Chapter 4: Ga'Jann's Fist

A light rain kept up for the rest of the day and well into the night. Jarl and Thad had managed to play one game of flip before Kell had them out in the stables fetching the items Kell sold. Most people knew what they wanted so it was just a matter of fetching it. Sometimes he'd let someone up so they could browse the larger items rather than dragging them back and forth. If they bought, like the wood stove, Jarl would carry it out, sometimes it took both Thad and Jarl. It was well past dark when Kell closed up shop and let them get cleaned up for bed.

The two young men played two more games of flip. Jarl like it better than checkers and much better than rook. Rook was too complicated, what with half the pieces all having their own unique moves. Flip was elegantly simple. It was played with flat, colored stones, one half green, the other white. Jarl preferred green, which seemed fine with Thad whenever they played. When the stones were placed right, you could flip the other player's stones to your color, making them your own.

Maronna had been reading a book titled Adventures in Aidurq Erion. It was a set of old tales, most concerning a very strange land. It was quite popular. Jarl himself had spent many hours reading it back home. He stretched, fighting back a bit of a yawn. He picked up the book. I don't feel all that sleepy, yet. Perhaps if I read some. No one believed those stories, of course. Ice giants and frost elves, centaurs, people called the Merfin who lived on the sea floor, people that flew and lived on floating islands, incredibly tall palaces everywhere with towers bending at impossible angles. There was even a monster called a dragon, a flying fire-breathing monstrosity as intelligent as it was dangerous. Ridiculous, but entertaining, and always worth reading again. Something tickled Jarl's memory but he couldn't bring it to the surface so he let it go. He'd read the book so many times he could tell some of the stories almost word for word. Besides, things like dragons were just for scaring children into behaving properly.

Someone was shaking him. Jarl opened his eyes to see Attrina smiling at him. She said "You should go to bed." She leaned down to look him right in the eyes. He remembered her father's dislike of her talking with boys was feeling very self-conscious about being so close to her. "Jarl isn't it?"

Jarl tried looking down but that led to her open neckline, which from that angle showed more of ample bosom. It was not that deep but still enough to embarrass him thinking about it. He closed his eyes and stretched, leaning forward a little like he was going to get up, hoping she would move. She did, giggling. Jarl's was trying to think fast, but his thoughts were still going their own way. Jarl just yawned again, which didn't have to faked, thankfully. "Um. How late is it?" He looked around the room. They were the only ones there.

Attrina replied "It's well past dusk. I came in here to put the lights out and I found you here."

"Ah. Well then. Perhaps you're right. I should go to bed." Jarl attempted to fake another yawn but turned into another real one. He leaned forward to get out of the chair but Attrina was still standing too close for him to get up without bumping into her. He glanced at her eyes then looked away again. Her head was cocked to the side, still smiling. "Um..." I need to get out of here. He wasn't sure what Jorg would do but he didn't want to find out. Since she wasn't moving. Maybe if I slide over the arm of the chair. Jarl put one leg over and was trying to pull himself up with it while pushing away from the other arm. It was a struggle but it seemed to be working.

Attrina cocked her head to the side. "Um. That might not be a good idea."

Jarl replied, attempting to shrug off his discomfort. "It's ok. I do this all the time." He was straddling the arm now. His foot was off the floor and he was trying to get it planted again. The chair tilted and down he went with a crash.

"Are you ok?" She was clearly concerned.

"Yes, yes I am." He stood up, rubbing his side, and put the chair upright again. "I'll be going now."

"Wait! Pa's sure to come running after that. Let me hide behind the desk. Just say I'm not here, ok?" She was all ready moving, looking to the door like rabbit heading for the safety of its den.

"Um, yeah. Sure." He was sidling toward the door. Still not really looking at the girl.

The door opened, letting in Jorg, as Attrina was dropping down out of sight. He straightened, standing head to head with Jarl, or would be if Jarl were not hunched over. The big man said "What's going on in here?" Seeing only Jarl relaxed a bit, but was still standing straight. "Tell me what happened." He ordered.

Think! Think!

"Well sir. I feel asleep and only just now woke. Decided I should go to bed. I was just getting out of the chair and, well, I guess I was still pretty sleepy. I fell backwards, tripped over my own foot and I fell on the arm of the chair." Jarl was looking down, respectfully, and glancing to see Jorg's reaction. He did not seem to be buying it. "The um, chair and I went over with a loud crash." Jarl risked another glance.

