James couldn't believe it.  It was her!  Just ahead of him in the clearing was Leonara.  Or at least he was 95 percent sure it was.  She was facing his direction but her head was down as she focused on nursing a man laying in front of her.  She had a bucket of water and was dabbing his forehead with a wet cloth.

Cautiously, James moved closer to confirm her identity, 1 million thoughts racing through his head. Should he try to face her alone?  Should he sneak away and reveal her location to the othe-

He froze in place as he foolishly stepped on a large branch, causing it to snap.  His neck snapped up, and he found himself meeting eyes with Leonara now.  She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and her gaze somehow pinned him in place as she stood and slowly approached him, drawing her sword.

"Come out here." She said calmly.

James didn't reply and didn't move.

"I won't ask nicely twice." She threatened, pointing to a place in front of her with the tip of her sword.

James knew he didn't have any other options, as she could easily chase him down and catch him in a few steps.  Begrudgingly, he stepped out into the clearing but he did have the common sense to draw his own blade as he approached her and stood where she had commanded him.

It was then that he got the true magnitude of her.  He was used to giants being a little less than twice as tall as him, but here this woman was, literally 3 times his height, his head about even with her thighs.  He was so mesmerized that he failed to realize he was shaking.

Leonara looked him over as she kept him pinned in place with her gaze.  His size was definitely curious to her as well.

"Where are you from, boy?" She questioned.

"We-west of here. . ." James stammered, trying to think on his feet.

"Just. . . "West?"  Is it a village or a city?  A farm perhaps?" She interrogated.

"A farm!  I'm sorry. . " James blurted out awkwardly, bowing his head.

"You'll forgive me if this is intrusive, but were you raised by humans. . . ?" Leonara trailed off, leaving space for his name.

"Uhh, Hammersford!  Alexander Hammersford." James said, mustering the tiniest bit of confidence, but also making a huge mistake.  "And yes. . . My parents found myself and my sister when we were babies." He answered truthfully.

"How curious. . . . I'd heard that a giant raised by humans will never grow to be full sized, but this is the first time I've ever seen such a person. . ."  Leonara stated, looking him up and down. "Hold your hand up!" She suggested suddenly, holding up her free hand.

James obeyed, seemingly bewitched by her command.  The size difference was astonishing. Fully extended, his entire hand fit in the palm of hers, not even reaching to the base of her fingers. "Incredible!" She breathed, purposely in his ear.

She knew she had him under her spell, and as such, stepped behind him, crouching down and extending her arm out.  He mindlessly did the same.  His little arm reached only just passed her bicep, although his mind wasn't on that fact, as her feminine scent intoxicated him.  He had never actually been around a woman remotely his size besides his sister and he wasn't up to the challenge as she effortlessly melted him.

"But alas," she sighed, standing back up to her full height and stepping back. "that doesn't explain what you are doing creeping around outside of my camp!" She finished, lifting her sword to his chin and forcing him to crane his neck to look up to her.

"I. . . I. . ." James stammered, once again unable to even think in her gaze.

"You understand my concern, don't you Alexander?  I don't know if you know who I am but I've recently had 2 attempts on my life in one day!  I can't be too cautious." Leonara explained, reading him like a book.

While she knew now that he had some connection to the slayers from earlier, she also knew that this was just some dumb kid who was entirely out of his league here.

"I. . . Was just out for a walk. . " James replied, rather unconvincingly.

"Then you wouldn't mind handing me your sword, would you?  For my protection?" Leonara asked, her soft voice and gorgeous face working to hypnotize him and although he had been taught better and told a thousand times, he unconsciously found himself handing her his sword before he even had a chance to think about it.

Leonara stepped back, examining the blade, which was an old giant's side arm or 2nd blade.  Enough to be a full sized sword for this boy but ultimately not much more than a medium sized dagger to a normal sized giant.  She swung it in her hand, feeling the balance.

"Not a bad blade sir." She commented, before throwing it, and sticking it into a nearby tree.  "You can have that back when we are done here.  Now, tell me what you are really doing here!  The truth this time." She said, again stepping up to him and burying him in her shadow.

