From the shadows, the pair watched in tense silence. The group’s chanting grew louder, a rhythmic, almost hypnotic cadence reverberating through the clearing. Loam aether coiled upward from the soil, tendrils of green light weaving like spectral roots. Vines began to sprout and twist, slithering around the feet of the chanters, binding them to the earth as if nature itself sought to tether them in place.

The air thrummed with energy, thick and alive. Each word of their incantation seemed to pulse, drawing something immense and ancient closer with every utterance. Vivienne felt the tug of aether ripple through her, the raw power seeping into her senses like a heavy fog.

“Are they trying to summon an avatar of Praxus?” Rava asked incredulously. She leaned in closer, her voice barely a whisper. "They’ve no idea what they’re doing. That’s not Praxus they’re calling."

Vivienne’s many eyes flicked toward her companion. “Then who?”

Rava chuckled softly, her gaze dancing with amusement as the scene unfolded before them. "Something powerful, but not divine," she murmured, barely containing her mirth.

Suddenly, the air cracked with a thunderous force, splitting the chant and sending a shockwave through the ground. The vines around the chanters snapped back into the earth in a burst of brilliant green, the soil beneath them shifting violently as if disturbed from a deep slumber. The villagers stumbled, panic rising in their voices, but the earth seemed to have more pressing matters at hand.

The ground cracked open, stones grinding and heaving as a massive figure began to rise. The figures of the circle were thrown to their feet, the ground shaking below them. It emerged slowly at first, like some ancient titan awakening, but soon the pace quickened, as if the earth itself had decided this interruption would not go unchallenged.

Dirt, rocks, and shattered earth flew into the air, covering the terrified chanters in a cloud of dust and debris. The giant emerged in full, its massive form cloaked in thick, ancient plate armour, worn by time but still formidable. A towering mace rested in one hand, its stone head glowing faintly with green light. In the other, a shield the size of a building shimmered, etched with patterns that seemed to shift with the passing of the earth itself.

As the dust settled, the giant towered above them, her height dwarfing even the grandest mansion. She was an imposing figure, her presence filling the clearing with an ancient, immovable weight. Her gaze swept over the scene, but her helmet concealed any hint of emotion, leaving her expression unreadable.

Rava, still watching with a smirk, let out a loud, gleeful laugh that echoed through the trees. “Well, this isn’t exactly what I expected,” she said, practically glowing with amusement. “I mean, I know they weren’t going to summon a divine avatar, but—” she gestured toward the giant with mock awe, “—this is far better!”

The giant’s eyes, twin molten emeralds, fixated upon them, her voice thundering through the air, the force of it rattling the trees. “Who dares to rouse me from mine ancient slumber? Speak, mortals, and I shall judge thee worthy… or no.”

Rava’s laughter bubbled up again, her eyes alight with glee. “Oh, this is rich,” she murmured to Vivienne, struggling to suppress her grin. “Praxus? Ha. This is far more... entertaining.”

Vivienne, still stunned by the sheer scale of the spectacle, gave Rava a sidelong glance. “I’m beginning to think you relish chaos more than I do—and I was sent here specifically to stir it up.”

Rava only laughed louder, unabashed. "Chaos? Darling, this is the very heart of it. I live for such moments."

“I prithee, I ask thee once more,” the giant's voice boomed again, reverberating like the strike of an ancient bell. “Speak, ye creatures of flesh and bone. Why hast thou roused me from mine slumber?”

One robed figure, clearly braver than the others, shakily rose to their feet, their knees trembling beneath the weight of the giant’s presence. The air around them felt thick with tension, the forest stilled in anticipation.

“I—uh—mighty one,” the figure began, a man decidedly, their voice faltering at first. “We… we sought to summon an avatar of Praxus, your worship. We pray to the great god of Order, to help us in our time of need.”

The giant tilted her head slightly, a sound akin to a deep rumble escaping her throat. “An avatar of Order, ye say? Pah! What foolishness is this? Would ye summon the fool god who would bind ye in chains?”

The robed figure swallowed hard, glancing nervously at their companions. “We... we meant no disrespect, great one. We sought only guidance and protection.”

The giant’s gaze swept over the villagers, her voice booming like a thunderclap. “This wood is mine own domain, its denizens my sacred charge. If thou art folk of this forest, then mayhap I shall grant thee a safeguard far surpassing that of the witless god thou sought to conjure.”

Rava, still grinning, muttered under her breath, “Well, that is a twist.”

Vivienne’s eyes flickered between the giant and the trembling villagers. She could feel the raw power emanating from the massive warrior—an energy that made the earth beneath her feet hum in response.

