After a day of searching, Rudolf's efforts to find the child was useless. Arthur disappeared as if being swallowed by the earth is true. Even more surprisingly, none of the traces he encountered of Arthur's departure.
"I don't know what I'm feeling right now. But, if you have to be honest, two things feel chest-stifling when you see this incident. First, I didn't expect that Arthur would do this kind of thing. Secondly, the strangeness of Arthur's attitude was already felt when I saw him at the table for a meal together last night. So then, why don't I talk to him at least I'll know what happened to him?!"Regret after regret came in Rudolf. From all his thoughts, one more thing makes him very sorry. He doesn't know his son's feelings until he is desperate to do something like this. Some members of the Jotuns gave their elders support and encouragement for the loss of their son. Volka and Gus are no exception. They are also confused as to why this could happen as if this were just a lie."Gus, come with me. I want to talk to you," Volka hissed. He then took the ancient rabbit to an area where Jotuns didn't pass much."Didn't you want to apologize to him before? What happened just now? Why did it come this way?" asked Volka as if interrogating."yes, I did look for it. But I didn't have time to meet him because he was gone in this cave. So therefore, I reported this incident to Rudolf," Gus replied.They got a panic attack. It also confused them because if Arthur wanted to go somewhere, he would tell one of them."I guess that's why Arthur ran away like this," Gus chimed in. He stared in any direction blankly. His views imply a deep regret that they could no longer be expressed in words."What are you talking about? Arthur didn't tell us anything, so we don't have to blame ourselves for this incident. The most important thing now, we must be able to find him as soon as possible even though our lives are at stake!" said Volka encouraging Gus."That sentence only applies to me, not to you. Aren't you the dark lord who lives eternally on this earth?""Ah, yes. I forgot you're right. Gosh, just two days I haven't guarded this forest. We have been given unexpected problems like this," Volka said. Volka's spontaneous remarks elicited a surprised reaction on Gus's face. The wrinkles on his forehead revealed the confusion of Volka's words earlier."What?! Two days?! You're kidding me?!""Yeah, so what?" asked Volka innocently."It's no wonder the Dark forest feels not as cool as before. Maybe it's because of your actions! Ah, never mind. Let's go quickly to find Arthur! We have wasted a lot of time!"The two also rushed to find Arthur back. They were sure they would soon find Arthur in less than a day. But did Arthur disappear, as Gus said? Where did the Jotuns go?Meanwhile, while others were busy looking for it, at this time, Arthur was enjoying the fresh fish meat hunted in the river under the foot of the hill. Remembering that he hadn't eaten the banquet at his father's birthday last night, the worms in his stomach screamed, struggling to signal hunger. Therefore, he took a short break to stop his journey. Stop the trip? Where exactly is Arthur going?That night, Arthur was desperate to leave his cave because he was utterly disappointed with the situation. He decided to complete his mission by himself without asking anyone for help. Then how can it 'disappear without a trace? When Arthur returned to his room, his heart asked to go out through a large hole in the room. Without thinking further, he followed his heart. He climbed up from the spot and stood firmly on the surface of the roof of Howa's cave. Slowly, he walked down the steps quietly with a whisper in his heart. Aware that his footprints would be a clue, every time Arthur stepped in, he erased his track wouldn't be known to anyone as soon as possible. That is the reason that to date, not a single trace of Arthur's footprints has been found,"Maybe, you can't linger outside by yourself like this, Arthur. However, when you go home later, people will be surprised by your achievements. Soon your life like this will be over! Hahaha!" said Arthur with a full mouth.What Arthur just said is true. His extensive and scary body will not be able to hide longer even though he can camouflage quite well. While enjoying his game fish, an arrow suddenly stuck in his hand. He doesn't know where the arrow came from. However, it surprised Arthur with a sour look on his face, enduring pain. As hard as he could, he tried not to roar from illness so the other Jotun would not know. For a few seconds, he realized someone was following him silently."Arrow? Who would dare to attack me in the early mornings like this?!" he said, pulling out an arrow from his arms.In silence, he locked his gaze and looked around very carefully. Then, again, he realized that the owner of this arrow was not an inhabitant of the Dark forest. Instead, this arrow comes from humans."Oh, you dare to attack me quietly? Tsk! Coward! Show me your real face, scared human!" exclaimed Arthur.A few moments later, footsteps sounded from behind Arthur's body. The move sounded like a very familiar shoe beat in his ears."I'm here, damned creature!" replied the person as she strolled.A woman in a knightly suit and long loose hair emerged from behind the trees. The female walks in a perfect position while holding a crossbow, ready to be released. The visible vibrations from the girl's body indicate that this girl is fearless and frightened simultaneously."Ah, Gilda?! Are my eyes mistaken?" greeted Arthur with a relaxed tone and a sly smile. With one eyebrow raised, it indicates