Um, Godsinger? I am having a rough year so far and I had enough of being like this... I hope one of the gods will help me get through this life I have?
...please?
Element: Does Iron count? I mean it's not just an element of the periodic table but a subset of earth, so... maybe Iron works as well? gosh I sound like a goddamn nerd...
Patron: Strength? Or maybe Joy? Maybe even both where strength and happiness can go together?
Goal: I wanna be tough, but also happy! I have been really insecure about myself and what I can do so I was hoping this would help... I wanna be man enough to just go after what I want and just live life without thinking of what could go wrong! Please please please hope this works...
Derek was never the most positive person, always quick to criticise others and himself, always seeing the worst in every situation. A troubled person in and out. If there’s one thing that made him less negative; it was walks in the forest. The quiet yet serene atmosphere, the occasional sounds of wildlife. It was calm, peaceful, made his negative thoughts melt away for the most part.
The negative thoughts came back when heard a large, unusual amount of bird activity in a nearby grove. Going to investigate turned up the supposed source, a knight helmet that was also being investigated by flocks of various bird species, they all chirped, pecking at the strange helmet, worshipping it like it was some sort of god to them.
When Derek stepped closer, the birds stepped back and allowed him to get a closer look instead of simply flying away startled like most birds do. This should’ve been a red flag to Derek but the curiosity of the helmet was too much.
Having now picked up and placed it infront of his face, he could get a good look at it. It had barbute shaped slit for the eyes, but the construction of a bascinet. The color was a dark black iron color, very metallic and shiny despite it being out in the middle of a forest for god knows how long. Suddenly he had a thought, a very stupid thought. “Try it on! Always try something new, no matter how daunting!” What a weird thought, but it couldn’t hurt it humor it.
Whoo! That felt good! Like a nice breeze of cool air after a long summer’s day… He felt joyful. A rise of energy welled up in him as he merrily hummed a strange, chipper tune. Before Derek wrested control back and assumed his normal demeanor again, leaving the grove and continuing his walk.
But the Helmet was displeased, however. Wresting control back and continued humming the strange tune through Derek’s lips, who tried to stop the strange whistling but was unable, he wasn’t even able to stop walking either; it seems the strange deity now controlling him also shared his enjoyment of walks through nature. The whistling not so much.
He heard the birds again, it sounded like they were following him? He felt strange, his steps felt heavier, his joints felt stiff, his breathing less frequent and heartbeat slower in his chest.
His clothes began to shift, going from a plain t shirt and sweatpants, into strong and sturdy knight armor. Strong pauldrons that jutted out sharply, putting the “blades” in shoulderblades. Arm guards that looked like a vambrace and gauntlet fused together. A strong, tight chestplate, and solid steel on his lowerbody. The armor felt cool, nice. He still felt strange though, his body felt… dead. Like he was resurrected from death and was being puppeted. His heartbeat stopped entirely, he was no longer breathing and he felt so cold…
His body, his human body… was beginning to disappear. Flesh evaporated, bones shriveled, yet he felt no pain. His vision, which included the inside of the helmet, suddenly blacked out for a second. When the lights came off he was seeing out of the helmet, no longer seeing the inside of the helmet. It was like his body BECAME the armor, he WAS the armor, now. HIs new vision came with a new surprise; his height. He had to have doubled in height since he put that helmet on, things that were eye level with him before were now WAY below him.
He felt something on his shoulders, along with some chirping. It was the birds who were still following him. But some of them decided to perch themselves on his shoulders as he whistled and walked.
He had enough, he resisted fiercely, which caused the giant to stumble, startling the birds and wresting them off his shoulders. When he saw them flee, something changed in his mind; he felt… sad? Out of this strange impulse, he cried out to them, his voice twinged with roboticism:
“No! Come back little birds!” He reached out his arm towards the fleeing birds, his mechanical palm opening towards them.
Derek began to whistle, not from the Helmet’s will, but his own. It was gentle tune, not unlike the one the Helmet was singing, it was serene and calm; made Derek feel calm and warm inside despite his mechanical body. One lone bird flew towards him and landed on his palm.
Bringing the bird close to him with his new mechanical joints was a struggle at first, but he learned the ins and outs of his new body.
“There there, little bird.” He said softly: “I won’t hurt you.” Bringing it close to his face and softly petting it with his other hand. The bird chirped joyfully which made Derek feel warm inside, the chirping bird causing his personality to shift, and change to much more positive, jovial one. One that always saw the glass half full, and always appreciated the little things and treked on through life no matter how hard things seemed.
Derek? No, that didn't seem right. The almost sounded like a human's name! A good name, yes... but not his. His name was Zarazar the Iron Giant. Or just Zarazar to his fellow giants.
Speaking of fellow giants, it was about time he got back to them. While he enjoyed visiting the human world and indulge in being the rumored "Iron Giant" in the woods, he would rather it stay that way than becoming a global news story via staying too long.
He turned around and began his trek back to the portal to Jotunheim, the Realm of the Giants. The birds he once shooed away began to accompany him, returning to his shoulders and singing along with him. This time, he would stop and admire the world around him. He awed at the sight of a baby bird learning to fly, cheering it on. "Go little one! I know you can do it!" He stopped and listened to the sound of a gentle river streaming. A mother bear teaching her cubs how to hunt, butterflies flying about. He'd stopped to make a smelling motion at a beautiful patch of flowers: "I'm sure these smell lovely!" ...despite him not being able to smell.
At last he made it, a small secluded grove tucked away in this humble forest, he let the birds disperse before stepping in the portal, turning back to wave out his avian companions: "See you some other time, my friends!" Who all began to chirp in unision as if they were saying goodbye to and old friend...
Local Legends tell of a strange, giant man in knight armor roaming the woods, always accompanied by a flock of singing birds. You can usually tell he's nearby by listening for strange, robotic humming. One person who claims to have talked with him, says that his name was Zarazar the Iron Giant, and that he was quite a pleasant and wonderful person to talk to, despite the strange armor.
