One Sunday morning, the whole family decided to take a hike up Misty Mountain. Mum packed snacks, Dad sorted the maps, and Lucy and Casey spent ages deciding which “walking shoes” looked the coolest.
Nanny waved from her usual bench at the bottom of the hill with a thermos of tea. “Don’t get lost up there!”
“We won’t!” Reef called back, balancing his skateboard on one shoulder. He’d insisted on bringing it “just in case” there were paths to cruise down later.
But Kyri had read about Misty Mountain. The higher you climbed, the mist would turn into clouds, and if you got far enough, you might meet the Giants—huge creatures that only appeared when the fog was thickest.
Kyri shivered with excitement. “I hope we see them,” he whispered to himself.
Into the Mist
The lower part of the trail was easy. Reef kicked his skateboard along the gravel path while Daisy and Kyri raced ahead, looking for cool rocks and leaves.
“This is boring,” Casey said, pulling her phone out to take pictures of… nothing.
“You won’t say that at the top,” Reef grinned, eyeing a steep curve ahead. “Bet I can ride this on the way down.”
But as they climbed higher, the air grew cooler, and the mist began to roll in—thick and white, curling around their ankles like ghostly fingers.
“Woah,” Reef said, stopping his board. “That’s some serious fog.”
“It’s not fog,” Kyri whispered, staring into the mist. “It’s them.”
“Them who?” Lucy asked, raising an eyebrow.
“The Giants of Misty Mountain,” Kyri said. “The stories say they’re huge and silent and live inside the clouds.”
“Giants?” Daisy squeaked. “Are they nice?”
“I think so,” Kyri said. “As long as you don’t annoy them.”
The Path Disappears
The further they went, the thicker the mist grew. The path seemed to vanish under their feet, and all they could see were shadows and shapes that moved in the fog.
“Stay close,” Mum said firmly. “We don’t want anyone wandering off.”
Suddenly, Reef froze. “Did you hear that?”
They all stopped. In the silence, a deep, distant thud echoed through the mist, like a giant footstep. Then another. Thud. Thud. Thud.
Kyri grabbed Reef’s hand. “They’re here.”
A huge, dark shape loomed ahead, too big to be a tree. It swayed slightly, as though it had just stood up. The ground seemed to tremble.
Casey stepped back. “Nope. Nope, nope, nope.”
“It’s a Giant,” Kyri whispered.
Meeting the Giant
Slowly, the mist parted to reveal a massive figure. It was as tall as a building, its body made of mist and shadows, with glowing white eyes like two lanterns. It crouched down, peering at the group curiously.
For a moment, no one moved. Then the Giant tilted its head and let out a soft, deep rumble, like a distant wave crashing on a beach.
“It’s not angry,” Kyri said, stepping forward. “It’s just… looking at us.”
“Kyri, wait!” Reef whispered, but Kyri didn’t stop. He walked right up to the Giant’s enormous foot, which was as wide as the family car.
“Hello,” Kyri said bravely, looking up at its glowing eyes. “We’re just visiting. We didn’t mean to bother you.”
The Giant leaned closer, its shadow swallowing Kyri whole. Then it reached out a huge hand—not to grab him, but to gently place something on the ground.
It was a rock—but not an ordinary rock. This one shimmered faintly, like it was full of stars.
The Gift
Kyri picked up the rock carefully. It was warm to the touch. Reef joined him, staring at it with wide eyes.
“That’s… cool,” Reef said. “What is it?”
“I think it’s a gift,” Kyri said.
The Giant straightened up again, its huge shape vanishing slowly into the mist. As it walked away, the ground shook softly with each step. Thud. Thud. Thud. Then it was gone, and the mist started to clear.
“Did that just happen?” Lucy asked, breaking the silence.
“It definitely happened,” Casey said, still holding her phone. “And I forgot to take a picture!”
“Some things are better left a mystery,” Auntie Mel said wisely, appearing through the clearing fog with Mum and Dad, who were looking very confused.
The Ride Down
On the way back, the mist disappeared completely, and the sun broke through the clouds. Reef grinned and set his skateboard on the steep path.
“I’m riding this back down. See you at the bottom!”
“Be careful!” Mum called, but Reef was already zooming away, shouting, “I’m fine!” over his shoulder.
Kyri followed with the starry rock in his backpack, smiling to himself.
“What do you think the Giants do up there?” Daisy asked as they walked.
“Watch over the mountain,” Kyri said. “And give gifts to explorers who aren’t afraid to say hello.”
Reef waited for them at the bottom, slightly scuffed and breathless from his ride. “Best. Hike. Ever,” he said. “I still can’t believe we met a Giant.”
“Me neither,” Kyri said, holding the starry rock up to the light. It shimmered faintly, as if the Giant’s magic was still inside.
That night, Kyri put the rock on his windowsill. It glowed softly in the dark, like a little piece of the misty mountain had come home with him.
And Kyri knew one thing for sure—there were still plenty of adventures waiting out there, as long as you were brave enough to look for them.