"I told you. . . . I had an argument with my family, and went for a walk to get away.  That's when I stumbled across you." James explained, half telling the truth.

"I really would love to believe you, but. . . . A man who happened to have the exact same name as you, tried to assassinate me, not 3 days ago!" Leonara divulged, drinking in James' pale face as he realized his mistake.  "Now, I don't necessarily think you are working directly with him. . . I mean, these slayers were highly trained and you. . . . Well no offense, but you come off as just some stupid boy, in way over his head!"

"I am not just some dumb kid!"  James tried to argue, while ending up sounding bratty and petulant.

"Look at you!  You willingly let me disarm you, and you're pitching a little tent in your pants as we speak." Leonara pointed out, with a chuckle.  "You were putty in my hands from the moment we locked eyes.  But that's ok. . . . I have that effect on most men and even some women."

James looked down and immediately covered his crotch in embarrassment.

"In reality, I should just kill you, pin you to a tree and let your comrades find you." Leonara said as she began to pace back in forth.  "But. . . In some distant way, we have a blood relation, so I feel inclined to give you. . . . Some leniency."

James only nodded, terrified and aroused all at once.

"So here's what's going to happen.  You're going to run along, and tell the rest of your party that you did manage to find me, and that you've found out that I'm heading northeast to the city of Pherron."  Leonara stated plainly, stroking his cheek with a long, slender finger. "That simple."

"I'm not going to willingly lead anyone into one of your traps!" James replied, shoving her hand away from his face.

A moment later he found himself dangling completely off the ground with Leonara's hand clamped tightly around his entire neck.  His own hands tried to pry it off but the difference in strength was night and day as she squeezed the life out of him.

"This isn't a negotiation, boy!" She said, her voice still calm though her actions were violent.  "Your only options are comply, or die." She finished, stepping forward and slamming him up against the trunk of a tree.

His complete powerlessness was beginning to set in now as he struggled as hard as he could, and couldn't even get her to loosen her grip.  He didn't plan to die here and even if it was a trap, there had to be a way for Ant and company to beat her.  With that on his mind, he agreed to her demands.

"Co-comply!" He wheezed as his vision began to black out around the edges.

"A wise choice!" Leonara said, arrogantly as she tossed the boy to the ground.  He landed hard and just lay there coughing and holding his throat as he took in air like there was no tomorrow.

He heard her footsteps and instinctively curled into a ball as she approached him, standing over him dominantly.  She lifted her foot, pressing down on his side and flattening him out onto his back, spread eagle before placing her boot directly on his chest.  Her foot taking up all of the space from chin to waist as she pinned him to the ground. His head was forced awkwardly to the side and his dick and balls were firmly squashed under her heel.

"Now, tell me what you are going to say to them." She ordered, looking him in the eye as she gave her foot a small twist, earning a wince of pain.

"I. . . I found you, and. . ." James began as he struggled to even breathe.  "And I found out that you are heading. . . . No-northeast. . . To Pherron." He stammered.

"Good boy!" Leonara exclaimed, her voice dripping with condescension. "Now when you wake up, you run along and deliver the message!" She finished, and before James could comprehend what she meant by  "wake up", she picked her boot up from his chest, lifted it high and stomped it down on his little face, knocking him out cold.

He finally awoke sometime later in a downpour.  His face ached, and he flinched when he touched his nose and discovered it was broken.  He sat up to see that the camp had been completely deserted and he was alone now in the clearing.  It was just about night as well.  He sheepishly got to his feet, his clothes soaked and muddy as he looked around.   This was definitely a new low for him.

Nothing really looked familiar to him, except for his sword stuck in the tree.  Slowly he stocked over to it, disheartened to see that it was stuck 75 feet above his head.  He wiped water out of his eyes as he found a log to stand on and pulled with all of his strength but it wouldn't budge.  He attempted a few more times before collapsing at the base of the tree, defeated and wallowing in self pity.

"So that's it?  You're just giving up?"  Dad's not going to be happy about that." Came a voice out of darkness.

James looked up to see Ant, Peter and Olivia come out of the trees and into the clearing, bearing lanterns.  He was overjoyed to see them, but this was still the lowest point in his entire life.

