Blood Ties 7

“Are you alright?” Cyd asked, looking between Tyre and Zev, the two mighty giants clearly tired from the battle, but apparently unharmed.
“Of course! With a guy like that? I barely broke a sweat.” Tyre grinned... though he clearly was lying.
“I'm fine... though we wouldn't have been if not for being here together.” Zev groaned “What kind of monster is that?”
“The one that stole you both all your prey recently.” Cyd explained “That is Wrath... a monster of hatred and spite.”
“Well, we still were so close ta beatin' it t'a pulp.” Tyre said “He just chickened out at tha last moment... feckin' coward, couldn't even die like a man.”
“It's already good that you're all alive.” Brad said “I was so worried, lads... the fight didn't look good from up there.”
“It looked even worse from here, trust me.” Zev growled “You had a leisure cruise through it, lizard.”
“I already said I'm sorry, Zev... I really would have liked to take a bite out of that guy.” Brad said, a red glow returning to his throat at the mere thought.
“Listen, everyone... if anything happens to me, I want you to look after the kids, okay?” Cyd said “All of them.” he added, glancing at the twins.
“Hey, hey, HEY!” Brad rose to his hind legs, putting his front paws on Cyd's shoulders “What's with that talk, man?”
“I... have to go. I have hesitated for too long.” Cyd said, looking away.
“Go? Where?” Zev asked “And you'd leave the kids behind?”
“To do what I should have from the start: to stop Wrath.” Cyd sighed “I was being kept back by thinking about Nero's safety... and then Dean's as well. But I saw tonight that I can trust you with that... maybe more than I could ever trust myself.”
“Stop him? How?” Tyre asked flatly “Ye didn't even manage t'scratch it, ol'man. If he stood up t'us, ye dun stand a chance.”
“Maybe you're right... but I still have to.” Cyd said.
“Are you insane?!” Zev growled “Are you leaving behind your family to pursue revenge?”
“Revenge?” Cyd laughed bitterly “Ashah and Lena would never forgive me.”
“Then why? Come on, Cyd... you can't mean that.” Brad said.
“To avoid that fate to anyone else.” Cyd said “My family was broken... Dean's too... so many dead people everywhere. I can't think only of my kids at this point. They won't have a world to grow up in if no-one stops him.”
“And you would leave alone to do that?” Zev asked, looking far from convinced.
“It's my duty. I couldn't stop Todd before... I have to fix that now.” Cyd said.
“Who's Todd?” Brad blinked.
“Wrath... look, it's a long story.” Cyd shook his head.
“We've got time.” Tyre said, sitting down cross-legged “Ye don't really think ye can just leave like that.”

“It was a long time ago... before I even met Ashah... my caravan was one of the biggest Avraan communities and we went all around the world, gathering lots of merchants, wanderers and travelling artist along the way. We kept them safe on the way as... well, you can understand that few monsters or bandits would dare mess with scores of Avraan... and in exchange we got welcomed pretty well as we were clearly friendly towards smaller folk. Occasionally, someone decided to stay for more than their own trip, continuing along with the caravan until they found their place. Some troupes of actors or circuses started that way and still do move their act with the caravan nowadays... anyway, one of these persons was Todd. I never pried, but he clearly had a harsh past before joining us... tattoos of a slave on him, though he tried to hide them, scars of abuse... not a happy life. It got a lot better once he joined us... and he became one of the crew soon enough. If not for his lack of giant size, you would never guess he wasn't born an Avraan, really... he admired giants like us, said he found it comforting to know there were people who would use their power to help those weaker, rather than to crush them.”
“And then... well, something very similar happened a few days ago. We were in the desert and met a Faron, starved, thirsty, and driven mad by the heat... we calmed him down and helped as we could. Todd already didn't understand why we would help someone so different from us, someone who trampled towns... I explained to him that it was the Avraan way, that everyone lost in the desert was to be treated as a brother, that it was the law and rule in the desert and between travellers. He didn't understand... and then we came across his hometown on our travels. Or what remained of it. The Faron we helped before found the place first and helped himself to it. Todd's family and most of his friends got gobbled up... and even if the caravan helped rebuild the city, he could never forgive us... he thought that it was our fault it all happened, that our actions were all a facade, that we were like all other giants all the same. He... just couldn't understand after all. Maybe it's just something that humans can't understand.”
“He turned sour from that day... he brushed everyone away and left on his own... saying he'd find a way to take revenge... to make all the giants in the world pay for what their kind did and still does to humans. I... never saw him again... but I know that he is Wrath. He must have found a magical way to become so big... maybe a djinni granted him a wish... whatever happened to him, though, left him only as a mass of hatred and malice. He's gone... and is using his power to do exactly what he swore to stop.”
“So... as a last favor to an old friend... I have to stop him. Now I can no longer run using my sons as an excuse.”

