Of Frost Giants and Sylphs

We immediately went to work and prepared the body for burning. The fire's red glow bled into the coming night's darkness. There was a great sense of mystery engulfed in those flames. Thoughts of death, fear, and battle spun endlessly on a Ferris wheel. The motion was nauseating.

Ahem “Ferdinand, I wish to give thanks. Your deed was true and selfless.” Marisa bowed.

“You’re welcome. I’ll try not to make it a habit.”

“Yes, right!” she said, wagging her finger like she was lecturing a child. “This adventure rests with you. Should you fall or your soul stolen... No, let us not dwell on such thoughts.”

“She’s right, Ferdinand, you need to be careful and not rush into danger. Fortune favoured us today, but it can’t always.”

“Teach me!” I said. “Teach me how to fight! How to use a sword.”

“Ergh, it’s not that easy and it takes many years of practice.”

“Look, Luna, I don’t have any magical powers like you two, and this journey is getting more and more dangerous. Just what was this thing? It knew who I was. How? And how did Behatus become possessed like that and transform into that creature?”

“That’s...”

“Our course is best when we guess not what happened ere we meet with King Eulerich or Lord Arvid, for wiser council is needed. Yet here, the air is foul and drives spirits mad, that we have seen. It is no everyday foehn that sweeps through this land.”

The conversation ended there and we retired for the night; Marisa offered up a prayer to shield our sleeping quarters from the effects of the wind. Morning broke with a loud crash. An especially heavy wind tore through the remnants of the town. The day’s previous battle was indistinguishable from the havoc left by the wind. It didn’t sit right with me to leave Behatus and Norbert’s swords here, so I grabbed them and brought them with me.

Several hours later we arrived at the base of the great wall that I had seen yesterday. The road led us right to the main entrance or a regular entrance. It was hard to tell when the whole thing stretched for miles.

Towers constructed of limestone flanked the entrance. Flags of green and purple rallied atop the battlements, flapping in the wind. Two sentries were posted at the front of the entrance, dressed in heavy gambesons and holding halberds. They eyed us with suspicion as we marched along the road.

“Halt! Come no closer,” said the first sentry to approach us. “Identify yourselves.”

“I am Marisa, High Priestess of the Undines.”

I reached into my pocket and produced King Eulerich’s medallion to speed up this process.

“The medallion checks out. What are you all here for?”

“Lord Arvid awaits us. King Eulerich should have told him of our coming.”

“Wait right here.”

The sentry retreated back to the entrance, rapped his knuckle against the wooden door, and spoke into a slot that opened. Five minutes later he got a message and marched back over to us.

“Alright, Lord Arvid’s waiting for you on the other side. Sorry about all that. We’ve had to increase security recently.”

“Your diligence is note-worthy,” Marisa said.

We were funnelled through a door at the entrance and led through the gate house to the other side of the wall. Orderly and compact, the stockade we found ourselves in contained banners, tents, and all the panoplies of war. A thick scent of iron weaved through the grounds. It was much less grand than the previous royal chambers we had been to. From this side of the wall we had a clear view of the snow-covered mountains. They were closer than I realized.

In the centre of the camp was a large tent, striped in purple and green. A guard announced our arrival and ushered us in. Sylphs dressed in the same style as Behatus sat around on plush cushions while a sylph at the rear lorded over them. He sat on a hexagonal throne made only of wood and was clad completely in armour. He leaned forward, both hands resting on the pommel of his sword wrought in the shape of a eagle. His face was young, and tufts of blond hair poked out from underneath his coif.

“Welcome, Luna and Marisa. It has been a century and a half since our last meeting.” The sylph then turned his head to address me. “So you’re the infamous Ferdinand. I’m Lord Arvid.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Lord Arvid. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, and grateful for generous hospitality.”

“Let’s not stand on ceremony with such flowery nonsense. I know what it is you seek. His Majesty has told me of your blunder.” He listlessly pointed to a page behind us who walked over to a chest at the side of the tent. “The sylphs have guarded the divine object since long before my rule which is now threatened.” The page carried a sword, retrieved from the chest, and presented it to Lord Arvid. He removed his hands from his own sword and grasped the one the page held. “This is the divine object, the Sword of Temperance.” He rose to his feet and aimed the sword’s tip at me.

“Great, so we can skip the trial and get the next divine object then.”

“I figured you for a fool, but not stupid as well. No, who told you there was no trial?”

“I thought...”

“The sword is bound to remain at our side until the requisite trial is completed.”

“And what trial shall we undergo, Lord Arvid?” Marisa said, coming to my rescue.

“Tell me, High Priestess, what eternal conflict have the undines fought?”

“None, my Lord.”

“Correct. Who threatens Otto and his gnomes?”

“Laurin the Dwarf King, my Lord.”

“Correct. And what eternal conflict plagues the sylphs?”

“I bethink the frost giants, and have laid eyes on the wickedness of the imps.”

“Correct. Frost giants and imps. But my curiosity is piqued. What have you seen of the imps?”

“A small town, half a day away, was wrecked by the imps that rode down on many foehns. Your page, Behatus gave us shelter, but he was gripped by sorcery and wrought into the form of a tatzelwurm.”

“I have Behatus’ sword, along with the sword his familiar, Norbert,” I said, retrieving the swords from my side and presenting them to the assembled sylphs.

“Rudolf, look into this matter,” decreed Lord Arvid.

One of the slyphs rose to his feet and took the two swords from me. He left, leaving the tent flaps open for a moment, and a strong balmy breeze mixed with cherry trees invaded the tent.

“A tatzelwurm, eh? A fine display of martial prowess. How did you slay it?”

One of the sitting sylphs spoke up. “My Lord, the trial...”

“Yes, yes, the trial. Do you know what it is?” he said while he levelled the divine sword at each of us. “I’ll tell you: Slay Boreas, king of the frost giants.”

“Wait a moment, regicide!? I can’t kill someone.”

“You can and you will.”

Nervousness gripped my body. What part of this request had me so tremulous? I needed to act calm.

“Just give me the sword, I’m not gonna do your dirty work.”

“You think your position permits you to make such a demand in my war camp?”

“If you won’t give me the sword, then I’ll have King Eulerich force you to.”

Lord Arvid laughed. He swung the sword with his deft hand and planted the tip into the ground. “That blustering owl has no authority over this matter. The divine sword was entrusted to the slyphs, and it obeys my command; and I say the trial is to slay Boreas.”

With those words, the sword at his side glowed white, binding it to his words, immovable.

“Lord Arvid, I must report that Ferdinand is not prepared for battle. The humans of today are less battle-hardened than their ancestors,” Luna said.

“Indeed? The trial is set... Staff sergeant! Show him a quick thing or two about giant slaying.”

He waved his hand to dismiss us and went back to sitting on his throne, contemplating matters that only the lord of the slyphs was admitted to knowing.