“Is that one of Bellum’s spires?” Corin asked.

  “Yes, one of many.” Kadus replied.

  The object stood in the distance. Corin could tell that it was massive.

  “Are we nearing him?” Corin asked. “Are we in danger?”

  “You think I would come all the way here if there was any possibility that Bellum would jump out and stomp on us?” Kadus replied. “I'm not you!”

  “What does that mean?” Corin felt hurt.

  “I actually try to be careful of what we do!” Kadus said. “Besides, Bellum is not like Yranto’s Giant, Buruni. You will hear him long before you see him, I guarantee that.”

  “The artifact, would it be in one of those spires?” Nanaua asked.

  They were all quiet. They assumed that Bellum had the artifact if he took this territory from Belaran. But beyond that they were lost.

  “Giants are a tricky bunch.” Kadus said. “Whereas the majority of Dragon’s lairs are the familiar floating palaces that all of us have seen, Giants are much more individualistic. Giants mold their entire way of life to their surroundings, whereas Dragons are not so constrained by the skies. A Giant's abilities, its powers, its preferred method of guarding its treasures, it all comes down to what area it calls its domain. Buruni most likely kept his treasures hidden underground. That would allow it to destroy and reshape the surface without restraint.”

  “Now Bellum of course is an even more unique case.” Kadus continued. “In his madness he destroys without thought. That spire you see is his defining trait. He is constantly destroying them and erecting new ones, reshaping the terrain as he goes on. But you all mentioned his heart, correct?”

  “Yes. According to the nameless dragon Bellum’s madness is a curse from its God. As part of the curse its heart was removed and placed in the highest spire in the land.” Nanaua responded.

  “Well if that is true then Bellum must somehow avoid that spire. If I were to keep something valuable hidden I sure would keep it close to my heart.” Kadus replied.

  They all fell silent. The implication was becoming clearer.

  “So we will have to clash with Bellum?” Nanaua replied.

  “I wouldn't call it a clash.” Kadus quickly replied. “That implies we're both Titans and that there is an equal likelihood of victory on either side or a strongly fought draw. I would call it more of umm, a bunch of mice trying to fight an elephant.”

  “What is an elephant?” Corin asked.

  “What?” Kadus was confused by Corin’s reaction.

  “It’s a very large animal Corin.” Zhi replied and she turned to Kadus.

  “Well you call it what you want, but her point still stands.” Zhi continued. “If we get near Bellum's heart he will react.”

  “I’m afraid that will be the case. But you said that weapon of yours can damage its heart?” Kadus directed the question at Nanaua.

  “That is what the nameless dragon promised.” She replied.

  “So we know that we need to find where his heart is. That means we need to know how far we are from the largest spire. But it would be foolish of us to not know where Bellum’s current whereabouts are.” Simeon said.

  “Alright, which one of you plans on getting that information?” Kadus asked.

  “Oh right, that's me.” He said as he smiled. He turned around.

  “Up, up and away!” Zhi said as she summoned a small gust of wind underneath Kadus.

  She turned to Corin and Livia.

  “I've heard better ones.” Livia said.

  “I agree.” Corin added.

  “I can't ever win with you guys.” Zhi said as she turned around.

  It did not take long for Kadus to return.

  “Well the big guy is still angry.” Kadus said. “The good thing is that he is in the far eastern part of the valley. From what I gathered he has quite a lot of ground to cover if he wants to get to the central spire.”

  “So you were able to identify the tallest spire?” Simeon asked.

  “Very easily. All of the spires are tall, but one stood out very clearly.” Kadus added. “I say it will take us close to a full day to get to it, if we hurry we can make it in less time.”

  He looked at Zhi as he said that.

  “Message received.” She replied.

