“Ana, what’s the ideal outcome here. What do we want for this whole war?” Leon questioned.

He knew the answer, not only was he informed of it, he had already gotten to the conclusion in his own mind. Though, he still felt like asking. Positioned on his wife’s shoulder back at home base, the two were quietly chatting. They were within a white tent which reflected away the harsh sunlight. Inside were many tables and chairs which had housed all the top officials from various regions of the country. Elysia was here too, someone Leon was a little familiar with. Being a council woman who was also in charge of many areas of the military complex, it would be hard for Leon not to recognise the familiar face. 

“ Marvialasia to surrender, to accept our conditions and for the prince to be seized into our custody.” Ana replied, in a matter of fact way, Her eyebrow raised as she curiously pondered why Leon had asked.

“How realistic are these goals exactly?” Leon continued. He also wondered what Ana had in mind for the punishment befitting of the prince, but he chose not to ask just as of yet.

“Very realistic, I’m more worried about some other things though.” Ana sighed.

“Like what?” 

“We’re using our human squadron to manage some resources and intel, we’re using an early attack on Marvialasia. We also have a counter to their planned attack. The only thing we lack against them is just magic prowess.” Ana explained. She pointed to the green circle and highlighted it as a pure human squadron. They weren’t a part of any key offensive unit, but they were largely a group of scouts that travelled between platoons and to home base if needed. 

“It’s a reasonable fear. I’m sure the way you’ve planned it out though, it’ll be fine where it counts.” Leon tried to reassure her, however Ana still had some greater lingering thoughts. Her left hand that was resting, clenched hard on the weapon to her side. It was a sledgehammer type, one perfect for flattening a human… It had a green gemstone encased into the handle which extended to the blunt side of the weapon. Leon wondered what its significance was. Although he remembered back to the torture throne from way back in the castle.

 The one where Ana sat on him gently with the fear and pressure he felt then.  One would think it would all be a blur for him, but the tiny human could only remember that moment fondly. It was an earlier time, before he was sent to Marvialasia and before he was separated from his wife. As such, he recalled the details on the throne quite well. Details he could see once more here, at least similar ones. ‘This weapon… Must be of dwarven origin. Or at least they were responsible for its creation. It can’t be that practical though can it? It’s so large…’

“We haven’t gotten any news of the Marvialasian army’s counter attack with magic. It’s a little worrying that we haven't heard anything this late. Not to mention platoon 1 has been a little quiet too from their reports. We haven’t gotten a scout from them or platoon 3 in a while.” She analysed.

“From platoon 3 as well?”

“Well, I somewhat expected that. I hope things aren’t escalating too much over there…” Ana had a rather disdainful look in her eyes as she spoke about platoon 3, it was a fact Leon took notice of but kept to himself. “Platoon 1 is full of novices though, we only have a few experienced members there. If anything at this point of the conflict, I expected platoon 1 to have the most detailed reports. Just general information from their captain on how the soldiers were doing.” 

“...” Leon stood in silence, as he simply took in the information. Both himself and Ana came to the same conclusion. An issue of some sort must have arisen there. “You were saying, about platoon 3?” 

“ They’re… Difficult to manage. If the scale of the conflict was a little bit smaller, I’d rather they not even be included. However, such a line of thinking is a luxury right now.” Ana explained. 

“I recall you saying something about their magic?” Leon continued. 

“ They aren’t excelling in magic there. They’re an older squadron that never really adapted to the ways of mana and magic. A bit old fashioned in some ways. They do possess skills comparable to Miranda’s squad physically though… As well as a rather dangerous mindset.” Ana clarified. Lowering her voice near the end as she and Leon both knew what that meant. 

It wasn’t a pleasant outcome no matter how you looked at it. Ana was the queen that pioneered the new age of Ranate. A new culture. Yet, here she was allowing Ranate to be shown in its ugliest. Like a mirror that reflected the country’s blood soaked past. Naturally, this was expected. Conflicts of old weren’t simply water to be under the bridge. They were political, they were worth talking about. Ranate needed to be seen in its ugliest because that was what the country’s past was. It wasn’t a fact that couldn’t merely be forgotten. The consequences of that were the results of today. Results Ana found herself gritting her teeth as she accepted the responsibility of them. Doing her best to mitigate the damage where possible, but controlling it all was impossible. 

Leon was no stranger to seeing Ana distressed. He was her chosen partner, a man who she hoped to ease her mind and body, as such hoping to break up that mood, Leon spoke once more to change the subject. “ How’s platoon 2 looking then?” 

“I have the least worries for them. If any platoon is to have any major resistance, I pray it's theirs.” Ana said, as she extended her pointer finger up at him.

“Why platoon 2?” He inquired. 

“Well… I guess we’ll have to wait and see.” 

– – –

“How many villages have we seen, Lady Devita?” 

The worn down ambassador could only sigh as she recalled the number in her head. “Maybe about 9 or 10. Perhaps more. We aren’t after civilians. Ignore them unless they come attacking us.” She answered. 

