ENTRY VIII

After saying our goodbyes in Rulbik, Garth and I went on our journey. The road went across the mountain, deeper into a land they called Nobodies. It has remained so all this time, which was a strange sight in the northern parts. We walked across the trampled snow. Ice cracked under our feet.

"Do you hear that?" Garth asked. His hand was shaking. It was his first time here, in the frozen North.

"I do," I replied.

I stopped in my tracks. It wasn't my first time.

"What do think it is?"

"I wish, I knew."

"You don't know?"

"No," I replied with a strange calmness. I was used to this type of situations and there was one thing that Garth didn't know I was a vampire.

"How can you be calm in a place like this?" Garths eyes widened.

"That's the point," I turned.

"What is? I don't get it."

"You don't have to. All that you need to do is to stay calm and don't ask too many questions."

"If, you say so, I will do it."

"Great for you, truly, finally someone that will follow the rules to the letter."

"There were others?"

"Yes."

"Let me guess, they didn't follow the rules."

"True."

"Why?"

"I guess it's free will or stubbornness."

"I hear it again."

"So do I, mate."

"It's getting closer."

"Hide, now!"

"Why?"

"Do as I say."

We hid, a few moments later, the land shook with the periodical steps of the giant. His large feet with ease crossed a distance of 20ft, like it was nothing. He was a sight to behold, larger and stronger than most of the local giants, but still they weren't toys that the child would pick up when it needs them. The massive oaken club swung freely on his decorated belt, which stood a bit lower on his waist, the belt was small in comparison to his waist. His head looked at everything that moved in the dense forest. Even with his height, he wasn't above the trees that stood there for who know how long. The giant stopped, sniffed the air. Garth stopped his breath. He feared the worst. The giant continued down the forest path, disappearing in the thick bush. We have survived. I appeared from the cover, looked in the opposite direction, the coast was clear:

"We are safe."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"What was that thing?" Garth shook the thorns from his cloak.

"A giant," I replied without emotion.

"But they don't exist. They were just stories."

"Tell that to him."

"Why?"

"This is their territory."

"Their territory, are you sure?"

"Yes."

"How, there is no way? You must be mistaken."

"I wish I was."

"You aren't?"

"No."

"How is that possible?"

"This isn't my first mission in this frozen waste. I wandered from place to place."

"What are we doing here?"

"Moving, trying to stay alive, until we reach some kind of shelter."

"What then?"

"Who knows?"

"You don't mind, if I tag along."

"Why would I?"

"Because, we are going almost in the same direction, but our objectives are different."

"What objectives?"

"I haven't told you?"

"No. Strange... are you sure?"

"Yes."

"How could I forget? There is no way."

"Forget what?" I looked at ridge that stretched for at least 20 to 30 meters.

"You have found a place for us to stay?" Garth moved forward.

"Yes."

"There is always something behind a ridge."

"True. Shall we?"

"Aye," I went down the ice covered road.

We were lucky, behind the ridge, we found a small hut. I slowly walked forward with my hand resting on the sword. I opened the door, the hut was empty.

"We are in luck."

"Aye," Garth replied. "We are. This one is recently made."

"True. The isolation is good."

"It could be better, but who am I to choose."

"I think it's time for you to tell me your objective."

"Fair."

"It will be a long story."

"I'm used to it."

"High up the mountains, above Lake Irir, there lays the Castle of Lothorn, once a place of power and wealth, now, only a shadow of its former self."

"I know that castle."

"I was called that day to report to my lord.

The sun shinned high above my head, as I walked through the upper courtyard. The wooden bridge was strong enough to hold, it was reassuring, if you could call it that way? There was a lot that didn't seem right to me on first glance. What else could I do? Complain to my lord? Of course not, there was a slight chance that he will listen.

Tents were placed in the lower courtyard of the castle. Every known nobleman was here. As I walked up the stairs, a group of knights left the castle in a hurry. It wasn't a strange sight. Men go and return when they want, but it was still strange. Somehow I knew it. I always had that feeling. I stopped to a duel, to be precise a confrontation. The first duelist was a tall man. His helmet glowed in the morning sun.

A group of warriors stood out from the crowd in the courtyard of the castle, all the Sirdi warriors used to paint armor, and among that entire crowd stood out a man in worn armor. His armor still contained traces of red or blood, many were unsure. The color was made by pigment, which was abundant. His face could not be seen because of the chainmail scale that covered everything to his eyes. His eyes were menacing.

The second duelist was shorter man, but strong in the shoulders. He moved with his shield forward.

The rattle of the swords echoed. Turn. Counter-Attack. Block with a shield. Stab. The knight lowers his shield arm, tries to block, the other knight stabs him with the sword in the elbow joint. The knight slowly tries to raise his hand. Stab again. Blood dripped, blood dripped on his sword. The clang of steel, the music of the hall echoes. The spectators hold their breaths. The first knight blocks, the knight pulls forward. The second hits below the belt. He misses. The first turns the direction of attack. He attacks from the side. The knight dodges, rolls. The first stands his ground. The second one gets up, charges at him. The first knight moves to the side, moves his leg forward. The shorter knight trips and falls on the ground. The taller one moves forward, places his leg on him and positions the sword above the gathering plates of his armor. The tip of the sword exits on the other side. I continued with my duty. The inside was warm with a certain weight to it. It didn't change the fact that I had to listen to the ramblings of a fat man that can't walk properly.

"It's time for you mission," he said, "you're going north of Rulbik."

"That far north, sir?" I said, hiding my anger.

"Yes," he replied. "We are counting on you."

The sun shinned bright though the half shut windows.

"It's time to go," I said after a pause.

"Aye," Garth stood up. "Our ways part here."

"True."

We went towards the exit. The sun shinned bright, reflected by the snow. We were near Ararta.