Chapter 2: Well. Didn't Expect That One

Once out on the streets, Magnus suggested we go back to the park. "Are you insane? I had a little face to face with one of those… those, things and I really don't want another one," I said. Magnus shook his head and shoved his hand through his hair.

"I need to make sure Hearth and Blitz are okay," he said. "They took on those bird things for us and I… I need to make sure they're okay." He finished. I nodded my head in agreement. We walked together silently, trying not to gather too much attention.

"So…" I start. Magnus looks at me with his eyebrows raised.

"Um… thank you. For helping me earlier. I was a bit of a mess… I mean I still am, I'm just trying not to think about it," I say. Magnus chuckles.

"Yeah, I've been there. My uh," he clears his throat. "My mom was killed too. By a… well it would sound ridiculous…" I stare at him ludicrously.

"My mom was just killed by a giant mutant bird thing. I think my story sounds more ridiculous than yours." Magnus looks down. Great job, Syd.

"I'm sorry, that was insensitive. I'm just going to shut up now," I looked the other direction with my head down.

As we got closer to the park, everything seemed normal. Then again, none of the people in the park seemed to be able to see the bird things anyway.

"No, it's fine. She was, um… She was killed by a giant wolf creature thing two years ago… I've been living on the streets ever since," he said, followed by a series of coughs. My guess is he was trying to cover up tears.

"Wow. I'm sorry," I said. "I guess we have something in common: crazy murderous creatures." He laughed at that, which made me smile. Just as soon as it appeared, my smile disappeared. It felt so wrong… I had just seen my mother's dead corpse this morning, and now it's nowhere to be found and here I am smiling and laughing with some dude I met a few hours ago. I looked over at Magnus to see if he saw my sudden change in emotion, but saw him squinting in the direction of the park instead.

"Is that… can you see? Does that look like Hearth standing at the entrance to the park?" he asked. I squinted my eyes too, straining them trying to get a peak. Sure enough, there was a man standing there in a coat with a candy striped scarf.

"Well, I've only just met him, but judging by the scarf, I'd say yes." I said. Magnus shook his head and cursed under his breath. "Yeah, but, Blitz." Magnus raced off to talk to his friend. I realized then that Blitz wasn't standing with Hearth. My heart leapt into my throat. Please don't be dead, I hoped. I ran after Magnus to talk to Hearth.

When I got there, Hearth was signing like crazy, Magnus quickly following along. When Magnus saw I was there, he filled me in. "Hearth's acting really strange. He said that he and Blitz need to tell me something, but they suspect you should listen too… I'm not sure what's going on, but we should go find Blitz," Magnus said. The both of us followed Hearth into the park and found Blitz on the same bench that we were on earlier.

"They're gone," he said. His eyes looked clouded over, like his mind was somewhere else. He looked terrified. "It's like they came back to life. They just got back up and screeched for an axe and flew off." At the mention of the axe, Blitz went pale. What is the deal with this axe? Why is it so important? Hearth seriously looked at Blitz and signed a message. Blitz nodded.

"Come here, kid. There's something I have to tell you. I… know who your father is." Magnus' eyes bugged as he sat closer to the man. I felt like I shouldn't be listening to such a private conversation, but Blitz waved me closer.

For Pete's sake, I'd just met the guy a few hours ago, and now I'm in his personal life.

"You see, Hearth and I… we were sent here to protect you, to make sure nothing happened to you. After today, I think it's important we tell you all that we know. It's probably better you know it now that you've turned 16. Happy Birthday, by the way," he added quickly.

This is probably one of the strangest conversations I've ever listened to…

"You may not believe us, but you will in time. Soon, probably. You'll see what you're capable of and you'll realize we're right," he said. "You're dad... his name is Frey." I could see the wheels turning in Magnus' brain as he tried to recognize the name. I saw some recollection, but it quickly faded with skepticism. "Continue…" Magnus said cautiously.

"Frey is a Norse God… So, um, since he's your dad, that means you have godly blood, and um, that means you're half god… So you're uh… demigod." Blitz finished. My eyes widened as I heard the news.

First of all, WHAT THE HELL? Second of all, why am I important in this? Why do I need to know? I turned around and picked my backpack off the ground and started to walk away. I will not be a part of this craziness.

I had been walking for a good five minutes when someone grabbed my wrist. My muscles seemed to know exactly what to do as they pulled whoever it was who grabbed me in an arc above my head and sent them crashing to the ground onto their backs. I heard a groan, and as I looked down at the ground, I saw it was Magnus.

"Oh my god!" I cried as I knelt down, observing my arm. "First of all, are you okay? Second, how the hell did I do that?" Magnus sat up slowly, holding his head. "Yeah, I think I'm fine, I just… wow," he said. "How did you learn to do that?" he asked. I shrugged my shoulders while shaking my head. When he fully sat up, he cradled his head in his hands.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened back there. I honestly don't know what that was… a demigod? Please, those aren't real," he laughed it off nervously. He tried to get up, but I stopped him.

"Here, let me help," I stood up and lent him a hand to help himself up. "I'm really sorry…" I trail off, but Magnus just shakes it off like it's nothing. "Really, it's fine. I don't feel anything." I nod skeptically.

