Chapter 7: The Four-Armed Giant


    Virs reply caught in his throat. Worse, tears started to roll down his face. I didnt know, he managed.


    He was named after Rudviks stillborn child. Had Rudvik pinned the same hopes on him as he had his stillborn son? What kind of torture had Rudvik been through following the death of his wife and child?


    Ye, well, not ta kind of story that oughta be told. That oughta <em>ever </em>be told, he added.


    Father and son spent several moments in silence until Maiya returned to report that the tent was up, then ducked back into the tent. She had likely finished some time back. Vir wouldnt have been surprised if shed heard everything.


    Thank you, father. For everything.


    Ya dont hate me? Rudvik asked, looking like a sinner confessing his crimes.


    For what? For giving me a home? For not hating me like the other vigers do? <em>Yes, father. Shame on you</em>


    Not like dat. I mean, I neer told ya. I hid it all from ya. Like a coward.


    I mean, itd have been nice if youd told me. But I understand. And now I know. I know it couldnt have been easy.


    Rudvik chuckled. Ya got no idea how long Ive wanted to tell ya all this. Feels like I jus felled a mighty Godhollow, lemme tell ya.


    The lumberjack kneeled before Vir, grasped his shoulders, and looked him in the eye. Your fatheryour <em>real </em>fatheris gonnae after ya one day.


    Vir wondered about that. Was this giant <em>really </em>his father? Vir was of a smallish, lean build. He had two arms, like any normal person. Sure, his skin was a bit ashen, but that just made him resemble this mythical giant even less. Who <em>was </em>that giant? Would he ever find out?


    Thoughts raged in his head like a maelstrom, and a knot formed in the pit of his stomach. He feared it wouldnt go away anytime soon.


    A bein like that gets what he wants, Vir, mark my words, Rudvik whispered. Be ready, son. Be vignt. Im no warrior, but I do have this ax. Ill do everythin I can to protect ya, that I can promise. Still, I felt you oughta be warned.


    Virs eyes narrowed. Warned? Of what?


    I could tell he cares deeply for ya, Vir. But there was a <em>madness </em>to his devotion. The way he looked at ya when he handed you over to me Well, Id seen that look before. Reminded me o a zealot worshiping his god.


    Virs mind went nk. <em>Worship me!? </em>The thought was so absurd that he wanted tough. Forget <em>worship. No</em><em>one</em> had even treated him well, apart from Rudvik and Maiyas family. Hed been ridiculed, spat at, and ignored. Theyd even thrown rocks at him.


    Rudviks revtion filled him with a cold fury. He didnt know why.


    I need some time to think about all this, he said. Doesnt really feel real, yknow?


    Rudvik pped his shoulder. Ill bet. Tell ya what? Why dont you n yer friend take first watch for the night? Ill cover the rest.


    Realizing that they had finished their conversation, Maiya stepped out of the tent. You sure, uncle Rudvik? Vir and I could take two shifts.


    The lumberjack wasnt having any of it. <em>Chs Knees, </em>girl! Yer just babes. What kinda parent would I be if I let ya take two shifts? Id bring shame to all de fathers out there! Outta the question.


    Maiya quickly realized that there was no convincing the stubborn lumberjack. Maiya took a seat beside Vir and watched as Rudvik eased the hot rocks under the tent for the night.


    Well then. Holler if ya hear anything, alright? he said before closing the tent p.


    Silence descended upon the camp. The fire had burned down to embers by now, its glowing red coals barely emitting enough heat to keep them warm. Maiya sidled up to Vir, shivering despite the <em>Magic Heat </em>utility orb she clutched against her chest.


    Vir didnt even have the benefit of magical heat, but hed always been able to tough out the elements better than the other vigers.


    So Maiya said, desperate to break the oppressive silence.


    So Her friend echoed. I suppose you heard everything?


    Sorry! I finished with the tent and the forests just so quiet, I couldnt help but overhear you two.


    Its alright, he said, smiling. Hed probably have told her at some point, anyway. There werent many secrets between them. It had been that way ever since he could remember.


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    Maiya cleared her throat. So, do you think what he said waswait! she said, startled. W-What was that!?


    Vir looked out into the darkness. Even with his superior nightvision, he couldnt make anything out. The forest was truly pitch ck without an ounce of starlight.


    I dont see anything. Probably nothing. Anything we need to worry about would make a bigger thumping sound.


    You sure? Maiya said, unconvinced.


    All sorts of prana beasts in the Godshollow. Plenty of animals that could put you out, but they fear us more than we fear them. Theyll be long gone before you ever realize they were there.


    Oh. II see. Well, thats good, Maiya said.


    Hey, Maiya?


    Mmm?


    If I told you... uh. Okay, this is going to sound really weird. But y''know that run in I had with the cultist?


    Scary grakkin'' stuff.


    Yeah, but the thing is, I''ve been hearing these voices in my head since then. Different from the old ones. Or rather, louder, and more coherent.


    Are you alright? Maiya asked, frowning with concern.


