Tartalo

The path through the mountains took several more days before they arrived at their destination. At least nothing happened this time. How could we face those people with guns again, if they show up. That strange beast ended up saving our lives. Something like that won’t happen again. Worst case we are attacked by both.

He was stopped by Ilargi. She pointed to the meadow, where a herd of sheep was grazing. There were no farms on the way they took and none around there either. They ducked into tall grass and waited. A figure appeared as if it sprung from the ground. On closer look, there was a cave opening into the rock side of a hill. It wore a large rag around its body, which hung down to its knees and walked with a big wooden stick. At first it seemed like a regular person, only uglier and greener. It was bald and a combination of huge muscles and a round stomach. When it came closer to the sheep however, it became obvious that it was humongous. It’s easily three times my own size. It’s not carrying a stick. It’s a tree trunk. It began looking around. One eye, this has to be the tartalo. How can we steal from it? It looks more dangerous than the people with guns. Can we even hurt it with our messers and bows? He looked at Ilargi, but if she was having similar thoughts, she betrayed none.

“We wait here,” she told him, when she saw him looking.

“Yes,” he answered. So she perhaps has a plan after all. They waited in the tall grass for the rest of the day. The tartalo was herding the sheep and drank from a pond. In the late evening hours it began herding the sheep back into its cave, using the stick to gently guide any that started to stray from the pack. After all but the last were inside the cave, he lifted the final one up with the free arm. It carried it up towards the mouth of cave, where it stopped and lifted it above its head by the scruff of its neck. The animal bleated with fear, then screamed with pain, as the giant bit into its hind leg. In another bite the screams died out and half of the sheep was missing. The tartalo let the blood spurt out onto its face and open mouth. In two last bites the entire animal was gone. The tartalo wiped the blood from its face and licked its hands clean. After its meal was over, it lumbered back into the cave. No more than a few minutes passed before a loud snore was echoing through the meadow.

That will be me if it goes wrong. I’ll be eaten by an ugly giant. Can we please go home? Ilargi was in deep thought and not moving. Where does she get the confidence? She is so strong. I wonder how long she has fought for. I just wish we had a way for her to tell me what she is planning.

After a little while longer, they retreated back into the woods. They ate their food with no fire and didn’t bother setting up a tent. It was the first night in a while that they didn’t even practice fighting with swords if one didn’t count the recovery time from injury. It always was too noisy I suppose. We can’t afford to be noticed by that monster. I wonder if we could just talk it out. Hey there tartalo, can we please take your ring. We really need it. I guess not. Ilargi is a warrior, not a diplomat and I can’t talk.

Corbin fell asleep without meaning to and was woken before the Sun was up. Ilargi stood over him, shaking him awake.

“Hi,” he said in a quiet voice, dragging out the vowel. She just nodded in return, but she somehow seemed warmer towards him than she had at the start of the journey. Is that a hint of a smile? That’s kind of cute. They went to the edge of the forest, where Ilargi took a stick, cleared the dry leaves and started drawing into the dirt below. She drew a hill with a dark circle and pointed towards the cave. Corbin nodded. Next was a drawing of a cloud, four lines were added to the bottom. A cloud in front of the sun? The last part was a circle on the top to one side; Corbin mulled over the image. Ah, a sheep. It looks like we have about the same amount of artistic talent. She drew a circle next to it and pointed towards herself. Then she made a thicker line from the cave towards the sheep. The second circle was to the side, and she pointed at him, then drew the line to the cave. Oh no. Why me? Though I wouldn’t want to be outside when the giant comes running either. She held a finger with her other hand to mime a ring. Yes, I know. Find the ring and get out, don’t get eaten by the huge cyclops.

They split up, Ilargi skulking in the tall grass far at the edge of the meadow and Corbin close to the entrance of the cave, away from the projected path of the tartalo. She had taken a rope and a knife besides her weapons. The earth shook just a little, as the giant woke up and waddled out of the cave. On the way he drove out the sheep. The bleating flock ran out into the green. The giant stood at the entrance, looking at the sheep, then returned to the cave. He looked at Ilargi’s position and saw a hand waving above the grass and returned the wave.

