Chapter 42: Cyclops

We walked across the cloud covered sand. I kept the sun to our left as we walked. It didn't slip lower on the horizon. Instead, it just hung at the edge casting its golden rays across the clouds. The sky above lit in the most beautiful pinks and purples while the clouds in the distance were rimmed with golden edges.

Eventually, a mountain of clouds grew before us. I walked with determined steps with my guardian angel at my side. When the mountain loomed ahead, a rectangular entrance into the mountain glowed. I shot Angandriel a look, but his face remained stoic. The clouds swirled away from my feet as I walked.

When I finally stood beneath the threshold, I breathed in sharply. The doorway was so far above my head. It looked like it was an entrance for giants. I cast another look at Angandriel, but he just walked through like it was no big deal. I wondered if Heaven looked like this and he was used to seeing things like it.

I followed after him at a trot. The ceiling of the mountain caught my eye, but it wasn't a mountain after all. Instead it was very large walls that rose up. The clouds clung to their sides. The sky over head still shimmered pink and purple. The only thing that differed from the outside was that my boots tapped on a stone surface. Beneath my feet, hand drawn pictures displayed epic battles. Every five steps, a figure held aloft a sword, sometimes it was white and sometimes it was black.

After seeing the scene repeat a few times, I stopped paying attention. It wasn't exactly the same, but I got the gist. If the pictures were any indication, it looked like I was going to have to battle some armies to get a sword. Bring it on. It was either death by battle or death by Karma. I definitely preferred battle. Karma was way too scary, especially her eyes.

We walked through another threshold and I bumped right into Angandriel. He had stopped dead in his tracks so quickly, it was impossible for me to avoid him. I grabbed the waist of his metal breastplate to keep myself from tripping over him. He grabbed one of my wrists and swung me around the side of him. My eyes landed on a giant stone statue in the center of the circle. It was a huge cyclops wielding a giant hammer.

"I take it that thing is going to come to life and I need to kill it?" I asked.

"That's a good guess."

"With what?"

I looked around. The walls didn't seem to have anything useful on them, unless clouds were useful. I looked down at my jeans and boots. I had a knife, but it was small. I doubted I would be able to do any actual damage. I looked towards the gigantic stone statue. In front of it was a very small pedestal.

I started to walk forward towards it, but Angandriel grabbed my arm.

"Wait," he said. "It could be dangerous."

"No, shit." I shook his grip off and continued my progress towards the middle of the circular arena.

I slowed as I approached the white stone pedestal. Upon it lay a sling shot and an open bag of small white stones. I looked up at the giant stone statue. It was at least fifty feet tall. It stood holding a giant square hammer between its feet. The head of the hammers was as large as a car. The monster's single large eye was lidded shut.

My hand hovered above the sling shot. This was probably going to be a bad idea, but if these were some sort of trials then I'd have no choice. It was either this or Karma. And Karma was a bitch.

My hand closed around the slingshot. As soon as it did, the lid on the cyclops opened. He remained the same grayish stone color as before, but now his hands tightened on the grip of his hammer. I snatched up the bag of rocks and started stepping back. His hammer rose as he sighted me. He swung it down to the side in my direction. I jumped back. The air rushed past me, almost threatening to knock me off my feet. I couldn't keep from yelping as I recovered.

I closed my eyes for a moment. No fear. I had to be fearless. I danced backward, putting more distance between me and the giant as he rose the giant hammer up and at me for a second time. I stuffed the bag in the pocket of my hoodie and loaded a stone in the slingshot. Luckily, I had experience with most weapons, but before I could shoot, I was jumping back from the third swing.

I tried again. But again, the cyclops was too fast.

"Angandriel! Distract him!"

The angel took to the sky at my command. He flew around his head like a gnat. The cyclops began swinging the hammer at him instead. I lined up the shot and let the stone fly. It pinged off the hammer. I tried again.

"Anytime now!" Angandriel shouted as he dodged a swipe of the giant's hammer.

