*Stomp* 

A foot descended down. 

*Swoosh* 

As it mercilessly cleaved through the cold, airy snow of the mountain tops.  The white slushy substance itself could hardly even reach the top of her toes.

*Shhhmm*

That very same snow melted from her body heat. Forming little droplets that hung on to her skin. 

 It was a brutally cold temperature. One where the mightestist snow wolves huddled for warmth, where the fearsome Yeti’s burrowed deep down away from the freezing winds. It was an environment suitable for no one but maybe the frost elves, however they lived up further north on the mountain range. Not where Nadia was heading. 

She had been searching for an easy way to get across this mountain on which she had finally climbed over. For someone of her stature, her size and power it was no easy feat. 60 metre (approx 200ft) tall giantesses like her were forbidden from climbing across the centre line of the world. It was the reason why the snow melted at her feet. The heat generated from her body was sapped out to the nearby surroundings. The very moment it came into contact with Nadia through her exposed shows, which had holes in them from venturing for so long, it would begin to melt. A sensation that left Nadia unamused. Like a constant reminder that she needed to hurry. 

The laws of almost every neighbouring country forbade the act of giantesses crossing the mountain range. The likelihood of an avalanche forming from a mere sneeze from such a colossal being was a risk no one wanted to take. Whether there was any truth to that statement was besides the point, it could cost the lives of whoever or whatever lived nearby. 

However, Nadia did not succumb to such rules. She knew of exceptions.

‘There had to be.’ She believed with a sense of vigour. 

So, when she was exiled from her homeland, the Queendom of Ranate, she decided she would head north east to Bingfordian. Which was a somewhat friendly ally. However, they were not next to the mountain range, in fact the closest country wasn’t allied with Ranate at all. It wasn’t as if she could hide her identity either as a 60 metre tall giantess. So, she simply scattered away. Continuing to explore the eastern continent. 

‘I searched, I searched and finally I found an answer.’ She explained within the thoughts in her head. ‘The Despotate of Bonbach, a weak country that is under an absolute power, a might rules all ideology. It was perfect.’ She thought. 

Perfect was far from an overstatement. It was only that she was at her wits end that she would consider using such a tyranny filled land to her benefit, not to mention arriving there involved taking a detour north east from Ranate and around to enter from the north part of the country. Making it quite far from ideal.

Alas, they were the only land foolish enough to allow giantesses entry to the mountaintops. If that wasn’t enough reason, the might equals right ideology was in her favour. Being a colossal being, she could easily crush a human without her even knowing. Nadia could happily remove a person away from the world from a simple step. Her foot would dwarf over them, casting a shadow akin to that of a building falling from an inescapable distance. Like nature causing a landslide, all were helplessly doomed to her mercy. 

She could threaten their land with her might. She could achieve her goal with her power. She could right the wrongs of this dictatorship with her strength.

‘...’ She paused for a moment in the snowy blizzard as she recounted. ‘If only I could just take that first step.’ She lamented.

In reality, she could not exert herself to be cruel. All could advocate for that being for the best. However, she struggled to voice her own thoughts and beliefs. She struggled to articulate herself in a way that would normally give respect to someone of her grandness. She failed to respect herself, and allowed others to walk over her. She was weak with her own confidence. 

When she approached the dictatorship, her legs were shaking. Her hands were sweating. Her lips quivering. She uttered her threats, with them only being taken seriously due to her size. 

Without that size, without her identity as a giantess. She was nothing. A nobody. Along with being an exile from Ranate, her title as a royal was gone too. 

‘Is this all I am?’ She pondered. Drifting through the snow, her goldenish-brown hair flickered neatly in the wind. It was tied up into a ponytail, hidden under her outermost layer of clothing. In reality, she was fine for the most part. The clothing she donned was of expert quality and from a certain brand from Ranate. One that specialised in making accessible clothing for the giantesses. It was simply her shoes that were a problem. There were little tiny holes in them, which allowed snow to build up. 

‘Augh, great. I don’t know how much longer I can do this…’ She groaned aloud in addition to her thoughts. Simply put, the giantesses were in an odd place when it came to their natural habitat. Their humongous size made them far warmer in body heat than any other species or animal. Which made warm areas an exhaust zone for them. With constant sweating and heat stroke around every corner. On the other hand, it also made the freezing cold 

 unbearable. Their large surface area made it dangerous for too much unexposed skin to be in contact with ice or snow. 

That left a nice little window of cold but not too cold for the giantess’ ideal temperatures. And as anyone could guess, this was well past that comfort zone. 

Other than the few itty bitty humans that entertained her in the castle, in her life before being an exile, she was rather unaware of magic. Nadia had little to no idea how to conjure anything. She was a complete novice. Which was rather expected of many giantesses. The species wasn’t known for their magic capabilities. 

‘Regardless, it’s been about a day since I left the dictatorship. I’ve crossed the peak, I’m on the other side…’ She concluded. Her own odd pause at the end confused her. ‘The western continent… It's so…’ She struggled to even think. The hunger, the cold, the blizzard. All of it was getting to her. 

Perhaps if she had the mental will to get through it all, it would have been possible for her to continue walking. However, shackled by her own lack of confidence or identity. Nadia found it difficult to continue. 

It wasn't hypothermia that got to her. A typical symptom of drowsiness and falling asleep in a blizzard. If anything it was her own hunger and fatigue. The cold certainty didn’t help but it wasn’t quite enough for it to be that severe either. 

She fell to her knees. Then to her stomach. Flattening all that could have been in her way. In reality though it was highly unlikely she had taken anything out as life itself was scarce on the mountaintops. The land was like a flat plateau. 