“Of course… But, isn’t it a little strange that we haven’t seen anyone yet?” The soldier behind Devita asked. 

“We haven’t seen any soldiers, it is a little strange. I can sense faint traces of mana to our left, quite far away. If I’d hazard a guess, platoon 3 seems to have started their fighting.” Devita analysed. Something just didn’t seem quite right. The route they were taking was by far the most heavily populated segment that Ranate could take. Any sane country would have defending soldiers coming to take them down before they’d do any harm. Yet, not a single soldier was spotted. It was an indication of how little Marvialasia expected an attack from Ranate.

“You can sense the mana?” The curious soldier asked. Her tone of voice matched her facial expression, one of astonishment. 

“Of course, though I’m not that good at it. It’s more like a tickling feeling I get. If I’m not paying attention, it may as well not be there.” She clarified. “ Enchantress Sarina is far more capable in these matters, however she refuses to participate in ground offensives.” 

“Was she such a pacifist?” 

“ I’ve yet to see her act in any way that a scholar could define as merciful.” The commander responded with a click of her tongue. Devita knew Sarina somewhat, their relationship was more of colleagues than friends. Sarina herself was occasionally involved in matters that surrounded international policy. “Chances are that she’s in the middle of some research.  A war isn’t gonna stop her.” 

“A shame… We could really use her.” 

“A shame indeed. Alas, Ana cannot force her either. A council woman is a scary foe. Only those in the afterlife may know how many poor souls have been… Reduced to stains by her. If she’s adamant in not participating, no one can force her. Especially with how important magic has proved itself to be in recent years.” Devita could only offer the barebones of the information she really held. In reality, she shouldn’t have been offering any of it at all. However, the soldier talking to her was a passionate ally against the internal battle against corruption in Ranate. Devita felt like she’d benefit from revealing a sliver of information. A mere crumb of knowledge. 

“ The previous Darlington-Bliss in charge outlawed mandatory service to all pacificists. No longer could the state force you into service if you were adamantly against it… Though I guess there are some exceptions-” 

Devita cut the soldier’s line of thought. “It only applies if you are a pacifist though. A villainess like Sarina could never apply for such a thing. There are countless records of blood tied to her name. No one worth their weight in salt would believe her.” 

Just as abruptly as it had begun, the topic had died down. Both giantesses didn’t want to continue talking about Sarina anymore, so the soldier tried to change the subject. She looked up to the sky, to the nature around her. To the sounds of the wildlife, of the chirping and rustling, to the screams and shouts for mercy… Screams?”

“Commander Devita! Please, I heard something over there. To our left.” The soldier sprung to action, her voice alert. Her body agitated and her heartbeat sped up. By contrast, Devita remained calm but also alert. Her experiences in the world allowed her to do so.

“Well… What do we have here? A Marvialasian soldier. What brings you here little guy, all alone.” Devita asked, while inspecting his injured body. He was in great pain, he had to be. His shape was roughed up. His clothing was covered in dirt and blood. He was filthy all around. 

“Fuck off… No. No! Somebody help! Please!” He screamed and shouted, out to anyone. Out to any of his comrades. “The giantesses are attacking up north too?! Someone, anyone!” He mouthed at the end quietly. As his eyes soon became devoid of hope, of anything. Devita could only ponder how long he had been here, using an old tree as support to sit and shouting out for aid. 

“It’s too late for you, unfortunately.” Devita announced quietly as she inspected him further. There was an open wound, a severe one. Blood was slowly gushing out. If there was any sort of immediate healer around, it wouldn’t be an issue. However, Ranate in general lacked healers that could treat humans. At least ones that could be of use in this specific predicament. The soldier was also in extremely poor condition. He was going to die soon. “Where are you from? Who did this to you?”

“...” He cried silently, looking down to the ground. He wouldn’t tell anything to his enemy. 

‘Platoon 3. Obvious answer.’ Devita thought. Signaling to the soldiers near her to scurry away for the time being. She instructed them to scatter and search the surroundings, leaving her alone with the human. 

She felt bad. Naturally, she had to. It was her comrades that left the poor soul in this state. Now, he was lost to his mad ramblings. Under his breath, he cried death upon the giantesses. He begged the gods above, to the Marvialasian deities, that the giantesses would be smitten.

**Growl…**

Like a lion’s roar, Devita’s stomach rumbled. The nearby fauna began fleeing, grouping up in small packs and running away from the scene. To the prey trapped in the food chain, the sound was one that spelt a horrific end. 

To the soldier, he too understood what it meant.  

“No… Please.” He whispered to himself. Still far too quietly for Devita to hear. He knew this was the end. Right now, he was that prey in Ranate’s food chain. Mere meat to be served and swallowed whole. Like a morsel, or a snack. 

