The sun beat harshly down upon the green land. On the rolling hills, there were signs of rugged, rural civilization. Nearly black dirt had been revealed, rough raked patterns with a few delicate leaves poking through the surface.

A single figure labored upon the dirt field. A rusted hoe was currently digging through the dirt. His only shield against the sung was a stringy straw hat. Legs that began to look like twigs shown through ragged and ripped pants. His darker, burlier shirt hid a lanky figure. A sun beat face in the shadows was caked in the very dirt he worked on.

Yet, despite appearances, the man was humming to himself. The symbol of his status, a wooden house of simple pentagonal design did not appear to impose much grief on him. With a full day’s work ahead, such dwellings were not worthy of his mind.

He heard a massive thud, as if a great drum had been beat in the distance. The farmer nearly leapt in the air, his impeccable concentration broken. With wide, yet beady eyes, he attempted to locate the sound of the commotion. His mouth, surrounded by messy stubble, became slack, as it did not take long to figure out what caused the event.

He was staring at a gigantic black boot. It was planted in the forest ahead, quite distant from where he was. However, he struggled to take in the massive scope of the boot. The trees, the source of many climbing challenges in his youth, looked like mere grass against the shadow of the foot, incredibly low-cut grass.

His gaze traveled upward, to the being’s legs, which were covered in neatly-pressed white pants. The material was nearly immaculate, so much so that he had to squint in order to see it. It was clear that much labor was put into making it wrinkle free.

Upward still he looked, the back of his neck singing an annoying song of pain. A white jacket of royal design covered the torso. Golden buttons lined the center, each sculpted with busts of two eagles flying away from one another. He caught sight of a cuffed sleeve and a white-gloved hand. Golden-colored pauldrons covered the angled shoulders of the jacket.

Finally, in the heavens, he could see the face of this being. The face appeared to be that of a youthful woman, with smooth skin a shade lighter than his peasant’s tan. Blonde hair was wrapped into a ponytail that did not extend past her neck. Perhaps the only aged feature of this titan was her ice blue eyes, which looked as if it had witnessed many lifetimes of events.

He felt the rumble as the foot behind rose up. The farmer then peeled his eyes off the giant figure, attempting to trace where she was headed. As his view settled, he could feel himself let out a gasp.

Marked against the blue sky, just poking over the forest, he saw a golden spire. It was intricately detailed, yet at the distance he was at, he could not appreciate every single distinctive nuance. However, even a peasant such as he would have to be of especially dim wit, if he did not recognize the capital building of the country that he served.

Breathing heavily, he dropped his hoe. Running towards the titan, he bellowed upwards.

“Oh mighty Helena,” his meek voice ravaged by years of hard labor, “Forgive me, a lowly farmer for inquiring, but what is the purpose of visiting today?”

The colossal woman known as Helena paused. Standing nearly thousands of feet above the ground, the voice of a lowly peasant would not carry far. Despite that, her other foot was brought down, along the accompanying sound of thunder that rendered storm clouds green with envy.

The peasant froze, as the stern gaze of the woman was upon him. He could not discern her expression, for the proportions of her body partially obscured her face.

She then began to lower herself. Bending at the knees until she was squatting. Yet still, she appeared to stretch into the sky. Shadow had now been cast over the land. The sun was now obscured by her head, it’s light taking on a golden sheen on the edges of her hair.

“Here this well citizen.” she addressed. The farmer wouldn’t be the only one to hear this message. Her voice matched her appearance, yet carried with it massive power and authority, tempered with a sort of aristocratic poshness. It was also incredibly loud, and the farmer felt his knees bend at every syllable.

“My task is grave, but necessary. I suggest to you, and to the others to hide in their houses, lock the doors, and keep your wives and children close. The empire is going through a transition, and I fear it will be bloody.”

The farmer was confused at her words. But the woman’s somber stare did much to change his state of mind. Her ran to his hut, to where his wife and kids were, keen on heeding Helena’s advice.

Helena herself rose from her position, until her head scraped the low-level clouds. The countryside looked to her like a cloth knitted from vibrant greens, with patches of deep browns. The forest she had traveled through had a clearing in the middle, the dirt unusually compressed. She made sure to limit her steps to this path. Her eyes closely scanned the ground, watching for any sign of movement.

A journey that would have taken the common man a full day, or a man with some coin to spend, half a day, took Helena mere minutes. With another mighty step, she came to a halt, taking care to place it gently on the outskirts of the chalk white walls of the capital.

