Author's Note: I've been an avid reader of fan fiction for many years and written reams of notes and scores of half hearted attempts in that same span. This has been a long time coming and it's a pleasure to contribute to a community of writers I've spent years enjoying.
Lenneth Valkyrie made her ways through the darkened hall of Yggsdrasil Central. The only light was the moon looking down at her through the glass facade of the divine skyscraper.
Her footsteps rapped on the glossy marble floors as she walked across a large plaza, passing by a statue of Valkyrie that rose up high into the air. The top was well beyond sight, but its gossamer wings sparkled in the moonlight several stories above her. Lenneth was glad the darkness hid its face. In all the generations she'd served at Central it never felt comfortable to see herself looking down on anybody.
Lenneth reached the elevator set in the wall just behind the statue. It opened without any prompting and she stepped inside. She stood in the center with her arms folded as the elevator started to rise. She managed to look regal in the simple white robes she wore. A river of silver hair streamed down her back tapering off into a loose ponytail that was tied off with a red ribbon.
The elevator lurched to a halt as an electronic voiced announced, "Server Room," from four tiny brass speakers mounted in the corner.
The doors whisked open and Lenneth made her way through a dark hallway lit by a track of dim blue lights that drew a path through the narrow corridor. Small puffs of fog escaped from her lips as her warm breath made contact with the frigid air.
She came to a stop in front of two metal doors frosted over with ice. Chunks of snow fell to the ground as a panel opened up to the right and a red robotic eye scanned her body with a thin beam of light.
"Lenneth Valkyrie, Goddess First Class, First Category, status unlimited. Access granted to Yggsdrasil core."
The doors parted and a bright light poured into the hallway. She stepped into the light as the doors closed behind her.
"Lenneth, are you sure about this?" Freya said. She placed two fingers on the bridge of her black-framed glasses and pushed it up higher on her nose. "This is a big risk to take. The calculations could be off."
"Did we ever program Yggsdrasil Central to ever be wrong? The computer governs reality."
"Good point," Freya said. "We've also never seen Central calculate its own demise before. Personally, I think it's prudent to wait for the second diagnostic to come back."
"That would take too long Freya. Kami-Sama believes that we should act right now."
"Is that Kami-Sama talking or you?" Freya turned towards the large viewing window in front of her. It was set above a shiny silver console filled with an innumerable number of buttons of all shapes and sizes. A pane of thick glass stood between them and the sphere of pure mana that was suspended in the air. "This is the only power that could bring Silmeria back from Kami-Sama knows where Brahms took her. I know how badly you've wanted this."
"I asked Kami-Sama for permission to take Brahms head and bring her back myself. He would not return me to Fighting Duty."
"Oh," Freya said and sighed.
She stood up and slipped out of a navy blue blazer. She placed it on the swivel chair she was sitting on and rolled up the cuffs on her white dress shirt. Freya smoothed out the matching navy skirt and unfurled the red tie from around her neck. She placed it carefully on top of her blazer so it did not touch the ground.
Lenneth raised an eyebrow, "Must you do all of that?
Freya sat down in her chair and turned back towards the console. "I'm about to initiate a program that violates a major truce with Nifleheim. I'm stalling in the hopes you start to have second thoughts."
"It wouldn't matter if I did or not. I told you that Kami-Sama ordered this."
"You've always had a mortal's curiosity," Freya shot a glance at Lenneth. "I hope this turns out well for all our sakes."
Lenneth stood behind Freya as she booted up the computer. Her fingers moved at lightning pace over the keyboard as reams of code scrolled down the screen. The whirlwind of keystrokes ended with a command line that said execute next to the blinking cursor.
"You should know there are risks to moving that much data into Asgard. Altering reality is no small thing and rarely turns out the way you want."
Lenneth frowned, "I'd rather not think of any of those possibilities. Proceed."
She punched the enter button and looked up at the core. It started to spin faster, gaining speed until the sphere started to flatten out into an oval. The core started to glow red hot when the room started to shake. It finally exploded in a wave of energy that cascaded in all direction.
The energy sent Lenneth hurtling to the back of the room where she hit the wall with a thud and fell to the ground. Her eyes fluttered open and she let out a painful groan. She got to one knee then got up and steadied herself, using the wall as a crutch.