Under Ranate’s hegemonic control of the region, a snack was what the humans of Marvialasia amounted to once their magic was stripped from them. The soldier could do nothing but look up for the first time in this interaction, only to bear witness to Devita’s bitter smile. Her lips departed from one another as she finally spoke after a moment of silence. 

“Will you accept a surrender?” She asked. A statement that she knew was pointless, the human was going to die. How he had lived this long was a testament to his vigour. But, the fatigue was catching up to him. He wasn’t going to last. Devita only asked due to the humanity she saw in her enemies. 

“N-never!” He said, finally having words escape his mouth after his moment of terror and fear. It was like an automated message, there was no thought or rational idea behind it. The soldier simply spoke as he had been trained to. 

“I could look back at the villages from earlier… Maybe they have a healer.” Devita quietly, softly even asked. She wasn’t trying to be threatening. 

However, to the human trembling in fear. Devita was as threatening as a demon. The choice she’d given him was impossible to accept. If the villagers knew that a Marvialasian soldier needed help from a giantess… He’d be sent to his death regardless. He couldn’t accept it. No, he had his honour to maintain. The human feared what the prince would do to him or his loved ones if he’d rashly accepted aid from their enemy. 

And so, he shook his head. With a single tear coming down from his left eye. A detail so insignificant from Devita’s size that she didn’t notice it. 

**Growl**

The light magic armour Devita had donned didn’t muffle the sound whatsoever. If anything, the cloth bound snuggly to every fibre of her being. Highlighting her rather curvaceous body. It was far from perfect. Obviously, there was no such thing as an objectively perfect form. The notion of one existing made no sense either. However, one could not deny its beauty when they took the sight of it. The soldier couldn’t either, but for different reasons entirely. He knew he was going to be a part of that body soon, of Devita’s form. To become her nutrition. 

The mere idea of which had turned his legs to jelly, having them quiver in fear. Only exasperated by his exhaustion. He was already sitting down, resting. However his body still shook. His hands were shaking, his teeth were chattering. 

In only just a brief moment, his worst fears would become reality. 

The titaness would bend the knee, and crawl on her fours. Before finally having her tummy slam the ground. She was lying on her belly now, with her face directly in front of and above the human. It was simply predator and prey, like a cat and mouse or a bird chasing a worm. 

‘Better you be used for something than dying out here in a waste. At the very least, it’d be a quicker death than bleeding out.’ Devita rationalised in her head. Ideally, she’d have liked to honour Ana’s words to keep any stray Marvialasian soldiers as prisoners. They could be questioned and rehabilitated, before being released back to their homeland after the war was won. 

However, for the unfortunate human in front of Devita. That wasn’t a plausible option anymore. He was going to die soon. That much was a fact. 

‘He has some basic enchantments on him too it seems. If they were a little stronger, he could still be saved.’ The ambassador of Ranate deduced. Sighing to herself for the inevitable result.

“Ahhhhhh” She opened her jaw, revealing a gaping void between her lips. Strands of saliva created metaphorical bridges to connect the gap between them. Inside though? That was it. It was a straight path to the end. To a pit of acid…

Devita lowered her head as she wanted to put the man out of his misery. Plunging her tongue down towards him, like a frog capturing a fly. It hurled around the human. Slobbering him in a coat of saliva, completely covering any other debris or filth he may have had. 

The words rang through his mind. ‘Stop! Help me. Go to the village. I surrender.’ 

Yet he couldn’t manifest any of them. His mind screamed in agony at his inability to ask the enemy for help. He lamented his own weakness, his own powerlessness. 

“Ahhhmm.” She shut her mouth with the human inside, swirling him around like a treat. She tasted and analysed his form. Undoubtedly so, he was a delicacy. Something worthy to be a national dish if it were not so inhumane. The temptation to chew, to crush and put him out of his misery was there. However, Devita hesitated to do so. It felt wrong, immoral even. It was probably the outcome that had the least amount of suffering for the human, yet she could hardly bring herself forward to do it. So, she didn’t. He simply laid there, atop the titanic muscle known as her mighty tongue. Within a wet cave that had unmatched humidity. 

‘Alright… Here goes. Bye, little guy. Hopefully you don’t live to the whole digestion par-’ She began thinking but was interrupted by a stinging sensation within her left cheek. It was hot. Burning even. Like a fire. Devita immediately opened her maw, her lips parted and revealed the struggling human still fighting for life. A situation that was for naught. There was no scenario he was going to live. Devita spat him out, her saliva crashed down to the ground but strangely softened the impact enough for the human to be alive still. ‘Must be the enchantments. Marvialasia is brutal with them. None for regeneration, only small durability ones.’

Like a cockroach’s tenacious will to live, he crawled out of the pond of saliva he was stuck to. His hands grabbed and clenched the soil, pulling himself forward ever so slightly. Fighting against the glue-like stickiness of Devita’s bodily fluid. In his heart of hearts, he knew it was the end. Yet, it wasn’t like him to quit just like that. The burst of fire had seemingly come out of nowhere, it was his own application of fire magic that did it. However, it came at an expense for his own stamina. What would he do now? He would-

**Shwooom**

A gust of wind, no a vacuum almost. It was air being pulled inwards to Devita. She was sucking the fleeing human towards her. 

