“Say, you wouldn't happen to know about a Giant that is known by the name Belaran?”

  “Belaran, yes that is the name of the Giant we are asking about.”

  “Oh we already asked that earlier today?”

  “What? No, we are not agents of Belaran. Or any other Giant or Titan for that matter!”

  “Oh you have heard of him!”... “Wait what name did you say again?”... “Oh no we are looking for Belaran, not Belenfant.”

  Location after location and place after place that they went to Livia and Corin kept getting the same reactions to their question.

  “Who is that?”

  “Why do you care?”

  “Are you working for him?”

  “Can you repeat that name again?”

  But ultimately it always boiled down to the same set of responses.

  “Nope, don't recognize the name.”

  “Can't say I've ever heard of Belaran.”

  “No.”

  “Nope.”

  “Oh wait a minute, Belaran, Belaran… no I can't say I have heard the name before.”

  So now they found themselves in a worn down establishment. Besides the couple there were only a handful of others. A robed gesherin that seemed surprised by Corin and Livia when they entered, who seemed to own the place, a sparrowling that was loudly snoring in a corner, and a human who seemed to be in the midst of a conversation with himself.

  The gesherin approached the couple, his large eyes teeming with concern.

  “Is, um, is there a-, a-, anything I can help you with?” The gesherin asked as he looked around.

  Corin and Livia looked at the gesherin with a puzzled look. Could it be that he was in danger?

  “Well we have been going around Yranto in hopes of learning something about a Giant.” Corin asked.

  “Oh dear me, a-a-a-a, a Gi-, a Giant?” The gesherin replied as he looked at Corin and Livia.

  “Are you alright?” Corin asked. The gesherin quickly looked at the snoring sparrowling and looked back at Corin.

  “Is he threatening you?” Corin whispered as he put his hand on his blade.

  “Oh dear me, nuh-no.” The gesherin reacted quickly, throwing his hands in the air. “No, I’m sorry I am just not go-, good at talking to, um, to customers. I, I, try to help with this establishment, but it just isn’t for me!”

  “Well I guess that explains why it is so empty.” Livia mentioned.

  The gesherin’s face instantly scrunched up. The comment hurt him more than Livia could have foreseen.

  “But honestly we have walked around a lot of different places tonight, and a lot of them were pretty empty as well. It’s not just here.” Livia quickly followed up. She looked at Corin hoping that he would jump in and help her here.

  “Huh?” He replied, but he quickly caught on.

  “Oh yes for sure!” Corin quickly added in. “This is not the only place that we have seen that has been empty. Yes, no a lot of them were.”

  That was not the truth. But the words seemed to bring some comfort to the previously hurt gesherin.

  “Oh dear me. I, am, I am, wait, wait” The gesherin stopped talking for a second. He turned around.

  “Jaco we already spoke about this.” The gesherin seemed to be speaking to no one in particular. “Jaco when talking to others you need to focus. Focus, Jaco, Focus!”

  The gesherin turned around.

  “I am on-, only here to help my sister, it’s he-, her name on the outside, Jeinna. She would normally run this es-, es-, establishment, and when she’s here it is a lot busier. Much, um, much-” Jaco took a deep breath. “Busier! But yo-, yo-,your words really help! I thought I was do-, doing a terrible job!”

  Corin looked around at the nearly empty establishment. He had nothing to say.

  “No, no.” Livia spoke up. “Not at all!”

  “I’m sorry.” Jaco replied. “You are not here to listen to, to… to me complain. You were asking about a um, um, a Giant” Jaco whispered that last word.

  “Oh right.” Livia said. “We are looking for a Giant named Belaran, I suppose you have never heard of him?”

  Jaco listened to Livia with his eyes closed. He took a deep breath.

  “No.” He said and he opened his eyes. He seemed proud that he was able to provide a response to a customer.

  “Oh I see.” She replied defeated.

  “M- m- may I ask something?” Jaco asked in a very polite tone.

  “Um sure.” She answered.

