The giant was already making good headway toward Beacontown-- Lukas could see that immediately as he neared it. Though its movements were slow, it covered so much ground with each stride that it kept up a moderate pace. Now, only the woods stood between it and the town-- and those would scarcely slow it.
"Petra!" he yelled, frantically searching the woods. He wasn't sure which way she had gone, but he wasn't about to let her get caught between the giant and the town. "Petra, are you here?"
No answer came from the thick trees-- but the giant's loud stomping grew nearer and nearer. If Petra was out here, he realized, she must have gone into hiding or escaped already. He just hoped she'd make her way back to safety in the town.
He whirled to face the giant, which loomed menacingly over the trees. He knew he could do little to stop it on his own-- but maybe, just maybe, he could slow it down long enough to give the town more time to prepare.
Drawing his bow, he quickly nocked and fired an arrow, expert aim sending it straight into the giant's neck. It gave a guttural snarl of surprise and turned to face him, and Lukas urged his horse back into the woods, quickly disappearing into the foliage. For several moments the giant searched for him, but then turned back to the town, evidently deciding he wasn't worth its time.
Quickly, Lukas darted into the open behind it again, firing another arrow. Once he had its attention, again he fled to the woods, keeping out of its sight. Again and again he repeated the process, always one step ahead. He knew he had hardly a prayer of taking the creature down on his own-- he just hoped he was buying the others some time.
***
"Axel, we're gonna need firepower." Jesse's assessment was brief and definitive-- it was clear immediately that standard weapons would do little against the giant. Swords were out of the question unless they could somehow reach its head, and standard bows wouldn't damage it quick enough-- it would still reach the town before they could take it out. No, they'd need something with a lot more oomph.
"A canon?" Axel asked, "Do we have the time?"
"If we all work together, we should-- now come on! We've got to get outside and set it up before it gets here!" Jesse dashed for the town gate, the others following close behind her.
"Is it turning around?" Olivia asked suddenly, as the giant whirled and took a swing into the trees.
"It must have found something there," Jesse observed. "Quick, while it's distracted! Let's get this canon going!"
They began to build, practiced expertise guiding them as they assembled the canon. They mounted it to a tall pillar, hoping to launch explosives into the giant's face and chest where they'd do less damage to the environment. For much of the build the zombie continued to circle in the woods, swatting down trees with its bare hands, but finally it turned its full attention back to the town and came lumbering toward them, evidently having lost interest in the distraction.
Axel loaded the canon with TNT, looking to Jesse for the signal to light it. Jesse stood her ground toward the front of the platform, eyes narrowed as she scrutinized the giant's approach. "Ready... fire!"
Axel touched his redstone torch to the fuse and with a hiss it caught-- just as Olivia threw a lever that flung the primed explosive into the air. It hurtled toward the giant, catching it in the chest and exploding with a terrific bang. The zombie stumbled backwards, nearly going down in the woods, but then regained its balance and lurched toward them again.
"Again! Ready... fire!"
The second blast struck the creature in the shoulder-- again it stumbled, nearly falling, but stayed upright and continued unfased.
"Of all things, why'd it have to be a zombie giant," Olivia groaned. "I could handle a giant, I can handle the undead, but an undead giant? It's got no cognitive capacity or ability to feel pain! There's no chance of scaring it off-- either it goes down or it's gonna take us out!"
"Well it's not here yet," Jesse pointed out, "Again! We've gotta keep hitting it!"
Several more shots hit home, but while the giant reeled and slowed, it continued relentlessly toward the town. The trio continued to launch TNT, but even their best efforts hardly seemed to make a dent. By now, some of the town's resident warriors had also gathered on the walls, most firing arrows but some throwing anything they could get their hands on, from eggs to snowballs. Someone had even set an iron golem loose outside the walls, and for a few moments it pounded its fists against the giant's toes-- only to be snatched up, crushed, and hurled away as soon as it became too much of a nuisance.
"Jesse, it's too strong! This isn't working!" Axel called in a panic, "What do we do?"
"We have to keep trying," Jesse responded, also growing desperate. "We have to launch faster-- come on! Ready..."
Axel loaded another block of TNT into the canon, but suddenly Olivia called out from her position at the lever. "Wait! What's that?"
All eyes turned momentarily skyward to the dark shape circling in the clouds.
"No... no, there's no way..." Jesse breathed, "Is that...?"
"Dragon!" One of the townspeople screamed, and those on the walls dove for cover.
"A dragon and a giant? Jesse, what are we going to do??" Axel looked to her with worry, and Olivia also seemed distressed.
Jesse drew her bow. "Keep firing the canon as fast as you can! Do not give that thing a break! I'll handle the dragon..."
She climbed to the back of the canon and began to pillar up, looking for a clearer vantage.
***
Lukas urged his horse faster toward the town, determined to reach it before the giant did. The creature had finally tired of his game, turning its eyes to the bigger target and simply ignoring the arrows he fired into its back. It must have felt like little more than the nipping of a lone silverfish to the giant-- a minor nuisance, but not very dangerous.
The others had set up a TNT canon, he could see now, and that was much more effective-- knocking the giant back and damaging it, though failing to destroy it. How much health did the giant even have? Lukas wasn't certain-- but he knew he needed to get back as quickly as he could.
Suddenly the barrage stopped, and, frowning, he looked past the giant to those gathered against it. Their eyes were turned skyward and, puzzled, he looked up as well. His heart skipped a beat as he noticed the dragon circling high in the sky overhead. "Petra..." he whispered, torn between awe and fear.
He quickly realized that the giant had not stopped, though the others had, and nocked another arrow to his bow. Before he could fire it, however, movement from the defenders caught his eye. He turned to see Jesse pillaring up into the sky, bow in hand. For a moment he frowned, puzzled, and then with a shock of alarm he realized what was happening. "Jesse!" he screamed, hoping desperately that his voice would carry across the remaining distance. "Jesse, don't!!!"
***
There-- down there!
Xann see-- what we do?
Can you get out of this thermal?
Xann circled high in the sky, testing the winds. The current stops here-- Xann could dive, but we must not miss. Must be careful, too-- don't want to be hit...
Alright-- how will you attack? Do you have some sort of... fire breath or something?
Xann always use claws-- not breathe fire. Claws and teeth-- if we land on shoulder, could get good bite on neck.
Yes, or-- Xann, I have a sword! If you get me in close, I could jump for it and get it in the back of the head! That'd likely do a lot of damage!
Xann can land on back-- claws good for clinging. Xann could bite too, bite neck.
That would likely do it! But we've got to hurry-- it's almost to the town!
Xann dive now-- Petra hold on!
She kept a firm grip as they dove, wind blasting into her face as they plummeted from the sky. The giant was just ahead of them now. In another moment they'd be on it and--
Xann gave a sudden piercing shriek and jerked violently to the right, his wing almost seeming to collapse as he careened sideways. A blinding flash filled Petra's vision and she screamed as searing pain lanced through her consciousness. Fire seemed to fill her mind, a burning agony she'd felt only once before.
Through the haze of pain that dimmed her awareness, she felt herself being flung from Xann's back, hurled into empty space. The world reeled and she felt herself falling, only half-aware that something had gone horribly, horribly wrong. Everything around her seemed to dissolve, consumed by blackness, and she felt herself drop into an empty, soundless void.