The long-dreaded invasion of the giants had commenced. The human warriors, their faces resolute and fearless, stood their ground in a valiant effort to fend off the colossal beings that towered above them. Meanwhile, the village's archers, hidden from sight, prepared to unleash a barrage of arrows. Their arrows were coated in the same fiery substance the giants had previously used against them, a daring tactic in the face of such overwhelming odds.
"Hold!" the commander of the archers bellowed, his left hand raised high in the air as he surveyed the battlefield.
On the front lines, Machias and the remaining swordsmen began to fall back, their efforts proving futile against the might of the giants. Seeing their retreat, the ruler of the giants seized the opportunity to mock their desperate efforts.
"Look at them, shaking like cockroaches," the giant leader taunted, his voice filled with scorn. "Feast!"
At the mention of the word, 'feast', the giants erupted in a deafening roar, charging after the humans with ravenous intent.
"Fire!" the archers' commander shouted, his voice ringing out above the chaos. The hidden archers unleashed a torrent of flaming arrows, each one finding its mark among the hulking forms of the giants. Yet, despite the precision of their attack, the giants appeared unscathed, their steps never faltering.
"Fire!" the commander shouted once more, desperation creeping into his voice as the archers loosed another volley. But even as the flaming arrows rained down upon the giants, they continued to advance, their resolve as unwavering as their vast frames.
Amidst the chaos, one of the giants launched itself into the air, soaring high above the battle to descend upon the hidden archers. With terrifying efficiency, the colossal being slaughtered the archers, single-handedly decimating their ranks.
On the ground below, the giants relentlessly pursued the swordsmen, forcing them to hide and regroup as they desperately attempted to devise a new strategy to combat the seemingly invincible foe.
The swordsmen continued their desperate retreat, the thunderous footsteps of the pursuing giants echoing throughout the human camp, sending shivers down their spines. Soon, the humans had vanished from sight, finding refuge in a hidden location. An eerie silence settled over the camp, not a soul in sight.
The giant ruler, his voice tinged with amusement, mused to himself, "Oh? Now they hide, huh? It's only natural that when prey becomes helpless and cowers in fear before its predator, it resorts to survival tactics. Hiding is one such strategy. But it changes nothing, for they cannot hide forever."
Meanwhile, within the swordsmen's hideout, Machias racked his brain for a solution, his eyes shut tight in concentration. Fighting against the giants is futile, he thought. Our attacks are useless against them. There has to be a way to hurt them.
"Machias," called out Nineveh, a fellow swordsman, disrupting his train of thought.
"Yes?" Machias replied, opening his eyes. "What is it?"
"What are you doing?" Nineveh inquired.
"I'm trying to figure something out. Don't bother me!" Machias snapped, his frustration mounting.
"Alright," Nineveh conceded. "But our weapons and attacks are completely useless against them. Only Fredericko has been able to bring down a giant with a sword. He even used a knife to kill one the other day."
"Yeah, right," Machias retorted. "Isn't that because of his mother's magical powers?"
"I guess you're right," Nineveh admitted.
Just then, a sudden realization flooded Machias's mind. Elsa's words echoed in his memory: "When I asked him how he accomplished such a feat, he said that just attacking a lion wouldn't bring it down. He needed to study it and know its weakness. He used this technique to kill a giant the other day."
"Their weakness..." Machias pondered, his eyes widening in shock as the realization sank in.
"Huh? Did you say something?" Nineveh questioned, observing the change in Machias's demeanor.
"Be quiet! I need to concentrate!" Machias ordered, his eyes closing gently as he recalled the day Fredericko had killed a giant and saved their lives in the mountains.
"That's it!" Machias suddenly exclaimed, his eyes snapping open, a triumphant gleam shining within them.
"Huh? What?" Nineveh questioned, his curiosity piqued by Machias's sudden revelation.
"I figured it out," Machias whispered, his fist tightening around the hilt of his sword.
"What did you figure out?" Nineveh pressed, eager to understand the breakthrough that had Machias so invigorated.
"I know the giants' weakness now!" Machias revealed, a sense of victory lacing his words.
"Really? What is it? Tell me," Nineveh insisted, hoping to capitalize on their newfound advantage.
"I'm sorry, but there's no time to explain," Machias said decisively. "Just follow my lead."
Their attention was abruptly drawn to a harrowing scene unfolding before them. A giant had wrapped his massive fist around a young girl, no older than eight, and was preparing to swallow her whole. Machias and Nineveh watched in horror as the child struggled to free herself from the giant's grasp.
"Tsk, I will kill these giants," Machias vowed, a steely determination in his voice. With that, he took off towards the direction of the former archers' position.
Seeing an opening, Machias leapt into the air, his sword aimed at the giant's vulnerable back as the monstrous creature brought the girl to its mouth. Machias landed squarely on the giant's back, his blade piercing its skin. The giant, weakened by the sudden attack, lost its grip on the girl, sending her plummeting towards the ground. In a flash, Nineveh caught the girl in his arms, whisking her away to safety.
The humans, witnessing Machias's heroic act, erupted in celebration, their spirits bolstered by this small victory.
"Your weaknesses are your backs, the area below the neck," Machias shouted triumphantly at the giants, his words fueling the human's jubilation. "Am I wrong, stupid giants?!"