  “Why, um, why are you looking for a Gi- Giant? Do you ha-, ha-, have a deathwish or something?” Despite his anxiety Jaco seemed concerned for his new patrons.

  “Why are we looking for a Giant?” Livia repeated the question back to Jaco.

  “You don’t need to look for no Giant!” The other human shouted.

  They all turned to look at him.

  “He’s right out there!” The human shouted as he pointed outside the establishment.

  “You think we’re safe from him? Just because we have these big walls? They are right there! We’re only safe while their appetites keep growing! Pretty soon they’ll be eating you, him, him, even him and me!” He kept shouting as he pointed to everyone in the room.

  The sleeping sparrowling looked up but quickly proceeded to fall back asleep.

  “I’m- I’m sorry don’t mind him. He, ah, he is quite nice, but can ah, have some moments.” Jaco replied.

  “When they’re eating all of us, you won’t think I’m crazy anymore!” The human said, and abruptly quieted down.

  As soon as he did, it seemed as if something inside him changed. He looked around him and quickly left the place.

  “Oh that was something.” Livia said.

  “Yes, um, th-, that was Penpen. He's um, al- always saying things like, um, like, um, like that. Um, you um, you know about Giants.” Jaco whispered the last word.

  “I don't blame him.” Corin spoke up. “Titans have traumatized furtives for millennia. It's a wonder we're not all like him.”

  “Oh, um, of, of co- course. I agree.” Jaco said as he nodded.

  Livia spoke up, focused on a different topic.

  “But you wanted to know why we were looking for a Giant?” She asked.

  “Oh, um, yes, I guess I do.” Jaco said. “I- I just think it’s, um weird. Aren’t Giants da-, da-, dangerous?” He whispered the word Giants.

  “Oh, yes they are dangerous.” Livia began as she thought of how to answer this question. “But this Giant has something that we need.”

  Jaco was taken aback.

  “Re- Really?” Jaco asked. “A Giant ha-, ha-, has something a furtive wou-, would need? Is it, is it a loved one?”

  “No, it's not a person.” Livia began. “It's, how can I explain it? It's more of a tool. A very unique tool that only this single Giant possesses.”

  “Oh de-, dear!” Jaco sounded interested. “A to-, tool that you ne-, need? How did you, um, you learn about it, and, and this Giant?” Jaco still whispered the last part. He came in real close to say something to Livia and Corin.

  “Wa-, wa-, was it from Giant script?” Jaco whispered the question.

  “You know about their languages?” Corin asked as he shot up from his seat.

  Jaco seemed scared by Corin's suddenness. Upon seeing Jaco’s reaction, Corin sat down.

  “Sorry, I got too excited. But you know of Giant script?” Corin asked.

  “So, so, so I was right?” Jaco asked. “You, you read about it?”

  Livia and Corin exchanged looks. It was clear this furtive knew a lot more than he initially let on.

  “Well you’re partially correct.” Livia began. “This tool was written of. But it wasn't in Giant script. It was written in Dragon script.”

  “Oh dear!” Jaco exclaimed. His face lit up when he heard Livia's words.

  “A-, a, a-mazing!” Jaco continued. “I, I, I also know some, some of the dragon script!”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  “You also know it? You mean to say you know Giant script as well? Do you know Leviathan script?” Livia asked.

  “Oh, um, no.” Jaco replied. “Ge-, ge-, getting any surviving writings from the Le-, Le-, Leviathans, it's ju-, just not easy. Bu, bu, but I do, do have some dragon and giant scr-, scr-, script writings.”

  “And none of them mention Belaran?” Livia asked.

  “Oh, um, well, um, you see, although I'm very co-, confident in my ability to read Gi- Giant script” he whispered Giant “I st- st- struggle with Dragon script.”

  “Where do you have these scripts?!” Now it was Livia who shot up. Unlike Corin she was right up on Jaco’s face.

  “Oh dear!” Jaco exclaimed.

  Corin had to get up and pull his wife back. “Livia, you're scaring him!” He said.

