It is good to be back! I am sorry for the hiatus due to other projects I was working on. Rest assured I will be focusing on this story for the foreseeable future. Once again, we return to Dorian Held's journey through the world of Mythologies, Valkyries and Gods he has found himself thrust into…
A tunnel of rainbow light disturbed the raging snowstorm persisting for several seconds and melting the snow down to the ground wherever it touched. As the beam of energy subsided, Dorian and Thrud emerged into the renewed blizzard.
They were both armed for combat, Thrud wearing glistening golden chainmail overtop an ornate gambeson. Her arms were protected by shining silver bracers with fingerless gauntlets on each hand. Each were enchanted legendary armor earned through past accomplishments from her father Thor himself. A glistening curved sword crackling with lightning hung on either hip, though her true weapon was slung across her back. A great bow taller than she was, tilted to the side to allow her to run with it, an equally imposing quiver was latched sideways at the small of her back.
Dorian was just as arrayed for war. From the equipment offered to him, he had selected a thick chainmail shirt over a simple leather gambeson. They were sturdy, yet allowed him to breath and have adequate freedom of movement in exchange for the protection offered. On his right arm was strapped a sturdy round shield. Unlike most of its type, the bulwark was completely made of metal save for the strap along with furred and wooden lining inside to protect his arm from the cold.
For weapons, he had selected a double-edged short sword, it was simplistic and had almost no handguard to speak of, but was expertly crafted. For reach, he had chosen an impressive Atgeir, he had read about their use during his time studying abroad, however the one he had selected was more akin to a large winged spear than a halberd. As an afterthought, he had also grabbed a Dane axe, the wider head than other weapons of the type could serve well if he needed to cut down trees for warmth. Unlike Thrud's equipment, not a one of his was legendary or named, yet they were of exquisite quality as befit a Retainer of Freyja…at least that's what Thrud had said before departing.
They each had donned a thick fur cloak, Thrud's made from a slain bear that covered the entirety of her armor with the head having been skinned as well and acted as the hood. Dorian's was of similar make, however had been sewn from the pelt of a Dire-wolf, teeth still hung from its limp mouth surrounding his hooded-face menacingly. He had let his golden locks grow out during his time in Asgard as they now fell down to his shoulders and could be seen protruding from the hood.
Thrud and Rossweisse had been training him double time upon being informed that he would be accompanying her on the Oath-fulfillment. As Lady Freyja had briefed them, a member of their dwindling number of loyal followers on Midgard had beseeched the Allfather for guidance and aid. It seemed that something had recently starting preying upon the flocks that stray too far from his homestead. Apparently he had seen the creature during the latest attack. His only word to describe it was 'enormous."
"An ogre most likely," Dorian explained as he knew Thrud was overseeing his growth in knowledge as well as martial and tracking prowess. "High Instinctual intelligence, low cognitive functions, like most animals they seek out food and mates to survive and procreate."
The Bifrost had deposited them not far from the latest attack located at the base of Glittertind. Despite years of traveling the world for his studies, Dorian had never visited Norway and having a chance to see its second tallest mountain even from such a distance caused his heart to race. He almost forgot that he was hunting one of the more dangerous beasts of Norse Mythology.
"Textbook answer," Thrud replied calmly. "Put that knowledge to the test, I will watch from a distance per Lady Freyja's commands. Please take note," she stressed again. "That I will not intervene unless the hunt will fail otherwise, we cannot afford to lose any more loyal followers than already leave us every day. You are responsible for tracking, cornering and finishing the beast as efficiently as possible."
Dorian swallowed hard but nodded in understanding, he had heard Odin and Freyja's occasional discussions on the waning of their mythology on Midgard, a somber feeling settled in his gut each time he listened in. As it stood, he worked for Lady Freyja as a scribe, assistant, even courier when the need called for it. The only task he felt woefully unprepared for was that of bodyguard, making him quite nervous when Thrud was not nearby.
I need to improve; I owe that much at least to them for saving my life…to be stronger.
"Where do I begin?" He asked, standing straight and tall.
Thrud pointed calmly behind him before stepping backwards, somehow vanishing into the billowing snow falling around them.
Wish I could do that.
Dorian spun towards the source of her attention, a deep and clearly inhuman indentation in the ground beneath the snow cleared by the Bifrost. He breathed deep as he kneeled low, looking it over, trying to recall the lessons of Thrud in the forests around Asgard coupled with the bestiary he had striven to memorize.
