ChargewithSword
Zelda Dungeon's Critic
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2009
- Location
- I don't want to say.
The Meeting
Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening to you all who are reading this tale.
It is no great story, nor an epoch of large proportions. It is simply a discussion of an adventure to be, in the home of two fond adventurers. Their names are Lan and Match.
Now, you may believe that those are very silly names for two people. Well, let me explain; they are not human, like the rest of you people reading this story. Instead, Lan and Match are both giants.
I beg your pardon? You don't know what a giant is? My, you don't get out much do you? Though, I suppose most giants need explaining when they aren't the sort you people are used to hearing about.
As the name would suggest, giants are very large set of folk, known to stretch high to the heavens, and topple the very mountains with a cheery skip. They are often described as built in girth, and lumbering brutes. This definition is not entirely true. While giants do have tremendous muscle fat, they can be as skinny as a rail if they chose so. They know where they step and are quite intelligent. So go ahead, call them lumbering brutes to their faces and see where that gets you.
Now, at first glance, a giant could be mistaken for a human if not for the distinct color of their skin. It is neither white, nor black, but instead the shade of camouflage green. Quite a remarkable color, if you ask me; it lets them hide in some of the most intriguing places in the world though they usually prefer to be out in the open.
They normally live in dome-like houses made of hardened rock. They're not very sturdy, but they serve their purposes well enough -giants don't care for cramped spaces-. Giants also have a tendency to live in magical houses.
I pray you do not laugh, -though that would be asking for too much-, but these magical houses resemble human umbrellas, with sparkling drapes of magic coming down from the edge like a barrier. It may seem like a silly concept, but it lends itself well.
The houses are nearly impenetrable, only being opened by those who own the place. All others must ask for entry by blowing into the drapes. This creates a whistle noise on the inside of the house -dreadful racket I say- similar to a teapot boiling over.
These houses are luxury though and only a select few cities have them. One such city is Eabull Horn, Lan and Match's home.
It is an interesting city, to say the least. It is rested on a very large hill pointing northwards, which eventually trails off into the nearby mountain.
This mountain is known as, King Kold's Sarcophagus. There is a very disturbing history behind the name of that dreadful precipice, but I've derailed the story enough already.
Before we get deep into the story though, let me point out something: giants barely speak human languages. When they're talking to each other, they only speak through their own tongue.
Seeing as how you've had the patience to sit through that little history bugger of mine, I shall translate the words for you.
Now, on to our story.
It was on a cool, Spring day in Eabull Horn. The sun was shining high in the sky, and the wind purred as softly as a kitten in a snooze, leaving a light chill on one's face. It was the perfect time to be out and about, but that's not what Lan and Match were doing.
Those two louts were in their home, preparing a nice spread for an afternoon luncheon. Then, when they least expected, a shrill whistle erupted from nowhere, catching them both unawares.
Poor Lan was especially misfortunate. He was bringing a large set of maps to a dark room in the basement when he heard the whistle. The young lad was so startled that he skipped a step and fell down the staircase with many thumps and whumps, until he made a spectacular crash to the bottom! His ridiculously long nose was firmly planted into the hardwood floor, and his head swamped in maps and charts. -You'd have been startled too, if you heard that horrible whistle come from out of nowhere, and unannounced at that!-
Match ran to the entrance, opened it, and let out a great howl to the giant there. "Damn it all Min! You sent my brother tumbling and gave him a concussion!"
The giant -who went by the name of Min Streel- gave a playful smile to Match and laughed. "Sorry for the fault Match! If he landed on his face though, I wouldn't be worried!"
A weak groan echoed from the inside of the house. "I heard that Min..."
Match then let out a gargantuan sigh. "Min, what are you doing here? It isn't noon yet.
Min took a step inside the house and let the entrance shut behind him. "I thought the talk would be lighter if I came into affairs early."
"Well you'd best take seat in our guest room. I'll call Seidoc, may she live strong, to grant you refreshments while I retrieve my brother and finish our meal."
Match then turned away from Min and curved his hands to his mouth. "Seidoc! My flower of the four seasons! Oh shining sun of my waking morning, come hither! Our guest has arrived early and could use a refreshment for his tongue!"
Within less then a minute, a small, green creature came sneaking its way down a long, winding staircase. Its feet were clawed with long nails, and its hands were thick and bulbous. Two large, pale white eyes on its head gleamed towards Match. The creature finally stopped by his side and began to snuggle his foot.
That was Seidoc, Match's wife. She was once a little dwarro girl, of no more than seventeen, until she had been horribly mutated by black magic. Despite her horrid appearance, Match loved her dearly. How they came together is a very sad story, that almost ended as a bitter tragedy. That is for another time though.
After a few seconds of snuggling, Seidoc removed herself from Match's leg and looked to Min with a smile. "Good morning Min! You staying for supper?"
Min smiled, lifted up the lute he was carrying and began to play. "Yep! We shant be finished with our business till the blue moon is dancing in the night sky with the razor clouds!"
Seidoc fell into a bellowing laughter. She always enjoyed Min's music, and always found him funny, even when he wasn't telling a joke. "What would you be wanting Min?"
"Just a short beer Seidoc; it's too early for me to get smashed!"
Seidoc nodded to him and slinked away on all fours.
Match watched as she left and then turned his head to Min. "Very well then, we'll have a hot meal roasting by the fire soon. Take a seat."
Match then walked away, leaving Min alone.
Min walked around the magical abode until he found his way to the guest room. It was homely enough, a few wooden chairs here and there. There were many trophies adorning the place; big catch that called on both brothers to kill. They were all hung in intimidating positions to give away their more frightening nature, but Min was left un-phased.