  “It's, it's fine.” Jaco replied. “I, I am more than ha-, ha-, happy to help! I have th-, th-, them in my room!”

  “Is that here?” Livia asked.

  “Oh no!” Jaco replied with a laugh. “You re-, re-, really are not from around here!”

  Livia and Corin were confused as they looked at each other.

  “All ge-, ge-, gesherin live underground!” Jaco looked around his establishment. “I guess, um, that it wo- would not be an issue to go now. Are you fo- fo- folks ok with that?”

  Before he was done talking Livia was already leading Jaco out the door.

  “Ka-, Ka-, Kadus please watch this place in my stead!” Jaco shouted to the snoring sparrowling.

  “Sure thing Jeinna.” The tired voice said.

  The snoring continued shortly thereafter.

  ***

  The streets were lit by fires, light fruits and the moonlight in the middle of the night as Corin and Livia followed Jaco.

  Despite the time of day the trio found themselves in, the streets of Yranto seemed as busy as ever.

  “So have you lived here your whole life?” Livia asked Jaco.

  “Oh me? Oh dear! Of, of, of course you are ask- asking me hah.” Jaco laughed. “I'm, I'm sorry you ca-, can see that I am, not, not very used to conversation. Yes, yes, I have lived in Y-, Yranto my entire life.”

  “Interesting. Up until a couple of days ago we had never even heard of Yranto.” Corin replied.

  To this Jaco laughed. Corin and Livia did not understand what he found funny.

  “Oh dear!” Jaco seemed to have realized his blunder when they did not laugh along with him.

  “I, I, thought you were being facetious! I th-, tho-, thought all furtives on the co-, co-, continent knew about Yranto!” Jaco said, aghast at the thought that he might have insulted his new friends.

  “We're not from the continent.” Livia said with a smirk.

  “Wh-, wh-, wh-, wh-, how is that even possible?!” Jaco was close to being knocked to the ground at the revelation. He stopped in his tracks to look at Corin and Livia closer.

  “We're still furtives you know.” Corin said with a laugh. “Nothing really different here.”

  “A-, a-, amazing!” Jaco said with a large smile.

  Jaco continued leading them through the maze-like streets of Yranto. Despite his anxious personality he was able to maneuver the congested streets deftly. It reminded Corin of the clean shaven agent, Riccus, he had been following earlier in the day.

  They found themselves now in a less congested street. Most furtives here were either sleeping on the side of the road, or having quiet conversations amongst themselves.

  “Al-, al-, almost there!” Jaco said with an excited tone as he led the couple.

  “Corin!” A voice shouted from the side of the street.

  Corin instinctively looked in the direction his name had been shouted from. He instantly recognized the face. It was the agent he had first encountered, Massin, the one with the matted beard.

  Upon seeing Corin's reaction a wicked smile spread across Massin's face. Validation that he was not wrong, that he knew he had caught his prey.

  Corin and Livia froze staring at the man.

  He was only about three paces from Corin. Jaco, who had been in front, turned around to see what the commotion was. He did not seem to understand what was occurring.

  “Is, is, is something wrong?” Jaco asked with a smile.

  He began to walk over to Corin who quickly shouted at him.

  “Stay away Jaco.” Corin ordered him.

  Jaco’s entire complexion changed. He seemed terrified, and he froze up.

  “I see, so you're not only lying to locals, you're also bringing them into your devious plots too? Does poor Jaco know how many furtives have died by your hands? I know of at least more than thirty! It might be three times more than that for all I know!” Massin said.

  “Wh-, wh-, what?” Jaco said his terrified expression turned to look at Corin now.

  Corin turned to Jaco.

  “Jaco this man is an agent of a Titan, a Dragon. He's dangerous!” Corin replied.

  “Yes, that might be true. I am an agent of Tonatiuh, but all I do is ask questions here and there and see what is going on in this city here. I don't go out killing furtives on some rampage like you and your group have.” Massin smiled as he spoke to Corin.