Her face made contact with the snow; melting it. She shut her eyes slowly as-

“-A…A S-Skadi’ess? The Skadi’ess!” She heard a faint voice cry. It was equipped with an unfamiliar accent that sounded heavier in tone compared to what she was used to. “The fables were real? The prophet was a fraud!”

‘Who’s voice is this?’ She wondered before everything went black. 

— — — 

“Hmmm” Her voice groaned loudly. Like someone being disrupted from a pleasant nap. Nadia found it hard to wake up. 

“She’s waking up!” A voice cried, whether Nadia could hear it was a question everyone wanted an answer to. 

She was lying down, still in the blizzard, but she felt warmth around her. Her eyes still fuzzy from being startled awake adjusted to her surroundings. Quickly searching for stimuli to make sense of her situation. She arose up from her position, gasping aloud at what she saw. 

Fire. 

A flame that flickered in the eternal dark of the blizzard. It was massive, like a small forest flame. It seemed to measure up to the palm of her hand. If one was to compare them.

“What… What is this? Where am I?” She whispered. Just under her breath. However it wasn’t quiet enough for her words to be ignored. “Who are you all?” She wondered. 

Around her, where the snow enveloped her initially was nothing but wet grass. Beyond that grass were people standing on the white snow in the distance. There were a number of them. These people called humans. Between her and these humans were fires, flames that kept her alive and warm during the blizzard. The heat had melted away the snow, and created a little pocket of fervour within the snowfall.

‘Is this fire magic of some sort?’

 Nadia sat still, unsure of how to react. Her eyes fixated onto a couple of humans who were right in front of her.

“The legends are true, yes?” One man bickered. 

“They must be, oh great elders, we must notify the acting heads of the nearby towns.”  Another excitedly announced.

“What does this mean for the legend? For the prophet?” An older looking lady questioned. She seemed to be representative of a group of elderly humans. “Our apologies, oh great one. We had abandoned our beliefs, our morals and our faith. We beg for your forgiveness.” This specific elder shouted. 

Nadia, in response, almost did a small hop backwards in how out of place the statement was. ‘Beg for forgiveness? Abandoning beliefs?’ She pondered, her nervousness was beginning to show. Once more, her hands trembled. 

“I-I” She opened her mouth, the sole word that escaped came out shakily. 

“Yes! Our apologies, we do not want our goddess to confront us in the cold. Everyone, her holyness does not wish to speak to us until we prove our worth.” The elder announced to the crowd. 

‘No! That’s not it. That’s not it. That’s not it at all!” Nadia had desperately wished to get her thoughts out. Yet, for some reason she could do nothing but hesitate. 

“At once, great elder.” A group of humans responded with courtesy. “We, all unlawful and unjust humans of this land of the Achares Theocracy, seek forgiveness for our actions. For abandoning our beliefs. Oh great Skadi’ess, please enlighten our worthless presence and enrich our lives.” Some humans began to chant. It was practised, Nadia couldn’t help but get a wave of embarrassment coming over her as she saw the many humans around her kneel. The one’s right in front of her gestured to follow them. She reluctantly did. Her hunger was only a few hours away from having her eat live humans. It was an act she desperately wanted to avoid. An act that would be a direct betrayal of her morals and character.

‘Yeah. I can’t do that. Never. Nope. Not under any circumstance… Maybe only in dire circumstances.’ As if telling herself, or giving an instruction to follow she desperately tried to feed herself a command. ‘But-but, I’m in a new land… No longer a royal, no longer tied to be a representative. Can’t I try to follow my own rules now?’ She questioned. 

Her older sisters often debated on many things. However, there was no question that Ana Darlington-Bliss, the middle child, was the best option to be the princess of Ranate. The queendom on which Nadia originated from. 

She was fierce, but inexperienced. Her candidacy was like a trial by fire and combat situation. Where she was force fed into the heart of the situation with her sisters exiled and the previous queen missing. 

Nadia missed her sisters. She especially missed Ana. Out of the three siblings, she was the one who wanted change the most. Who was unhappy with their country's political climate the most. So naturally, she was deemed to be the next princess. As per the rules of how this all happened, the losers being Nadia’s eldest sister and Nadia herself, were exiled. 

It was a strange condition to add. However Ana’s mother added it regardless of the agreement on whoever would become next on the throne before she left. Bitter, angry and annoyed, the eldest sister hypothesised that it was to remove any potential of the princess being manipulated into falling in line with the country’s corruption. All it would take would be the kidnapping and negative framing of either sister to trap the princess candidate after all. Hence, the sisters deduced that removing such burdens from the princess would in fact ease the shoulders of whoever bore such a harsh responsibility. It was a rather ‘ends justify the means’ thought of logic. Yet, it was all they could come up with for why. 

To this day, Nadia missed her sisters. She and Trinity, the eldest of the three, went opposite directions. Where Nadia sought interest in magic from the humans of the west, Trinity saw potential in the innovative methodologies from the lands far east. Both swore to return to Ranate eventually after a buffer period to greet Ana and see how she was doing. As foreign ex-citizens, or guests of the state, rather than royalty. If their thought processes proved to be correct, then once the corruption of the queendom was eliminated from its most upper echelons of society, their return would be all but guaranteed. Who else could oppose their return? 

‘As for what was this upper echelon of giantess society? Obviously the wretched council.’ Nadia scorned in her head. Shaking her head at her own thoughts. An act all the humans around her carefully observed. 

“-My apologies!” Suddenly a shout snapped Nadia out of her trance, her inner thought processes disrupted.

“Huh?!” She audibly sounded. Confusion ran rampant through her mind. 