Jorg eyed both him and the chair before saying "Chair looks ok. You're all right? Nothing broken?" Jarl shook his head. "Good. Be more careful in the future. Being clumsy can get you hurt under the wrong circumstances." The town mayor gave a slight sniff then looked over the room again. Eyeing Jarl sideways he added "You haven't seen my daughter Attrina, have you?"

"Um, can't say I have, sir." Jarl replied, trying not to appear more awkward still.

Jorg's eyes narrowed a bit as he studied Jarl. Finally, he gave the one more quick glance, then Jarl, and stepped aside, leaving the doorway open. "Apparently she's slacking in her duties, again. See that you go straight to bed."

"Y-yes, sir. Um. Good tidings." Jarl said as he was quickly walking out the door. He heard Jorg moving around inside. As he turned to go up the stairs, he noticed that the lights were out. I wonder if she can move about in the dark? He was worried about her now, but he didn't know what he could do about it. If she makes noise, she'll give herself away. If Jarl went back for her he would risk being seen.

Thad was asleep, snoring softly. Jarl laid down but he just stared at the ceiling, straining for some noise and feeling unsure whether he wanted to hear any. Still, he was tired and last night he did not get enough sleep. Before long and was fast asleep again.

Jarl's yes popped open. It was still pitch dark in their windowless room. There was barely even a glimmer of light showing underneath the door. Thad was still snoring softly in the other bed. Jarl had a nightmare. Everywhere he turned there was something that seemed to come right out of the book he had been reading last night, and that was the good part. It ended with monsters like what Burl described, all misshappen with odd colors. Some were small but had long teeth and even longer claws, and were very fast. Others were huge, ambling slowly and pulling small trees up by the roots to use as clubs. In the dream, that bothered him a lot, for reason. And there was something controlling them. Something unseen.

Jarl shivered thinking about it. He tried to gauge the time and couldn't. He couldn't see much of anything. Jorg apparently didn't want to waste lantern fuel here in the hills, away from everything. He just lay there until the light from the hall showed that dawn would soon be here. That light did not come, however. Just his luck that he would wake early when he didn't need to. It must have been at least two hours before the light below the door brightened. He heard soft steps. Perhaps that was Attrina, trying to wake everyone.

Jarl decided there was little use sitting there. Still, he waited until the soft steps were gone before he sat up and started dressing. Before he finished pulling his jerkin on Thad was getting up and stretching, ready for another day. How does he do that? Jarl had asked Thad a few times how he was able to just get up at dawn no matter the light outside. The silent man just shrugged. He was not really sure himself. He just did.

Last night Kell told them he was not in any hurry to leave in the morning. Dawn would break late this close to the mountains. Besides, he wanted to give the folks more time to buy from him. They would leave shortly before dinner and eat on the road. That would leave plenty of time to get to Ga'Jann, and, of course, plenty of time for more sales. "Besides," Kell had said. "It's best if we take our time on those mud-slick roads."

The morning itself was, thankfully, uneventful. They enjoyed a hearty breakfast. Jarl avoided looking Attrina in the eye. Jorg sat with them and conversed with Kell. Kell and the mayor tried to include everyone at the table, Maronna, Thad, and himself, in the conversation, but it was mostly those two. Jarl could not help feeling like Jorg was glancing his way more often than anyone else. Attrina was being extra polite while serving them.

Despite the two older men attempting to cover just about every topic, soon enough Jarl and Thad found themselves getting items out of the back of the wagons. It was still cloudy out but otherwise dry so Kell had them move the wagons outside. They did quite a bit of business, including selling the wood stove. It took both men to pull it, almost dragging it, it was so heavy, but two local men easily picked it up and followed its new owner to her home.

Thad and Jarl set about getting the wagons ready. Kell began making his goodbyes, which naturally left Jarl and Thad sitting and waiting for him to finish. Jorg, Kell, and most of the townsfolk were out on the green. Jarl's seat was on the lodge side. "Here," said a soft, familiar voice from just behind his seat. Turning toward Attrina who was smiling up at him, holding a cloth wrapped bundle of what smelled like pastries.