The figure bowed his head, not daring to look up at the impressive armoured figure. “Protection, you say? From what exactly?”

“From those who would seek to cage you,” the giant replied, her voice filled with ancient certainty. “From the forces that would bind thee in chains, all in the name of order. The natural world holds no such shackles. Here, you are free to roam, to grow, to fight as nature intended.”

The villagers were silent, unsure whether to run or stay. The first speaker, a robed figure, seemed to stiffen at the giant's words, but their resolve was faltering. “This... this is not what we asked for.”

“Speak not of your desires for protection,” the giant boomed, cutting them off. “Ye have summoned me not for protection, but for power. I offer you what truly exists in the world: the wild, the untamed, the free. If ye seek something as weak as order, then turn to your gods. But should ye wish for strength, look no further than nature’s fury.”

Rava chuckled, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “I do enjoy a good power struggle.”

Vivienne’s thoughts were elsewhere, her gaze drawn to the giant’s towering form. She could sense something beneath the surface of the giant’s words—something primal, something... dangerous. She wasn’t sure if the giant would be an ally or a threat, but for now, she stayed quiet, watching.

The giant’s eyes scanned the villagers again, the heat from her molten gaze searing the air. But then, something changed. Slowly, her head turned to the side, her eyes narrowing as if sensing something.

There was a long pause. The air thickened with tension.

A deep rumble echoed from the giant's chest as she lifted her gaze and locked eyes with Vivienne, then Rava, still hidden in the shadows. Her brow furrowed, and the earth beneath her seemed to shift uneasily.

"I feel thee," the giant said, her voice now low, almost contemplative. “What manner of creatures art thou? Come forth, let me see what seeks to hide in the dark.”

Vivienne’s heart skipped a beat. Rava’s expression shifted from amusement to a more guarded curiosity.

“Do not think to remain in the shadows,” the giant boomed, her voice carrying an unsettling command. “I have eyes to see beyond mere flesh. Reveal yourselves, or I shall draw thee into the light by force.”

Vivienne exchanged a glance with Rava. The giant was no fool—there would be no escaping her attention now. The question was how to proceed.

Rava, ever the one to lean into the chaos, flashed a grin that bordered on impish delight. “Well, hiding’s no fun, is it?”

Vivienne raised an eyebrow, her tone dripping with mock disbelief. “You’re way too relaxed for this situation. Shouldn’t we be terrified of the giant lady?” She crossed her arms, casting a glance toward the towering figure as she tried to suppress a smile.

Rava’s chuckle was low, almost like the sound of thunder rolling in the distance. “Oh, Vivienne, if you’re not enjoying this, then you’re doing it all wrong.”

Vivienne, though she appreciated Rava’s fearless attitude, couldn’t help but feel the weight of the moment pressing on her. Rationally, she knew she should be terrified. More so than she had been of the revenant, the sunwake lynx, or even the hydra whose form she had once intimately known. This giant was different.

She was a being of pure Loam Aether—unblemished by the fractured memories and ruined emotions that plagued aetherbeasts. No, this creature was of the earth itself, not simply part of it, but a living embodiment of its raw, unfiltered power. She was not the soil nor the trees. She did not take from the land, but rather, she was the force that gave to it. Even now, Vivienne could feel the subtle, almost imperceptible change around them. The trees seemed a little taller in her presence. The bushes a shade greener. The flowers glowed with an unnatural vibrancy.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

And yet, despite it all, Vivienne did not feel the gut-churning terror that should have come with standing before something so pure, so ancient, and so overwhelmingly powerful. Instead, she felt a warning—an unspoken, primal instinct that told her this was a force of nature, something to be respected, not trifled with. A raw, untamable power that could shatter the world without a second thought.

The giant’s eyes, blazing with ancient wrath, remained fixed upon the shadows. "Speak, creature of the deepest dark abyss!" Her voice lowered to a rumbling growl, thick with authority. "Dost thou make mockery of mine presence? Speak now, or I shall test the mettle of thine resolve with my hammer."

The villagers, now gathered in an anxious huddle, had begun to murmur amongst themselves, their expressions a tapestry of confusion, awe, and fear. They had seen many strange things in their lives, but nothing like this—nothing that could even come close to the magnitude of what towered before them.

Vivienne, sensing the giant’s growing impatience and knowing well that defiance might not end well, reluctantly moved from her hiding spot. She glided through the underbrush with silent grace, a shadow among the leaves, her presence as unnoticed as a whisper on the wind. Her every step was precise, her movements undisturbed, until she stepped into the clearing, where torchlight caught her.

