"So, well, I figured that you'd know more about giants than anyone else here, giving that you're one of the most prominent champions when it comes to dispatching them. Firkon says a lot about the giants being primitive, but, well, I just don't believe it any more. You saw all of that, right? She's just as smart as us. She has to be. Gods, she might even be smarter! It's not like there are many among our number that speak their tongue. Sorry, sorry, I'm rambling, but surely you can explain this, right?"

Volkhard nodded.

"The giants are scarily similar to us, and that similarity doesn't end at their intellectual faculties. They once had nations like ours, cities no different to those we build and armies no different to those we field."

"So how do you know all of this?" Laeron asked, leaning forward in his seat.

"Well, Laeron, I'll let you in on a little secret. There are a lot of misnomers going around about the giants, but, well, remember, I've studied magic for years now - I suppose I have a certain affinity for it to boot - and my lifespan has been stretched out as a result. I remember a time when the last vestiges of their society still stood against us. I didn't serve with the First Emperor, but shortly after his coalition fell to pieces, I fought first alongside the Lycrians and then with the Orestian legions before I finally settled down in Q'thuman and offered my services to the otherwise defenseless border towns nearby... and well, that's where you found me."

"Wow." Laeron muttered, "Huh. So, they, um, they're really just like us, then?"

"Did I say that?" Volkhard queried rhetorically, "No, I said they are scarily similar to us, but not the same. A murderous streak runs through their kind, xenophobic fear and hatred to a degree I have rarely seen in one of ours. But let me ask you something, Laeron... why are you interested in this matter?"

"W-well, sir, I, uhm, I-" Laeron stuttered nervously, not knowing what to say.

"Tell me the truth, Laeron. There is no admission you could possibly make nor secret you could possibly have that I would find need to tell any other. No need to be nervous in the slightest."

"It's Teagan!" Laeron blurted out, "I, uhm, I don't know, I guess I just... she saved us, Volkhard, she saved us! I don't understand! Why would she do that?"

Volkhard paused for a moment to think about how to answer Laeron's question. Did Teagan truly save them simply because she wanted to, or did she just use it as an excuse for her rampant slaughter? Volkhard gritted his teeth and shook his head. This went against everything he believed. Everything he forced himself to believe. Painful memories strained against their prison.

"I can't answer that, I'm afraid. Are you having second thoughts about hunting her down?"

"I am." Laeron said, honestly.

"Well, you aren't alone. When I fought her, Laeron, I didn't fight the other giantess. It was just her. I saw her carrying a soldier with her, a Q'thumani, and decided to at least try to save the soldier's life. I fought long and hard, but I was defeated. Teagan didn't kill me, though, since she saw me heal one of my wounds. She needed my services, as it so happened, but not for herself: she took me captive and asked me to heal the soldier. She had broken the poor woman's back, but felt genuinely sorry, and spared me on the condition that I healed her. I had no choice but to comply, thinking she would kill me when I was done, but... she was compassionate. I woke up unharmed. I think Teagan's a sad kid who's lost everything, and filled the emptiness left over with hatred of humanity. Gods know I'd understand that. Something in me is just screaming at me that this is all wrong, but then I remind myself, she's killed innocents. Lots of them, Laeron. There's no excusing that... not at all."

Don't choke on your hypocrisy.

"Well, I guess you're right. Thanks, Brother Volkhard. Your words are wise as ever." Laeron said, standing from his seat, "I suppose I'll excuse myself now. Thank you for your guidance."

You have no right. 

Volkhard took a heavy swig of his drink as Laeron stood up to leave. Just as he was about to depart, however, another knock came from the door. Laeron froze and looked to Volkhard, who stood up himself.

"You'd best come up with a good reason as to why you're here, just in case, alright?" Volkhard whispered to Laeron as he got ready to open the door once more.

Volkhard opened the door, and saw two people on the other side. The first he immediately recognized as Firkon, still wearing his armor, with a smile on his face. Not a sight one is often treated to. The other was a stranger to Volkhard, though something about her complexion, garb, and demeanor told him that he ought to recognize her: long black hair tied back in a bun, unhealthily pale skin, a dark vest and rope-tied skirt, and an artavus knife poorly concealed in her left boot left Volkhard with the impression that this was a notable individual.

"Firkon! I was just talking with Laeron about methods I used to track the giants myself in days long past. Who is your companion here?"

"This is Icaria the Younger. Surely you've heard of her, Volkhard?"

