Throne Realm 20 Million A.D.

Rico Dolliver was a major in the United States Air Force, piloting a top secret military aircraft being launched from Vandenberg Air Force base in Lompoc, California. When he was given launch clearance, he spoke into the radio and said, “Rock and roll!”

His space plane was perched on a rocket, and took off into the night sky. The civilized world was unaware that a human being was in the space craft being sent aloft that night.

Once in Earth orbit, the space plane experienced turbulence, something not expected when above and outside the Earth’s atmosphere. A colorful vortex formed in front of Rico’s space plane, and his space craft was pulled in. The space plane tumbled through a myriad of colors simulating twilight. Purples and pinks could be seen swirling around outside the windows of the mysterious space craft.

When his space plane emerged from the vortex, he lost radio contact with the ground. His craft tumbled out of orbit and plummeted toward the ground below. Rico tried to guide the craft, but it came into the atmosphere at far too steep of an angle and he lost control and crashed into a lake.

Rico emerged just as tentacles surrounded his space plane and pulled it under the waters of the lake. He audibly gasped in terror as he swam to the shoreline.

When he got ashore, he sat down on a rock. A small man approached, possibly three feet tall, with a beard and clothing that resembled something worn at a Renaissance fair.

“I am Keegor, a dwarf from this region.”

“I’m Rico Dolliver, major in the United States Air Force.”

“What is that?” Keegor asked.

“You’ve never heard of the United States?” Rico asked.

“Wherever you’re from, goblins will soon be here, everyone in this part of Thronerealm saw your vessel fall from the sky, and they might show up here to scavenge.”

“Goblins?” Rico asked. “What the fuck is a goblin?”

Just as he spoke, they found themselves surrounded by goblins with spears pointing at them. They were as tall as men, with wiry, muscular builds and razor sharp teeth. Rico was unarmed, and unsure of how to deal with this situation.

A loud booming voice could be heard from the horizon, a young girl’s voice saying, “Fee, fie, fo fum!”

Trees could be heard breaking and being thrown asunder, until a young but mighty giantess could be seen towering above them.

“Food in my belly you shall become!” the giantess continued, and the goblins fled in terror.

The giantess knelt down and introduced herself. “I am Edith, I am from Jottenheim. I and my family are the last of our kind. At least, as far as we know.”

“How old are you?” Rico asked.

“I’m 13, almost 14.” Edith replied. “I saw something fall from the sky, and came to see what it is.”

“Can you help retrieve my space plane from out of the lake?” Rico asked.

The young giantess agreed to help Rico, and got into the water and tried to pick up the space plane. She struggled with it, but it was too heavy for her to lift. She returned to the shore.

“It’s too heavy for me to lift, but my older sister is 21, if I take you to her, she might be able to get it out of the water. But be warned, she might try to eat you! That’s what my kind do, that’s why we have been hunted almost to the point of extinction.”

“That’s a chance I’ll have to take!” Rico replied. He agreed to travel with Edith, so she picked him and Keegor up and held them in her hands as she strode to her land. It was many miles away, but the strides of the young giantess were far greater than those of ordinary humans, so they traveled a great distance relatively quickly.

Before long, there were structures that resembled a Danish village, but on a far greater scale. The people of this land were so huge that a six foot man would stand about an inch tall from their perspective.

Edith entered her home and shut the door behind her, then placed Rico and Keegor on the dining room table, and called for her sister.

Another giantess entered the dining hall, a young woman with long blonde hair. To Rico, she resembled drawings of a shield maiden he had seen online. There was a huge barrel on a counter top. The 21 year old giantess grabbed a beer stein and poured herself some ale. When the stein was full, she drank some of it, then grabbed Rico and swallowed him whole!

The giantess drank more of the ale, then poured herself some more. After drinking about five steins worth of ale, she vomited onto the floor, and Rico plummeted out safely, none the worse for wear.

When the 21 year old giantess awakened, she held Rico and made a pledge to him.

“I am Gretchen. Since I swallowed you and you survived, I give you my solemn oath never to harm you. The word of a citizen of Jottenheim is sacred, we do not break our vows.”

“I need you to go with me to the lake where my space plane crashed. Your younger sister tried to retrieve it, but she was strong enough. I will need it to get back to Earth!”

“I can take you there right now!” said Gretchen.

The giantess took Rico and Keegor and placed them within a leather pouch, and departed for the lake. After walking for about twenty minutes, they arrived and Rico pointed out where his space plane was submerged.

The giantess set the pouch in the shore while she went in and pulled the space craft from the water and dragged it to shore. It was heavy to her, but she was strong enough to pull it onto the beach.

Rico inspected the damage.

“Is there anyone on this world who can repair this?” Rico asked.

“The sorceress of Silas,” Gretchen replied. “She is not far from here, I can take you to her.”

Gretchen lifted the pouch and put the strap over one shoulder and carried Rico and Keegor.

Meanwhile, in Silas, an 88 year old sorceress was stirring a cauldron. Three men in their 20s sat nearby. She pulled out a gem from the seething liquid, and aimed it at the three men. Instantly a cloud of smoke and purple flames dominated the air in the small cavern, and the three men were aged rapidly forward to middle age and the sorceress regressed in age to appear as a young girl of about 13.

The men appeared agitated that they had become this much older. They went from about age 25 to 50. Each man could observe the aging process of the other two, and knew they had been aged as much as the others.

“I don’t see why you’re so upset,” said the Sorceress. “I’m paying you lavishly, I told you to take as many jewels as you can carry out of this cave!”

The men attacked her, and she used a different crystal to reduce their size. They now stood about an inch tall, and tried to run from her. The sorceress grabbed them and put them in a Crystal container with a lid that had air holes too small for them to escape from, and set the container within a leather pouch she slung across her shoulder.

Just then, Gretchen arrived and placed the pouch down so Rico and Keegor could emerge. Rico went in to question the sorceress.

“I am Rico Dolliver, I’m from Earth. I was told you could use your magic to repair my space plane so I could return home.”

“I am Selena the sorceress, I have existed for many thousands of years and know the secrets of the ways of Thronerealm. For everything there is a price, if something must be taken something must be given. To find out why you were brought here, you must consult the oracle.”

“How far away is that?” Rico asked.

“It is a journey of many days. The mighty giantess who brought you here must eat food on her scale, so for her to take you to the Oracle, I must make her immortal.”

“You spoke of a price,” said Rico. “What price must be paid to render her immortal?”

“She must be reduced in scale,” Selena replied. “She will still be massive, but slightly smaller than she is now. She will never need food again, unless she chooses.”

Rico led Selena outside the cavern and Gretchen agreed to her terms. After Selena used a crystal on her, Gretchen became slightly smaller, about the same size as her younger sister.

“We would appreciate the aid of a sorceress on our journey,” said Rico.

Selena agreed to go along with them on their journey, so Gretchen put Rico, Selena, and Keegor in her pouch and slung the strap over one shoulder and carried them westward, toward the Oracle.

To Be Continued!