Chapter 3

1237

Viking dead lay all across the field of battle. A few warriors moved among the dead, finishing off foes, while helping their comrades as best they could. On a hilltop, a Chieftain looked over his field of victory.

"The enemy has run Sire." A warrior said to the Chieftain.

"Excellent." The Chieftain replied, "Send word to all that this land is now mine."

"Yes Sire." The warrior replied with a bow, but the Chieftain had already dismissed him.

He looked not to the battlefield, but towards the sky. There, he could just make out the forms of the Valkyrie readying themselves to collect the dead.

"Yes," he said, "Go and collect your warriors." He narrowed his view down to one brown haired Valkyrie. "I should thank you. Without you, I couldn't have achieved what I have."

The Chieftain, once simply know as Erik, tipped his helmet towards the Valkyrie.

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2574

Mist walked silently down a cave that few knew about. Those that did know had no need to go down here, or were no longer around.

The cave led to Svartalfheim, home of the Svartalfr or dwarves as mortals came to call them.

Mist finally reached the bottom of the cave. Flames from massive furnaces and forges lit up the chamber. Sparks spat out from anvils as Dwarves hammered out weapons, jewelry, and other things. Before she could move further into the chamber, a Dwarf stopped her.

"What you be wanting?" he asked, "You shouldn't be here."

"Thekk." Mist said.

The Dwarf looked closer at the Valkyrie.

"Ah! It's you Mist!" he said, "How's my favorite Valkyrie?"

"I'm not going to sleep with you Thekk."

Thekk sighed, "Can't blame me for trying. What can I do for you?"

Mist pulled out her broken sword and handed it to Thekk. The Dwarf looked it over and frowned.

"This sword was of the finest quality." He said, "How did you break it?"

"It broken during a battle against a mortal." Mist replied.

"A MORTAL?" Thekk shouted, "No way a mortal blade could have done this! Their metal isn't strong enough!"

"Well the sword this mortal had broke it." Mist said gloomily, "Can it be fixed?"

Thekk scratched his head.

"I don't know." He said, "We've never had something like this happen. No blade has ever been reforged."

"Can you at least save the hilt?" The Valkyrie asked, "It's……..sentimental."

Thekk looked at the hilt. His eyes widened.

"This was Freya's blade!" he said in awe.

"Hence the sentimental value. Can it be replaced?"

"We'll definitely try." Thekk replied, "It's a point of honor now. No weapon we've forged has ever been broken. Not even against Demon blades." Thekk spat.

"What kind of sword could break it?" Mist asked.

"It'd have to be cursed." Thekk replied, "There's no other explanation for it."

Mist nodded. "How long will you need?"

Thekk looked at the broken sword again.

"Give me three days."

"Very well." Mist turned around and began the long climb out of the cave.

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1252

"Sire! Our forces are being overrun!"

"I can see that!" Erik growled as he removed the head of an enemy.

Seeing no enemy near him, Erik took a moment to look around. His forces had outnumbered the enemy, yet they had a hidden reserve that had unexpectedly join in. This had confused Erik. He normally could tell when the enemy was planning something such as this. He took a glance towards the sky. The Valkyrie were there……….wait………the brown haired one was not among them. She had been at all of his battles, even though the other Valkyries were never the same ones. He'd come to see her as his good luck, her presence the reason he'd won. Now………

A cry of pain behind him brought him back from his thoughts. A warrior beside him had fallen to an arrow. Erik turned to find the enemy that shot it cocking another arrow to his bow. He charged at the man, even as the arrow left the bow.

The arrow slammed into Erik's chest, yet it did not slow him. The Viking brought his sword up and plunged it deep into the enemy's chest. The man slid off Erik's sword, dead. Erik then grabbed the arrow and pulled it out. Within seconds, his wound had healed completely. He took another glance around. None of his forces could be seen.

Erik let out a cry of frustration, then ran.

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Days later.

She was known throughout the land as a weird sister, a witch. Some thought she was born a Norn and been cast out from the heavens. Few would associate with her, if not for her gift.

She had the gift of sight.

She saw what none could see, and knew what no one else could know.

It was she Erik sought out.

He stood before the cave she was rumored to live in. Outside, a fire crackled beneath a large cauldron. The liquid within boiled from the heat.

"Witch!" he called into the cave. "Come forth!"

"Ahhh!" came a voice from within, "The Great Chieftain comes to Hrefna. He has many questions for Hrefna."

Erik gritted his teeth. "Get out here woman!"

An ancient woman walked out of the cave. She stood hunched over and held a wooden staff in one hand.

"Lots of questions." Hrefna said, "Always questions for Hrefna. But I have the answers."

Erik glared at the woman.

"Witch! I want……."

"You wish to know why you lose." Hrefna said with a cackle. "Not used to losing are you?"

Erik's eyes narrowed.

"If you continue to…….."

"Silence!" Hrefna cried out. She waved her staff over the cauldron. Images began to appear. "You have the power of the gods. No mortal weapon shall harm you."

"I am aware of that." Erik growled.

"You have the power of foresight," Hrefna continued, "But only when she that your power came from is near."

"The Valkyrie is responsible for my victories?" he asked, "Will I regain what I have lost?

"Your future is clouded." The woman continued, "It is corrupted and in constant change."

Erik frowned. "What do you mean?"

Hrefna waved her staff over the cauldron again. The Images faded.

"I cannot tell you your future." She said. She then turned and started back towards her cave.

"Wait!" Erik shouted, "Why can't you tell me my future?"

"Because," the woman said, "You have none."

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"Here you go Mist." Thekk holding out the sheathed sword.

Mist took it and looked at the hilt. It was still the same worn hilt that had served her and earlier Freya so well for so many centuries. She grabbed the hilt and pulled the sword from it's scabbard. Mist could easily tell it was new. It held no marks from years of use, nor of battle. Thekk nodded to the blade.

