THE LAST HOBBIT'S

4 - Arslan's

...'He chased trolls, met giants, and even his old acquaintances.'...

...*****...

Arslan grimaced as she felt pain in her stomach. The small rumbling sounds became a sign that it was time to eat. It was a pity that there was nothing but clothes and a hammer and an axe in his package.

Arslan recalled the paper containing Sofia's writing and opened it. It contained not only a message from the elves, but also a map. Red Mountain where it is located is also clearly painted on the map.

Arslan thought and felt that he could not use his usual path to get out of this place. The flow of the river can indeed lead him to get out, but also a lot of danger. Some wolf often comes to the river and if it's unlucky-he could just meet the troll back.

Arslan took a breath and shook her head slowly. At this kind of time he was eager to ride the broomstick as it was always used by witches. Too bad, even to control a simple magic spell-he hasn't been able to do it yet.

Don't want to imagine anything no longer. Arslan continued the journey and only came down when there was no longer a foothold for him. The condition is still in the forest even though the scenery in front of him is no longer a stretch of dracovudu trees.

Arslan walked among the moss-filled rocks. The rocks themselves were along the way and were getting higher as if forming a cliff. There were trees with creeping roots and a vast forest before him.

The ground that Arslan was treading was no longer wet and muddy ground. He took a breath and then walked through the gap between the rocks. His eyes were straight ahead, looking at the still dense forest stretching before him.

Arslan looked for fruits in the forest or plants he could eat. Honestly, this place is not like a forest of dracovudu trees where he can easily find rainbow beetle caterpillars just by lifting some muddy tree roots.

Arslan's stomach is back. He could not continue the journey or even think if his stomach was empty. He really needs food right now.

The forest should be a place rich in food, but in this forest other than wild-growing trees - nothing can be used as a stomach-clutch. Arslan walked over and just wanted to check among the bushes when he heard the sound of someone screaming.

!!

Without wasting any time, Arslan rushed to the place where the voice came from. He even used wild roots to be able to ascend to higher parts of the ground. The voice was clear and made Arslan feel that he was walking in the right direction.

"......... I think the sound is close from here?" Arslan circulated his gaze and again heard the ringing sound. He walked towards the bushes, but remained vigilant.

Arslan's eyes widened when he saw a very large creature with hairy skin, green with pointed ears. He subconsciously held his breath especially when he saw the perfectly black round eyes of the creature.

"Isn't that... Giant..? He's of the veridis type." Arslan was still in hiding and noticed how the huge creature was trying to free its legs which were squeezed between two large rocks.

"LT...!"

!!

"He called his mother" Arslan gulped. The creature in front of him is indeed very large, but when considered carefully... The subject had a plain eye until it could be ascertained he was a small for the Giant race.

"Mom...!"

Arslan took a breath and then came out of hiding. He made the green-furred creature surprised and went back to calling his mother.

The giant clenched his hand and almost hit the subject that shocked him when he gasped at who was coming this close.

"Your...?"

"I'm Arslan. How's yours?"

"Arslane..... An."

"An, okay. Don't worry, you'll be fine after this. I'm gonna get you out,"

Arslan walked closer and saw the condition of the foot of the Giant named An which is still squeezed by large rocks. Honestly, he is more courageous to face the Giant race, especially from the veridis type because they include naive and soft-hearted giants.

An himself saw the small creature trying to climb into one of the rocks. He reached out and caught Arslan very easily.

!

Arslan gasped, but he felt An very carefully laying himself on one of the stones. He looked at the Giant and inwardly shook his head slowly.

"It's...." Arslan noticed An's leg sandwiched between two large stones and then turned to look at the Giant. He flickered and expressed as if he really felt sorry for this large-bodied creature.

Arslan shook his head slowly and then started calling An. The giant looked at him and with such an innocent facial expression.

"An, your hand. You can get your foot out by pushing this rock. Let's do it,"

"..............."