He didn’t fall a great distance, and Devita was already lying down, she’d hardly even moved. To a giantess, the whole scene was hardly worth any effort. 

‘I’m sorry. You may resent me for this, but I’m eating you. If you’re going to die, do it by fulfilling the food chain.’ She harshly thought. It was a mental mantra of sorts to steel her resolve. 

“W-Wai-” He began screaming, loud as he could but his body, his legs were already within Devita’s mouth once more. Back to their wet, sticky embrace. 

The action hardly even lasted a couple seconds but that was it. The giantesses were simply too big, too strong. Being capable of sucking a soldier in at a moment’s notice. 

**Plop**

His head tucked into the void between her lips. He was casted away to the saliva filled cave once more. Back to the humid prison, back to the entrance to the pit of acid. Back to his worst nightmares. Worst of all, he hardly even got a moment to think about it. Devita wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. She’d simply suck the human in whole and swallow without a second thought to consider. She had to. 

**Gulp**

He was gone.

Devita used her left pointer finger to track the human’s journey down her oesophagus, until finally he would reach the end of his life.

‘For your own sake. I hope you’re already dead by now…’ She prayed for him, hoping that he was already out of his misery. However, paradoxically she found herself enjoying his taste. ‘Well. This was the best outcome for him… Yeah. It was…’ Devita, with great doubt in her heart, thought. Almost as if she was convincing herself that it was the right decision. 

**Grumble**

 Her belly roared for a brief moment. Interrupting her thoughts. 

‘Drats. He was hardly anything… I’m still hungry.’

– – –

“Trainee, watch out. Next they’ll use an earth spell.” Lez shouted at the recruit right behind her. She was at the forefront of the battle, yelling commands and issuing orders. She didn’t expect a conflict for her platoon and yet here she was. At a cruel twist of fate, the little training expedition for platoon 1 had turned into a proper fight. She’d been cursed to remain in the battlefield.

‘Now I won’t even be able to go home early and look around for any humans…’ She sighed inwardly, Lez had been desperate for a date. For a chance to talk to someone. Unlike a large number of the population of Ranate, Lez wasn’t particularly interested in other giantesses. At least romantically at the moment. She could give in and look around to date one of her peers, maybe someone in the second or third platoon. However, it was a new era. A new culture. She had always liked some humans in the past, she had the opportunity now to capitalise on it. ‘Yeah… If I wasn’t stuck out here at least.’

The ground began shaking, boulders of earth formed that were the size of one of Lez’s hands. They were flung right towards her… No, right towards the trainee she was guarding. 

The overwhelmed recruit had been panicking, restless even. This was her first real battle. Her first lesson of what it was like on an active field. The harsh reality was that fights in war were more battles of stamina. The idea was around which side could throw troops in effectively to hold up an area or border. Where every losing fight would mean giving up territory and land. It was rather different to practice, but also not. The newbie found it hard to describe. Her golden hair, tied back, was covered in dirt and debris. 

“Fall back to the others, I’ve figured out a plan.” Captain Lez ordered, the newbie did as she was told. She needed no further instruction. Lez hurled her right leg up to the sky and kicked it down to the boulder. Shattering it into pieces. Lez was decently proficient in fighting arts. All she employed was a mere axe kick. An attack not always practical to use, but it was here.

‘The fight’s oddly difficult. Like it never is easy, but it shouldn’t be like this either… We’re winning, which is good, but it doesn’t feel right. The enemy is gradually retreating. They’re throwing less and less of their soldiers and spells towards us. Why?’ Lez wondered hastily. ‘We were outmatched at the start, they were using spells I’d never seen before. Attacks that had gravely wounded many of the giantesses here. I’d even issued a retreat to our scout, who’d be informing Home Base that we’re going to flee. So why now? Why are they retreating now.’

Lez was cautious. She was one of, if not the only member of platoon 1 that understood magic. She knew the foolishness of underestimating a magic user. Especially in a war like this. The fights would always favour them over the melee oriented tactics of the giantesses. That being said, once their mana was depleted, once they began their retreat, they were as weak as any other human.

‘Still. Why was there such a strong defensive movement up here? This should have been the safest part of the battlefield. This could be bad, I need to investigate.’ Lez analysed the situation, putting aside her own personal grievances on love. Although they would remain on the back of her mind. She stood by her decision to retreat, it was final. However, there was no reason why she couldn’t track down some of the last remaining Marvialasian soldiers as prisoners either. They clearly were just a distraction, as seen by Lez’s assessment of their magic prowess. ‘On one hand they might not have been told that much either… But some information is better than nothing.’

Lez ran, sending shockwaves to the ground. Alarming any living organism nearby even further of her presence. Naturally, the humans fleeing were one such example. However, what could they do? Their only option was to run faster. 