"That there is the finest blade we've ever forged here." He said, "We used the strongest material available to us."

Mist went through a few sword drills.

"It's good." She said.

"It should be." Thekk said, "We took the destruction of the previous blade very personally. I assume you'll be more careful with this one."

"I make no guarantees." Mist said, "Anything an happen in battle."

"So very true." Thekk replied.

Mist sheathed the sword.

"Thank you Thekk."

Thekk smiled. "Just go and get the basterd."

Mist smiled and headed back out of the cave. She felt a lot better then the last time she had received a sword.

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1455

Mist moved quickly down the hall towards Freya's office. She had received the summons only minutes before. It was only a few dozen years ago that Freya had called the Valkyries together and informed them they would no longer bring the dead into Valhalla. That role had been handed over to the Reapers. For now, they would defend Yggdrasil as they always had, as well as the rest of Heaven.

Mist reached the door to Freya's office and knocked.

"Enter." Came a tired voice.

Mist entered and approached Freya's desk. The Commander of the Valkyries seemed far older and tired then Mist had ever seen her. Sitting against the wall were Verdandi and Skuld.

"Hello Mist." Freya said softly, "Prompt as always."

"Ma'am." Mist replied with a bow. She then looked at the two Norns. "Miladys"

"Mist." Skuld replied with a nod. Verdandi remained silent.

"Mist," Freya said, "I've called you here for an important reason." Freya rose from her chair slowly. "Times have changed. The Norse Gods have gone the way of the Roman Gods and the Greek, they are no longer worshiped as they once were." The Valkyrie sighed. "Our job has been given to the Reapers. The Valkyrie no longer ride to battle and bring to Valhalla the best warriors. We have become…….glorified guards."

"At least you still have a purpose." Skuld said, "The Valkyrie could have been broken up."

"So true." Freya said, "Which brings me to the reason you are here Mist." Freya walked over to stand before Mist. "Many of the 'older' Gods and Goddesses are moving on and away from here."

"Where?" Mist asked curiously.

Freya just smiled. "I cannot say. You aren't old enough. I ,however, am old. Too old to change in my ways. You aren't however."

Mist blinked.

Freya turned to her desk and picked something up. When she turned around, she was holding her sheathed sword.

"This sword was given to me the day I became Commander of the Valkyries." Freya said, "I give it to you Mist, as the New Commander of the Valkyries."

Mist's jaw dropped.

"Wha…..? But but but….."

Freya raised her hand. "I told you long ago, so long as you kept learning, you would become a great Valkyrie. There have been some bumps………."

"That's putting it mildly." Verdandi grumbled.

"……..but you have exceeded expectations." Freya finished. She handed the sword to Mist.

Mist looked at it hesitantly, before finally taking the weapon.

"This," Freya said, indicating the office. "Is now your office. I will stand before the Valkyrie one last time to introduce you as their new commander, before moving onward."

Mist looked at Freya. "Suppose I need your guidance?"

"You know all that I can teach." Freya replied, "Any guidance you need, will come from the Norns."

"She'll need all the help she can get." Verdandi grumbled.

Mist glared at Verdandi, but her glare faded as Skuld stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Come." The Norn of the Future said, "I intend to be the first to buy the New Commander a drink. As well as one of the last to buy one for the Old Commander."

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2574

Mist stood outside the main entrance of the Yggdrasil building. She wore all her Valkyrie armor, which caused more then a few eyebrows to be raised in curiosity. The only thing she was not wearing was her helmet. With her new sword at her side, she marched forward into the building and towards the control room.

When she reached the control room doors, she found them blocked by twelve Legionnaires.

"Let me pass." She said.

The Centurion in charge of the Legionnaires stepped forward.

"You are 'on vacation' Valkyrie." He growled, "Your presence here isn't required."

Mist's eyes narrowed.

"Let me pass." She repeated, "I will not say it a third time."

"There will be no third time," The Centurion replied, "because I tell you again: You will NOT pass."

"Ok." Mist said with a nod. She then grabbed the Centurion by the collar and flung him into the wall. The Centurion hit the wall with a sickening crack, then fell to the floor. The Legionnaires snapped up their weapons. Mist glared right back at them.

"Who's next?" she growled.

"No one." Came a female voice.

Mist turned to see Urd standing in the now open door to the control room. Urd glanced at the Legionnaires.

"Let her through." She said.

"But……." A legionnaire began to say before Urd's eyes flared bright white.

"I said let her through." Urd growled.

The legionnaires quickly backed away. Mist moved past them and into the control room, Urd right behind her.

"This situation is already difficult enough without you making it harder." Urd said, "What's with the armor anyway? You're on vacation."

"I'm looking for a mortal." Mist replied.

"This isn't an online dating service."

"I'm not looking to date him." Mist replied. She pulled out a disk. "This mortal."

Urd took the disk and plugged it into a nearby terminal. She quickly scrolled through the file. Her eyes grew wide.

"This guy is older then me, Skuld, AND Belldandy put together." Urd said, "I don't understand how a mortal could live this long!"

"You're right." Mist said, "You don't understand. But Lady Belldandy does. Where is he?"

Urd frowned, then typed a few commands into the terminal. Her eyes widened a moment, before narrowing.

"Well," Urd said, "I found him."

"Where?" Mist asked.

"Sweden." Urd replied in a tone Mist had never heard from the Norn before, "He's off in the forest."

"Doing what?"

Urd sighed. "He's defacing a shrine."

Mist's eyes widened.

"WHOSE!"

"One to Freya."

Mist's eyes flared bright white as she whirled about and stormed out of the room.

"Kami-sama help that poor basterd." Urd whispered, "Because no one else can."