Sizeran chapter 1

Alicila ran her hands through the crystal water as the sun began to set, turning the normal blue water into beautiful gold. She then lifted her cupped hands and drank some of the precious liquid. “Ahh.” She looked around the surrounding forests as the birds jumped from tree to the next, singing to each other. “It is lovely out tonight. I love the way the conifers look at this time of day.” She smiled and twirled her dark bangs. “Their needles really dance in the evening light.”

Suddenly a massive foot slammed down into the small lake, sending a small tidal wave over Alicila. “Hey.” She winced as the enormous wave knocked her to the ground; a massive figure laughed at her from above.

“I got you. You should see your face right now.”

Alicila wiped the sand and rock off of her vest. “What the heck is wrong with you, Cassandra.”

The giant figure knelt down. “Hey, I was just having some fun. Besides, if you have an issue with it, you should change size and do something about it.” She used her finger to push Alicila. “You don’t have to stay so small all the time, you know.”

Alicila rolled her eyes and turned around. “I don’t really see the point of being that tall all the time, Cassandra.”

Cassandra picked Alicila up. “And why not?” She narrowed her green eyes. “We are Sizeran’s. We can be whatever size we want to be when we want to.” She shrugged. “Or well, almost. It isn’t like we can outgrow this island or reach hundreds of feet tall.” She blew her blonde bangs to the side. “But still, why do you just want to be only a few feet tall. It’s boring.”

“Because I can see everything. The ripples in the water. The birds singing. Every induvial needle on the pine trees.” Alicila sighed. “You don’t have to constantly change in size to have fun.”

“The others are right. You are weird.”

The ground suddenly trembled, and a towering woman almost double the size of Cassandra approached them. Cassandra gulped and turned her head. “Katrine. I was just, umm, playing with your daughter.” She patted Alicila on her head with her finger. “How are you doing?”

The giant woman peered down at the pair. “What are you two doing out here.” She knelt down. “Cassandra, honey. Shouldn’t you be home? Your parents are worried sick.”

“I umm. . .” She sighed. “I’m sorry, but I was looking for Alicila. You know. Your daughter and all.”

Katrine raised an eyebrow. “Likely story, young one.” She slowly shrank down to match Cassandra in size. “Now rush home.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Cassandra set Alicila on the ground. “See you tomorrow.” She smirked and ran off, squeezing through the trees.

Katrine sighed and looked down at Alicila. “Your father and I have been looking all over for you.” She held out her hand so Alicila could step on it. “It is almost nightfall.”

“I was just trying to enjoy the sunset.” She sighed as she was raised into the air. “I didn’t mean to worry everyone.”

Katrine shook her head and blinked her gigantic green eyes. “My daughter. My gentle, loving soul. You know we don’t want you wandering the isle at night. Especially since you refuse to grow more than thirty feet.” She sighed. “With the predators that come out at night—

“I know. I could be in serious danger on my own.”

Katrine turned around and started to walk inland. “Our people rely on our ability to change in size to stay safe. We have tried to tell you that over and over again as you have grown. Hugh. But you are stubborn as the Dorox. I don’t know why you insist on being so small all the time.”

She crossed her arms. “The land has so many wonderful things to see. I want to explore and see them. Not tower over them and miss them.”

Katrine smiled as they approached the village, a collection of huts, all different sizes for each Sizeran family that called the island home. “My daughter, there will be a day when you will realize that you can’t just hide in the bushes.” She rubbed Alicila with her finger. “You will embrace your inner giantess self. It is deep inside, running in your blood.”

“I doubt that highly.”

Katrine smiled. “You just have to give it time, my love.” She pushed a massive oak door open and entered into their home. “And find the reason to grow to your new limits. I know you have it in you.”

“It’s about time you two came home.” Ivonok tapped his hand on the thirty-foot table, his hazel eyes narrowed at Katrine. “Put Alicila in her room. We have to talk.”

“What is wrong? Whatever is the matter, she is old enough to hear this.”

