The Next Day
"Greenland?" reiterated David's father. "But you guys just got here! I thought over the phone you said you were expecting to be here a couple of weeks?" the elderly man said.
"Well, there's been a change of plans. The short of it is that we found what we were looking for, just not where we thought we'd find it.." said David as he dragged a suitcase down the stairs.
"I don't understand. What are you going to Greenland for? You hardly told me what you even came here to find!" said Greg.
"Look, Dad, it's a super long, super crazy story. We don't need to-"
"No, David, we owe your father an explanation. He was nice enough to let us stay these past couple nights!" said Hilda, giving her boyfriend a mild glare. David rolled his eyes.
"Fine, but you can tell him. I'll go get the rest of our luggage." said David as he disappeared back up the stairs.
"He's been like that since his mother died, y'know?" said Greg, once David was all the way upstairs.
"Like what?" asked Hilda.
"He hates explaining himself to me. I'd ask him where he's off to, he'd give me a one-sentence, sometimes a one-word answer and then give me a 'Not now, I'm busy!' when I ask him for any detail. It's not as bad now, but when he was a bit younger he was like that constantly." said Greg, a hint of frustration in his voice.
"My, that.. sounds rough." said Hilda, unsure of quite what to say.
"All family squabbling aside, what's all this about Greenland?" asked Greg.
"Well it's gonna sound a little nutty, but the short version is that my father- or, well, his ghost, or some kind of entity related to him- is at the top a mountain near Greenland's capital. Or, well, at least in the vicinity. The instructions are unclear- we're working largely off a picture provided to us by an ancient amulet that's thousands of years old…. Basically, I want to find my father and he's in Greenland. Maybe." said Hilda. Greg looked at her blankly for a second and then began chuckling.
"You know, Hilda, I reckon my son is gonna marry you!" beamed the old man, making Hilda blush profusely.
"W-What makes you say that?" asked Hilda, nervously toying with her hair. Not that the thought of spending her life with David gave her debilitating anxiety, it was more like a fairytale-like sense of butterflies in her stomach.
"Because!" began Mr. Stoff, "My son would never follow anyone- or anything to the ends of the Earth but his band, especially with no clear end goal in sight! Yet here he is, traveling around the world with you on the off chance your father is out there. David loves you more than I've seen him love anything!" explained Greg. Hilda couldn't help but smile at the elderly man's words.
"Well.. suppose I'll look out for the ring then, yeah?" she chuckled.
"Ha! There ya go!" laughed Greg as his son came back downstairs with the other suitcase.
"Let's get on the road babe," said David as he lugged the suitcase over by the door. "We don't wanna miss our flight." he said. Hilda looked at the man once she heard his voice, remembering the words Mr. Stoff has just spoken to her. As she gazed upon David's face, her heart felt full.
"Right, let's get to it!" said Hilda before turning to Greg. "It was nice to see you, Mr. Stoff." She said with a smile.
"Thanks for letting us crash, Dad. I'll try to call you when we get to Nuuk." said David as he gave his father a hug.
"I'd appreciate it! Have a safe flight!" said Greg as he saw the young couple off.
Hilda and David loaded their luggage into the trunk and got in the car. As David started the engine, Hilda leaned over and gave him a flurry of little kisses on his cheek.
"Hello babe, affectionate today are we?" chuckled David as he gave Hilda a quick peck before pulling away from the parking space and beginning the drive to the airport.
"A bit, yeah. Hope that's not a problem.." she said flirtatiously.
"Not at all!" chuckled David.
"Sooo, what's the deal with this flight? How long is it gonna be?" asked Hilda.
"Long. You better be prepared to use those cramped plane toilets!" said David.
"Wonderful.." said Hilda with a soft chuckle.
"Yeah, I really pulled a rabbit out of my arse booking this flight. It was pure luck. Flights to Nuuk from this part of the world aren't quite as frequent as flying from Trolberg to here." said David.
"Why's that?" asked Hilda.
"...Because it's Greenland, babe. It's the largest island country in the world, the vast majority of it is a barren sheet of ice, and a third of the population lives in the city we're flying to. And the 'city' is only a fourth of the size of Trolberg." said David.
"Oh wow, I knew it wasn't very densely populated, but I didn't know it was that extreme.." said Hilda.
"Last night while I was booking the flight, I got curious and did the math; the total population of Greenland is only 0.03% the population of the smallest U.S. State." David stated.
