Valkyrie Profile:
Lenneth Novelization AU:
Disclaimer: I do not own Valkyrie Profile or any other tri-Ace properties. Please support the official release.
Chapter Five:
Artolian Mountain Ruins I
"We have arrived," Lenneth announced.
The Aesir, Jötunn, and einherjar hovered over an ancient castle on a mountain plateau. It was an eerie visage in a deep blanket of fog.
"Ugh, we have to go in there?" Loki whined. "It looks filthy!"
Lenneth ignored him, and instead considered a good entry point.
The ruin was an abandoned ringed fortress with a castle behind its circular walls. It was a skeletal shell of what it had been. The massive dark stoneworks that made up the once imposing silhouette were crumbled, leaving large holes in numerous places in the wall and roof. Parts of the old castle had even caved in. It was covered in moss, vines, and even grass and flowers in some places. The once well-maintained mountain road leading up to it was gone. There had once been a series of ledges and man-made bridges and platforms, but many of them had fallen away, making the place nearly impossible to reach from the ground now. Most only ever saw it at a distance, an eerie hulking form peering down from above.
"The old Trelleborg castle?" Arngrim asked.
"Huh, it always seemed more intact looking at it from below," Jelanda said.
Lenneth glanced at them. She could still remember flying over this place and faintly hearing the sounds of cheer coming from it in times of old. There was almost always a light left on in at least one window. It occurred to her now that she had never known a thing about who lived here or what they were associated with. Perhaps if she pried, she'd get an idea of what waited for them within.
"You are familiar with the history of this place?" Lenneth asked them.
Jelanda played with one of her curls.
"Oh, indeed, I am," Jelanda bragged, proudly placing a hand proudly on her chest. "This was the home of the Forkbeards. Lord Harald Forkbeard was the last master of this place. He was one of the most faithful supporters of the royal family during the civil war between the Princes, Kristoff and Langley. He was among Artolia's fiercest commanders, leading some of the finest soldiers in the kingdom. The man was a maverick in his day."
Then she paused for effect, not expecting Arngrim to take her silence as a cue to speak up.
"The Forkbeards and their knights were given this castle by King Sweyn," Arngrim elaborated.
"Tch!" Jelanda pouted and crossed her arms. Both Valkyrie and warrior ignored her as the latter continued.
"They were appointed the duty of guarding Artolia's Northern border back when it reached this far north along the mountains," Arngrim elaborated. "That was before the civil war between Prince Kristoff and Prince Langley broke the country almost 20 years ago, though. Villnore didn't take their time invading to scalp our northern territory right off us after the brothers were done with their stupid bids for the throne. Villnore's troops broke through Lord Forkbeard's defenses, stormed Trelleborg, and killed pretty much everyone inside. I can still remember one of the scouts riding into Castle Town like Hel herself was on his heels when it happened."
Lenneth's brow furrowed.
"Prince Langley, Prince Kristoff," she swore she almost remembered those names.
Then, unbidden, the battle-maiden spoke again:
"But neither got the throne."
Oh," Jelanda chirped. "You do know some of our history!"
The pomp returned as Jelanda took over again, but Lenneth was no longer paying attention. She'd become lost in her own thoughts.
"How did I know that?" Lenneth wondered. "I know nothing of this civil war they speak of."
But there was something more. In the midst of this civil war, something else occurred that was tugging at her mind.
"But what?" Lenneth asked herself. "Somehow, this other matter involved me."
For briefest of seconds, she saw dark rolling hills peppered with rusty swords, indicating makeshift graves for fallen warriors. Furthermore, there was a man there, in dark clothing and a sword worn on his shoulder like Arngrim's. There had been something evil about him and his sword glowed a wicked red.
"Think you I would relinquish it so easily? This power wrought of blood and tears by which you shall be slain," The voice of an enemy whose name and face would not come to her echoed through her mind. It sent a quick shudder through Lenneth, but she didn't know why.
Loki noticed how deeply into thought she'd gone, and a frown set into his face.
"Now, this won't do at all," he thought.
"That's right," Jelanda giggled. "The throne went my father, King Joshua. Got it right under Prince Kristoff after his brother committed suicide, he did!"
"And helped run it into the ground," Arngrim grumbled.
Jelanda turned to him with an offended gasp, and then a glare.
"In any event! Investigate it we must!" Loki loudly intervened. He turned to Lenneth. "Right, Valkyrie?"
