I had previously uploaded the wrong file (that happens to me for labeling wrong). SORRY!
I didn't make it clear before since I didn't know the term, that this history has OCs, something few people like, but I never follow the flow. Lastly, I want to thank energetic D57, she was the first one who liked my fic (the previous version). With this pandemic I hope you are fine and that you just got bored or forgot your password.
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All roads lead to Roma
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Just when the teacher was about to begin another topic, the sweet sound of freedom rang out. He then took the opportunity to go to library. As he turned down the corridor a foreign foot got in his way, kid and book ended up on the floor, then he looked at her angrily.
"What's happening to you Lucía!?" He said.
"And what's my fault that you don't watch where you're going?" She replied, folded her arms.
She turned her attention to the book and he hurried to take it before the brabucon girl. She was four years older than him.
"When I go to mass with my mom, I'll tell the nuns that you were stealing again―" She said.
"Is nor stolen!" He said, reminding nun Hortencia's belt.
"―and..." she continued, "... that you have been reading prohibiting things."
"What's happening here?" saved him a friendly voice.
Was Miss Anderson.
"I would ask him if he needed help with his homework," She said with a smile.
"Yes, the homework to get rid of you," he thought.
"Erick, I see that you brought the book. Did you finish it?" Miss Anderson said, Erick nodded.
"I was just on my way to return it," he said, giving the girl a cold look.
"Well, let's go together."
He followed her to the corridors.
"Did you like the book?" She said once they reached the library.
"It was interesting, I like the stories with magic creatures," He said, handing the book back to her.
"Oh yes?"
"Yes, I think so."
"We have the first of Harry Potter, many kids love it," She said, offering a book a bit battered, a donation without any doubt.
He read the back cover something about a young magician, but then something else came to his mind.
"What does ambiguous mean?" He asked.
The question took the teacher by surprise, so she was slow to formulate an answer.
"Ambiguous is something that has double meaning."
"And an ambiguous person?"
"In this case, when we use ambiguous to refer to someone, we are saying that his intentions are not clear."
"Then, he or she is bad person?"
"Sometimes his actions make us think he is evil, sometimes not," She noticed his concern, "Who are we talking about?"
"In the other book there was a character... they called him that, ambiguous."
"Who?"
"His name was Loki."
"I know what you mean."
"Are there more books about him?"
"Not to my knowledge. Why this interest?"
"I don't know," he said with a shrug, "curiosity."
The bell rang.
"Well, go back to your class."
...
The night was present in the northern hemisphere. And while everyone in the orphanage slept, in a small town in New Mexico a group of crazy people were chasing a storm in a pickup truck at full speed. Dense clouds swirled in the sky, like a gurgle about to expel the stopper.
Kraka-Boom! A beam of lights of a thousand colours pierced the sky and struck the earth in the blink of an eye.
...
The echo of the thunder woke him up. He blinked somnolent, but as soon as he distinguished the murmur of the rain he fell asleep again.
"Erick... Erick, wake up," whispered a voice. "Wake up!"
When he opened his eyes, he was lying in the middle of a grassland dancing to the rhythm of the sweet breeze. But far from calming him down, got on his nerves. He stood up and began to look around for some signal.
"Ey, don't panic," he heard the voice again.
He looked over his shoulders, but there was no one there.
"H-hello?"
"You won't see me, because I speak to you from your mind." Strangely, that reassured him.
"Ok. But, what's happening?" He said pointing around him.
"I need help. And from my... let's say... limited possition, I have summoned you."
"Me, why?"
"I opened a communication canal and you answered my call. That is how you astral form came to this limbo, a shortcut between worlds."
"Sounds like spiritualism. You are not going to possess me, rigth?"
"No. But I could do it." Erick opened his eyes winder. "I'm just joking... Then, shall we start?"
Before he could react the breeze turned into a strong wind that pushed him through the grass. He had to cross his arms in front of him to protect his face. He was about to scream stop, when the wind suddenly stopped. Erick fell to the ground by his own insertia. But his anger vanished as soon as he looked up.
A beautiful forest stood in front, with delicate rays of ligth passing through its canopy. There were fungi growing around the trees, like little girls playing ring-a-rosie in their white dresses. And you could almost hear a music. A song wild. Then there was its perfum, like rain.
A howl heard, too far away to worry about. He only felt the desire to moved forward, a desire born of the unknown.
