Just as I let me guard down, the chieftain turned and swung his monstrous club down on our helpless platoon. The ground shook as the soldier standing between Platy and I forever disappeared into the blooded sands of Val Aureum. Seconds felt like minutes as we moved in slow motion attempting to take cover. The tribe of 30 giants had rallied at the sudden aggression of their leader and cheered his name in hopes of further destruction. As I crawled through the sand looking for cover, I turned to see Stadrian smirk and stand his ground before the enormous being. He uncaringly rolled up his scroll, tossing it into the sands, and lifted his shield with one arm over his head just in time to receive the full blunt of the chieftain’s club. A cheer roared out from the giant tribe as his feet sunk into the sand, but to our surprise he stood fast and retaliated with such force that the giant’s club flew back into his own face, knocking him off balance. With one sweeping motion his lance extended to slice across the giant’s right kneecap straight to his left ankle. The chieftain fell to his knees before the Castanic lancer.
Sure pound for pound a giant can take most any Federation soldier. But with the races united now they are outnumbered 100 to 1. I could see the bitter withheld rage in their eyes as Samael’s right hand man er Castanic, Stadrian, continued reading off the scroll without flinching at the two giants’ unpredictable movement. His veins were surely made out of ice to read off Samael’s degrading words to the giant chieftain. Though cockiness goes hand to hand with being a Castanic, Stadrian seemed to take it to an entirely new level. His hardened leather and Normetal forged gear shone duly in the hot desert sun as he cocked his head to the side awaiting a response from the giants. As we had planned the giants turned and began to wave down their followers. I breathed the first breath in a minute as I saw the giants lower their clubs in acceptance of the temporary treaty.
Still these giants looked barbaric and sullen compared to the images I had seen of the great Giants’ Empire of old. Giants plated in gold and Xer metal riding upon mammoths with legions of enslaved Amani at their command. Their empire stretched from modern day Kaiator across the great sea to southern Val Aureum and everything in between. And now less than one millennium later the giants bear no greater importance on world events than that of the Naga or Tuwangi. Their great palaces mere ruins. The Amani rulers of their own domain and unafraid to kill a giant that dares look down on them.