After he was brought his drink, Min took to singing silly songs about all the creatures.
**
Hold fast! Since nothing important happens in the next few paragraphs, let me explain to you a few rules of giant etiquette in comparison to human.In the giant household, it is customary for the male to cook the meals and set up for important occasions. This is most likely because if a giant female were to cook, it shant be done till dawn's gone to dusk and the tea's gone cold. Giant females are especially fickle with how precise they can make use of their hands, moreso than giant males. Because of their breasts, females are weighted down; combined with their uncertain nerves, that makes them all the more useless for these precise tasks. Don't let that fool you though, they are still very intelligent, and very strong. They won't fail to show you what else they can do.
That is all; back to your story, readers.
**
After a good fifty minutes, the sun had reached high noon, and Lan and Match were ready.
They called Min to the basement, and there was a delightful assortments of food. There was sliced meat with mouth-watering fat melting down from the bones like bubbling foam. The bread was softer than the full grown fleece of a lamb, but dabbled with honey for sweetness. The drinks were froth with sparkling bubbles, and stung with age. There was green salad lined with the hardest slice vegetables that could burn one's throat but lighten it with sweet juices. There were even a few rocks set out to the side for the giants to properly swallow their food. That was the skill of giant males, they knew dishes well enough, -not a bad sort, eh?-
Min took to sitting on a chair by the table, leaving his lute to the side. Match came afterward, then followed by Lan. Seidoc didn't join the festivities though, as it was customary for only those involved in a meeting to join.
The giants dug into their food quickly, and voraciously. Their sharp teeth ripping the meat to sunders, but not letting a bit of it go anywhere but their mouths.
After their meal they spent a great deal chatting with one another on common issues going on in the world. Enemies popping up everywhere, new obstacles coming up, new islands popping up and disappearing into the sea, the usual fare.
Lan then walked from the main table to another on the lefthand side. On it was a large vase, tightly sealed by a heavy metal top. Lan removed the top to reveal a lot of tobacco within.
As he brought it over to the table, he wildly grinned. "Bring out your pipes guys! I've got the good stuff!"
Match and Min smiled as they brought out large pipes from their pockets. Lan poured bits of the powder into the pipes, then he brought his own out and poured some powder into it.
They each lit their own pipe, took a deep breath, and blew out billows of smoke. They grinned with wide, happy faces as smoke began to rise, covering the ceiling in a grey smog. Their nostrils were invaded with the intoxicating scent of their giant-made tobacco. If there was anything giants loved more than adventuring, but less than drinking, it would be smoking their long, wooden pipes.
"Now then Min, what seems to be the problem?" Lan fiddled with the pipe in his mouth as he slyly look at Min. "It was you, after all, who scheduled this chat."
"Yes, yes, quite right." Min got up out of his seat and walked over to a pile of maps to the side of the room. He grabbed one of the maps and opened it on the table. It was a map of the entire continent of Mystigma, or the known one at least.
"Now then, you fellas know of the land bridge that is revealed from the ocean every ten years? It leaves its mark on the azure blue like a trail of gold to the land of Feraldün. Then, in seven days it vanishes!"
"I don't see what this has to do with us, Min."
"Ah, but it does. You chaps remember that we visit Feraldün every year like birds in migration."
Lan removed the pipe from his mouth and blew a great ring of smoke. "Yea; me and my brother go for ingredients for our potions. You tag along so you can sing songs and learn new ones."
Min put down his finger on the map and traced a route. "That's what I'm getting at. You see, a normal trip to Feraldün takes us two months -granted the weather not be red in the eye- and by that time we usually have to stay there for another month if we happen to land in a Stem. Then it's another tiring round about trip."
Now you see, giants do not know how to swim, and they are unable to build proper ships, (because of their clumsy hands), so sea travel presented a problem for them. They often remained isolated from one another in distant continents, and only a select few ever could map them out (leading to fairly inaccurate ones at that.)
Of course, for Lan, Match, and Min, this should have been no true gripe. They were all special giants, who were able to breathe underwater. However, they never trained their swimming often, as they were afraid of sinking. So on a trip like this, they had to rely on their maps to point them to select island where they could fly to until reaching Feraldün.
"So you see, I decided that this year, we could try to take the land bridge so as to spare us a lot of the grief that would have come our way."
"I see where you're getting at with this, and I wholeheartedly throw my support to this plan." Match crossed his arms and nodded, with his pipe to the left side of his mouth.
"We'll need some time to pack ourselves provisions. About five days should do." Lan got up from his seat and walked over to a very large lamp and lit it with a snap of his fingers.
The candle inside shone a bright gleam that shone through the dark smog.
They hadn't realized it, but their meeting had gone to nightfall. The cold stars were gleaming high in the blackened sky, like gems trapped in the walls of a miner's hall. Small clouds gleamed across the pale moon, like blades across an open eye. The misty night air was cool to the touch and fresh to the taste.
Min got up from his seat as well, and retrieved his lute from the backside of the room. "Now that we have finished our dark business, what's say we have ourselves a little music?"
Both of the brothers raised their hands in agreement and cheered. "Here, here!"
So, for the rest of the night they sang and talked, and sang and talked until the crack of dawn, when they parted ways to prepare for the long journey ahead...
-----
I wrote this short story in an attempt to find the voice I am looking for in my writing. It was a casual piece of writing that took me a few days to finish since I am an easily distracted person. You will note a lot of allusions to many authorial works in the story if you look hard enough. Some of them are obvious, and others are not.
