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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Chapter Notes:

Hey, it's been over two years since I posted Fate of a Thief. Now it's sequel time. I intend this one to be long, and not all chapters will involve giants. Like this one. If your only in it for the giant bits thats fine, I'll state before each chapter wether or not giants are invovled. Due to the sheer size I expect this size I expect this story to be I will post chapters in chunks when they are completed before taking what I expect to be more large gaps between the next chunks and side stories. 

I know this is a lot for a chapter note but seeing as it's the first chapter might as well get some of this out of the way. Anyway here' the first chapter to Fate of a Hunter, the next chapter will have giant involvement, and I hope it's worth the wait.

 


 

 

Raising the goblet to her lips. Trinity tilted back her head, allowing a small stream of wine to enter her mouth. She held in there for a moment as she determined it’s taste. Dull. It was nowhere close to the fine aged wine they had at The Capital.

Reluctantly Trinity forced herself to swallow before setting the goblet back on the table, her fingers tracing the markings that were etched into its sides. God was she bored.

Trinity desperately longed for the amusements of The Capital City. Fine jewelry and clothes, exquisite food and drink and arrogant nobles squabbling over family estates and rights of succession. All things which Trinity found endlessly amusing.

While her distaste for the noble families of The Capital were clear, she couldn’t help but be entertained by their in-fighting. She even made it a game to fuel such conflicts whenever she could. There was something to be said for the subtle yet blatant manner that nobles fought their political feuds. Most of the time though Trinity found herself ignored by such people, her association with Hunters helped to make her a pariah within those circles. She didn’t mind though, in fact she prefered it that way. It allowed her to sit back and watch from afar, all while savoring the expensive spoils of higher class living. If only she could savor such spoils now.

Trinity allowed her mind to wander, imaging herself partaking in the luxuries of the high class. Her fantasies alleviating her boredom. Just as she felt herself free of her situation, a voice rose up tearing her away from her thoughts.

“Madam Trinity, would you care to join us, or are there more pressing matters on your mind?”

Trinity scowled as she opened her eyes, focusing once more towards the war table set before her. Glancing across the table she spotted a large map of the region with small set pieces placed throughout, three of which were larger than the rest. Quickly deducing that nothing had changed, she turned her sharp gaze at the three men sitting across from her.

Viceroy Octus Seratine, the plump and pompous envoy from The Capital, Master Arlen, the elderly and wise Keeper of the Hunter’s History, and of course Jerrick, the current Grand Master of The Order.

“Well?” Jerrick continued. “Is there something you would like to share with the table?”

“If you must know, I was just wondering why my shipment has yet to arrive. I mean it’s just wine, how long can it take too...”

“Trinity!” Jerrick’s stern voice echoed across the room.

“I’m right here dear, no need to shout.”

“I don’t have the patience for your games today.” Jerrick shot back. “We are in the middle of a crisis and the last thing I need is for more of your bullshit.”

“Jerrick, dear. If I may interrupt.” Trinity said.  “I would be more than happy to waste my time and play war council with you, but if you want me to do that then least you can do is get better swill than this.” Trinity lifted the goblet of wine, as to exemplify her point.

She could see by the expression on Jerrick’s face that she had just crossed a very dangerous line. She smiled a faint smile to herself. Oh how she loved it.

“Your insubordination-” Jerrick began.

“Insubordination?” Trinity repeated before he could finish. “Now dearie, be careful. Using big words like that without knowing the meaning is just bad etiquette. Insubordination would imply that I’m defying your authority. Well that simply not true, i’m denying its very existence.”

Jerrick’s face reddened as she knew she had pushed him perhaps just a bit too far. Reclining back in her seat, Trinity followed her arms and awaited his fiery rebuke with a coy smirk. At least the meeting was finally about to become interesting. As Jerrick opened his mouth to speak, Trinity waited with baited breath already preparing mentally on what kind of insults and quick taunts she could respond back with.

“Madam Trinity. Grand Master. If I may?” Octus interjected before Jerrick had time to go off. “Let us reach a compromise. Madam Trinity once this meeting has concluded I swear that I will personally see into your delayed shipment. Until then I humbly request you wait as we turn our attention to the matter at hand.”

Octus gave Jerrick a reassuring wink, as The Grandmaster took this time to breath and resettle himself.

Trinity glanced between the two men as she considered Octus’s proposal.

“Fine.” She relented.

Octus smiled, finding pride is his accomplishment, but Trinity refused to let the matter end so quickly.

