Chapter 12: Divide and Conquer
Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter. I had a lotta fun with this one, lots of surprises. I hope you like what I have planned. Please Review and Enjoy.
In Meridian, Phobos was examining a bag of flour while Loki and Cedric were nearby.
"One of the villagers must know what happened to my sister 12 years ago. I hear they're hungry. Try trading flour for information." Phobos said.
"And what the other problems?" Loki asks.
"Your associates from Asgard have made the job much more complicated than it needs to be." Phobos said grabbing a handful of flour and throwing it to reveal an image of Will.
"In my guise as the bookseller I can track her down and remover her." Cedric said.
"You tried that, they thwarted you and Loki at every turn. Strength and trickery aren't enough. We must attack them when they are vulnerable. When they are separated from the one with the red hair." Phobos orders.
"Yes milord." Cedric bowed.
At Heatherfield, since Neo had returned he had to enroll again as a student while Yan Lin worked some of her magic to figure something out for Astrid, Heather, Rayla, Johan, Sif and Amora.
At school, Neo was sitting in class before looking over at Will. When she turns her head Neo quickly looks away.
"I think Neo likes me." Will whispers.
"What makes you say that?" Cornelia asks.
"He's not looking at me." Will said.
As the bell rang all of them went to the cafeteria for lunch with Elyon while Martin sat near Irma.
"You guys don't know what you're missing. I hear the food at the Ski Chalet is even better than this." Hay Lin said.
"Hay Lin, the table we're eating off of tastes better than this." Taranee said.
"Weren't we supposed to get that new student from Switzerland today?" Will asks.
"Maybe she's here and we didn't notice." Elyon said when the doors opened to reveal a beautiful girl with long orange hair, this was Sondra.
The second she walked in all the guys including Martin went after her.
"Good news, I think he's over you." Hay Lin jokes.
Throughout the day, all the boys gave Sondra their undivided attention ignoring everyone else.
Sitting outside, Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, Hay Lin and Elyon were sitting together talking about how much they hated Sondra.
"She says she makes her own clothes. She says her sweater is made from cashmere from the chin of my grandmother's goat in the alps." Hay Lin said mocking Sondra's accent.
"No way that's a real accent." Cornelia said.
"Yeah I bet she just watched like 20 Hidey movies before she came here." Elyon said.
"She dissed me for not reading War and Peace in the original Russian. I'd like to feed her the book in the original Russian." Taranee growls.
"And Martin didn't even serenade me with his banjo, he was baking welcome Sondra muffins." Irma said when two boys walked by.
"Dudes did you hear Sondra's going skiing?" One said.
"Awesome, excuse me guys." The other said.
"Guys? Do we look like guys?" Cornelia asks.
Will looks down the hall and sees Neo walking out causing her to smile until she sees Sondra walking out behind him causing her to glare.
"Ladies, we're going on the ski trip." Will declared.
"But you don't like skiing." Hay Lin said.
"I found something I dislike more." Will said as snow came down.
At the bookstore, Cornelia and Elyon were buying a magazine from the counter.
"I can't believe we're all going." Cornelia said.
"Could be interesting, Will says she can barely sit on a toboggan without falling over." Elyon said as they left allowing Loki to come out from behind the bookshelves.
"Hmm a nice snow trip in the mountains. Sounds relaxing." Loki said.
"And the perfect opportunity for us." Cedric said.
"You mean for you. I have to make sure my nephew doesn't try anything." Loki said.
"Don't tell me you actually still have compassion for that boy? You still love your brother and father too?" Cedric mocks when Loki appeared in front of him with a dagger near his neck.
"Watch your tongue serpent or you might just lose it. I may have agreed to help Phobos keep his throne, but I can kill you without so much as a second thought. So focus your job of eliminating those silly girls and I'll deal with my friends from home." Loki said lowering his daggers as Cedric rubs his neck annoyed.
At the Silver Dragon, Neo was with Yan Lin and Thor as they were waiting in the living room.
"Uh are you sure about these outfits?" Astrid called out from the next room.