Arslan scratched his head and then went back to calling the name of the giant. "An, try doing this. Stretch your hands between these two stones, then push. Like this,"

Arslan continued to practice it and made An tilt his head because he was still confused by what the little creature before him meant.

"Come, An. Do it like this" Arslan continued to persuade the creature before him until An understood. The giant pushed the boulder with all his might and managed to make his feet move.

Arslan held on firmly as the rock under his feet moved. She was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief, but suddenly flinched as An started crying. He noticed there was a wound on the monster's leg and then started jumping down.

"Mom....."

"It was just a small wound. Don't cry" Arslan examined the wound on An's ankle and noticed there was some red on the green feathers on his leg. He reached out and cast a magic spell that could relieve pain.

"Duleur los amissa.."

An noticed that there was a greenish dim light that seemed to come out from the hands of the tiny creature before him. He no longer felt any pain in his legs and made him happy.

Slowly An began to stand up and move his legs several times. Arslan was relieved when the big green-haired creature was no longer crying. His body was even lifted by An and he was lowered right on the right shoulder of the creature of the Giant race.

"Mom... Arslan's..."

"You don't have to thank me. You're the one who saved yourself" Arslan opened her voice and held on as An began walking.

"Hey, An. I'm on my way out of this valley. Can you drive me?"

"Lady..."

"You want to ask your mother for permission? Haaah.... The benevolent giant." Arslan did not need to be overly vigilant or even suspicious of the races of the Giant Veridis type. They are creatures that are easy to use and that is why there are many of these types of creatures that died years ago.

Remembering him made Arslan feel a pain in his heart. He noticed An's face and became even more sad. What flashed through his mind was the memory of this type of creature that had fallen down with a burning body. Even at the end of their history, this giant race still protects the smaller creatures.

Arslan closed his eyes before in a soft voice saying, "You should have a better place to live. Why do you exist... In this valley?"

An did not answer and continued walking. Arslan lowered his eyes and again said, "Your abode isn't somewhere else?"

"Mom.... Scared," An showed a sad face as he said, "An.... Get kicked..."

"They kicked you out of fear?"

"Arslane...... Closely.."

"What?" Arslan gasped as An started running. He spontaneously held on and became pounding due to An's unusual running speed.

This creature is really great. Their race was the strongest and could have been the ruler of the Middle World. They could even defeat the elven race if they had the fighting instinct or at least had the greed of other races.

Arslan saw there was a very large cave not far in front of him. He turned his head as An started calling his mother and the sound of footsteps sounded quite strong.

There was someone who came out from the dark shadows inside the cave and made Arslan frown. The silhouette was large, yet the jiga was quite strange. His eyes widened as he watched the figure that began to be illuminated by the sunlight.

The figure was holding two long sticks, similar to a regrang with the bottom of the stick legs formed like artificial giant feet. The subject wearing the egrang was a pointed-eared woman, with a short but taller body. The woman was wearing a huge robe that stretched out to make her look like a giant when seen from the shadows.

"You..." Arslan did not know what to say seeing the figure before him. He was passed down very carefully by An and still did not expect to be able to meet a creature that was not much different from his height.

The subject itself also seemed surprised. He noticed the figure before him and then descended from the thing he was wearing. The woman in green clothes walked over and then widened her eyes when she found out who she was looking at right now.

"Arslan!?"

"Mrs Germina Bunt..?"

"Arslan, is this really you?" the woman grabbed Arslan's hand and cried. He hugged the young man and thanked him several times.

"I knew... I always knew you were alive. Arslan's.."

"Mrs Germina... W-how did you get here?" Arslan recognized this woman. Germina Bunt was a dwarf who helped her a lot in the past, just like Gearl Howl.

Germina Bunt reached out and touched Arslan's cheeks. He smiled and nodded, several times patting Arslan on the shoulder and exhaling a sigh of relief.

"Thank God.. I am so grateful to see you. It's been over 50 years... The last thing I remember is that you disappeared from that fog and made me believe that you weren't dead. I've been looking for you all this time... Haaah... Thank goodness..."

"Mrs Germina..."

******