“Octus.” She said, her tone of voice quickly wiping the smile from the man’s face. “Just make sure it reaches me this time. If it doesn’t and I find out you had something to do with it… well I’ll show you the ‘curse’ I was telling you about the other day. The one that causes rotting of male genitalia. You remember that conversation I’m sure.”

Trinity finished by pointing under the table, motioning to the area between her legs. Octus’s face paled at the gesture.

“Can we return to the matter at hand please...” Jerrick sighed, having finally subdued his anger in place of annoyance.

“Yes, quite. What was it we were talking about again?”

“If you had been paying attention at any point of this meeting Trinity, you would know that we are in the midst of three corresponding giant attacks. It’s very rare we have to deal with so many at once.”

“Rare, but not unheard of.” Trinity stated, fighting to find a way to stay engaged in the conversation.

“If this were an isolated incident I might share your dismissal of the situation but, the rise in giants invading our lands has been unusually high in the last few months. The Kingdom growing worried and is demanding answers. Answers we frankly don’t have.”

“I fail to see where my attendance is need in all of this.”

For a moment Jerrick almost shot back in anger, but keeping a reluctant level head he continued on as normal.

“We need a solution.” Jerrick said. “Your years of studying giants and their magic gives you insight into their culture that most of us can’t even hope match. Any thoughts you might have on the current situation would be greatly beneficial to understanding their motives.”

Trinity sat and pondered for a moment.

“I do have one theory.” She said.

“Yes?” Jerrick inquired.

“It’s just a theory.”

“Anything will help.” He continued to insist.

“Well… they may be just as frustrated with the lack of good wine as I am.”

A silence fell over the room as Jerrick looked her over with a blank expression. Octus looked between the two mortified as Master Arlen sighed at what was to come. Trinity kept herself from snickering as she kicked her legs playfully and counted down in her head.

3… 2… 1…

“OF ALL THE FUCKING-”

Before Jerrick’s outburst could develop much further, the door to the war room burst open. A young messenger garbed in the traditional hunters attire of cured dark leather armor and a green camouflage cloak ran into the room. Catching his breath he stood up, straightened himself before the council.

“Pardon the intrusions m’lords.” He paused before noticing Trinity’s presence. “An’ lady. I’m afraid I have urgent news.”

“Report.” Jerrick commanded, his eyes still locked on Trinity.

“There has been a fourth giant sighted approaching from the east.”

Jerrick swore loudly as he turned his attention to the messenger. “

Send another platoon to intercept it. Get the word out, if there are any free hunters still out in the field, order them to engage the giant at once!”

“That's not all my lord.” The messenger continued. “Scouts have reported that the giant… the giant can use magic sir. Not only that, it’s a master of the forbidden power.”

A silence fell over the room. Jerrick and even Trinity seemed unprepared for this news. It was Arlen, who had remained mostly silent throughout thus far that spoke first

“We haven’t had a giant like that enter our kingdom since The Great War.” Arlen spoke, his voice heavy.

“Your claim that this giant is a master of magic is a serious one. How can we be sure that he actually is?” Trinity asked.

Her tone showed that she had taken a interest in this latest development.

“A small group of hunters engaged the giant on sight. The scout who had discovered the giant reported that as they made contact lighting rained down from the sky, turning the men to ash. He reports that it was instantaneous and that the giant didn’t hold any weapon or even muttered a single spell.”

“I’m impressed. Our scouts are more observant than I give them credit for.” Trinity said.

Jerrick leaned forward in his chair. His mind was at work. His eyes studied the board in front of him, desperately searching for a way to address the new threat. Trinity noticed his growing frustration and smiled. This is exactly why she even bothered to attend these things.

Trinity stood up and addressed the messenger.

“Send for Zeke and Barron at once, I plan to intercept the giant and will require their assistance.”

The young hunter looked to Jerrick who was silently contemplating Trinity’s request. He eyed her skeptically, before turning back to the hunter and nodding his approval. Without another word the hunter saluted them and departed out the door. The room was still as Trinity wrapped her fingers around the goblet, and quickly downed what remaining wine it held.

“Is the giant really so dangerous that it will take all three of you to kill?” Jerrick asked uneasy.

“To kill?” Trinity repeated. “No. I alone with a handful of distractions could accomplish that. A giant like this is powerful to be sure, but with that power comes just as much arrogance. Finding an opening would be child's play. Now bringing it back alive…”

“Alive!” Octus exclaimed. “That's… thats... madness!”