He slammed his hand down onto the table. Alicila could see the sun radiating off of his bald head, casting an eerie light across the wooden room. “We need not concern her. Now do it. I don’t care how old she is. This does not concern someone who is afraid of being a true Sizeran.” He looked down at her. “You are twenty years of age, and still you cannot accept truly changing in size. So, to your room with you.”

Alicila looked down at her mother’s palm. “I umm. I am sorry, father.”

Katrine gently clenched her palm around Alicila. “This is absurd. I am not. . .”

Ivonok’s eyes flared with rage. “If you won’t do this, I will.” He grew twenty feet to tower over her. “This isn’t for discussion.”

Before Katrine could react, he ripped Alicila out of her grasp. Alicila pounded at her father’s gigantic palms, but it was no use. He stormed towards her room, almost ten times her size, and dropped her onto her bed, a bed which had been made to fit her if she had been willing to grow almost fifty feet tall. “Stay here until we are done talking.” He shrank back down and walked out of the room, slamming the door. Bits of wood fell from the ceiling, landing on Alicila’s head.

“What is going on?” She shoved the bits of timber off of her body. “I haven’t seen my father so upset since he learned that I wasn’t willing to participate in our family’s heritage.” She grabbed onto one of the bed posts and slid down. “I need to know what is going on.” She ran across the room. “I will just slide under the door like I usually do. Unlike my Sizeran brothers and sisters, I am more willing to shrink myself.”

Her eyes widened as she noticed the space underneath her doorway was blocked. “No.” She ran up and ran her hands along it, feeling the cold metal. “Dammit.” She slammed her hands on it. “He must really not want me to know what is going on.” She took a deep breath. “But why?”

Alicila could hear muffled voices through the door. She pressed her ear against the wood and listened.

“You are too harsh on Alicila back there, Ivonok.”

“Get over it, Katrine. We have bigger issues.”

“Like what? What could be more important than almost crushing your own daughter in your fist?”

“While I was out having fun with some of the others, we spotted something strange. It looked like a flying boat land on the southern part of the isle.”

“That is insane. Boats can’t fly.”

“I saw it with my own eyes, Katrine. It was flying higher than any of us can grow. Damn thing landed in Crystal fall glade, and some strange-looking people walked off of it.”

“Other Sizerans?”

“Not that I know of. Unless they all like to be even smaller than Alicila.” He paused. “No, I don’t think these people were Sizeran’s. I don’t know who or what they are.”

Katrine gasped. “What are they doing here?”

“That is what me and some of the others aim to find out tomorrow. I want you to keep Alicila here until we know just what is going on. Do you understand?”

“I. . . ok. But be careful.”

“I will. Don’t worry.”

***

Telean smiled as he looked out over the rows and rows of pine trees. “What a nice looking island.” He turned his head to look at the water as it washed up on the shoreline of the small lake. “I could get used to a place like this.”

“What are you mutter on about?” Loran set down multiple massive boxes. The blue skin Perdition then stood up and wiped his brow with one of his four arms. “You know that you won’t be able to stay here. We are just dumping supplies here.”

“I know. But wouldn’t it be nice to retire to someplace like this in the future? You know, have your own private isle or something.” The nine-foot giant sneered at him. “What, you don’t have any dreams?”

“Hmph. I just try and get through the day, Veleran.”

“Hey, now. The name is Telean.” The Perdition walked off. “What is stuck up his four-armed ass?”

A young dark-skinned Veleran woman walked forward. “They aren’t happy to be working with us. To be honest, I am not happy Keel hired them on myself.”

Teleran smirked. “I don’t see what the big deal is. Shouldn’t we have better relations with our breather outside of Anchorhead?”

She rolled her green eyes. “To be frankly honest, I don’t really want anything to do with the brutes.” She lowered her voice. “I hear that they have been taking people to their citadel ever since the Lunastates died and reinstated their old blood games of old.”