  “Alright,” Simeon began. “Let's settle in for an early night today. That way we can rise early and head to the central spire. Our best option is to try to get there as fast as possible and destroy Bellum's heart quickly. Once we begin our march toward his heart every second will count. Nanaua and Corin should go into the spire to destroy the heart. Kadus you will provide us with information on how Bellum reacts to our presence, Livia and I can use some of her weapons to distract him and Zhi can be a last resort to slow him down. Once that is done we should be able to retrieve the last piece of the artifact. Does anyone have any questions?”

  There was no reply. They all understood their part to play, but their thoughts were elsewhere. The thought that the end of their journey was so close was hard to believe. All that effort would soon be rewarded.

  “So quality sleep, early morning wake up, stretch, and try to delay one of the most dangerous Titans in the world while two friends race up a massive spire to destroy its heart” Kadus said. “Did I miss something?”

  Nobody responded.

  “Understood, happy to know we are all in agreement.” Kadus finished.

  ***

  “That Livia sure is something.” He said out loud.

  Corin, who had been focused on sharpening his dagger, lost his train of thought and let the dagger slip through his fingers, almost slicing part of his hand with it.

  “I'm sorry did you say something?” Corin asked, pretending not to have heard him. He reached for the dagger that had fallen.

  “You know I was talking to her just right now.” He continued.

  “Oh really. What, um, what was she saying?” Corin asked.

  “Oh lots of really interesting things.” Cyril said. “Seems like her father is a blacksmith, her grandfather was a blacksmith, and I think she mentioned someone else…”

  “Her three uncles as well.” Corin added.

  He continued to pretend to work on honing the dagger.

  “Oh right right right. So she was showing me this nifty device she made with springs and some gears. Apparently you can use it to measure something, what was it?” Cyril asked out loud.

  “Oh it must be the time measuring device she's been working on.” Corin said. “She's been able to keep track of half days at this point. I've been helping her with it, you know whenever I get the chance.”

  “Oh that's right.” Cyril replied. “She did mention you helped her.”

  “She did?” Corin asked quickly.

  Corin completely forgot what he had been working on. He gave up any pretense that he was still sharpening the dagger.

  “Did she say anything else?” He asked Cyril, stumbling over his words.

  “Oh yes, she did now that you mention it.” Cyril said as he looked up pensively.

  “What was it? Hmm.” Cyril took his time thinking.

  Corin squirmed in his seat as he waited for the answer.

  “Oh yes now I remember!” Cyril said.

  Corin was on the edge of his seat.

  “No, wait I got that mixed up with something else.” Cyril corrected himself.

  Corin finally caught on to his brother's ways.

  “Really? Cyril! Did you even talk to her?” He asked, now getting frustrated.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “I did, I did!” Cyril said as he laughed.

  Corin pouted as he looked at his brother.

  “She was concerned for you.” Cyril finally said. “She said she heard about your swimming mishap the other day and that I should be more careful with you.”

  “Did she really say that?” Corin asked.

  “Honest. I told her that I can't help the fact that you don't listen to me. But I told her I would let you know that she's worried about you.” Cyril added. “So, since you won't listen to me. Will you stop trying to swim out to Grave Island?”

  Corin looked away.

  “Well dad could at my age.” Corin quietly replied.

  “Yes well I'm not entirely sure dad was all human.” Cyril replied. “Even I wasn't able to swim to Grave Island at your age, so don't feel bad if you don't have the same swimming prowess he did. But you know what you do get from him?”

  “What?” Corin asked.

  “Your stubbornness.” Cyril laughed. “You really don't like listening to anyone.”

  “I think I learned that from you.” Corin replied as he laughed.

  Cyril was silent for a second.

  “Yes, you might be right.” He said and continued laughing.

  The two brothers were silent. Corin still wanted to know something.

  “You think mom and dad would have liked her?” Corin asked.

  “Oh, hmm.” Cyril began thinking. “Well she is definitely a unique person, that is for sure. She is always coming up with unique things. I don’t know that dad would care for them too much. If it didn't have to do with fishing or the sea, he wasn't very interested in it. Mom would have liked her because she is a very nice person. But she would have been very confused at all the things that Livia is making. But you know what they would have loved about her?”

