Chapter 28
Lok's POV
With each step I took, I felt how the electric energy of the hammer invaded my body, my whiskers, my ears and my tails were electrified and they did not stop emitting sparks. My wings were also affected by the energy making me feel a little uncomfortable tingling. The others kept a safe distance from each other to avoid being electrocuted.
Lok's POV end
Dante's POV
Lok was very funny with all that energy in his body, although his serious face spoiled him a bit. The others and I had commented how impressive it looked. At last we left the corridor to enter a room of golden stone, in its centre there was a huge pillar of grey stone and at its top rested the hammer of Thor, around the pillar there were small stone bases floating, in all of them circulated rays that they bounced from one to another and all had the same origin, the hammer.
-There is the hammer- Montehue declared- May the best win.
Montehue and I looked at each other with a smile and ran towards the platforms, we started jumping from one to the other avoiding the rays. I managed to overtake Montehue quickly.
- A proof of worth of Thor himself.
I said happy. The boys watched our little competition fascinated. I had almost reached the top, I just needed one more base, I jumped towards it, but Montehue grabbed my foot and pulled me down, I managed to hold on to one of the bases with my hands.
-He cheated- Sophie said annoyed.
- It only does what it must do to obtain the prize.
Zhalia explained. I went down to the ground and assumed my defeat, leaving Montehue to claim his reward. Montehue raised it in the air with great satisfaction. The top floated in the air and then under the shape of an elevator with Montehue and the hammer on top. Lok came running up to us in a better mood and very excited, wagging his tails in no order.
-We did it! We have Thor's hammer.
-Now-I calmed him down a bit. So much movement I do not think it's good for his injured tail-Let's get out of here with him.
The bolts stopped, as did the brightness of Lok's hammer and electricity. Montehue dropped the hammer until it was grasped with both hands. He looked bewildered.
-What's wrong?- Lok asked worriedly.
-It suddenly weighs ten times more than it weighed.
-We have to go.
I did not want to rush Montehue, but the guards could find us at any moment. During the way back, Lok was all the time with Montehue and Tesly, rather with Montehue, who carried the huge and heavy hammer on his shoulder with much effort. I hoped that Lok was just so calm and confident with Montehue because he was wearing the hammer, which was very shiny gold, and how much Lok liked bright things, and not because he liked Montehue more than me.
- It's more than my western civilization textbook. Do you want us to help you? - Lok asked kindly.
-I was the first to arrive at the hammer and I will take it personally- Monty answered as stubborn as ever.
-Surely there will be a way out there in front.- I indicated. We went a few steps further and we met some guardians and the agent of the Organization- What do we have here? My luck has changed for the better.
-There is no escape. The door is blocked with a stone of three meters and you can not escape with the hammer Mijollnir.- The earth rumbled and Ymir appeared to our back- And I think that Ymir is angry after having fought against you.
-We'll face them- Montehue left the hammer on the ground -I will not give my prize to the Organization.
-You won in the competition, but friends always work together- Lok tried to reason.
-It's okay. What are you thinking? "I asked intrigued.
-I'll distract Ymir and then, maybe you can use the two together the hammer.
-I think it's a good plan, let's do it- Montehue agreed, to Tesly's surprise.
-Ahead!
Lok used "Electric-jum" to pass between Ymir's legs, who tried to hit him.
-Lok, do not stop!- Cherit screamed, scared to death.
-We need titans very fast to cover it- Sophie said.
-Come on, Strix!
-Get out of there Toliban!
Once the titans of Zhalia and Montehue were summoned, the guards launched for us. The Montehue titan was the one I had given him a few years ago. Fat and short, with a long face. He wore green clothes that were big.
The girls cut off the guardians. Sophie had one of Zhalia's Strix in her hands.
-For them.
The Strix flew to the guardians who looked at her surprised and then got scared trying to shoo him away like a fly. Montehue and I lifted the hammer with much effort, while, Lok ran like an animal between the legs of Ymir, had even gotten up to him. Lok managed to dodge an Ymir attack by the hair, rolled on the ground and got up dazed.
-Lok!- Sophie yelled worriedly.
-Sophie, fly to distract him.