"Tracks, shallow but that could have been from the snow overtop it," Dorian murmured to himself as he often did when alone. "Larger than expected, possibly due to the weaker sediment and warped by the snow…heading up the mountain, most likely heading to a place of solitude and safety to avoid populated regions."
Spear in hand, Dorian made his way up the slopes following the tracks. Snowdrifts quickly took the place of the ground as he left the Bifrost's area of dispersion. The cold was biting, but the clothes provided kept the worst of it at bay. When he'd dreamed of visiting every location in the world someday, this had not been what he had in mind.
An hour passed, then two as the trail seemed to disappear higher up towards the mountain. The snow storm did not abate in the slightest; Dorian could barely see ten feet in front of him. After a while he was following the trail of disheveled snow, no doubt shifted by the creature's passing. It was ahead of him, that much was certain, but by no more than an hour or so by his novice estimates.
"O-ogres have thick skin and generous amounts of body f-fur," he continued to mutter to himself as he strived to keep warm. "They are resistant to temperatures as low as…"
Dorian froze, he had heard something, he was sure of it. Not only that, but a sense of trepidation was welling in his chest, he was being watched. Lowering himself into a crouched position, he glanced around trying to pinpoint the source despite the howling wind…had he imagined it? No he couldn't have…right? Using all of his senses, he focused through the storm, finally locking onto a shape ahead.
It certainly could not have been an ogre; the form was small like that of a child of ten at most. Gender was undiscernible through the storm, what could a kid have been doing so far from the nearest settlement? Ogres were simplistic, brutish creatures with no camouflage, illusion or mimicry abilities.
"Hello!" He called out to the shape. "You don't have to be afraid, I am here to…"
A roar was his only response, the adolescent's shadowy silhouette faded into the storm to be replaced with a wall of black bounding towards him. He eyes went wide, rotating his round shield, Dorian scarcely brought it up in time to deflect a blow like a battering ram. Even with his defense, he was sent tumbling through the air, landing face-first in the snow. In a flash he rolled over, spear presented and ready.
How big is this ogre, and how did he manage that illusion? Its plan backfired…if I hadn't been focused on the child I never would have spotted that thing in time
The same roar echoed on the winds, but based on the direction it had raced, Dorian could somewhat predict...
The mass of muscle emerged again, obscured as it was by the snow coupled with its speed, he still couldn't get a good look at it…but he didn't need to. As it neared, Dorian ducked and rolled beneath its legs, spear singing through the gale. He felt resistance as he struck home, catching the beast in its thigh, its bellow of anger turned into a screech of pain. His quarry did not stop, instead bounding past him; he could feel the vibrations of the Earth as it receded. It was running!
The trail was obvious so a novice could have followed it, burnt-red blood, almost black sizzled in the snow every few feet. Ogres were hardy due to their muscle and size, yet hesitated when fighting too far from their dens. The information flooded his mind that he had known from the study of mythology along with practical knowledge taught with the other Valkyries. It was trying to return to its lair, a cornered animal.
Better than it choosing to fight out in the open with no visibility I suppose. He rationalized with the full knowledge that if it succeeded in reaching its den it would become twice as dangerous. Ogres had notoriously accurate night vision, requiring virtually no light so see clearly.
Sure enough, it was not long before he beheld the side of the mountain. Following the spattered blood, he located a large crack down the side leading downward…into the dark. Raising a free hand, Dorian erected twin simple defense runes over one another, affixing them to his chest. They served a dual purpose of protecting him while also emitting a dull glow, his only illumination.
It was a lair, no doubt about it, the creature must have lived there for some time. Bone littered the ground, cracked into pieces with the marrow gone; there was at least one of every animal that lived within several miles of the mountain. Every few feet he would find a fresh kill, possibly being saved for later. Dorian could only pray he came across no human remains. What could have driven the beast on such a ravenous hunger spree? Very likely it had retreated deep inside to lick its wounds. He would need every advantage he had if he hoped to survive. As he delved further underground, he could not help but recall back to Asgard during his time of study…
Asgard, Classroom…
"Very good," Lady Eir complimented one of the students in the front on her explanation of the creation of Draugrs, undead walkers that fought even after death whether due to their greed and malice in life or through resurrection magic. They had gone over various runes that could be etched into stones in front of their mounds to prevent the dead from rising…within reason. "Can anyone name other undesirables that might be found across the various realms?"