"Yeah I liked my armor over this." Heather said.
"Come on girls, it's necessary if you want to blend in." Neo said.
"Just be happy we talked Hay Lin into taking it down a notch." Thor said.
"Alright, just don't laugh." Rayla said as she, Astrid, Heather and Amora walked out.
Amora was wearing a green t-shirt, and green skirt. Astrid was wearing a blue sweatshirt, with a brown shirt under and a red skirt. Heather was wearing a sliver jacket with jeans, and a black t-shirt. And Rayla walked out in wearing a black hoodie and a pair of white pants.
"Wow, you those are good looks for you." Neo said.
"Your words are very kind your majesty." Amora nods.
"I guess I can tolerate these clothes." Heather said twirling her hair.
"Plus it's easier for Human Rayla." Rayla said putting her hood on over her head.
"I still don't see why I can't just stick with my armor." Walking out next was Sif and Johan.
Sif was wearing a pair of black pants, a red long sleeve shirt and a white jacket while Johan was wearing a blue shirt, green jacket and tan pants.
"I can't believe you people walk around like this." Sif said.
"Don't worry it's only while we're here. In Meridian we can wear our armors." Neo said.
"So how was going back to school, Neo?" Yan Lin asks.
"So annoying. Turns out when you disappear to go home for a few weeks they make you do lots of makeup work." Neo groans.
"Yet you're going on this trip." Thor chuckles.
"Well I thought it would be nice to be in the snow without a Frost Giant chasing after me." Neo said.
"Fair enough but take your sword with you." Johan orders.
"Yes sir." Neo nods.
"Do you four wish to enroll in school as well?" Yan Lin asks.
"Hard pass." Heather said.
"Not a chance." Astrid said.
"I think I'd rather just wait tables." Rayla said.
"I prefer my independent studies." Amora said.
"Wow, thanks girls. You're leaving me to fight this battle by myself?" Neo said causing them to laugh.
"Oh quit whining you royal baby." Heather giggles.
Downstairs in the basement, Caleb was with the girls as they got ready for the trip.
"Uhm if you're holding one in each hand how do you fix your hair?" Cornelia asks holding two ski poles.
"So you don't like skiing?" Caleb asks.
"Right." Taranee said.
"And you don't like this girl?" Caleb asks.
"Right." Cornelia said.
"So you're going skiing with this girl?" Caleb asks.
"Right." They both said as Caleb grabbed a ski and bent it.
"These would make fine longbows. Instead you're gonna stand on them and fall down the outside of a volcano." Caleb said.
"It's a little something called fun." Irma said.
"Don't be too hard on him, he doesn't have that in his world." Will said.
"I know what fun is, I have it all the time." Caleb said.
"Really? What do you do? Plan a rebellion in a red nose and clown shoes?" Cornelia mocks when Sif walks down.
"What's all the commotion?" Sif asks.
"The girls hate some new girl and are going on a trip they don't want to be on." Caleb said.
"That makes sense." Sif said.
"Told ya." Irma said.
"Keep your allies close but your enemies closer. What's so evil about this girl?" Sif asks.
"She likes Neo." Will growls.
Sif looks at the look on Will's face and couldn't help but chuckle. "I see."
"Out of all the boys why does have to go after him?" Will asks.
"Well the Swedish used to worship Norse Mythology so maybe her ancestors prayed to Thor. Maybe it's just a culture thing." Taranee said.
"So what? She's gonna get down on her hands and knees and bow to Neo?" Hay Lin assumes.
"Oh she'll want to get on her hands and knees but I don't think it'll be for bowing." Cornelia said causing a tick mark to appear over Will's face.
'Oh hell no.' She thought grinding her teeth.
'My looks like Astrid, Heather, and Rayla have some competition. It's a good thing Neo didn't take after Thor when it came to woman.' Sif thought.
The next day at the buses, Neo was wearing a white ski jacket, black pants and a blue hat as he hid Sumarbrander in his suitcase before handing it to the staff.
