542 Years Ago

“Well done, lad! You’ve made your father proud!” King Valgar IV wrapped his arm around the shoulders of his son, Theogar, as the two entered the castle of Vandan. In his hands was a cage full of humans who were crying out for help despite their doomed circumstances. Valerie watched from her window as her brother and father entered, and when she heard the front door slam shut she ran out of her room. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs as she spied on her family, hoping to spring her plan into action. It wasn’t a very good plan, mind you, but it was something she knew had to be done. She’d had enough of her family’s behavior with humans; she’d heard enough of the cries for help, the tears and the pain of the poor people. This time would be different. She wouldn’t stand for it any longer, no matter the circumstances. 

“Now then, let’s have some fun!” Theogar set the cage on the kitchen table and reached his hand in. His mother slapped it and glared at him. 

“No torture on this table! I want to eat on it! Bring them to the basement!”

“Mother, I planned on eating one!”

“I don’t want blood on the table either! Bring them down there or I’ll tan you, boy!” Theogar huffed as he carried his prizes with him. Valerie took her chance and followed behind him, pushing past her mother who didn’t bother to notice her. She trailed after him at a distance, ensuring he wouldn’t hear his ‘brat’ of a little sister coming for his ‘toys’. Once they had reached the basement, she hid behind a table as he set the cage down on a stool. Just as he prepared to reach in to begin his torture session, the voice of Valgar boomed through the walls.

“Theo! Come here boy!” Valerie’s brother groaned, then ran back upstairs, missing his sister who had moved deeper into the room. Once she was sure he was gone, she ran over to the cage. The people inside screamed again, but she shushed them as she bent down to their level. 

“Quiet!” she whispered. “I’m here to save you all!”

“Let us go, please!” a woman yelled. 

“Shh! Really, you must be silent! This is your only chance, all right?” The people inside nodded, but it was clear they didn’t truly believe her. No one wanted to disobey a 150-foot giantess either way. She quietly picked up the cage and made her way back up the stairs. She stopped at the entrance and peeked around the corner to check if her mother was still in the kitchen. She was, so that meant she’d have to exit out the back. She traversed the halls, nodding to the guards she passed by who wouldn’t question the princess, thankfully. She finally reached a back entrance and carefully opened the door to release the humans. Just as she set the cage down, a hoot made her jump in the skin, and she spun around, only to spot her white owl, Ophelia. 

She hooted again, then her eyes began to glow a light, blue color. What are you doing Valerie? The voice rang in her head like it was her own thought, but it was a distinctly new voice. 

“Ophelia! Shoo, and don’t you tell father about this!”

I wouldn’t dare, my princess. This will hardly go unnoticed though. Your father will punish you severely.

“I don’t care what they think anymore! This is unjust, what they do to humans!”

My opinion on the matter is of no use, but I stand with you no matter what, my princess. Be careful. She flew off a moment later, letting Valerie consider her options. It only took a moment for her to commit to her action, then she opened the door to the cage. 

“Sorry. Ophelia really likes to talk. Now run, and don’t stop until you’re back where you belong!” The humans didn’t hesitate as they bolted towards the woods surrounding the castle, not one of them stopping to thank her. That didn’t matter of course, all she cared about was the good she’d done. When the last human had entered the woods, she turned around and once again jumped. It was Theogar. 

*

Valerie opened her eyes and felt sweat drenching her forehead. She was breathing quickly, but she was relieved to be back in the present, next to her husband. She cupped him in her hand and held him by her chest as she stood up, ensuring that he would not wake by her movements. They needed all the rest they could get. It had only been a few hours, as far as Valerie could tell, but the weather had become much worse during their slumber. Rain was pouring down in torrents on the mountainside and thunder boomed after lightning struck a mere second before. The wind howled just outside the entrance, and right in the doorway to their cave stood the owl. Valerie wasn’t sure how she’d missed the creature, but she knew it was time to attempt talking with it. She set Alban down behind her, then crawled towards it, hoping it wouldn’t be scared. Before she reached it, the owl’s eyes glowed a distinct blue and a voice entered her mind.

Do you not recognize an old friend?

“Ophelia? It cannot be. It’s been over 500 years!”

Your knowledge must be waning, my princess, or have you forgotten we are immortal?

“Where have you been all this time?”

Watching over you, of course. And your children. They are fine, in case you were curious.

“You’ve been watching us all along, without coming to me?”

I stopped interfering with others long ago, Valerie. I have only now returned because of the threat Naaman poses. I merely wish to be a silent guardian.

