Held a mountain pass alone for three days and nights against giants, until reinforcements arrived.
Descended into an underworld to reclaim his sister’s soul – defeated the Stone Sentinel with hollow eyes.
Freed an entire village on his own by lifting a fallen tower onto his shoulders and holding it while the children escaped.
Once, like in a tale, he spoke to a bird, who guided him to the enemy’s heart.
Calm as a mountain lake – but in fury, a storm.
Wise, a man of few but thoughtful words.
Respects women, elders, and children.
Believes true strength is in the heart, not the fist.
Cinderella.Cinderella’s camp.
Morning began with its usual hustle in Cinderella’s camp.
Soldiers were marching, orders rang out sharply, and someone had already dropped a steaming kettle of buckwheat stew in the mess hall. Cooks were cursing, recruits slipping in porridge, and Alangazar was wiping cabbage off the wall, looking guilty.
When Cinderella stepped into her headquarters, everyone snapped to attention.
She wore impeccable military attire: a dark blue coat with golden buttons, a belt with a crest, and polished boots.
The uniform not only conveyed command – it suited her. Especially the elegant officer's beret with an emerald clasp.
– Stand down. Documents on the table, – she said calmly.
First on her desk was Alangazar’s leave request. As per protocol, the giant was due rest after the latest exercises.
She signed with a flourish – he beamed and rolled off toward the forest for firewood and fresh air.
Then entered her adjutant – a lean and diligent lieutenant named Guzel – with a new folder.
– Recruit paperwork: Lieutenant Ertoshtuk. Special request. His story is… quite unusual.
Cinderella flipped through the file. Amid reports and assessments, there was a letter – handwritten in a strong, elegant script.
It began:
“When I was a boy, a witch came to our aul. She told my father:
‘Give me the boy – and you may live.’
My father knew he couldn’t defeat her. But he didn’t give me to the witch – he gave me to fate.
He hid a dagger by the roadside and sent me after her, knowing the witch would wait in the form of an old woman…”
Cinderella raised an eyebrow and kept reading.
Young Ertoshtuk rode and saw an old woman sitting by the road, looking tired – like a kind granny from a story.