"Okay, where to? I have no idea where to go other than out of Boston. I can't be around this place anymore… too many memories," I said. Magnus nods his head. "Look, I understand if you want to stay here. I couldn't ask you to up and leave this place." Magnus looks up at me. "No way. I told you I'd go with you so I will. I'm a man of my words," he winked, which made me smile slightly.

"Alright then, let's go."

/\/\/\/\/\

We continued walking with our bags of supplies until we reached the bridge that leads to the road that goes out of Boston.

"Um, happy birthday…" I awkwardly say. He nods appreciatively. "Thanks. The big sweet 16," he laughs. I smile and respond, "Yeah, I turned sixteen end of last week, actually." He nods.

When he asks me where we should go, I have a strange urge to say one place, and one place only. "New York." Magnus looks at me questioningly. "New York? Like, Manhattan, New York?" I shake my head. "No… I'm not sure where but I know definitely not Manhattan," I reply. "I can't explain it… I just have this feeling we should-" all of a sudden, the bridge started to shake and a loud BOOM sounded at the opposite side of the bridge.

At the end of the bridge was a man so black, he looked like someone melted tar into a mold of a human being. His image made me shudder. His blazing red eyes locked on Magnus and I. This day gets weirder and weirder. I think. I'm surprising even myself by not freaking out and running the other direction.

Then the man started to speak.

"Hmm… demigod blood. Magnus Chase, son of Frey. And… who do we have here?" his words sounded like they traveled through molasses before reaching our ears. "Oh…" the man laughed. "I'll let you find that out yourself, Sydney. However, lucky me, you're just who I need. Now, GIVE ME THE AXE!" he yelled. I have never been so confused in my life. I looked over at Magnus and saw the realization in his eyes that what his friends had told him was true. He was a demigod.

I turned my attention back to Tar Man. "Now, girl… Give me the axe and no one gets hurt."

I heard Blitz and Hearth screaming and running towards us. I looked behind me and saw them yelling at Magnus to do something. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but Magnus seemed to understand. Skeptically, he walked over to the edge of the bridge and held out his hand, looking over at Blitz and Hearth like they were insane. Which they might be. I looked back at Tar Man and saw that he had come closer.

"Give. Me. The. Axe." He said through gritted teeth. He kept repeating the phrase, coming even closer with each repetition.

I felt my muscles heat up the same way they had back at my apartment earlier in the morning. Anger rushed through my veins. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about but I don't have this stupid axe!" I practically screamed. Why does everyone want it so bad?!

The dark man laughed. "Don't lie to me. The axe is in your family, but it rightfully belongs to me: Surt, the lord of Muspellheim!" Surt came closer. In my family? Muspellheim? I had no idea what he was talking about, but I was pretty sure that whoever did own the axe, it sure as hell wasn't Surt.

I looked around, trying to find anything to defend myself, when I saw something fly over the side of the bridge and into Magnus' hand. It was a big golden sword with red glowing symbols.

Perfect.

"Magnus!" I screamed. He looked over to me, understanding what I needed. He tossed the sword over to me, looking shocked he was able to unearth such a weapon. I didn't have time to think of that right now.

Blitz and Hearth must have shown up with other things to use as weapons, because Magnus was standing next to me with a pointed stick, much like the one I had used earlier under the bridge.

Tar Man decided now would be the perfect time to set the bridge on fire. Panic raced through me.

"Give me the axe now and none of these mortals get killed," he said. Mortals? Blitz and Hearth ran off the help the people on the bridge escape.

More confused than ever, my muscles urged me forward. Magnus followed suit. Surt demanded for the axe once more, which sent my anger over the edge. I screamed and started thrusting the sword around Surt, trying everything to get it to connect with his flesh. Magnus had the same idea, trying to swing his spear into any spot possible. Surt raised his hands, creating a ball of fire. I didn't know how that was possible, but it gave me a window to attack.

Disregarding the weight of the weapon, I swung it in an arc and felt it connect. Surt wailed in pain. I looked up and realized I'd taken his nose right off. Magnus looked at me with wide eyes, but quickly turned his attention back to Surt. We both were thinking the same thing: attack while he's distracted.

Magnus started stabbing Surt in various places, while I slashed the sword here and there around his body. Surt screamed every time.

All of a sudden, Surt disappeared in a tornado of fire, leaving burns up my arms. Magnus seemed unfazed. I clenched my teeth in pain, examining my blistered arms.

When the fire and smoke disappeared, an older man in a wheelchair covered in a blanket was there. I looked over at Magnus with questioning eyes, wondering how the man had gotten there, and more importantly, how he survived when he couldn't move very fast.

"We have to hurry. Come with me, there is much to discuss, Sydney," he said. I was taken aback that a second person I'd never met or seen before knew my name. "This boy may come too. I think I know where you're from. I'm Chiron." With that, he turned his wheelchair around and wheeled away from the destroyed bridge toward the park without another word.

Well. Didn't expect that one.

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed my second chapter! I'm so excited for this story and the crossover of the two worlds! Let me know what you think in the comments and follow, favorite, etc.!