"Um, thanks." Jarl replied, taking the bundle. He looked over to see Jorg and Kell still talking. Turning back Jarl realized that she picked this spot and time to avoid her Pa. He open the bundle. It was indeed pastries, along with some extra bread, as if Kell didn't all ready have more than enough for the road. He closed it back up again. "Um, thanks, Attrina. This is nice. Kell doesn't usually buy pastries for the road."

She giggled. "Oh, Kell didn't ask for those. They're from me, sort of an apology for the way my father treated you last night." Look a little sheepish Attrina added. "Of course, it was my fault." Jarl started to say it wasn't so but she cut him off. "Share them if you like." She paused to look across the footboards at Jorg, who showed no sign of ending his conversation with Kell and the portly man said his goodbyes to other long-time acquaintances. "I wish I could travel like you. I'd like to see Rombol, Anappon, the Desert of Onulli, or Shurm's Chair, or..."

"We don't really go that far." Jarl interrupted. "From Rombol to Zonuggal to the mountains is about all we'll see, or so I'm told. I've only been doing this for a few weeks now."

"Perhaps, but I have yet to even leave this tiny little village, not even to visit the outer farms. The top of Ga'Jann's Peak is the only thing I've ever seen." Attrina sighed and putting her arm under her breasts. Jarl looked away, supposedly to check on Kell, but mostly just to avoid looking down her blouse. He was raised to that as a most inappropriate to do. "I'm so envious of the people who come through here talking about what they've seen that I'll never see." She seemed both pensive and put out, but still keeping an eye on Jorg. "Well, I've got to get back to the kitchens before Ma realizes I'm gone. I wish you fair travels, Jarl of Wilfreng."

"Um, thanks. I hope you get to see all those places, someday." The young man replied. When did I mention Wilfreng around her?

She cocked her head and smiled at him. "Me, too. Me, too." Then she headed back inside, not quite sneaking but not simply walking at ease either. Jarl watched her go. She did not seem that much like Pelfa.

"Everything ready?" said Kell, climbing up and bringing Jarl back to reality. getting himself seated, he turned back to Jorg. "Thank you my friend, for telling me about the problems in Ga'Jann, and how Wo'rick is digging the road out from a under a mudslide. That will be very helpful."

Jorg asked "Are you sure you don't want to stay another night? If you leave early enough, you can move through Ga'Jann without stopping and be most of the way to Wo'rick by nightfall. Surely that's better than stopping in that cesspool of a mining town."

Maronna was coming back from inspecting the road, the peddler waved her on. "Maronna. Jorg says Ga'Jann's especially nasty right now. Something about the king paying extra to get as much iron ore as he can as quickly as possible. You know, because he wants to boost his army for some unknown reason. As if he's got anyone to fight since he brought the entire realm under his banner some twenty odd years ago. Supposedly, the new miners are getting into even more fights. They're even killing each other in order to cut down on the competition." Kell just grinned at her.

Maronna turned her head away from the others and spat. "Don't know about you, Jorg, but that sounds like every time I've ever been in that sorry excuse for a town. Seems someone's found dead nearly every day, if not more. Yet, the mining contracts keep drawing people in."

Jorg looked from one to the other, exasperated. "Fine. Can't say I didn't warn you. I probably should have warned you, Old Yorgl was lucky to get out with his wagons and half his goods, or so he said. It's never been that bad."

Kell took on a somber look. "Hmm. Well, I'll keep your advice in mind. However, that old peddler likes to stay and the rougher inns. I'm surprised he wasn't left for dead years ago, traveling alone, shooting his mouth and getting into fights. I know he can take good care of himself, but you can only trust some people so far before they try to stab you in the back, literally. We'll be staying at the Sleeping Boar. I know the innkeeper there well, crafty Old Torly. He can be as mean as anyone there, but he dislikes having his bar torn up. He keeps plenty of toughs on hand. He would rather lose business to the other inns than put up the hassle. Why, I'll bet he'll even loan us a couple of his men to escort us out of town and a few miles beyond." Kell was grinning again. "Been staying at his inn since the first time I came here nearly fifteen years ago..."

Jorg just stared at Kell. Finally, he nodded, accepting Kell's determination, or perhaps he had resigned them to their fate. He said "Very well. I'll pray to Shurm to see you through until we can meet again." He stepped away, letting go.

