Unexpected

(Swords with Souls)

By Dan Watt

Author of BARD: Bearer of the Gemstone

Cover by Darren Joy

Fantasy Fiction

(Adult content)

“Legends passed down amongst my people say they came long ago across a vast ocean in long boats oared by slaves our size. They survived by catching fish with their bare hands and rain water captured in troughs along the centers of the boats.” Endellion moves the torch side to side so he has a better view. “The slaves were both for labour and food as these giants, who their slaves called moon people, enjoyed the taste of human flesh and bone.” She pauses and stares directly at him. “Eventually, some of the slaves escaped and were adopted into native tribes. The moon people were hunted down. But some are believed to have escaped into the mountains. To disguise their true identity, they wore the skins and heads of bears and wolves and only attacked at night. Your people, thinking they were giant wolves and bears, hunted down almost all these noble creatures in retaliation. My people wonder if the moon people did survive and now are mating with the current giants sent into the north by your kings.”

He gazes at the corpse again. “If the giants are breeding with these monsters, they will become emboldened. War might be coming,” he blurts out.

“You need to train us,” she says. “Not just because of your people.”

“I don’t have time to train all of you, and,” he touches his ear, “it would be too dangerous to train you outside the Dark Forest,” he continues with one more weary glance at the corpse of the moon giant.

“Then I’ll find someone else for you to train, who can then train the rest of us,” she says with a smile. “A woman without quarter moon ears.”

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