The Forgotten Land: The Return of the Giants

Creatures of the Dark, and the Lost Boy

Half of the world was covered in darkness, while half of the world was still blessed by the presence of the sun. At first, everyone thought the eclipse was a temporary thing… but when three days had passed and the moon still covered the sun, the townsfolk, city people and villagers of half the inhabitants of the Earth knew it wouldn't end anytime soon. 

Without the sun’s presence, creatures of madness that lurked in the dark came out of their hiding, killing anyone on sight. May it be an old woman, a young man or a little child. 

Lunora died in front of him. And how she was devoured by ghastly beings almost made him faint. It happened when she visited the store and asked him to accompany her for coffee… but instead of having a snack, they became the snack.

The creatures from the depths of the shadow world ate everything and only spit out the bones. And when Pip was about to be devoured, he shifted into his demon dog form and ran. With hind legs and paws of a dog, he was able to run faster than most. Thus his chance to survive was higher, just like the other half-breeds like him.

He felt his whole body working; his leg muscles running warm, air entered his lungs and blood flowed into all his limbs. Gut-wrenching, heart pumping— after several thrusts forward his legs became tired but he cannot stop.

If he stopped, then the creature behind him would consume him just like the others.

He saw how the monsters consumed others, and saw how it devoured his colleagues, his friends and others.

"Fuck!" Pipper Wolfe curses under his breath as he runs away from a creature that had sprouted out of nowhere. Before three creatures without faces were trailing him from behind. Now, there are six of them. The monsters behind him snarl and growls, making him more nervous.

They’re inching closer to him. While the snake-like creatures approach him from behind, moving closer, slithering its way nearer to have a chance to consume him.

Adrenaline coursed through his veins.

His fight or flight instincts immediately kicked in.

Pipper Wolfe darted past people, buildings and trees. And he closed his eyes --- covering his ears with both hands as he tried to muffle the sound of people screaming, their bones cracking as the creatures took a bite.

And then, what he feared the most happened, he tripped against the root of a tree. "Shit!" He cursed, he placed his hands in front of him, trying to prevent himself from getting too injured.

Pipper Wolfe bit his lip, his hands balled into a fist as he heard the sound of rustling and bustling of the fallen leaves getting closer and closer. The sounds of the snarling snake-like creature was near him. He stares at its big head, ten inch fangs laced with poison and its fat and long body. 

Gathering all his strength, he turned around.

This is not how he wanted his life to end. But he did not want to run anymore. If he'll die today, then he will face death with a smug look on his face.

When the creature was only a few meters away from him, Pipper Wolfe stood up. He is not going to run anymore.

"Come at me, you fucker!" He screamed, and then the creature approached him, its mouth wide open, showing all of the bones stuck on its mouth and the eyes of the people it consumed stuck on its body.

He was ready to die that day. He was ready to fight. He openly welcomed death and felt the boney fingers of death latch on his shoulder.

But then, when the creature was only a few feet away, it stopped.

It remained motionless. Its cat-like eyes blinked stupidly as if it had a thought. Then the creature closed its mouth, hissed, turned around and began to slither away from him.

It left Pipper completely stupefied. His mouth was gaped and his hands fell limp on both sides of his body. It was nothing but some-sort of miracle.

But what is so miraculous about this? When he was a kid, he heard about this legend at least once or twice. These creatures don't stop eating, for their stomachs never get full. And for they are hollow creatures without brains.

It gave him goosebumps to think that the creature had a thought. And if it did, what was it thinking? What slipped its mind and why did it stop?

So many questions lingered on his mind, and then --- Pipper recalled something.

The only reason for them to retract is because a war is about to begin and the General of the monsters of mayhem has been killed. And the killer, the new King and commander ordered them to return to the pit where they belong. And that was never a good thing.

Pipper swallowed against his dry throat, trying to make sense of what's going on. If it's really over or not. Or maybe... something even worse than this is about to happen.

Something inside his consciousness told him to follow the snakes — the beasts, and stupidly enough, he did.

"Fuck, I'm really going to die today... Am I?" He said to himself as he prepared himself to run again. But this time, he is the one chasing the creature.

He quickened her pace until steps became leaps. His feet flew over stones and leaves as cold air bit into his lungs.

Soon, he was already in the middle of the City of Nakoir. But then... the creature was nowhere to be found. He bent down, and placed both of his hands against his knees, catching his breath. "What the fuck is going on..." He told himself after seeing a few people were looking around as well.

They may be safe for now... but based on the look on their faces, each and everyone of them knows that the worst is yet to come.

===========

"What the hell are you doing?" Was the Sorcerer's impatient remark. "Come with me! We're going on a dragon hunt!" 

Kane looked straight to the pacing sorcerer, then went back to looking for his way out of the dense forest again. "Why should I help you though?" He blurted out innocently. "I'm not the one who broke the chain on the dragon's neck. And I’m not the one who unleashed him. Mister, if you just send me off when I asked you for directions out of the forest, this will not be happening.” 

The Sorcerer groaned and palmed his face loudly, almost smacking his forehead. "You dare to talk back to me?! But you did cause it! And now I have so many things to do when I already had so many things to do!” 

Kane frowned and planted his feet back to the ground. And he kind of felt bad because he never meant to upset the Sorcerer. "I'm sorry." Was his sincere apologies. "But since you really want me to help you find the dragon, in return can you do something for me as well?” 

The sorcerer rolled his eyes. “Like what?!” 

“Help me find my mom and Auntie Cindy…” Kane smiled. “...and I want you to tell me your name. I’m tired of calling you ‘mister.’ 

The sorcerer’s nose flared up and he frowned. “You have such guts boy… if it were up to me I’d turn you into a frog and be over and done with all of this.”

“But if you turn me into a frog, what good will it do to you?” 

“Nothing!”

“Then why turn me into a frog, mister?” 

His impatience and temper got the best of him and soon enough he was silently cursing at the boy who was stupidly blinking and breathing in front of him. The boy looked at him with such a questioning look, such fondness and curiosity that it almost made him pity the boy. An emotion that made him feel disgusted with himself.  

"Why are you asking all of these questions?!" The sorcerer exclaimed as he deliberately stumped his foot against the ground in sheer frustration. “Why are you so noisy?! Why the hell do you even exist?! Why did you come to the forest under my protection when there are hundreds of forests in the United States of America?! Is this the world’s — the universe’s way of saying 'FUCK YOU' to me?!"

Kane sighed and looked up to the raging man before him. He closed his eyes when a familiar voice whispered to his ears. He smiled as he listened to his invisible friend, Mister Nobody. Kane nodded after hearing the instructions and quickly looked at the man who was screaming and shouting in the middle of the forest, disrupting and disturbing the birds and the small critters from his screaming. 

"Mr. Magician, maybe you have breakfast to spare? I'm really hungry."

The sorcerer looked down at the little boy and frowned. “I’m not a magician — I’m a sorcerer!” 

Kane frowned. “If you could just tell me your name, then I would —”

“Shut up!” The sorcerer exclaimed. He rolled his eyes and groaned before saying "Fine... I have extra eggs inside." Then he stopped and looked at the little boy and pointed across to him, "But after you’ve eaten, you’re coming with me."

Though he frowned, little Kane was still happy inside. At least he can finally go inside the sorcerer’s house as a guest and eat freshly cooked foods instead of left overs. 

“Thank you, Mr. Sorcerer.”