  “What?” Corin sat on the edge of his seat.

  “How deeply you both care for each other.” Cyril said. “The fact that you feel so strongly for her and that she cares for you, that's all that they would have cared about.”

  “What about you?” Corin asked Cyril.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well I know you said mom and dad would be happy for me. But what about you, do you trust her?” Corin asked Cyril.

  “Do I trust her?” Cyril said. “Before I answer that, let me ask you something? Do you trust her?”

  As Cyril asked he stood over Corin. Despite him being within arm's reach from Corin it felt as if he couldn't clearly see his brother. He did not recognize the figure in front of him.

  “Me?” Corin began. “Of course I do! No part of me doubts her!”

  “And why is that? Because she's beautiful? Because you lust after her?”

  “What? No, that's not it.”

  Without being able to help himself Corin could not stop his mind from racing. He thought of Livia when she had gone into the water. The way her dress outlined the shape of her body. His thoughts on how she should feel when they both lay in bed, feeling the heat of her body. Corin could not stop these thoughts.

  “No? If not that, then what is it?” Cyril asked.

  “You yourself said it! She worried about my well-being. If you trust someone you should know that they have your best interest at heart. Without that then how could I know that you are honest!” Corin replied.

  “So it is a matter of self-interest?” Cyril replied.

  “No, that's no what I said.”

  “If I offered you the power to protect yourself, to protect your loved ones, would you trust me?”

  “What? What power do you speak of?” Corin asked.

  “Would you?” Cyril asked again.

  “I… I don't know.”

  Suddenly Corin found himself sitting and his brother was sitting across from him.

  “Do I trust her? Of course I do! Any woman crazy enough to fall for you is good in my book!” Cyril smiled as he spoke to Corin.

  ***

  The rays of the early morning sun beat down on Corin waking him up. As he opened his eyes he was confused, unsure of where exactly he was. He tried to gather his wits about him and try to decipher where he was.

  They had arrived at this part of the valley when it had been darker the previous day, but it seemed different from what little Corin could remember. He thought he remembered lying next to a large tree when he went to sleep, but now there was no such tree near him.

  I just need to pay more attention to my surroundings.

  Corin looked around to see Zhi sitting at the sentry spot, her back facing him. Her rotation was usually the one right before dawn broke. Corin could see her head resting upon a tree. She was completely immobile.

  Corin was alarmed. He got up and went to her, reaching out to her. He was not sure what had happened to her, but he was preparing for the worst. As he neared her, he could hear her saying something. He paused.

  “No Nanaua, I already told you.” Zhi whispered slowly. He could barely hear her.

  Corin looked around. He saw Nanaua sleeping.

  “I don’t really care for that fruit, you eat it.” Zhi finished.

  Corin was confused. He went around Zhi and looked at her. Her eyes were closed. She was talking in her sleep.

  Corin breathed a sigh of relief. Now more aware of his surroundings he looked around the marshes around him. Something about the place they found themselves did not feel normal. It felt strange, as if someone, or something was watching him.

  Yet despite that feeling, he could not see anything that would indicate that something was wrong. Nothing stood out to him.

  I need to find water. Our supplies are running low and Zhi needs to conserve as much energy as possible.

  On their walk the previous night Corin thought he heard a river in the distance. He figured it would not take long for him to find it.

  He left two small rocks where he had been sleeping, to inform the others if they did not see him that he would return shortly, grabbed his weapons and several containers to store water and went on his way.

  Corin tried his best to follow the path they had taken the previous night. He could see the rising sun and continued following it until he heard the sound of rushing water. He began following the sound.

  He was enthralled by the scenery around him. The trees here seemed thicker, much wider than Corin ever saw, and their roots were massive. They would weave in and out of the soft ground interlacing to create what seemed like a foot path for Corin.

  Above him Corin could hear the chirp of various birds. He could not identify a single one, but he was still mesmerized by their songs.