At the request of Lok, Sophie flew through the air to the head of Ymir and began to fly over him while dodging his attacks; Lok recovered and kept running from side to side. The Organization's agent attacked Montehue and me, but Toliban protected us by receiving the impact. We started to turn the hammer in circles causing it to pick up speed. Sophie was almost crushed by Ymir and fell to the ground, Tesly ran to help her up, Ymir raised his foot and was preparing to crush them. Montehue and I turned the hammer as fast as we could to throw it at him and keep him from crushing them, but it was not enough. Lok was faster; he placed himself in front of them, still in animal form, raised a hand and moved it in front of him as if sweeping the air.
-Electric-Jump!
The black feathers flew with the movement that Lok had made strategically placed on the ground, this time they did not create a barrier, they simply threw rays, similar to those of the hammer, to Ymir stunning him and causing him to withdraw his foot to maintain balance and not to fall. Lok's reflexes gave us time to finish with the hammer; we turned it so fast that the rays returned to bloom in it. We count to three at the same time and release the hammer using "Dragonfist" and "Ironfist". Lok helped Tesly to put Sophie safe. Once in the air, the hammer hit Ymir's abdomen, traversing it and returning it to his amulet with a bang. The guards were swept through the air until they hit a wall by the expansive sling. My team, Montehue and Tesly had thrown us to the ground. The hammer went flying and crossed the roof opening us an exit.
We left the temple to look for the hammer, we did not know where it had fallen, the only clue we had was a curtain of smoke in the distance. After walking four kilometres, we finally found the hammer in a small crater. We all watch the hammer.
-You were the first Montehue. Take the hammer to the Foundation.
-No- Montehue's refusal surprised me. I thought I would take advantage of this opportunity to scrub my victory. This prize has been won by all of us, and we have escaped thanks to Lok's quick thinking. Montehue pointed to Lok. -I think you should hand it over to the foundation, Lok.
-I… But ... but I was thinking ... - Lok looked at me for help.
-I hope you do not start stuttering in the presentation.-Cherit teased.
-Eh, Montehue, we had not gotten it without you-I threw to Montehue the amulet of Fenris- I want you to have this. A titan is better linked to a seeker similar in spirit to the one who used it first. And the spirit closest to Thor, is you. Besides, you're a wolf just like Fenris.
Montehue burst into laughter.
-One thing I do not want you to forget, Dante. We worked together, but next time the prize will be mine.- Montehue looked at Tesly, he was serious and looked at the hammer.-Tesly, are you okay?
Tesly remained thoughtful without looking away from the floor, making us all worry. Then he looked at Lok, who had him in front of him.
-You are incredible Lok. - The tone of Tesly was not of astonishment like the one of Peter, was of disgust.
-What have I done?
-You almost make them kill Sophie! Your idea was good, but...! You preferred to stay on the floor for comfort and sent Sophie to fly and because of that almost the blanket! You have wings, use them!
-Tesly! Enough!
Tesly was startled at my scream. Sophie was shocked like Cherit and Zhalia was angry, more than usual. Lok looked at the ground with an expression of sadness that split the heart to anyone. Lok's whiskers emitted sparks causing Thor's hammer to react as well. The girls moved a little away from Lok so he would not electrocute them. The energy of the hammer reacted with Lok's and returned to look like it had in the tunnel. Lok spread his tails as if they were a fan or the feathers of a peacock; the electricity that ran through them jumped from one tail to another or connected them as if they were a bridge. Lok raised his head, had a serious expression and penetrating eyes, full of pain and sadness, looked directly at Tesly.
-Since I was little many people try to capture me, they have even gotten it, but I have always escaped thanks to my wings.
Lok began to spread his wings completely; electricity began to run through his pattern of spirals illuminating his black wings. When he extended them completely, the break of his wing became visible, showing it to Tesly and Montehue. Snow and electricity gave Lok a dreamy angelic aspect.
-When I was 7 years old, there was a hunter who did not want me to escape, he chained me in a cage and with a hammer broke my wing so I could not fly or escape. I am a hybrid between angel and demon, my wings are not like that of the other angels, my feathers are crystal and they do not grow back. Although I escaped, that man got what he wanted, I have not flown again, and I can never do it again. -Lok folded his wings and his tails returned to their usual chaotic form, the electricity vanished from him as much as from the hammer and began to get away- And I'd give anything to do it again.
