"Thats terrible, why does she have to die?" I said.

"To save my village", said the girl. "Every year for three days a new kid is sent to the cyclops. "

"Hold on", I turned to Enoch. "There's monsters?"

"I heard rumors", Enoch lowered his voice. "But I never confirmed because I didn't want to put you in danger."

I considered. "Let's go see this cyclops."

"Your a fool", she said. The girl seemed pale despite her skin color, she looked at me like I'm crazy. Truth is, I don't have time to be careful, I'm not even sure who I am.

"Sir Calvin", said Enoch. "I don't think that is wise."

"I said I wanted answers. We don't know anything right now", I explained. "But this is a start."

Enoch smiled. "I'll follow you around the world and back, m'lord."

I turned to the girl. "Lead the way". We came to a giant log fence and a bell on the left side.

"A person from my village gave me clear directions", said the girl.

"I would have never found this place", said Enoch. "He lives pretty Isolated."

I looked through the cracks and saw a stone house with a wind mill and water fall. The girl tried climbing in the little shaft on the door.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I have to go", she stuttered.

The ground started shaking slowly and for a minute I thought it was an earthquake, until I saw the girl jump down and stare into the shadows.

"3 meals?" said a raspy voice. "Maybe I can skip a year." The figure that emerged from the shadows was 12 feet tall with one giant eyeball, he wearing a fur pelt and kilt, holding a club with a net around his shoulder.

"You two get away!" Enoch made a stance. Just for a moment I saw his finger nails and teeth get sharp, his ears get pointy, and a scaly tail with spikes just appeared from his back.

"I'll make your death swift changeling", said the cyclops swinging his club.


Enoch charged and jumped into the air, barely missing the club and slicing his side. The cyclops roared and spun, swinging his fist, Enoch did a backflip off his knuckles and landed near us.

"Sir Calvin", said Enoch. "Only you have the power to smite this vandal."

I held up my hands. "Me, how?"

Enoch kneeled and held out his hand before me, he began to float as fire ignited around him and when it cleared there was a weapon. He transformed into a sword, it felt very light in my hands as I swung it.


The cyclops removed his hand from side. "Small fry". The blood seemed to have stopped, almost like the injury Enoch made didn't exist.

"Get on my back", I said to the girl. She didn't call me a fool this time and jumped on my back, she had her arms wrapped around my neck.

I started to run, the cyclops blocked my path as he swung his club, I jumped over landing cuts on his arm on my way down. When I made to the other side, I left the girl under a tree and made a stance towards the cyclops, I took the sword and slashed the air making an X, it hit the cyclops in a burst of fire.

I did it! I turned to the girl.

She hugged the tree. "No."

I pointed the sword at the smoking cyclops. "What do you mean? I hit him in the chest."

"Hahaha", said a raspy voice. "You should know better."

"Cyclops are fireproof", said the girl.

It only left a light scorch mark, I looked at Enoch's injury towards him and charged. I jumped slashing his chest, when he raised his club I was flung into the air and before I landed I thrusted the sword into his side, the same spot Enoch cut. I yanked the sword out and stood, Enoch transformed back and we watched blood gush out of the cyclops.

"I wont forget this!" said the Cyclops. "You'll regret defying me". He disappeared into the shadows of his home behind the giant log fence.

Enoch bowed. "That was brilliant, m'lord".

"Your a lizard?" I pointed out.

"Dragon", Enoch corrected. "My kind are called, changelings. I am also your weapon".

"Cool", I smiled. "Can you fly?"

"That is complicated", Enoch washed the blood off his hands in the nearby lake.

I turned to the girl. "You can go home now."

"Its not that easy", said Enoch. Since she was a sacrifice they probably won't accept her back into the fold."

"If she cant go home", I turned to the girl. "Would you like to live with us?"

She looked at us. "Okay...".

"Awesome!" My stomach began to growl. "Do we have any food?"

"Sorry m'lord", said Enoch. "Were out of ingredients and I didn't have time to go hunting".


"I know where to get some food", she went over to the remains left by the cyclops. "Follow me."


She took us to an open valley where a whole bunch of sheep was grazing. The girl had a net she picked up from the pile, it was a little charred.

"The quickest way is to lurk them into a small space", she said. "But for that to work we need someone to chase them, at home we had bobcats".


"I have an idea", said Enoch. "See those two narrow trees, I can guide them while you two drop the net when they run by".

We both gathered near the tree as we heald the net out of sight, there was a baa and a stampede as we drops the net over the sheep. The girl seemed to know what she was doing as grabbed the edges for control. After we got home, the girl guided the heard of sheep into the gated fence and we went inside.

"Alright", said Enoch getting out fresh clothes.  "Try these on."

The girl left and appeared a few minutes later in a stripped long sleeve shirt, black cargo shorts and black boots.

"You look great", I said.

"Anastasia", she had her arms behind her back.

I looked at her. "Huh?"

"My real name is Anastasia", she looked down. "But my family called me JuJu."

Enoch took off his top hat. "What would you like to be called?"

She smiled and looked up. "Anju. Also, the cyclops you fought today is named Lark."

"Anju", said Enoch. "You seem like a well-rounded and bright girl. Those are very useful skills."

I looked at my ships in a bottle. "I got it, you can be our navigator."

She put her hands on her hips and saluted. "Yes, captain."

"Alright", Enoch rolled up his sleeves. "You and m'lord go play, I need to cook."

I showed Anju the bridge deck since it was my room, then I showed her the lower deck which was fun since it had more stuff.

I pointed. "Its an old merry go round".

Anju climbed. "A big wheel?"

"You might want to hold on tight", I warned.

She gripped the skinny bars and eyed me, I grabbed the bar and starting spinning. Anju began screaming, but not in terror, but excitement. I slowed down and she jumped off I had to hold her arm, so she wouldn't trip. Enoch called us for dinner, we had lamb peach juice.

"The food was amazing Enoch!" Anju yawned.

I smiled. "I never had food that good before."

"My pleasure m'lord and m'lady", Enoch bowed.

"Come on Anju", I said. "Theres one more place I wanna check out."

As I got up my body was racked with pain, it felt like it was coming from my stomach like someone is hammering.

"My stomach", I groaned.

Enoch hoped over. "Whats wrong m'lord?"

I held my stomach. "Its like a banging in my gut."

Enoch's face turned white like a ghost. "Take my hand m'lord."

I took his hand and it felt like a wave of energy was swirling around me like a shield and then it exploded.

"What was that?" I sat up.

"All I know is that I'm your protector", explained Enoch. "I went with my instincts."

I waved Enoch away. "I'm fine. Lets go to the weather deck, Anju."

We walked through the corridor and went up the metal ladder to the promenade deck, then we climbed another metal ladder, until we made it to the poop deck. I started to climb the wooden pole to the crow's nest, when we reached the top we gazed out at the whimsical night.

I crossed my arms. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Anju was silent as she looked up at the purple night sky. "Calvin, you may not believe but I think your one of the four warriors."

"Your right", I admitted. "Its hard to believe."

"Listen", said Anju. "There was a folklore about four heros that would protect us from the creatures pandora sealed away. Their names would be known as the folly, the rigg, the notch and the marksmen. You have power, you are one of them."



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