**Boom… Boom.**

It was a last ditch effort, but the soldiers knew they were done for. So, they located a nearby cave on the underside of a mountain wall and fled right in.  It was small, cramped  and quiet. Only the sound of water dripping was present… Along with the cataclysmic sound of catastrophe that Lez was creating as she took every step. 

‘So… A cave.’ She had caught up. The captain inspected the environment nearby to ensure this wasn’t a trap. ‘No faint traces of mana, no other large platoon of soldiers nearby either. Was this it? A last ditch effort at escape?’ She bent down at a distance from the cave, making sure the soldiers were inside without putting herself in harm's way. 

As the sun began hurling downward, creeping closer to sunset, it illuminated the cave. Lez could clearly see it as more of a ditch or a hole in the mountain wall than a cavern that led somewhere else. 

‘They’re trapped.’

Lez began inspecting the mountain from above, it reached up to about her shoulder height. She could see that there was a small hole, far too small for anything meaningful for her to do with. However it was an interesting detail. She knew it created a faint ray of light inside. If the sun was at peak time, perhaps it’d be a stronger ray. Though that was besides the point. 

“Soldiers of Marvialasia…” She voiced, asserting their worst fears. She definitely knew they were in the cave. If Lez had kept quiet, a delusional level of hope could remain. But even that was shattered. “ No matter the outcome, I’ll be taking you all in as our prisoners. Though, I can promise your treatment while in our prisons will be substantially better if you can provide me with some information.” 

…

Silence. No one dared to say a word. Why would they? This was the end for them, they knew that. The rumours of Ranate’s prison were brutal and horrific. Marvialasian officials claimed that the humans there would be tortured and killed if there was not a use for them. By maintaining their silence, they had a use. They had a purpose. At the very least, they wouldn’t be killed. 

Lez continued, “We’ll only be keeping you guys captive until we win the war or at least till there’s been some sort of agreement made… Then there’ll be some changes happening.” 

Her words sparked hope. Murmurs between the soldiers were made, all of whom were tired and depleted out of their mana. Whispers such as, 

“Maybe…Maybe this isn’t so bad?”

“What’s the worst they’ll do?” 

“Fool! What if the prince hears about this?”

“We can’t fight back right now anyway…”

“You wanna risk the security of everyone around us then?”

They all debated with one another, however not a single soul dared to step outside the cave. No one wanted to talk to captain Lez.

“...” 

She waited, silently with her arms crossed. Nothing was happening, a situation that was oddly reminiscent of her dating life. Like a painful arrow to the heart, it stung. Memories of being left unwanted by humans, of no one wanting to take her out on a date. It all started to irritate her a bit. 

“I’ll count to 10, get out of the cave. No one has to get hurt then.” She threatened. Lez was not above harming her enemies. While doting on humans, she still separated the Marvialasians to who she’d care for. They were the enemy. They were dangerous. “10…9…8…7” 

She began counting, slowly. Somewhere in her heart of hearts, she believed they’d all leave the cave willingly. That they’d understand her. Was it because she was looking at the humanity of her enemies? Or was the reason something less sincere? Lez didn’t know the answer herself as she finally reached zero. Looking deflated and disappointed. Her gaze caught the sight of the nearby shadows, how they had been elongated with the sun that was heading downward.

‘I need to regroup soon…’ The urgency of the mission was fighting against her ideals. What was it she wanted to do here? She had avoided killing the humans after her squadron, she told herself that she hated the enemy but found herself going soft on them too. It was a messy contradiction. One that would be contradictory if not for the fact that platoon 1’s role wasn’t to kill but as a training expedition and defensive unit. The person who advocated for it to be as such was none other than Lez herself, while the overall plan of the battlefield was devised by Ana. That didn’t mean she ignored the pleas and requests of the leaders of each platoon. The decision to make platoon 1 less offensive was due to Lez Zelmer. The captain whose own words were ringing through her head. ‘If they fight. You fight… They aren’t fighting though.’

Through the crass exterior befitting of her role, Captain Lez was more soft than she’d ever admit. Not to the extent of it being a detriment, she was capable of cruelty. She was capable of committing acts of atrocities. However, she was nothing like the giantesses of platoon 3.

So, she squatted down. Not caring that she was making her privates vulnerable to an attack. It didn’t really matter to Lez though, she knew a depleted magician was helpless. 

“Please…” She asked once more. Latching on to her own humanity. Her own definition of the word. Not the literal meaning of being human, a creature she was not. But rather, the act or mindset of what was expected of being humane. 

‘It’s a funny word… Humane. Humans are capable of committing horrible acts but are also capable of nice things too. So why is only one of those things considered humane? What is it that we value in our humanity?’ Lez pondered, unbeknownst to the humans who were gawking towards her pelvic region. Like moths to a flame, they couldn’t help but to stare. The absurdity of what she was thinking and what the humans were staring at had her sigh. ‘Geez… What am I doing? Y'all better be thankful when I get back to home base that I’ll be vouching for you all.’ She gave in. She gave in to her thoughts. To her morals. To the voice telling her not to overdo things… However, there was another train of thought running too, another voice in her head. ‘Gah. They’re all so cute and-.’ 

