003 - Giants by the Sea

The recent rains made mud of the main road and marshes of the grass around Kloster. Magnus steered the cart in silence, Willis looked to him as if to say something, but just sighed. The town walls were three metres thick and some ten metres tall, but they'd been made by human hands, before the alchemists and giants came to Kloster. A giant stooped through the high arch, making his way into town ahead of the cart, another two giants stood guard next to the gate, if they stretched out their arms they could touch the top of the wall. Soon! Magnus thought, soon I'll be as big as that, as strong as them!

"Well lad," Willis got down off the cart and untied his pack mule. "I'll be off to see Pa and your dad." Willis hesitated, then said; "Sorry Magnus, I didn't mean to blow up on you like that, it's just, well lad, I'm thinking of what would be best for you! Think it over, talk to your parents. Don't just be rushing into a big thing like this."

"Yes Uncle Willis."

"Just thinking about it, that's all. I'm sorry for bringing up your brother and sister, I didn't mean it like that, they both died bravely, fighting against those monsters."

"I know Uncle Willis."

"Don't be like that lad. Come, give your uncle a hug." Willis received Magnus and gave him a fierce hug saying, "Take care of yourself Magnus. I'll be up at the house for a couple of weeks, don't be avoiding me now."

Willis went into the town up the cobbled main street leaving Magnus to drive the cart along the inner walls to a stable. He parked up in a small stockyard, brushed down the horse, tied the cart to a post, and went off humming through a back alley towards the town center,

Kloster was a large seaside town, its walls built hundreds of years ago to fend of coastal raids and bandits coming down from the mountains. The road run through Kloster, south to the Iron Coast, and north along the Shimmer Sea all the way through the land of Jute. Magnus had been as far north as Plenge to the south, a town a little smaller than Kloster about four days travel down the road. The nearest town to the north was a little further than that, but here and there you could always find a decent roadside tavern or welcome village.

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Up on a rise above the town was the Lord's fort, Pa Lund said he remembered a time that only seabirds and rats lived there. Now, Pa said, the birds had left and only rats stayed. Before Magnus was born Kloster had got a new lord; Baron Tygis. Then came the alchemist and the giants and the war with the black skins. Funny that, Pa Lund had said, bad things always come in threes. He said that an Alchemist was a meddler, that the giants were a plague, and that in his day he could have taken the whole black skin swarm with a hand and foot tied behind his back.

Up ahead rolling a barrel out from a courtyard Magnus saw a tall blonde man and broke out into a run. "Rolf!" He called, "Rolf, terrible news!"

"Magnus!" Rolf set the barrel on a side and looked up puzzled. "News? What?"

"Terrible, just terrible. You won't believe it." Magnus stopped, panting deeply and putting on a shocked face. "It's awful, just the worst."

"What is? What the devil are you on about Magnus?" Rolf grabbed Magnus' arm and shook it.

"I had a word with Festus about the giant treatment, about you and me, and . . . and . ."

"And what? What did he say? Spit it out!" Rolf said frantically.

"He said . . he told me . ." Magnus took in a deep breath, drawing it out as long as he could. "He said we could both take part!"

Rolf stared at him and Magnus grinned, laughing heartily. "You're not kidding?" Rolf said.

"Rolf, my friend, would I ever lie to you," Magnus saw Rolf's frown. "About something like this, at least. You know what this means, right Rolfy?"

"What does this mean?" Rolf replied, exasperated.

"This means we're gonna be giants!" Magnus sang out, Rolf couldn't help but laugh along with him.

"Giants! You and me, ha!" Rolf danced about in joy. "You know what this means!" He called out.

"What does it mean Rolfy my son?" Magnus danced with him.

"It means that you and I are going straight to the Seamaiden," Rolf said.

"Oh aye? Whatever for?"

"To get stinking drunk of course!" Rolf roared, pointing down the street. "Lead on, Magnus!"

"Aye aye!"