Deltora Quest Fanfic~ The Arrival * Book 1*

Chapter 5: The Giant

Up ahead, the path began to end. Lief and Barda began to run. May heard Jasmine mutter to herself," foolish men, when will they ever learn". May grinned, mischievously. They soon caught up with them and they stopped.
Directly, in front of them, was a long, wide chasm, that stretched across as far the eye could see. Over the drop, swayed a narrow bridge made from rope and wooden planks. And in front of the bridge laid a huge rock. Everyone began to run towards the huge rock, everyone except May. May took her time walking because she knew it wasn't an ordinary rock. They had all started to push the large rock, and they struggled against it.
" Help us! If you please," grunted Barda.
"But guys, dot you see it's a..."
"Help! 'Cause it would actually help" complained Jasmine, crossly.
" But, but..." May began.
" Please!"
" Oh well," sighed May, and just when she was about to lay hands on the thing, the huge rock, irritated, unfolded itself into a gigantic, golden-eyed, orange tan skin giant, holding a wickedly curved sword. There was no other way to get across, except going on the narrow bridge, where there stood the golden-eyed giant, who now stood unmoving, unblinking at them. Then his eyes turned away, as if he never saw them.
" He is bewitched," whispered Jasmine. May nodded. Lief started to take his sword out.
" Wait," instructed Barda." By the looks of it, it doesn't want to hurt us".
Suddenly, the giant's eyes turned to Lief and Barda, as they tried to come closer and raised his sword.
" Are you sure about that?" shivered Lief.
" Dodge!" yelled Barda. He and Lief dodged the giant's large blow. May, unafraid, took a step forwards.
" Please dear giant," she said, politely." My friends and I would like to cross". The giant bowed his head.
" Then you must answer my riddle," he replied." If you answer correctly, you may pass. If wrong, I will kill you".
May took a long leap back, next to Jasmine. Her head occupied with the resemblance of the story, The Three Billy Goats Gruff.
" From who's order," demanded Jasmine. The giant toyed with his sword beside him.
" From the Sorceress Thaegan," he shivered." I remember, a long time ago, I once tried deceiving the evil witch to save a friend from death. She got angry at this and cursed me to guard this bridge, until truth and lies become one".
When the words,' Thaegan' and 'cursed' were spoken. May took another step backwards in fear, remembering the nightmare that haunted her every single night.
" I-I know, how you feel" said May, nervously." I would do anything to make it end..." The giant nodded, calmly.
" But now, if you wish to cross, you must answer my riddle," said the giant. Everyone nodded.
"My first riddle is..." Started the giant. He started picking five sticks. Placing them into rows." Change 5 into 3, without removing any sticks," he said, harshly.
" This is not a fair question," exclaimed Barda." We aren't magicians!"
" The riddle had been asked," said the giant." Now it must be answered". Meanwhile May whispered into Jasmine's ear. She nodded. Together they took a step forward.
" We know the answer," replied May. Lief and Barda stood there awestruck." You said, not to remove only sticks..." Continued May.
"... So that doesn't mean, we can't move them," finished Jasmine. They both bent down, rearranging the sticks. Their body hid, what they were doing, but when they stood up again. Lief and Barda gasped. The was still five sticks, but now they read the image of the number 3.
( A/N See image media)
" Very good," said the giant, with no change of tone." You may pass".
He stood aside and moved onto the bridge, then May. But when, Lief and Barda tried to follow them, the giant barred their way.
" Only the ones who answers, may cross," he said, strictly. May and Jasmine stopped and watched them.
" The two of you should keep on going, we'll meet you on the other side," Barda advised. The two of them started walking restlessly across the other side.
" Since you seem to be brave, you must answer my next question". Barda nodded.
" Here it is- what is it, that a beggar has, that a rich needs and the dead eat?"
Barda thought hard. He had experienced all of them, in the palace, in Del and also with his mother. He should be able to have an answer to this one. He thought about it, deeply, knowing his life was in the line.
" My answer is nothing," answered Barda.
" Very good," said the giant." You may pass". He stood aside.
Barda walked on the bridge, looked back at Lief, then turned and walked across.
" Now, then. Here is third question," replied the giant.
" My companions could answer your riddles, so I don't see why I would have any problem," said Lief.
" Very well then, I will sing you a song and you must answer how many living things are in Thaegan's cave". On the other side, May heard what the giant had said. It had her shiver to the bone. Without warning, she ran across the bridge towards Lief.
" What are you doing?" cried Jasmine." Your gonna get yourself killed!"
" I'm going to save Lief," May replied and with that, she was off.

"It's long so listen very carefully," said the giant, on the other side. Lief has his ears open, to hear the song.
Sorceress Thaegan gulps her favourite food.
In her cave with all her brood, and the name of the children are;
Hot, Tot, Jin, Jod,
Fie, Fly, Zan, Zod,
Pik, Snik, Lun, Lod
And the dreaded Ichabod.
Each child holds a slimy toad.
On each toad squirm two fat grubs.
On each grub ride two fleas brave.
Answer this riddle now, so beware.
Answer this riddle now, if you dare.
How many things are living in Thaegan's cave?
Lief smiled, in relief. How many long afternoons he had spent doing sums under the watchful eye of her mother. Oh, how easy this would be.
Or so he thought...
He bent down down, and started writing numbers in the dust of his index finger.
There was thirteen of Thaegan's children altogether. Plus thirteen toads. Plus twenty-six grubs. Plus fifty-two fleas. That made... One hundred and four.
Lief checked the sums twice. Feeling he had forgot we something, he opened his mouth to speak. Suddenly, his heart thudded painfully as, just in time, he realised that he had nearly made a mistake. He forgot to add Thaegan herself! Almost panting at the near disaster, he scrambled to his feet.

May was running as fast as her head could carry her. But she staggered time and time again, due to the swaying bridge. She was already half way across. She looked between Lief and the giant, and realised her mistake. She couldn't change the way things already were, but she knew she needed to help him.
I want to help him, but interrupting would ruin everything...
She sighed. Lief...

" My answer is one hundred and five," answered Lief. The giant's eyes seemed to flash.
" You have not answered well," he said. His hand shot out and grabbed Lief's neck with a grip like iron. Lief struggled in the giant's hand. The feeling of, heat of panic rise in his cheeks.
"But- the sum is correct!", he stammered." The children, the toads, the grubs and the fleas- and Thaegan herself- adds up to one hundred and five!"
" Yes," said the giant." But you have forgotten Thaegan's favourite food. A raven, swallowed alive".
Jasmine heard this, she scowled quietly, holding Kree firmly.
" It was in the cave, alive in her belly. The answer is one hundred and six." He lifted his curved sword." You have not answered well," he repeated.
"Prepare to die".