"That's a bit staggering.." said Hilda.
"Tell me about it. We can't even get a direct flight there." said David.
"Bloody hell, are we gonna have a layover?" asked Hilda, the thought of dealing with multiple planes and airports seeming like an exhausting task.
"Oh yeah. Two actually. The plane we're about to get on goes to Copenhagen, and then we gotta catch a flight to Reykjavik, and from there we fly to Nuuk." said David.
"So you're telling me we're stopping in Denmark and Iceland before we actually get to Greenland?" asked Hilda.
"Unfortunately, yes. With all the flights added up, including the amount of time we'll take waiting for layover flights, it's gonna take about 11 hours." said David.
"Well, sounds like I'll be in the market for a good long nap when we finally reach Greenland." sighed Hilda.
"On the plus side, it was a great value. The fact that I scored two tickets for under two grand is nuts.." said David.
"I promise I'll pay you back, eventually.." said Hilda.
"Nonsense, don't worry about it! Stuff like this is more important than money; especially since I don't need to worry much about it, anyway." said David.
"Bold coming from someone working in such a superficial, capitalistic industry…" said Hilda with a raised eyebrow.
"I'll give you that one!" laughed David.
"But really though, David, thank you. You've proven yourself invaluable to the mission…" said Hilda with a smile.
"I try!" said David with proud grin across his face.
Eventually their car journey ended and they dropped off the rental at the airport, before walking into the terminal. They checked in and went through airport security once again. They located their gate, grabbed some food, and eventually it was time to board.
Hilda loved going on journeys, but spending a solid day sitting on planes and walking through airport terminals didn't seem very appealin g into the adventurer. Perhaps Hilda would have found it more entertaining if she were flying her own plane, but then again, it was a bit late to get her pilot's license at this point. "Maybe, if I survive whatever's waiting for me on that mountain, I'll go and get my pilot's license. Why not?" the blunette thought to herself.
"David, you packed the amulet right?" asked Hilda as they took their seats on the plane.
"The thousand year old artifact, a third of which you vomited up after being sick for a week, and is the reason we're going to Greenland? Yeah, no, I left it on your kitchen table in Trolberg." said David, the sarcasm overtly cutting through his voice. "Yes, I packed it in the bottom of my suitcase. I can't believe it hasn't set off any alarms in airport security." He added.
"Alright, Mr. Sassy Pants!" giggled Hilda. "Just wanted to make sure. I just think it could give us some answers in case we, I don't know.. get lost or something." said Hilda.
"I really hope we don't get lost on a mountain in Greenland. That would suck." said David, inhaling sharply.
"We'll be fine, we've gotten out of hairier situations, right..?" said the blunette.
"I mean, I did survive being swallowed. That was pretty messed up." said David.
"Remember when we were kids and Frida lost that book, and then a ghost basically suplexed me? That was also pretty messed up…" Hilda recounted.
"I'm pretty sure you're leaving out a couple integral components of that story, but yes, yes I do remember that." said David.
Eventually, the plane pulled away from the terminal and took off. It was a relatively short flight to Copenhagen; shorter than the initial flight from Trolberg to Oslo, so it wasn't too exhausting. But this was only the beginning.
The couple landed in Copenhagen with two hours before the connecting flight to Iceland. While grabbing lunch waiting for the flight, they found out it had been delayed an extra three hours, much to their dismay. Eventually, they boarded once more and took off towards Iceland's capital.
The airline fatigue was setting in quick for Hilda. On the next flight, she got the window seat which she always enjoyed. David sat in the middle, and as coincidence would have it, a friend of his from another band had the aisle seat. Hilda drifted off into a nap as she listened to them catch up and share tour stories.
The couple arrived in Iceland to the good news that their final connecting flight to Greenland was on time. After one final, relatively painless plane ride, David and Hilda found themselves deboarding onto a small airstrip in Greenland.
"Cold and gloomy.. reminds me of Trolberg in November!" said David as they walked towards the terminal, suitcases in tow.
"After we get home, I never want to see another airplane for as long as I live.." said Hilda, looking quite exhausted and groggy from the long journey. They exited the airport terminal and got on a bus.
"I took the liberty of finding us a place to stay. There's this small hotel near the city center, should be good" said David.
"Sounds splendid.. hey, look! That must be the mountain!" said Hilda, pointing out the bus window. David turned and looked off into the horizon, seeing the mountain's peak in the distance.