Dorian raised a hand; the elder Valkyrie was quick to accept it.
"Ogres ma'am," Dorian stood as was customary for students when the teacher was referring to them. "Once thought to have been distant relatives to the Jotuns, this was disproven based on their lack of relation to Ymir. They are native to Jotunheim, but are known to be found across all nine realms in contained numbers due to the Grand Concurrence."
The Grand Concurrence, a state of creation from time immemorial that Odin had glimpsed while among the boughs of Yggdrasil and shared with his people. According to the tale, all realms, for however brief a time, were one and a great sundering is what split them into the scattered worlds they were today. This was the current explanation for how monsters, beasts and other undesirables only natural to a single world could be found across all nine.
"Excellent Mr. Held," Lady Eir approved, nodding her head and granting him leave to be seated. Ever since Thrud had explained the specifics of his upcoming hunt, he had scrambled to find every book on the creatures he could get his hands on.
Once the lecture had concluded for private study, Herja and a throng of other girls had positioned their desks alongside Dorian's. Despite being a boy in a class of girls, they felt comfortable around him; though it was clear they ever hoped for more stories of their class idol. They hung on his every word regardless of the fact that each tale ended the same…with his face buried in the dirt at Thrud or Rossweisse's hands.
"Well…is it true?" Herja asked, leaning forward alongside the other classmates.
"Is…what true?" Dorian asked, looking up from his book on the genealogy of ogres. He glossed over the much larger illustration beside the one he had been analyzing.
"An oath fulfillment…with Lady Thrud!" A violet-haired girl to the left called out. Dorian remembered her name as Brynda. Her hair was braided atop her head in a fashion similar to the daughter of Thor's though not as expertly and stuck out in random places. She was of a petite build and had a pure charm to herself like an innocent maiden. Despite that, her eyes were wide with stars as were most of those around him, eagerly awaiting his answer.
"It…is," he admitted. No one mentioned the task was to be kept secret and clearly it had been leaked by someone involved. Off on the far end of the room, having withdrawn as the others closed in, Kara smiled and waved awkwardly at him.
Culprit confirmed…
"It's the end of next week; I'll be on Midgard helping out…"
"I can show you the best tactics for large creatures!" Herja jumped forward, practically throwing herself onto his desk.
"But you'll need stronger runes!" Brynda added, also eager to help as other voices around him joined in a chorus. He didn't have the heart to tell her the quality and power of Rossweisse's runes surpassed those of the entire class combined or that Kara's usage of them was inspiring.
"I know the weak points of a dozen different creatures!"
"You'll need to know how to track in harsh climates!"
"I got higher grades than you, he should study with me!"
"You teach? Please, you can barely study solo!"
"Well, in that case," Dorian piped in before the discussions could come to blows. He had raised his voice, but more in a way to grab attention than to appear angry. "If…I am going to hunting something so dangerous, I would be honored to learn from each of you…if you'll have me."
Silence cut through the class, somehow his words had gotten through. Several sighed in the back, their conflict forgotten at his words of compromise.
"Okay okay," Herja pushed back everyone who had moved in so closely they were cutting off Dorian's circulation. "We can make a schedule; I'm closest to his seat so I shall begin today, Brynda you next, then Hrund with descending distance after that."
The collected girls grumbled or nodded approvingly in direct proportion to their distance from Dorian's desk. They all wanted to help him; he could not help but feel touched.
"Thanks for the save," he smiled at Herja once the crowd had dispersed.
"Don't thank me," she grinned back widely. "It was your words that prevented an early Ragnarok. Most Einherjar we meet aren't so…diplomatic."
"Years of practice, I don't usually get such a warm welcome when starting at a new school. I usually have to talk out of someone trying to make a name accosting the foreigner."
"Oooohhh," she nodded understandingly. "Modi's everywhere?"
"Precisely, hence my self-defense courses starting at age eleven for those not open to reason." He chuckled at the scattered memories of fights won and lost. I once knew this especially kind girl back in England…"
"We can discuss the juicy gossip later," she interrupted. "We only have a few days to go. With large enemies you rarely want to go head-to head, they'll almost always overpower you. What you want to remember is patience and a good eye for your surroundings."
Dorian listened intently, taking in every word as she explained all she had studied and learned since long before he joined their class.
