Author's Note: I've been in a very lethargic mood lately, so sorry about the lateness of this chapter. Once again, Ragnarök does not belong to me (sob!), but I can aspire, can't I? Anyways, this chapter and chapter 13 should be up relatively soon, because I have them written out on paper, just not typed into the computer. Enjoy and review please. Ohhh… and share with everybody! I'd like to get some new reviewers to the Ragnarök section of Fanfiction.

Chapter 12: Clue in the Dark

Sara watched the two lizards as they lay in front of her. No, I wouldn't call it 'lay'… they're still threatening me. Which, to her mind they had been doing since she woke up a few days ago. They lazed about the cave, sharpening their claws indolently on the rocks, or cleaning them. One had also taken the opportunity early on to go and hunt. Although being the smaller one, it had brought back a beast over half its size, not quite dead, and proceeded to show the 'little ones' how to finalize a kill.

"Repulsive," she muttered to herself. The little ones, Vroa and Py in particular, had taken delight in flying just past Sara's nose, entrails clutched in their claws. The one time Sara had reacted almost violently, the two adults had gotten up, walked over, and the largest one had slowly dragged one claw lightly over her stomach. Sara had held her breath, not being strong enough yet to resist, and seeing this, the creature had only drawn a thin line of blood across her stomach. Clearly a warning, and in my current state I'd be a fool not to remember it.

She rubbed her hand lightly over her stomach, feeling for the cut that was no longer there. I really got lucky there with that cut. Her hand stilled as the two lizards got up and… bowed?

"What in all the gods?" Who could get those overfed monsters to bow? She strained to sit upright. Damn that man! How could he ever have beaten me?

"That's the very question I want to ask you, Sara Irine." Sara grimaced. Oh great, Deliyyja's awake. And quite pleased about something by the looks of it. Deliyyja's smile widened.

"Aww… sweetie. I didn't know you cared. But don't worry, you'll soon be gone from here. The Three don't want you near me anymore."

"The Three?"

"Century, Michaela, and Lucifer." At the last two names, Deliyyja pointed at the two lizards at her side. Ah… so Michaela is the smaller of the two and Lucifer the larger. Male and female.

"Century…" Sara began, and then stopped. What was it that he had said?

"What about Century, Vættfang?"

"Why should I tell you anything? First you stick me in a suite of rooms that only you and Century can access; then you do something to Century, and he's suddenly not scared of me and he's able to kick my butt. And then you stick me with the crazy lizards for days." At the last sentence, Michaela growled, and her claws glowed red.

"Shh, Michaela. She's just venting. Being Vættfang, she is unused to such treatment." Deliyyja snickered, "But I, do something to Century? Whatever could you mean?"

"Don't you patronize me! There is no way that Century could have summoned those spells without your help! I measured his abilities when I met him, and what he did is not possible!" Her chest heaved as she glared at the woman standing over her. Deliyyja merely smiled again.

"Sara, if there's one thing I've learned about Century over the past ten years, it's to expect the unexpected. Impossible? Come now, even you must realize how ridiculous that sounds. Twelve years ago, I looked at you when Freya first brought you to the Valkyries and thought that same word. I thought it impossible that you'd ever become a full-fledged Valkyrie; yet here you are, a Valkyrie, are you not?"

"Yes, I am," Sara grumbled. "What's your point?"

"My point is, do not use the word impossible, because most often you will be proven wrong. Now, what did Century say to you during your encounter?" Lucifer padded over to Sara and stared down at her. Great, crazy lizard is trying to intimidate me. Sara glared at Lucifer before answering Deliyyja.

"He really didn't say too much; mainly just his spells. There was one thing that bothered me about as much as the spells, however…" Sara stopped and thought, Do I really want to tell her this? But I suppose I must if I want to be able to leave. Deliyyja waited for her to finish debating with herself.

"He called himself Sella. Who is Sella, Deliyyja? Why would Century call himself by that–"

"Shush!" Deliyyja cut her off quickly. And a little rudely, too, she thought wryly to herself. "Was this what She was talking about?" she murmured. Sara's ears perked up. Something was definitely up with Deliyyja.

"What did he look like during the fight?" Deliyyja asked suddenly.

"Oh, um… after he god mad, his eyes went from gold to black and his hair from that funky colored brown to black tipped with purple. It was weird. And uh, his magik for some reason increased." Sara slumped into her corner, "There… you happy now?"

Deliyyja thought for a moment, and then turned on her heel to leave. At the entrance to that room of the cave, she looked over her shoulder.

"Yes, quite. You may go now, Vættfang. Run off like a good girl after Fenris Fenrir," and Deliyyja left, with Michaela and Lucifer following her. As Michaela left behind Lucifer and Deliyyja, she looked slyly at Sara, and then blew out the torch that was the only light source for the room. Leaving the room in darkness, Sara believed that she could hear the lizard laughing at her as she walked out.

"You damn stupid lizards! I should've fried all your babies when I had the chance! A scorched tail was nothing!" Sara's answer was a blast of flame accompanied by the smelliest flatulence she'd ever smelled. She plugged her nose and dodged the fire, holding her breath so she didn't scorch her lungs with the heat. Stupid fire-breathing lizards. If Freya hadn't already given me an assignment…

There was no further answer to her comments or thoughts from any of the three leaving her. Soon, Sara could no longer even sense them in the area.
.

Deliyyja walked back to her castle as if in a daze. Century was Sella? How as that possible? She needed to ask someone.

"But who? Who won't go to Freya immediately after I leave?" she muttered to herself. Michaela and Lucifer looked up at her worriedly. It was not good for their mistress to be so distracted. She could be hurt again. Sensing their discomfort, Deliyyja smiled at them.

"It's alright. This is something I must do. The Norns have given me direction, and Sara gave me the clue I needed to start." She stopped suddenly. "That's it! I'll go see the Mystic. She'll know how to draw out Sella!" Michaela shivered next to her. To the lizards, the Mystic was strange and slightly creepy. They didn't like going to her house. Better for the birds to go.

"It's alright, it's alright," Deliyyja laughed again. "You don't have to come with me. Century will go with me as well as some of the birds. I'll take my knives also, just in case some of the forest creatures get any stupid ideas, okay?" Michaela snorted, hissed something that Deliyyja smiled at, and then turned golden. Soon, she grew brighter before she hissed something else low, and then violet wrapped around the light and she disappeared.

"Showoff. You do realize, Lucifer, that your mate is an enormous showoff, don't you? But then, you are perfectly matched to each other." Lucifer gave the equivalent of a lizard's grin and then trotted ahead. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh at me all you want. I still say that she was kidding!" She ran after him thinking, I hope you can help me wake Sella. I hope Century is Sella.