.^^ Elder Storm Giant ^^

— Cassidy —

The rooftop approached faster than it should have, because of the effect of my flight crystals, and my staff formed a warhammer out of blazing Crystal. The flames were so hot that the air around them ignited, creating a meteor-tail and corona of fire around the thick hammerhead. The three men and one naked woman looked up, in response to the bright falling star heading towards them, the wrathful meteor that was streaming down towards them at insane speeds.

The one who had brought the woman up was the first to die, the hammer smiting his entire chest from existence. My flight crystals creaked dangerously, as I redirected my downward velocity into a quick corner towards the two other enemies, the hammer crashing into another one of their chests, while my knees were crashing into his companion's abdomen and stomach hard enough for both of them to die without even a bark of alarm.

I calmed myself partially, and pulled a normal cloak out of my bag, wrapping the shaking girl in it. She flinched, nearly falling off the roof, but I caught her, and set her on her feet.

The Finch landed next to us, a few seconds later, and I pushed the girl into the craft swiftly, hearing more enemies respond to my cacophonous landing. Sandy gently directed the girl into the trap door, and therefore into the Vault, where the dwarves would take her and the others to New Chalet, for now.

The Finch sat still as the trap door opened, but as the pirate exited, holding his sword to another naked woman's throat, the Finch reached a talon out, unseen, (as it was still invisible,) and snapped the sword in two, snatching the woman gently and depositing her in the interior, where Kiri directed her into the Trap Door.

The pirate balked, not even having said anything yet, as the bladed half of my warhammer/Axe took his head off. I removed the other heads of the Pirates, as their deaths needed to be confirmed, and dropped them into the freezer. "Well, they know we're here. Sorry." I frowned.

Sandy shook her head. "I totally understand. Kiri, Iris, you will go to another tower, and when they've all come to deal with us, you'll send the girls in each tower through the Door, then move to the next. Don't worry about killing any of the enemies, keep yourselves hidden. The girls are your objective, clear?" She barked, snapping their attention to her.

They nodded, and the Finch's beak opened, breathing a bolt of lightning into the chest of the pirate who had charged out of the trapdoor, roaring a challenge. I raised an eyebrow, feeling my normal detached state of mind return, as it usually did durning Combat. "I thought you said that didn't have any offensive capabilities?" I asked accusingly.

Sariel, barely visible in the cockpit, grinned savagely. "I lied." Another bolt of lightning crisped the next pirate who was attempting to exit the trap door. "I didn't want it to be used as a tool of war... but honestly, at the moment I'm feeling Rather Vexed!" He snarled as the Finch began tearing holes in the roof, causing panic inside.

"Hold up there, bronco, there's still hostages inside." I said dryly, as the passengers climbed down from the bird. "Glade, you're with the Girls; Sandy, Karon, and I will manage the pirates." They nodded, then the druidlings and Karon made their way across the covered top of one of the bridges, into the northern tower.

"Shall we?" Sandy asked, twirling her staff and turning into a golden sand elemental.

"Ooh, shiny." I smiled appreciatively, and leapt down the ladder. When I stepped into the room below the trap door, the Shield Talisman embedded in my body activated, and a glowing shield moved autonomously to intercept three different crossbow bolts, and two spears glanced off of it before it faded. It was powerful against singular attacks, but a continuous barrage would tire it out, and leave me open.

I leapt forward with the speed of a snake, and brained one man, then embedded the sharp end of the weapon into the skull of another, moving past them before they even had a chance to fall to the ground.

Karon dropped into the room through one of the holes that Sariel had ripped into the roof, clad in her familiar Half-Tiger skin, but with a new weapon. Or rather, the same bow, but it was unstrung, and the ends were covered in sharp blades, which she used to rip into a small group of people standing in front of a large cage, where several girls were held.

I directed Sandy to assist her, because the girls were most important, and looked at the massive man sitting in the throne casually, on the other side of the room. He was about 25ft tall, from my rough estimates, and his skin was a dark blue-grey, with white and light-blue lightning-patterns playing over his skin like glowing tattoos.

"A Storm Giant, Huh? And an Elder, at that! To think, someone like you would be a Pirate." I tsk'ed, and my eyes counted the several dozen smaller Storm Giants, each about 15ft tall, surrounded by the dozens of human pirates, some wearing scavenged Elven armor, from the women soldiers who'd been stationed here, and were currently chained up, naked, inside the cages and around the throne.

The giant chuckled loudly, and tossed the woman he'd been holding in his lap aside carelessly. "A Pirate? Perhaps we could be called that... my People take what we want, and the Weak do complain, from time to time... but this was a good battle, and there are much spoils. Strong-willed, these women. Good for strong children." He hummed, seeming to be thinking seriously on the matter.

The number of Giants was too many. Just one, I could handle. But this... the Queen hadn't mentioned Giants. These were supposed to be ordinary Pirates. This smelled like a trap. I hated betrayal.