“I-I’ve offended you haven’t I? It was a mistake I swear!” A sangria-red haired human lady responded. Distress, misery and fear paralysed her voice. Human guards seemed to be surrounding her too now. 

‘No, of course not. What mistake?’ The words rang through Nadia’s head. She knew what needed to be said. Similar to how commonors would talk to her sisters or herself, there was a set of etiquette that needed to be followed. Somehow, somewhere in her cloudy mind, she had conveyed that this lady had breached such etiquette. Instilling outrage to her group of little humans. 

So, all she needed to do was to voice those words aloud. 

“...” 

Silence. 

The blizzard raged on even louder as she followed these people. Whilst Nadia did feel a bit silly following them by crawling on the snow, she felt it would alarm the little people the least. However, she was met with her first challenge as of now. 

The guards encircled the human woman. 

“...”

The guards drew out their swords and spears. 

“...”

The guards pointed them out towards the woman. 

“...”

The guards nudged the woman to kneel, like a site at an execution altar. They were ready to kill her. 

“...”

Not a word escaped from Nadia. Her hands could snatch the woman away. Her body could crush the guards. Her voice could make every human in the vicinity beg. Yet, she didn’t. She couldn’t. 

‘What are they all doing? Why are you all doing this?’ Nadia anxiously thought. 

One of the human guards stood to the side of the now kneeling human woman. They drew their sword right towards her neck. Only a few centimetres away. As if wanting to show Nadia, they made sure she had a clear view. 

‘Why? Why? I don’t want this.’ The giantess breathed in, and out, and in, and out. 

As if in a stance, the sword was raised up into the air. Only for it to descend down and slice through her-

“-Op that!” 

The guard froze. The hilt of the sword that carried the blade froze, merely a moment before making contact. It was a blunt ended weapon, not a slashing weapon. A rather common thing to see out in the colder parts. If contact were to be made, well, it was obvious what would happen. 

As for the human guard, in fear his heart sank. He looked up. 

“Stop that…” Nadia repeated. In shock of her own words. 

“-Y-yes.” The guard fell backwards, unable to shoulder the pressure of even talking to the giantess. She had stopped him before irreparable harm was done. 

She recounted what had just happened along with why it just happened. Hoping to come to a conclusion, she recalled her own actions before remembering the act of shaking her head. She must have shook while staring at the red haired woman. 

It was a simple gesture, every species on the continent probably was aware of it. Yet, in this strange land, that little act was enough to give someone the death sentence. To rid them of their life, their livelihood, their free will and right to live. Her words, actions, implications all had more weight to them than human life. To Nadia, that was a horrifying realisation. 

The scores of humans all stared at her anxiously, their own worries plastered across their faces as if fear was a facial expression. Some held their mouths open, others closed. All were silent. Nadia knew what needed to be done. 

That being a statement. Words of relief. A few sentences to let everyone know that the woman’s actions were to be pardoned. How would she word this? She did not know. The manner of speaking from a position of power had been foreign to her for many years now. 

“The woman’s actions are forgiven.” She cautiously worded. The crowd’s actions still remained full of angst so she continued. “There is to be no refuting my judgement there,” Nadia had not wanted to speak like this any longer. So she considered leaving it at that. However, something, like an itch at the back of her mind commanded her not to. “For a simple gesture, this punishment is too extreme…” 

All drawn breaths from the plethora of humans around her were released. As if the tension in the air was cut. She needed to clarify herself, she desperately needed to explain herself. However in reality, she had no idea what was happening. Or what her own position in this land was. So she remained silent. Eyes darting back to the person she almost killed. 

The deeply red haired woman was crying. Whether it was of relief or the lasting effects of the fear from a moment ago was up for debate. Nadia found it difficult to maintain eye contact so she drifted her eyes away. 

“Please, let us continue.” Nadia broke the silence. 

She continued crawling away. Following wherever the humans were leading her. The humans continued practising their mastery over fire to keep the area warm. Nadia followed, in awe of the magical display.

– – – 

“Feast away all! Feast and enjoy! Feast and bathe in the elegance of lady Nadia!” A chieftain shouted. He was appointed mayor of the little city where Nadia was led towards. 

It had only been a single day. Not even, less than a day. It was the morning right after. 

Nadia had crawled through the snow, surrounded by the warmth of the flames from the humans around her to guide her. She had crawled for many kilometres down the mountain before finally reaching some sort of city. It was a rather typical human establishment for the colder environments. Houses had roofs littered with wool and an exterior snowproof layer of some mysterious rough leather to keep water out. Homes were wooden, with minimal stone architecture. Only existing really for a fireplace that stayed forever lit. Nadia herself would not get to see inside these homes, she was simply far too large. Her accommodation was a rather large cave next to the mountainside city. Where heat absorbent rocks kept the place from feeling cold. All the rocks were preheated from fire magic being blasted out from the humans beforehand. 

In the morning however, it was a sunny day. The snowstorm subsided. Nadia arose from her slumber, one painful and uncomfortable but still much needed rest. She was greeted with a celebratory feast. 

“We, the people of Fregen, cannot describe our feelings of gratitude towards you, oh great one.” The chief respectfully spoke. Unlike the commoners from earlier, who had a fearful tone, the chief spoke with just the slightest bit more confident sounding voice.

“F-feelings of gratitude? For I?” Nadia almost whispered, her thoughts seemed to escape her lips. 

“ You’ve come to rescue our people, of course we all know. The legends speak of a giantess from the eastern continent breaching the mountaintops and to our land.” The chief excitedly exclaimed. Followed by a sudden shift to a bitter, remorseful tone. “The old theocracy of this land outlawed all tales of the great Eastern Skadi’ess. Proclaiming the tales to be all nonsensical rubbish, they elected a prophet as their leader and climbed to power. Our people were none the wiser.” 

