chapter 41

Next day the group was to head to the place known as Katol, it was a small village in northern mountains, it would take them four days till they reach Katol, also the way to Katol is not so good either, broken bridges, steep slopes and a glacier to cover, it was home to bears and mountain lions too. It's gonna be a tough journey thought Balak as they left Mikosh, first they needed to climb a rocky mountain and then head down to the valley from there they need to go inside a cave and go through a bridge this whole was gonna take one whole day for them. Balak decided that they would cross the cave and then rest for night.

Alec, Aruna and Mathias was getting along really well they wouldn't talk about witches with each other, they were kids with each other, Balak was happy to see them enjoying, they crossed many tall grasslands, it started raining in afternoon so they had to find shelter under the tree. After eating lunch they waited for rain to stop as rain stopped they headed out again, it was almost 5 in the evening when they finally reached the entrance of giant cave which had a bridge that connected it with northern mountains, everyone was tired but they had to move on, "The bridge doesn't look good" said Mathias "Is it safe to cross?", "It's the best way to reach the northern mountains" said Balak "other way would take us week to reach there", Balak went first to check if bridge was right he asked the kids to let him pass first, Balak managed to cross the bridge so did Mathias, Alec asked Aruna to go first but Aruna wanted them both to go at same time she said she was afraid to go alone, Alec decided to go with her, as they were about to cross the bridge Alec heard a noise, he saw behind and noticed the bridge was falling apart he knew they wouldn't make it in time, Alec pushed Aruna with all his force where Balak caught her, as Alec was about to jump the bridge broke down and Alec fell in the deep trench.

Balak and others were calling for Alec but Alec didn't responded well,to minimize the damage he grabbed the bridge ropes tight and held on to it, he was at the bottom of the trench it was all dark, he could hear the insects moving around, he lit up a candle and started to look for a way up, but he couldn't see any way possible of going up, he knew Balak and others will be worried for him so he need to reach them quickly.

Alec followed the path that lead him through the trench, after moving for half an hour he saw something in front of him, he couldn't see clearly in dark, he held his candle high and couldn't believe what he saw there was a giant in front of him, he had only heard tales from uncle Balak about these gigantic creatures who was bigger than Elephants and had power enough to break everything even the big rocks.

As Alec moved one step ahead the Giant saw Alec, he tried attack Alec but Alec was faster he dodged the Giant and hit his fingers with his swords, the Giant became ferocious he threw a rock at Alec, but Alec was strong too and he had legendary weapon he broke the rock into two pieces with his sword and he went ahead and jumped on Giant's knee, he stabbed Giant's knee multiple times with his sword, Giant fell down and Alec inserted his sword through giant's heart thus killing him. Giant was just powerful they wasn't smart and fast like Alec.

There was someone other than dead giant and Alec in the trench, he was looking at them battle from far, Alec sensed his presence, pointing his sword at dark trench he asked " Who is there?", "Don't hurt me" said a dwarf coming out of the dark, a dwarf, Alec didn't knew they still existed, he was told dwarf used, to stay inside the deep trenches with goblins and would often fight with them to save themselves but seeing a dwarf was extremely rare.

"Are you dwarf" said Alec, "Yes" said the dwarf "My name is Jeiko", Alec then told Jeiko how he fell in deep trench while crossing the bridge with his friends and his uncle, he also told Jeiko that he was a witch hunter, Jeiko was appalled to know that he was a warrior, no doubt he killed that giant Jeiko thought, "Will you help me" asked Alec "I want to reach my friends", the dwarf didn't heard him he was thinking about his people how with giants and goblins around dwarf can't live in peace in trench, dwarf and goblins had been enemies from ancient times, ancestors of dwarf defeated and claimed the underworld but with time goblins number grew and dwarfs became weak now they just hide and look for food in trench, goblins rules the modern underworld, with time Giants also came down the trench and so the big trench was divided into three regions: dwarf kingdom, goblin kingdom and kingdom of giants."Are you gonna help me" asked Alec again, Jeiko knew he can't let Alec grow dwarfs last hope is Alec only he can help them. 