Her internal thought process was interrupted, as she finally spotted a human at the mouth of the cave. Lez was too infatuated at the thought that one of them finally showed themselves to change her bodily position. She remained squatting. Maybe one part of herself liked being stared at? Maybe not. 

‘If only we were on the same side.’ She continued thinking. 

“We-We” The sole human man, probably in his late twenties began responding. He was struggling to find the words to speak, to even talk back to the goliath in front of him. 

‘I could take one of you to a date, we could eat something. I’m not a fan of theatre so maybe we could go sightseeing instead.’ 

“We, we’ve all thought about our answer.” He gathered his courage to speak, Having his eyes meet the intense gaze of Lez who was staring right at him. Weirdly enough too, it was as if she was looking at him but not really the person that was there. Like a daze into the abyss. “We decline, we will fight till the very end!” 

‘Then, we could go spend the night together under the cool- What… What?’ Her delusion shattered, her thoughts matched with her facial expression. It was a look of utter shock that she depicted with her mouth wide open. Lez Zelmer wanted to crawl into a ball and cry right then and there. ‘Why!? They’d rather die than go with me! Seriously?’ Alas, she remained squatting. She remained silent for a brief moment taking in the information.  

“Wha-Why?” She asked as she vocalised her inner thoughts, genuinely shocked that the fantasy she thought of in the battlefield didn’t align with reality. It only exemplified the bitter taste in her mouth that she had from this whole encounter. 

The human ran back inside to the safety of the cave, while the plan wasn’t in any way secure or effective. They knew the ruthlessness of the Marvialasian prince if word came out that they fled from the battle willingly. It wasn’t a risk they could take. That was the final decision all these humans had made collectively. That kind of backwards thinking, of worrying what your rulers would do to the people you care for when you flee against their tyranny was something all Marvialasians had to live with.

…

“Fine then.” Captain Lez, as well trained as she was, couldn't help but to fall victim to her emotions. She pouted her face and threw a tantrum. Clenching her teeth afterwards. 

‘If that’s how you all wanna play. I’ll play dirty too.’ She thought, cursing herself in her head. For letting them get to her like this. It was her policy to not mix her personal feelings with her duty. Yet here she was. Ignoring the correct choice to rendezvous with her platoon and to flee back as a whole. ‘Sure, there aren’t any traps set up here. But it’s definitely a waste of time.’

This could all be for naught. If she let her guard down too much, if she’d do something stupid and they somehow have some magic to use. Captain Lez may lose. She may be captured. She may even become a hostage! 

However, that didn’t matter to her one bit right now. 

She simply laid on her back after undressing her pants, with her legs up facing the sky and used her hands to push herself down. Until her ass plugged up the cave entrance. Her thin panty fabric encased the exit for the poor humans with a comical sound effect, one akin to a tight seal shutting something in place. Their only source of light now was the tiny hole at the cave ceiling that provided a mere smudge, a tiny ray of light. In their situation, it represented their hopes. Their dreams. Their wishes to escape the battlefield, to subdue the giantess and remain victorious. It was faint but it was there. Slowly, diminishing away as time flew and the sun continued to set. 

“This is your final warning. Surrender, and become our prisoners willingly. The deal from before remains. You give us information, and we will treat you as nicely as prisoners should be treated.” Lez demanded. Her shapely behind was far larger than the little cave the humans were trapped in. There wasn’t a chance at all for them to push or pry themselves out. They were stuck, literally this time. The case would be different if they had magic still to use. A simple fire spell would burn. It’s why Lez didn’t stick her hands into the cave earlier, it was common sense not to risk it. Alas, that line of thinking was far too logical for her annoyed state of being. “Or else…” 

She clenched her rear end, sending vibrations to the cave. To the whole mountain, too much of that would cause a collapse. Though the titanic ass was capable of doing so much more, all the humans knew. It was implied. Naturally they all began discussing the situation among themselves. 

“Guys… We need to do something.” 

“What can we do?” 

“We fight!” 

“With what though? Our blades are all dulled, we only have our Magecrafted tools which aren’t useful right now!” 

“A dull blade is better than no blade. Just stab her!” 

“No! You heard her. What if she…” 

The last human dared not voice her concerns. The simple thought of vocalising them only exemplified what their situation was like. Of how likely it was that they were going to be taken to hell. 

Lez herself could hardly even hear them. It was like tiny squeaks to her, even with the heightened hearing of a giantess, this was a difficult task. She could only make out one or two words per sentence. It wasn’t enough to get any idea of what was happening. So, she simply asked once more. 

“What’s the verdict?” 