We were all shocked at the discovery, the sadness and grief was written in all of us. Montehue and I carried the hammer back to the cabin, we travelled for two days, in all that time, the words we shared were minimal and Lok did not say anything, he always kept his distance and barely ate anything. Tesly could not look at anyone; shame and guilt must invade and eat him inside. The only good thing was that we managed to recover the backpacks. When we got to the cabin we had, Lok locked himself in his room, Montehue and Tesly left, but not before Tesly apologized multiple times with all including Lok, but got no response from him. I also asked Montehue to take the hammer and hand it over, since we had to stay to do Zhalia a favour, and Lok was not in a position to make any presentation, and I asked the two to keep the secret of Lok.
The following days were a little tense, we were not very comfortable after finding out why Lok's wing was broken, we had imagined many things, each one more crazy than the previous one, but we would not have imagined that it would have been something like that. Sophie and I tried everything we could think of to get Lok out of his bedroom, various games, talking points and food, Sophie had cooked the things she knew Lok liked, but nothing worked. Zhalia opted to break the door and drag him out, but it was a radical option, and besides, considering that Lok is wild, he could even be dangerous. Cherit kept saying that he would leave when he was ready, but I doubted that. After two days, Lok left his bedroom; it was a surprise to see him at the kitchen table talking to Cherit quietly when we went to breakfast. It seemed that Lok was the same as always, he was even eating a sandwich. We were a bit afraid to enter, Zhalia was the first one, she came in and gave them both good morning and she started preparing breakfast, everything very normal. When I realized what was going on between and imitated her, Sophie took a little longer to realize that we were pretending that the two-day event had not happened, once we all had our breakfast, we sat down for a quiet breakfast, Zhalia took a map out of her pocket and studied it, the rest of us got talking.
-Lok, -Sophie looked at Lok with great sadness- The next time you shut up he responds when we ask you, -now Sophie was upset- or at least send a note under the door, something that tells us you're still alive.
Sophie sipped her juice with a smile. Lok took the comment very well, smiled shyly.
-I'm sorry, but I could not do it- His smile changed, now he was ashamed.
-Why?- Cherit asked as he stole Lok's breakfast.
-Because I'm transformed- Lok scratched his head timidly.
-What ?! - Sophie exclaimed.
-How cold?- I asked as I drank from my coffee to hide the smile I had.
-Not exactly- Lok bowed his head, he still had a small smile- I told you that the demons transformed us to flee from situations, those situations can be because of discomfort, escape, fear, cold..., but also by emotions, it is a way of protect us. As my demon part takes control, and as we are separated at the moment, it is not aware of the suffering, while "my other self" is in a kind of limbo until it recovers. Well that's the explanation- Lok smiled and looked at Sophie- And since the foxes do not have thumbs, he could not write.
Lok and Sophie shared a small laugh.
-Very interesting, but when are we going to start?
-Start that, Zhalia?
At the question of Lok I remembered, I had forgotten to tell the guys about helping Zhalia. Zhalia looked at me with a frown.
-You see, I asked Zhalia to help us with this mission and she in return asked me to help her in an issue.
-And why did you put Lok and me in your dealings with her?- Sophie complained.
-Well, to be fair she has helped us a lot since we met and she has not asked for anything in return.- Sophie fulminated Lok
-Well, if you do not want to go, Dante and I go and you stay at home.
-What did you believe? We are going with you
-If you insist- Zhalia smiled satisfactorily at his victory.
-Well, what's the matter? -Zhalia handed me the map.
-Not far from here is the den of a giant ice snake. We have to go in and extract some poison.
-That does not seem easy ... -Lok said
-Is easier than it looks like. The snake usually does not attack, is very docile and only tries to kill us if it perceives us as a threat. If you pay attention to what I say, nothing will happen.
-If it's so easy, why do you need us? -Refused Sophie
-I need you to open your mouth.
- That does not sound good ... - Lok did not seem to like the mission very much.
-In addition, the road is dangerous and being realistic, I do not believe that I alone can happen.
-Well, when do we start?