Dwarf told Alec he knows the way out of trench but Alec needed to help him first. Alec knew dwarf want him to kill goblins and giants for him, Alec was in dilemma he didn't want to take a side route from his journey but looking at poor Jeiko he decided he would help the dwarfs. Jeiko was jovial he knows with Alec on their side they can win against the goblins and giants.In the meantime Balak, Mathias and Aruna decided to go down the trench and look for Alec, they headed down the rocky slope carefully.

Jeiko took Alec to the dwarfs hideout, it was a small place inside one of caves there were small holes in wall where dwarf lived, it was really small for their number, Jeiko took Alec to the King of dwarfs, "Who is he?" asked king, Jeiko told the king about Alec how he killed a giant and agreed upon fighting with them against goblins and giants. King showed his gratitude to Alec, he thanked him for helping them in need, Alec then asked the King about the present situation, the king told how goblins have been expanding their area day by day, goblins kidnap dwarfs and kill them and rape the women and girls, the giants don't share anything with goblins and dwarf they live on their own but giants don't hurt dwarfs unless they ran into one, main problem was goblins, as the King was telling Alec a female dwarf came crying "Those monster took her" she said "They will kill her", King asked her to tell them what happened, the female dwarf told king they were coming home but near the low cave a goblin attacked her and her daughter, goblin took her daughter with him, Alec quickly acted on his impulse he ran straight towards the low cave, Jeiko and the king followed him, Alec reached at the low cave he couldn't see anything in dark, from far deep inside the cave came a crying sound of a girl, Alec ran toward the direction of sound, his feet stopped he was dismayed to see what laid in front of him, a goblin raping a dwarf girl, Alec lost his temper, his aura changed he didn't felt such anger before he drew out his sword by the time goblin realized there was someone his head touched the ground, Alec chopped off his head in a single blow, he didn't stop to that he kept on stabbing and chopping is body until there was nothing left, when King and Jeiko reached they was shaken to see Alec's form, they took the girl back to their home and decided to hunt for goblins the next day, Alec told the king he won't leave the trench until every dwarf is safe, Alec was the dwarfs hero.

With Balak, Mathias and Aruna problem just started as they were  coming down the rocky dangerous slope, Balak heard a noise he raised his hand to signal Mathias and Aruna to stop, there was utter silence, then they saw something which Alec encountered in trench it was another Giant who was passing by the slope, Mathias scarred almost shouted but he placed his hand on his mouth in the right time, Balak knew if they make a noise it's gonna be over for them they can't fight a giant in rocky slope they let the Giant move, after the Giant got away they came down they could still see the Giant looking for food, all they eat was big insects and some shrubs that grew inside trench, Balak, Mathias and Aruna decided to follow the opposite path of Giant, as soon as they started walking there was another Giant in front of them and this one saw them clearly, Balak knew they have to face the Giant, the Giant attacked them but they dodged it carefully, due to the ruckus the other Giant also came to the scene it was two Giants against them, Balak knew he had to do something only then he can save Mathias and Aruna, Balak started running towards the direction of Giant, Giant attacked Balak but he dodged and jumped on his hand he stabbed his hand with spear the Giant cried in pain, Giant moved his arm around but till then Balak had reached his neck, one stroke of his spear and he killed the Giant, now only one Giant remained but this Giant was going to Aruna and Mathias, Mathias tried to attack Giant but he was scared and he didn't managed to cut Giant's hard flesh, Giant kicked him and Mathias fell on Balak who used his body to stop Mathias from hitting the rock they both fell on the ground, Mathias was fainted and Balak eyes was closing he saw the Giant attacking Aruna and there was a ray of light he fainted too after that.

Mathias opened his eyes "Am I dead?" he asked, "No you are just hurt" said Aruna treating his wounds, with the noise Balak also woke up he looked for Giant but it wasn't there anymore he asked Aruna what happened, Aruna told them how Giant attacked her and tripped and fell down in the trench from slope, Balak remembers he saw a light and a Giant won't die from falling but he was glad that Aruna and everyone was alright, Balak realized it's gonna be hard for them to reach Alec.