  He took a step towards Corin, but Corin quickly reacted and pulled out his blade. At this distance it would only take one step for him to close the distance and strike at him. But Massin kept his hands hidden under his robe. Corin knew he was armed.

  Jaco stared at Corin with horror. Corin turned his head to look at Jaco to try to explain himself.

  “What this man fails to say is that those furtives that I have killed have all been-”

  Corin was interrupted. As he spoke Massin threw something at Corin. He saw it from the corner of his eye. He was about to smash it with his blade, but instinctively ducked.

  He heard the object smash and hiss behind him.

  Acid!

  But Massin was already upon Corin thrusting at him with a long dagger. But Corin expected this. He dodged the incoming blade by the thinnest of margins and when Massin was next to him Corin kneed him hard in his stomach.

  An experienced man who knows he is outmatched in a fight will use every trick available to him to turn the tide of battle. Corin had been in that position more times than not.

  Corin's knee felt tender after the hit. Massin felt the impact but he was well protected under his robe. He reeled back from Corin, who stood his ground with his blade.

  “You're not going to win this.” Corin told him. “You're better off leaving.”

  Massin’s prior composure was gone. His eyes burned with rage. Corin knew there was only one way this would end. But he still tried.

  “Stand down!” Corin told Massin.

  Massin lunged at Corin, slashing at the air. He missed Corin by a wide margin, but Corin did not. He slashed across his thigh, leaving a large bloody gash. His torso might be covered but his legs weren't.

  “Argh!” Massin yelled as he fell to one knee.

  “Stand down!” Corin told him once more. “I won't warn you again!”

  Massin began to lunge at Corin again, as he began to jump he threw the dagger at Corin's legs. He did so as he pulled close to Corin with another vial in his hands, but this time he was not going to launch it at him. He knew he was going to lose, but he wanted Corin to lose as well.

  Damn!

  Corin had to act fast. The blade was the least concerning. He steeled himself for the glancing blow, which sliced along his left shin. It hurt, but it would not stop him from doing what he needed to.

  Corin impaled Massin through his throat. His face was a mix of confusion and horror as he saw his life slipping away. The bottle in his hand slipped out and fell onto the ground in front of Corin. It landed and shattered on a pool of Massin’s blood, slowly hissing.

  Corin pushed Massin off of the blade and let him fall down on the ground.

  He looked around him. Besides him, Livia and Jaco the entire street had emptied out. Even those that had been sleeping had gotten up and ran away.

  Livia ran up to Corin.

  “Are you ok?” She asked as she looked at his leg.

  “It's fine.” He replied.

  He cleaned and put away his blade.

  Jaco had not moved throughout the entire ordeal. Corin was not sure if he had died on the spot and his body had just frozen in place.

  “Is he ok?” Corin asked.

  “Jaco, Jaco.” Livia began.

  The gesherin slowly turned his horrified expression towards her. He had been staring at the dead body.

  “I, I, I ha-, ha-, have n, n never seen any-ny-nyone duh-die be-be-fo-fore.” He said as his voice broke.

  Jaco began to weep. Corin began to approach Jaco but Livia cut him off.

  Makes sense. I did just kill a man in front of him.

  Livia began to console Jaco. Holding him in her arms.

  “I'm sorry you had to see that Jaco. He and other men have been searching for us. They have tried to kill us already on three separate occasions. It was never our intention to bring you into this. If we knew this would have happened we would not have brought you along.” Livia said.

  Jaco sobbed into Livia’s shoulder. Corin could only imagine the horror of having witnessed someone dying for the first time in your life, and in such a gruesome way, could do to someone.

  Corin looked around. The street was still empty, but he knew they had to leave.

  “We can't stay here much longer.” He told Livia.

  “Well what should we do with him?” Livia asked. Jaco was still inconsolable.

  “We’ll bring him with us.” Corin replied.

  ***

  Whatever was going through Jaco's mind was something that Corin could not hope to ascertain. While he continued walking with them he did not seem to complain about being dragged along by two strangers to a hideout he had never seen.