“N-no… I-” Nadia began, but the words of the expecting chief seemed to stick with her. Her own actions from last night stuck out to her. “I… I have come to free the people of this land.” She twisted her thoughts, her own grand ideals for the future all for this simple response. 

“We need a leader. We need someone to show our country that our beliefs were not in vain.” The chief almost begged. Nadia stared back around, her eyes focusing back to the woman from last night with the deeply red coloured hair. It was a rather distinct colour that made it easily noticed. “The prophet of this land forces their beliefs on everyone. We can’t even think or believe in what we want anymore. The citizens here are as happy as I’ve ever seen them be. All because of your presence.” 

“My presence?” Nadia repeated back. 

“You are our light. Our only light. We only need to serve under you, and everything will be alright.” The chief continued. Creeping Nadia out slightly. She felt uncomfortable about the absolute trust this stranger had in her. His wording in particular was disturbing. 

“I-I don’t think I’m the only light. There’s plenty more…” She began speaking. “What I’m hearing is that this prophet is forcing everyone to think exactly like they do, right?” She asked, prompting a nod from the chief. “Well, that must be why I’m here. To give the choice back to everyone here on who they want to follow.”

“Yes! Exactly, it's why you are our sole salvation.” 

“... I think giving people the ability to pick their own beliefs is enough for me. If they want to have me be their idol, then…” She wanted to finish that sentence but couldn’t bring herself to finish it. It almost felt like she was rejecting how these humans felt, about how strongly they felt about their beliefs. However, she needed to get that off her chest. To let them know that she has no plans on becoming the sole light of this country. That she merely wanted to give the torch back to the commoners so they could shine their own light. That being said, she couldn’t deny that having people be this nice to her wasn’t a bad thing either. It was a thought that terrified her, she hadn’t been used to being idolised much.

She was the youngest of the royal sisters from Ranate. The eldest was disinterested in politics, whilst the middle sister was extremely interested. It meant that most of the limelight went to Ana Darlington-Bliss. As eventually she would succeed the throne. Leaving the youngest and eldest to venture out away from Ranate. 

“I apologise.” The chief continued. “ We insignificant humans have no right to ask someone of your grandess for help.” He paused for a moment. Providing space for Nadia to cut him off, however she remained too hesitant for that. “Despite that, we are weak willed, we are only human. We long for someone, a higher power to guide us. It is how the people of this country have always survived.” 

“Was liberation what you all wanted? To be free from the beliefs of this prophet?” Nadia, perhaps rudely questioned. 

“Heavens no. We would simply like to be under our rightful deity. Our goddess who would shine the way forward. We aren’t asking to be free from our beliefs, but rather for the opportunity to live them out. The prophet is not that deity, instead he is a farce, playing pretend.” The chief clarified. 

“What if I’m playing pretend? What if I’m not that deity?” Nadia anxiously questioned. Her thoughts put her down. “Will I be replaced one day too?”

“... A ruler, a monarch, a leader. All get replaced. Nothing lasts forever. Having the power to maintain that authority requires genuine respect. Gaining that respect from our country means following our cultures, as well as the wishes of our people. A good, powerful leader wouldn’t get replaced. A true goddess of our people wouldn’t ever be forsaken. I believe that such a person is you.”

Having heard the thoughts of the chief. Nadia wondered in her head. ‘What does it mean to be that powerful leader? What does it mean to become the goddess of these people? How does one become confident enough to fulfil that role…’ She took a deep breath. Almost inhaling a stray bird that happened to be flying nearby as if it were a fly. She breathed out. Her nerves calmed down. ‘Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe this would be a good opportunity?’ 

“What needs to be done, how do I become the goddess of this land?” She called out to the chief, her voice shaky but with an underlying tone of excitement. 

“To capture the prophet, and expose his powerlessness to everyone.” 

Once more, it was due to her size. Her species as a giantess. Her role as a behemoth. Without that size differential, would these people really care for her? ‘Probably not.’ Nadia thought, bitterly. Despite that, this was a breaking point. If anything, it was an opportunity to gain some confidence. To do something of value.

 ‘Fine… I’ll take the plunge forward.’

– – – 

“What is your name? It seems we keep running into each other.” Nadia called out. Sending cold shivers to the red haired woman’s spine. She answered immediately to the giantess who was in a crawling position.

“M-My name is Scarlet Anrose.” She responded. Without any verbal indication she began bowing to Nadia. “I cannot thank you enough for sparing my life!” 

“O-oh no, that was er-” She wanted to call it an accident but subconsciously found it difficult to do so. Was such an accident really becoming of a god like figure, a person she was trying to be? It wasn’t. So she lied. “-An act of kindness. A loyal follower of mine wouldn’t deserve death for such a petty act… Yes.”  

“Thank goodness. To be sent to void like that would be a horrific end.” Scarlet answered. “Truely, I cannot be any more grateful.”

“To void?” Nadia questioned. Tilting her head. Her beady eyes and pupils remained focused on Scarlet.

“My apologies. It makes sense that a being such as yourself wouldn’t be familiar with our human terminology.” Scarlet answered. “The cult, the one the prophet is in charge of, dictates that to die means to be nothing. To be extinguished of everything. That all of your being would cease to be, as if in a void. Of course, now that you are here I suppose that is all nonsense.” 

Nadia pondered for a moment at the information she had just received. ‘To be nothing? How fascinating.’ It differed from her own culture's understanding of life and death. Of what happened to humans when they died in Ranate culture. It was a strangely understandable way of viewing the world despite it being opposed to Nadia’s understanding of it. 