"Mm?" Lenneth uttered questioningly as she broken from her contemplations.
"We must venture into Castle Trelleborg," Loki said firmly.
Lenneth stared at him as though he'd grown a third antler. Turning away, she tried briefly to find the vague semblance of memory she'd tapped into, but thanks to his interruption, it was gone.
"I still cannot remember anything past choosing that man Ancel in my previous era," she thought.
"Valkyrie?" Loki was getting pushy.
"Yes, of course," Lenneth replied.
She awkwardly cleared her throat before taking the lead. Lenneth began descending toward a large hole in the domed roof of the center structure. The others followed suit and then stopped when Lenneth landed on the edge of the cavity. She stood there, observing the area below before anyone entered. The large room below was quiet and still, if littered by chunks of roof that had fallen in some years earlier.
However, Lenneth was wary of what might be hiding within. The piles of stones were quite big, and the moonlight only did so much to illuminate the interior. She didn't sense anything in the immediate area, but that didn't necessarily guarantee anything. She knew all too well some enemies learned how to conceal their auras. The hand of a broken statue sat atop one of the piles as though reaching for her. There was an entrance to a corridor on the other side of the room. She could make out torchlight blazing down that way.
"So, some of the Undead retain their intelligence," she noted.
Lenneth cautiously jumped down. When she landed, she stayed perfectly still in her crouched position. The only things moving were her eyes. Loki faded in from thin air behind her, also without sound. After a moment, when both were satisfied no attack was coming, they dared to move. Lenneth stood up and summoned Arngrim and Jelanda into the room. Both einherjar touched down on the floor and observed their surroundings as well.
"Solid ground, about time," Arngrim muttered.
"Scared of heights?" Jelanda teased.
"Be on your guard, you two," Lenneth ordered. "I sense an enemy."
"Yes, there is reigning force here controlling the lesser entities," Loki concurred.
He scratched his chin as his eyes darted between the various crevasses and corridors leading deeper into the dark structure. The antlered Jötunn leaned forward sniffed the air like a bloodhound.
"'Tis basically only Undead inhabiting this place," he said. "A Vampire is the hive chief, if I don't miss my guess."
Lenneth closed her eyes and let her senses stretch out.
"'Tis no ordinary vampire," she said. "Not quite a Noble Vampire or Vampire Lord, though. Perhaps just an Elder. Also, there's…"
Everyone waited with a mixture of patience and bated breath while Lenneth assessed what they were up against.
"Something else dark… Maybe demonic. Not sure what yet, though," she said.
"Do you know where?" Jelanda asked.
Lenneth looked down at the ground.
"The fiend is far below us," she answered.
Loki turned to Lenneth.
"You are ready?" he asked.
The Valkyrie nodded, and then both deities turned to the einherjar. Jelanda did her best to stand at attention while Arngrim just kept his thumbs shoved into his pockets.
"I'm always ready for a fight," he pronounced.
Jelanda, however, was visibly nervous. A real battle? She had never trained for this and wasn't sure how she'd navigated facing the Hel Servant
"But I've been chosen by a goddess of fate. There's only one answer I can give," she thought, attempting to will herself into courage.
"R-ready," Jelanda said in much weaker voice than she would have liked. Then added so quietly it was almost under her breath. "…As I'll ever be."
Arngrim glanced at her, recognizing the nervousness of a first-time rookie anymore. It was never hard to spot. His eyes flicked over to Valkyrie, trying to decide if he should wait for her to help the obviously untested Mage or if he should. Lenneth caught onto the little blonde's insecurities and approached her.
"You've mastered only a few spells as of yet?" she asked the princess.
Jelanda nodded.
"Yes, I can only reliably cast Fire Storm, First Aid, and summon Familiars right now," Jelanda said. "And even then, I usually only get a little yellow bird spirit. I know the meditation practices for most of the basic spells, except Fire Lance and Lightning Bolt. I'm mostly just… in the process of mastering using them."
Jelanda's eyes lit up as she remembered something else.
"Oh, yes, I also know all the chants for Great Magic, but…" she was ashamed to admit it. "I haven't been able to cast any yet."
"Very well. How many times can you cast before you need to rest?" Lenneth asked.
"Four times, Lady Valkyrie."
"You've cast against a live opponent before tonight?" the Valkyrie pressed on.
