The Legendary Giant Titan


 * From Vana'diel Tribune volume 12 (April 25, 2003). Translated from Japanese.

In ages past, there was great conflict over the ownership of the southern forests of the continent of Quon. The situation having become a life-or-death struggle for power, the tensions between the giants that lived in the forest and the citizens of the city constructed in the forest's ravine-filled eastern outskirts became worse by the minute.

The giants (known as the Titans), won the war's early battles easily with their massive physiques; however, in face of the great numbers of the human armies, the Titans were defeated one by one, eventually dying out.

With the exception of a single giant.

The following day after the war's final struggle, there was young girl who wandered into one of the areas where a giant's corpse lay. Her name was Daemdalus. Following a young lamb that had run away from the village, she had become completely lost.

"The Titans will capture and eat little children who wander into the forest."

Having heard this, she was filled with the desire to dash away, but the thought of returning home having lost her older brother's prized sheep was utterly unbearable.

At last, Daemdalus caught the lamb on one of the backs of the collapsed giant soldiers, which resembled a small mountain. Right as her eyes began to stream tears of relief, from the mouth of the giant (whom she believed to be dead) below her erupted a groan that rumbled the earth. The girl tried to let out a frightened scream but nothing became of her efforts--she was even unable to move her very feet.

However, when examined carefully, the giant had deep wounds on his head and his left leg. As the trembling Daemdalus took out her water pouch from her waist to pour into the giant's mouth, he slowly opened his eyes. As he spotted the human child, his heart was instantly filled with hostility, but it was not long before he was overcome with sadness.

After ripping part of her clothes to wrap his wounds, Daemdalus guided him to a nearby cavern.

From that moment on, Daemdalus continued to bring food and drinking water to the cavern for many a day. Without worrying about his seemingly confused expressions, she also began to share stories about herself with the giant.

The lost lamb. Her older brother. Her mother's words of "one should be kind to the wounded" before she died. The gory stories of the "ferocious Titans", as told by the village people.

The Titan opened his heart to the girl, and soon began to speak her tongue in a rather broken fashion. What he revealed to the young Daedalus was completely different than what that she had accepted as the truth.

The Titans, who had lived peacefully in the woods for many years, gradually had lost their homes and sources of food as a direct result of the humans' efforts at deforestation. Their many protests left unheard, they had no choice but to take a stand.

Now knowing the truth, Daemdalus cried and apologized on behalf of her village many times. Titan simply patted her head with his forefinger and gently smiled.

However, the pleasant days that they spent together would not long continue. One day, Daemdalus's brother, noticing his sister's suspicious behavior, decided to follow her movements. Completely floored by what he discovered, he relayed a message to the militia without delay.

Daemdalus desperately tried to prevent the village's police force from entering the cavern. Greatly anxious for her safety, Titan allowed himself to be captured without any resistance.

The next time Daemdalus saw Titan, he was held captive in the center of the Town Square (which had been transformed into a temporary execution ground). In the eyes of the public, his chained figure seemed to be no more than a giant rock.

The scrap of cloth that Daemdalus had wrapped around Titan's left knee quickly dyed a brilliant red. Unable to endure the pain, Titan's gigantic body leaned forward.

Daemdalus, no longer able to bear watching Titan's pain, broke free from her brother's restraint and dashed towards Titan to hold his left leg in an attempt to support him. Titan, having seen the girl's desperate efforts, re-assumed his previous position to protect her. However, despite his deepest wishes, Titan slowly reached his limits. While holding the giant's feet, Daemdalus prayed to the Goddess with despair in her heart. Titan, having used up his last reserves of strength, soon let out a great moan, filled with pain and sorrow.

Suddenly, heavenly light began to fall upon the execution grounds from the skies. The Goddess, sensing Titan and Daemdalus's great hope, beckoned the two to the heavens by holding out her hand.

Embraced in a gentle glow, Daemdalus and Titan silently rose to heaven. Greatly affected by this mystic spectacle, the people of the city repented for the wrongs that they committed against the Titans, and it is said that for many years later, they held annual ceremonies in memory of the giants.

Note: Daemdalus was the brighest star in the Titan constellation in Vana'diel's sky. It is a golden yellow-colored star.