Finally! Chapter two is up!

pietoraven36: Thank you for the kind comment. :) I am not offended at all. In fact, your comment helped me write the progression in chapter two and take out some things.

Please R&R! Reviews help me know what I'm doing right and what I can fix.

CHAPTER TWO: Off to War

I woke up to birds chattering outside my window the next morning. Sunlight filled my bedroom and lit up my dresser and bedside table. I blinked sleepily and pulled the blankets off of me. I changed into some clean clothes and stuffed my feet into my boots.

I walked down to the hall for breakfast, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I trudged over to my friends and plopped down in my seat, taking some bacon and a couple rolls and putting them on a plate.

"How'd you sleep, Haley?" Abarrane said. She had her blonde hair pinned back and her blue eyes were shining with energy.

"Just fine," I answered her question and took a bite of bacon. Kaden was half asleep over his plate, a bite of ham halfway to his mouth. I nudged him and he woke up and quickly popped his breakfast into his mouth.

"Morning, Haley," Kaden said through a full mouth. I wiped a couple chewed up gobs of hams from the table with a disgusted face. Kaden didn't seem to notice. I went back to my food.

"Haley, I think Frigga wants to speak with you," Abarrane elbowed me. I looked over to where Odin usually sat at the head of the room, and saw Frigga motioning for me to come over. I got up and met her by Odin's throne, wondering what she wanted.

"Haley, I have to go to an important meeting with the Allfather today. I don't have time for our usual magic lesson," Frigga said.

"That's fine. I am sure I can train elsewhere for a day," I said. "Actually, I wouldn't mind a day off. My archery could use some work."

"Loki is going to teach you," Frigga said. I narrowed my eyes. "Are you sure? He isn't really the teaching type. I'm sure he'd rather be reading books or off experimenting with his own magic."

"He is the one who offered, not me. I am sure he'll do just fine. Now go and find him. He should be somewhere outside. Maybe in my garden," Frigga said, shooing me away.

I jogged out of the hall, Kaden and Abarrane shooting me inquiring glances. I didn't stop to tell them what Frigga had wanted.

I found Loki where Frigga said I would, standing with his arms crossed and staring off into the distance.

"Frigga said you were going to teach me today," I said, stopping a couple feet away from him.

"Yes, I was going to try," Loki uncrossed his arms and quirked his mouth up. "What do you want to do?"

"Well, you are the one that is supposed to be teaching me, so whatever you think I need to learn," I shifted my boots on the cobblestones in the path. Loki looked at me thoughtfully.

"Has Frigga tried any physical magic? Like what to use in a fight?"

I sighed. "No. She doesn't like the idea of me fighting, so she mainly teaches me how to heal and do basic things like manipulating the space around me."

"Well, every magic user needs some weapons in their arsenal. Especially one that is going to fight in wars," Loki stepped closer and held out his hand. "Let's start with fire."

A small flame leaped to life in the palm of his hand. I half expected the sleeve of his clothes to catch fire, but they didn't. His hand didn't even have a burn on it.

"It's a difficult thing to master. It took me almost three weeks to be able to keep a strong flame going." Loki extinguished the flame and crossed his arms again. "You try."

"What? How?" I asked, surprised. I at least expected Loki to describe how to do it.

"Just imagine the oxygen around you gathering and a fire appearing. Use your magic the way you usually do. It's different for everyone."

I took a deep breath in and held my hand out in front of me. I closed my eyes, accessing the flow of magic that flowed through me as I had hundreds of times before.

I opened my eyes when I felt my hand suddenly heat up. I watched in surprise when a small flame appeared, flickering with a bright blue color. It didn't burn my hand, just sat in place, heating the air around it.

"I did it," I managed. Loki raised his eyebrows. "I didn't expect you to catch on so quickly."

"Maybe I'm just a better magic user," I joked. Loki shook his head. "Right. Maybe it is just because you have such a great teacher."

I laughed gently. I cut off the flow of magic and the flame died out, leaving a few wisps of smoke in its place.

"Let's see if you can fight with it. You have to be loose, but strong. Fire is a very destructive force, and it has a way of getting away from people. You know hand-to-hand combat, right? Good. Now fight using the techniques you were taught, but instead adding a bit of fire to each hit."

