Chapter 3

Garen rummaged through his bag as he sorted through his supplies for food. “I should have brought something else; having only bread is going to make me feel sick.” Garen sighed as he looked at his dinner. “Next time I better ask Crystal to help me with the supplies,” Garen thought as he took a bite but flinched from how hard the bread was. “Dammit, it’s bad enough this weather is getting worse. Now I’m also stuck hugging this horse that smelled like hay stack and eating stale bread as hard as a rock.”

As if noticing Garen’s remark, the horse actually stood up and made a whinny sound. “What, did it actually understand me?” Garen thought as he looked up facing his companion. Dumbfounded, Garen was actually about to apologize when he heard the rustling sound of branches behind him.

“Something’s out there!” Realizing the horse wasn’t reacting to him but to whatever was coming their way, Garen turned his head to see what it was. To his shock a shadowed figure at least double his height was slowly making its way towards them from the woods. Alarmed by the intruder, Garen reflexively stood up, sheathing his sword and readied his body for combat.

“Who’s there? Show yourself!” Garen shouted.

But no answer came, instead the figure stopped just before the moonlight could reach its body. “Answer me this instance or I will consider you an enemy!” Garen made his words seem threatening but inside, he felt horrified. “What is that thing; it’s at least double my height. If I made my stance here alone, the chance of me winning is slim or none at all. I’d be lucky if I can get away with only a scratch!”

Garen wanted to flee at that instant but soon realized it was no longer an option for him. Maybe it was animal instinct, or maybe just fear, his horse did not even hesitate in her actions. Within seconds, she ripped apart her tree tied harness with her teeth, the very same sturdy leather harness that would be enough to lift Garen up a tree if needed. Like a mouse fleeing from a cat in fear, the horse that Garen had spent the entire day riding had abandoned him without any care. Galloping at a unbelievable pace down the road, the horse headed back in the general direction of Muhandil.

Garen was dumbfounded as he stood there, watching his one-time companion continuing in her trot without as much as a glance back towards him, “So much for the best horse in the stable!” Garen screamed toward the fading image of the horse. “When I get back home, I’ll be sure to have a few words with Colin!” vowing to himself as he focused his attention back towards the intruder.

“huhuhuh, Yor pet leave yooo,” the gigantic shadow spoke in a mocking tone as it continued to laugh at Garen’s misfortune.

Not daring to reply from the taunts sent his way, Garen instinctively began to slowly step backwards in order to put as much distance between them. As if fear itself had manifested into the winter air, the intruder hastily advanced towards him. Free from the cover of darkness. Garen could finally see the identity of his foe as the moonlights ray illuminated the shadowy figure. Standing at double Garen’s height and with muscles bigger than anything he had ever seen, stood a creature like a moving mountain itself. Commonly known as a mountain Ogre by those with the knowledge, mere sightings of such a being is enough to incite panic to an entire city.

The first thought that came to his mind was “why?” It was common knowledge mountain Ogres lived in this region but they normally inhabited the land further north and never ventured far from their caves. So why did this lone Ogre show up here?

Recalling his memories, there hasn’t been a documented Ogre meeting for decades according to elder Nirin, one of the few people in Garen’s life that he respected and liked. “Remember child, never venture past the Grand Ravine that marked the edge of the empires border. You will be safe as long you stay on the southern side of the ravine where foul creatures never venture past.” A lesson taught to Garen by the elder in one of his many visits with his now deceased mother.

“I need to flee! There’s no way I can win against this thing alone. Even the army needed a full platoon to effectively slay one of these things.” Garen warned himself as fear blossomed inside his body.

“No run, yor can’t get away. Yor fill Grot belly tonight.” The ogre spoke as it slowly raised its arm over its head, readying to smack down on its prey.

Feeling his leg had better sense than his head at the time, Garen didn’t need to think. Leaving everything to instinct, he dodged the oncoming punch of the ogre as it swings past him.

“Grrr, stay still huma!” The ogre roared with saliva flying through the air, clearly angered by Garen’s action.

Noticing his chance, Garen dashed towards his luggage, grabbing the boxed package and anything else within reach. With lightning speed, Garen ran as hard as he could in the same general direction his horse had earlier. Within moments, the ogre has regained its focus, giving chase with both hands reached out, attempting to grab its prey into a deathly hold.

The following scene was terrifying enough that Garen would never forget this encounter in his life. The Ogre had relentlessly chased after Garen for hours through the mountain landscape, ignoring the snow covered terrain like it was nothing. The only thing keeping Garen alive was thanks to his quick wits and the ability to out maneuver the lugging giant.