A human, the one most distressed, cried out in fear. “We-we’ll talk!” It wasn’t something the rest of the trapped humans agreed on, far from it. They were shocked. They stared in silence, making it quiet enough for Lez to just make out what she was shouting about. Even then, it was only made possible due to the human woman yelling at the top of her lungs. The fact communication was even possible meant the cave walls weren't as thick as one would think. “It was a top-secret hire from the prince. He had hired a mercenary from the western nations who boasted about his specialty in killing giantesses. He was blasting spells at you all earlier but was called to move down south due to-”

Another human interrupted her. Clearly angry. 

“What are you doing?! You can’t tell her that.” 

A rather argumentative dispute had started. Though Lez didn’t care for that as much as she cared for what she just heard. It disrupted her train of thought and brought her back on board. 

‘Someone who specialises in killing giantesses? From the west? Marvialasia hired them? I need more info!’ Lez quickly analysed. Her mind moved too fast for her to think about the situation or anything else, she remained in her position like before when she was squatting. It was a bad habit of hers. 

“They’re moving down south?” She asked the humans. “Who are they? Why are they here? What is a foreign party doing-” 

The frustrated humans inside snapped. “Y-you fool. You can’t just tell her this. We had a secret to keep, that we’d attack Ranate from the north with this guy. Now they’ve attacked us first and you want to reveal our ace in the hole? Fuck. Fuck!” He began shouting as he ran back to the inner cave wall to pick up a small dagger, one painfully blunt and damaged. “I’ll subdue her myself, out of my way!” 

“No! Stop.” The others demanded. Yet it was to no avail.

He charged forward, like a bull he ran towards her red panties. Extending his arm outward in a position ready to stab her. Hoping to get through the tough fabric exterior. 

“O-Ow!” Lez yelped slightly, as if she’d just gotten a stinging bug bite. A sensation that once again, took over her mind and stopped herself from tightening her muscles and body. Causing her to loosen up all over…

**Gurgle**

‘Ah, shit…’

**Pfffffftttttt!!!**

A raging, whirlwind of nausea inducing gas erupted out from the brief millisecond that Lez relaxed her ass. Erupting through the thin panty fabric in almost full force. The sickening smell, it fired into the cave, completely enveloping the interior with a foul stench. The human who dared to touch Lez’s behind was sent flying, no that was an understatement. To call it flying was to liken the action to a bird taking off. In reality, the mighty human, the soldier of Marvialsaia was hurled like a cannonball being launched.

He was shot from point blank, his face immediately contorted and grimaced when the odour reached nis nose. The sensation of fainting came to be the moment he inhaled, however only in impact with the cave wall would he be left unconscious. 

The rest could only watch in utter slow horror as their worst nightmares became reality. What was there to do now? What could even be done? 

The answer was nothing. Well and truly nothing. Without magic, humans were a few steps above insects to a giantess. It was a tough message, an unfair message even. However the reality before them was made clear as they coughed and fought with what little they had. 

The smell, the vile putrid odour was damaging. Inhumane even. The thought of what Lez was capable of, or what any giantess was capable of sent a shiver to the human’s spines. This was caused by an accident… If a human was subjected to this act from a giantess properly releasing their stench on top of them, well the human lot could only gag in disgust at the thought. 

**C-cough**

“-Help!” A voice shouted out, but to no avail. Every breath used to formulate that one word was replaced with a smell that overloaded the human’s whole stimuli. Sending alarm bells to their brain, confusing their fight or flight response and causing them to freeze in place. 

“...Sorry.” Lez apologised, feeling genuinely sorry for the hell she knew she’d caused on the group. The thought of what they must have been going through was something Marvialasian soldiers were told in horror stories. Yet, here she was doing just that. Though, even with all that, she refused to release them. She refused to separate her butt from the cavern wall. It remained stuck, as if held by glue. “This is a good opportunity though. After all, you all won’t die from this. Maybe this should teach you to listen the first time!” 

“Please…”

“Let us out.”

The humans began running towards her cloth covered ass. In a desperate attempt to do something. To do anything at all. They tried to push it away. 

“Move! Agh” 

Their nervous system fired at them all to fall asleep, to pass out. To let the bad times move and accept their losses. Anything was better than breathing in a second more of the toxic fumes in the air. If it wasn’t so dark, they could have sworn they could see the very air change the moment the gas escaped. All they had left was the faint light that donned down to their little cave. Their sole source of illumination. 

To the bitter, perplexed and crying humans. That ray of light represented their hopes. It was fading, but it remained. It was the only thing the human body could use for stimulation at this point that wasn’t trauma inducing. So, they all made contact with her ass and collectively they tried to push. They tried to escape. They tried to make a difference. 

“Do you all promise that you’ll come with me now? As prisoners? That you’ll all give more information too?” Lez teased, shaking her hips slightly. Rattling the very mountain wall slightly. She could feel herself enjoying this a little too much. She needed to tone it down. “Or does round two sound better?” 

