Deep in the darkest valleys, where the trees twisted as if trying to escape the ground, there was a place few dared to mention: Hollenfels. It was a village surrounded by mountains so tall they seemed to tear the sky with their sharp peaks. Clouds swirled above, covering the sun most of the day, and when night fell, mist crept between the houses, whispering in the corners as if it had something to say.
In this small village lived a boy named Lutz. He had big, curious eyes, always watching for the secrets adults seemed to keep locked away. Often, while other children played or helped their parents, Lutz would sneak through the cobbled alleyways, exploring the darkest corners of Hollenfels, where shadows seemed to move on their own.
Hollenfels, though quiet during the day, changed completely once night came. The villagers said something ancient lived in the mountains, something no one had ever seen but everyone knew. The stories spoke of a giant, a huge and terrifying being that roamed the highest peaks. His presence could be felt in the icy gusts that swept down the slopes and in the echoes of thunder that sounded like his footsteps.
One autumn afternoon, as the first dry leaves crunched under the feet of the villagers, Lutz overheard a group of elders whispering about the giant of Hollenfels. They said he was a guardian, but also a prisoner. No one knew what kept him tied to the mountains or why he had chosen that place to live in solitude. Some said the giant watched over a secret as old as time itself, something even the villagers didn’t fully understand.
That same night, as the wind began to howl between the houses and the shadows stretched as if trying to catch him, Lutz decided he would discover the truth for himself. He knew no one would join him on such an adventure, not when the tale of the giant was scary enough to make even the bravest shiver. But Lutz didn’t care. What he feared most was not the giant but the unsolved mystery.
With a lantern in hand and a backpack full of supplies, Lutz ventured out of the village. The lights of Hollenfels quickly faded behind him, leaving him alone with the darkness and the whispering wind that seemed to laugh at his back. He walked along paths that wound their way up into the mountains, between twisted trees and moss-covered rocks. As he climbed higher, the air grew colder, almost freezing, and the mist wrapped around him as if trying to hide him from the world.
Lutz had heard the villagers talk about the mountain where the giant lived many times, but no one knew exactly where his lair was. Some said it was at the highest peak, others that the giant moved from place to place, as if watching over something important. But Lutz trusted his instincts, and they led him higher and higher, to a place where the wind sounded different, like a pearly whisper full of mysteries.
After hours of walking, Lutz reached a clearing high on the mountain. The moon, hidden behind the clouds, barely lit the place, but he could make out a huge cave at the end of the clearing. The cave walls were so tall they seemed to touch the sky, and the entrance was wide enough for a giant to pass through without bending. Lutz’s heart pounded, but he didn’t turn back. He had come too far to stop now.
He entered the cave cautiously. The light from his lantern reflected off the rocky walls, creating shadows that danced around him. Each step echoed in the darkness, as if someone—or something—was waiting for him. As he ventured deeper into the cave, the air grew heavier, and Lutz felt like he was stepping into a place that didn’t belong to the outside world.
Suddenly, Lutz’s lantern flickered and went out. Darkness enveloped him completely, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to do. His breathing quickened, and for the first time on his adventure, he felt real fear. But then, from deep within the cave, he heard a sound. It wasn’t a roar or a scream, but something far more unsettling: a deep and steady breathing.
Lutz stood still, trying to listen better. The sound was constant, rhythmic, like something enormous was sleeping nearby. With his heart in his throat, Lutz moved forward slowly, guided by the echo of the breathing. The cave opened up before him into a large chamber, and suddenly, he saw it.
There, in the center of the cave, lay the giant. He was so large that his feet were nearly at the other end of the chamber, while his head rested beside an immense rock. His skin was gray, like the mountains that surrounded him, and he was covered in moss and lichens, as if the earth itself had claimed him. The giant slept deeply, and his breathing was what had filled the cave with that terrifying sound.
But there was something else. Lutz noticed a thick chain, made of a strange, dark metal, wrapped around the giant, binding him to the cave floor. The chains glowed faintly in the dim light, and Lutz felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at them. These were not ordinary chains. They seemed to be made of something much older and more powerful.
As he watched, Lutz realized the giant wasn’t as frightening as he had imagined. His face, though enormous, had an expression of sadness and weariness, as if he had been sleeping there for centuries, trapped in a prison he couldn’t escape.
Suddenly, the cave trembled slightly, and the giant opened one eye. Lutz held his breath, expecting the giant to see him and grab him, but the giant simply looked at him, as if recognizing him. There was no anger in his gaze, only a deep sadness.
The giant opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Instead, he pointed with a finger toward the chains that bound him. Lutz understood. The giant didn’t want to scare him. He was asking for help.
Lutz looked at the chains and then at the giant. He knew no one in the village would believe his story, but he also knew he couldn’t leave the giant there, trapped forever. Determined, he approached the chains and tried to touch them, but as soon as he did, an icy cold shot through his body, as if the chains were made of pure winter.
Lutz stepped back, but then he remembered something. In his backpack, he carried a small stone he had found years ago on one of his explorations. The stone had always had a peculiar glow, and though he had never known why, he had always kept it as a good luck charm. Without thinking much, Lutz took the stone out of his backpack and held it up to the chains.
To his surprise, the chains began to glow more brightly, and little by little, the dark metal that formed them faded away, as if the stone had broken some ancient spell. The giant, finally free, stood up slowly. His size was even more imposing on his feet, and his shadow filled the entire cave.
But instead of running away, Lutz stood still, watching the giant. He knew he had done the right thing. The giant, now free, bowed his head in gratitude. Then, without a word, he turned and began walking toward the cave’s entrance. His steps were slow but steady, and as he moved, the mist around him seemed to lift, as if his presence had been the cause of the darkness in the mountains.
Lutz followed him to the entrance of the cave, where the giant paused for a moment and looked out toward the village of Hollenfels. With one last glance at Lutz, the giant disappeared into the mountains, walking toward an unknown destination...