010 - Giants by the Sea

They rode south along the coastline, Pa Lund leading and Willis, with Magnus tied behind to him, close behind. The first village they came to that hadn't been abandoned was four hours hard riding from the Alchemists village. Willis traded Pa Lund's horse for a rowboat and the services of a couple of strong fishermen to take them across the straights.

Magnus groaned, tasting blood. His mind swam in and out of focus, every passing second his agony intensified. His skin cracked and felt as if iron barbs beneath his skin were pulling in every direction. Every so often he would be taken by a violent fit of coughing, spitting out black blood over the side of the boat. The salt sea spray stung his eyes and felt painfully raw on his skin.

"Are you sure we're doing the right thing Pa?" Willis watched Magnus with a worried expression. "Maybe we ought to take him back to Kloster, let him rest up and be with his father and mother."

Pa Lund looked out over the sea towards Doohama. "I don't know." Pa Lund scowled. "You hear me Magnus? What would you have us do, boy?"

"Uhh," Magnus looked up bleary eyed. "Uncle, Pa . . ."

"You see Pa? The lad ain't fit for this. Let's turn back, ok?"

"Magnus, lad," Pa Lund crouched down by Magnus speaking softly. "Would you like to go home? Crawl up in your bed and wait to rot away from whatever foul concoction this bloody Alchemist hack has fed you, or would you rather come with me and find the bastard and make him bleed? Up to you lad." Pa Lund sneered at Willis.

"Come now Pa, that ain't hardly fair, I was only . ." Willis said.

"Ahh, Uhhh, Pa," Magnus grabbed ahold of Pa Lund's hand. "I wanna go Pa, I want to go . ."

"Ha! Right!" Pa Lund grinned. "None of that soft hearted tripe, Willis. Can't you fellows row any faster?" Pa Lund looked out across the waves with a grim expression.

The floatilla of mish mash ships and rafts carrying the giants from Kloster were well on their way across the straits, going straight to Doohama. They could just about make them out over the waves, pulling further and further ahead. Magnus shook and his bones creaked with every slight movement of the rowboat. Riding the horse behind Willis had been hell, the jolts and shocks drove spasms of pain up his spine, he'd felt as if his arms would fall from his body, as if his head had swollen three sizes and was ready to be plucked from his neck like a ripe plum. In his mind there were no thoughts of vengeance, no desire to see the Alchemist bleed, he just kept repeating Rolf . . Festus . . I'm not dead . . I must see the Alchemist . . over and over, shivering and spitting up blood under Willis' worried gaze.

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The sun hung low in the day, Pa Lund had had his eyes fixed on the horizon the entire time, the opposite coast line drew closer and closer, they were finally able to make out individual houses and features, see the walls of Doohama. Doohama was nearly exactly opposite Kloster, constructed on a rocky isthmus jutting out to sea. Pa Lund called out "Look! The giants have made land!" As they looked on the sounds of conflict carried over, a distant crash and noise of metal against metal. Black smoke rose from the town, several enormous roars and ferocious battle cries. Pa Lund's hands tightened into fists and he again encouraged the fishermen to row faster.

From above Doohama came an insect buzz, the noise made by a hundred wings - Magnus tried to focus and saw that a black swarm took to the skies from the town. It moved to and fro, diving and swimming through the skies - plunging down to the giants assembled ships. Screams and cries of frustration, the swarm tore through the giants vessels reducing them to driftwood.

"Keep rowing!" Pa Lund roared.

The swarm rose into the air, taking to the skies above Doohama and then shot out like an arrow across the sea - straight towards Kloster. More than a hundred black skins buzzing furiously, ignoring everything the giants threw at them.

Pa Lund and Willis stared wide eyed in shock at the departing swarm. "We have to go back!" Willis cried out.

"It's too late, son." Pa Lund shook his head. "Too late to go back now. Keep rowing."