A collective gasp rose from the villagers. Fear, sharp and palpable, swept through the group, their bodies stiffening in terror at the sight of her. The raw, primal fear flooded her senses, and for a brief, intoxicating moment, she longed to taste it.

The contrast between Vivienne and the villagers struck her deeply. Every single one of them was human, and for the first time in what felt like ages, she felt... large. No, they were simply small. She, now towering over them, was far more imposing than she ever imagined—her frame swollen with the power of consumed aether, her height magnified by the rippling energy coursing through her.

Then there was Rava, standing beside her—vastly taller than any of these fragile creatures. Rava's presence felt like a mountain beside a cluster of ants. Vivienne felt a spark of pride at the sight, a glimmer of amusement at how easily they dwarfed these mortals.

"Aetherbeast," the giant’s voice boomed, a single word heavy with disdain and judgement. Her gaze turned now upon Vivienne, her expression darkening like a stormcloud. The weight of the word fell over Vivienne like a shadow, thick with raw, unfiltered disgust.

Vivienne met the giant’s gaze, unfazed by the weight of her words, though she felt the pressure in the air thicken, like a storm about to break. She straightened, the shadows of the forest falling in soft cascades around her. Her voice rang out, light but unshaken, as she tilted her head slightly.

“Aetherbeast, is it? That’s... rather blunt, isn’t it? I thought you might have a more refined vocabulary for your enemies,” she said, her tone even, though there was an edge to it. She took a step forward, her movements deliberate but without haste. "But then again, I suppose simplicity has its place."

The villagers shifted, some raising their hands to shield their eyes from the giant's intimidating presence, others glancing nervously at Vivienne. She could almost taste their fear—it was thick in the air, palpable and sweet. But she didn't react to it, instead focusing on the towering figure before her.

The giant’s molten emerald eyes narrowed slightly, and though she did not move, Vivienne could feel the earth itself tremble beneath her, as if the very ground was responding to the giant’s unspoken command. The weight of her presence hung heavy in the air.

"Thou art bold, creature of darkness," the giant rumbled, her voice a deep echo that reverberated through the clearing. "But I do not suffer fools lightly. Speak quickly, before I decide whether thy insolence is worth my patience."

Vivienne didn't flinch. Her gaze remained steady, though she couldn’t help but feel the weight of the giant’s presence pressing down on her. Fear? She hadn’t felt it in so long. There was only a sense of warning—a primal instinct telling her that this was no mere mortal to toy with. But she wasn’t about to back down either.

"Patience is a virtue, I’ve heard,” Vivienne replied, her voice cool, though her lips curled just slightly. “But then again, I’ve never been one to test such things. Still, I’m certain we can come to an understanding... without the need for threats."

The giant’s eyes flickered, the edges of her stone-like expression softening, as if she was measuring the weight of Vivienne’s words. There was a long, tense silence before the giant spoke again, her voice still heavy with ancient power, but now with something like curiosity beneath it.

"Thy tongue is sharp, and thy presence... unfamiliar," the giant murmured, her gaze lingering on Vivienne as if she were an enigma to be unravelled. "I do not recall the likes of thee in these lands. But thou art bold enough to speak to me thus—perhaps there is more to thee than I first thought."

Vivienne met the giant’s molten emerald gaze, her posture steady despite the weight of the towering warrior's presence. “There’s always more than meets the eye, giant. But perhaps we could talk before jumping to conclusions about my untimely demise?”

Rava, leaning casually against a tree, chuckled under her breath. “This is the most entertaining thing I’ve witnessed in years,” she murmured just loud enough for Vivienne to hear, her grin utterly unrepentant.

Vivienne shot her a sidelong glare and sighed. “We’re just passing through. No harm intended to anyone.” She forced a few smiles, though her effort seemed to have the opposite effect on the crowd.

“Liar! Monster!” came the cries, one after another, the venom in their voices palpable. Vivienne felt the words prickle against her composure. It stung—a little.

But it was hard to feel hurt by food.

Bad Vivienne! They’re not food! Maybe just a nibble? No, focus!

She shook the thought away, her gaze flicking back to the giant, who stood in contemplative silence. The warrior’s enormous form loomed, her armour gleaming faintly in the torchlight as though nature itself imbued her with a quiet luminescence. Vivienne could almost feel the land itself breathe in tune with the giant’s presence.

The silence stretched on. The villagers whispered anxiously, their panic growing in waves, cursing Vivienne with every foul name they could conjure.