I let the stone fly. This time it hit its mark right in the middle of the eye. The cyclops dropped his hammer and grabbed his eye. The hammer landed with a thud on the ground. It sent vibrations through the arena and sand in the air around my feet. I watched as it wiped at its eye over and over. It blinked several times then slowly bent down and picked up the hammer.

Wait. Why didn't that work? Wasn't that all I had to do? Just stab it in the eye and be done with it? It charged towards me, but I was so busy trying to think of another way to kill it, I was too slow to move.

Strong arms wrapped around my middle and yanked me into the air. It knocked the breath out of me for a moment, but gave me time to think. I fished the small knife out of my pocket and handed it to Angandriel.

"Here, stab him in the eye with this."

His wings flapped through the air as we dodged another swipe of the giant's hammer.

"You're not asking for much, are you?" He huffed.

He deposited me on my feet behind the giant then quickly flew off. The giant turned to swing at him. I lined up another shot and let it fly. It hit true again. The giant dropped his hammer and held his eye again. Angandriel flew in close. The giant wiped at his eye and blinked, then flung his hand at the angel like he was swatting at a fly. All I could do was watch harmlessly at the sidelines. I tried pelting a few of the stones at the rest of him, but they just pinged off him harmlessly.

This wasn't working. What was I supposed to do then? I looked around. The only other thing in the room was the hammer. But it was the size of a crane. I ran for it. My hand touched the stone handle. It was bigger around than my leg. I put both hands around it and pulled. This was insane. But... it moved. It moved easily, like it was made of air.

The cyclops reached down for the stone hammer. I hung on to the end of the handle as he lifted it. My legs flailed. He shook it then flung me to the side. I flew through the air and tucked into a ball. I hit the dirt doing several somersaults until I finally hit the wall. I sprang to my feet. I could feel the bruises on my shoulders and elbows, but ignored them. I had to keep fighting. I could do this. Pop him in the eye, then smash him with his own weapon. It was insane, but doable.

Angandriel flew towards me while the giant prepared another swing. I waved at him frantically to go away. He gave me a sour look, but flew off. He continued to distract the swings away from me. I crept in as close as I dared. I lined up the shot and hit him in the eye again just as he was about to land a blow. The hammer fell from his hand as he held his eye. I darted towards it and picked it up in both hands. It was like holding a plastic toy full of air.

I lifted the hammer up. It towered way over my head. I aimed for the giant's knee and swung. The hammer hit hard. I could feel the vibrations all the way through my body. I brought the hammer back. Cracks had formed from the impact, but it wasn't enough to break it. The cyclops had recovered and reached down for his hammer again. I scurried out of the way. This was going to take longer than I thought, but at least now I had a plan.

Angandriel paused in the air looking down at the knee and then looking over at me. It was hard to see his expression from here, but I was going to imagine he was impressed with me. I wasn't sure what it was, but impress just made me feel better. I darted out of the way as the hammer swung at me again. Angandriel got his wits about him and continued to draw the giant's attention.

I aimed another rock at his eye and missed. I aimed again, creeping closer this time. I jumped out of the way as a giant stone foot kicked out at me. I rolled, stayed in a squat, then snapped the rock at him. This one hit. I ran for the hammer. The handle almost fell on top of me, but I jumped out of the way. My hands grasped it and lifted it again. This time I hacked at his knee like I was pounding on a tree. After the third blow, his stone knee crumbled.

I didn't wait. I kept hammering. I aimed for the other knee. The stone giant fell before me. I climbed on top dragging the hammer behind me. I stood on his chest. The stone giant flung his arms at me. I hit them with the hammer one at a time. Once I was free, I lifted it high over my head and down into his eye. I hammered over and over until the face cracked beneath, crumbling into dust before me.

My feet started to fall through the cracks. I dropped the hammer in favor of gaining my balance. Angandriel scooped me up and flew me high above the stone mess. I clung to his arms. My body was shaking from the adrenaline.

"Thanks," I managed after a shaky breath.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. That was exciting."

Angandriel grumbled low in his throat. I could see he didn't much agree with me.

"Take me down. It looks like the next door has opened up."

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I would rather die than have Karma mad at me."

After a moment, he murmured. "I agree."