  As he kept listening to the sound of the river Corin made sure to etch a small marking on trees he passed. He was a stranger in these parts and did not want to end up lost before they ventured further into the valley. As he continued he heard the sound of rushing water intensify.

  Eventually he found the river; a wide, furious, rushing stream of water. From one end to the next it would take him around fifty paces to cross it. It raged intensely.

  Corin approached the river and plunged his hand into the rushing water. It was icy cold, much colder than any body of water he was accustomed to in Trinixo. He cupped some water in his hand and drank it.

  That's amazing!

  Corin eagerly filled up the containers to the brim with water. As he finished, he looked across the stream and saw an animal unlike any he had before.

  It reminded him of a deer, but much larger. It was taller than Corin himself, maybe as tall as Nanaua. Its antlers were also different; they were broader, and bigger. Despite its imposing size, Corin did not feel alarmed by the creature. Not only because it was on the opposite side of the river, but the creature did not seem threatening. Instead it looked at Corin curiously, lost interest in him, and continued drinking water.

  Corin was awestruck by the large creature, and could not help but continue observing the beast.

  After several moments of drinking the large beast’s head suddenly shot up.

  The beast’s sudden motion jolted Corin. The animal fixated in the direction behind Corin. After several seconds, the creature suddenly took off and galloped away, melting back into the thick forest behind it.

  Corin turned to see if he could spot whatever had alarmed the large animal. Behind him he saw nothing of note.

  I better return to the group.

  Corin gathered the water he had collected and began his trek back to the camp. He used the markings he had left to guide his way back. Close to the river they seemed to be separated by about thirty paces each, as Corin had intended. But as he kept moving, the spacing between each of the markings began to spread out.

  Corin grew frustrated with his attempts to follow his own markings.

  Next time I'll have to be more careful.

  After following several more markings Corin began to grow concerned. The next marking he found took him close to a hundred paces to reach.

  Something does not seem right here.

  It did not take long for Corin's suspicion to be confirmed.

  Corin felt something, it happened so fast that for a quick moment he thought he had imagined it.

  I definitely felt that. The ground shook.

  Corin turned to look around him and was stunned by what he saw.

  A large clay like humanoid creature had appeared. It was twice his size. Although it seemed humanoid, with two arms, two legs, and a head, the creature had no features. Its head was an amorphous blob of clay and each of its appendages seemed more like clubs than actual arms or legs.

  I did not even hear this creature move! Is it an enemy?

  Corin stepped back as he dropped the containers of water.

  The creature reacted. It moved one of its large club-like legs and brought it down. Corin backstepped as the club stomped down where he had just stood.

  The impact of the force shook the ground and nearly knocked Corin back. The creature followed its stomp by swinging one of its arms at Corin. He was not fast enough and was struck on his side.

  The impact sent Corin flying. He hit the side of a tree and felt all the air escape him.

  “Ugh!” Corin yelled in pain.

  Not friendly!

  Corin gasped for air as he saw the creature come. Corin grabbed his blade and stood up.

  The monster once again raised its leg, ready to stomp.

  How exactly am I supposed to fight this thing?

  The monster stomped down, Corin moved out of the way, and once again the monster swung its arm.

  Corin easily avoided this attack.

  Well it's not very clever!

  Corin saw an opening and swung at the creature's planted leg. His blade cleanly cut through and Corin severed its leg.

  The creature wobbled and fell backwards.

  Well that wasn't so bad!

  The creature propped itself on its two arms and lifted itself up. In a second it transferred its head from the bottom to the top of its body. In the place where Corin had just cut the creature's leg, the creature's body started pulsating. The creature instantly sprouted a new limb and went on the attack once more.

  “Oh damn you!” Corin yelled at the creature. “That is not fair!”

  The creature did not bother itself with Corin's grievances. It renewed its attack, but with much more fervor.

  The creature slammed its fists into the ground causing Corin to lose his balance. As he wavered from side to side the creature lunged at Corin.

