The giant beneath the mountain has awakened after three centuries' slumber and devours some of my fathers' best men every morning. He will continue taking lives, one for every giant our ancient ruler killed to steal his land. But I know this ice gia...
One of the legionnaires steps forwards, hair tight in chestnut plaits tucked against her skull, a wooden shield above her. Her arms and legs are as strong as the oak that made her shield, her teeth set like they were carved of metal. Eyes like steel. "Cloelia is dead, you great beast!"
"IMPOSSIBLE!" The giant roars, stomping his foot down. The civilians left for the keep, leaving only soldiers and guards in the bailey. The giant reaches past the great iron gates in an attempt to swipe at the offending soldier, but she ducks out of the way. His arm gets stuck on the iron, cutting into his ice armor.
"Who is that?" I point towards the mortal attacker.
"That's Zoya's lover, Quinn." Leif replies with a low whistle. "She'd be able to take down any invader in a second. No surprise she was the first to go for the giant."
The giant roars in frustration as he's forced back from the battlements. The rest of the legionnaires cheer on the woman's bravery. But the cheering is cut short as the giant sets his eye on another target. Left undefended, the village outside the bailey is prime for destruction. The giant kneels down.
"What's he grabbing at?" Leif peers over the windowsill, same as me, pressing his shoulder into mine.
"Can't see past... oh Hel. He located the smithy." The jötunn goes picks up a metal anvil and a vat of molten metal. He pours it on the bailey walls. The battlements sizzle from the onslaught. Some of the soldiers scream as the spray hits them. They tear off their leather armor as the giant's laughter rumbles so loud it echoes through the keep.
"STOLEN METAL FORGED FROM GIANTS' BLOOD." The jötunn gasps, "BLOOD FOR BLOOD FOR BLOOD. BRING ME THE ONE WHO MURDERED MY KIN."
Quinn hurls a spear towards him. It strikes off his armor. Roaring, he crushes a villager's home in his fist. Thankfully, that too is emptied.
He takes the debris and hurls it towards the soldiers. The soldiers, in turn load catapults with heavy metal projectiles. But the giant's armor, forged with magic, withstands most of the impact. Quinn shouts more orders as she tries to get the giant's attention away from her squad-mates.
"Come," Leif motions to Drago, his nurse, and I, "we should get away from the windows. Your family is protecting themselves in the dining hall. We should follow suit if we know what's good for us."
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