"Be careful with this." Neo said as he threw it under the bus. "Nevermind." He sighs.
As he climbed aboard, Will noticed him and quickly ran to catch up when she gasps to see Sondra sitting with him.
Sitting down in an empty seat, Will sighs.
Little did they know outside the buses, Blunk was looking around for more trinkets to collect.
"Trumpet." Blunk said noticing the exhaust pump. He tried to pull it off but couldn't. Looking around he noticed a large rock behind the guy loading bags on board. "Trumpet remover."
He runs to get it but the guy loading the bags grabs Blunk and throws him under the bus thinking he was a suitcase before closing up.
As the bus departed for Mt. Heatherfield nobody noticed Cedric and Loki following behind.
At Mt. Heatherfield, all the students were gathered at the slopes. Walking off the bus, Neo looks to see Will waiting for him.
"Hey Will." Neo said.
"Hey Neo, wow so uh you had skiing in Asgard?" Will asks.
"Uh not exactly, to be honest I wouldn't mind going with someone so they can help me." Neo admits.
"Oh then would you like to ski down me uh I mean with me?" Will asks nervously.
"Sure, sounds great." Neo said causing her to smile.
"Really?" Will asks.
"Oh Neo." Sondra said walking over with a cup of hot chocolate. "There you are, who's your little friend?"
"It's Will, Sondra. We're in the same History class, Math class, and Science Class." Will said.
"Well I can't remember every face. Surely you don't ski on those tiny little legs." Sondra said.
"As sure as you can talk with that tiny little brain." Will said causing all the students to chatter as Sondra drops her cup and glares at her.
"What are you saying?" Sondra asks.
"I'm saying I could ski the homemade goat pants off of you." Will glares.
"Well then what do you say we have a little race? Winner sits with Neo on the bus ride back." Sondra challenges.
"Sounds good to me." Will said.
"Uh girls." Neo said.
"Stay out of this!" They both snapped.
On the other side of the bus, nobody noticed Blunk climbing out.
"Alright class before we begin we have a few tips from the Forest Ranger here." The teacher said as she stepped out of the way to reveal a woman with short blonde hair and green eyes, this was Mala.
"Hello everyone, my name is Mala and I'm the Ranger in charge of this mountain. Now I'm sure all of you are eager to hit the slopes so let me make this quick. Just stay on the trails, don't run into anyone and watch your speed. It'll make your trip and my job much easier." Mala said as the students walked past her, but when she looked out at them, she saw Neo's face among the crowd and her eyes widen for a second. "It couldn't be."
She tried to follow but lost Neo in the crowd. "Where did he?"
That night, Will was sitting by the fire when Hay Lin ran in.
"Will I need your hat, your scarf, your sweater and do you have an extra pair of gloves?" Hay Lin asks as they ran out to see a freezing Blunk.
"Just keep this around your face. We don't want to start a panic." Will said giving it all to Blunk.
"Need cocoa." Blunk shivers when a car pulled up nearby. Looking over they saw Yan Lin walking out.
"Grandma? What are you doing here?" Hay Lin asks.
"He made me drive up here to prove a silly point." Yan Lin points as Caleb climbed out.
"I'm no fun huh? Tell that to my skis." Caleb said holding out a pair of wooden skis.
"Wow, they look like they were made from the deck planks of the titanic." Will said as Heather climbed out.
"Which is why they asked me to come with to drag him back when he falls and breaks something." Heather said.
"Good thinking Heather." Will giggles.
As Blunk watched them walk in, he turned around and gasped to see Cedric was behind him with an evil grin on his face.
Meanwhile, inside the lodge, Neo was watching some of the students sing karaoke and chuckled.
"I can't believe they do this." Neo said.
"Yes, mortals are such odd creatures." Loki said appearing behind Neo causing him to jump up. "Hello nephew." He smiles.
"Uncle. So what? You and serpent boy here to get us?" Neo glares.
"What that pathetic freak does is his business. I just came to have a word with my favorite nephew." Loki said walking down the hall and Neo followed as they walked to the back of the karaoke room.