“Cyd...” Brad looked at the Avraan “It wasn't your fault... you can't take it all on your shoulders alone.”
“You make sure the kids are alright.” Cyd said “You're the only ones I can trust with them should Wrath return.”
“Oi, now... maybe Frosty here doesn't have anything better t'do... but why should I do that? Just 'cause ye're askin'?” Tyre asked.
“I saved your life, Tyrenan.” Cyd pointed out.
“So did I, tonight. We're even on that.” Tyre said.
“You wouldn't do it out kindness, I guess?” Cyd suggested.
“Kindness? Ye're mistakin' me fer someone else... I'm Tyrenan tha Terrible. Na an ounce o'kindness in me.” Tyre said with a smug grin.
“Or so you'd like to pretend.” Cyd chuckled.
“Please, Tyrenan... it's possibly the last wish of a man who saved your life.” Brad said “I thought that you Faron had honor to you.”
“Oi, of course we got honor! I still dun get why I should babysit these feckin' runts...” Tyre muttered “Oi, fine... I won't have yer ghost comin' back t'haunt me, ol'man.”
“Thanks.” Cyd said... though he then glared at Brad “Last wish? Thanks for the trust, Brad... I don't plan on dying, dammit!”
“Then you are a fool.” Zev growled.
“Zev... you do what you have to.” Cyd said “I hope you will find your worthy prey... and bring them with you when you return north. They'll be safe in the frozen lands of your people... and I'm sure that Tyrenan won't complain about the cold, right?”
“Aye, aye... when are ye gonna leave?” Tyre growled.
“Right now.” Cyd said and stood up.
“What? Just like that? Not even a hug to the kiddies?” Brad asked.
“I'm not sure Dean would want one right now...” Cyd said.
“Bullshit.” Brad growled.
“... you're right. But I'll never take a step away from here if I look back.” Cyd sighed “I know I have to do this... but they're my life.”
“Then stay here and stop this madness.” Zev said “It's clear you don't want to go... do we have to beg you?”
“You're still young, Zev.” Cyd chuckled sadly “What I want has nothing to do with it. One day you'll understand.”
As Cyd took a first step away, Brad rushed in and hugged him “You'd better return, Cyd... I won't forgive you if you don't.”
“I will, Brad... wait for me.”

“So... we'll look fer a safe spot fer the kids, aye?” Tyre asked, looking at the other giant and dragon... still wondering how he got caught up in all this.
“That's not what we promised but... I agree.” Zev nodded “We can't bring along four kids like that... they'll only be in danger the whole time.”
“Well, I know of a safe spot.” Tyre chuckled, patting on his chest.
He got some very pointed looks “Oi, I didn't mean eatin' them fer real... dammit, ye should liven up, lads.”
“It didn't sound like a joke, lad.” Brad said “And you can't just leave them somewhere.”
“Listen, Brad... how could they be safe with me and Tyrenan here?” Zev asked “We're two giants, not some nannies! We wouldn't even know what to do if they get ill.”
“You'll learn, lads. We'll learn.” Brad said.
“Or we'll just make sure they get some humans ta look after them.” Tyre said “That sounds a lot more sensible. An'safe.”
“Safe... yeah, safe.” Brad shook his head “Maybe it'll help them not getting hurt in the long run...”
“See? You know we're right, Brad.” Zev smiled.
“Are you insane or just fucking stupid?!” the dragon roared “They just lost their whole family, have nowhere to go and you would just drop them SOMEWHERE hoping that SOMEONE will take care of them?”
“H-Hey, now...” Zev held his hands up, but shut up at the roar that came next.
“AFTER swearing you'd look after the kids? Over my dead body.” Brad was seriously furious “You made an oath... now be man enough to uphold it, or face the consequences.” which, apparently, were the deadly embers already glowing in Brad's throat... he wasn't kidding, and from that distance... they'd be encased in molten rock before they could move a muscle.
“Okay, okay... I get it... we'll look after them. Promised.” Tyre moved slowly to trace a star over his heart, symbol of a solemn oath... he managed not to sound as scared as he was feeling though “Now... no-one kills anyone, aye?”
“Well, Zev?” Brad growled.
“I agree... we'll make sure the kids are really safe.” Zev nodded.
“Very well, I knew I could count on you, lads.” Brad grinned, his expression so friendly it was impossible to believe he was about to kill them one second ago “Now, bedtime for everyone... we'll be having a long day ahead of us.”
“Oi, really?” Tyre asked.
“The twins hate you, and the lads will wake up to find Daddy is gone... do your math.” Zev said, following after the dragon.
“Oi... that doesn't sound fun...” Tyre sighed, his ears dropping at the mere thought.
A long day indeed.