Humans in Ranate, Marvialasia and Vascar were terrified of death by the giantesses. It was culturally understood that their souls would be forever bound to the giantess, specifically stuck to the location on where they were killed. Being eaten meant being one with the stomach, being stomped underfoot meant being one with the sole, being crushed under ass meant being one with the cheek of the giantess. For the longest time, the humans lived in fear of what would happen in their death. There was no way to prove or disprove anything after all. 

“Is becoming void… A bad thing?” Nadia curiously asked. 

“It’s a horrible thing. It’s a frightening idea! That once I depart this vast world, that's it? Nothing more.” Scarlet seemed to put away her fear of Nadia for a moment, and open up to her. “ I don’t want that. I want to be a part of the world. Not to be forgotten. The prophet teases the death penalty to us, as if daring anyone to be voided… May someone save us if our taxes are done even a day late.”

‘How peculiar. That’s nothing like the humans back home.’ Nadia thought. She came to a realization that it wasn’t the beliefs themselves that proved to be horrible but rather how they were weaponized, how the people utilized them to manipulate their populaces.

“The prophet is a bad person, I think at least… But, what does such a being like yourself think about it, about death?” Scarlet asked. As if anticipating an answer, a response that would bring her comfort. Nadia didn’t know how to respond. So she told her about her own customs. 

“Death from-” She began, stopping immediately. Nadia wanted to say ‘Where I’m from, or what my culture believes.’ But would that really cut it? She wanted a way to bring comfort to these people. Telling them about it would maybe bring harm… ‘But in the end, it would be up to the feeble human to believe or not right? I’m not forcing her to think of it like that.’ Nadia reasoned, unsurely. 

“...” There was a moment of silence as Scarlet awaited a response. 

“Death is… The process of ending life, and starting anew. It is the natural conclusion to life.” 

“The natural conclusion?” 

“Humans are, or well, all life forms have something called a soul to them.” 

“Oh, we are aware of what souls are. The prophet said that our souls go back to the earthen ground, resting for eternity and soon to be forgotten once we die.”

“... So the concept of a soul is familiar to you?” Nadia awaited a nodding response from Scarlet. “ It’s known in the lands of giantesses that we can rip these souls away from their fate of being sealed to the earth. We store them in our bodies, keeping them safe and sound. Carrying the collective will of humans so that they may never be forgotten.” 

“L-Like a net catching a school of fish from a lake?” 

“Yes… Exactly.” Nadia had no idea what that meant, but she answered anyway as the statement sounded correct enough. “ Like, as I’m crawling around right now. If I accidentally fell on top of someone, they would er-”

“They would be dead. Crushed to goo… Serving their goddess, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.” Scarlet answered, adding that line at the end to maintain some form of respect, at least Nadia thought. In reality, it was odd how Scarlet added it in.

“What we, sorry, I think is that by crushing humans with our bodies we actually take them in. Instead of some void, it's like we add them to our soul.” Nadia corrected herself. The confusion of how exactly she was meant to be acting was getting to her. 

“So, what you’re saying is that, there is no void?”

“There may be, there's no way to prove anything.” Nadia firmly answered. Hesitant and all, she didn’t want to cause any big misunderstandings. So a firm answer was what she came up with. 

“But I like your version better! The prophet is a scumbag who only wants money. Asking us to shill our coins at him. Mandating us to give him money. If I had to believe someone it would be you!” Scarlet passionately answered. A response that caught Nadia off guard. 

‘Believe me? Why’  Nadia wondered. She couldn’t get used to this excitement of listening and understanding giantesses. Most humans she had come across looked at her with ire, fear, anxiety. Mostly a mix of all three. It was her size again. It was her titanic body. While she held it with great pride, being a giantess, she couldn’t help but feel like that was all there was to her. She couldn’t wrap her head around why a mere commoner human was excited to listen to her. She may be titled as their ‘god’ of sorts, but she wasn’t emotionally ready for that. 

“You don’t have to believe me, just because I said it. I won’t hurt you if you want to stick with whatever the prophet said.” Nadia attempted to reason. “I, Nadia Darlington-Bliss, swear I won’t hurt you.”

“N-” She whispered, cutting herself off from even saying her name. To Scarlet, a mere human like herself didn’t deserve to call her by a gesture that implied they were on equal footing. “My goddess, you have my word, I’ll listen to you not just because of your grandness but also due to what you’ve said brings me comfort.” Scarlet earnestly replied. She was down on one knee, with her hand covering her chest at a diagonal. It was a gesture of respect. 

‘...’ Nadia Struggled to understand what was so comforting about her words. Her tone of voice must have sounded so flustered. So lacking in confidence, so unsure of herself. Why would Scarlet appreciate her more so? The answer was both simple and not so simple. 

“Death was, or always has been, I should say. A horrific idea. We, the denizens of the eastern city of our theocracy have always struggled with our taxes. Poor crop output and all... Every year, the prophet takes a couple people away from our humble settlement. So, death has always loomed at us. Always struck fear in us. Always made us feel like we were doomed to enter the void.” Scarlet paused momentarily. “Yesterday, that premonition of death arose once again. I felt that you had sentenced me to void just like that, when you shook your head at me. I thought that was it. My life was over. My 22 years of living were over… But you didn’t. You showed me mercy. Like a god that loomed over my life, with every right to take it away, you decided not to. That made me feel very warm inside. That was something that not just every gigantic person would do, but something unique to the lady before me. I knew right then and there, that I would give everything to serve you.” She explained thoroughly. Nadia was left in a state of dumbfoundedness. Still unsure. “Now, you're telling me that death isn’t the end? That you’ll carry my soul with you, to the ends of this continent even after I die?” Her tone of voice softened.  “I couldn’t be more happy.”