"I'm amazed you still think of me as family. You don't seem to feel that way about dad or grandpa." Neo said.
"I have no business with those two anymore." Loki said.
"You still think after everything I'll join you? Why couldn't you just stop the Bifrost back there? We could have all stayed a family." Neo said when the spotlight shined on both Asgardians getting their attention.
"Alright the spotlight has chosen, you two are up next." Martin said gesturing for them to come on stage.
"Martin, do you mind? We're in the middle of something." Neo said as Loki walked on stage.
"One second." Loki said as music played in the background causing Neo to groan.
(Play Do what you Gotta do)
"Listen, little boy. You're talking to a God and I don't wanna hear the drama. Kindness ain't my brand." Loki sang.
"Oh I guess that's why you ran." Neo sang.
"Try having that oaf for a brother!" Loki sang.
"You stink at being family." Neo sang walking up on stage.
"Poor Neo are you sad?" Loki sang.
"Not as sad as you running from grandpa. I didn't come to fight for once do something right." Neo sang.
"I'm the God of Mischief. What did you expect?" Loki sang.
"I'm only here so you can tell me something." Neo sang.
"I've given you everything by giving you nothing. I did what I had to do!" Loki sang.
"No you only did what's best for you." Neo points.
"Well you could learn a thing or two. When push comes to shove you do what you gotta do!" Loki sang.
As they sang, Yan Lin and Heather walk in to see the two of them sing arguing while all the other students were loving it.
"Well this is something you don't see every day." Yan Lin said surprised.
"Loki." Heather growls.
"How bout you come with me and we'll spend some time?" Loki sang.
"How bout you stay there cause you're outta your mind!" Neo sang.
"Let's make new memories I can show you the town." Loki sang.
"No, you can keep your memories now." Neo sang.
"Get over it." Loki glares.
"I am over it." Neo glares.
"I'm over you being over it!" They both said as the music turned up. "I did what I had to do. No, you only did what's best for you. Well, you could learn a thing or two. When push comes to shove, you do. When push comes to shove, you do. When push comes to shove. You do what you gotta do, yeah."
When the song ended the crowd burst into cheers while Neo glared at his Uncle who walked up to him.
"We'll settle this tomorrow." Loki said before walking off stage.
Neo growled as he grabbed a book. Following Loki, he threw it at him revealing that Loki to be an illusion as it flew threw him before he disappeared.
"Neo what's wrong?" Heather asks running over.
"Heather, I need your help now more than ever." Neo said.
The next day, at the slopes Will, Cornelia and Taranee were riding up the ski lift.
"You're crazy to race Sondra. She's like total Swiss, they are born on skis." Cornelia said.
"And you said yourself you're terrible on skis." Taranee said.
"Yep but I'm a terrific Guardian and the winner gets to sit next to Neo." Will said.
"We're supposed to use our powers to fight evil, not snooty foreigners." Taranee said.
"Trust me, she's evil." Will said.
Meanwhile at the bottom of the slopes, Mala was on patrol looking around the mountain when she saw Neo walking through the snow.
"I swear I've seen that face. It has to be him." Mala said as she looked to see Neo walking up to Heather who had her double bladed axe and Sumarbrander in her arms.
As she hands it to Neo, Mala looks at them curiously before running into the Ranger Station.
"I never thought I would dig this up again." Mala said as she opened a chest and dug around pulling out a beautiful sword before running into the woods after Neo and Heather.
At the top of the slopes, Irma and Cornelia were watching Caleb get ready.
"Okay ready to have some fun." Caleb said as he raced down the slope, but the faster he went the quicker his skis fell apart until they broke in half causing him to fall into the snow.
"Yep, they held up better than I thought." Irma said.
"We better go find Heather." Cornelia said when a snowboarder came up to Caleb and gave him a board.
"Dude, skis are losers. You need one of these." He said before going down.
Irma and Cornelia ski down as Caleb puts on the helmet and smiles.
