A debt incurred

This is the second chapter of the 10 I am preparing before I start releasing again.

For a hundred pps by Friday ill do a triple threat weekend, make sure to remind me if I forget, it may just happen, this was written at least a weak before it was actually released after all.

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After leaving the gates we much too slowly made our way toward the forest, it may be because of the carts, or the fear that the giants felt due to being outside the city in the middle of winter, in an area that is rumored to be the hunting grounds of some monsters.

Can't quite decide which one it is, if I had to, I would put money on the carts, after all these guys are fearless giants, they are only trembling due to the cold, I swear.

In a hushed whisper, I tell Vun who was following behind me. ''How much longer till we get there''. I know I sound impatient, and that's because I am, last time I was out here things didn't exactly go well for me, or for anyone for that matter.

Pulling the cloak tighter around himself he looks up and thinks for a moment. ''Soon sir Caspian, over there is where we ran out of the forest while escaping from... those things''. He said this while pointing with a thick finger to the trees in the distance, I've got no idea how he does it, it all blends in after a while.

''Good, then it won't be long,''. He doesn't answer me for obvious reasons, the less noise we make the better.

Pulling lightly on the connection with my summon there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the area. I have it patrolling around the cabins, where we last saw the beast, and the trap. It didn't find anything so far, and trust me, if it did I would not be here anymore.

As much as I would like to check with my own eyes that would mean stopping, I would much prefer not to do that so I say nothing and we keep going. Soon we reach the treeline, past the stumps left behind by the woodcutter.

It gets darker and harder as we go deeper and deeper into the forest, I don't remember it being this bad yesterday. Must be the high strung nerves, yeah, sure.

The ground got rougher and rougher and soon the inevitable happened, the leading carriage got stuck on some roots hidden underneath the snow. Now, this wouldn't be much of a problem in a normal situation, just lift the thing and push it, easy.

The problem is this is not a normal situation, and lifting and pushing a cart around would make quite a significant amount of noise, especially with the barrels smacking into each other inside the cart.

''What do we do Boss, carts stuck''. I know Ubam, thank you for the reminder bud, it's been a good five seconds now.

''Carefully take out the barrels from it, we are very close to our destination, make sure you don't drop it''. Trying to make your voice sound authoritative while whispering is quite hard.

All the giants get to work including my guards, one giant is keeping the cart from turning over due to the uneven terrain, another one is opening the back as quietly as he can so they can push out the barrels, Vun and Ubam are waiting behind to pick up the barrels, they are the strongest after all.

Once they have them safely secured in their arms I make a hand sign indicating to go forward. ''Get the other carts around the stuck one, make sure no more accidents happen, we're almost there''.

And so I kept heading deeper into the forest together with eight giants, three of which were struggling to not make sloshing noises as they carried water barrels around in their arms.

The feeling of dread and the fact that this may not be the greatest plan I ever had strikes me again. While thinking about how to escape if anything happens, I see a black dot somewhat covered by snow right in front of us.

The black pot!

''We're here, it's past these trees. Listen up, stay on the sides of the clearing, there is a pitfall inside, I will lift the cover then we will start pouring in the water, as soon as we're done we will tactically advance backward''.

Following my orders they reach the trees and make way for me to pass, the bird is pinging me like crazy, a slight pull shows it's due to detecting us of all things.

At least it works.

Getting closer to where I remember we dug the hole the day before I crouch down and stick my hand under the snow looking for the edges of the cover.

I find it quite easily and pull up, the bark is covered by a layer of snow which makes it fairly heavy, in order to put more strength into my hands I push my chest forward and lift my chin to the sky, this allows me to fully swing the bark on its back and uncover the hole.

That was quite the exercise, maybe I should have let one of the giants do it, let us see now, how's the hole fairing.

Making sure my feet are solidly onto the ground I look down at the dark inside on the trap, what I see in there could be considered nightmare fuel, not nearly as effective as a monstrosity sneaking up on you as you sleep, but still, the guilt will make sleeping harder.

''Vun, come here''. I say, not even whispering. The giant guard does as I say, he places the barrel down and makes his way to me.

He asks in a low voice. ''Is there anything wrong with the trap sir Caspian''. Lifting my head up and taking my eyes off the hole I turn around and say. ''Look for yourself, make sure to take it out.''

''Take what out, sir Caspian?''. I don't answer, there's no need, he will see for himself.

And so he did, following my word Vun looks down at the hole in the ground and lets out a short gruff gasp. ''The young human from before''.

Yes, indeed.

What lies at the bottom of the hole is the body of that annoying teenager that kept asking me questions when we were in the woods. He is full of blood and looks to have either bled or frozen to death or maybe both, who even knows at this point.

Turning back to me Vun asks in his normal volume, he too abandoned the whispering. ''What do we do with this?''. Sigh, what is there to be done with it.

''I already told you, take it out and lay it over there, we need to hurry and be done with this farce''. The ever-faithful Vun gets down on his stomach and reaches down into the trap with his whole upper torso, that's how much he needs to reach the body underneath.

Soon after he gets back up on his knees while holding what, in the hands of a human, would look like a young child, the problem is Vun is not a human, and that is not a young child but a young teenager, in a way he was already grown up.

The other giants let out a few sighs and grunts in surprise, I say a few orders in order to settle them down. ''Do not worry, and prepare the barrels, if we don't hurry we may just join him''.

Spurred by my words they get to work unloading the cart, while they do that I walk over to Vun. ''Put him down over there and go help, just fill it with all the water we brought'' He nods and half places half throws the frozen body on the ground.

It is terribly bloody.

How did you get here I wonder, my summon never told me so you must have hid in here while I was still waiting by the gate.

Looking down at the blood filed body I see that a chunk of his leg is missing, judging by the size something must have taken quite a big bite, poor bastard.

He probably wobbled his way back here while the others were distracting the Vulnog, he pushed the then clean bark off the hole then jumped inside the pitfall. That in itself spelled doom for him, after all, it's a giant-sized trap, there's no way a human with an injured leg can climb out.

I respect the effort nonetheless.

The question is how he got the bark back on the hole, he must have pushed it aside before jumping in.

To try and figure out what happened I head over to where the bark fell, it was turned around ,and as soon as I saw it, I understood what happened.

The whole underside was filled with bloody fingerprints smudged in such a way that allowed me to see the great effort that whoever made them put into moving the bark.

This fool must have started jumping and very slowly pushed the bark bit by bit into position, all that with a very injured and bleeding leg.

I may have underestimated you kid, truly.

While my investigation was taking place the giants finished pouring the water into the trap, it went from its normal transparent color to a reddish-brown tone, no doubt due to the youth's blood and other substances filling the hole.

''Good job, cover the trap and prepare to leave, we are done here''. I had quite enough for the moment.

''Boss, what do we do with the body''. Ubam asked while resting next to me, he was the one that worked the fastest while pouring the water.

''What to do with it, indeed...'' watching the cover go over the trap and the body lying next to it an idea came to mind, a somewhat disturbing yet ingenious idea.

''Place it on top of the bark, it should hold it''. Not only Ubam but everyone gave me a strange look they hesitated for a moment before they complied and placed the bait over the trap.

''Boss, are you sure we should do this''. I just nod at him, it's something I didn't think about before.

''Let us go, we will pick up the cart on the way back, noise doesn't matter anymore, just go as fast as you can'' Hearing my words everyone starts hurrying to leave, myself included.

With a last look back I can't help but say out loud.

''Kid, if this works, I may just look for your family and give them what I owe you.''