One moment a sheep was wandering around without a clue, the next it looked as if it was sucked into the grass. Some moments later a bleating came from there. Corbin kept an eye on the cave. Nothing happened. The bleating became more like screaming, making him see visions of the poor sheep that had been devoured the day before. This time a rumbling cave from a cave and with the earth-shaking trot, the tartalo looked out from the cave. He was looking around until another scream came from the sheep. He barrelled towards the sound, waving around the tree trunk in one hand. Was this really a good idea? Please be safe Ilargi. He bent over as far as he could and sprinted into the cave.

The entrance wasn’t very large, but after a while the cave widened from a tunnel into a large chamber. The smell of urine and likely sheep droppings permeated the air. There is nothing here. Corbin continued deeper into the cave. There were no lights inside, the Sun was the only guide through the halls and every step decreased the visibility just a tiny amount. Come on, where are you, you little bastard. He started holding his hands in front of himself to avoid crashing into stalagmites and other formations. A near encounter taught him that crossing his hands is more effective than just holding them forward. Even so he soon tripped, but to his surprise he didn’t end up with a bruise or even a broken bone, but landed in something soft. It smelled of sweat, but the softness was very welcome. I can’t believe I landed in wool. Could this be where the tartalo sleeps? Wait for me Ilargi.

He closed his eyes and held his hand in front of them. After a minute or so he opened his eyes. It wasn’t much brighter, but still better than before with the light coming from behind him, giving everything a faint shiny outline. Looking around the cave, there was nothing apparent. Is it even deeper? Will I be able to find it without a light? Maybe I should go out. If all went well, Ilargi can make another distraction tomorrow or even later. We can think more about what to do. I’m sure we can think of something together. Then there was a glint. It was so faint, that it could’ve just been a bead of water on some mineral formation, but it was something more. He felt a pull towards that place even though the glint was gone. It was a wider stone, like a shelf at the end of the bed. Without a thought he reached for it. Could it be? He felt the cold metal with his fingers, which was in the shape of the ring, but much larger. A bracelet? Is this something else? Wait, is it a ring for the tartalo? He looked big enough. He lifted the metal band, bringing it close to his face to try and see it in the darkness. At that moment it all went wrong.

“Hagundu, rapusen mute!” The sound screeched in Corbin’s ears and echoed through the halls of the cave. Compared with the silence of the cave it was jarring and almost made Corbin drop the bracelet. The scream repeated with some variations, but was always piercing and loud. At the same time Corbin realised that it was the ring making the noise, the ground began to shake. No! Stop it! He began shaking the ring, but nothing helped. In a desperate gesture, his ring finger went through the loop of the band. In a flash, the metal snapped tightly around his finger and the noise disappeared. Corbin grabbed the ring, but it didn’t move from his finger. The stomping became louder and louder. Is this it for me?

He ran deeper into the cave, tripping over a rock and getting scratches over his hands. The cave split into smaller tunnels heading in different directions, but soon it was too dark to see even that. I hope it can’t see in the dark. He felt his way around a large pillar and ducked behind. The trudging was accompanied by occasional furious screams. A sound of breaking wood sounded out. Not even the bed was spared. It has seen that the ring is missing. He pried at the ring with his finger, but it didn’t budge. The tartalo came even nearer to Corbin and had to hunch over to continue down the tunnel. When it came to the point where the path split, it stopped. It growled and stomped its feet, but went back towards the exit.

Corbin decided to wait before heading out. It took several hours and the loud snores were what prompted him to go at last. He crept towards the exit. The bed had been smashed against a stalagmite and pieces of it laid around, making silent movement even harder. As the tunnel widened into the chamber, it also became lighter. It was full of sheep bleating softly or lying in sleep. Just one obstacle after the next. The giant was at the very exit of the cave. It slept in a position, where it leant against one side of the mouth of the cave and the legs were propped up against the other. Corbin moved through the clouds of sheep, trying not to appear as a danger to them. I’m just another sheep. Don’t mind me.