"And above all, know your prey," she continued. "It'd be pretty embarrassing to not know the subspecies of the creature you are hunting…"
Mountain Cave…Present Day…
"Herja is never going to let me live this down," Dorian groaned as he beheld the lumbering form before him.
If I can live that is…
The beast looming ahead was no ogre…this was a troll. Where ogres stood roughly eight feet tall with furred bodies and intelligence lower than canines, the troll stood a good 15 feet, average for one of its kind. Muscles rippled upon muscles as each limb put most oak trees to shame, great tusks that could skewer a boar jutted from within its mangled jaw. Its red eyes stared into him as he walked in on it apparently preparing a soup of some kind in a boiling cauldron.
Aaaaannd higher brain functions theorized by the Mimir scholars to equal prehistoric humanity somewhere around Cro-Magnon man or lower, Dorian sighed internally upon spotting the rather large club it wielded one-handed with fingers that could wrap around his torso with ease.
The creature locked eyes with him, unleashing a bellowing roar that shook the cave. He could make out a few garbled words he did not understand. Trolls maintained their own language though none could interpret it save other trolls. Without giving him a chance to process its guttural reply, the monster bounded his way with wide powerful strides.
Dorian planted his feet, spear ready. The monstrosity raised its club, bringing it down overhanded directly on top of him. At the last moment, he ducked underneath its right arm. With a side-slash he hamstringed the beast or he would have, however trolls have much thicker skin and muscles than most.
Nevertheless, the beast staggered at his cut, swinging sideways with surprising speed it targeted Dorian's new location. With no time to react, he tilted his round shield, deflecting the blow as best he could. Despite redirecting the better part of the attack, his shield shattered from the pressure, the pain transferring into his arm as it burned through him.
Gotta be…faster.
The creature charged again, club swinging wildly and erratically as it caught several stalactites unfortunate enough to be in its path. Dorian side-stepped, the former tree turned club missing him so closely he felt the breeze on his cheek. Once it had passed, he firmly gripped the handle of his axe, burying it into the wrist as it drew close from the follow-through.
The troll dropped the club, its dark blood gushing from the wound that would have been a fatal bleed-out to most others races. Dorian lost the axe as it remained wedged in the cluster of muscles. With its uninjured hand, the troll gripped the tip of his Ategir, snapping it in half like a toothpick and backhanding Dorian into the cave wall behind him. His defense seals shattered at the impact, preventing serious harm and bathing the room in darkness once more.
Quickly raising a hand, Dorian reinstated a seal, though due to his speed it wasn't even half as effective as either of the previous. The troll scraped its feet along the cave floor, churning up the dirt as it bellowed louder, working itself into an even greater fury.
Dorian stood up to his full height, drawing his short sword, the last weapon left to him. Stretching his arms and shoulders out, he made himself appear as large as he could.
Trolls have a patriarchal society, the strongest of the tribe leads over others. If I can challenge his ego…
The beast roared again, his plan having clearly worked. Like an enraged bull, it broke into a sprint towards him, bending forward to bring its tremendous tusks to bear against him. The ground shuddered with each thunderous step.
Not yet…not yet…
The troll reached him, but Dorian was ready. Using his blade as a substitute to the shield, he clashed with its tusk, severing it at the halfway point. Simultaneously, he us the impact for momentum and rolled his body to avoid the blow, scarcely leaping through an opening beneath its armpit in time. Missing him completely, his adversary kept going, colliding with the cave wall behind him. Fractures formed as it shattered the base, causing a cascade of stalactites and rock to collapse on top of it.
His timing was not perfect, catching a rather large boulder squarely in the gut. He felt and heard the crack of broken bones as his seal splintered, at least two ribs. Dismounting, he righted himself quickly with a groan and collapsed to his knees, the pain was excruciating…but manageable.
It took several seconds for the cave-in to subside, the troll could no longer be seen as so much of the wall and ceiling had collapsed. If it had continued, he would have been worried about having to flee lest the whole den come down around him. A few final pebbles bounced off the impressive pile as if to add a final insult to the trolls defeat.
"And the tusk…for proof," Dorian groaned, limping towards severed tip. He had been commanded to retrieve a tooth from the ogre to be presented as evidence. Seeing as how it turned out to be a troll, an entire horn to give to the farmer should be more than enough to…"
A colossal hand burst from the rubble, gripping him around the entire torso, entrapping Dorian's arms to his side and preventing use of his sword. Battered, covered in lacerations and bruises, the troll emerged from its impromptu grave, eyes blinded with rage.