A river formed a natural moat in front of the wall, the full form of the giantess completely over it. Many of the ships that traveled its waters began to turn back, away from her shadow.

From Helena’s vantage point, the capital was a grand mosaic. It’s palate was far more organized and refined than the simple beauty of the surrounding country side. The smallest of huts in the poorer districts were still made of fine material, and shined greatly with care and maintenance. Paved roads filled to the brim of citizens spread from the center, forming the base of a great tapestry.

The crown jewel of the capital was easily the Kaiser’s palace. Located near the riverside, with it’s back against the wall, it was easily the largest structure in the capital, in both volume, and in height. Helena took her time appreciating craftsmanship of the roofing, of the various gargoyles and angels that were lined up in a divine formation. Of course, the spire of the building was quite possibly the pride and joy of the empire. Even from her distance, and in her enormity, she could tell that only the greatest of masters were devoted to crafting the golden spire. It’s luminous point reached nearly half the height of her boot.

She sighed as her sight lingered on the capital building. Helena almost felt tears invade her eyes. Almost.

She bellowed out in a loud, authoritative voice to the now frozen and awestruck people that lined the streets. “Citizens of the Imperium of Riesin. I have heard your cries. Emperor Bismark has shamed his dynasty. Such crimes against our nation render great punishment.”

At the end of her declaration, the titan bent down. To the common onlooker, she had taken up the sky, and it now looked as if the sky was falling down upon them. Some cried from sheer terror. Others began cheering at the realization of what was to happen.

A gloved hand took hold of the golden spire. Even through the material, she could feel every expertly crafted detail. With her thumb and two fingers surrounding it, the spire was snapped off.

She heard a yelp. Her eyes widened. A guard, dressed in a white military jacket, a bayonet-tipped musket in his hands, was now bracing against the balcony of the spire. With her finely attuned ears, she also heard the pleas of two servant-woman who were currently trapped within it's interior.

The gloved hand moved slowly. Helena’s breathing becoming rather slow and steady. The massive digits that could easily outclass many of the structures in the capital building were now lowering into the courtyard of the palace.

“Make haste,” Helena instructed to them, narrowing her eyes, “you are not the ones I am looking for.”

She made sure to lower the tower even more. Despite nothing but a finger to brace the tower against, for the guard and the servant-women, the drop was still significant. They had to transverse the woman’s finger, in order to shorten their landing to the ground. Against the magnificent glove, they appeared less than even an ant would to a human.

A small breath escaped her lips as she witnessed the three escape into the greater city. Immediately, she discarded the spire, away from the city. It landed with a thud in the forest. One of the finest examples of art in her Empire, shattered.

Immediately, her eyes had turned to ice. Her heart pounded like a drum, and those that listened closely would have thought a thunderstorm was approaching in the distance.

Through the hole she had created in the rooftop, she could now glare into the Throne room. She had found the Kaiser.

He was dressed in a great jacket, two rows of golden buttons streaming down his chest. The jacket was of a royal purple. On his back, he wore a majestic cape of bright red that appeared to give a red tint to the room. He too wore gloves on his hands. His pants and boots were black, and neatly pressed as well. On his head, he wore a pointed helm, emblazoned with the same two golden eagles Helena bore on her buttons

He would have appeared magnificent, regal, with the slightest hint of divinity. And even now, despite the fact that his legs were shaking, the defiant look he held on his face still allowed him to look somewhat royal.

And, as Helena would find out, his defiance was fueled by anger. “This is outrageous!” he shouted to the heavens, “Why have you turned against us?”

“I would ask you the same thing.” Helena said, not even bothering to shout, not that she needed to. “If you are indeed the rightful ruler of Riesin, then why are you so keen on accepting gifts and favors from bankers and merchants?”

“Bankers and merchants, that is preposterous.” the Kaiser deflected with the wave of his hand. “It is a prejudiced conspiracy among the peo-”

The sheer power of Helena’s aristocratic voice cut into the Kaiser’s defense. “And why, when they enter our courthouses, and rule of law, do you treat them like royalty, and send our men off to war on their beck and call? Riesin has no business being in the southern deserts. We stand to gain neither resources, nor tactical gain.”

At last, the stubbornness of Kaiser was giving way to even more shaking, and cold sweat. “But-” he objected.