"Must be!" said David. "Looks like quite the hike.." he added.
Eventually the bus dropped them off and they paced down the sidewalk to the old inn. David checked in with the old man behind the counter, though with relative difficulty seeing as the man's English wasn't very strong; David hadn't quite brushed up on his Greenlandic beforehand as much as he'd have liked to admit.
They traveled upstairs with their luggage and reached their room. Once inside, David began unpacking his bag and Hilda went to go examine the view from the one window in the room.
"Oh my! The view of the mountain is even better from here! I feel closer to meeting my father already!" beamed Hilda.
"Uh, yeah, that's great and all, but I think you should see this.." said David as he pulled the amulet from his bag. Hilda noticed a bright glow coming from the ancient artifact.
"Oh my, that's odd!" said Hilda, walking over to the object.
"What do you think it means?" asked David as Hilda took the amulet from him and examined it.
"I'm not quite sure.." said the blue haired woman as she walked back to the window with the amulet in her hands. As she walked towards the window, she noticed the amulet's gems glowing brighter. "Huh?" She said in response to the phenomenon. She took a few steps back, and then a few forward; she noticed how the brightness of the amulet changed as she approached the window, which faced the mountain.
"You see that? It gets brighter when it's closer than the mountain!" exclaimed David.
"This is great! It'll lead us right to Heinrich!" said Hilda, excitedly.
"Who would've thought we'd find a dead man playing a game of hot-and-cold.." chuckled David.
"It is quite a concept. You should write a song about it!" quipped Hilda.
"Maybe I will. But for now, I'd like to get more acquainted with this bed. I'm bloody tired.." said David as he yawned and flopped on the old bed.
Later that night, Hilda was sleeping soundly next to her taller companion. The old bed provided by the inn was quite soft and comfy, not to mention warm. Her slumber was interrupted by a strong gust of cold wind blowing the window open, the frames clattering against the wall as they swung from side to side.
Annoyed with the noise, Hilda got out of bed and shut the window. Before she could turn back to get in bed, she noticed a surreal glow illuminate the room. She turned around and saw the amulet, glowing especially bright; brighter than before. This was odd, as nothing seemed to be around that would trigger the amulet glowing so bright. Hilda walked over to the mirror vanity on which David had left it and examined it closely.
As Hilda picked up the amulet, a cold shiver ran down her spine as the air around her quickly grew chilly. Her heartbeat began racing. Something wasn't right.
"Hilda…" a voice whispered from an unknown direction; it seemed to be coming from inside her head.
Hilda noticed something in the mirror, just within her peripheral vision. She looked into it and saw an apparition standing just behind her shoulder; it was Heinrich! Hilda gasped and practically jumped out of her skin.
However, as quickly as Hilda had noticed the ghostly figure, he had just as quickly vanished into thin air.
"Why are you so freaked out?" asked David, his voice muffled from the toothbrush in his mouth. He spit out the toothpaste and wiped his mouth. "You've seen ghosts before, and with this ancient amulet it's not much of a surprise." He stated.
"You're not hearing me. This wasn't like any normal ghost, like the ones back in Trolberg who wrestle at night for fun. This one looked like a living, breathing person!" exclaimed Hilda.
"Are you sure you didn't imagine it? Ghosts are usually all glowy and floaty and such… not flesh and blood" said David before rinsing his mouth.
"Yes, David. I didn't imagine it. I know what I saw.." said Hilda, a growing frustration in her voice.
"Alright, alright. If you say so. Either way, the answer to whatever you saw is probably up on that mountain. We should get dressed and see if we can find a shop that sells hiking gear." said David. Hilda took a deep breath.
"Yes, that's a good idea. Sorry if I was short with you.." she said, rubbing her arm.
"What do you mean? You're 5'4. You're always short with me!" said David, holding back laughter as Hilda stood there unamused.
"Hey, I may be tiny but I'm still mighty!" exclaimed Hilda.
It took days, but finally the old man had gained the audience he seeked with the ancient wizard. Tracking him down was no small feet; the old man had talked to what felt like hundreds of spirits trying to learn the wizard's location within the foggy forest-like realm they had called their eternal home.
The elderly bearded man approached the small hut in a remote part of the foggy plane. He knocked on the black wood door with vigor.
"Kutarum! Open up! I seek your assistance!" bellowed the old man. There was no answer. He persisted with his knocking. "Open up, Wizard! I'm in need of your help!" he shouted once more.