Jelanda shook her head, indicating the negative. Lenneth was expecting that. She took in the information, molding future strategies around the princess's lack of experience and limited casting ability.
"Very well," the battle-maiden said. "Human, do you think you can keep your magical energy welled up until I issue an order?"
"Y-yes," Jelanda answered.
"Good. For the time being, do not act unless I specifically tell you do," Lenneth instructed. "And only target the enemies I tell you to and only cast the spells you've mastered. Moreover, do not panic."
Lenneth about-faced, walking toward the large corridor at the other end of the chamber.
"Enemies lurk through there, and we will likely find our path to our quarry through there," she said. "Onward, my noble einherjar."
"Great pep talk," Arngrim thought sarcastically.
Keeping the two gods in the corner of his vision, he leaned and put a hand on Jelanda's shoulder. She flinched and cast a hard eye on the massive hand that dared to lay itself upon her person without permission.
"Listen, I know you're scared," he said.
"Not scared!" she protested. "Just a bit… a bit…"
"Scared," Arngrim said firmly. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone is the first time."
Jelanda fell silent and just listened.
"Look, all you can do is your best," he told her. "You can't be a blade of grass blowing where the wind decides. You have to stand firm like the mountains."
"Stand firm… like the mountains…" Jelanda murmured.
"Don't fall behind," came Loki's irritated command.
Arngrim knew he had to wrap this up.
"Remember, you're dealing with a kid," he reminded himself.
"Look, if it gets too scary, just hide behind me. I'll cover us," he vowed.
Jelanda turned red and brushed his gloved hand off her shoulder, marching on ahead to catch up the gods.
"I… I won't get scared like that!" she protested. She stopped and gave him a huffy look. "And don't get too familiar with me."
Arngrim looked on dumbly, having no idea what to make of this change.
"Yeah, sure," he uttered.
He followed after Jelanda and caught up to the rest just outside the lit hallway beyond. Valkyrie and Loki stood on either side of the stone doorframe out of view to anyone up ahead. Jelanda came up next to Lenneth while Arngrim stood behind Loki. They slowly leaned forward and peered inside from around the corners. The hallway was empty, but a slow rhythmic smacking sound could be heard coming from somewhere deeper within. The echo made it impossible to tell from where it was coming.
The room was littered with the remains of broken loadbearing pillars and chunks of the ceiling. The crumbling roof did not look like it was going to last much longer. There were two doorways on the left, each lit by torchlight on either side of their thresholds. At the other end of the hall was a stairwell leading up. The echoing tapping drew nearer.
"Footsteps," Lenneth said quietly. "Something approaches. Be on your guard."
Loki, Arngrim, and Jelanda nodded.
"Arngrim and I shall take point," the battle-maiden said. "Jelanda, support position. Loki, rear guard."
Lenneth entered the hall followed by Arngrim. They fanned out on either side with the Valkyrie in the lead, oriented on the left while Arngrim hung back toward the right. The first thing the human warrior noticed was that despite wearing leather boots, he somehow made more noise than the plate-mail and iron-boot adorned Death Chooser.
"Must be a god thing," he figured.
Jelanda followed them a few strides behind Arngrim, shadowed by Loki. The two fighters ahead of her were just far apart enough not to get caught up in any spells she cast.
Tap. Tap. Crunch.
Following the 'crunch', a small stone came tumbling down the staircase at the opposite end of the hall. So, their enemy was dead ahead, and about to descend the steps cloaked in darkness. Without turning around, Lenneth gestured for Jelanda to follow her. Both women sidestepped over to a hunk of fallen pillar and crouched behind it. The Valkyrie glanced over to Arngrim, who'd done the same thing, but behind an intact support. Loki had vanished from sight altogether. There was, however, a Loki-sized rock that hadn't been there before.
After an unknown amount of time, a foot appeared on the highest step lit by the torches. Even from their vantage, Lenneth could see its ragged, filthy pant-leg, with a busted seam that exposed gray skin. The brown leather shoe it wore was old and falling apart, exposing the large toe of the gray-skinned creature.
The thing took a few more shambling, clumsy steps down the stairs, almost falling and at one point being forced to climb down the rest of the steps quickly to avoid falling forward. Once at the base, the thing was fully in view. There was no shoe on its other foot, and it wore a grime-covered long-sleeved shirt that had once been white. Its arms were long enough for the knuckles to drag on the floor even though it stood upright. Its elbow hung just below cuffs of its sleeves. It stood with legs bent and hunched over, like an ape. Its head hung down with its bright red hair, long and unkempt, covering its face.
