Chương 22: Baldovino The Giantling

One month later. Felicity, Leah, and Xia made their way through increasingly treacherous rocky mountains, where the wind blew cold and the air grew thin. The rocky lands were now close. Xia stopped. She closed her eyes. The silence lasted for nearly a minute. Then she opened them again.

"I was wrong". Leah looked at her, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"What I was sensing wasn't a legendary sword", Xia replied, her voice tense.

"It was something else…a presence. A mage, perhaps". Felicity tightened her grip on her horse's reins.

"You're telling me we came all the way up here for nothing?" Xia lowered her gaze slightly.

"I'm sorry. We need to turn back". A deep, booming laugh echoed among the rocks. The three women turned around. Standing before them was an enormous man, at least four and a half meters tall, with a massive build. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. His dark skin was covered in scars, a long red beard reached down to his chest, his nose was hooked, and every finger bore a heavy metal ring.

"My ladies", he said in a deep voice.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Baldovino the Giantling. And you possess something that interests me". Leah nearly burst out laughing.

"Baldovino the Giantling? Seriously?"

"And what would that be?" Felicity asked coldly.

"Don't play dumb", Baldovino replied with a grin.

"Your legendary swords. Would you mind handing them over without a fight? I'd rather save my energy and, more importantly, avoid hurting a group of women". Xia sighed in annoyance. She made a slight gesture with her hand. Baldovino's head was instantly severed from his neck and fell at his feet with a dull thud. A moment later, his body collapsed to the ground as well. Leah blinked.

"Wasn't that a bit excessive? He didn't seem that evil…".

"He would have killed us to take the swords. We couldn't-". Xia never finished the sentence. Behind her, Baldovino suddenly appeared, completely unharmed. With a single punch, he drove his fist through her back and out through her chest. Blood sprayed into the air. Xia coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground. Felicity immediately dismounted, drawing both swords, while Leah took shelter behind her. Baldovino calmly cracked his neck.

"That is no way to behave, my lady. Attacking without warning is terribly rude". Xia's body began to regenerate. The wound in her chest slowly closed, the tissues knitting themselves back together as though time were flowing in reverse. She rose to her feet and stared at the man.

"What are you?" Baldovino smiled proudly.

"Oh, I am something that should never have been born…the son of a giant and a sorceress". Felicity tightened her grip on her swords.

"Is something like that even possible?" Xia never took her eyes off Baldovino.

"I didn't think it was…until now. He's far too strong for you. Stay back".

"I don't want your protection", Felicity shot back. Xia said nothing. She extended one hand and conjured a gigantic black capsule that enveloped Felicity and Leah, completely isolating them. Then she turned back to Baldovino.

"I underestimated you", she said with icy calm.

"Now you have my full attention". Baldovino laughed, pleased.

"That is very good to hear, my lady".