The Path of Giants by B.T. Narro (best novels to read .txt) 📕

Gourfist slept, Valinox was even scarier. She found herself hoping she wouldn’t be able to open the portal to Fyrren, the world of the fae. She had no idea what Valinox planned to do there, but she had no doubt that it would help him win this war and therefore hurt everyone who stood against him.

Eden was a coward. She would admit it to anyone, if asked. She had almost been proud of it until now, always doing what was necessary for her to live happily after her father stopped making any effort for their family. She would be rich and powerful after all of this, and her mother would have a good life. And so would Eden, more importantly. She would eventually forget about everyone who had died, as she had forgotten the fond memories of her father from when she was a child.

Eden had been telling herself this for many months now, but she was starting to doubt it might be true. It was too late, however. No going back now.

She quietly made her way back to the shimmering portal while keeping an eye on the sleeping beast. The sphere was translucent, blurring the image of Gourfist behind it. It didn’t have any color to it, just a haze of white light around its edges. Without that light, she might not have even realized it was there. The portal had to be at least ten feet fall and equally as wide.

All right, how the hell do I do this? She put her hands up close to the rift, staring at the massive beast all the while. He didn’t stir this time, so she focused on what she could feel.

Ever since learning ordia, her mana had blessed her with new sensations her normal senses couldn’t possibly pick up. In the same way that she could smell people before, it was now as if her mana could smell them and provide a much stronger scent to her memory than her nose could.

Not only did people create a mana-scent she could pick up, but so did enchantments. And so did this portal.

She suddenly felt her mana connect to the mana of this rift. Oh, fascinating. New powers became available that she had never felt before. She felt as though she could push and pull at the fabric of the rift, shaping it to her will. It was malleable like clay, but there was life to it, a desire.

It wanted to open, but something prevented it from doing so. It seemed to be an ancient…spell? No, it felt more like an enchantment, she thought, as she pinpointed her mind on the feeling. However, it was more powerful than any enchantment she had felt before.

But the magic that composed it was just like everything else in the world. It was much easier to destroy than it was to create. She just had to remove this enchantment keeping the portal closed, and the portal would open on its own. She opened her eyes.

I should disobey. I really should.

She knew she wouldn’t.

Eden let out a breath. I’m a coward. There was no point in delaying any longer.

She broke the enchantment.

Peace broke with it. The portal sucked in all the air around her as it swelled, nearly pulling her in as well. Then there was a crack. Light poured out, blinding her for the moment as she fell back and covered her eyes.

The ground started to shake. She got up, preparing to run, but it was too late. Gourfist was awake. It was not the portal that had shaken the earth but his massive talons pushing himself up.

His shining eyes were fixed on Eden. There was so much anger in them.

“Oh shit!” she yelled, fear forming the words.

Gourfist screeched. It was two sounds, deep and shrill, power and pain. The hot wind blew Eden over herself a few times, the sound deafening.

When she got to her feet, Gourfist was shaking his head as if clearing out his grogginess. She thought he might’ve forgotten about her for the moment as he took his gaze off her. She ducked behind a tree and made herself small and still, poking her head out to watch.

Gourfist worked out a few more kinks as he fully woke up, twisting himself and then smacking his long tail against the ground, vibrations humming through Eden’s body.

Then he peered right at her.

“Shit!”

She made a run toward the beast, for the portal. She could see the image of another world inside, colorful trees unlike any in Curdith Forest.

A shadow fell over her as Gourfist’s talon rose up. She dove into the portal.

*****

I was just leaving the castle to head to Koluk with everyone else when we heard Gourfist roar. This one was louder to my ears, even though I had been closer to the forest when I had heard him the first time.

Although the sound made me frightened that he’d awoken, I had something more immediate to worry about because the sound had absolutely terrified our horses. Hadley lost complete control of her mare as the animal rushed back toward the stables, but Reuben jumped off his horse to help.

“Use the reins!” Reuben was shouting to Hadley.

“I’m trying.”

I was too busy watching the northern skies to offer assistance. This roar had sounded different. Not only was it louder, but there seemed to be more emotion in it, as if something had really pissed off Gourfist just now.

A couple of guards were stationed by the lowered drawbridge. More of them stood watch from the castle ramparts above. Everyone was quiet as we all stared. I was sure I wasn’t the only one who had a bad feeling about this.

My horror came true as I watched a gigantic winged creature emerge out of the forest many miles away.

“Raise the drawbridge!” shouted one of the guards.

“Leave it open!” I yelled back. It could be precious time that we didn’t have if Gourfist chose the capital as his target. Besides, what good would a drawbridge do to stop a