a jump to the support beam. The wall was starting to vibrate stronger, as a giant was starting to coming to the room.
“Come on boy just a little more”, said Mathis. Mathis freed his rope of Kraygoss and then climbed a little more up. He then jumped and landed on the beam. He turned and Kraygoss was moving up a little more. He then stopped and jumped himself to the beam, but landed on the side hanging on barely. Mathis jumped forward and grabbed at him, but he was too big. Mathis grabbed furiously, but couldn’t hold on to him. Kraygoss fail and landed on the table. The fall wasn’t too bad for Kraygoss, but now he was exposed to the giants. Mathis slammed his fist into the beam. Just then the giant entered the room. He jumped back at see the beast on the table.
“Well fella, I guess I see who was making all those tracks at the front of the gate. How’d you get all the way up here, and how did you get in here”, asked the giant? He moved slowly towards the table with his hand out towards Kraygoss. Mathis stood and drew his sword. Grabbing the rope he looked around for something to lash it to. Mathis found a stump on the beam, which he then noticed was a whole tree. Lashing, he then squatted and readied himself.
As the giant moved forward, Mathis leaped off the beam and held onto the rope slowing his decent. He landed on the table rolling forward towards the giant. The sword was drawn and then his other as well. “Bring harm to him, and you shall see what I’m capable of in bringing harm to you”, said Mathis. The giant took a step back. “You came out of nowhere”, said the giant. “Why look up when you are the tallest thing around”, said Mathis. “Ha, Hahaha”, the giant laughed, “I’ll have to remember that one, but seeing how you are an intruder in my home, I’ll ask a question before I dispatch you.” “There are two of us, and I assure you that we have taken down larger”, said Mathis. “Maybe, but it won’t be just one of me that you will be dealing with”, said the giant. Then suddenly the ground started to rumble and out of the other halls came more giants till the room was filled. Mathis and Kraygoss looked around, knowing that this might not have been the best of moves to make.
“Well now, looks as though you and your friend there are in tight spot”, said the giant. “We’ve been in worse for certain. Fighting the Dark One, Bragone, one on one is definitely harder than this. Though we are still alive after that”, said Mathis not faze nor afraid. “Bragone, a name that has not been heard in these walls in long time. You fought him, hard to believe that and to still be breathing. Further yet still be someone of a good nature”, said the giant. “Far better than most, I am a good person, though some would say I’m dangerous and a rogue, but that’s my life. I am alone in this world”, said Mathis. “Might we get a name of the person and animal that have invaded our home? For us you are a rat, mouse, pretty much a pest, and we don’t abide by pest”, said the giant. “Oh, I’m a pest alright, but one that will cause death more than annoy, but if it is a name you want then I go by the Harbinger”, said Mathis. The giants in the room started to murmur about. The one giant that Mathis was speaking to raise an arm to quiet them. “The Harbinger, you say. I find that hard to believe such a person is still alive and would find his way here. I mean what is there to find here”, asked the giant? “Believe what you want, but that’s who I am and, as for what I’m doing up here, let’s just say I’m making sure that history doesn’t come back to haunt us”, said Mathis. “Ah, the old abandoned fortress of the orcs. I see, you have come to see about it”, said the giant. “Could be, but maybe this is the place that I should be seeking out and looking to”, said Mathis. “Hah, we are no friend of any orc, goblin, or dark creature. We are Grandire, the giant folk of the dark wood, or Phantom forest. We have lived here forever taken care of the forest, even in times that Bragon the Dark one was alive”, said the Giant.“ “How is it that we have never heard of you or seen you”, asked Mathis? “Most likely it’s because we never leave the woods. It is our home and we maintain it. Without us then it would have permanently turn to the Phantom forest. The very reason I bet you kept seeing the forest shift and change in front of your eyes was because we did that. We are still fighting the dark magic that hold it grip here”, said the Giant. “Then friend of foe, as I am a solider of light. I was there the day Bragone fell and when the great war chief of orcs cried out in death”, said Mathis. “I guess that’s to be determined. We cannot trust people from the outside. The darkness here is always trying to rid us, but our magic is strong and powerful”, said the Giant.
Mathis relaxed and through both his swords to the table that he and Kraygoss stood down. “I’m here to help in any way that I can. I have come to find the source of the Darkness here and put an end to it”, said Mathis. “Put an end to what, we haven’t been able to stop it for all this time, what makes you think you can”, said another giant. “Quiet all”, came a voice from the back. Everyone started to part as an elderly giant with a staff started to walk forward. “It’s been a long time Harbinger. I’m glad to see you one last time in my lifetime”, said the elderly giant. Mathis looked at him as he walked forward to the table and then stopped. He wasn’t quite sure who this giant was, but he was familiar. “Yes it’s been a long time. A lifetime for me, but for you time has not changed. You would have a hard time recognizing me at this size, but when you knew me I was but a solider at the start of the war. I would have looked like a very young Draksin, and very tall for my age. There was battle for a great beginning, but it was for not”, said the giant. Mathis started to think and then memories started to flow back. “The Black Rebellion”, said Mathis. “Yes, our first attempt to over throw the Dark One”, said the Giant. “An attempt, yes, but nothing more. That day we saw how powerful he really was”, said Mathis. “Indeed, but it was you who showed up and saved countless lives, Mathis”, said the giant, “The day the Harbinger was born.” “You were there”, said Mathis. “I was and I will never forget you. You actually saved many of my kind. Most here are part of that line that you saved. We hid, and have been hiding ever since. The great war took place and we stayed out of this one. Not because we wanted to but because”, Mathis stopped him. “Because, the Dark One knew something in you all that could have helped him stay stronger than ever. You all possess an ancient magic, not strong in the manner of power, but everlasting. It had the markings of the beginning of magic, and was going to be key in a plan he had”, said Mathis. “Indeed, my friend and ally of the Grandire. Let me be the first to welcome you to the Great hall of Hiredome”, said the Giant.