Thinking fast, I smirked, and then laughed. "So, a Storm Giant, Hmm? Alright, then you might be a worthy opponent for me! I've heard that your kind never turn down a Challenge, because it offends your gods, is that true?" I bluffed like there was no tomorrow.

The Giant hummed, and stood, picking up a massive crystal spear, which immediately began crackling with electricity. "That is true. My name is Fell, Lord of this Fulminate. As you say, I am an Elder Giant. And who are you, small one?" He asked casually, as the Giants moved to the edges of the room, ignoring Karon, who was busily taking the girls up the stairs.

Once they were all gone, I replied. "I am called Sir Cassidy Skøll, the Storm Queen of the Golden Coast! I've never fought a Giant before, but you can't be more challenging than a Magma Bear Matron and an Elder Fire Dragon, whom I captured alive, and at the same time!" I postured shamelessly, trying to keep his interest.

He grinned slowly, as the Giants around us began roaring in support. "A Dragon-Slayer? Truly good fortune smiled upon us today, Mine Brood!!! I'VE DECIDED, YOU, STORM QUEEN, SHALL BE MY WIFE!!!" He cheered, and pointed his spear at me.

Sandy paused, and slowly turned towards him, her form flickering. 'What?'

I laughed, and shook my head. "Should you be capable of defeating me, I will be dead, and you will not marry a Corpse. No, I will simply take your place as Lord of your Brood! Your head will decorate the halls of my castle, along with the Heads the Elder Red Dragon and the Elder Black Dragon I have already conquered!" I boasted, gathering all the heat in the room subtly.

His breath fogged, and then I realized my mistake as the fog began emitting electricity. "Good! Spirit is necessary, to birth Storm Giant Offspring! Now ATTACK!!!" He roared, and swung his spear, the spike of electricity spreading ozone in its wake.

I grinned, and braced myself, catching the spike to my shield, which canceled much of its momentum, then I caught the rest to my chest, wrapping my arms around the weapon, and ripping all of its lightning out, absorbing it as raw heat. The giants and Karon both hissed in surprise, seeing me catch his attack, even with the level of effort it took.

He yanked the spear back, bringing me with it, and I released at the perfect time, flying toward his face with his weapon's momentum and also my flight crystals. As he stared at me in shock, my hammer filled itself with his lightning, turned into raw fire, and I slammed the hammer into his forehead with all of my abominable strength.

He lurched back, his forehead dented, his face scorched, and now bleeding purplish blood that sparked with lightning. As he fell back towards the throne, his spear re-ignited with lightning, and swatted at me again.

I repeated the act of absorbing the lightning, and then landed on his chest, absorbing it directly. When his entire body was devoid of lightning, I released it again as fire, bathing the room in fire so hot that the stones began to melt around us. The human pirates were turned to Ashe, while the Storm Giants looked scorched, but weren't dead, unfortunately.

"Had ye focused that attack more directly at my heart... that would have surely killed me. You have my Respect, and you surely deserve the Title of Storm Queen! But you will be MY queen!" The Elder Giant rumbled, and then his massive hands gripped my chest, as he stood up, and squeezed me tightly, trying to crush me.

I grinned, flexing and slowly opening his hands, then stealing his body heat as well, until he was so cold that his fingers shattered. "Take some Solace from the fact that you Die the way you lived, Elder of the Storm Lord's. Basking in the Sky!" I snarled, and Sandy snagged the scorched Karon, covering her in her sand body as I sent targeted flames at the support columns for the roof, collapsing it away from us, and leaving the Throne room open to the sky.

As the sky was revealed, my hammer crashed into his temple, and he was pushed backwards, slumping in the Throne. His body was slowly, but completely, encased in ice; his eyes had their light under the film of crystal, staring up at the clouds.

It seemed too good an end, too beautiful, for a being like this creature, that did the things he had done, but I supposed that from his perspective, taking what he wanted wasn't an 'Evil' thing. He was simply doing as he had always done, what his people had always done. The human pirates, though, they were soulless scum that I would take great pleasure in completely obliterating.

The gathered giants gasped, and then when I turned to them, floating slowly down to float just above them, they knelt reluctantly. "We, the Storm Giants, will submit to your rule, Storm Queen... for now." One of them spoke, and the rest nodded.

I touched up the massive crystal spear that the Elder Giant had been using, and flinched when it melted, and my skin and body accepted the new magical item casually. I sighed and plucked off the crown he'd worn, sitting next to him on the throne's arm. It was a utilitarian golden circlet that kept his long white hair back admirably. It shrank slowly, to my size, and I put it on, grinning when it didn't get absorbed.

They flinched, apparently not expecting that, and bowed their heads again. "If the Tempest Crown accepts you, then we will follow its wisdom, as we always have." The same speaker nodded.

I nodded. "Good. First, find the rest of the human pirates you brought here, and bring them to me. And bring me the rest of the survivors of your raid of this place, unharmed." I commanded calmly.

They stood and walked into the five different hallways, dragging a few dozen humans in and then the Elven women who had once been soldiers and servants here. I gave the women to Sandy, then locked the men in chains that the Dwarves from the vault provided me. They dragged them into the bigger Vault, and tasked a few Duergar to watching them, then I helped them move the giant sculpture into the freezer as well, because it might be useful at a later date.