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“Ogres are sturdy and durable but they are terrible at handling fast change in directional movements. So make a lot of quick turns if you are fleeing for your life,” one of the many lessons taught by elder Nirin. Each time as Garen was just about to fall into the Ogres grasp, he would make a sudden dash in a different direction. Ogre kind could easily outpace humans in a straight run by using its long chubby legs but due to their low intellect, they needed a noticeable amount of time processing information if it occurred too quickly. The extra few seconds that the Ogre wasted in order to refocus, gave Garen a good enough advantage to save his life, despite some near death encounters when he timed his turns incorrectly.

This game of cat and mouse continued till sun rise, only coming to an end when Garen made a wrong turn and was finally cornered against a cliff facing the Grand Ravine. Normally Garen would not have made such a mistake but he was already exhausted from the unrelenting assault of his foe. Realizing there was no place left to run; Garen’s body began to shake uncontrollably from fear. Drenched in sweat as he constantly gasped for air, “Please god if you are out there, help me!” Garen begged to the heavens.

Behind him was an inhuman mountain Ogre, ready to slaughter him for food. Facing in front of him was a ravine so deep, it felt like it reached into the very heart of the planet. It did not matter what choice Garen made at this point, either option was hinting certain death. “What am I supposed to do? If I try jumping down the cliff, I’ll be certain to be crushed from the impact! There’s no other choice, I can only fight if I want to live!”

Garen relaxed his body for battle but suddenly realized something unbelievable in his mind. Garen was still holding onto the boxed packed that captain Ragard had ordered him to deliver! “What am I doing still holding onto this thing when I’m about to be killed?’ Garen didn’t hesitate in his decision even though he realized if by the smallest chance that he lived through this ordeal, he will no doubt lose his job as a sentry soldier. Focusing his strength, Garen threw the package with all his might over the ravine without any regret. “I cannot believe I kept carrying that around, I didn’t even know what was inside, yet I risked my life for something that I didn’t even own.” Garen thought to himself in self-pity.

His foe has already reached where he stood with both fists tightened and ready to slam into his body. Garen had nothing left to do but to steel his resolve and fight. Brandishing his sword, Garen tightened his grip on the hilt for the impending battle. “Come here you disgusting piece of flesh!” I am Garen… Garen Kindred! First of my name and I am no food!” Shouting with so much ferocity, even his foe was startled for a second at the intensity of his words.

“Roooaarrrrrrr” the Ogre’s anger intensified to the point that even its skin began to turn red as the two made contact.

Garen stood his ground deflecting blow after blow with his sword to no avail. With each hit of the Ogre intense attack, the sharpness in his blade continued to dull against the thick hide. “I will not die!” Garen shouted. Minutes later, the once sharp edges of the blade have become scrap metal, dents and cracks apparent all over. With no other option left for Garen, he lunged forward against his opponent, dodging the oncoming punch and piercing the tip of his sword into the Ogres belly hide.

“Rharhaaa, weak huma try to hurt Grot.” The ogre laughed in amusement as it grabbed the blade with its hand, snapping the metal like nothing.

“This is it; even my sword is no more.” Garen thought to himself as he held the hilt of his now broken weapon.

Garen struggled and flailed with his body as he was lifted into midair, coming into close contact with the ogre’s mouth. “No I do not want to die!” Garen screamed with tears in his eyes and the feeling of wetting his lower parts. Unknown to Garen in his panicked state, the skin of the Ogres face was much thinner compared to the rest of its body. If aimed at, it was even possible to penetrate into the skull with his damaged sword.

In one of his random slashes during his struggle to break free, Garen threw his weapon out of panic, piercing into the left eye of the Ogre. Blinded by rage as blood poured out of its eye sockets and the immense pain not commonly felt in its life, the Ogre slammed Garen into the ground. Bruised and frightened as pain lanced through his injuries, Garen could only crawl on the ground towards the edge of the cliff as the Ogre refocused on him.

Images of his life flashed across Garen’s mind, both the good and the bad. Knowing the impending gruesome fate awaiting him if he stayed put, Garen used the last of his strength in his bloodied arms, pushing himself over the cliff to meet his demise. Midair, Garen could clearly see the Ogre in all its rage looking straight at him atop the cliff. “Ha, dam beast. Even if I die I won’t give you the pleasure….” Garen’s thought wavered as he began to lose consciousness. All the while his body continued to plunge toward the depths of the Grand Ravine into the heart of the darkness.

End Chapter 3