Volkhard knew that name. Icaria was a giantslayer, same as he, but she had just started her career. She was an alchemist, concocting poisons that could fell even the most titanic of giants with a handful of drops. Her notoriety came not from her reputation as a savior, however, but from her reputation as thoroughly ruthless. Her poisons were known far and wide for the collateral damage they inflicted, rendering entire villages toxic and often killing just as many as the giant she slew with them. Rumor held that wherever she traveled, disease quickly followed, disease unlike anything it ought to be, unnatural and unreasonably fatal. Volkhard was one of many who wondered who dared contract her services and fund her horrid concoctions, but those who asked had a penchant for ending up choking on their own blood.

It was safe to say that Volkhard did not like Icaria the Younger.

"Ah! Such a pleasure, to meet one who follows the same noble goal as myself. I am Brother Volkhard, a humble servant of the First Emperor and an appreciator of your work." Volkhard lied, pulling the act off quite convincingly.

"You are no servant of the First Emperor. Firkon told me what you said, and I find it disgusting how little faith some people have in Him. Death is nothing to the likes of Him, and I, Volkhard, am His emissary. Firkon, on the other hand, is dogged and loyal, and for that reason alone I have come here to offer my services. Show some respect to your Emperor." Icaria said, pushing her way past Volkhard into the room. She took a seat at the table across from Volkhard and stared him down.

"My apologies. I meant Him no disrespect, nor did I mean to say that I myself am faithless, simply that the Selcenians are. I hope that you understand I hold Him in the highest of regard." Volkhard said.

"I've heard much about you, Volkhard." Icaria said, ignoring Volkhard's apology, "Your record is impressive. I knew something was special about you, but, well, I can't say I expected this."

Volkhard's heart quickened. What did she mean?

"I'm surprised at your bravado. Going up against a giant on your own? That's plain stupid, but your courage is evident. It doesn't matter how oafish you are as long as you aren't the one giving the commands. See, that's why I'm here." Icaria quipped, smirking.

"I'm not here to take insults, especially from a fledgling." Volkhard responded, no longer willing to keep up the charade of formality, "If you're joining us, that's fine. More help is always welcome. Just keep your comments to yourself and make yourself useful, and we won't have a problem... bitch." Volkhard muttered the last word under his breath in the human language, trying to restrain himself from letting her get him any angrier.

Icaria scoffed before waving a hand at Firkon and Laeron, signaling for them to leave the room. Volkhard wasn't surprised when Laeron hurried off, but he was taken aback when Firkon headed back towards the exit.

"Emissary Icaria, ought I wait outside?" he asked.

"No need. I've said to you all I need to. I just want to spend a bit of time with Volkhard here, discussing technique. There aren't a lot of practicioners in our field, and, well, I'd be happy to further my own understanding while imparting some of my technique unto him. It's been a pleasure."

Firkon left without another word, closing the door behind him. Volkhard briefly wondered what Icaria could have possibly said or done to get the prideful man so submissive to her, but the thought slipped his mind as his glance flitted back to the woman in question. He didn't like her at all, but he especially didn't like her in his room.

"Well? Discuss technique? Get on with it. What do you want to know?" Volkhard asked, impatient to get her out.

Icaria waited until Firkon's footsteps were no longer audible before responding, "Oh, Volkhard, I don't care for your technique. I have my own, and I rather quite enjoy it. I'm here to talk to you about something far more important. A giantess, especially a magically capable one, is something we simply cannot have, is it now?"

"I don't know what you mean by we, alchemist. My problems are no concern of yours, and yours are absolutely not mine. I don't know what stake you have in this, but I know your type. You aren't just doing this out of the goodness of your heart. I'm certain that you don't really care how many innocents die to her at all, do you?"

"Watch yourself, Volkhard. Don't ask questions that you won't like the answer to. Now, I'm no practicioner of magic myself, but if she defeated one such as you, she must have developed her powers significantly already, hmm?"

"You seem to forget the fact that she's a giantess. The odds are already stacked against me before including her magical prowess. I won't be making the same mistakes the second time around." Volkhard replied, condescendingly.

"Don't treat me like an idiot." Icaria snapped, "I know how many giants you've killed. Giants more physically imposing than her. It's her magic, and we both know it. In any case, that's for the best, if anything. The one who sent me wants Firkon to be responsible for her death, not you."

"So you do have a master, hmm?" Volkhard asked sarcastically.

"I said watch it, you impetuous idiot. Don't think you can just do whatever you wish because of your status. I am an emissary of the First Emperor, and you, well, you're an emissary of nobody. A vassal of nobody. A champion of nobodies. Saving peasants and farmers? It will get you nowhere."