“I’ve missed you.”

And I, you. I’m glad you are alive now, young one. You have given giants a new name. An honorable one.

“Ophelia, this is the last giant alive. Is it wrong to make him an enemy?”

What he is and what he does are two separate things, Valerie. He may be a giant like you, but he chose the way of evil. Being giant does not make him this way, it is his choice.

“Then why were all giants that way? Why am I the only one to have chosen otherwise?”

Because you are simply a good person, Valerie. Your empathy overpowered what your people desired for you to be. It may not be an easy road, but it is one that will be remembered far longer than anything the giants did in the past. Valerie smiled, and a tear fell down her cheek.

“You’ve always been the wise one, Ophelia.” Some rustling behind her told her the men were waking up too, but when she looked back to check on them she heard Ophelia fly off. 

Good luck, my queen. Alban rose first and walked over to Valerie’s side. 

“Are you all right, dear?”

“Yes. Just watching the storm.”

“Yes, it’s become violent. We will have to be careful climbing up to Naaman’s house.” Valerie sat on her legs, which had been stretched out behind her, and she sighed. 

“Alban, we’ve faced many dangers before. Some more powerful than others. This feels different to me. I can’t guarantee your safety.”

“You never could. We’ve lived through a lot, though, and we will live through this too, understand? I love you, Valerie.”

“I love you too, Alban.”

“Can we go? I’m getting cold,” Claymore said, walking up to Alban’s side. 

“Yes. Let’s head out.”

*

The journey back up to Naaman’s house was brutal, but Valerie kept her footing the entire time, clutching her pocket which housed her tiny passengers. When they reached the door, she knelt to let them on the ground. Water cascaded off her hair and splashed around the men as she looked down at them. “Are you sure you two will be alright?”

“Yes dear! We’ll sneak in while you keep him occupied! A little rain won’t hurt us!” Alban replied. Valerie blew her husband one last kiss before he ran off to shimmy up the cliff wall that led to the open workshop. She stood upright, set her eyes on the door, and moved towards it. It flew open before she could knock and Naaman stood in the entrance, the torchlight behind him illuminating his outline. 

“Valerie,” he said, his voice cold.

“Naaman. I’ve come to talk. Not as a lost acquaintance, but as the rightful Queen of Vandan. I demand an audience with you.” Naaman grunted, then stepped aside to let her in. She nodded as she passed him by, then shook her hair out to get it partially dry. Naaman merely walked by slowly while she watched him. “You threw me out in quite a rude gesture earlier. Something that cannot go unpunished.”

“You do not rule me. You are a traitor to your people.”

“I am only a traitor to your beliefs, not to the giants. Being a giant does not give me a right to torture anyone or anything, for pleasure or otherwise.”

“So? You think yourself a saint? Let me guess, you married one of those bugs, those vermin.”

“My husband is no bug or vermin, Naaman, and he is your king if you are loyal to Vandan.”

“I am loyal to the giants!” he shouted. “You are a mockery of our kind! A mistake that never should have been born!”

“Silence your tongue! Sit down Naaman. We will talk.”

*

It had been a slow walk, but Claymore and Alban made it to the gigantic workshop, the rain finally blocked. Alban shook his hair out and wiped the rain off his face before he followed Claymore. “You’re hasty tonight.”

“I know some of the prisoners here. I want to be in and out of here as quickly as possible.”

“It won’t be easy getting out with these people. There are hundreds of them. This isn’t just a rescue, it’s an exodus.” The two men ran towards the corridor and snuck towards the door, the voices of the giants in the other room echoing off the walls. The words Naaman was using about his wife made Alban’s blood boil, but he kept to his mission and let Valerie deal with him. Thankfully, the door was crudely made and there was plenty of space for them to slide in through a hole at the bottom. The room was still lit from earlier, but the keys were hanging on the wall high above them, a good 100 feet away. 

“I’ll find something to climb with,” said Claymore. Alban backed away from the door to get a better view of the climb. There wasn’t a shelf nearby to climb to, no table to ascend; the only possible way to get to them was to cling to the rock wall and climb to the keys. Claymore returned with a couple of scraps of sharpened metal, both incredibly sturdy. “Giant metal. Durable, and it can pierce the rock. We could climb with these.”

“Splendid! There’s only enough for one of us.”