that he underestimated the leader of the Village of Tanee."Don't talk too much! Or I'll....""Will what? Going to shoot me with that weak arrow of yours? Listen, don't be offended. But an ant bite is far more painful than a meagre arrow from you. Ah, I almost forgot, did you come here alone? Where are your loyal citizens?"Arthur is still trying to relax in the face of the situation. But it's different with Gilda. This time, she met with the Jotuns at such a close distance. That is why his body trembled violently even though he tried his best to cover it. Gilda was still in the same position holding her crossbow just in case."Don't talk too much! Where's the kid?!" exclaimed Gilda."Kid? Which one?" asked Arthur, pretending not to know."Don't be stupid! Ramy! The last child you kidnapped last week!" concluded Gilda irritably."So, you came here just to ask the child? Gilda... Gilda, you are the daughter of the elder in the village of Tanee. But it turns out that you weren't smart enough when you were a leader. Of course the child had vanished, aka died being eaten by us, Jotuns in that night! Hahaha," Arthur retorted.Gilda sighed deeply. She tried to hold back the tears that were about to fall even though they had been blocked in the eyes when she heard the harsh reality."Then, give up!" repeated Gilda in a quivering tone holding back tears."Give up? We haven't even started the fight yet, Gilda. Oh, so that's your army? A rabbit like ili pika? You're kidding me, right?"Arthur looked at the furry animal hiding behind Gilda's body. It was Pipi. From the beginning, the adorable little creature was already frightened and didn't even dare to look directly at Arthur."I told you, give up! Or ...."Slowly, Arthur walked up to Gilda with a sharp gaze. The greenish-grey sturdy body with expanding muscles all over it made anyone who saw the monster shudder."Or what?" hissed Arthur in a profound yet terrible voice.The shadow covered sunlight in Gilda's eyes when Arthur's body approached her. The girl's eyes rounded as Arthur came. At the same time, for some reason, she suddenly lost her strength to the point of dropping her crossbow with a gaze still locked on the monster. Seeing that, Pipi had already run away because of fear."D-Don't you dare to approach me, cursed Jotun..."Gilda hadn't finished her sentence, she was suddenly unconscious, and her body fell to the ground with an ashen face. Arthur was very confused because this was the second time a human being was faint when she saw him at close range."Tsk! Is every human being always like this? It can only be threatening but unable to support itself when approached. You guys are so weak! This is the thing I am most proud of when I become a Jotun!"Soon, Arthur heard someone calling his name from a distance that he recognized. It is Constituency. Panicking, afraid of being discovered, Arthur hurried away from where he was at this time. Still, there was an awkward savage in his heart. He couldn't leave Gilda alone lying by the river for some reason. If Volka or the Jotuns saw Gilda faint here, they would know that Arthur's whereabouts were not far from the river, and of course, Arthur didn't want that to happen. So, without lingering, he picked up Gilda and took the girl's body with him in the middle of nowhere."Come on! This human being is so troublesome as hell!" murmured Gilda.GrookkGrookkGilda opened both eyes slowly. She won't know where the noise that was so disturbing came from that it woke Gilda up from her conscious nature. The girl rubbed her eyes with her hands because her vision blurred. It tried to look around where it was lying at the moment."Aahh... where am I?"Gilda complained of pain and then held her head while watching around. At first glance, the place looks damp, with minimal lighting, and the air is cold. Grokkthe voice sounded once again. It was difficult for Gilda to figure out because her body still felt weak and sore in some parts, especially the hip area. Slowly, Gilda tried to brace herself to walk over to find out what had happened."He-hello?" she said softly.After almost a few minutes of waiting, it turned out that no one answered her remarks. She walked back down the place even with a limping step. Nearly ten steps walked, and suddenly her actions stopped because of hitting something. Something felt dense but didn't cause
Gilda frowned at the voice calling out to her. She initially thought that she was hallucinating. However, soon Pipi appeared to approach her by strolling to sneak up."Pipi? How did you get here?" asked Gilda, surprised. Both eyes were moist because, for almost fifteen minutes, she cried. She stopped crying when she heard the sound of Pipi's exclamation and the stone thrown by the little creature."Relax, Princess. I will tell you everything, but I have to ensure the situation first," Pipi said while watching around. She looked very anxious because she was afraid of something."You mean? Jotun?" asked Gilda.Pipi nodded in agreement. Gilda finally understands Pipi's attitude, which looks anxious just now. Then, Pipi invited her to one corner of the cave as if she was about to show her something. Not long after, they finally arrived at the place Pipi was going."Princess, I apologize for leaving you yesterday. I did that because of reflexes and fear. I really couldn't afford to look in
