“What’s up there?” Tarron asked.
“It’s empty,” the high priest said. “Back when this building was first used, the dwarves who came here would stay upstairs. It’s basically one large room for everyone to sleep. There’s a washroom up there, too, although I don’t think it’s been used in a thousand years, so I can’t vouch for its cleanliness.”
“This room looks clean, though,” Kase said as she took a seat at the table.
“It’s kept tidy,” the high priest said. “We hoped that one day the dwarves would return and sit with us again. My name is Fuvos. I am one of three high priests within the city limits.”
“How big is the city?”
“It contains approximately a hundred thousand giants. We like to build up, not out, so most homes will have at least two families in them. Giants are a social species, although the writings of mythology would suggest otherwise.”
“Why don’t you socialize with Avalon and people outside of this realm?” Tarron asked. “Why lock yourself away?”
“The war with the flame giants, or fire giants, or whatever you want to call them,” Fuvos said sadly. “They live shorter lives than us, primarily due to their use of the magic that is inside of them. The more they use the power, the quicker they age. There are very few flame giants who can control their use of the power inside of them.
“They resent the fact that their own power kills them and wanted us to help them find a cure. When we said that was impossible, we fought. Thousands, tens of thousands, died. And then they brought in the sorcerers, elementals, and weres of Avalon, those who were trying to overthrow Odin and destroy Asgard. The population of giants was halved. We managed to push back the flame giants, but it wasn’t quick enough. We disengaged all realm gates and shut ourselves off from everyone. Odin asked for our help to destroy those who attacked him, but we’d lost so much already. We couldn’t risk burying more of our children in a war we wanted no part of.”
No one spoke for several seconds.
“So if you’re here to ask for our aid in combat, you will probably find many unreceptive,” Fuvos continued.
“We’re looking for the shadow elves and dwarves,” Layla said. “We were told to come here and speak to Mimir.”
Fuvos laughed. “Someone clearly doesn’t like you, if they sent you to speak to him. But he would know where they’ve gone. He lives down a well. Actually, he lives in the catacombs that the well is an entrance to. Finding him will be easy, but getting his help will not be. I cannot give you giants to help. I am sorry, but I would need to take that to the council of elders, and it would be a long, hard discussion.”
“Avalon will be back,” Layla said softly. “They’re still trying to conquer Asgard. And they’re going to take everything else, including the Earth realm, if we don’t stop them. I know you’ve lost much. I know your people have suffered because of your involvement in this war, and I cannot tell you that you won’t lose more. But if you can help, please do. I’ve fought the Avalon machine. I’ve seen what they do. I’ve seen friends die because of it. I don’t want to see more people fall to their cruelty.”
“You are asking us to go to war?” Fuvos asked.
Layla noticed the stern faces on the heavily armored guards. “I wasn’t going to,” she said. “I was going to ask you to point us toward Mimir, and then we’d have been on our way, but yes. I think you could be a great ally.”
Fuvos looked around the table, settling on Tego. “You are a strange human,” he said to Layla.
“Umbra,” Layla said.
Fuvos raised an eyebrow. “Now, that is a surprise. The dwarves and sun elves were trying to design a weapon, a weapon that could bond human and magic. The umbra were that weapon.”
“The sun elves were helping Avalon,” Layla said. “No one has seen them in a long time, but their taint is on everything that has happened over the centuries.”
“Do you know where they are?”
Layla shook her head. “Once we find the dwarves and shadow elves, we’ll hunt the sun elves.”
“They were involved in the civil war between giants, and they helped turn the shadow elves into the blood elves. A fact that I took to Avalon members and was shot down.” Fuvos stood. “We have horses here, and if you can build a carriage, you can take a few. Be aware they are three times the size of a human horse.”
“Thank you,” Layla said.
“A dwarf, an elf, a saber-tooth panther, a human, and a were all follow you,” Fuvos said before looking over at Hyperion. “And a Titan. I have heard tales of the Titans. Powerful beings who are controlled by no one. Not even Zeus. It’s why he locked you away in Tartarus, so the story goes. Atlas is among your numbers, a giant who could not live with giants. I assume he’s alive.”
“Last I heard, yes,” Hyperion said.
“Why do you follow Layla?” Fuvos asked him.
“Because she’s right,” Hyperion said. “And the stories are old and not entirely accurate. Also, Zeus is dead.”
“I am sorry to hear that,” Fuvos said. “I met him once. An odd man. Bristling with power, and a need to use it, but also capable of great compassion and love. I will take your case to the elders. Do not expect a quick reply.”
“Thank you,” Layla said.
“Avalon will come,” Kase said. “Eventually, they will come for you, like they do everything else. They lost at Helheim, but they’ve beaten countless realms into submission. Whether you help us or not, you need to prepare for that.”
“We will,” Fuvos said. “It appears that a lot has happened in the time we were hidden here. A lot of it bad. We thought that by hiding away, we’d be free of Avalon’s influence, but I think maybe we just delayed the inevitable. Stay; rest. I will have food and drink brought to you. When you’re ready, please feel free to come find me at my home. If I’m not there, someone will take a message. A guard will be posted outside this building. I am not against trusting outsiders, but not everyone will agree, and I’d rather not have anyone think they could release any of their anger about past transgressions on you.”
Fuvos left the building, and they all breathed a slight sigh of relief.
“You think he’ll try to get the giants to help?” Harry asked.
“He appeared to be sincere,” Tarron said.
“The giants are not known for treachery,” Hyperion said. “They are honest about their intentions. If he wished us harm, he would tell us. If he says he will talk to his people, he will do it. Atlas often spoke of their need to be honest.”
“They’re incapable of lying?” Harry asked.
“Oh no, they can lie,” Zamek said. “They can be deceitful and mean, but to do so would tarnish them. It would take a great act to turn a giant into a liar and scoundrel. It happens, but it’s rare.”
Zamek asked the guard to show them the materials he could use to build a carriage to carry them, and the group was taken to a nearby yard that was full of dark wood. The horses were kept in a massive field beside it, and Layla realized that Fuvos hadn’t been kidding when he’d said they were larger than human horses. They looked exactly like huge human horses, except for one thing.