After leaving the volcanic island, Alan and Hannah travelled through marshlands, rolling hills and dense woodland. Their next destination was the city of Kyokeon, near the Dripton Valley.
The city was surrounded by a river, and its people lived behind strong wooden gates. Yet despite its defenses, the streets were almost deserted.
No one travelled after twilight.
The reason became clear when Alan entered an inn. The owner refused to serve anyone who intended to leave after sunset.
"An ogre hunts in the valley," the man explained. "It comes down from the hills and takes whoever it finds. Those who disappear are never seen again."
Alan asked for more information.
The innkeeper introduced him to a traveler named Wiener, who had once encountered the creatures.
Wiener explained that his ship had been wrecked during a storm near a distant green coastline. While searching for food, he had discovered a cave in the hills. Inside, he saw two enormous beings with powerful bodies, oversized heads and teeth protruding from their jaws. They were eating the carcass of a deer.
He tried to escape, but the creatures sensed him.
They dragged him into the cave and communicated in strange animal-like sounds. Their king eventually appeared and demanded to know why a human had entered their territory.
Wiener begged to be released.
The king seemed amused by his fear. The ogres gave him a boat and allowed him to leave, but secretly followed him across the water. Their vessel reached Dripton Valley, and the creatures began attacking the settlements.
Ever since, people had lived in terror.
Alan listened carefully.
"I will go to the valley," he announced.
The innkeeper stared at him.
"You cannot be serious. Many strong men have tried to defeat them."
"I am not asking you to believe I cannot be killed. I am asking you to show me the way."
A villager finally agreed to guide him to the mountain.
Hannah objected as soon as they were alone.
"Alan, you cannot keep doing this. You are not invincible."
"I know."
"Then why do you act as though your life means nothing?"
He looked at her but did not answer immediately.
"My father died defending our kingdom. I was too young to help him. I cannot stand aside when people are suffering."
Hannah lowered her eyes.
"I understand why you fight. I only wish you understood that someone might be waiting for you to return."
Alan was silent.
The following morning, he left his horse at the foot of the mountain and climbed towards the cave. He carried his sword, a torch and a small supply of food. The path was steep, and thick vines caught at his clothes.
At the entrance, he extinguished his torch and listened.
Several deep voices echoed inside.
He entered.
The cave opened into a vast chamber where the ogres gathered around a fire. Their bodies were enormous, and their movements shook the ground. At the centre sat their king.
Alan drew his sword.
The first ogre noticed him and roared.
The cave erupted into chaos.
Alan moved quickly, using the narrow passages to prevent the creatures from surrounding him. He struck at their legs and forced them to stumble. One ogre swung a wooden club, smashing the rock where Alan had stood a moment earlier.
He ducked beneath another attack and drove his sword into the creature's side.
But the ogres were stronger than he had expected.
One seized his right arm and bit down.
Pain exploded through his body. Alan screamed as the creature tore away a large piece of flesh. He fell to the ground, his sword slipping from his hand.
The ogres began closing in.
Then Hannah appeared.
She had followed him despite his warning. She rushed towards the creature holding Alan and struck its neck with her sword. The ogre released him and collapsed.
"Can you stand?" she shouted.
Alan struggled to rise.
"Give me a moment."
Together, they fought their way through the chamber. Hannah moved with determination, protecting Alan whenever his injured arm failed him. Alan used his left hand to wield his sword, forcing himself to adapt rather than surrender.
At last, the ogre king rose.
He was larger than the others, with a crown made from bone and iron. He approached them slowly, then dropped to his knees.
"Spare me," he growled. "I will take my people away. We shall never return."
Alan stared at him.
For a moment, he considered the offer. But he remembered the people who had vanished, the families who had been left waiting, and the lives the ogres had destroyed.
"If I let you go, you may return with an even larger army."
The king raised his head.
Alan struck.
The ogre king fell, and the remaining creatures lost their courage. Some fled deeper into the cave; others were defeated by the two travelers.
When the battle was over, Alan could barely move his right arm.
Hannah tore a strip of cloth from her clothing and bound the wound.
"You should have waited for me," she said, her voice shaking.
"I told you not to follow."
"And I told you that you were not invincible."
They returned to Kyokeon carrying proof of the ogre king's death. The people welcomed them with cheers and relief. They offered bread, meat, fruit and supplies for the road.
But the celebration could not hide the seriousness of Alan's injury.
The bite had become swollen and discolored. A burning pain travelled from his hand towards his shoulder. Hannah feared that the wound had been poisoned.
Alan refused to admit how much it hurt.
That night, as they prepared to leave, Hannah noticed him struggling to fasten his armour.
"Let me help," she said.
"I can manage."
"You can barely lift your arm."
He finally allowed her to help.
For the first time, Alan realized that accepting assistance did not make him weak.