I tried a simple maneuver that every young fighter knows, but not a speck of fire appeared. I tried again, frustrated.

"It's going to take some time. I would practice it all week," Loki said. He began to saunter away.

"Wait, that's it?" I asked. Loki stopped. "Practice what I have taught you. Once you can do it, I'll teach you something else."

"Won't Frigga be mad if she finds out I've been learning to fight with magic?"

"You are already fighting with a bow and arrow, how is this any different?" Loki waved his hand and he disappeared, apparently having teleported himself somewhere. I paused to think about what he said, then shook my head and continued to practice. This was going to be awesome.

{-}{-}{-}

I paused in practicing my fighting moves, satisfied at the blaze of fire that appeared when I punched with my left fist. I grinned like a maniac. I had finally mastered using fire in my fighting style.

I was currently standing in the center of a small hidden clearing in Frigga's garden. Trees surrounded it, giving it the feel of being completely hidden from the world. It was my favorite place to go when I wanted to be alone, and the only people that knew it actually existed was Frigga, Loki, and my two friends.

"Haley?"

I turned to see Abarrane standing in the entrance to the clearing. She cleared her throat before talking again. "We have to get ready to go. We're leaving for Vanaheim soon."

I grimaced and nodded. I had avoided the thought of going to war all week, but now the time was here for us to finally go and fight.

I reluctantly followed her down to the armory where more men were doubtlessly getting ready for the same battle. I went to where my armor usually was. It was hanging off an armor rack, the golden metal shining in the early morning sunlight. I shrugged it on, feeling the familiar weight of the metal and leather drape around me. I pull ed on some leather pants and stuck my feet in my black boots made specifically for fighting. Abarrane was wearing similar armor, but with not as much decoration. She smiled as she handed me my throwing knives. I voiced a quick thank you and stuck them in my belt. I slung my dark leather quiver into my back that was stuffed full with arrows, making sure my bow and my dagger were sheathed in their correct positions.

When we exited the armory, our horses were waiting for us. I found Vedr wearing beautiful silver armor. He nuzzled me and I patted his favorite place in the top of his velvety nose. He nickered as I hefted myself into his back. I certainly wasn't light with all of my gear on. Good thing Vedr was a hefty horse, too. Abarrane got on a black horse she had borrowed for the battle. Eir, her usual horse, couldn't survive in a battle where there were loud noises everywhere. He would freak out.

Just as we were leaving to go down to the Bifrost, Frigga appeared out of nowhere and ran up to me, her hands bunched in her skirts.

"Haley, please be careful. This is your first battle, I don't need you coming back from it wounded, or worse, de-"

I cut her off. "Don't worry. It's just a raid in some bandits."

Frigga's eyes darkened. "That's when I worry the most. You're too young to go."

"Mother, it's fine. Sif trained me well along with Abarrane. We'll come back, I swear."

"Be safe, Haley," Frigga said, relenting. I looked down at her and met her worried blue eyes.

"I'll be just fine," I said as we began to move off. The group of thirty men including Abarrane and me began moving off. I looked back one more time at Frigga, who waved. I faced forward again. Kaden slid up beside me.

We didn't say anything as we trotted down the rainbow bridge, our horses snorting and rustling their bits.

When we reached the Bifrost, Heimdall pushed his sword into the pedestal in the center of the dome. We walked into the vortex in threes. Kaden, Abarrane, and I were last.

Vedr tossed his head when we traveled through space to reach Vanaheim. I calmed him with a few pats to his neck. He flicked his ears a couple more times then settled down. He knew I wouldn't put him in harm's way.

After the Bifrost had touched down and left the group of thirty horses on Vanaheim, the call went out for us to set off. Kaden rode to my left. Abarrane on my right. She didn't seem nervous at all. Abarrane had been through many battles before, and this certainly wouldn't be her last.

I shared a nervous glance with Kaden. His brown eyes glistened with worry.

"It's only a bandit raid, we'll be fine." I whispered to him, trying to hide my own fear. Kaden looked away, and even though he stood taller in his saddle, I knew my words had done nothing to soothe him.

"Line up!" The leader called. I directed Vedr to stand in the second line of fifteen horses. We sped up, cantering over the fields of grass toward the bandit camp.

All I could hear was the thumping of hooves and the creaking of tack before the bandit camp came into sight and all hell broke loose.