Maronna headed out again. Kell started April and Bonnet moving. Jarl could hear Thad following. There were many more goodbyes and well wishes. Jarl waved alongside Kell, trying to hide his nervousness. Once he was sure they were out of earshot Jarl asked "Are you sure we'll be ok, Kell? It still sounds much worse than your stories." For himself, he didn't know what to think. It didn't help that there were a lot of things running through his mind; Pelfa, Attrina, getting knifed in a dark alley, bad dreams, and huge boars fighting with strange monsters, all of which kept replacing each other, over and over.

Kell replied "Don't you worry, lad. Between Maronna and Torly, we'll be fine. Besides, Thad and I are not useless in a fight. Can you handle the quarterstaff, yet? Maronna thinks you won't end up breaking at arm, at least." He gave a quick laugh at his own joke. "Mighty good find, that piece of oak. Good hard wood. I wasn't sure myself, it being thinner and longer than most, but she was certain it would be more than fine for your height."

Jarl replied "Perhaps. I hope I don't have to find out."

"Me, too, my boy. Me, too." Kell fell silent and remained that way for some time. While Jarl kind of enjoyed the quiet, it was never a good sign when Kell was quiet.

 

 

Jarl was thankful they did not have to ride in the rain. The still cloudy skies had been clearing up for the last 3 hours, like a blanket pulling in from the west. He was not sure it would not rain again soon, perhaps tomorrow. Kell claimed the mountains off to the east should be visible but were hidden by that ceiling grayish hues. Jarl wished he could see them now.

Jarl glanced up from his carving and thought he saw a glow ahead of them. This area was relatively flat and rocky with few trees. The glow became brighter. Kell did not seem to notice it. He was telling one of his tales about Ga'Jann again. "...the invaders were winning. Ga'Jann's people kept falling back to the mountains. His acolytes were dying. His people were dying. He was losing his hold on this world. The enemy made a fatal mistake. They attempted to follow their prey into a large, closed off canyon. Ga'Jann made one, final attempt to rid His world of these monsters. He punched the ground underneath them, sending some flying, crushing others and... What's that glow?"

Jarl replied "I see it, too. It looks like a strange lantern atop a tall pillar of rock." Smooth and straight, it stood some ten feet tall. The top foot was glowing yellow like a giant piece of coal in a campfire. "Have you ever seen the like?"

"No, I can't. I wonder where Maronna is. She would have warned us if it was dangerous."

At that moment, she came riding around the corner ahead. They waited for her. Thad walked around to gawk at the strange sight. Maronna slowed Tempest to a stop, remaining on the road. "Don't get too close. I want to check the tracks one more time." She said, dropping to the ground. She began walking around it, keeping a wide berth of the object. "See the tracks here. These boot prints are small, like they were made by a child. Yet, they are set deeper in the earth than mine, suggesting this person was heavier than a child. Very odd, that." She completed her walk around it. "The tracks lead to Ga'Jann. There are no other tracks nearby."

Jarl looked at the road and said "I don't see any other tracks. How do you know he went to Ga'Jann?" Maronna looked at him. Hastily he added "I believe you. I'm just trying to learn, is all."

"He was walking on the side of the road, in the leaves. Perhaps to avoid leaving tracks but I doubt it. If he wanted to avoid leaving tracks, he probably could have done so all along. I think he, or she, was trying to avoid getting any muddier than necessary."

Kell was being quiet. He tended to when Maronna was going talking about their security. Maronna went back to her horse. Kell asked "Do you think we'll meet this person before we get to town?"

"Possibly. The tracks are not that old. The stride suggests someone capable of moving fast though." She was frowning.

"What is it, Maronna? Something still bothering you?"

She looked at Kell for a moment before responding. "I'm trying to understand why I missed his tracks before just a little while ago. I going to backtrack and see what I can find. The way ahead is clear but perhaps you should remain here for a bit. Perhaps you could head to the valley's rim and wait for me there."

"That sounds like a good idea. We'll see there." Kell replied. Maronna climbed up on Tempest, swung him to the north and galloped away." The men looked at the pillar for a bit longer. Jarl jumped down. "Lad, I'd stay away from that if I were you."

"It'll be fine, Kell." Jarl said. He walked quickly up to the pillar, before he changed his mind. He felt something. It was not like being under the Living Tree, but did not seem dangerous either. He could not have explained why if Kell had asked. It just feels...safe. Up close it was still smooth, smooth as one of the iron pots in Kell's wagons. He touched it.