  At one point when he had regained enough of his composure he raised his head and looked to Livia.

  “Ha- ha- have you ever ki- ki- killed?” Jaco asked her, his face still wet with tears.

  Livia did not lie.

  “I have.” She said.

  Her reply sent Jaco into another fit of sobbing. Livia had to console him once again as poor Jaco continued crying into her shoulder, his latest fit brought on because of her revelation.

  Many furtives around them gave the trio a concerned look. The sobbing Jaco brought many eyes on them. It did not help that Corin was hobbling, and was bleeding himself. He tried his best to hurry along and bring Livia and Jaco down to the hideout.

  Corin knew he had to do his best to keep a low profile. Once the other agents of Tonatiuh found out what had happened they would be out in full force looking for who had done this. If Corin ran into any of them he would have to fight. One on one he probably would win. But more than one and the situation becomes more untenable.

  But they were able to get back to their hideout without being followed. As they approached the door Jaco began sobbing again.

  “Oh dear! Oh dear!” His whimpers were hard to understand. “No- no- now it's muh-my turn! Please do-don't impale me! Pl-pl-please do-don't slit my throat.”

  Jaco’s words made Corin feel immense guilt. He truly felt awful about the condition of his new companion.

  “Jaco I'm sorry. I only took you away from there because it was dangerous. That man has other associates in this city and they are dangerous. I swear it was never our intention for you to get brought into this. But I didn't want to leave you there, because if they saw you, I don't know what they would have done. Please. I swear to you, I mean you no harm.” Corin spoke to the gesherin.

  Jaco looked at Corin, his dark grayish face glistening with tears. His sobbing grew softer.

  “Wh-, wh-, why was that ma-, ma-, man so intent on ki-, ki-, killing you?” Jaco asked.

  “I can explain it to you, but not here.” Corin began. “If you trust us, then come with us into our room. We'll explain everything. But if you don't, that's fine. You can leave. We won't follow you, you'll be safe to go. I don't think those men will know to look for you.”

  Jaco sniffled and took a deep breath.

  “You, you, you mean that? You, wou-, wou-, would just let me go? After what I, I, I saw?” Jaco asked as he still held on to Livia. She had been holding him while they walked and kept talking to him to calm him down.

  “Of course Jaco. We never mean to harm anyone.” Corin replied.

  Jaco finally stood on his own two feet as he looked at Corin.

  “I, I, I don't know mu-, much about the outside world. Bu-, bu- but I know Titans are, um, are not go- good. If I can he-, he-, help then I wi-, wi-, will help.” Jaco stated.

  ***

  Inside the room everyone else sat quietly as they heard the story of how Jaco came to accompany Corin and Livia.

  When Livia explained about how Corin and the agent fought, Jaco once again began to quietly sob.

  “Are you ok?” Zhi asked Jaco who sat next to her.

  Up until this point the gesherin had not spoken.

  “Oh dear.” Jaco replied, his soft voice breaking. “It’s, it’s, it’s just that I had ne-, never seen anyone die in, in front of me.”

  The room fell silent. They all understood how Jaco felt.

  “It's a horrible thing to see.” Daum spoke up. “I remember the first time I saw someone die in front of me. I had just been selected as a Zifor.”

  Upon hearing this Jaco’s big eyes seemed to double in size as they swelled with fear.

  “I’m no longer a Zifor.” Daum quickly interjected.

  Jaco calmed down a bit when he heard that.

  “But when they select us, one of the very first things they do is show us a public execution of captured runaways. It was meant to show us what we would end up contributing to.” Daum said.

  “The first person I saw die was an old man. He ran away after his wife died. He didn't have anyone else, and he didn't make it very far. They hung him and made a show of it. It was common, that way other captives wouldn't think of running.” Daum said.

  “That would be the first, but not the last time. His face, along with those of the people I've killed, or helped kill, I remember them. They haunt my dreams. It's a horrible sight, one that no person should ever grow accustomed to.” Daum said.

