Chapter 4

She swore internally when she viewed his leather boots. The giants of her country never wore any footwear so her plan to slice his Achilles tendons went out the window. Helia was trying to formulate a plan of attack or defense, but nothing seemed plausible now. If she were to kill him she'd need to get at his neck or through his eyes. Both options were dismally out of her reach. Now she was wishing she'd tried jumping down from above.

In just two strides the colossus was mere yards from her. With measured, slow steps he began to circle, staring down at her with a smirk on his face. Helia turned with his strides, knowing he could swing his boot and kick her or stomp her flat in less than a second. Yet, he seemed to be toying with her nerves, circling, watching her. She kept her shield ready.

He lifted his nose up a bit and smelled the air.

Then he looked down at her with a coy smirk, "Oh...so you're really by yourself? That's remarkably bold...and foolish."

Helia didn't respond. She kept her sword ready.

"Now I know what you're thinking: Should I be watching his feet..." He suddenly stepped high over her in a small quaking jump, "...or his hands?"

Helia immediately looked up seeing one of his massive hands start to descend upon her as he knelt down. She cried out and thrust her sword upward defensively. He stopped just shy of getting his palm impaled and chuckled.

"Very good. Very good. But..." suddenly she was shoved from behind, "I have two hands."

Helia screamed with aggression, swinging her sword in a high arc behind her. Again, she missed him. It didn't matter her skills with a sword, he was simply too big to attack. The best she could do is keep him from snatching her straightaway, but with his size he could wear her down without even moving a step. Helia was cursing inwardly for taking this job...her last job.

Like a cat playing with a hapless mouse, he continued to bat at her with both hands; gently touching her back the moment she spun to slash at him. And much like a cat, he seemed to be having fun with her. Though Helia fought back, she wore down, not even landing a scratch on her towering assailant. Suddenly, his finger slid underneath her and swept her feet right out from under her. She slammed to the ground on her stomach and shield, wind driven from her lungs.

"Dammit." She cursed, trying to roll over and attack with her sword, but the blade wouldn't move.

Her eyes widened upon seeing the giant's finger casually pressing on the flat of the blade, pinning it to the ground. Desperately she yanked, trying to slide it loose. With a forceful flick of his finger the giant sent her blade out of her hand, skittering across the ground well out of reach. Helia growled a scream and rolled over in a crouch with her shield covering her head and torso. She pulled her main dagger just as she felt three heavy knocks against her shield. She winced as the impacts made her very bones rattle. Peeking around the edge of her shield she could see his massive finger tapping it.

"Had enough?" the giant asked with a bedeviled smirk on his face.

"No! Have you?" she retorted with more bluster than she felt.

He laughed aloud, shaking the air, "Feisty indeed! I think you're my favorite slayer so far."

With a force seeming impossible for a single finger, he touched the center of her shield and pressed against it. She grunted, digging in her feet, but it was like pressing against a stone wall. He effortlessly pushed until it felt like he was trying to squish her beneath her own shield. She couldn't let that happen.

Helia suddenly released her shield and side-stepped. The abrupt motion made the giant's hand surge forward, giving her an opening. She screamed aggressively and stabbed her dagger deep into the skin between his thumb and index finger, twisting it for good measure.

He gave a pained grunt, yanking his huge hand back.

Seizing her moment, Helia ran for her sword a few feet away. But his other massive hand swooped around and slammed down in front of her as a wall of flesh and bone. Helia didn't stop. Using his fingers as a stepping ladder, she jumped to vault over his hand. Unfortunately, his hand flexed shut and caught her by the ankles. She jolted to a stop and flopped over the top of his knuckles. Despite her efforts her sword lay just out of reach below her.

Dammit!

Quickly, she reached under her shoulder armor and gripped a third dagger with readiness. His huge hand adjusted her a moment before he lifted her upside down in seconds to a terrifying height. Helia wriggled and twisted her body but her feet and ankles were held immobile, giving her limited range of motion.

His rumbling chuckle vibrated her lungs as he brought her up for scrutiny, "Well, little Slayer. You did better than I thought you would."

"Let me go, monster!" she raised her voice aggressively, holding her dagger out of his sight.

"You didn't say 'please' " he chided.

"PLEASE!" she roared, flinging the dagger at his eye.

He flinched at the last second which affected her aim and the blade sunk into his lower eye lid.

"GAH!" he growled thunderously, turning his head.

Helia's heart sank with dread. The muscle of his eyelid twitched wildly, not liking the intrusion of the blade. With a quick pluck of his fingers he removed the offending weapon like a thorn. Dark red blood trickled down his cheek. He blinked a couple times and then the amber eyes flicked over to her and slit, hard as iron with murderous intent flashing across their surface.

He growled deeply, "Hmm. Most unwise."

She was a dead woman.

Then his eyes closed as he expelled a breath and when they opened they seemed less hard, less homicidal. It still didn't ease the sickening dread welling up in Helia's gut.

He scrutinized her carefully. She stared back, horrified by how big he was compared to her. The power in just his fingers was terrifying as he gripped her; she knew it would only take a minuscule amount of pressure to snap her ankles like twigs. His other huge hand invaded toward her and with a deft pinch he gripped her helmet between his fingers. Helia could hear the metal plating creak with protest around her head. She held her breath and prepared for him to pulverize her skull. But he removed her helmet, allowing her long red hair to cascade out as she struggled. His smile flashed white at her; one of predatory intent.

"Well...you're a pretty one aren't you?" he complimented, "Much prettier than other slayers I've met."

His fingers suddenly pinched shut on the helmet flattening it with a sharp creak of metal. Helia felt her stomach turn with the intimidating show of casual power. How easily he could do that to her head. At least that would be quick and painless. She had a feeling that's not what he had planned for her.

Discarding the helmet, now metal sheet, the Gray Shadow then gripped her belt, noting the scabbard and pouches attached there.

Her eyes widened. Was he going to strip her?

She hissed dangerously, "No! Don't... you... dare!"

The amber eyes directed at her as his smile broadened. With a hard pinch he crushed her belt buckle and removed the whole belt and her scabbards from her waist. He held it between his fingers a second before dropping it carelessly to the ground. Then he ran his fingers over her entire body.

"You son of a bitch!" she cursed and slapped at him aggressively but it only seemed to amuse him.

However, he wasn't stripping her of her clothes, he was finding all of her weapons. He found her knives in each boot holster and dropped them too. Then he found her spider fang ones under her shoulder guards and plucked them out as well.

After his inspection for weapons, a wolfish smile spread over his face as he sat down comfortably on the ground, "So Slayer, who hired you to kill me, hmm?"

Helia couldn't speak. With a horrible death hanging forebodingly in the balance, her bravery had taken leave of her. Fear, a usually foreign sensation to one in her profession, had stealthily crept into the folds of her mind and torn her voice from her.

The huge eyes before her narrowed and one of his angled brows raised expectantly for an answer. But when none was given he sighed.

"Not going to answer? Well...I can speed this up if you wish."

To be continued…