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

beast of that size? He was probably taller than the castle walls, and he could fly.

“The king’s yelling to us,” Reuben said. “But I can’t hear him.”

We hurried back into the courtyard.

“Put back the horses and get into the castle!” the king screamed from the third floor of the keep.

With the help of the stable master, we did as we were ordered. Soon we were about to run across the courtyard and enter the keep for safety, but Charlie was standing at the open drawbridge, staring at Gourfist growing ever bigger.

“Oh my god,” he uttered. “It’s true.”

I grabbed him by his arm. “Come on, Charlie!”

Gourfist had been asleep longer than I had been alive. It wasn’t by chance that he was now awake. What had done it? Had Valinox killed someone?

All the castle workers who were outside rushed to make it indoors as quickly as they could. Reuben was first to the open door of the keep. He took his place with the door in hand, ready to close and bolt it shut once all of us were inside.

I was the last one because I had slowed down across the courtyard. The keep was not where I wanted to be right now. It didn’t provide a good view of the sky and the surrounding city of Newhaven, which I was more worried about. The people of the city didn’t have stone walls to protect them.

“Jon!” Reuben yelled as I veered off to make my way up onto the wall.

“I’m going to stay out here.”

“Are you stupid? Come on!”

“The city might need my protection,” I said.

“What do you hope to do against Gourfist?” he shouted incredulously.

“I don’t know, but I want to be ready in case there is something I can do.” Although my voice didn’t sound it, I was terrified. Gourfist seemed to be heading straight for Newhaven. The creature moved at an incredible speed as he flapped his enormous feathered wings. He looked akin to an eagle, except that he had four legs and a tail, and a variety of colors from the feathers of his legs to his head.

“Get inside, Jon!” yelled the king, now at the second story window, which was close to my level as I stayed put on the wall.

“I might need to protect the city,” I countered.

“You can’t offer any protection,” the king said. “He will come for you as soon as you use strong sorcery. He is looking for the demigods right now. The best thing you can do is nothing.”

I watched Gourfist, not his majesty. He was making a beeline for the capital. It was almost as if someone was drawing him here.

Valinox? No, it seemed too risky for such a cautious and cowardly being. Like the king said, Gourfist was after the demigods. I doubted Valinox was responsible for waking him at all. He was probably off hiding somewhere.

Now that Gourfist was close, I could see just how big he really was. I was in no way a small man, but I would be like an insect standing before the beast. He was probably twenty feet tall from talons to beak. His wingspan was probably even greater.

The king was right. What could I hope to do?

I ran into the castle keep and up the stairs until I came to the same second-story room as everyone else. I saw why the king had chosen it. It had the best view of the sky and city, two windows facing north. But I couldn’t make out much with everyone crowded around them.

I came up on Hadley’s side. “Is there anything you’ve heard in Rohaer about how to stop him?”

“No, he’s searching for the demigods. You can only wait for him to tire himself out and return to the forest.”

“Then why does it seem like he’s drawn to the city?”

“Maybe Souriff is here.”

Reuben, using the other window, turned around to face the king with a panicked expression. His majesty was standing toward the center of the room, Callie and the queen right beside him. All of them were encircled by a number of guards.

“He’s coming for the city!” Reuben said.

“Dammit!” The king pushed through the circle of guards.

“Father!” Callie complained.

Hadley and I made room at our window for Nykal to use it.

Gourfist was slowing down as he made it over Newhaven’s wall. He seemed to be looking around as he beat his wings, bobbing in the air. As if annoyed at not finding his quarry, he let out a deafening sound that seemed to be a mixture of a piercing screech and a reverberating roar.

As it echoed over the land, the screams of the townspeople trailed after.

Gourfist flew toward the castle.

“He’s coming for us!” Reuben claimed. “Do you have archers ready, sire?”

“Archers would only irritate him. Everyone is to stand down until he leaves.”

I didn’t blame his majesty for that order. I couldn’t imagine the number of arrows it would take to bring down a beast of this size. The archers would surely be killed first.

Gourfist landed near the northern castle wall. His head was just higher than the wall itself. He turned around, and we lost sight of him as he lowered his body.

There were panicked screams, then a loud crash. Splintering wood shot into the air as if he had destroyed a building. I distinctly heard a man let out the kind of scream that someone only made when he felt unbearable fear.

Dozens more screamed in terror. Gourfist destroyed something else, more wood splintering. I wondered if he had the power to even destroy the stone wall around the castle.

“Help!” shouted someone. Then, “No! Take me instead!”

Horrified, I saw the body of a child thrown through the air with a trail of blood following it, the boy screaming in absolute horror. His cries didn’t last long.

It was too much for me to stand there and do nothing. I unbuckled my sword and sheath from my belt and slammed them on an empty table.

“Jon!” the king yelled as I went to his group of