“I’ll go. Keep watch on that door.” Alban nodded as Claymore stepped up to the wall. He drove the metal in, then set his foot on the rock wall. He jammed the other piece higher up, then removed the first one and stuck it higher than the second. He continued this pattern undisturbed, moving quickly but steadily. He finally reached the nail the keys were hanging on, and using the two pieces of metal he held himself up purely with his hands and set his body in a horizontal position. He pushed with his legs and knocked the keys off the nail, then let his body go limp as it smacked into the rock. The keys clattered next to Alban, and he listened for any sign of Naaman hearing the noise. It seemed like they were still in the clear. 

“Alright, come on down!” Claymore nodded, then began his descent in a reverse order from how he went up. 

*

“Giants were not made to torture and kill those they deem lesser, Naaman. In fact, our power should give us the responsibility to protect others and bring order and justice to the world.”

“You’re hopelessly optimistic and delusional.”

“Only because you are too stubborn to see it, Naaman! I do not wish to see you punished, I want you to come back with me and change your ways! These actions, though - your treatment of humans - are abhorrent and I cannot allow it anymore.” Naaman merely chuckled. 

“So you came here to stop me then? A fine job you have done so far!”

“I’m not afraid to escalate the situation Naaman. But while you are committing atrocities, you are also one of the last of our kind. I must give you a chance to change!” Naaman shook his head at the queen. 

“You are holding on to a false hope. Your mind has been poisoned by these humans! The last queen of Vandan and this is who you protect? These vermin?” Valerie began moving closer to the doorway that led to the workshop, hoping to keep him busy and block his view whenever Alban made his way out. 

“Everyone has the capacity to change Naaman. Even someone as cold-hearted as yourself.” 

“I could say the same of you, my former queen.” He then smiled when he saw what Valerie was attempting to do. “Oh, I’m sure you’re trying to keep me busy while your husband rescues those poor prisoners, right?” Valerie’s heart felt like it froze as Naaman stood up. “Yes, I know what game you’re playing here. Your little friend told me all about it.” From behind his back, Naaman yanked Luke out of his pocket, the child wiggling and biting at the giant fingers that were wrapped around his body. “I found him sneaking around the cages after you left. Didn’t take much to make him squeal!” 

“Don’t you hurt him!” Valerie cried out. Naaman laughed as he lifted Luke into the air in front of him, his fingers barely holding onto him. 

“You don’t think I wouldn’t have figured this out eventually? You and that wretched King Ferran joining forces to bring my life to ruin? Look at them, Valerie! I could open my fingers and sentence this pitiful mite to his death. A fall from my shoulder height will kill him. Why should we care about them, much less marry one?!” 

“Your size gives you no right to kill and torture living creatures! We are just as much human as them.”

“Only many times larger. You must drop them if our people have any chance of returning. You will doom giant-kind. Allow me to help you decide.” In a matter of seconds several events occurred. Valerie drew her sword, sliced Naaman across the chest and caught Luke in her free hand. The giant stumbled back, his clothes torn, but his skin intact. He smiled as he looked back at her, and he too drew his sword. “If that’s how it’s going to be…” Valerie dropped Luke into a small pocket just in time to hold back a blow from Naaman, and she pushed him back into the wall. He wouldn’t let himself be cornered though as he kicked her shin and knocked her in the side with his hilt. Valerie clutched at the spot, but held her blade firm as Naaman tried to land a more vicious blow. All she hoped for was the time to buy Alban and Claymore to free the prisoners.

*

The sound of the attack rang through the room as Claymore and Alban worked tirelessly at freeing the prisoners. It took a while to get the people organized at first, but after two or three cages it seemed like a riot had formed. The king and the captain eventually let them free their fellow prisoners as they began funneling them into the hallway under the door. “Everyone, keep to the shadows and move quickly! Make for the exit in the workshop, my wife will keep Naaman busy!”

“Move it, let’s go!” Claymore surveyed the room and motioned to Alban when he saw the last cage emptied. “Everyone out? Good!” He ran over to Alban, but his attention was elsewhere. 

“Naaman’s getting the upper hand!” The desperate king ran under the door and stopped just before the doorway to the room the giants were in. Just as he drew his sword to join her, Claymore grabbed his shoulder. 

“You’ll die in there! Come, put your talent where it will be useful!”

“I raised two daughters who were the size of this man, I can deal with him!”

“That’s something only a fool would say! Your daughters were not bloodthirsty! I beg you, finish this work, Valerie will be safe!” Alban hesitated as he watched Valerie struggle to keep her footing, then fight back to try and gain control. He sighed, then nodded to the captain. “She’ll be fine. I promise you.”