Vivienne rubbed the back of her neck, finally breaking the quiet. “Uh… excuse me, miss?” she ventured, her tone edging toward the casual, though her voice carried an undertone of carefully measured respect. “Not to rush you or anything, but we’re kind of in the middle of something here. Thoughts? Opinions? Looming judgments?”

More gasps and shouts erupted behind her, villagers cursing her to the deepest abyss, but the sting of their insults barely registered. Oddly enough, the hatred rolled off her like water. It was a curious shift—being told she was ugly, that she should disappear and die—these were words she’d once feared. Now? They came from people so small she could squash them if she weren’t actively holding back.

Still, the giant's silence stretched on, her gaze burning into Vivienne like a weight. Say something else, or just leave me to stew here forever, Vivienne thought dryly, half-expecting some divine blow from that colossal mace at any second.

Finally, the warrior spoke, her voice as resonant as a distant earthquake. “Thy tongue is sharp for one so small, shadowspawn. Dost thou believe me so easily swayed by honeyed words? Speak plainly, or I shall deem thee no better than the beasts thou art oft compared to.”

Vivienne swallowed hard but refused to falter. “Honeyed… What? The plan was, I swear on whichever god you wish, that we were planning on travelling to the home of my friend here. Maybe find some clothing on the way. I don’t mind her like that but she insists running around naked isn’t her preference.”

The giant tilted her head, her stony features inscrutable beneath her ornate helm. “I see, creature. Mayhap thou art not without merit. Yet boldness alone shall not shield thee from mine judgement.”

Rava finally stepped forward, folding her arms with a grin that was all too casual given the circumstances. “Let’s not get too hasty here. Vivienne might not have the most… polished diplomacy skills, but she’s not wrong. We’re not here to make trouble and yes, I would like some clothing.”

The giant’s gaze swept to Rava, her interest sharpening. “And thou? A beastkin, unchained and unafraid? Most curious. Tell me, warrior, what is thy purpose in this forest?”

Rava’s grin widened, though there was a flicker of something deeper in her eyes—a glint of reverence carefully tucked beneath her humour. “Surviving. Thriving, if I’m lucky. And keeping my friend here from talking her way into becoming a smear on the soil. How am I doing so far?”

The giant’s molten emerald eyes bore down upon her, the weight of eons coiled in her silence. For a brief, charged moment, Rava held her grin, but her hand instinctively brushed at the edge of her gauntlet-less wrist as though remembering the feel of the armour she’d lost.

Then, with a sound like rolling thunder, the giant laughed—a deep, resonant sound that made the leaves quiver and the villagers clutch their torches tighter.

“Thou art bold, beastkin,” the giant rumbled, her mirth rumbling through the clearing. “Bold and wise to tread lightly, yet not cower. Thy jest belies respect. I see thou knowest of my kin.”

Rava’s smile dimmed, just slightly, her tone softening. “I do. My people are protected by the giant of the Tempest, and I’ve tales of what your kind can do. Only a fool would mistake humour for disrespect.”

Vivienne, sensing an opening, tilted her head. “We’re just full of surprises. Speaking of which—any chance you’d let us pass without, you know, any ‘smearing’?”

The giant’s gaze turned back to Vivienne, narrowing slightly. “Perhaps. Yet thou hast not satisfied my curiosity, creature of darkness. Why dost thou wander this forest, where my stones yet linger? Speak plainly, for my patience waneth.”

Vivienne hesitated, stealing a glance at Rava, who gave her a subtle nod. “We’re passing through. Not looking for trouble—honestly, just trying to figure out what’s ahead. That’s it.”

The giant’s expression remained inscrutable behind her mask as she studied them. Finally, she straightened to her full, imposing height. “Very well, strange ones. I shall not strike thee down… for now. Yet mark my words: the path before thee is fraught with peril. Tread carefully, lest thou awaken forces far less forgiving than I.”

With that, the giant turned her gaze to the villagers, her voice hardening. “As for thee, summoners of order, take heed. Thou hast no dominion here. Return to thy homes and let my forest rest, lest ye find thy prayers answered by wrath instead of mercy.”

The villagers wasted no time scattering like startled birds, their chants and torches abandoned in their rush to escape.

Vivienne exhaled slowly, glancing up at the towering figure. “Well, that was... less smearing than I expected.”

Rava chuckled, but her eyes lingered on the giant with quiet respect. “We got lucky. Giants don’t usually bother with warnings.”

The giant, overhearing, gave a slight incline of her head toward Rava before stepping back into the shadows, her massive form blending into the forest as though she had never been there at all.

Vivienne turned to Rava with several sharp grins pointed her way.

“So do all giants talk in circles?”