I asked anxiously. As soon as we finish breakfast we prepare things and get warm, this time we would only carry two backpacks, Lok's and mine, since the snake's den was only an hour's walk away. We took water and some supplies, I put the map data in the Holotomo before I started I took the opportunity to check the condition of Lok's tail, it seemed that it was fine and it did not hurt anymore. Once ready we started our new mission, luckily for us it was sunny and there were no clouds in the sky, so it would not snow, for now. We began to walk following the map of the Holotomo, Zhalia and I went in the lead guiding the boys and Cherit who were behind. I do not know what they were talking about, but they looked very animated, I would have liked to be able to meet them, so I could see how Lok really was, it seemed that he was better and if he disengaged, as he explained, it meant that I was fine, but I still had my doubts, besides, I wanted to know what had bothered him so much in Thor's temple.
We had been fifteen minutes walking when the road began to become more inclined to end up on a precipice, Zhalia did not warn that you had to go down to the precipice.
Dante's end
Sophie's POV
I had been pissed that Zhalia was threatening to leave Lok and me out of the way, but my anger was gone when Cherit asked Lok what he had done while he was being transformed. We were talking about how funny it would be to see Lok transformed and to see the things he was doing, the demon part of Lok was very small so it should be adorable. Observe how Dante looked at us from time to time over his shoulder, this time it did not bother me that Zhalia stuck to him like a limpet, because he saw that he preferred to be talking with us than with her, besides, this mission brings me No care to finish it or not.
When we reached the precipice, Dante asked me to inspect it, to know how dangerous it would be. While flying over the cliff I could see a kind of path inside this that led to a cave. I went back with the others to notify them. Dante had tied a rope to the trunk of a tree so that he could descend to the bottom without risk. They went down one by one so that the rope was not broken by the weight, while, I watched that the rope was well tied. When everyone came down I joined them. We started to follow the stone path, we had to be careful as it was thin and the snow made it slippery. The road went deeper into the ravine and the closer we got to the cave, the more slippery it became. We had almost arrived when the road was cut, it was broken and a large stone of ice that left the wall hindered the passage.
-Great, and now what? - I asked.
-We'll have to look for another way- Dante suggested.
We all tried to find another way, but we found nothing, we could only turn around.
-Dear, why do not you try to melt the stone? After all, it's just ice, right?
-Good idea, without the stone we could try to jump to the other side. But I do not think I can do it alone, Ignatius!
Once Ignatius was summoned he appeared behind Dante, the rest of us had to retreat since he alone occupied all the way. Both began to melt the ice, Ignatius spit washed through his mouth and Dante kept a "Rayfire" continuous with his hands. It did not take long to melt the rock completely and open the way. On the other side the ground was no longer stone, but ice. Zhalia bent down and removed some snow.
-Now I understand why it's slippery, the stone is frozen.
-And the rest of the way is ice. Well, it seems we have to skate a bit.
Lok said in a very good mood, we all smiled as we were happy to see Lok as always. Dante was the first to jump using "Feetfire", I flew behind him with Cherit and Lok continued to use "Electric-jum" and glided a little with his wings to land well and not slip and fall to the precipice. Zhalia was the last to jump using "Hiperstride", before jumping, Zhalia hesitated a bit, and when she landed, she slipped on the ice and would have fallen backwards off the cliff if Dante had not caught her in time and pulled her away towards him, Dante pushed her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her.
-Are you okay? - Asked worried.
-Yes, only that the ice and some seeker do not get along very well.
Dante gave him a warm smile that made me jump, both seemed very comfortable in that situation.
-We should continue, do not you think?
In my tone of voice you could tell I was upset, I did not like what I was seeing, Zhalia was not clean wheat and she was manipulating Dante as she wanted, she was a witch in every sense. Dante and Zhalia separated a little embarrassed. I turned around and prepared to continue when we noticed Lok's absence. We all went into a little panic, but Lok appeared at once walking towards us, well, rather skating.
-The rest of the way is clear and the entrance of the cave is not hindered.
-How do you think of leaving without warning?" Dante scolded him.
-I'm sorry, but Zhalia and you looked very comfortable and did not want to interrupt.