"Stand up." Ant commanded, dismounting Marcel.  James obeyed, his shoulders slumped.  "Now pick up the log.  Good.  Now hit the sword with it. . . Genius!" He said, as if talking to a complete idiot.

James did as instructed and the sword was easily dislodged and fell to the ground.

"Now. . . Let's go home."

*7 days.

It had been 7 days since Ant had left Darius sitting at this camp, waiting for some mage he had never met before and wasn't entirely sure if the man could even help him.

It had also been 7 days since he had seen any intelligent life.  He had been hunting and fishing but nobody had passed by on the road since they left.  It kind of highlighted the state of things.  Humans were on the brink of extinction.  Hell!  Slayers were on the brink of extinction.  At least back in the day, there would always be somebody traveling or just existing in the world.  Not so now.

That being said, Darius had had enough, and was in the process of packing up and traveling back south.  As much as he wanted to help his brothers and sisters, he knew he would be worthless if he couldn't use prayers.  He had just mounted his horse when he thought he heard a horse coming down the path.

He was silence, and there it was again.  He looked over the gentle hill, and there was a man.  An odd looking man with a staff.

"Are you Monty?" Darius called when the man was in earshot.

"I am. . . . Who might you be?" Monty asked, cautiously dismounting his horse as he glanced around the empty camp.

"I think you know our mutual friend, Antony Lockwood." Darius replied, dismounting as well.

"I don't know that I would call us friends. . . . But yes, I know him." Monty answered, eyeing Darius.

"Well. . . . He said that you might be able to help me. "

*
"Hold still and quit your crying!" Monty scolded as he worked his hands over Darius' back, his hands glowing white.

"Let me alter your soul and see how you like it!" Darius growled in replied as he lay face down on a bed roll.

"Yeah, yeah.  Just keep quiet!  We are just about done with your back." Monty answered, closing his eyes and focusing on a particularly tricky area.  "You know, for as tough as you slayers are, you sure do complain alot, don't you?"

"Are we going to have to go-  eeerrrrr." Darius began but the pain overwhelmed him momentarily.  "Are we going to have to go a few rounds after this, monty?"

"As much as I'd love to spar with you child, we are on a very tight schedule.  Getting the humans to safety took longer than I thought it would, even with no giant interference." Monty explained, as he worked.

"How many did you get out?" Darius asked, grimacing slightly.

"I would say about 10 to 15 thousand." Monty said, fairly optimistic. "I  pray that it doesn't come to it, but if it did,
It should be more than enough to start again.  It's a land yet unexplored I suppose.  I would have liked to see some variety in races make it to the new land."

"That is an admirable dream." Darius commented, actually inspired by Monty's outlook on this.

"But a dream dependent on our success, isn't it? " monty pointed out.

"I suppose it is. . ." Darius agreed.  "With any luck, that little girl's plan went off without a hitch, and the world is rid of one more of the 3 daughters."

"I'll be honest. . . . It doesn't feel like it." Monty said, quietly.  "That last fight. . . . It took everything we had and that girl. . . . Juliette.  A monster.  They are both monsters, boy.  I suppose you know that better than most."

"Hmm." Was the only response he got.

It seemed that the three daughters were a sore subject for just about everyone who came across them.  Even his own experience with Leonara was at least to some extent life-changing.  His dear friend was gone now, although it had gained him some new ones, and a way to help another race to survive in a way that he hadn't been able to do with his own.

An hour later he finished with Darius's back, having erased all the prayers and incantations that had stopped the gods from hearing him.  Next, he rolled over and Monty went back to his delicate work.  A full 7 hours later, he was finally finished.

Darius stood, gripping his sword and breathing deeply.

"Go ahead." Monty said as he packed up his belongings, preparing to leave.

Darius drew in a breath, closed his eyes and prayed as he swung his sword.

A golden beam burst from his blade, starting low, cutting down a 30 foot wide swath of trees as it rose, getting the next trees higher and the next trees higher til it exploded above the tree tops and dissipated.

"Well?" Monty asked, with a sly grin.