Telean laughed. “Ya right. And the Aensien are sacrificing people to appease their gods of the forest. Really stop listening to the local tavern gossip.”

She snorted. “Well, when Loran and Melrek turn on, you don’t tell me I told you so.” She picked up one of the crates. “All I am saying is watch your back.”

Telean narrowed his eyes as he gripped the side of his flame sword. “Don’t worry. I will be just fine, Julliea.” He laughed as she walked away. “I mean, I have gotten this far in life living on the high seas for Keel. I don’t exactly think I am about to lose my edge now.” He turned around and looked into the forest. “Besides, I am more afraid of the cutthroats back at home than some mangy predators we might find on this place.” He picked up a rock. “You hear me, besties. Telean is not afraid of ye. So, if ye have a death wish, come and see me. I am waiting.” He threw the rock into the trees and laughed.

Suddenly the ground started to shake, and everyone started to look around. Melrek, the red-skinned Perdition, walked down from the sky cutter. “What in the world was that?”

Julliea set her crate of imported cheese on the ground. “An earthquake?”

The ground shook again, and Loran scratched at his bald head. “Where can that be coming from?”

Telean shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. Maybe there is a volcano on the island.”

He formed all four of his hands into fists. “You buffoon. We would have seen that flying the sky cutter here.” He walked over to Telean. “I knew Keel should of let me pilot instead of some scrawny Veleran who is just learning the ropes.” He shoved Telean into the mud. “You pick some crappy island and waste our time.”

Telean narrowed his eyes as the ground shook again. “Waste? Hey, finding a good place to stash smuggled goods is a tricky business.” He stood up and dusted himself off. “And if you are so keen on doing a better job, why don’t you—

Julliea suddenly screamed. “What the hell is that!”

Telean turned his head to see the biggest woman he had ever seen in his life towering over them. “What in Velork’s name?” He watched as three other figures appeared. “Get back to the sky cutter now!”

“But the supplies!” Loran dashed forward. “We can’t just leave them.”

Telean turned around. “Are you nuts?” He watched as the gigantic figures walked forward. “We have to get out of here now.”

Loran raised his voice. “You layabouts. Get down here and get these supplies back on the ship, or Keel will have your hides.”

Telean shook his head. “What is wrong with you people.” He watched as the Velerans dashed off towards the gigantic figures who towered over any mountain Telean had seen. “You are rushing to your deaths for what? Cheese.” He slammed his pale fist against his leg and rushed towards the sky cutter. “Melrek. Get the ship going. I want cover fire for these fools.”

The red-skinned Perdition nodded his head and wordlessly ran down below deck as Telean ran up the gangplank. “I am not going to lose these fools even if they don’t care about their lives.” He turned his head as he watched one of the gigantic ladies squeezing his crewmates and another stepping on a Veleran like a bug. “Damnit!”

The engines of the sky cutter roared to life, and the winds began to catch the wind, carrying the vessel into the air. Melrek came back on deck to grab the wheel. “Keep this thing steady and bring us in close so we can pick up who we can.”

“What? Those things could swat us out of the air. We should go while we can, sir.”

Telean slammed his hand on the side of the ship. “We are not leaving our people to be crushed by those giants and giantesses. We have to save who we can. You hear me!” Melrek nodded his head. “Now bring us close to anyone who is still down there, and I will provide cover fire to keep them off of use.” He turned around.

“I still don’t like this.”

Telean ran over to the rows of cannons on the ship’s side. “Melrek, it isn’t about liking it. It is about bringing people out alive who you work with.” The red-skinned Perdition took a deep breath. “We are in this together, no matter what happens. Come hell or high water, we will stand together or fall as one.” Telean looked at Loran as he lugged the boxes in his four arms. “No matter how much of an arse you can be.”

Melrek nodded his head as he steered the ship downward, gently nodding his head to show Telean that he understood. Telean smiled and looked onward. Just head, he could see the survivors huddling around the supplies they had foolishly gathered. The gigantic women were slowly walking towards them, led by a man with a grey beard, almost twenty feet taller than the rest of them. “Ok. We have one shot to save them, Melrek. Are you ready?” Melrek nodded his head. “Then take her down.”