He came to the giant. He isn’t just pretending to sleep, right? The snoring was to real to be anything but. He sneaked to the legs of the tartalo and peered over. It’s too big, there’s no way I can get past him without climbing. That would probably wake him up. A flash of eyes appeared before him. He jerked back, barely holding back a shriek. A face flowed in an ocean of black. Ilargi waved to him, then looked at the giant. She felt for the handle of her messer, loosening the blade. Corbin shook his head and waved urgently. Please don’t do something stupid. Somehow we both survived so far. She let go of the sword. And began pacing up and down. After a minute she suddenly looked up and took off. It’s just you and me now, tartalo. She was back in a couple of minutes, holding a couple of pouches. She came as close as she could without touching the tartalo and showed Corbin the pouch, making throwing gestures. He took a step back and prepared himself. After a nod she threw the pouch. It flew in a neat arch, but Corbin fumbled the catch. It didn’t make much sound upon landing, but they still both stood still, watching the giant and ready to run, or fight in Ilargi’s case.

There was no reaction from the tartalo, who continued snoring away. Corbin picked up the bag. What is this? He opened, but couldn’t see anything in the twilight. Not knowing what else to do, he took a small sniff. It was a strong smell, but also pleasant. Spice. He looked up at Ilargi, who pointed to the giant, then mimed pouring the spice on her hand and rubbing her eyes. Hot spice in the eyes. I guess it could work. Ilargi was already undoing her pouch and pouring it over the giant’s hand. Corbin mirrored the motions on his side. Please stay asleep for a little longer. After he was done Ilargi waved and retreated back to the trees. Where am I supposed to sleep? Definitely not next to this guy. He returned further into the cave, coming once again upon the remains of the bed. After digging around, he found a couple of sheep skins. At least I won’t be cold tonight. Maybe I could use it to disguise myself as a sheep and escape when he lets them out. Probably not. The spice will more likely make him rampage around or run away, than actually go that blind. He made himself comfortable among the sheep and fell asleep.

Corbin jerked awake. A deafening roar echoed through the cave. He got up and was kicked by a startled sheep. The tartalo was holding his head and screaming. It was stumbling around, crashing into the walls of the cave and crushing fleeing sheep underfoot. Then it turned and started dashing towards Corbin. Oh no! Corbin ran and ducked under a stalactite. The tartalo was still running towards him, every step shaking the ground and echoing. I hope the stalactite is too dark for it to see. As the giant was about to crash, he decided not to see if the rock would hold and threw himself to the side behind a pillar. The tartalo crashed into the stalactite with a loud crunching noise and fell to the ground. Corbin squeezed his way around the other side of the pillar and bolted towards the exit of the cave. He could see Ilargi’s silhouette against the light of dawn. She threw a rock towards the inside of the cave, redirecting the giant’s attention just as it was getting up and then nocked an arrow to her bow. Corbin ran, until he was stopped by her shout.

“No!” Ilargi screamed. Corbin was just wandering what she was trying to say, as something crashed into his back and sent him flying across the room. The mixture of softness and hardness told him it was a sheep. Luckily for him the poor animal ended up breaking his fall, but despite not being impaled by a stalactite, he was almost knocked unconscious by the impact. Nothing broken just yet. The giant barrelled towards him once more and Ilargi drew and loosed the arrow in one smooth motion. It flew right towards the tartalo’s face, but it held his hand up to shield itself. It then made the mistake of rubbing its large eye, causing the agony to return again and screaming. Ilargi continued firing upon the giant; the arrows were either sticking into its arms or clothing, or just bouncing off.

As Corbin reached her, she turned and they both ran away, but after a short time she turned back, aiming the bow again. Corbin wanted to shout and tell her to just run and forget the giant, but seeing her concentration, he decided against it. She took a moment and shot moments before the tartalo reached the exit. The arrow didn’t fly towards it but rather higher above the entrance to the cave. A large stick fell to the ground, followed by rocks of different sizes, the volume of which was impressive, and they began blocking the entrance to the cave. The giant was hit by some of them before retreating back into the cave. Ilargi only allowed herself a moment to admire her work, then she put the bow away and prodded Corbin to run once more. I guess it’s not going to be trapped for a long time.