"Enough with the petty insults. You're acting like a petulant child at this point. You want Firkon to be the one to kill her? Fine. That makes my life easier, if anything. I'll return to my home and look back on this time fondly as the last I ever saw your pale, sun-starved visage."

"Not so fast, comrade." Icaria said, lacing the last word with venom, "I just said that Firkon needs to kill her. You will still be useful. Think about it! Firkon defeats the giantess Volkhard couldn't. It'll be sensational. He'll be exactly the kind of hero that we need. You need to lose to her again, Volkhard. Slink back to him with news of defeat... not like you could take her on your own, anyhow. Once you make a pathetic show of it, we dismiss you, and end her without your aid. Firkon is a hero, I get a bit of recognition myself, and you get an opportunity to fade quietly and cleanly away. Trust me, you'd prefer that to the alternative. Stay small, Volkhard. Stay small, and you'll stay happy.

"Why do you want Firkon to rise to fame, why exactly would I want to tarnish my name, and what exactly do you mean when you say 'stay small', anyhow?" Volkhard demanded, reaching almost imperceptibly for the knife at his belt.

"I said no questions, dolt! I have no answers for you, champion of nobodies, except the point of my blade. I am an emissary of the First Emperor, and I do not answer to scum like yourself. My station is higher than you could ever perceive." Icaria disdainfully spat,

"I can't say I recall the last time I saw the First Emperor, you know." Volkhard retorted, "I would assume a dead man wouldn't have enough messages that he'd need an emissary. Your threats don't scare me, alchemist. If I earnestly wanted you dead above all else, you'd be dead in an instant, and there wouldn't be a thing you could do about it."

"I don't doubt it." Icaria responded, smirking contemptuously. 

"I'm sorry?" Volkhard disbelievingly asked, not sure if he had heard correctly. He didn't believe that she would fold so easily now after giving him nothing but a headache for the past few minutes.

"I have no doubt that if you really, really wanted me dead right now, yeah, you'd be able to kill me in an instant. An instant!"

Icaria stood up from her seat and paced over to Volkhard, causing him to tighten his grip on his knife. If she was picking a fight with him, one of them wouldn't be walking away from it. She stopped less than a pace away from him, bent down with her hands on her knees, and looked him closely in the eye. Volkhard met her intense gaze unflinchingly, not willing to show even the slightest sign of weakness.

"Then again," she whispered to him, "how do you think everyone would react when you show your true self?"

Volkhard flinched at these words, and in his moment of shock, Icaria moved with the rapidity of a wildcat. She tore his belt away from his waist, seized the knife from within it, and planted it firmly in the table. Volkhard barely even reacted, only twisting slightly away from Icaria as she took his belt.

"I don't think Firkon would take kindly to a giant, much less one that's an impostor in his perfect little imagined world, would he? You see, these people, all of them have been eating up the First Emperor's dogma like candy, and they know above all else that they ought to hate the giants. Even now, while bastards like Selceus and his generals defy His word, His message about the giants will ring true as long as even one of their number walk this world... but we can make room for you, Volkhard, if you keep your mouth shut and stay small. It's too late to uninvolve yourself in what's happening here, and believe me, it's going to be momentous. The best thing you can do is keep your head down, follow orders, and ride it out. For once, you're going to feel what it's like not to be in charge. Am I understood?" Icaria asked, pulling Volkhard's knife from the table and sheathing it back in his belt.

"Yes." Volkhard replied, extending a hand to retrieve his belt from her. At this reply, however, Icaria retracted her arm, leaving Volkhard grasping at nothing.

"That's yes, emissary of the First Emperor to you, Volkhard." Icaria snipped, waiting for the correct reply.

Volkhard balled his fists up in rage. Was it really worth submitting here just to keep his secret under wraps? He could kill her with ease, even she knew that... but more would come. She had made it clear that she wasn't alone, not at all. Something larger than any one person was unfolding, and Volkhard wasn't ready to make new enemies before he knew the scope of their might.

"Yes, emissary of the First Emperor. I will work with you as best as I can. provided you keep my secret."

Icaria dropped Volkhard's belt on the table and walked towards the door.

"Don't renege on your word, Volkhard. You will find that it does not end well for you."

Volkhard briefly contemplated hurling his knife into her back before deciding against it. If he did kill her, even without returning to his full size, Firkon would turn on him in an instant, and she knew it. He was a hostage now.

~

"Welcome to Sudgau, Teagan." Hannah said, beaming.