"You know, one looks rather foolish yelling at nothing." said a voice from behind. The man turned around and found the old wizard with a sack slung over his shoulder. "Come inside if it is help you seek, but you'll have to make a fire for me." said Kutarum.
The elderly man followed the wizard into his home without question. Kutarum placed his sack on the ground to reveal it was full of firewood. The old man took the wood and stacked it in his fireplace. Once he had gotten the fire started, he turned around to see Kutarum sitting cross legged on a rug, sipping tea. The old man noticed there was an extra cup sitting on the other side of the rug.
"Sit," said the wizard Kutarum. "But do not drink until instructed." He said.
"I hardly see the point of sustenance in a realm where one doesn't need to eat to survive." said the old man as he took a seat across from his host.
"And yet we see our fellow souls eating and talking about the weather in a place that is eternally wet, cold, and foggy. Limbo can make the common soul yearn for what once made it feel alive. Now, who are you, stranger? And what makes you think I can help you?" said the old wizard.
"I am Heinrich. I was told by a variety of wandering souls that you specialize in magic that can temporarily take me to the world of the living." said Heinrich.
"I wouldn't say specialize, but I'm certainly familiar with the magic of which you speak. Why would someone like you want to toy with such powers?" asked Kutarum.
"I was a victim of the Amulet of Åpenbaring, I'm sure you've heard of it." stated Heinrich.
"Yes, the damned object of underworld deception has claimed many souls throughout the centuries. What of it?" asked Kutarum.
"The amulet has chosen another mortal to take prey on. The mortal in question has already collected all the pieces and combined them." said Heinrich.
"Ahhh, I see. When the Amulet is pieces together, the previous chosen one is able to peer across the veil that separates our realms. Has peeking into the world of the living made you yearn for your life again?" asked Kutarum.
"No, I'm afraid the nature of my visit is a bit different.. I want to save the current chosen one from meeting their demise." said Heinrich.
"Ha! Fool. There's no stopping the evil unleashed by that cursed amulet. Why would you want to practice such dangerous magic for the sake of a soul who's fate is already sealed?" exclaimed Kutarum.
"Because the soul in question is my daughter." said Heinrich.
"Hmmm.. very strange. I've never heard of the amulet choosing victims from within the same family. Interesting.." said Kutarum.
"I perished before she was born. I hadn't been able to lay eyes on her until she pieced together the amulet, allowing me to peer into the world of the living." said Heinrich.
"If you died before meeting your daughter, what makes you think it's her?" asked the wizard.
"I saw her talking to her mother. She's much older now, but… she's very much the woman I swore my heart to before my life ended. And our daughter, she's everything I could have ever hoped for in a child. A friend to all creatures and spirits, brave and fierce to a fault, an insatiable hunger for adventure. Her name is Hilda. She is an amazing young woman who still has so much of her life ahead of her. If there's even a chance I can save her, I absolutely have to try." explained Heinrich.
"Hm. A family man, I see. Very well, Heinrich, I will help you." said Kutarum as he reached into his robe and revealed a small pouch. He reached inside the pouch and took out a pinch of a fine, blue powder which he sprinkled into Heinrich's tea. The cup began glowing aqua blue. "Drink this, but be warned. The veil that separates us from the land of the living and the land of the dead are not meant to be pierced. Traveling to either of them can wear deeply on the fabric of your soul." added the old wizard.
"Cheers, then!" said Heinrich as he quickly downed the tea. "...What happens now?" He asked.
"Now, you must find a secluded area, clear of any other souls that may distract you. There you will meditate, focusing on the amulet. To reach a state in which you can move around and stay in the living realm for an extended period of time, you will need to enter a very deep meditative state. Any distractions can sever the connection. But be warned, Heinrich. You are only able to travel to the dimension three times, and you may only stay for a maximum of 10 minutes each time." stated Kutarum.
"And if I don't?" asked Heinrich.
"Then your connection will be immediately be severed, and you will not be able to go back, even if you haven't used up all three of your trips." said the wizard.
"I see. Thank you, Kutarum." said Heinrich as he got up and went to exit the hut.
"Oh, and just a tip; anything on your person when you travel to the living realm will be brought with you. I'd suggest you bring weapons." said Kutarum.
"Don't you worry. I'll be ready." said Heinrich with a bold smirk.