Darius said nothing, and suddenly fell to his knees.  Shocked, Monty rushed to him, afraid that something had gone wrong.  It was then that he noticed. . .

Darius was weeping.

"What's wrong, boy?"Monty asked, kneeling beside him, and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Th-thank you!" Darius sniffed.  "You've. . . . You've done no less than brought me back from the dead!

*Back up north, we finally made it back to the house.  Maggie burst out the back door, thundering towards us and embracing her twin in a tight hug.  He groaned, his body sore from two days of walking.

"Where were you?!" She demanded, stepping back and putting her hands on his shoulders and looking him over, her lips scrunched and brow furrowed.

"He had himself a date!" I replied, as I walked passed them, putting Marcel back in the stable out in the yard beyond the house. "With a gorgeous, raven-haired maiden!"

Peter and Olivia laughed but added nothing more.

"What does he mean by that!?  What do you mean by that!?" Maggie demanded, first of James, before turning immediately to me with a scowl.

"Go on and tell her of your adventure, boy!" I shouted, just before disappearing into the house.

"It. . . Was nothing. . " James told his sister, downplaying the significance as he tried to step by her.  She moved,  blocking his path.

"Who was she?!  And what happened to your face?!" Maggie asked, her voice just below a shout now.

"Magnolia. . . Please stop making a fuss!" James pleaded, not wanting everyone else to start in on him or tell him "I told you so!"

"I promise I'll tell you , when we're alone.  If you go to the river and help me get cleaned up, I'll tell you what happened.

As twins, the siblings had always been incredibly close, and even more so since they were giants living in the human realm so only they could relate to each others struggles.  Maggie knew it had to be something serious that he didn't want Mom and Dad to find out about, or at least yell at him about.  She agreed, grabbing him some fresh clothes and walking down to the river with him.

"See!  Why can't you just give up the foolishness of trying to be a slayer?!" Magnolia begged as she dabbed at his broken nose with a cloth, cleaning the dried blood.  "I know you want to be like Ant, but look what happened to you!  She could have killed you!"

"She might kill us all, Maggie!  That's all I'm getting at!" James exclaimed, frustrated that his sister couldn't understand. "I'm sorry I'm just not content with sitting around on the farm until that happens!

"Nobody is saying you can't help James!  It just doesn't have to be fighting!  You see that Ant has two little humans in his party.  They do their part, and when the time comes, they get out of the way so they don't get squished!" Maggie reasoned, trying anything to change her brother's mind.

"I'm not gonna get squished, Maggie!  Do you know how stupid that sounds?!" James shouted at her, knocking her hand away and standing up.

"It was just an example!  I mean. . . . You can do your part by helping to get everyone in the city to safety.  That is just as important, if not more important than the fight.  Some people just need to survive." Maggie shouted back, her voice cracking up as she neared the edge of tears.

"Come on, Maggie! Please. . . Please don't cry!" James begged.  As her brother, making her cry was about the worst feeling he could have.

"I just don't understand why the life you have isn't good enough for you!" She shouted angrily, as she threw down the wash rag and stomped off, trampling a small tree as she stormed back to the farm.

James felt bad but he didn't chase her.  Sometimes it was best to give her his full attention, sometimes it was better to let her cool down.  This was the latter.  He sat back down on the river bank and just stared into the water.

*The morning of the 4th day, we decided to depart.  My parents had had about enough of us, and everyone seemed to be at each other's throats.  Fights and passionate arguments seemed to break out once every hour, with people storming out and disappearing until late in the night.

We had the convoy fully loaded, full of supplies, and both Abby and Olivia were well rested now. The decision had been made that James would stay.  If we needed any more blades, or if trouble occurred in Lockwood, the other would come to aid.  I think we all knew that that particular system really wouldn't work, but it was the most we could do without flat out leading someone who clearly wasn't ready, straight to their death. In the end, I had gone so far as to tell everyone that I was the one to discover Leonara's whereabouts.  Just so the party wouldn't doubt the information. . . Or at least doubt it less.
The only thing we were truly missing before we were ready for a fight at Pherron, was-

As if on cue, we heard the sound of two horses coming up the road.