“No-No!”

“Anything… We’ll do anything.” 

“Please, giantess… Take my money, my dignity, my soul. Just no more…” 

They all snapped. They all couldn’t do this any longer. 

And who could blame them?

At their wits end, they could only beg. Such a role was what suited them, that was what the human’s all began to think. Although, such a line of thinking was not what Lez was going for. 

‘Yikes… May have gone a little too far.’

She hoisted her elbows and planted them to her sides. Pushing herself away from the cave wall. Finally letting the humans out. 

“Bring your little friends too who may have passed out…” She chuckled wryly as she spoke, knowing full well that she’d have some explaining to do. Some apologising even. Her little outburst of pride and emotional instability combined with just the tiniest, most inconsequential relaxing of muscles had just caused the poor souls an experience that didn’t need to happen. Many had started showing signs of deep fear and unstable infatuation towards her. A sense of loyalty bred from fear.

That much was clear, Lez could tell as the moment they all left the cave, some of them still decided to cling to her ass. A sense of mind-broken allure? Lez knew whatever it was from was far from genuine. 

‘Maybe I’ve given them the wrong message on what type of gal I am…’ She pondered briefly in a dejected manner, as she remembered it was time to pack up and return back to her platoon. ‘Fuck. All I wanted was a date! Some more intel, a nice human to talk to!'

As such, Lez Zelmer, captain of the first platoon was done. Having a source of information against their enemies and all, by all rights it would be a matter worth celebration for any soldier. A great achievement even… 

However, Lez could only feel a sense of bitterness. ‘Please, forgive me little humans. But I don’t wanna touch y'all too much when you know what just happened.’

She plunked them each individually one by one from the ground as she got up. Holding them up to her hands briefly as she leaned forward, using the mountain as a wall of sorts to rest her arm as she perked her rear outwards away from it. 

“Take a nap in here, by the time we get back to base it’d already be late. You all can directly tell the queen yourselves what’s going on. Night.” She spoke without even properly looking at them. Lez found it difficult to make eye contact, let alone speak to them after what just happened. She had been caught up in the moment earlier, but make no mistake, Lez Zelmer was incredibly embarrassed now that it was over. 

Her face was blushing a pink hue, her hands were fidgeting. Lez nervously swallowed multiple times as she spoke, interrupting the flow of her sentence. Simply put, she wanted the humans out of sight and out of mind. Somewhere she didn’t need to entertain their words or make eye contact with them…

Naturally, only one place came to mind. 

**Snap**

Encased in the tough, panty fabric, all the humans left an imprint against her ass. Sticking out slightly even. She had hurled them all into the rear entrance of her panties.

“The backdoor is quite sensitive, as you all know… So be nice. We wouldn’t want another accident to happen right?” She spoke out of genuine care, but her choice of wording was prone to misinterpretation. The humans certainly didn’t take it the way Lez intended for them to. For the helpless survivors, in the humid, dense cage they were now calling home. It sounded more like a threat. A terrifying command that if disobeyed would have dire consequences. 

Immediately, everyone stopped squirming. The warm, fleshy meat of her butt and the tight constricting form of her panties kept them all in place. Any attempt to escape would be met with collective punishment.  It was like being stuck between a stone and a hard place. However, if the goliath that kept them captive ever decided to sit down. Have her mass come descending down to whatever unfortunate creature or location beneath it, they were as good as gone. It would amount only to a few seconds of screaming before reaching the primordial void of nothingness. Of emptiness. Of a mere stain soon to be absorbed by the fabric encasing their freedom. Naturally, it was a harrowing thought.

The humans were at her mercy. Even when it wasn’t Lez’s intent, each and every one of them ran through countless scenarios in their head of how they’d meet their doom if they resisted against her. That was the fate of those who would fight against the giantesses without preparation, without any proper technique or plan. 

“W-Woah?!”

“Stop! Someone stop this!” 

They screamed as Lez began taking her first few steps. Completely oblivious to the human’s woes. The mere act of walking was akin to causing seismic waves of force by her every step. 

‘Hope everyone’s okay, the other humans all retreated after all… I guess we are too.’ Lez was hardly even paying attention to her victims right now. She didn’t want to harm them, she knew she wasn’t going to either. That wasn’t her goal. The plan was to get back to platoon 1 and eventually back to Ana. Her mind wasn’t thinking on such a small scale for what was going on in her panties. Of what the human’s were going through or what they were experiencing. So she sped up, accelerating. 

What was this like for the humans? Well… Naturally, their world shook at the clap of her ass-cheeks. Like thunder splitting the earth but at every step the goliath took. All the humans could do was pray that it would be over soon. That was their deepest wish. 

As for Lez, her mind switched back and forth. From the mission to what had just happened to what was happening before the war. 

She wasn’t even thinking about the humans she’d captured right now. No, far from it. 

‘Well… If we retreat platoon 1 as a whole. Maybe I can still make time for a date sometime soon!’