Karma (m/m)

Chapter 12

They found the cave quickly, under the heavy snow that was now falling down. The wolves were desperate, now fuelled with confidence knowing their master was with them. Growling at the mouth of the cave, they challenged whoever dwelled there to come forth. Their howls and growls echoed against the darkness within.

Wolfgan unmounted, and so did the others. Haomath unsheathed his sword, and walked along Wolfgan towards the entrance of the cave.

It was deep and too dark to see, so Kalifar provided a torch. They all entered the cavern, which seemed to be empty and abandoned at first, but they kept going, trusting the wolves to guide them.

Finally they began to see bones thrown about on the floor and piled against the walls. Some were makeshift weapons, and others still had meat and blood on them. Wolfgan saw leather and makeshift benches and further, sitting on a pile of furs, he finally was a giant, sleeping soundly and making horrible sounds as he did so.

Wolfgan growled at the horrible figure, and so did the wolves. Missing an arm, and an eye, he also had half of his face scarred. Wolfgan did not pity him however. He kicked the bed, violently, and it turned with a terrible cracking noise. Filled with an insane bloodthirsty and anger, he watched the giant cry in alarm as he attempted to turn around and make sense of the situation. He struggled to get up and a sinister chuckle could be heard coming from Haomath.

"Who are you!" The giant screamed, finally managing to get up. Haomath's smiled slowly vanished, replaced by a dark expression.

"Why don't you look closely into my eyes, Gulf? I'm sure you'll remember," he said. Wolfgan widened his eyes. Could it be that giant? He must have survived the fall, just like Henry, he thought.

The giant snarled, twitching the stub left of his arm away, as if the memory hurt the phantom limb. He was barely dressed in pieces of leather, covering only his mid section. Wolfgan knew that only the castaway giants wore clothes like this, devoid of any indication of wealth or position. Gulf had been hiding away from his people for a long time.

"You! And you, too!" Gulf said, looking at Wolfgan with a disgusted frown. He was twitching now, and his voice was shaky. "W- what right has you to enter my cave like this? The border does not belong to you, half-breed!"

"You have ten seconds to tell us where he is," Wolfgan said, "Your death is certain but it can come quicker."

The giant was frozen for a couple of seconds, but then spit to the side, dismissing them. "I don't know what crazy shit you speak off, get out!"

"Gulf, this is your chieftain," Alkmog said, stepping through the soldiers. "You have committed a despicable thing. We know what you hide here."

Gulf was visibly surprise to see his chieftain, and coughed violently. "I- I do not know what you speak of!"

Wolfgan stepped forward, sword trained on the giant with deadly intent, and Gulf scrambled backwards, now trembling. He knew there was no way out now, and he could only hope the child was weak enough to die even after a possible rescue.

"I swear! I don't know!"

"Wolfgan! He is our only lead!" Haomath stated firmly, "Be reasonable!"

Wolfgan stopped for a second, and thought about it. "Yes, " he said, "I understand, vaderka."

And promptly slid his sword forward, blade slicing like butter though he kneecap of the frost giants, bringing him to his knees.

"That's a boy," said Haomath, nodding. The balanced the tip of his sword into the cave's icy ground, and joined his hand at the handle.