"Freya are you alright?" She asked, still trying to get her bearings
She surveyed the room and saw Freya sprawled out on the floor, her chair toppled over and clothes strewn about. Lenneth rushed over and turned the goddess on her back, brushing back strands of flaxen blonde hair. She looked a little pale, but was still breathing.
"Freya can you hear me?" Lenneth said. She breathed a sigh of relief when Freya started to wake up.
She backed off and let Freya sit up. Started to rub her forehead. "What happened?"
"You hit enter then the core suddenly exploded," Lenneth said.
"The core!" Freya jumped up and ran to the viewing window. She was relieved to see the core intact and otherwise back to normal.
"That's strange all of that and still no…"
"Silmeria!"
Freya whirled around to see Lenneth kneeling over an unconscious figure on the ground. She ran over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Is she alright?"
"She's breathing," Lenneth said.
Freya knelt down beside Lenneth and looked over Silmeria. She looked pale, skin just a shade darker than her white maiden dress, but her chest rose and fell with each breath.
"She's just sleeping. Silmeria will be alright," Freya said.
Lenneth was astonished to see Freya smile. In all the generations after Ragnarok, she never dropped that serious demeanor that always surrounded her. "I'm happy to see another Aesir join us. There are too few left these days," Freya said to her.
"So am I." She scooped up Silmeria up and faced Freya. "Can you clean up here?"
Freya nodded and she watched Lenneth start to walk out of the server room. She paused in front of the empty corridor and glanced back.
"Thanks for all your help Freya," Lenneth said and disappeared down the dark hall.
Freya waited for the door to close before gathering up clothes scattered about on the floor. "Kami-Sama, I hope she is alright." She slid into her blazer one arm at a time and threw the red tie over her shoulder. Then she dragged the swivel chair back to the console and ordered the lights off.
She sat back down in the chair and started typing away. The monitor light reflected off her glasses as she looked over the diagnostic report.
Thoughts stirred in the dark recesses of her mind, churning into consciousness. She tried to move, but it felt as if a vice gripped every part of her being. Panic set in fueling a primal scream that resonated in the empty space, but darkness constricted her spirit even tighter, squeezing out every last bit of hope for escape.
All seemed lost. It felt so much easier to succumb and simply go to sleep, but a faint light appeared in the distance. Her spirit surged once again, sensing an opening to escape, but the darkness held on tight. She felt warmth radiating from the other side and found enough strength to make one last push towards freedom.
She inched closer to the light, but every movement a struggle as the darkness seemed to sense her escape. The darkness finally let go as she reached the precipice, melting away in the face of light.
She finally stepped through, her spirit weary from the struggle, but one last thought drifted through her mind as she succumbed to sleep
Silmeria
Silmeria drew a sharp breath and sat up, her green eyes open wide. She regretted getting up so fast, as the bright light gave her a migraine. She blinked a few times, trying to fight through the searing pain, but it forced her to lay down again.
She waited until the migraine subsided into a dull ache, and got up again. The world was blur of colors and barely defined shapes then the room slowly came into focus.
Silmeria did not recognize anything in the small room. There was not much aside from white walls and a cabinet with a sink set against the far corner. A single light fixture set into the ceiling cast a bright light over the room and a sharp scent wafted from the cabinet.
She tried to recall how she got here, but drew a blank. Silmeria dug deeper, trying to remember anything at all, but her only memory was waking up in this room.
"Oh my goodness! Silmeria, you're awake."
Silmeria turned towards the voice and saw a woman staring at her. She had a kind face and dark brown hair. She wore a set of robes embroidered with a set of earthy tones.
"You know me?" Silmeria said in a raspy voice. She cleared her throat and continued. "Who are you?"
"My name is Nanami and you are in my clinic in the outskirts of heaven. Lenneth brought you in here."
"Who is that?" Silmeria grew worried when Nanami frowned.
"Silmeria," Nanami said, "Lenneth is your sister."
"My name is Silmeria that much I am sure of, but everything else…" She fought to keep composure, feeling a lump form in her throat. "It's as if somebody ripped out my memories."
"What happened to me?" Silmeria said. She looked up at Nanami, pleading with her for an answer.
Nanami placed both arms on Silmeria shoulders and gently pushed her down onto the cot. "I don't know myself to be honest with you. Lenneth just dropped you off and told me to care for you.