As he moved forward the air became colder and colder, until he could his breath in the air. Then it sarted snowing. And the forest quickly changed his green velvet to a white silk. Sky and earth merged into a single gray curtain. The only thing he found to guide him was the path of the frozen river.
On each shore, ice figures could seen in the distance. Other soul less fortunate than him own.
"If you stay in the river you won't freeze. Okay?" he said and Erick nodded.
Suddenly, a green flash went through the ice. One second later it was yellow, orange, violet. All rainbow dancing. The strange bridge led him through space, and ended up entering an observatory, where a huge guardian with a huge sword matched the golden hall. "Heimdall," he know.
"Don't worry. He can't see or hard you."
"This is Asgard!"
"Yes. The lobby at least."
All the city looked like something out of a fairy tale, or from a film set in antique Greece. Horses flying in the sky and the air was impregnate with spices unknown to the human noise. Erick stopped his march each time something calling his attention, as in that square where a sword duel was being fought. As soon as the show finished, the crowd dispersed. Someone had forgotten a green handkerchief on the edge of the fountain, and he couldn't resist taking it. It was soft and satiny, with a beautiful snake embroidered.
Then a sense of danger came over him.
"Run to the palace!"
A golden army flanks the stairway. Climbed as fats as his legs would let him. As soon as he reached the end, the doors opened for him, letting out the glare of trumpets and a multitudinous cry.
When he regained his vision he was in the main hall, as wide as a cargo port. The ceiling, supported by thick carved columns, showing glorious battle and benevolent beings, who even seemed to move. And the floor reflected all like a mirror of polished gold. But in the end there was only a empty throne.
A loud metallic clatter sounded behind him, and the instant he turned around he was transported to a vary different place. Abruptly, he felt the gloomy bowels of Asgard, he felt the cold iron of the dungeons and its angry guests inside. A faint glow illuminated a heavy black door at the end of the corridor. He approached attracted, but cautious, to inspected the rivets the size of his hand.
"At last we will see each other's faces."
He was startled to hear his voice, especially when he realizing it was coming from the other side, along with a overwhelming presence. As he turned around to leave, he again stood in front of the door.
"Are you leaving without tying?" He said provocatively.
"What do you want?"
"Oh, you know what I want to."
"I will not open this door."
"How about this one?" He said as it changed through the door of his school library.
"Let me go."
"Get me out of there, and I'll take you back to your comfy bed myself. I promise."
He closed his eyes and filled his lungs with as much courage as he could. Impatient, for fear of regretting it, he rushed to open the door and he ended up on ground of the other side. The shadow of a pair of horns rested on him and he listened to the blood pumping in his ears. Then a gentle hand came down to offer help him.
"Come on, I don't bite."
At the moment he shook his hand, he woke up.
It took a few minutes to recognize his bed, the room and his companions in it.
"That's what I get for reading forbidden things," he thought, and it caused him to laugh.
It was already dawn and the others were dressed to go down for breakfast, so he began to do the same. He finished tying his shoelaces and stood up to stretch the bed. And, between the sheets, he see it... A green handkerchief with a golden snake.
...
Almost a year after those strange events, fourth graders visited the Harold Washington Library in Chicago. One of the employees at the site, let's call him Jonathan, gave them a tour of each of the ten floors including the roof garden. They ended up in the Children's Library enjoying the puppets, but not all of them, Erick managed to slip away.
The Literature Room was subdivided into thematic areas, he concentrated on folklore, and to his surprise there were books by the pile. But nothing that would be very useful, except for the data that he was represented with two snakes intertwined in opposite directions. "Ambiguous," Erick thought. He snorted, taking a few steps backward without taking his eyes off the shelves, when he was run over by a mister who was walking in a hurry.
"Wow! I'm sorry. Are you okey?" said a tall, gray-haired and blue-eyed mister.
"Yes," Erick replied when he stopped looking at the stars.
Together they began to pick up the papers that had flown away. He noticed that the man was fidgeting nervously, and he paid special attention to some of the his documents, those that showing photographs of symbols engraved in stone. With a agility more typical of a pickpocket, he folded one of the leaves and put it in his pocket. He delivered the rest to its owner.
"May I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"Why does a Culver professor read so many fairy tales?"
The man froze for a few seconds.
"How do you know in which university I..? You're not a spy, Are you?"
"What!? No. I say this because of the shield..." he said pointing at the pen in the top pocket of his jacket, "... and I doubt that you are a students."
"Oh, that's true," mister said with a noticeable relief on his face, "This? It's just a hobby."