    I <em>think </em>so? Like, I think these voices are trying to tell me something. I just can''t figure it out yet.


    What do they say? she asked.


    It''s gibberish. I don''t even know if they''re real words. But they''re consistent. As if they''re trying to teach me something about the world. Something hidden, that can''t be seen with the naked eye. You have any idea what it could be?


    I dunno, Maiya said with concern. I... I really hope it is what you think it is. And not something bad.


    Right. Yeah. Well, nevermind. Don''t tell Rudvik, okay? I don''t want him thinking I''ve been possessed by some evil god or something.


    Maiya patted his back and shed him a thumbs-up. Your secret''s safe with me.


    Vir returned to scanning the darkness, but Maiya was determined not to allow the silence to prevail. So, about what your dad said You believe him?


    I do, yeah. Why? You think hed make something like that up?


    He could feel Maiya shaking her head. No But still. Ive never even heard of a four armed <em>anything</em>, not even in the scriptures. Its kinda hard to imagine.


    Vir chuckled. Yeah, and that monsters supposed to be my father? Or at least someone close to me? If you told me yesterday that Im rted to a mythical giant, Id haveughed in your face.


    Maiya snorted. Me too. But, hey! I think its amazing. Means youre not like the rest of us.


    Well, that was obvious, Vir said.


    Not like that! I mean that youre someone <em>important</em>. Youre <em>somebody.</em> Maybe you dont know it yet, but you are. Me? Im just a vige girl. No mythological rtives or anything


    You really want to make a name for yourself, dont you? Vir asked. He almost felt like theyd both be happier if their situations were reversedwith him being an ordinary viger and her the one with a mysterious rtive.


    I do, Maiya said. I really, really do. But I dunno how thats ever gonna happen.


    You think this is your chance, dont you? You think that by joining us, you might visit a big city one day


    Maiya leaned her back against his, and looked up to the sky. Cmon. You know thats not why I joined you.


    Vir frowned. I know... I take that back.


    But well, yeah. If we <em>do </em>make it to a big city, that would be amazing. But even if we dont, Ill be happy if I can protect you.


    Vir tried to imagine Maiya slinging fireballs at vicious animals He startedughing.


    Whats so funny about that? she huffed.


    Nothing! Nothing. Thanks. I appreciate it. He really meant it, too. Everything in his life had be suddenly strange, so it wasforting to have as many familiar faces as possible.


    You think well make it out alright? She asked.


    Think so. Especially if your father leads the knights astray like he said. But


    But what? Maiya asked.


    Nah, its nothing.


    Maiya turned to face him, though he could barely make out her face in the darkness. Tell me!


    Vir sighed. Well, what do you thinks gonna happen to your father if hes caught helping us?


    W-what do you mean?


    I mean, those are Hiranyan <em>knights!</em> Your fathers ying a very dangerous game, feeding them misinformation. If they ever find out


    I have to go back, she said, panicking.


    Dont be ridiculous. What could you possibly do if you went back?


    I


    Why do you think he let youe with us in the first ce? Vir interrupted. He continued when she didnt reply. Its because he felt youd be safer here, with us, than with him.


    Maiya fell silent, and Vir immediately realized his mistake. This wasnt what she needed to hear right now.


    Hell be fine, he said. Your fathers the only one in the vige who can usebat orbs. Hes Br Ranked, right?


    Br Rank Five, but thats not much. Those knights are probably Br Ten or higher.


    Hes a smart man. Hell be alright, Vir said.


    The minutes turned into hours, but Maiya didnt speak another word. Vir knew she was brooding over her family, he just didnt know how to make her feel any better. He regretted his words for the rest of the night.


    Luckily, their biggest threat ended up being arge lizard curious enough to venture into their camp. Maiya startled at the sound, but Vir drove it off without issues.


    The hours passed quickly for Vir. The forest, while certainly strange, wasn''t silent to him in the way it was for his friend. Ever since he was a child, hed heard its voices. He liked to think it was the voices of the nts and the animals but he eventually realized it wasnt. It felt like the collective voice of the Forest itself, though he knew such a thing was impossible. Or at least, hed <em>thought </em>it impossible, until tonight. If four armed giants really existed, then who was to say that living forests didnt?


    Maiyas thoughts lingered over her family, but Vir turned to his past.


    Who <em>was </em>he? Would he ever find out? As the time went on, the answer became increasingly obvious; if he wanted answers, he had to find this giant. But he had no clue where to even start. Such a being would be famous across the world, yet he hadnt heard a single myth, not a single word of gossip. But perhaps perhaps if they made it to a big city, maybe he could ask around there.


    Rudviks snoring abruptly halted, causing both of them to startle.


    Looks like our shifts over, Maiya said with a giant yawn.


    Looks like it, Vir replied.


    Searching for the four-armed demon in a big city was all well and good, but first, he had to make it out of the Godshollow.


    Virs sleep was fitful and restless that night. He dreamed of tattooed giants and stillborn children.