She had to deal with an emergency at Central, but she'll be back."
Nanami disappeared for a moment then came back with a small glass bottle. "This will make you feel better." She pulled out the cork stopper and held the liquid in front of Silmeria's face.
"You still look exhausted. We'll try and sort this out later, but for right now just get some sleep."
Silmeria reveled in the sweet smell of sweet lavender and spice, losing track of what made her so upset before. It did not take long before her mind drifted back into a deep blissful sleep.
The door to Nanami's clinic chimed as Frei stepped inside with Amaterasu in tow. She was a short goddess with a cherubim face and a cheerful demeanor that seemed to radiate off of her despite the sorry state.
Frei had scuffs and tears all over the short burgundy dress she wore and there was a tear running along the matching gloves that reached her shoulders. She did not wear a glove on her right hand; instead it was used as a tourniquet to close off a wound near the shoulder. Her short auburn hair was disheveled and sorely missing the cap she normally wore.
"Do you no where Nanami is Ammy?" She looked down at the slender white dog that walked in behind her. She strolled up next to Frei, rubbing her head against the goddess' leg.
Amaterasu sat on her haunches and tilted her head up to sniff the air, the nostrils on her long snout flaring several times. She looked up at Frei and started to whine.
"Nothing huh? Wonder where she is," She walked up to the counter and looked around. On the table was a pad of paper and a handwritten note.
Out to Central right now be back soon. If you need assistance place wait in lobby and I will be with you shortly. Please respect the other patients in the clinic.
She put the note down and looked at Amaterasu. "Well, we've got some time Ammy-chan lets rest a little bit." Frei sighed and took a seat on one of the sofa's set against the wall.
Frei patted the cushion beside her and Amaterasu leapt up next to Frei. Amaterasu stretched out, taking up almost the entire cushion, leaving Frei a small space at the end. She rested her head on Frei's leg and glanced up without moving her head.
"Why are you so tired? Those guardian eagle chicks were chasing after me the whole time."
Amaterasu snorted in response, her ears flittering as she started to fall asleep. Then she caught a strange scent and her head perked up, ears at attention. She leapt off the sofa and walked towards the back, disappearing behind the receptionist desk.
"Ammy, what are you doing?" Frei sighed as the door leading into the treatment area opened slightly.
She got up from her seat and approached the reception desk when a scream ripped through the entire clinic.
Silmeria's eyes fluttered open once again but this time her headache was gone. She sat up feeling better, but her conversation with Nanami quickly came to mind.
Sleep did not bring back any of her memories.
She sat up on the cot and slid into a seated position so her legs dangled over the edge. Silmeria tried once again to remember anything of her from her past, but the only thing she felt was loss. It was a wound that tore at her spirit, an emotion without a memory that lingered unresolved.
Silmeria eased off the cot and tried to stand up, but her legs buckled and she fell to the ground face first. She tried to get up, but felt too weak to even get back up. After several failed attempts Silmeria buried her head into her hands and started to sob.
She heard a scratch on the door and looked up, her eyes red with tears. The door opened and a creature stepped into the room. Silmeria panicked as a white wolf walked inside.
She crawled towards the back wall, trying to escape, but it cornered her with slow and measured steps. The wolf drew closer and she did the only thing available to her.
"Ahhhhhh!"
Frei burst through the door and spotted Amaterasu sitting on the floor. In the corner she spotted a goddess pressed up against the wall. "Ammy! Come here, your scaring her."
Amaterasu whined and stepped towards Frei, head down and tail between her legs. She looked up at Frei, puzzled at what happened.
"Are you okay?" Frei said. She approached slowly and reached out to the goddess who was still trembling.
Silmeria shook her head, "What…what is that?"
"That is Amaterasu, she is a goddess like you and me." She beckoned Amaterasu forward and she sat beside Frei looking apologetic. "She means you no harm."
Frei smiled when the goddess relaxed a little. She leaned up against the wall and looked up her, still a little rattled. "Do you have a name? I don't recognize you."
"Silmeria," she said, her voice still shaking.
"Silmeria," Frei repeated to herself. The name sounded familiar to her, then her eyes grew wide. "Silmeria Valkyrie?"
"You know who I am?" Silmeria looked up at her surprised.