Their celebration, however, was short-lived as the injured giant began to struggle, its hands reaching behind to locate Machias. Shock and confusion gripped the humans and Machias alike, unsure of why the wounded giant refused to fall.
"Why is he not going down?" Machias wondered, his brow furrowed. "My blade pierced his skin. So why?"
Before he could find an answer, another giant seized Machias, its massive hand engulfing him.
A sinister laugh erupted from the giants' ruler, mocking Machias and his efforts. "You thought things would change by figuring out our weakness, huh?" the leader taunted. "But sorry, you're dead wrong." Turning to the giant holding Machias, he commanded, "Brother, eat him! He's all yours."
The giant, its massive hand clutching Machias, brought the struggling human closer to its gaping maw. The onlookers watched in horror as Machias fought desperately to free himself, but to no avail. It seemed that his fate was sealed.
In a sudden flash of black and reddish light, the giant's face was struck with immense force, forcing it to release Machias from its grasp. As Machias began to plummet towards the ground, Fredericko appeared, catching him in his arms with flawless precision.
"Thanks, Fredericko," Machias said, relief flooding his voice as he realized how close he had come to meeting his end.
"I'm always saving your sorry ass," Fredericko teased, a hint of amusement in his tone. "This is the third time I've saved you."
"Why you?" Machias snapped playfully, a small smile playing at his lips, grateful for Fredericko's timely intervention.
The realization that Fredericko had joined the fray instilled a newfound confidence and hope within the people. Their spirits rejuvenated, they began to celebrate the turn of events.
Fredericko gently placed Machias back on the ground, rising to his full height as he prepared to face the giants once more. "Well done, Machias," he commended, acknowledging his comrade's efforts. "You finally figured out their weakness."
"But, Fredericko," Machias complained, his brow furrowed, "it didn't change anything."
"That's because all you did was stab him," Fredericko explained, his voice patient and instructional. "The giants' hard skin isn't their only asset. Their life force is another factor to consider. So, to completely kill them, you don't just stab them. That'll only inflict minimal injuries."
"So, how do we kill them?" Machias inquired, eager to learn from Fredericko's experience.
"Watch and learn," Fredericko replied with a confident grin. In a burst of speed, he glided through the giants' grasping hands, effortlessly avoiding their attacks. Finally, he landed on the back of the very giant that Machias had stabbed earlier.
With all eyes fixed on him, Fredericko took hold of Machias's sword, still lodged in the giant's skin, and sliced through its flesh as if it were paper. The people watched in awe as he removed the blade, and the giant crashed to the ground like a massive felled tree.
"Something like that," Fredericko said, his voice tinged with satisfaction as he handed Machias's sword back to him.
While Fredericko and the warriors engaged in battle, Elsa and Roxanne tended to the wounded. Some had been caught in the blazing fireballs and yet still clung to life, their bodies charred but their spirits unbroken.
Roxanne's gaze drifted towards the battlefield, frustration evident on her face. Damn it, she thought to herself, I wish I could fight by Fredericko's side, but Elsa needs me here. Please, Fredericko, don't die!
Elsa, noticing Roxanne's pained expression, offered her a gentle smile, understanding the internal struggle that weighed heavily upon her heart.
Back at the battlefront, the human warriors readied themselves for another wave of attacks against the giants. The ruler of the giants scrutinized Fredericko, his thoughts churning with unease. Who is he? he pondered, recognizing the shift in momentum since Fredericko's arrival. Ever since he appeared, these insignificant humans have not only gained confidence but have also managed to turn the tide of battle in their favor. I can tell he's dangerous. We must get rid of him quickly.
Fredericko, his mind focused and unwavering, mused to himself, He that dwelleth within the shadows of the Oathkeeper, shall swim in the power that lurks within its shadows. With a fluid motion, he swung the Oathkeeper's Shadow, releasing the same black and reddish light that had previously saved Machias from the giant's clutches.
The brilliant light spread across the battlefield, engulfing 75% of the giants present and snuffing out their lives in one devastating blow. Fredericko then pointed his black blade at the remaining giants and cried out, "Attack!"
Responding to Fredericko's command, the human warriors broke into a chorus of shouts and charged towards the remaining giants, utilizing Fredericko's methods to fell each colossal foe. With their numbers significantly reduced, the human warriors worked together to bring down every last giant, leaving only their ruler standing.
Surrounded by human warriors, the giant ruler found himself cornered and vastly outnumbered. He scanned the circle of enemies, uncertainty clouding his gaze.
Fredericko called out, his voice taunting, "Hey, you're the only one left, aren't you? How should we kill you?"
The giant ruler, his fate sealed, knelt down, his eyes closing in what appeared to be resignation.
"What is he doing?" Nineveh questioned, exchanging confused glances with his fellow warriors.
"Perhaps he's given up," Max, another swordsman, mocked, a note of disbelief in his voice.
In a sudden, explosive movement, the giant ruler stood, his eyes wide open and ablaze with fury. With a ferocious roar, he unleashed beams from his horns, decimating the landscape and reducing it to a scene of utter devastation.
"Beams?" Machias exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief as he watched the display of power.
The giant ruler unleashed another destructive beam from his horn, and the circle of human warriors scattered like a pack of cards, desperately seeking safety amidst the chaos that had engulfed the battlefield.