"Lad..." Kell said.

"I'm fine." He replied. It felt like river rock, smooth and hard. It was clear that it was made of multiple rocks but they were joined seamlessly, as if they were one piece instead of dozens. It was very strange, yet fascinating as well. "I wish I knew how it was made. It reminds me of carving wood only this was done with rock. A sculpture perhaps?"

"Perhaps, lad. Whatever it is, I'd rather not be here when its maker returns. Now get over here and let's go."

"Yes Kell." Jarl reluctantly replied. He hardly took his eyes off of it climbing on the bench. He kept staring until was gone from view.

Jarl was still looking back when Kell said "Turn around, lad. We'll inform the watch in Ga'Jann. They can investigate that thing. It's none of our business."

"I suppose. I hope they don't destroy it."

"Don't know why they would bother, if it's safe. What does it matter?"

"I don't know. It just feels wrong to think about destroying it." Jarl finally turned around. "I wonder what this little fellow looks like. Do you think they'll hurt him if he goes to Ga'Jann?"

"Lad, seems to me that anyone capable of making something like that with only what he can carry on his back is probably able to take care of himself. I'd be more worried about anyone trying to mess with him." Glancing back, Kell added "Assuming he even goes into to town."

He went back to his carving. He thought better when he carved, it seemed. The wood was starting to take shape now. It was definitely a man, not robed as he first though. Way too skinny for a man, though. He had a very full beard and a strange looking hat.

Kell said "Now that looks like a man. Why is he so skinny? My bones are wider than that." He laughed.

Jarl smiled, too, and shrugged his shoulders. "I wish I knew. Thad says to let the wood tell me where to carve so that's what I do."

"Well, at least I can tell what this one is. A little more detail and it might be worth selling."

"Yeah? That would be nice."

Now Jarl was smiling. He pondered whether his first attempt, the one that looked like a stake with windows, wasn't really all that bad, or the ball-like monster.

Kell said "The clouds are moving east. Soon, the sky overhead will be clear and you can get your first look at the mountain they call the Giant's Fist." Jarl glanced up, noting patches of what should be Ga'Jann's Peak peeking through. "They topped a rise overlooking a fair-sized valley. On the side was a large hill. The largest he'd ever seen. That had to be the mountain. "The best spot to see it from. Good timing, too." Thad pulled his wagon up beside them.

A valley skirted the bottom of the mountain. The trees were so far away they looked more grass. There were gray and brown lines moving up the side at steep angles, one going up the west side, two going up the east. They watched in silence and the remaining clouds moved east. More and more holes opened up giving peeks here and there. It was a magnificent view even with the clouds. The mountain's western side began to appear, making the mountain seem to grow. It went up and up and up some more. It just kept going up. Jarl looked over at Thad who turned his head, grinning, clearly enjoying himself.

Kell said. "There's the thumb."

Jarl said "Where?."

"Just wait. It will be clearer when you can see the entire thing."

"How high does it go?"

Kell just grinned.

"Ok. How long before it appears?"

"Soon. When the first finger is almost uncovered"

It took another ten minutes or so but the peak finally appeared. It didn't have the point he had heard mountains had. This was rounded. It took another ten minutes or so before Jarl could finally see the fist in its entirety. It really did look sort of like a giant fist with the back facing the other way. Jarl made a fist with his right hand and tried to compare the two. Ga'Jann's thumb was pretty sketchy, as if part of it had fallen down the mountain side, but the first two fingers seemed prominent enough and he imagined he could see the third if he squinted. Perhaps that small bulge off the east was the pinky. Jarl was the first to speak. "I can't imagine a man that big, that huge. It's just like your story, Kell. If he had ever existed, he could have destroyed the world."

"That's not how the story goes," Maronna said. How long had she been there? "Besides, if He had existed, why destroy world? I mean, sure, Ga'Jann could have lashed out in rage, but that seems unlikely. I've always thought of Shurm as existing inside the world rather than above it, which is how this god would have had to punch from under the ground, as if it were part of the land. To me, it's as if he knew he had lost and wanted one last blow before dying. If I have to go knowingly, you can bet I'll go out fighting with my last breath." Everyone was looking at her now. Maronna just smiled.