Shit shit shit shit! Dorian cursed in his head. It played possum until I was close enough!
Coherent thought was pushed from his mind as the second hand joined the first in squeezing him, he could hear the grinding of bone from his broken ribs as they crushed inward from the pressure. He felt like he was going to pop.
"Herheheherhe," the troll grunted with its gnarled tongue. Even Dorian could tell it was laughing. He tensed all his muscles in a vain attempt to stave off the inevitable, all the while the same thought as before coursed through his mind.
Need…to be…stronger…
A shining golden light beamed through between the troll's fingers, causing the beast to shirk back, though it refused to loosen its grip. Its primitive look of confusion only grew, as its fingers began to pry open regardless…
Dorian grunted with renewed strength, eyes burning with determination as he pushed past the pain, past the broken ribs to freedom. Once the fingers were loose enough, he slid free, perching himself atop the behemoth's hands that had held him. His Sacred Gear had engaged, the root-metal bracer emitting a light all its own in the darkness. The azure gem affixed in the center had changed and now shined a vibrant gold.
An opening!
As the creature stared perplexed at the gnat that had somehow overpowered its grip, Dorian flipped his blade forward, kicking off its oversized palm with all his strength left. His blade sunk up to the hilt through its throat, the momentum of his lunge throwing the creature off balance. No matter how large it was, no matter how durable and gargantuan…its throat was still a fatal weak point, if one could get to it.
A final gurgle sputtered from the troll's mouth with a bit of blood before tumbling backwards, cracking the floor beneath it and sending Dorian tumbling, his sword left behind lodged in the troll's gullet. He rolled into a wall, cracking the back of his head thankfully cushioned by the Dire-wolf pelt and hood.
Well, he groaned as he looked over his defeated quarry, arm pressed firmly to his side to somewhat alleviate the burning sensation. That could have gone infinitely better, not pretty…but I did it. That was one tough son of a…
Dorian's heart plummeted upon closer inspection of the fallen troll's body. Its thigh was bruised and battered from the cave-in; however no wound from his Ategir during their conflict in the snow was visible.
The low growl from the cave entrance validated his fears, standing there just short of 13 feet high, was a second troll, a deep gash would present on its leg. It was clearly the one he had battled in the snow. Based on the larger mammary glands which he refused to call breasts out of principal, it was a female.
"Oh come on!" Dorian shouted in absolute frustration, he could not move.
At the sight of its fallen mate, the creature released a tremendous outcry, charging him as recklessly as the first. Dorian raised his Sacred Gear in a pitiful defense as the unwelcome opponent got closer and closer and closer…then further and further as it continued past Dorian's position while he lay there confused.
The troll flew past him at breakneck speed, slamming hard into the wall across from him. Only then did Dorian spot the twin great arrows, more akin to ballistae bolts, having struck the beast in the back of the neck so hard it shattered the wall and collapsed to the floor, joining the first in death.
Thrud stood proudly at the end of the hall far in the distance having picked it off without even being spotted. Her great bow had been anchored into the ground for an optimal shot though he knew full well she could fire it mid-run. Dorian could only guess at the draw weight required for such a bow, surely ten times her weight at least. He couldn't congratulate nor thank her though, the burning sensation in his chest was overpowering, and he felt like he would pass out at any moment.
Thrud rushed to his side, looking him over and assessing his injuries in a matter of seconds. Without hesitation, she suddenly removed her bear-skin cloak. Dorian's eyes shot out of his head as she slid out of her thick armor, even loosening the straps on the front of her gambeson. As the vest fell open Dorian was able to see her…
NOPE! Dorian's eyes shot upward towards the suddenly fascinating ceiling.
"Wh…wh…" Dorian tried to ask as she approached him, lifting his chainmail over his head and loosening his own tunic beneath to expose his toned chest before embracing him. Between the suddenness of her movements coupled with the warmth of her body in contrast to the stabbing pain in his sides, he could not say a word.
"Don't move," she whispered in his ear as she pressed against him, turning her head away as she closed her eyes. Dorian's mind started to fry at the feeling of her against him.
What is she doing? What's going on? Why is Thrud taking her clothes off? Why is she taking MY clothes off? Why is she hugging me? Did Odin put her up to this? What will Freyja say? What will Rossweisse say? Her golden hair is so soft, how is she so strong with how feminine she is…NONO Dorian…think of something else!