Zhalia looked away a little embarrassed. Dante glared at him, Cherit and I laughed at the bass and Lok continued to look at Dante with a very funny smile, I was sure that Dante would reprimand him later. We continued our journey and as Lok had said, there were no more obstacles, except Zhalia, she was an obstacle in itself, Dante and Lok had to help her more than once so that she would not fall. Once in the entrance we stopped a few moments so that Zhalia could recover, the floor of the cave was stone covered with snow and the walls and roof were made of ice.
- Arriving here has been easy. Zhalia, did not you say that the road was dangerous? -Lok asked.
-The dangerous comes now. In this cave we can find multiple dangers and traps.
-Great ...-Lok sighed a little downhearted.
-Guys, is it me, or is it colder inside?
-You're not your Sophie- Dante went to one of the walls- Here the temperature is much lower than outside. We better not sit still for long or freeze.
Lok and I shared a look of concern, we began to go deeper into the cave, at first the tunnel was not very spacious, we could only walk two by two and we were a bit tight, also went straight, however as we got deeper, the tunnel was widening and began to descend, the only thing that did not change was how bright it was, I think it was by the light from the outside that bounced off the ice walls and thus illuminated the whole cave. The cold began to become more intense the more we descended. Before we knew it, we found ourselves in a room with two roads, in all the entrances, including where we had come, there were two sculptures of ice snakes with their mouths open showing their sharp fangs and taking out their forked tongues.
Sophie's POV end
Dante's POV
I took out the Holotomo and tried to find out which road was the right one, the others looked at the sculptures, Sophie and Zhalia with admiration, it was clear that those sculptures must have been made by somebody, an impressive artist I would say, by the numerous details that they possessed. Lok was another story, he had not come close to any of them and he looked at them with fear.
-Guys, do not you smell a little weird?
-You forget that we do not have your super-smell- Zhalia said- Also, were not you stunted by the cold?
-Yes, but the smell is very strong, so I ask.
-And what do you smell? -I asked with curiosity
-Snakes
-Ha ha very funny!
Sophie said annoyed. Lok did not seem comfortable, his ears moved in the direction of the statues of the entrance we had used to enter.
-What was that ?!
-There's nothing Lok, calm down.-I tried to calm him down a bit, he was really starting to get scared, he did not seem to be kidding us.
-What you say, but hurry to find the way. I do not want to continue here. -Lok looked at me with supplicating and terrified eyes.
-It is not so easy, in the map I can not find the room with the two exit, according to this we should continue in a straight line by only one way.
-I do not like it- Lok cried more scared
-Lok please, there's nothing, it's your imagination!
Zhalia was starting to get nervous. Suddenly a sound echoed throughout the room, from the mouths of the sculptures began to emerge white snakes with red eyes, we all moved away from the statues, but the room began to fill up and the snakes blocked us, when the sculptures left from spitting snakes the situation was as follows: Lok and Sophie were on one side of the room, near one of the exits, Zhalia, Cherit and I on the other side near the other exit.
-Do not move-I warned everyone.
-We are in serious problems ... -Lok said without taking his eyes off the ground.
-We already know that you are afraid- Zhalia said scared.
-I do not mean that. They are not normal snakes, they are snow snakes, a kind of magical snake to say it somehow. They are very dangerous and their poison kills you instantly.
-Well, Dante can burn them, cannot he?- Sophie asked.
-I do not think so, if they were less can, but they are too many, and I do not think Dante is faster than snakes.
- And then what do you suggest smartass?
Zhalia was scared, but no more than Sophie, hid behind Lok and clung to his coat.
-We'll move slowly to the exit we have near -I suggested
- Separate us? Are you crazy? - Sophie shouted
-Is the only way. But move very slowly.
We all began to retreat very slowly, the snakes began to rise while they watched us with their eyes, it seemed that everything was fine, the snakes moved away so that we could pass, but one of them opened its mouth like the sculptures with a small hoarse roar, inciting others to launch against us.
-Run!
Before my warning we ran to our respective exits, the snakes could not follow us, it seemed that there was a force field that kept them in that room.
Zhalia and I examined each other for some bite, luckily none of us had anything and as we were still alive we intuited that they had not bitten us, however there was no way of knowing anything about Lok or Sophie, we could only hope that they were all right.
Dante's POV end