^^ Chief Petrie ^^

--- Dimitri ---

My hammer fell upon metal a little softer than most other hammers in the village. It always had. My father always told me that it was because my mother was a human Blacksmith, and that meant I had the Human Creativity in spades, and the Giant's Strength was lessened, but not completely forgotten.

Being from a Blacksmith Clan meant that my strength was constantly increasing, and on par with almost everyone else's, even overtaking most my age, because of my dedication to improving myself.

I accepted that my heritage was the cause of my deficiencies as his word, as was my duty as his son, and ignored the fact that most of my brothers' shoulders reached my head, and some even further beyond that. Size wasn't what made a Giant great, after all. It was his actions, his skills.

I was named different things as my skills became known. 'Dimitri the Dwarf', was the favorite, even amongst those who didn't hate me. Dwarves were known as the only smiths who could hold a candle to our prowess as Craftsman, but they were tiny. It fit me, I think, and so I didn't hate the name.

Though my hammer fell softer, I was the best smith in the village. Because of my heritage, I was able to think curiously, and solve certain problems that others couldn't even begin to comprehend, and that was well known amongst my village, and even beyond.

I built intricate works, (though it took me longer to shape metal than the others,) answering the needs of the village, and then the Council, and finally working on my own projects, on my own time.

Another gift of my Heritage was Magic, in a small way. I was able to heal my own wounds very quickly, call lightning, and finally create Golems and Homunculi, but not much else, though I'd found many uses for those gifts.

I tightened a small gear, and then leaned back, wiping sweat from my brow, and grinned.
"Awaken, Icarus, Mine Creation,
and receive thine Invitation,
Join me in this place of fire and Metal,
Serve me, and prove your Mettle..."

"You sound like an Earth Giant." Father grunted.

"And is that so bad?" I chuckled, and then gave the tiny bird homunculus a spark of life, and it shuddered, then hopped up.

He quirked his skull at me curiously, then squeaked in terror. I turned, humming, and a brother gripped the bird suddenly. "What's this? Dinner? Naw, is made of metal, it is! What's this?" He growled, annoyed at me for some stupid reason.

I broke his wrist calmly with a twist of his hand, ignoring his scream of pain, and pulled the small dented bird out of his palm. "Mine, is what it is. And it's not food, you idiot. Go find a tree to ram your head into, you stupid child!" I growled at him, raising my hammer threateningly.

He yelped and stumbled out as I tsk'ed. "Damn... sorry, Icarus, he's dented your flight feathers." I sighed and started gently fixing them.

"Dimitri? Did ye just break Tanke's hammering hand?" My father grumbled from his forge, unconcerned.

"Yes." I answered honestly.

"Hmph..." he shook his head and went back to hammering out a Silver Plate for something.

I fixed the last feather, and then nodded. "Alright, Icarus! Now Fly!" I grinned.

He chirped cheerfully, and leapt into the air, flying around in a circle, then landing in the rafters. I whistled gently, and he darted out of the rafters, landing on my shoulder.

"Hand with this?" Father asked, leaning on his metal sheets, all 400 of them.

I nodded and grabbed the other side, hauling with him as we moved them into the smelter. "You just hammered these! Why are they going into the Smelter?" I asked him.

"Because I don't have any current jobs, and it's good for the metal to be purified so often!" He laughed, and pushed the pile in, then closed and latched the door shut.

I shrugged and nodded, then sat back down, putting the final touches on Icarus's second half, Iris. She was a female Sparrow, so she was a bit bigger, and less ornamented.

I breathed a spark of life into her, then released her. "There, Iris. Join your lover!"

She chirped sharply, and then leapt into the rafters, inspecting him critically. He passed her test, and she chirped authoritatively at him.

I laughed as he flitted about, gathering scraps of metal to build a nest in the rafters, while she watched sharply, correcting and rebuffing him repeatedly about the tiniest of details.

Father huffed. "Women..." he grumbled, and then started hammering steel again.

I shrugged and got back to work with my  next set of Birds.

As I looked at the plans, I hummed at a small glitch, then tsk'ed, just as Icarus fell from the rafters, along with Iris, a few moments afterwards.

I gathered them, and their scrap metal nest, then disassembled them.

The plans were fundamentally flawed, because I'd misjudged the amount of power they'd require for sustained life, so I scrapped them, marking them as 'failed', and placing them with my other failed plans, in a locked chest.

New plans came to life under my fingertips, drawing themselves as I ignited the tips of my fingers, and gently charred the surface of the wooden slab I was writing on.

I used Elvish Runes, in Giant Language, with Human grammar rules, a code only I knew as easily as breathing, and described my latest idea.

These Homunculi lived on Electricity, as all beings, but my new version would create its own, as all living beings did, though through very different fuel. Magnetic metals produced heat and lightning when moved around each other and connected by a porous metal, such as Wolfram (tungsten), and Silver.

I created a small generator that was powered by a crank, then built a tiny humanoid Homunculi, with a lamp for a head, and all the facilities necessary to follow orders.