"Hahaha. That's impossible, Pipi. If Jotuns are kind, why are they kidnapping my citizens for? Don't be easily fooled by the monster, Pipi. I'm sure he has another intention behind this," Gilda explained."Pipi, I don't know that rodents like you like fresh fish to eat. Don't you just like nuts?" asked Gilda to Pipi, who was eating."Since there is no food that I can find around here, I am forced to just eat this fish, Princess. After all, the taste of fresh fish is not too bad for me. It's just that maybe if it is baked like yours, it will be more delicious. From the fragrance alone, Princess's grilled fish is already very appetizing. ""You want to try my grilled fish? This, try it... after all, it's not baked, it's just a normal grill. The fire I made was not too big. You know it was my mother who taught me to make a fire in the midst of an emergency situation like this," Gilda said as she thrust out one fish."Ah, no Princess. I'm already full of my portion just now, Princess. At
The impact of both of Arthur's legs stifled the surface of the 'roof' of the cave. Just as Arthur had stepped foot, Gilda had already stepped straight down from the monster's shoulders as if she couldn't wait to release her grip on Arthur's body."You're so noisy. Can't you be calm for a day?!' said Arthur irritably. Not only because Arthur's screams disturb his concentration when climbing up, but Gilda's fairly complex hand grip caused claw scars and minor bruises on his body.Gilda was silent, not responding to Arthur's complaint. Either because she didn't care or was ashamed of her fear of heights appearing at an inopportune moment."Princess, are you ok?" asked Pipi worriedly."I'm ok. Ah, look! The scenery above here is so beautiful, isn't it?" said Gilda turning the corner in embarrassment.It's undeniable that the view of the cave, which is unnamed, was so unique that it made Gilda and Pipi amazed when they first saw it. The clouds enveloped the surroundings of the forest so th
Long long ago ...Such a clear night with scattered stars adorns the sky of the village of Tanee. Hela Valrick, the mother of a beautiful daughter of Gilda Valrick, invited her people to spend the night together. That village field by lighting a bonfire that warmed them amid the cold of the snow that enveloped the surroundings."No, no. You don't have to bring any food. I have prepared enough meat for all of us. My husband brought six wild boars from the game this afternoon. So we're roasting together, ok?!" said Hela."Ah, you've always been like this to us. We don't know how to repay your kindness to Mrs. Valrick. After all, Mr. Emmett seemed tired after hunting. We became increasingly worried about his health," said one of the residents."We're all a family. No need to feel uncomfortable. My husband is such a tough guy that you don't have to worry about him." The smiles emanating from the villagers described the peace at that time. The kids are having fun too. They run around free
20 years later"Are you prepared?""I am, Father.""Then, go. When you're in crisis, leave everything. It's enough to just flee, as long as you're safe."Arthur walked out of his hiding cave towards Tanee Village. With a bunch of vines he used as rope, he didn't need too many hunting tools as his current target was a child."Hey, Arthur! If you managed to get more than one human, share them with me!" yelled Volka from afar, the guardian of Dark Forest covered by the darkness."I won't let you indulge in my rations! Hahaha!" shouted Arthur.Even when humans thought the curse bound the Forest, The Dark Forest had been an excellent place for the Jotuns. The caves they lived in were covered by Forest's thickness and gloominess, day and night.Luckily, it wasn't Winter. The absence of thick snow provided easier hunting for the jotuns and left the village without a trace.Soon as he reached the village border to the Forest, Arthur slowed down. He prepared to quickly slip behind the house he
"M-Mr. Jotun, can I go home? I-I miss my mother," Ramy said hopefully."Can you, you want to go home?" asked Arthur."Ye-yes, sir. Can I go home now?""Yes, I'll let you go now. Let me tell you my way home. Once from here, you will pass through the darkness of the Dark forest alone. Ah, or you need friend to go there? Or put it this way, I'll send my friend to accompany you along the way, Volka!! Come here!! I need your help!" cried Arthur.The pupil of the innocent child's eyes immediately dilated when he heard Volka's word. He immediately stuck the index finger in his mouth and showed it to Arthur."Ssshh... Okay, I get it. I'm not going anywhere. I'm sorry, sir," the boy bowed his head helplessly."Smart boy!" said Arthur with a cynical smile that looked whiny and sly.Who doesn't know Volka? The Dark Forest ranger creature that the villagers of Tanee feared after the Jotun. Volka never showed his form, and he only made a sound that would make humans unable to sleep with just one w
"So, what do you want?!" asked Gus."What do I want? You didn't hear me, did you?! But, I told you, I have good news for you!""I know. If you're like this, there's going to be something you want from me. That's right, isn't it?!"Arthur, who was used to his best friend's coldness, never once felt offended. On the contrary, Gus is a kind and loyal figure to anyone who wants to be friends with him.Want to be friends with him? Yes, not all Dark forest creatures dared approach the grumbling creatures, except Arthur and Volka. Therefore, they are finally now friends."Your remarks have some truth too. I was going to tell you something, but it feels better if you help me first," Arthur reasoned.Hearing this, Gus turned over and walked back to the tree he lived in regardless of Arthur's words."Gus! I haven't finished talking yet! Listen to me first!" shouted Arthur."I don't want to get involved in your stupid actions anymore!" concluded Gus, whose voice echoed from inside the tree."Oh,