  “Th-, th-, thank you.” Jaco said with tears glistening in his face.

  “Now you all know about Jaco. But he doesn't know about us, or why we're here.” Corin said.

  “I'll start. My name is Zhi and I'm an Onsiel!” Zhi announced.

  “An, an Onsiel?” Jaco replied with a puzzled look.

  Jaco seemed to be deep in thought and then said “A ma-, magic user?”

  “That’s right!” Zhi replied.

  “Hah!” Jaco replied. “Th-, th-, that’s a good one!”

  “What do you mean?” Zhi asked.

  “We-, well th-, that’s not a real thing, n-, now is it?” He asked her with a slight smile.

  “Of course it is.” She replied. She held up her palm and conjured a small radiant ball of fire right in front of his face.

  Jaco looked at her and then the ball of fire. His slight smile quickly disappeared.

  “Oh dear.” Jaco said and then fainted. He fell right onto Zhi who had to struggle to hold him and not get him burnt up with her flame.

  “Poor boy won’t live through the night at this rate.” Simeon stated.

  Nanaua picked Jaco up.

  “Hmph, there is no excuse for trying to get too close to my love!” She said to his limp face.

  “Nanaua!” Zhi exclaimed as she got up.

  Jaco slowly came to. He was greeted by Nanaua’s scowl.

  “Oh de-, dear me!” Jaco said.

  Nanaua let go of him and he was able to stand on his own two feet. Jaco looked around the room. All eyes seemed to be wary of whether or not he would pass out again.

  “I, I, I’m so- sorry. I promised Co-Corin that I wo- would help!” Jaco avowed. “I pro-, pro-, promise I won’t faint again!”

  Nobody responded.

  “Bu-, but are th-, th-, there any more su-, surprises like that?” Jaco asked Zhi.

  “No, I think that’s the big one.” Zhi said as she sat down and motioned for Jaco to sit next to him.

  This time Nanaua sat in between them.

  She looked at him and said “In case you need someone to fall on if you faint again.”

  “Oh dear.” Jaco replied.

  Thus Zhi told Jaco the entire chain of events that had led them all to this point. From the dragon temple falling, Arandu’s temple, landing on the continent, and their long march to Yranto. She also explained why they were searching for Belaran. Jaco managed to keep his composure throughout their story, but there were times that it seemed he might faint.

  “Do you see now? Why we are looking for Belaran?” Livia spoke up.

  Jaco turned to her and slowly nodded.

  “I, I, do.” He replied. “I, I never thought that learning a-, a-, any type of scr-, script could help anyone. Bu-, bu-, but listening to your sto-, story shows that I was wrong for be-, be-, believing that!” Jaco announced.

  “So you will still allow us to read through the documents you have?” Livia asked.

  “Of, of course!” Jaco replied giddily.

  “Well that’s great and all,” Simeon interrupted “but we need to be careful. Daum and I spent some time looking at the agent’s den. There are a considerable number of them coming in and out of that house fairly regularly. We counted close to twenty different individuals.”

  “A mix between dragoors, dwarves, and humans. But they all moved with care and grace. With their numbers they are very formidable enemies” Daum added. “And now with what happened with you,” he said as he turned to Corin, “they will be more careful, and more dangerous.”

  “I, I, I can gu-, guide you to my ho-, home so you ca-, can read through th-, the dra-, dragon script to-, tomes that I have not translated.” Jaco replied with a newfound sense of determination.

  “Your bravery is to be admired, but right now the best course of action is to wait.” Daum replied. “It has been a long day and an agent of a Titan had just been murdered. The streets will be on high alert and some may act in unpredictable manners.”

  Jaco seemed disheartened.

  “Fret not Jaco.” Simeon added. “Your contributions will aid to our cause, but Daum is right. We are in a very precarious situation and if we are as close as we think we might be to our end goal, then any misstep may doom us. Right now waiting is our best option.”

  “Un-, understood.” Jaco replied.