"I thought you would say that taught archaeology or some like that."
"No. But I do teach astrophysics."
"It also sounds cool."
"It is. Well, I have to go now."
"Of course. It was a pleasure to crash you, sir."
"You can call me Selvig," he said, extending his hand.
"And I am Erick," responded to the greeting.
Hidden from view, he examined the leaf he had stolen in more detail and, intrigued by Professor Selvig, followed him stealthily. Until he lost it down for a little corridor, one that was not on the tour. He peeked in just as the professor was entering a room, in which he saw some shelves with books under lock and key. At that, a voice surprised him from behind.
"You can't be here." That was Jonathan. "The Preservation Laboratory is not for the public."
"But I saw a man enter there."
"He must be from the repair team. Many books were damaged in the storm last year."
"The April storm?"
"That same. Some windows were broken when the lightning struck, and the rain and wind made a mess of things."
"A lightning!?"
"That's what they said. Although no one could explain why the books were covered with ice. Except my lady boss who says what it was a spell, but she is like ninety years old and likes to invent―"
"Erick!" Miss Anderson suddenly called him. "Where have you been?"
"Ups."
"We have to go."
"Sorry. Bye," greeting to the librarian.
Teacher and student waiting for the next elevator. As they went upstairs Miss Anderson pressed one.
"We have been looking all over for you, what have you been doing?"
"I went to the literature section to see if I could find more information."
"You could have warned me and I would have come with you," she said, trying to sound angry.
"I'm sorry."
"That Loki really drives you crazy. And... did you find anything?"
"Only more questions."
Back at the orphanage, while the others were sleeping, Erick was sitting at the windows overlooking the playground. He was comparing the image of the handkerchief with the one in Professor Selvig's photograph. Those were very similar, although there was only a snake in the handkerchief.
"Am I obsessing?" He asked the moon. "No, you are just crazy," he answered himself with a different voice.
And almost in response, runes were drawn with light on the handkerchief. He had the impression of seeing the snake uncoiling itself. He was so hypnotized that the time he blinked he had the reptile in front of him.
"Mierda!, " he said, forgetting his English, and he threw himself to the ground.
The snake crawled towards him patiently and the moonlight undulated across its jade scales, while its black tongue tasted the air meticulously. Finally backed him into a corner. It stood upright, showing its rattlesnake face and a crown of ruffled feathers, and fixed its eyes on the boy.
"Please don't bite me," he said, and to his surprise… the animal shook its head.
Then the snake headed for the door, and with "vivoresque" technique, it opened a sufficient stretch to leave.
"Hey, come back here!"
He ran after her and as he stopped through the door frame he appeared in the Harold Washington Library lobby. He had a sudden dizziness that was very close to fainting, but a strong pinch confirmed his concerns. Yes, that was happening.
He heard footsteps accompanied by the jingling of keys and he hid behind a garbage bin. After the guard left, he saw the snake come out from inside a flowerpot. The animal seemed to smile at him, then turned around and started to climb the stairs over the railing. He didn't even stop to think about how or why he was following a strange snake through a library in the middle of the night.
"Why do we want elevators?" he said when they reached the ninth floor.
The snake approached the laboratory, stuck his tail in the lock and opened the door. Erick, perplexed by the reptile's criminal skills, took a few seconds to enter after it.
Inside he found several worktables on which there were cans of glue and other work tools, as well as books wrapped in canvas and others inside glass cases. On a table away from rest there were boxes labeled: Property of Dr. Selvig. These were meteorological records dated April 2011, electromagnetism studies and many books over Norse deities. Also he saw a photo of an antique mural, in which two men stretched their hands towards what appeared to be a radiant cube in the center.
From the other end of the table, the snake pushed a notebook towards Erick with its snout. Still distrustful, he cautiously took the notebook and studied its contents. He recognized the symbols of the handkerchief among the notes. Then his new friends set off again. This time it led him to the History and Philosophy Library.
"I thank you for the ride, but I already have to…"
One of the books caught his attention. It was small and made of old leather. He used the same shelves to reach it. Suddenly, the snake quickly slipped to his pocket, producing a faint flash. Back to its lamp, it took its magic with it to return to the orphanage.
"Great, so what do I do now?"
When he turned his eyes to the front he petrified… Two bright eyes stared at him from the other side of the bookcase. They were really shining, they were not human. That's why he knew who he had in front of him.