*

Naaman was a ferocious fighter, and Valerie could feel it. Each blow had so much power behind it. She had fought large creatures before, and even an enchanted suit of giant armor, but none of them could match the strength Naaman possessed. Years of working the quarry had built him into a mountain of a man, even for her, and his skill with a blade surpassed anything Alban had taught her. Despite this, Valerie fought with speed, cunning, and diligence. Every successful strike he had gave her two quick victories. Small victories, but victories nonetheless. A cut here, a bruise there, and soon they would be evenly matched. Eventually, her hand slipped slightly and it let him lock her in place in the doorway to the hall. He pressed her against the wall as she held him with all her might. “This is your last chance Valerie! Surrender and I will forgive you of this error. We can rule these lands together! You, me, and your daughters. We can bring back the glory of Vandan!” 

“Don’t you dare mention my daughters!” Valerie pushed him back with a new strength, like a fire had been set. The mention of Belena and Sylvie triggered something in her. A reason to live, to stop Naaman. “My family disposed of the archaic acts of my ancestors! We have changed as a people, and you, Naaman, are the only thing left of that old world.” 

“Then I suppose they will die too!” He came at her with a quick set of attacks, but she managed to block them all as he pushed her down the hallway. His last blow did send her back into a conveyer belt, knocking some large rocks and minerals off, and she gasped when she saw the prisoners still exiting the cave. Naaman saw them too and smiled.

“So this was all a ploy then!? Feign an interest in recruiting me just to stab me in the back by stealing my pets!? What good it will do you!” Naaman turned his attention entirely to the prisoners, marching over quickly, but Valerie tackled him to the ground and rolled him in the opposite direction. Naaman cried out in pain, but it fueled his anger as he threw back his sword to strike her a crippling blow. Before he could kill her, he screamed in pain and his hand flew to his eye. Unbeknownst to him, Alban had climbed the machinery in the workshop and jumped to his face, stabbing him near his eye. The giant held the wound as it bled, and Alban grabbed onto his shirt. Naaman spotted him though and went to smack him off, but Valerie pushed him towards the exit of the cave. 

“Go Alban, go!” Her husband obeyed, running for his own exit, the last of the prisoners making their way out. Only Claymore and Alban remained. Before Valerie could make sure they escaped safely, Naaman grabbed her by the arm and tossed her into the wall. His sword had fallen off the cliff and into the quarry, so he resorted to his fists. Valerie’s sword dropped as he struck her several times, but her senses picked up and she kicked at his knee, sending him to the floor. She ran over for a dagger that lay on a nearby conveyor, but Naaman grabbed her ankle and yanked her down with him. He then dragged her head over to the cliff and pressed the dagger to her neck, smiling down at her as rain drenched their bodies. “So ends the Vandan royalty! May our ancestors torture you in death!”

*

Alban watched the action with baited breath, and he couldn’t hear Claymore’s urge to run. His wife was trying, but she couldn’t get the upper hand. The storm raged on outside, deafening the sound of the fight, but he could hear each blow nonetheless. He wouldn’t stand by. He couldn’t. “Go Claymore! I’ll-” 

*

     Just as Naaman began to press the blade in, a great bolt of lightning struck the roof of the cave, and the structural integrity of the cliff evaporated. Boulders tumbled into the quarry as the two giants fell with the cliffside. 

*

“Valerie!!” Alban ran to the destruction as more rocks fell from the cave’s roof, the exit quickly being buried. Before he could jump after her, Claymore grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the cave and along the path away from the falling rubble. He fought and kicked, but the captain’s grip was firm. He threw him in front of the door to Naaman’s house and fell to his knees, gasping for breath from his struggle with Alban. The king ran to the side of the cliff and looked down into the darkness, desperate to see Valerie. “Valerie! Valerie, please!” He ran along the edge, hoping his eyes could catch some movement. The rain continued pouring and he slipped on the muddy path, falling to his knees. He slammed the ground with his fists as he screamed into the night sky. “No, no, give her back! Show me she’s alright! Bring my wife back!” He screamed into the quarry, his wailing carrying over the sound of the storm. Claymore approached him after Alban’s screaming stopped. The king merely knelt there, staring into the abyss. 

“Alban, we must catch up with the others. Don’t lose your life here. Valerie wouldn’t want that. With luck, she will have made it out and will be waiting for us at the foot of the mountain.” Alban merely nodded as he stood with weak knees, taking a slow descent with the captain.