  It was much faster and managed to reach out to Corin. Its block-like appendages contorted to form vise-like hands. It wrapped them around Corin's waist and connected them together.

  “What is it-” Corin began, but the creature squeezed them together and began constricting Corin.

  “Agh!” Corin yelled, his body being crushed under the creature's grip.

  Corin swiped at the creature's head, slicing it clean off.

  Despite losing its head the creature was not deterred. Corin's attack did nothing.

  “Don't you die?” Corin shouted.

  The creature sprouted another head, and continued trying to crush Corin.

  Corin sliced at the creature's arms, cutting through the left arm with a single clean slice, and needing several chops to cut through the creature's right arm.

  As Corin fell, the creature's vice-like appendages clinging to him crumbled.

  He gasped for air but the creature did not stop. It began stomping where Corin had landed. He had to continually jump out of the way, avoiding all the creature's attempts at flattening him at the very last moment.

  After an attempt missed him, Corin acted, slicing off the leg that missed him and quickly moving in and slicing the last appendage.

  The limbless creature fell to the ground and Corin pounced. He slashed across the body, splitting it apart until he hit something hard in the middle. His blade bounced off and Corin recoiled from the impact.

  What was that?

  The creature’s clay-like body pulsated.

  Multiple short legs sprouted from the creature’s body. It now resembled a spider. Corin attacked, swinging his blade, but the creature was faster. Before his blade connected, the creature jumped back and clung to a tree.

  It crawled up the tree at a blinding fast speed and perched itself at the top. A sharp spear-like protrusion formed on its body and shot at Corin.

  The clay spear flew and Corin was barely able to react. The creature shot out more spears at a furious pace, intending to skewer Corin if he even hesitated for a second. With each spear Corin could see the creature’s body decreasing in size, until it was the size of a large rock.

  Now Corin could see what he had impacted earlier. In some areas of the creature’s body he could see bright flashes of a sparkling red mineral.

  It must be the creature’s heart! That’s what I hit earlier!

  The creature leapt down from the tree straight at Corin. He met the creature with his blade, stabbing it.

  The blade plunged into the creature until it hit the gem-like heart. Corin pushed with all his might feeling his blade slowly push into the heart. But in haste he lost his footing along with his grip on the blade.

  The creature fell on the ground and the small amount of clay pulsated at a faster pace than before. Despite this, the creature quickly regained its mass and reconstituted its body, sprouting spider legs again.

  Corin rushed to it, to try and grab his blade back from the creature, but he saw a spear form.

  Corin immediately ducked.

  WHOOSH!

  The clay spear flew over his head, tussling his hair as it missed by the slimmest of margins.

  THUNK!

  Corin could see more spears forming and quickly ran away from the spider. Spears kept flying as Corin sought refuge behind a tree.

  His respite was short lived. He could hear the creature’s many legs begin to rustle the ground as it came to him. Corin grabbed his pistol.

  This is the only chance I will get.

  He quickly jumped out of cover.

  WHOOSH!

  As soon as the creature saw Corin it fired a spear. He moved his head by the smallest amount and the spear whizzed past.

  BANG!

  Corin did not miss. The bullet impacted and flew through the creature's heart. A spray of red colored gems shot out from the creature’s body. Some of them hit Corin in his face.

  “Ow, damn!” Corin shouted as one hit him in his nose.

  Corin's blade fell to the ground, surrounded by red gemstones. He grabbed his blade.

  I need to warn the others.

  He took several steps before feeling something once again.

  The ground shook beneath his feet.

  Another one of the creatures?

  Corin looked around. As he studied his surroundings the ground shook again. But this was unlike the two previous instances, this time it was more ferocious and it lasted longer.

  Corin's heart started to race. He wanted to lie to himself, but he had already experienced something like this twice.

  No. Impossible.

  A loud roar pierced the still atmosphere of the forest. Corin had only heard such roars from a select few beings.

  “Bellum.”