On a trail going through a nearby pine forest there was a caravan of supplies and goods. Mostly including food, pelts, fire wood and a small selection of tools. There were about 8 people between the 3 wagons yet they never spoke unless something seemed to be going wrong, which it rarely did but occasionally someone would raise a concern. 

This would be one of those times as one of the merchants sitting on the back. A young man, who saw something in the soft forest floor. He couldn’t tell what but it was some sort of indentation, like a small watering hole that had dried up but not really as deep. As the carriage moved and his perspective on the strange hole changed he saw its shape more clearly. 

The shape was a foot, he could see the heel lead into a thin strip that lead to the ball of the foot, and the five toes. It looked like a human footprint, minus the fact that it was enourmous. “There’s a giant somewhere in this forest! That’s it’s footprint!” He called and pointed at it, an urgent tone in his voice but he was not panicking, not yet. 

He had heard stories about giants when he was young, and while he knew from everyone he met that they were real he never really understood what real truly meant until now. He used to find entertainment in being told the same stories every night about creatures that were exactly like a human, but bigger and would snack on little humans or squish them like bugs.

Now however, seeing in person how massive they must be and feeling the presence of one of them, he understood how horrific those stories really were, he imagined what it must be like to have been inside that foot print when it’s owner stepped down into the dirt, or what it would be like to be eaten alive. The fact alone that he could possibly meet one of those fates in the near future gave him the most dread he’d felt in his life. 

The drivers all stopped to inspect the footprint and a couple got out of the seats but panic ensued in the rest of them when they could hear footsteps approaching. The two who got out were ready to run. The giantess appeared in the road in front of them, walking peacefully before noticing them. The drivers began to run and everyone else began to get out to do so. 

“Hey relax I’m not what you think!” Artemis yelled out to the fleeing humans. She couldn’t let them run off and warn the others of a giant within this area, she needed to avoid that kind of attention and most importantly hunters would know her last seen location. She lunged out and caught all the humans in her hand except one who she caught in her other hand. They were all screaming with mortal terror and Artemis only sighed. “I’m so tired of having to say this.” She thought before speaking. “Calm down. I’m not going to hurt anyone-“ 

“Why should we believe that? I’ve seen what your kind have done! I saw giants slaughter innocent people for fun!…they took my wife from me!…” one of the older men yelled out in anger, and a clear lifetime of hatred. He trailed off. “She called out to me…she didn’t want to die. But I watched her get crushed under its foot.” he started sobbing. 

Artemis was no longer annoyed and simply listened to the old man’s story with her eyes softening with empathy. “I’m sorry.” She spoke gently. “You won’t believe me I’m sure but I know what that’s like…You don’t have to trust me, but if I wanted to cause any of you harm I would have done so already. That being said I’m going to let you go but I need something in return.” They all began to look at each other and unanimously agreed to listen. “I need you to keep me ever being here a secret, you never saw me, whatever footprints I left behind were here when you arrived, understand?“

The younger man spoke up. “But, that’s true, there were footprints further back on the trail…” he said pointing behind them and toward where he spotted the footprint. Artemis’s eyes turned wide. “That wasn’t mine.” She thought for a moment. She couldn’t be seen anywhere near a human settlement at least at giant size, but she couldn’t leave them to travel alone with the possibility of another giant in these woods. She sighed. “Ok, I’ll escort you all as close to your destination as I can get you without being spotted.” 

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Hours later, Silvia arrived at Hazel’s tavern. The orange light of lanterns and the fireplace felt oddly peaceful after all that had happened that day. Sitting at her favourite spot she relaxed, for what might’ve been the first time that day. She couldn’t tell, Azuras story was filling her mind with thoughts she thought she would never have. 

If it weren’t for the rock around Azura’s neck she would not have believed her, it sounded like antihuman propaganda, it likely still is, but what other explanation was there? So few giants were able to use magic, to the point that most believed they weren’t capable of it, and even Silvia couldn’t stretch far beyond what she was already doing to blend in. 

But Azura having an artifact that allowed her to bypass those limitations was the only logical explanation, she should have been elderly by the time they met again, yet she looked exactly the same, even Silvia was now around the age Azura appeared to be last time she seen her. How else is that possible? 

And if Azuras story was true, vague as it may have been. She didn’t know who were the real monsters. The giants she had been killing for destroying homes and slaughtering countless innocent and defenceless humans? or the old human dynasty for instigating the wrath of a once peaceful race? 

Either way. Azura’s story was from so so very long ago. The fight had changed. Humans were no longer capable of putting up a truly good fight against giants, and the war was no longer a kings fight to maintain power. It was a war of survival. Silvia couldn’t let herself doubt her actions, or more people will share the same fate as her loved ones.

Steven wasn’t there yet. But she needed to find out more. The local library must have some information she could use. Just as she was about to stand up a ripple in the ground surged through the building. A vibration, short but in rhythm with a consecutive thud. The people of the tavern began to grow uneasy.

Everyone knew what this likely was but they all searched for a reason to ignore it. They hoped it could be anything but what they feared it was, but their worst fears were confirmed “It’s a giant!” Someone cried out as they looked out the window to see a pair of giant, sandalled feet approaching the tavern. Panic ensued

So many people in this tavern, so many victims if she did nothing. Yet so many people who will witness what she truly is if she acts.

While everyone else hid under tables or behind counters or anything large enough to hide them. Artemis stood, and walked into the middle of the room. Some people tried usher her into hiding, not knowing what she was. “Miss. Come back! You won’t survive!”

“You’re going to get yourself killed please!” 

“You can’t be a hero! They are so much stronger than us!”

“Hide until it goes away! It’s your best chance!” 

Artemis looked back over her shoulder, briefly, before speaking. “Before I do this, I need to know something from you all.” She turned around and looked at everyone as they listened.

 “Can I trust you?”