Little author note: A little blood and gore ahead, you've been warned.
~*~
"Lady Hypsipyle!" the girls cried, rushing toward her home, their voices laced with worry and fear.
The older woman quickly donned her robes, ensuring her body was properly covered before opening the door.
The rest of the girls were already up and dressed, their expressions tense. Leading the group, Cecilia had already strapped on her combat gear, ready to slay any giant that dared to threaten her people.
"Calm down, girls. This is nothing new—you all know the procedures," Hypsipyle reassured them.
"What about the men on the island, Lady Hypsipyle?" Amah asked, eyes wide with concern.
"The ones we sent to the eastern part of the village are closest to giant territory. They could already be in danger."
The others nodded in agreement.
Little did they know, those very men were passed out drunk, lost in a deep slumber—so deep that not even the roaring of furious giants could stir them. It was as if they had fallen under a spell, one that would keep them asleep until morning.
"We will make sure not to alert them of the problem—"
"Alert us of what?" a voice interrupted from a distance.
Hypsipyle turned to see Hael and Ceremus emerging from the clearing. A flicker of hesitation crossed her face before she smoothed her expression into its usual calm composure.
"Your Majesty. Sir Hael," she greeted them evenly.
"What was that sound earlier?" Ceremus asked, his piercing gaze locking onto her. "It didn't sound like a monster or a beast."
She faltered for just a moment under his intense scrutiny but quickly regained her composure.
"I apologize for not informing you sooner," she said. "A group of giants has taken over the far side of the island. We don't know where they came from, and we've been unable to drive them away. We've fought them off for as long as we could, but it seems tonight… they intend to end us once and for all."
The villagers watched anxiously, their gazes shifting between the two men, silently hoping they would come to their aid.
"Who's been fighting them until now?" Ceremus asked, his tone unreadable.
"The strongest among us—Cecilia and Narua," Hypsipyle said, gesturing toward the two women who bore an uncanny resemblance to her.
"I see. And what is it you wish for us to do? Fight these so-called giants?"
Hypsipyle clenched her teeth as she lowered her head. The idea of relying on men to fight their battles left a bitter taste in her mouth, but the giants were too strong. Too many of the village's women were not warriors, and ever since their patron goddess abandoned them, they had been forced to fend for themselves. Alone.
She no longer possessed her divine powers. All she could do was watch helplessly as her warriors fell, one by one, against the overwhelming strength of the giants.
She could not afford to lose any more of her people.
Swallowing her pride, she turned her gaze to Hael. He was watching her with those same kind and generous eyes he had the day they arrived.
With a resigned sigh, she bowed her head. "I beg of you—please, if you can, help us defeat the giants."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
The village women stared in shock, never having seen their leader bow before anyone. They struggled to process it—until Cecilia, without hesitation, bowed her head as well. One by one, the others followed suit.
Hael watched the scene unfold, a strange pull deep in his spirit urging him to help.
He reached out, resting a firm yet gentle hand on Ceremus' shoulder, squeezing slightly. The King looked up, meeting his gaze. Hael didn't need to say a word—Ceremus already knew what he wanted.
With a heavy sigh, he muttered to himself, Had it been anyone else, I would've chopped their head off by now.
"Alright," he said through gritted teeth, "we'd be more than happy… to extend a hand."
Hypsipyle lifted her head, eyes widening in disbelief. Though she had little knowledge of the outside world, she could tell Ceremus was a stubborn man. Not one to do as others say, living to the beat of his own drums. And yet, beneath his cold and selfish exterior, there was warmth—hidden, perhaps, but there.
Without wasting another moment, the group set off toward the island's border, where the giants lurked.
With every step, the roars grew louder.
Seven armed giants awaited them as they reached the border, their presence alerting them of their arrival. Seven armed giants stood at the border, their sheer presence announcing their arrival. They locked eyes with the "intruders" and roared their fury in unison. Towering over them at around 15 meters tall, their bodies were built like tanks—one flick of their massive fingers could send any man flying to his death.
Ceremus glanced at the two fighters accompanying them, Cecilia and Narua. Both were tall, their bodies hardened by years of labor, yet it was difficult to believe they were the ones who had been holding off these giants for so long.
He looked at them with newfound respect.
The giants charged, thundering toward them. Without hesitation, the two men surged forward to meet them.
The battle was one-sided. Hael and Ceremus had no difficulty dispatching the giants. They were nothing like the kakoethes they had faced before—the most terrifying creature they'd ever encountered. Compared to those beasts, the giants were no more challenging than a bear.
Once two giants fell, the two men pressed forward, swiftly moving to take on the next. After the third giant was defeated, Hael and Ceremus exchanged a brief glance, then charged toward the next one together.
Blood, flesh, bones and sinew were scattered everywhere, the giants bludgeoned and destroyed, yet the two men showed no signs of stopping.
Cecilia and Narua watched with both horror and admiration how quickly they had defeated six giants without breaking a sweat. All that was left was the giant both sisters were fighting.
Cecilia swung her axe, while Narsus drew her arrows. Two arrows landed in the giant's eyes, and with his vision now impaired, Cecilia cut down his Achilles tendons rendering him unable to move.
With the giant now on his knees, Cecilia was able to chop off his head easily. With a loud grunt, she delivered the final blow.
Her chest heaved up and down, her breath shaky and shallow. The young woman wiped off the sweat that had accumulated on her forehead before glancing at the men who had been observing the battle from the sides.
Hael shot her a kind smile as if to say 'good job'.
Cecilia felt embarrassed for some reason. Her face flashed, and she quickly looked away. "Is that all of them?" Ceremus asked, cutting through the thick tension in the air.
Narua nodded. "Yes, that should be all of them. We've managed to take care of a few others last time. We're finally able to take back this piece of land." she said, sighing in relief.