"A mummerboard! You guys didn't say it was like mumboarding." Caleb said as he rode down the slopes like a pro surprising them.
At the lodge, Will was filling Hay Lin on her plan.
"Just fly above me and use your powers to keep me up." Will said.
"But isn't that cheating?" Hay Lin asks.
"I hope so, because there's no way I can beat her unless I do." Will said.
Taking out the Heart of Kandrakar, Will and Hay Lin transformed and flew out of the lodge unaware that Cedric saw them.
"Hmm seems I don't need you after all." Cedric said tossing Blunk away. "You better come through with your part Loki." Cedric said before slithering away.
At the slopes, Sondra was waiting as Caleb, Yan Lin and the girls showed up.
"Hey anyone seen Neo?" Taranee asks.
"He's probably waiting at the bottom to be the first to meet me." Sondra said.
"Will can't ski, how is she supposed to race?" Yan Lin asks when Will came over dressed to cover up her guardian form.
"So what's the course?" Will asks.
"You lead and I follow, until right before the finish line." Sondra taunts.
"Fine by me." Will said as she looked up to see Hay Lin was ready.
The race started and Will struggled to remain on her skis while Hay Lin used her air powers to keep her up. At first the plan worked well, Will was in the lead and Sondra was far behind. But as they got further down the slope, Hay Lin got distracted by a wild fox attacking a rabbit and stopped her magic to save it causing Will to ski out of control and off the course.
"No Sondra! Don't follow!" Martin calls out but Sondra ignored him and followed Will.
In a small clearing on the outskirts of the slopes, Neo and Heather looked to see Loki leaning against a tree waiting for them.
"Well you actually showed up." Loki said when he noticed Heather. "Ah the Berserker's daughter. Shame you didn't bring Thor."
"Uncle Loki, stop it. Leave Phobos and come back to Asgard. We all miss you. Look finding out you were adopted stinks, no arguments there, but you're on the wrong side of all this." Neo said.
"The way I see it, you're the one on the wrong side." Loki said.
Swinging her axe, Heather charged forward and slashes Loki only to reveal it was an illusion.
Eyes widening Heather looks to see the real Loki swing in from the branches and kick Heather in the chest knocking her into the snow.
Growling Neo swings his sword at Loki who dodges the attack before drawing his daggers and clashing with Neo.
"Sumarbrander may be strong, but none of it matters if it never hits its target." Loki said pushing Neo back and sweeping his legs making Neo hit the ground.
Both teenagers picked themselves up and as Loki stood in between them he got his daggers ready.
Charging forward at the same time both warriors attack Loki who moves quickly dodging both of their attacks.
Heather slams her axe down but Loki dodges making her hit the ground before elbowing her in the face.
As she staggers back, Neo swings his sword but Loki grabs his arm and kicks his leg allowing Loki to flip Neo onto the ground.
Mala arrives to see Loki grab Neo by his hat, but Neo breaks out revealing his blonde hair.
Holding his sword up, Neo swings again and again but Loki dodges before swinging his dagger slicing Neo's side making him scream in pain as he drops to his knees.
Instantly Mala's eyes widen as she sees in Neo's place a wounded man holding his side in pain.
"Farewell." Loki said when suddenly they heard a yell. Looking up they saw Mala jump in and swing her sword at Loki making him jump back. "Who are you?"
Heather picks herself up out of the snow to see Mala helping Neo up and rests him against a tree.
"Stay right here." Mala said.
"Don't he's dangerous." Neo warns.
"So am I." Mala said as a serious expression appeared on her face and she turned to Loki.
"Look I'm in the middle of something important and if you value your life you should walk away." Loki said.
"And leave them with you? Not a chance." Mala glares.
"You don't know who you're dealing with." Loki said grabbing her arm.
"Neither do you." Mala breaks out of his grip before throwing a few quick punches that Loki blocks before nailing him right in the face.
Staggering back, Heather and Neo look in awe as Mala drew her sword and clashes with Loki.
"Who is she?" Heather asks.
"I don't know." Neo said.