Teagan was awed. Sudgau consisted of little more than a trio of oxcarts and around ten people. Teagan hadn't seen this many people together in years! She had made sure to instruct Teagan, Hassan, and Aaliyah to hide quietly in her backpack, but couldn't manage to brush off a lurking fear that they'd be discovered and hurt. Nevertheless, she followed Hannah to the crowd, which was positioned around a small campfire, and stood awkwardly back while Hannah rushed in.

"Wulfric! Wulfric, are you here?" Hannah shouted, drawing the attention of the crowd, formerly unaware of Hannah's presence.

"Hannah? Is that you?" A voice called back, followed quickly by a tall young man pushing himself up from the fire and running towards Hannah. The two embraced each other warmly, and Teagan could swear that she saw the glint of tears in Hannah's eyes as she hugged Wulfric. 

"I missed you dearly."

"I missed you too."

While the two of them spent time in an embrace, another person from the campfire motioned for Teagan to come closer. She hesitantly obliged, sitting at the edge of the fire nearest to the man who waved her over, an older man with a warm smile.

"Any friend of Hannah's is a friend of ours, miss. Wulfric is Hannah's brother, and the two of them are tight as thieves! Come, enjoy the fire, tell of us yourself while they have their fun. They will take a while, no doubt."

Teagan gently shouldered off her backpack, making sure not to jostle it, before scooting forward and joining everyone else.

"I'm on a journey." she began, "A journey to find Whitebreeze Keep."

There was a bit of whispering as Teagan spoke the fabled citadel's name, but she continued without giving it any pause.

"My name's Teagan, and I've been at this journey for, well, I'd guess at least a month and a half now. It's hard to know for sure, though. Days blend together when time is measured in hunger, thirst, tiredness, and pain. I come from Dunnehain, and with the guidance of an old man's note and a foolish amount of hope, I've made it here, to Pazsichia. I've faced a bandit, a tomkin legion, and an accursed creature of the night, and I've triumphed over them all so far. I met Hannah when I was first crossing into Pazsich over the mountains. I took a terrible fall, injuring my head quite badly, when up to me comes Hannah. I must admit, for a minute, I thought I had died and she was an angel come to take my soul!"

Teagan felt a sense of relief wash over her as she heard a few members of her welcoming audience chuckle at the story, easing her tension and making her feel less like an intrusive stranger.

"Well, Hannah treated my wounds, and asked only in return that I accompany her here. I was more than happy to oblige, and we set off together to reach Sudgau!"

Teagan continued, telling everyone about their encounter with the wandering knights, their battle against the tomkin army, and the highlights of their conversations. When she finished, it was to applause and cheering. Teagan beamed, flush with excitement at the attention and approval she was getting. She never truly realized how much she needed people to talk to until she'd met Hannah, and this only reaffirmed her belief tenfold. After the applause had died down, Hannah and Wulfric returned together, with Wulfric making a beeline straight for Teagan.

"You must be Teagan!" he exclaimed, extending a hand.

"And I'm guessing you're Wulfric?" Teagan responded, shaking the man's hand. His grasp was light and not quite commanding, and he seemed a bit frail altogether. Teagan assumed that he hadn't been eating much recently.

"Wulfric von Nieders. Hannah's brother, if she hasn't given you our family name. We hear that our family line used to be nobles, but that all ended with the tomkins, of course, so we hold neither wealth nor lofty titles. It's funny how this brings the poorest and richest of us together, isn't it? In any case, Teagan, I heard bits and pieces of your adventures while you were telling your tale, and Hannah told me much more. It's truly a pleasure."

Wulfric bowed to Teagan before taking a seat next to her.

"You know, Teagan... I know we're practically strangers, but you're a friend of my sister, and that means you're a friend of mine. Sudgau may not look like much to you, and to be honest, it really isn't, but I want you to know something important. You're banking a lot on hope and a legend, Teagan, and if Whitebreeze was anywhere nearby, we'd know about it. You have a long journey ahead of you, and I won't tell you that it's anything less than extremely dangerous. You draw ever closer to the heart of the tomkin lands, and it'll only get harder from here. If you so decide, I would be more than happy to offer you a life with us. It won't be easy, nor will it be stationary, but I can promise you that it will be safe, and you will find us the truest band of compeers you've ever met. Of course, I will not be offended if you decline, but please at least consider it well."

Wulfric paused before whispering a quick addition in Teagan's ear, "Hannah told me about your tomkin as well. Keep it hidden well from the others and we will have no issue."

Teagan was taken aback. Safety not only for herself, but for Sihil as well. Perhaps... perhaps this was the home she was looking for after all?

"This might just be my own little Whitebreeze Keep." Teagan said, "I'll think on it while I sleep. Thank you so much."