“For once I agree with the Viceroy.” Arlen said. “A giant of this caliber is too dangerous to be kept alive.”

“Indeed.” Trinity agreed. “But he has something we want. Information.”

With that statement the three men went silent as Trinity realized she had their attention.

“While we could simply capture one of the other three giants, they would provide little use. A giant with with this level of control over magic is certain to belong to a higher class. A noble most likely. A giant in a position to know why so many of these invasions have been happening as of late. In other words, just the giant you’ve all been looking for.”

Trinity turned to Jerrick, his attention remained focused on the map in front of him.

“Are you certain you can do it?” He asked.

“With my skill and knowledge, Zeke’s mobility and ranged support, and Barron’s sheer power and strategic mind, I guarantee we can. Then once he is subdued I will see to it that he is contained.”

Jerrick drew in a deep breath as he stood from his seat. Folding his arms behind his back, he turned to Trinity and gave a nod of approval.

Turning back to table he examined the pieces littered across the board. He reached for another large piece on the side and placed in on the map before reaching again for a smaller purple figure. He placed the purple figure before the recently placed giant piece. Jerrick scanned the rest of the board in deep contemplation.

“We will need to decide what to do with the other giants in the meantime.” Jerrick announced. “With any luck Barron and his group have already dealt with one of them. After that we can have any spare hunters with him converge on the second.”

“And Zeke?” Trinity inquired.

“Zeke is the problematic one.” Jerrick moved his hand over a green figure which was accompanied by three small pawns. “Zeke is currently accompanying three recruits on their first mission against a female giant. Removing him would leave just the recruits to deal with the giant alone.”

Trinity walked to Jerricks side as she examined the board. She reached out and picked up one of the pawn, turning it over in her hand.

“Since when did Zeke start babysitting recruits?”

“It was his request that he joined them.” Jerrick stated.

“There is a certain hunter among them.” Arlen proclaimed, lightly tapping a finger to his temple as she struggled to recall.

“A hunter that Zeke personally recruited himself.”

Arlen closed his eyes as the frequency of his tapping increased.

“The three hunters are Kai, Nia, and Grey. Grey is the one that Zeke recruited, they seem to share a history with one another.”

“Yes.” Trinity nodded knowingly. “I recall now.”

She placed the pawn back on the table.

“Zeke brought him to me, convinced there was something special about him.”

“And?” Jerrick eyed her curiously.

Trinity smirked. “Let’s just say Zeke doesn't share my magical expertise.”

She paused considering the pawn that she had just placed.

“Just another throw away piece if you ask me.”

”That’s remains to be seen.” Jerrick shot back, she had apparently touched a nerve. “Regardless if you need Zeke that means we'll be sending three recruits to face a giant with no support. If they engage her they will most certainly die.”

“You can send reinforcements when they become available, but we need Zeke for this to work. Capturing the spell caster should be our highest priority.”

Jerrick couldn’t help but agree with her logic, though he knew there would be consequences he also knew they needed this giant. Faced with a difficult decision all he could do was relent.

“Alright, send for Zeke if you must. But also send orders that the recruits are not to engage until support arrives. We can’t afford losing them just yet.”

Trinity nodded. “A wise decision. I’ll see to it.”

Without another word Trinity made her exit, leaving Jerrick, Octus and Arlen to confer how to prepare for the captured giant.

Making her way down to the courtyard Trinity pulled up the hood of her cloak as she stepped outside. Approaching the stables she found the same messenger from earlier preparing a horse for departure. She relayed the orders that he was instructed to give the other messengers, as to have word reach the other two as quickly as possible.

As she did so her mind couldn’t help but think back to the hunter that accompanied Zeke. Grey. His name was Grey.

Over a year ago Zeke had brought him to her insisting that he had some sort of hidden potential, much like himself or Barron. Trinity sensed nothing at the time and hadn’t given it a second thought since. From what rumors told her he wasn’t anything exceptional. The only thing of interest was that he was recruited by Zeke, though he wasn’t the first man Zeke had brought back with him after a long journey. It was just a surprise that this one ended up becoming a recruit instead of sneaking out of a bedroom in the early morning after. Yet despite everything Trinity couldn’t help but be fixated on this particular hunter. Like not all was as it appeared to be.

“Well I suppose it doesn’t really matter.” Trinity muttered aloud to herself. “I doubt he’ll still be alive much longer ”

 

Chapter End Notes:

First chapter and the scene is set. Next chapter will have a little more action as I reintroduce out beloved protagonist. Giantess interaction incoming. 

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