The murmur of the guards brought him out of shock, he panicked and slipped. In an attempt to grab hold of the shelf, he fell to the ground together with a pile of books, alerting the guards. Erick walked backwards, until he ran with something. He looked over his shoulders and before could run, he lifted him up by the waist and covered his mouth. Just then the guards turned the corner.
"Again a shelf boked," one of the guards said.
"If they are older than my grandmother," replied the other. "Bah, leave it like this. Come on, the second half of the match is about to begin."
As soon as they left, Erick began to squirm. He loosened his grip and then Erick bit his hand. He released him out of sheer surprise, dropping him like a bag of potatoes. The boy moved as far away from him as curiosity would allow.
"Relax. I don't want to hurt you," he said, showing his palms. "Although, I can't say the same for you."
"That was for scaring me!" he said, justifying the bite. He let out a small laugh. "What's so funny?"
"It was like a mosquito bite. More annoying than painful."
Erick frowned, turned his back on him and began to lift the books.
"Won't you help me?"
"It was your clumsiness, not mine."
He placed all the books back, except for the old leather book.
"Petty thief."
"I'm not a thief," Erick said, offended.
"I thought that sneaking out at night and taking other people's things was a thing of thieves."
"I will return it."
"Whatever you say."
"It's not like you work here either, is it?"
"If you say nothing I say nothing," he said with a mischievous smile, then looked him up and down. "Why are you in pajamas? he said, playfully tugging at his penguin T-shirt.
"I have a better question," he said, taking a few steps back, "why didn't the guards see us?"
"I know some tricks," he boasted with a smile. "Why are you so nervous?"
"I have to go now."
"Mind if I join you?"
They passed through the main entrance in front of the guards as if nothing. And they walked through the streets on a pleasant night. To be a legend, he wore jeans and a T-shirt like any other person. Although he was higher than I had imagined.
"Just for curiosity…," Erick said, breaking the silence, "I'm not going to stay invisible forever, right?"
He shook his head laughing.
"The spell is undone at sunrise," he said. Then he looked at him curiously. "You take it very naturally, I'm surprised… What's your name?"
"Erick."
"Isn't it too late to get into mischief, Erick?" he said, arching an eyebrow.
"Let's say that today was an exception."
Finally they arrived at the orphanage. Erick looked at the window of his bedroom, and wondered how the funk he was going to get up there. He surrounded the building and tried his luck with the front door. Closed. He leaned his forehead against the door.
"You went out the window, didn't you?"
"Something like this," he thought, and nodded.
"And you are going to stay there all night?"
"They will open at some point… But you can go now."
"You are very insolent, you know that?"
"Yes. That's why I'm still here," Erick said, sitting down on the stairs.
"What a shame," he said, sitting down next to him. "May I ask for your parents?" The boy looked him in the eyes in surprise. "Lousy questions, I know. Sorry."
"It doesn't matter, here we have it rehearsed." He rubbed his eyes from fatigue. "My mother and sister died in a car accident, and I never meet my father."
"Fathers suck. I'm telling you." Erick laid his head on his legs. "Well, do you want to sleep out here or do you want me to help you climb up to the window?"
In one of the corners of the playground facing the street, the wire fence was loose, so they passed under it. He leaned against the wall, offering his hands like steps and with a push helped him reach the second floor window. Up, Erick sat with one leg on each side.
"Thanks. For everything."
"Goodbye Erick."
"Bye… Loki," he said, whispering his name. But he still heard him.
"What did you say!?" he said, turning around.
Erick hid under the window. "Ups," he thought.
"Get out of there coward," he ordered, and Erick barely peeked his eyes. "How did you know?" he said with a tone more amused than angry.
"I know some tricks," he said just to annoy him.
Loki frowned and cocked his head to one side, crossing his arms.
"And what… you were afraid that calling my name would make the monster appear?" he said somberly. Erick shook his head.
"You are a funny monster. But…"
"But what?" he pressed him.
"I was embarrassed," he said blushing. "Will you return to the library?"
"I don't think so. Why... are you going to miss me?"
"Maybe."
"Well, since we are taking off the masks…"
He rotated his right wrist making a gesture with his fingers, and a light enveloped the wire fence, raising it above his head. After walking comfortably underneath, he made another gesture to lower it.
"Presumido," Erick said in Spanish.
"Que sueñes bonito Erick," Loki responded to the language change without problems.
"Good luck."
"Thanks! I will need it," he said, almost rounding the corner.
This chapter was a bit long, I'm sorry.