Steem Monsters Common Card Fantasy Story Contest! // Week 21 // The peaceful giant

Skipped the last week, but I kinda like this guy! So here goes my story for this week's character: peaceful giant!

Flavour text:

High as a small mountain, strong as an army, tough as a rock. I prefer love to violence, but don't test my patience...

The Giant Shield

Another warm day, as I stepped into the sun in that early morning. And, as in the previous 5 days, another Giant Roc high in the sky, flying east.

I smiled, as my winged equivalent crossed the skies. No matter how high it was, it wasn't easy for a 10 meter bird to go unnoticed; as it wasn't easy for a 20 meter giant to blend into the surroundings. And it has been years since the last time I saw Rocs, which probably meant my peaceful life was soon going to be tested again.

My size... my strenght and my weakness. No matter how many times I say that we just want to be left alone, and care for the nature's creatures, there is always someone that wants a new recruit for their army, their band, their party, their war. You'll be fighting in the right side, I heard countless times. You'll have richness beyond measure, all the gold you want, fame and fortune! Giants are big and strong... but there's no evil nor greed in our hearts; fighting is not in our nature. And we couldn't care less about the quarrels of men or beasts.

Or should I say I, instead of we? Truth be told, it's been ages since I saw another one of my brethen.

---

Later that day, as I suspected, Chrytus appeared. The Roc's elder was standing in the ground, next to the entrance of my lair.

I was wondering when you'd show up, I said. And you're wasting your time again. Leave me alone.

How long will you hide among the mountains, Atlas? War is coming, wether you like it or not. I know you don't want to fight... but without your help this time, hope is lost. Evil will enter this land... and the mountains, the nature, all that you hold dear, will come to an end. Help us.

I heard the same last time, and nothing changed. Why should it be different this time?

Chrytus sighed... You're as stubborn as you are big. You will have to choose a side one day... it's up to you if you'll make the decision yourself... or if it is made for you. If I can't convince you, make the journey east, to the fiery peak, and see it for yourself. You'll know where to go... just follow the stench.

And with a sad look, he took off.

His words kept echoing in my head. We had long talks in my younger days, and Chrytus deserved my respect. He only asked for my help once, and at that time I refused. I'll have no part in your wars, I told him. But something was different now; the expression on his face was... strange. And after my last refusal, he vowed never to ask for my help again. So if he came, could something really life-changing be taking place?

I layed to rest that night, but couldn't sleep. Damn Crytus and his war!

So I took my decision. I would travel east, and see with my own eyes what Crytus was talking about. I had no desire to fight, but if my way of life and the nature I holded dear were in peril, I needed to know. And in that same night, I left to the east. It would be at least a 5 day's walk to the peak, even with steps like mine.

Only 3 days of walk, and I could know Chrytus words were right. As the peak grew near, a foul smell that was at first almost undetectable was starting to be more noticeable. Never in my life I sensed something like it, and I couldn't shake the feeling that the stench origin was even worse than the stench itself. And while those thoughts were coming to my mind, I heard the battle cries. Seems I wouldn't need to get to the peak after all!

The noise was coming from a valley not far. Thanks to the rocky formations, I could aproach unnoticed, even with my size. And when I finally got a glimpse to the valley, my heart sunk.

It wasn't a battle.

It was a massacre.

Dozens of kobolds were fighting and trying to escape... a Roc appeared in the skies, and immediatly felt, pierced by the arrows shot from the rear of the raiding party. Corpses, skeletons, strange beasts I never saw before, a small army of the dead swinging their infected blades and pursuing the kobolds. They were trying to reach the forest at the end of the valley, but they were outnumbered by far. No one would escape. No one... unless i intervened.

The words of Chrytus flashed in my mind... You will have to choose a side one day... it's up to you if you'll make the decision yourself... or if it is made for you.

I couldn't stood there and watch innocent miners being slayed. I had to do something. Even if it was just help them escape. And so my decision was made.

---

Heads started to turn as I ran down to the valley from the rocks. I would bet most of them thought giants only existed in legends. The kobolds froze, they probably thought I was a foe; but not the attacking group, as a rain of arrows immediatly flew my way. Little damage they caused me, and in a heartbeat I was near the fleeing miners.

I'm a friend, I told them. Run to the forest, I'll hold them as I can.

And I faced the coming horde.

Leave! I mean you no harm! But the only answer I had were the arrows, and the blades from the nearest ones.

I stomped my fists on the ground, unbalancing most of them, and continued to fall back, as the kobolds were getting nearer their objective. It would be a lot easier to disappear in the forest, and they were so close... I was getting injured, but my size made most of the attacks look like bee stings. Nevertheless, I couldn't stand those blows forever.

Suddenly, the attack stopped. The group froze for a second, and then, almost at the same time, they turned the other way and started to flee.

They finally realised the attack was futile! I thought... but wrong. And as I faced the forest I understood. As the final kobolds made their way into the forest, a Ferexian army was coming the other way. Soon they were swarming the valley, soldiers cladded in iron, fire in their eyes. And moments later, shadows from the skies, as Chrytus and a group of Giant Rocs descended from the skies.

---

Chrytus approached.

Thank you. Those kobolds owe you their lives. Now you had a glimpse of what is coming; those were just a small part of what is coming our way. Will you stay... or will you fight?

And I faced them, Chrytus, the Rocs, the fire soldiers.

Fighting is not for me. I loathe violence. But sometimes, to protect what you love, fighting is what it takes. Or shielding the ones that don't want to fight either.

I nodded my head.

For now, Chrytus... you have an ally.