Then I breathed life into him, and grinned as he blinked slowly, then snapped to attention, saluting. "Are you fully charged, Lumen?" I asked him softly.

He cranked the small turn key on the back of his head, and then gave me a thumb-up.

"Good. Shine a light on my work, then, Lumen, would you be so kind?" I asked cordially.

He nodded and shone his light onto my plywood, as I continued, having solved the problem of power.

---

Different metals react differently to lightning. It's a change that's designable, because if you know exactly how each metal responds, you could mix the metals to elicit the correct response, and then use that metallic mixture for any number of things.

Homunculi, for example. I always used Silver and Wolfram for my Homunculi, because that was a set of metals that works well together. Silver is less reactive than Wolfram, but Wolfram makes for good illumination, and transfers Electricity into Heat and Light.

Therefore, the use of the two in unison could, theoretically, produce the same effect as the Internal Nervous System of Mammals.

I took that a step further, and used mixtures and amalgamations of these metals for different organs that were necessary, or the skin and fur/feathers of my more life-like designs.

I made bones, and other perfectly solid features, out of Carbon-Steel, and the more malleable parts, such as Ligaments and Muscles, out of hair-thin strands of gold, attached to basic pulleys controlled with cranks by the internal systems according to the Homunculi's demands.

Once I'd perfected the designs, I began cuttings and boiling metals, creating my mixtures.

---

The giant falcon in front of me now was exactly my height, at 24 hands, with a wingspan that extended 60 hands. (3hands=1ft) His outer skin was made of pure silver, embedded with Wolfram Feathers, which would glow when electrocuted, but an easy spell kept the heat from escaping unintentionally, increasing his efficiency.

He was perfect... but unfinished. I did not yet breath life into him, and instead disassembled him, after cataloguing his exact specifications, and reassembled him as a Small, and therefore very dense, cat.

The quills from the tungsten feathers were inside, reshaped as extra muscles, for speed, power, and agility, and the tines were fur, finely layered. This was a stealthy animal.

(^without fur^)

Again, upon finishing, I catalogued, and then disassembled, creating a Wolf, whose main function was his nose, claws, and jaws, as well as running speed. The tines of the feathers were used for fur again, but braided, coarser, built like armor. This would be a WarWolf.

(^Again, Without Fur^)

Each of them had the ability to release massive amounts of electricity as a form of self defense, (or attack,) but I needed a special one, now...

I grinned at the thought of a Spider... Paralytic venom, which I could concoct easily enough, and the ability to spin webs with the proper structure and stickiness for catching large prey... like humans, or small Giants.

I made sure to make a note to give the Spider the ability to measure its prey's mass, and administer the proper dosage for the amount of paralysis and unconsciousness I wanted, as well as the Antivenin.

Webbing was next. A small part of the thorax would be dedicated to using random metals, mixed with the right concentration of water and tree sap, which I would task it with keeping an organ full of, just like normal webbing spiders, to create sticky webbing.

The final piece was the Carapace, which I decided should be frightening. This spider would be primarily used to instill fear into my enemies, after all, so I designed its outward appearance to be horrifying.

Finally, I disassembled the creature, (even bigger than the Eagle, with the spread legs, though the thorax and abdomen were about the same size,) again, and gathered everything into a single Puzzle Sphere, which would unlock and turn into the corresponding animal upon the code by which it was unlocked.

I made sure there was a massively complex system of code, written Runes in every single language I knew, but a simple combination, naming the animal in the same number of letters, Six. Feline, Canine, Falcon, and Spider.

The sphere would fold and shrink itself into a hand-sized ball, which would weigh basically nothing, and follow the orders of whoever opened it, unless that directly interfered with my main order, which were simply to never harm the Creator or activator, (me or whoever opened it with my blessing).

The action of twisting the ball's layers would rub the magnets against one another, and charge it, while the button sequence would tell it which form to take.

It developed a rudimentary psychic connection with its owner, to better allow for orders to pass between them without a language barrier.

I set about following my own instructions, using a detailing hammer and magic.

---

I held up the finished product to a light, and nodded. "Finished..." I turned the system six times, and then used the code for Canine, rolling it along the ground.

It unrolled, then built itself up from the parts in a single second, and cocked its head at me. 'Yes, Master?' It asked.

I grinned. 'Well done, Chimera, now return to a Ball.' I held out a hand.

It rolled itself back up, and un-spun the rings in a random sequence. I nodded and stuck it in my pocket, grinning.

---

I set down my carving tools, and blew dust out of the cuts in the surface of the RuneStone. "And that, should fix that." I tossed the stone up to the giant who'd brought it in, and grinned.

He chuckled and nodded, slipping it into his shirt. "Thanks, Dimitri! Was at a bit of a loss, there!! Me lucky stones all damaged an' all! Say, when'll ye be takin yer Rites, eh? Yer about 20 years old, eh?" He scratched his beard.

I nodded. "Soon, Ymitros, soon. When the Chief says so."

He nodded. "Aye, when the Chief says so."

The door slammed open, and I sighed. "Speak of demons and so they shall appear..." I murmured.

"What's that, boy?" Chief Petrie snapped.