For as happy as Scarlet seemed about this, Nadia’s face only stiffened up. She didn’t know how exactly to react. “You would be happy… to serve me?” She blocked out the second half of her sentence, that being ‘I’m just another giantess right now. All size, no talk or action.’ 

“Now that you’ve given me the honour of talking to you, I have to say that you’re like the mighty sun. Warm and comfortable but powerful like a burning sensation. Anyone who would dare approach you too closely would get burned, but no one could flourish without you either. Not just anyone could do that, most people would lose themselves to their position. You really are the spitting image of the Skadi’ess!” 

“The Skadi’ess?” Nadia questioned. Sounding like a broken tool, she felt herself constantly asking questions.

“Our local legend. Sorry, I’ve troubled you once more with our petty human gibberish.” Scarlet exclaimed. “It wasn’t always local, it used to be our nation wide belief. It wasn’t mandated either. People could just believe what they wanted to believe. But, as the Prophet reigned, the belief got pushed out of people’s minds. Only poor towns like ours still held on to it…” She examined Nadia, her figure, her facial features, her size and demeanour.  “How lucky of us, to think the legend would come alive. To call this a blessing is not enough.” 

“What exactly is a Skadi’ess?” Nadia reeled in the question. Stopping Scarlet from getting off track.

“M-my apologies. I’m sorry… The Skadi’ess was a titanic woman. One who stood 60 metres tall roughly. She wandered into our country back when it was a lawless land. When anarchy was lit ablaze. It was the victim of bandits, thieves, corrupt officials and unbound beasts. They ravaged, pillaged and reaped everything. The poor civilians couldn’t escape under the fear of being killed. So everyone was under a nationwide lockdown. That was until, the woman, calling herself the goddess of justice, rained down.” 

“Goddess of justice?” 

“She was violent, powerful and apparently very degrading. She was extremely dehumanising to all she deemed to be unlawful. Using them as… Various outlets for her desires.” Scarlet skirted around the topic slightly, she wasn’t sure if it was okay to talk about next to Nadia, the supposed successor to their goddess. 

“You all worshipped such a person?” Nadia questioned. Thinking of which of her ancestors could do such a thing… Which had her realise that it wouldn’t narrow the list down in the slightest. The giantesses of Ranate were savage for much of their history. Perhaps many still to this day. 

“To the bandits, thieves and all. She must have been like a demon that was freed from hell. However, the common folk of the country loved her. As while some innocents were caught in her ‘displays of power’ she was mostly approving of us civilians. She eventually acted as the goddess of our humble land before she passed on. Leaving many eras of governance without her intervention. Most people moved on, but a group didn’t. They instead besmirched her name, and took the position of the new ‘god’ like figures of our country. As messengers to gods, rather than godlike themselves. Since then, many small groups like us here all have been waiting for the legend to strike anew. For a new, true goddess to take the throne.”

‘For a new, true goddess to take the throne.’ 

Nadia, as unsure as she was, simply liked the sound of that. 

“Scarlet, then as my first order as your goddess, I would like to appoint you as the next in charge. Whatever that title is.” 

– – – 

“I-I can just crush these guys?” Nadia shakily asked. A few hours after her conversation with Scarlet. Leaving her in an interesting predicament in the present. 

“That decision falls upon your holy shoulders.” The chief of the village responded. He dared not give any sort of recommendation to the 60 metre tall goliath in front of him. Especially not right now. 

As for Nadia, she was in a crouched down position, scantily clad hips down. Her body had adjusted well to the changes in temperature and altitude and her skin was showing good signs of being in its top tier condition. Her nails were a little long, her dry pink lips wanted some form of moisture. It was tradition back in the older days of Ranate society to paint them red in the blood of the enemy. Perhaps that too could become a tradition if she willed it… Such a thought horrified Nadia, but also felt strangely appealing. That too, was a daunting realisation.  

Nadia’s almost golden eyes searched around for her ‘next in charge’, that being Scarlet. Once finding her, she stared at her puzzlingly. As if asking ‘What should I do?’ 

Nadia’s frame was a monolith, one that every human had their eyes glued to. Her hair was unleashed, no longer stuck in a ponytail; it was flowing freely in the wind, about the length of her lower shoulders. Her skin was fair, quite typical of people from the general area of Ranate and Marvialasia. Not as typical for people of the Achares theocracy, where Nadia was currently. The area had been invaded from many ethnicities in the past, creating a cultural cross pollination of humans. If only they weren’t all extinguished under a single belief system. 

Every human had their sights stuck on Nadia, on her looks. Even if one were to criticise her, as if they’d have some right to do so, they would meet a road block. As Nadia was a pretty lady. Her face had only a single black mole right next to her nose. Her breasts were the size of human houses, her hips extended far and wide, as they connected to her ass and legs. It was by far her most eye-catching feature. Not necessarily something every giantess would want. Not everyone liked being stared at, or having attention drawn towards them. Nadia certainly didn’t. Legs, hips and such were all things the normal sized folks would recognise first from a giantess. So, now especially, she prayed that her little helper would see her instead of fixating on her body. 

Scarlet however did not get the memo. She would never even dare to think that Nadia would be asking her opinion on a matter like this. The power and responsibility of being the ‘god’ of these people came with drawbacks. A certain level of expectation. This was one of those times where such expectations were prevalent. 

Beneath Nadia, beneath where she was crouching were 2 humans. Bound helplessly to the plains, unable to stand or move away. They were anchored to the ground with chains. Such a sight reminded Nadia of the older days of Ranate. Causing a paradoxical conflict within her heart. 