Bandits were yelling in alarm to each other as we crashed through their camp, jumping over tents and spreading a couple campfires. I turned Vedr to get a vantage point of the battle. In the heat of the skirmish, my nervousness seemed to burn off. I drew my bow from my quiver and aimed an arrow at a bandit that was rushing towards me. The arrow stuck in his neck and he fell. I moved Vedr with my knees, guiding him around as I took down some more men.

The raid seemed to last for forever. Shouts echoed all around me, and the clanging of swords could be heard everywhere. We were hopelessly outnumbered. We had underestimated the bandits' strength. Abarrane flashed by me, taking out bandits with her sword one at a time. Her horse held his head high and Abarrane executed each move flawlessly. I watched her in admiration.

Abarrane rode by me again, this time stopping for a second to shout, "We're outnumbered! We need to end this quickly."

"How?" I shouted back, taking out a bandit with another well-placed arrow.

"See those large crossbows situated around the camp? If we take those out, then op they've lost their heavy infantry. We'll be able to pick off any extra men easily without those large arrows constantly bombarding us."

I looked at what Abarrane was pointing out. There were several crossbows the size of a small shack stuck around the camp. About four men manned each one, and they shot arrows almost as long as I was tall; about five feet six inches.

"Let's do it!"

Abarrane spun around her horse and she took off. I followed her. I quickly took an arrow and lit it on fire in one of the out of control campfires before aiming it at the nearest crossbow. I launched it, and the crossbow caught on fire. The flames leaped into the air, greedily licking at the wood. I grinned in satisfaction. Abarrane took out another crossbow with her sword, the finely crafted metal blade cutting through the wood as if it were butter. The bandits tried to catch her, but her horse was too fast. Once all of the bandits were taken care of, we moved in to the next crossbows and destroyed them with our techniques.

As we were heading toward the last crossbow, I saw some bandits trying to sprint away to the forest. I yelled at Abarrane to take care of the last crossbow. I urged Vedr toward the group of about seven fleeing men. I reached back for an arrow, grimacing when I only felt a few arrows left. I launched one at the lead man. The arrow stuck in his chest, and he fell, knocking over a couple of his comrades. I sheathed my bow and took a throwing knife in each hand. They spun through the air and stuck in their targets. I took my dagger out of my quiver and took care of the last four men standing before they even knew they were being attacked. I sheathed my dagger after wiping if off in my tunic.

I was surveying the battleground when suddenly I was knocked off Vedr by the force of an arrow piercing my chest just above my left collarbone. I managed to stand up, my vision swimming and my shoulder on fire. I saw Vedr dash off in a panic.

I caught a glimpse of the bandit who had shot me a moment before he attacked, swinging his sword viciously. I dodged it barely. I could feel the breeze from the swinging motion of the blade. I pulled out one of my throwing knives and threw it at the bandit, catching him in the leg. The bandit stumbled, his rough piecemeal armor shifting under his weight. I stumbled back and managed to unsheathe my bow and launch an arrow to end him.

I spun around, my head getting fuzzy from blood loss. I knew I should find someone and get off the field of battle, but I didn't. I had to continue. We had to end this as soon as possible.

I ran toward a familiar tuft of dark hair and found Kaden wrestling with a particularly large bandit almost twice his size. I ran forward and pulled my third and second to last dagger from my belt. I threw it expertly, the blade sticking in the back of the bandit. The bandit rolled off of Kaden, scrabbling for the knife in his back. Kaden finished him with a quick blow to the head

"Thank you," Kaden yelled over the din of the battle. I was about to reply when the world spun around me. I was unable to keep my balance and I fell. Blood rushed in my ears. I felt panic build up in my chest. I couldn't hear anything. Kaden ran up to me, his face twisted with worry and fear.

Haley, he seemed to be saying. His mouth moved, but no sound came out. My vision darkened around the edges. I turned my head to see a guard reaching down and pulling me up onto his horse by the back of my armor. I saw a horde of horses thundering away from the camp. The raid must be over. My head rolled to the side. And the last thing I saw was Vedr, my ever-faithful horse, running alongside me, his tail streaming out behind him as he ran with his head next to mine.

I closed my eyes as the Bifrost lit up the world, and then all was black.