“But, perhaps your worst offense are the direct crimes against the civilians.” Helena continued, paying his statements no mind, as her voice grew in volume, forcing him, and the surrounding citizens to shield their ears. “Executions upon the slightest grumble against you! Destruction of our arts. Military action against our farmers, who have done no wrong!”

“They were traitors, all of them!” he accused, though one could have been mistaken for him begging. “I gave them a traitor’s end!”

Helena’s brows furrowed. Veins began to show themselves on her forehead. However, just now, her voice was unusually calm. “Then you know what awaits you.”

The last image of defiance dissipated, as the Kaiser leapt from his throne, and hid behind it.

“I suggest all servants and guards evacuate the building, now.” Helena instructed, “But leave the Kaiser in here.”

The Emperor’s eyes flailed about as he witnessed countless cooks, cleaners, soldiers and all who had served under him, pass by his cowering form, and exit onto the streets of the capital. For each and every one of them, who did not even turn back to acknowledge him, his despair grew.

Soon, the palace was empty. It had gone quiet, except from the wailing and gnashing of teeth of the Emperor, hiding behind his throne. He gazed up through the tear in the roof, but could not read anything upon Helena’s face.

But then, he felt the palace rumble. Dust fell from the ceiling as the building shook. It was at this moment, that he knew the hour was upon him.

Both of Helena’s hands had dug in under the palace. Both easily could cup the structure, though with one it would have been too much. Helena could feel sadness growing inside her heart as she watched some of the structure crumble from her efforts. However, once she felt she had a hold of the entire palace, she lifted up her hands.

There were screams and jeers as the two monolithic hands emerged from the ground. Their immaculate white material was now stained with dirt that rained down on the capital. Slowly and steadily, the greatest structure in the capital was lifted into the air.

Helena now held the uprooted palace in front of her, some of the structure sagging to the side. The dirt that had rained down on the city would now disperse in an area so wide, those down below would not be affected. She had brought it up to her face, keeping it level just below her chin. The giantess could still gaze into the hole of the cracked spire.

The Kaiser was on the ground, tossed and turned by his ascension. Many pictures, pottery and other aesthetics had been shaken from their positions, and lay shattered on the palace floor. The great floor itself was cracked in many places.

Despite the rough journey, the Kaiser managed to raise his face up to the sky once more. His entire view of the sky, however, was dominated by Helena’s stern, accusing face. If she possessed the power, her gaze could have incinerated him alone.

For but a brief moment, however, regret entered her expression. In fact, it looked as if Helena would break out into tears any moment.

“When your great-grandfather took the throne,” she said, with the barest quiver in her voice, “I had no doubt of his commitment to his country. Riesin grew under the Bismark dynasty. Even when I saw you enter into manhood, I never thought this day would come. Even as the people begged to me, I refused to believe the Bismarks would sink so low…”

As her voice trailed off, she heard Bismark’s whimpers. “Mercy oh great Helena… Mercy please ….” he begged.

Slowly, all traces of sorrow were beginning to fade from the giantess. “When the body is afflicted with disease, it spares no germ,” she explained, “lest it would multiply and fester. Goodbye Kaiser, perhaps you can be pardoned in the hereafter.”

Helena’s hands moved to clasp together. Under extraordinary force, the great palace crumpled. Windows shattered and columns splintered.

In the throne room, Kaiser Bismark’s had finished his whimpering. The floors, walls and ceiling collapsed around him. The pile of royal debris surrounded and compressed his body in an instant. In his tomb of marble and stone, he was rendered into a pulp. Stone was then crushed into dust, and the Kaiser’s remains were scattered among it.

In her gloved hands, Helena now held an unrecognizable ball of debris. Chunks of marble, fine stone, gold, as well as dust filled the now mutiliated palace. She knelt down, and over the forest, scattered the palace remains. The dust that fell down colored some of the lush green leaves chalk white.

She then rose up, wiping away dust from her gloves, which had been stained with her destructive efforts. Her colossal form towered over the capital city. She couldn’t help but feel a pang in her chest as she saw the ugly brown hole that was once occupied by the palace.

“I will assume direct control of the Empire before a suitable successor can be found.” she declared to the denizens of the capital. Her voice carried through the surrounding land, as farmers and travelers in the distance could hear her mighty voice.

“I will also assist in the construction of a new palace for the Kaiser, one that will not be tainted by Bismark’s treachery.”

As cheers ruptured from the street, Helena could witness others show less enthusiasm.

She added on to her declaration, “To those loyal to him, turn back from your ways, or you will meet the same end.”