Melrek flew the sky cutter between the legs of one of the giantess and into the clearing. The giant figures took notice of them and bent over to try and tear the ship apart. But Telean was ready, sending a cannon volley at the leader’s legs, blood spurting out from the massive giant’s knee’s as the hot flaming iron bounced off his knees. Instead of trying to grab the sky cutter, the giantess reached out to comfort their brother, and that was all the time Melrek needed to fly down and land. Telean then lowered the gangplank and waved to those on the ground. “Come on. Hurry.”

Loran waved to the others. “Don’t’ just stand there. Run.” They hurried onto the ship as the giant figures above them began to move. “Go, go.”

Sweat dripped down Telean’s neck as he noticed the giantess starting to bend down. “We have to go now.” He pulled the last Veleran onto the ship. “Melrek!”

The Perdition began to turn the ship, but it was too late. Two of the giantesses grabbed the ship. One held the rear and the other the tip. Telean looked up and could see the gigantic angry gaze of the giantess above them.

Loran shook his head. “This is the end. They are going to crush us.”

Julliea gulped. “You wretches. Let us go.”

Telean looked at where the hands gripped the side of the sky cutter, slowly crushing it like a child would a paper toy. “Take out your flame weapons and attack their hands.” He drew his sword. “Before it’s too late.”

Loran shook his head. “Just accept your fate Telean.”

Telean ran to the front of the ship. “Not until I am bleeding out on the sands, I won’t.” He ran up to one of the hands almost twice his size and slashed at it. The giantess reeled up and screamed in pain. Everyone held their hands over their ears. Telean turned around and yelled at Melrek, push the thrusters to full, now!”

He did as he was told, jets of flame roaring out of the back and searing the hands of the other giantess. They roared out as the third giantess tried to grab them, grazing the mast, sending them downward. “We are going to hit those trees.” Loran cried out.”

Melrek grunted as the sky ship grazed the trees before flying out over the water. Telean sighed as he walked over to Melrek. “We all stand together or fall as one. Right?”

Melrek nodded his head. “Stand together.” He threw one of his arms around Telean. “No matter what.”

***

Alicila wiped the sweat from her brow as she finally pushed the doorstop far enough to sneak out of her room. “And my dad thinks he can keep me locked in here with this stupid thing. “She worked her way under her door as the front door to her house suddenly swung open. She wormed her way underneath her door to see who was barging into her house. She watched as her father walked into view, blood dripping from his knee. Suddenly her mother rushed into view.

“Oh my god. Ivonok. What happened to your leg.”

“The tiny figures that appeared on our shoreline did this to me. They are beasts.”

“But why would they do this?” Her mother grabbed some cloth and wrapped it around his leg. “We don’t know anything about them?”

“What does it matter, Kathrine? They decided to come here with weapons. They deserved to be stamped out like the bugs they are. Sshhh.” He winced as Kathrine wrapped the cloth around his leg. “Carful.”

“You just attacked them without warning.”

“They could have come to the village. You don’t want them to hurt our Alicila. You know she can’t defend herself.” Alicila looked at the ground. “I had to take protective measures with the others.”

Kathrine slammed her hand on the ground. “Ivonok. Our daughter is not defenseless. And now you are attacking other people for no reason over her.” She sneered as she applied a paste-like substance to his leg. “You can’t protect her forever.”

“By the hells, I can’t. That girl is unwilling to be who she truly is, so I have to do everything in my power to protect her.” A tear came to Alicia’s face. “And if that mean’s chasing strange people who come to our home away, so they don’t hurt her when I am not around them by all means, I won’t be made into the bad guy.”

Alicila shimmed back into her room and wiped a tear from her face. “There isn’t anything wrong with me wanting to be the size that I want to be.” She put her head in her lap. “There isn’t. Why can’t they or anyone else see that?”