"I think all of heaven does…your last name at least," Frei said. "Lenneth Valkyrie is the savior of Midgard. She has a statue up in Central."
"I have a sister?" Silmeria said slowly. She looked away from Frei. "Honestly, I don't know if that's even my real name. It's really the only thing I remember that feels like a sure thing."
Frei sat down on the floor in front of Silmeria. "A goddess never forgets her true name. We wouldn't be here without it."
"I'm know that much at least, but everything else is still gone." She finished with a sullen look on her face
Amaterasu whined and pawed at Silmeria's leg.
Silmeria looked down at the dog feeling annoyed. "What's wrong with her?"
"Ammy-chan is sensitive to emotions. She sensed you hurting in the reception room and came in to check on you."
Frei noticed Silmeria staring at Amaterasu, still unsure. "Try petting her. I promise you'll feel better."
She reached out slowly and patted her on the head. Frei chuckled when Amaterasu reached up and licked her in the face.
"She can get a little affectionate sometimes, but Ammy-chan means well."
"How did I ever get scared of you?" Silmeria said. She smiled and started to stroke her soft fur, feeling it slide between her fingers like smooth silk. Amaterasu curled up next to Silmeria and closed her eyes.
"You have a gentle spirit, Amaterasu doesn't take to people that quickly," Frei said. She frowned when Silmeria wouldn't meet her gaze. "Is something the matter?"
"How does she know such a good person when I don't even know who I am?" Silmeria shifted position and sat with her legs in front of her. She wrapped her arms around her legs and peered at Frei over her knees. "I woke up in this room alone, with no past and feeling like somebody ripped out everything near and dear to me. The only thing I know for sure is pain."
"That sounds awful, I'm sorry," Frei looked down, searching for something far better to say." Whoever hurt you didn't take the most important thing. You're fortunate to be sitting here right now, back where you belong."
"Is this really my home? Am I really a goddess? I don't even know what was taken from me."
"I can sense that we are kin Silmeria. You are really a goddess and this is your home," Frei offered her most reassuring smile. "You'll just have to trust your family on this one."
Silmeria loosened up a little bit and sat up with her legs crossed. She breathed deep and exhaled, letting all the tension leave her body. "If this is my first day back, then I'm grateful that you are the first one to greet me."
Silmeria she stiffened up at first when Frei grabbed her in a tight embrace. She allowed herself to relax and simply enjoy a sense of belonging somewhere. She looked at Frei with different eyes now, making sure to remember every detail of her newfound family. She frowned, noticing her ripped clothes and the glove tied off around the wound on her arm.
"You're hurt Frei, what happened to you?"
"Oh this is nothing," Frei tried to wave her off, but she couldn't hide the grimace. That hug touched off a few sore spots. "Me and Ammy-chan were tending to a new flock of guardian eagles when something set them off all of a sudden. We got caught up in all the ruckus."
Silmeria looked down at Amaterasu who looked up at her, tail wagging. "Well at least she's ok."
Frei chuckled, "She was smart enough to get out of the way."
She got up and offered Silmeria her good arm, "It looks like Nanami is still at Central, help me dress some of these wounds and I'll give you the proper tour of heaven."
Silmeria smiled and stood up on her own, using the cot as leverage. "You helped me enough. It's time for me to return the favor at least."
"Alright then," Frei said. She leapt up on the cot and scooted to the edge and let her. "I look forward to your expert care."
"She woke up hysterical. I gave her some medicine so she could go to sleep, but it should only last a few more hours." Nanami said. The door chimed as she pushed the door open to her own clinic. "I didn't want to leave her alone, but Silmeria needs to wake up and see her sister first, not a healer."
The door chimed again as Lenneth walked in behind her. "You did the right thing Nanami. I should have been here from the start, but the power surge at Central really made a mess of things."
Lenneth stopped walking the moment she entered. "Nanami, I don't sense anybody in here."
"Are you sure?" Nanami said. She ran to the clinic and flung the door open. It was completely empty.
She came back out to the lobby find Lenneth reading a hand-written note on the desk. Lenneth did not say anything and handed it to Nanami.
Nanami,
Taking Silmeria on a tour of heaven. I helped myself to some supplies and tended my wounds before leaving.
Thanks a bunch
Frei
Nanami looked up to an empty lobby and the entrance to her clinic slamming shut.