The Quest

  Chapter One

"Who goes this way?" demanded a surly giant underneath a dark, ancient tree atop a tall hill. His sunken black eyes glinted dangerously in the pale moonlight and his muscular arms flexed in warning. The blazing torch he held in a beefy hand flickered momentarily.

"Burke," replied a hooded figure in front of the giant, unfazed neither by the looming giant nor the snarling, feral dogs behind him. The person's voice was oddly low and gravelly.

"And what does 'Burke' want?" The giant's tone was harsh and cold.

"I seek passage to the Caverns of Creation," Burke said.

The giant looked Burke over. The dogs' jaws snapped in anticipation of their latest meal. Around the dogs, the hilltop was littered with skeletons that restlessly whirled around, puppets of the fierce wind.

"The Caverns, aye?" The giant leaned forward at the hooded person. "What're you plannin' on doin' at the Caverns?"

"That is strictly confidential business, but I assure you it's all on the order of" - here Burke stood on toes, closer to the giant's ear, and whispered confidentially- "Eterna."

The giant's eyes widened and he said in an hushed voice tinged with awed respect, "You're here on Eterna's orders? Why didn't you say so straight off?"

Burke chuckled. "So, may I pass?"

"Indeed," said the giant cordially. The dogs by his side whimpered, having been deprived of a meal. One looked longingly at Burke, nose nudging a skeleton.

The hooded person and the giant walked closer to the tall, dark tree, isolated upon the ancient hill. Burke's arms went around the thick, woody trunk in a hug.

The giant's hands went to his neck. Brushing back strands of unruly black hair, the giant unclasped a golden necklace from his neck. A large key glittered at the end of the chain. Brushing back the bark of a branch, the giant revealed a keyhole.

Burke took the key and inserted it. With a turn, a mystical click sounded and the branch swung open, revealing a ladder going down into darkness.

"You be a good man down there, Burke," said the giant, accepting the key again. Burke stiffened momentarily, then smiled.

"I shall," they promised.

Then they turned to the branch, and the deep hollow within. Swinging a leg over, Burke leaped onto the branch, agile as a cat.

"Eh, Burke?"

Burke turned to the giant again.

"My name's Hunduf."

A smile spread on Burke's face. "Not Lumner's little brother?"

"Aye, that'd be me," admitted the giant, grinning. Burke chuckled again and threw Hunduf a bundle from within the hooded cloak.

Hunduf caught the linen bundle, and upon opening it saw a collection of brilliant gems. "Thank ye greatly, Burke!"

"I owed your brother," explained Burke. "But there's a few extra, y'know. If you want to..."

Smiling, Hunduf waved farewell to Burke. "Wish you luck at the Caverns and I hope you achieve what Eterna intends."

The wind blew through the night sky, and Burke waved farewell to the giant. Then they were gone into the darkness of the hollow, ancient tree. Hunduf locked the branch securely. The patch with the keyhole was free of bark, and terribly visible.