"Welcome to my home, Chief, my father is in the main forge." I skipped answering.

"Not here for him..." he scratched his full silver beard thoughtfully. "Yer grown, boy, that's clear. Ye'll grow no more, and I've been kind, waited for ye to get a growth spurt of some sort... but this is as big as ye'll get, I think. So it's time you became a man, eh?"

I stood up and nodded. "Yes, Chief."

Father entered the room, setting his hammer on the table. "Has 'e done somefin', Chief?"

"No, no, I'm here about his Rites." He waved a hand.

Father nodded. "Aye, 'tis High Time, I'd say. What'll his Rite be? Not combat, surely." He growled.

The chief chuckled. "Firstly: I'm not a moron. Secondly: you underestimate your son. He's a warrior in his own right, capable of defeating Tanke easily."

"What of it? The simpleton can't even swing a hammer or read a word in any language!" Father scoffed.

Chief Petrie nodded. "Aye, that's true... but while that boy is a simpleton, he's the strongest of his brood by a fathom. Your son, half his size, overpowers him, time and again."

Father hummed, nodding. "True... as a Blacksmith, and a damned good one, he is strong... but still, he'd be fighting a Warrior, not some bulky idiot child-"

"That's enough, Wyler. He may very well receive a Trial by Combat. But honestly, I want to see him go to the Human World and bring us back something new... and that'll be my vote." The Chief said sternly.

I looked at Father. "The Human World? I almost prefer the Combat!" I chuckled. "And by New... what do you mean? Science?"

"Perhaps. Something the Giant Clans would need. Better steel, purer Gold, new methods and techniques... who knows, maybe the Council will ask for something specific. Now let's go, boy. Your manhood awaits." He strode out.

Ymitros laughed and clapped my back. "Good luck, boy."

I nodded and whistled for my Sphere, and it darted into my pocket as a small spider, then rolled itself up, walking out the door of my home.

---

I followed the chief for about an hour, through the winding streets of the Giant City. Our village was only one of 48, (previously 50,) surrounding the City and acting as Vanguard and Stonewall to any attacks by outside forces.

The inner City was almost all elderly Giants who couldn't fight any longer, but could still ply trade with the best of us through benefit of experience, or the children, too small to go into the Villages.

Those who were old, but could still fight, were normally Chiefs, such as Chief Petrie, (who was entering his 200th year,) as their skills and knowledge were invaluable when commanding the Armies of the Giant-kin.

The city also housed the Council of Elders, or simply 'The Council', our Democratic leadership that was comprised of the eldest or wisest of our people's, from various backgrounds and Clans, (to make sure there was variety and everyone was represented,) and the position was not hereditary. One must earn a seat at the High Table, and be voted in at the yearly Moot.

The City was a Democracy, and each Village was a Tribal Setting, as we were, first and Foremost, Warriors. Secondarily, we were Craftsmen, though any giant that was without a Craft was considered... incomplete.

Soon, we reached the Arcanum, a Giant library, built and rebuilt a thousand times, in a thousand decades, that housed the main copy of the history of our people, and all our literature, (with other copies constantly being scattered around the Realms to ensure the survival of our people's history in any situation,) and also the Council Chamber.

As we approached, two guards, impressive in size even for Giants, at around 45Hands tall, blocked our path with spears as big as trees.

"Ahh, they must be in session." Chief Petrie chuckled.

"Please state your business and intent within the Arcanum during Session, Chief Petrie." One asked respectfully.

"I believe it is time for one of my own to take his Rites." He said simply.

They looked at me, then shrugged. "As you wish, Chief. You may pass, and address the Council. Your boy stays until summoned."

"I am aware of protocol, boy, do not lecture me!" He snapped impatiently, then looked at me. "Stay here until I call you. I will speak on your behalf. Do not speak unless asked a direct question. Understood?"

I nodded. "Aye, Chief."

He nodded and stepped into the doorway, squaring his shoulders, then pushed open the doors, walking inside.

I stood for about two minutes before one of the guards asked me a question. "So you're Dimitri the Dwarf, yeah?" He looked down, then went back to scanning the horizon for any threats.

I nodded. "That I am."

"I thought you were an actual dwarf, before... but I get the, uh... the name. Makes sense now." He cleared his throat.

"Yes, it does. This is why I do not contest the name." I sighed.

"But you are a great smith, they say. That you may become one of the Council when you are Old." He hummed.

"That is for the People to decide, not me." I shook my head.

His partner chuckled. "Spoken like a true Politician."

I laughed. "I suppose you're right. I'm more of a Merchant, though, than a Politician. I've a Silver Tongue, or so I'm told."

The left Giant nodded. "That could be useful, as an Elder. Too bad you'll have to wait a Century, eh?"

I grinned. "Nah, that's a Century of Exploring for me! I'd happily wait the time out."

"Well, at least you know what you want." The right Giant nodded.

"Dimitri!" Chief Petrie called, opening the door.

"Good luck, Dimitri the Dwarf." The guards nodded individually.

"Thanks." I grinned, and stepped inside, following the Chief.