"You seem very eager to get in my way. Don't want anything to happen to them?" Loki asks as they locked blades.
"Choose your next words carefully." Mala growls.
"Oh I'm sorry, bad memory?" Loki asks grabbing Mala's forehead and saw what memories were going on in her head.
In the memory he saw a younger Mala fighting off Phobos' soldiers killing them with ease, before making her way towards an alley where she saw Thor holding a baby Neo in his arms causing a tear to run down her eyes as she turns away before Neo and Thor were taken to Asgard before Loki snaps out of it.
"I don't believe this." Loki said in shock letting go allowing Mala to step back.
While he was distracted Mala delivered a powerful kick knocking Loki into the tree making snow rain down on him.
Mala was about to deliver the final blow when Loki rolls out of the way making her stab her sword into the tree.
"Sorry, but I've got to run." Loki said before disappearing.
Growling in anger Mala stomps her foot in frustration before turning to Neo and Heather.
"Uh thank you back there, but who are you?" Heather asks as Mala walks over to and examines Neo's wound.
"Introductions later, I need to get this patched up." Mala said helping Neo up and Heather followed behind.
In another part of the mountain, Cedric had tried separating the girls so he could pick them off, but with a little help from Blunk the girls and Caleb were able to escape being buried alive under snow.
"Guardians Unite!" Will said as Cornelia, Irma and Taranee transformed.
Sliding in on his snowboard Caleb, leaps up and rams into Cedric.
"Irma, let's give snake boy a cold shower. Fire!" Taranee said melting the snow around Cedric.
"Water!" Irma said creating a wall of water.
"Air!" Hay Lin said launching Cedric into the air.
"Earth!" Cornelia said making giant roots shoot out of the ground and tie him up.
As each of the guardians grabbed a root, they dangled Cedric in the air.
"Nice net, do you do hammocks?" Taranee asks.
"Now what do we do?" Cornelia asks.
"I vote we put him in Sondra's luggage." Irma jokes.
Growling Cedric broke out of his restraints and landed in the snow allowing him to burrow away to safety.
That night at the lodge, Sondra had sprained her ankle from following Will into the woods.
"Ow! Careful you idiots that hurt!" Sondra said but without a Swedish accent confusing everyone.
"Hmm you're ankle is only sprained but I think your accent's broken." Will said when Hay Lin examined a tag on Sondra's sweater.
"Dry clean only? Grandma's goat hair huh?" Hay Lin asks.
"We better get you to the bol'nitsa." Taranee said.
"And what's that?" Sondra asks.
"Hospital, you said you spoke fluent Russian and by the way there are no cashmere goats in Switerzland unless you're from the Himalayas as well." Taranee mocks as Will looks to see Mala bandaging up Neo with Heather and Caleb nearby.
"Whatever, as soon as I reach my parents I'm switching schools." Sondra said.
Will walks over when she sees Caleb shaking Mala's hand.
"It's an honor to meet you. I know about all your battles." Caleb said.
"Caleb, you know the forest ranger?" Will asks walking over.
"Forest Ranger? Please, Will this is Mala the Defender, she was the assistant General for the Meridian Army before Phobos took over." Caleb said surprising her.
"You were?" Will asks.
"Once upon a time." Mala said cutting Neo's bandages. "There you go, all better."
"Thank you." Neo smiles as looking into Mala's eyes and when she did, she reached out and cupped his cheek.
"After all these years, you still have the same smile." Mala said making Neo step back confused.
"Uh I'm sorry but do I know you?" Neo asks.
"No." Mala frowns. "You were only a baby, but a mother never forgets." Mala said causing Neo, Will, Heather and Caleb to gasp in shock.
Back in Heatherfield, Loki was leaning against the bookstore when Cedric crawled out of the sewers in his human form.
"So, looks like you failed again." Loki said as Cedric growled.
"So did you." Cedric said.
"On the contrary, I discovered a very interesting piece of information. One that even Phobos will be surprised to hear." Loki smirks as they walked in the store.