‘This isn’t Ranate, these people aren’t Marvialasian. You aren’t your sister either. Just because Ana takes the moral stance, doesn’t mean you do too.’ She reasoned. ‘That's right, that's what this whole journey is about. To make yourself free from Ranate and living a new life. To come back and help Ranate in the future, sure… But right now what matters is getting more confident.’ 

Appalled at the thought of what her sister would be thinking right now if she were to see this display, it created a slight tinge of pain in Nadia’s heart. 

“The decision rests on my shoulders does it?” She repeated. “What exactly did these people do?”

Scarlet answered before the chief could, while she didn’t think to give her input when unprompted, she would certainly answer when asked. “They were the corrupt tax collectors sent from the prophet. They came in this morning. We all lived in fear and did as they said before, but now with your guidance we can fight back!” She said excitedly. 

“Corrupt tax collectors…”  That meant to Nadia that they were workers. They didn’t necessarily partake in the corruption by the prophet. In the end, maybe they’d been coerced into the whole thing; She was a former royal, she knew how these things worked. Maybe they were in trouble if they didn’t do their job. ‘This whole thing is a bit extreme. I can’t-’ 

“They forcefully removed 2 women and 1 man from our village last time, relocating them to the capital as a form of ‘payment’ for our taxes, relegating them as personal workers with debt.” Scarlet added. 

‘...’

 Nadia found it more difficult to justify that behaviour. She desperately thought and searched for excuses on their behalf. ‘Maybe they were being blackmailed by the prophet to do this… Why else would anyone do such a horrid thing? Surely not by their own volition.’ It was a foreign concept to the privileged giantess. Living as a royal in a society dominated by ladies that towered over the human men and women. While there most certainly were horrid giantesses that also forcefully stole humans away from their homes, such an act was now outlawed. ‘At least the governing body didn’t endorse it. Certainly not now with Ana in charge.’ Nadia thought. The same principle couldn’t be applied to the tax collectors. 

“Hmmm.” She grunted. Prompting a response from one of the bound, sobbing tax collectors. 

“Please! T-The women we stole were made into honoured maids. Their salary far exceeds anything anyone here makes..." One of them flubbed.  "We made a mistake! We took it too far. We didn’t do anything to anyone. Honest. Just let us go, we’ll pretend we didn’t hear or see anything from this damned place.” Quite notably, Scarlet clicked her tongue in response to what was said. Though the action was so insignificant that Nadia wouldn’t pick up on it.

This was a pivotal decision. Would a goddess talk to the prey she was about to cast judgement upon, or would she strip them of their agency, reducing them to a crying mess before sending them to eternal bliss as stains?

Nadia took a deep breath in as she casted her face away to the sky. This was a hard thing for her to do. She wasn’t used to it. Not in the slightest. No one was going to make her choice for her, no one had the authority to dispute her choice either. Everyone respected her for her stature as a giantess… But there were also humans like Scarlet who respected her authority as a person. Whatever choice she would pick, would pave the path forward for Nadia Darlington-Bliss. 

“...” Silence was her initial response. Infuriating the same tax collector. 

“You dumb bitch! Let us go… Let us go, I said! We were just doing our job, quit shaky your hips at us you freakin’ slut! Go plug up the volcanic crater on mount oblivion with your fat ass instead, you-” 

Only after a few seconds after they started talking did Scarlet start getting visibly upset at the tax collectors. However, she had faith in Nadia. That she would make the decision that would best suit the situation. So she simply observed.

“-You be quiet.” Harsh words. Neither humanely aggressive nor passively disingenuous. It was a threat. A threat by a higher being. Nadia’s tone of voice clearly reflected that. The tax collector, the loud one of the two, went silent. As if realising his words weren’t going to save him. “I’ve decided. With how you took away the rights of the stolen villagers to choose their own fate, the same is gonna happen to you two.” 

‘Holy shit… I can’t believe I said that.’ Nadia’s thoughts ran rampant. Her mind was flying apart at the words coming out of her mouth. It would be a lie to admit that this was all due to her own confidence. A large part of it was due to her loyal followers watching her. Expecting of her. She didn’t want to let them down. ‘I feel bad. They could just be doing their job. I don’t know how the prophet runs things here. But, they did a bad thing. I need to set an example. A goddess doesn’t just take such insults. The two did come back here today as well. More villagers were going to be dragged off against their will. This is the best course of action… Yeah, its got to be. I had no other choice.’

Scarlet was admiring the sheer display of power Nadia possessed. That her goddess possessed. Her eyes lit up like a candle freshly set ablaze. For once, her people could get back at the system. Maybe even get to reform the system. A violent revolution rarely was a good thing, but a change of leadership was desperately needed. 

‘Am I meant to say something now? Some sort of finishing words, or like a divination or something. How exactly does this all work…’ Nadia pondered. Lost at her own position on the matter.

Awkwardly, she gathered her courage at whatever the first idea was that came to mind. “Y-You two can kiss my ass goodnight. It’s time to be sent to where you belong.” A haughty tone was employed. 

Not even looking down at her poor victims. The bounded men who had been stripping away villagers of their agency at life, now were forced to bear witness to an almost bare ass stripping away their agency to live. 

Sobbing, crying, shouting, begging, pleading/

Exactly in that order, their courses of actions all changed nothing about their predicament. Nadia had steeled herself to her job now. 

Scarlet was watching in anticipation. 

Excitedly, happily, gleefully, frantically, breathlessly- 

Gleefully? 