He attempted to count pie before realizing he couldn't go past ten digits. As the questions piled up in his mind along with what Freyja and Rossweisse would do if they happened to spot them, a warm sensation started building in his chest. Surprisingly it was not the warm sensation he had been trying to avoid looking at. Rather, it felt like a low fire had kindled in his heart. He felt content, barely noticing that the pain was receding with each second Thrud held him.
"I feel…better," he finally gasped at length as the pain lessened enough to speak. Almost forgetting about her state of undress he locked eyes to thank her. "Wh-what kind of magic was that?"
"Not magic, Sage Arts Mr. Held," she educated calmly as if what she'd done was perfectly natural. Falling back into her role as tutor, she finally released him, resecuring her gambeson once more and covering herself. "The art of controlling the flow of energy within our bodies and others, in your case I focused on healing."
Dorian was impressed, carefully he tapped his sides again and again, not a single bit of pain remained. His ribs were no longer broken.
"And…" he swallowed hard. "Physical contact is required for it to work?"
"Correct," Thrud had finally donned her full armor once more. Almost forgetting to himself, Dorian started buttoning up again. "A physical embrace allows the healing to be most potent. I practiced with Lady Freyja for years before I mastered it."
"Practiced…with Lady Freyja?" The image started to form against his will before Dorian proceeded to slam his head into the nearest wall several times.
Get out of my head…get out of my head!
"Of course, she has mastered it far greater than I; her expertise is part of why she is known as the Goddess of Fertility. The technique works on all that possess the energy of life. I would test my skills on her garden to help plants flourish, or slow one's growth so it did not sap too many nutrients from others."
"Ah…practiced with her garden," Dorian felt like such a creep for his knee-jerk assumption. "Any chance I could learn to do that?"
"In time perhaps, I would focus on your martial skills and Sacred Gear for the time being. Now…what did you learn?"
Dorian looked over the cave, the fallen trolls and finally his bracer. After a moment of reflection he turned towards her.
"I erred in the assumption it was just a large ogre, upon first inspection of the expanded tracks I should have considered at least three other species…trolls being among them. As possible reasons for the recent attacks, having located a mate and collecting for upcoming young was high on the possibilities."
"It is fortunate the farmer summoned us when he did. Another three or four winters and the mountains would have been crawling with them."
"I think I also found a power of my Gear," he added, showing her the now-gold gem held within it.
Thrud looked it over analytically, taking in the color, hue, even the appearance of the light emanating from it.
"And what did it do?"
"My guess…a strength boost," he said simply. "I don't see how I was able to overpower that thing's grip otherwise."
"Possibly…" Thrud mused, walking up to him.
In a flash her fist was in motion, traveling at incredible speeds squarely at Dorian's face, by reflex at the almost certain death before him, he raised his right hand. Her fist impacted his Sacred Gear with incredible force, releasing a shockwave in all directions that rustled his hair. Despite the blow, he stood his ground if only just barely.
"Strength it is," Thrud asserted, pulling back her fist. "A multiplier based on your current musculature, interesting." She hadn't put her weight behind it, not truly…yet the punch was still leagues ahead of anything she had thrown against him in training.
"What if that hadn't worked!?" Dorian asked louder than he should have, his face still locked in surprise and fear at her attack with zero hesitation. He was more impressed she could tell so much from it just through a single punch.
"Well then, I suppose I would have had to heal you again…wouldn't I Mr. Held?" Thrud retorted as she turned to leave, Dorian blushed brightly, missing the out of character mischievous grin dart across her face once she was no longer in his field of view. "Come, we'll have to summon the Bifrost further down the mountain to return to Asgard."
Dorian just stood there, shaking his head in frustration at the rules of the world he now found himself in. Recovering what pieces of his equipment remained, he gave chase after her. He did not feel it necessary to inform her of the strange child-like silhouette he had seen in the storm. Nor did he mention that, despite the fact both trolls lay dead and the cave was surely empty, until he made it back to the safety of the Bifrost he still felt the tingling sensation on the back of his neck…that he was still being watched.
Dorian has completed the task to aid Lady Freyja and test his newfound abilities, watched from afar by both his tutor…and an entity unseen by either. He returns to Asgard for well-deserved rest, relaxation and recuperation. But how long can such a time last among the realm of the Norse Deities? As always I hope you Read and Review, but above all Enjoy! :D