I nodded, when that was done, and then looked at the surrounding Giants. "As for you all... you will obey my Laws, and serve the rest of your lives hunting down the Pirates who trouble these waters, earning for yourselves glory and spoils. Understood?" I asked.

They grinned and cheered, amused with the prospect of glory and spoils... though I would have to explain to them what types of spoils were allowed. I noticed that only two or three of them, the tallest ones, had a spark of true intelligence in their eyes, and the tallest had been the one who spoke for the group.

I called him over, and hummed. "I notice that you and only one or two others of your fellows are... entirely sapient. You seem to have a working brain, however."

He chuckled. "We are a Warlike Race, not known for our Scholars, that much is true. The Eldest of us, we have regained with age that which we lost when we came of age; that is, clarity of Mind and depth of Thought. We recognize the dangers incumbent in persecuting or enslaving smaller races; in that they, like ants, revolt when their colony is attacked."

I resisted the urge to raise my eyebrow slowly, but lost the battle.

He laughed. "Indeed, Lord Fell was a rare example of those whose age brings them a different gift. The gift that gives them amazing strength and size, evolving you might say, into a True Giant, but only gaining a small portion of the advanced thought that the others of the Elder's have managed."

"I see... well, you and your fellow elders understand the Laws I was speaking of, then. Taking women as sex-toys or Spoils is completely not allowed. Taking enemies prisoner, and putting them to work in the Mines, that is different, and it is allowed, even encouraged." I nodded.

He frowned, confused. "The Mine? What use will that come to?"

"Simple. Introducing it as a Challenge will allow you to evaluate the skill and obedience of your men, and if you reward the members who bring back living enemies, pretty soon my mine will be producing a proper take. I will pay you in Silver and Gemstones, for what you pull out of that mountain." I explained, pointing at the now-visible fake volcano less than a quarter of a mile away, which was, according to Sandy, a Platinum Mine that had been discovered just before the invasion, so it had barely been mined.

He blinked, looking at it, and grinned. "And those that disobey will crack the earth with the prisoners, driving progress even further... and we will enjoy the Silver and Gemstones. Giant's are incorrigible Hoarders of shiny things."

I smiled. "That's fine, so long as you make sure that anything truly valuable is given to me. Platinum, Gold, and magical items are my main concern."

He nodded. "That can be managed. I believe we will be good Business Partners, you and I, Lady Skøll."

I chuckled. "Indeed. Your name?"

"I am Gall, Elder Brother to Fell." He shrugged it off, and then barked a few words in the giant tongue, sending a few of the smaller Giants off running. They returned, one by one, dragging massive sacks of spoils, then left again, and the process continued.

Sandy and Karon began pushing the piles into the Vault, at my direction, and just like with the Hoard from the Ruined tower, the Vault was nearly filled, though this time we warned the Dwarves, so they didn't get drowned in gold this time. While they were doing that, I placed a Door on the back of the Throne, so I could get here from anywhere, in the blink of an Eye.

The last portion of the Hoard turned out to be in the Bay just below us, down the valley, and it was in the form of three massive ships, each sized for Giants, obviously, and equipped with scavenging equipment, as well as dozens of Giant-Sized ballista, with 12ft long javelins for ammunition. Scattered between them, obviously smaller but no less impressive, was  nearly fifty more Military-Class vessels in various levels of disrepair, as well as a few dozen smaller, clearly merchant vessels, which looked pretty down-trodden.

I whistled softly. "Looks like I found the start for the Northern Territory's Navy." I said slowly.

Sandy nodded. "Yeah, that is actually pretty impressive. We should get a few dozen boat-builders here to get to work on those."

"And we will, but first we go see your mother. You can't fool me, I should recognize your procrastination by now." I smirked at her groan of annoyance, and then kissed her cheek, pulling her along towards the Finch, which was nearby on the ruins of one of the remaining walls of the tower I'd melted open.

"Tommy is going to be so pissed that she missed the first tower getting destroyed." Glade laughed suddenly, as we all loaded into the Finch.

I groaned. "Shit, you're right... votes for just not telling her and hoping for the best?" I asked, raising my hand.

Iris raised her hand, and then put it down at Sandy's glare. "Sorry, the other twin scares me when she's angry. She can immolate a City with the snap of a finger!!!" She muttered.

Kiri shivered. "Yeah... too right. Sunderer is a good name for her."

"And Storm Queen for you? Where'd that come from?" Sandy asked, as the Finch took off towards New Chalet.

I grinned guiltily. "I kinda made it up on the fly, but they liked it, and I guess it's sorta fitting, now? To tell you the truth, it used to be my Gamer Tag in Halo, when I played while I was deployed, 'XXXStorm_QueenXXX'..." I blushed at their incredulous stares, and cleared my throat, looking out the window at nothing. I was happy at least that Tommy hadn't been here to learn that tidbit. I'd never hear the end of it, otherwise. Ever.