Yes, though a bit hyperbolic. She felt a slight sensation between her legs. Not a physical one, but a certain warmth. A certain arousal almost. A sense of satisfaction. She felt like this was the natural course of the world. Perhaps a simplistic view at best, but she enjoyed watching it. She liked watching her goddess get her way. She liked being on the same side of the victor. It was utter bliss for Scarlet. ‘I-I like watching this?’ She questioned, her own thoughts and morals muddy at the sight of an ass the size of a mountain soon to be engulfing two men underneath it. It was a view worth living as a peasant for, at least she felt like almost no other feeling in the world could compare. That slightest bit of fear for death she had, that Scarlet had ingrained into her and her village was no longer applicable. For one, the target was two men from the prophet who she cared not for. However, the main reason was really what Nadia had told her beforehand. That these men would soon be killed, and have their souls be a part of Nadia. At least in a spiritual sense. ‘They would get to live on as a part of the goddess’s ass… How lucky they must be.’ She thought, her own brain chemistry casting a figurative spell of arousal. 

“N-no, I don’t wanna go to the void-”

*Thud* 

The ground sank, the icy-grassy plains of the mountain with now melted snow had altered in shape. If Nadia’s rear end was a meteor, where the tax collectors were was its crater. The land was shaking, violently. Nadia had sat back with force, with energy. The sheer diameter of her rear end would take out any small critters that happened to be nearby, it was simply a consequence of her colossal size. All but casualties to be ignored by her judgement as a higher being. All due to her size and power, but also her role from her trust from the people. 

Scarlet fell backwards, the chief held on to a nearby tree which had some of its roots uplifted. Being on the mountaintops, it would hardly be a surprise if a small landslide or avalanche was created somewhere down the mountain. Nadia was just that powerful. Her rear end could end the livelihoods of anyone and everything that breathed in the theocratic land.

‘... Oh my goodness, I hardly felt anything.’ She remarked in her head. The poor tax collectors, their feelings, thoughts and prayers would all be lost. Reduced to a mere stain on her cheek. The complex processes of their lives exchanged for a bloody mark on the ground. The new ground that is, the one refurbished and moulded by the divine judgement Nadia casted. 

The crackling of bones, the slow painful end that many humans from back at her home town would endure. All of that was her expectation, but she could hardly feel a thing. It was an action akin to sitting down in a chair. Forgettable and mundane. To the humans though, it was catastrophic, life altering even to those completely unaffected by it directly. Nature itself would accommodate the wishes of whatever the bodies of the giantesses would desire… Not even in fact, an accidental event to sit down would cause destruction. The giantesses didn’t even have to try to be a force to be reckoned with. It was in their very nature. 

Nadia specifically though, had casted judgement befitting of someone that sat down like a goddess in the realm of common man. Using no magic, or mana at all to effortlessly end the existence of another. It caused Scarlet to watch, drool starting to drip out of her face. It was all strangely pleasing to watch. Psychopathic sure, but pleasing nonetheless. As long as she believed that the humans that died, lived on in spirit as the flesh of Nadia’s ass. It made digesting death better. Easier even. It made the act of dehumanisation swiffer. 

This was the first act of many. Where the awkward, shy Nadia and the eager, aroused Scarlet would begin their journey. 

“You did it, I never doubted you for a moment! This calls for a celebration. Knowing that the tax collectors are in a better place, I hope their souls can rest for their sacrifice that they’ve now paid for their sins.” Scarlet exclaimed, happily. 

“Though I didn’t like them, my wishes go to them now that they’re in a better place.” The chief responded. 

“Y-you told everyone?” Nadia inquired. Obtaining an answer from Scarlet. Astounded that Scarlet would spread what she rambled on about death earlier. 

“I had to, I can’t just harbour all the divine knowledge and blessings I got from you.” Scarlet earnestly responded. 

“Scarlet had informed us of your values. To think, death was not the end of everything.” The chief inquired. For Nadia, it was mere small talk, but her followers treated her words as some sort of divine wisdom. As if what she said was gospel. 

“N-no,” Nadia’s newly found confidence from her actions was swiftly disappearing. “ It was a possibility, it shouldn’t be treated as fact!”

“If my goddess believes it as such, that is enough for me. Maybe not for everyone, but I value the choice I’m given to think what I want to think.” The chief responded. A respectful tone was taken. “ Besides, things are more interesting this way. It feels less boring than a swift end to it all.”

“I…” She sighed. Nadia couldn’t help it. It was all just so weird. She had never met a group of humans that so unapologetically valued her opinions as much as these ones did. She couldn’t help but play along as their goddess. “I’ve given them the luxury of becoming one with me, at least spiritually… T-There is no greater reward out there.” She bashfully said. Her face flustered. She felt embarrassed. Nadia felt like curling up to a ball, she did not have the confidence to pull off such an arrogant line. 

Alas, it didn’t matter. She could faintly hear enthusiastic clapping. Both from the chief and Scarlet. 

“I’m truly blessed to witness your first ever kills as our goddess.” Scarlet voiced aloud. 

“May this mark the start of something wonderful for this land.” The chief chimed in. Celebrations for blood, Nadia was taken back. 

“... What’s next on the agenda?” Nadia inquired. Her own curiosity had her wanting to change the subject.

“ The military base, known as the army training ground. Otherwise known as Ebhausernt.” Scarlet answered. “I think at least that would be a good idea to capture next. Of course, it all depends entirely on your judgement.” 

‘A military base… Oh goodness, the amount of death that implies.” Nadia realized in her head. 

That soon, she was on her way to becoming a violent revolutionary of her own kind. That she had partaken on a blood stained road full of violence and dominance. Where she would become a force not just to be reckoned with, but not to be trifled with at all. 

This was the story of how Nadia Darlington-Bliss would become the new goddess of order. How her followers would worship a new divine lady in charge. How the relationship of conqueror and conquest would begin.