The thing let out a gargling rattle as its blundering steps brought it closer to where the group hid. Lenneth and Arngrim only felt slight relief knowing what they were dealing with.
"Lesser Vampire," they both realized.
Their foe was just some poor soul who'd be taken by the Undead and twisted and warped into a thralled pawn, doomed to stalk the halls of its master's lair in mindless obedience, guarding against intruders. It'd fling itself into opponents with little regard for safety.
Lenneth looked across the way at Arngrim and the 'rock' which had moved right behind him, both awaiting orders. She signaled for them to wait and leaned forward ever so slightly to have another look at the Lesser Vampire. Lenneth's caution wasn't born out of a fear for the lowly creature, itself, but for the horde it could summon. There were several dark auras deeper within the old castle that she could feel from where they were. If this lone beast managed to get off a good scream for help, they'd be overrun shortly. It was better to be patient and let it come to them. It'd have to pass between where they hid to leave the ruins, which is what it seemed intent on doing.
Lenneth leaned back and turned slightly toward Jelanda.
"Fire Storm, on my word," the Valkyrie spoke quietly. "Aim behind where it stands."
Jelanda blinked in confusion.
"Trust me," Lenneth said.
Jelanda still looked uncertain but nodded. She gripped her scepter tighter as she focused.
The Lesser Vampire was getting closer. It was just about time to spring the trap. In another few steps, it'd spot them. She pointed to Arngrim. He got the message, first going tense, and then springing out in front of their enemy with an upswing. The Lesser Vampire flipped backwards away from Arngrim's attack, a nimbler feat than its gate indicated it could perform.
"Fire Storm!" Jelanda chanted.
The ground burst into flame right under where the Lesser Vampire landed. Its wounded cry was strangled in its own agony. Its entire body was scorched in the inferno, and it did not even notice Arngrim dash in until after his stroke came. It was only aware its head was suddenly separated from its shoulders. Its world became a blur before it came to rest, staring at its own body blindly stumble around. Then the large warrior thrust his blade through its body's chest, and the head felt the ice-cold pain of the steel piercing its heart. Its last vision was watching its own body crumble into dust. Then all turned to ash as it passed on.
Everyone watched the thing crumble.
"Ha! Dead already?" Arngrim boasted confidently.
Lenneth, Loki, and Jelanda approached Arngrim where he stood in the middle of the hall, eyeing the almost completely crumbled Lesser Vampire a bit more just to be sure. Lenneth looked up from their fallen enemy, thinking to congratulate her einherjar on their first victory as her chosen. This thought was cut short by another gurgling growl coming from the second door down from them. Lenneth stared in alarm as a second Lesser Vampire shuffled into view. This one was had been a young woman in what was now a tattered and faded red dress with long messy brown hair that stood wild in several places.
Lenneth's eyes widened as it threw its head back, about to let out a signaling shriek to every other Undead in the old ruin.
"Icicle Edge!"
Knowing none of his companions had time to react, Loki unleashed his own spell which he'd prepared in case something like this happened. Several spears from ice formed in the air in a half circle around the parasitic fiend and impaled it through six points before it could let out its bloodcurdling cry.
Neither god wasted any time with the precious few seconds that bought. Even as the vampire struggled to break free and let out a series of baleful wheezes trying to get that call off, they both rushed it and with a blink, its chest was impaled on both their blades. The thing crumbled like the other one and the ice spears shattered against the ground, droplets already forming on their gradually warming surface. This time, the group of four remained in place, giving each of the three routes long, good stares before deciding the fight was really over this time. Sighing in relief, Lenneth sheathed her sword.
"Their souls have been released," she said. "We have no reason to remain here."
Lenneth looked toward the middle archway, from which the second vampire had emerged. It was worth investigating, just to be sure there weren't more nearby. The Valkyrie cautiously made her way over. In the corner of her eye, she saw Arngrim doing the same for the first passage further back.
He pressed himself up against the wall beside the opening and slowly leaned himself closer to the corner to peer in. Lenneth did the same next to the middle room and they each scouted ahead at roughly the same time. Loki stood in the middle of the hallway, eyes moving from one doorway to the next.
"We got a rusted, barred iron gate in here," Arngrim reported. "And a stairwell leading down on the other side."
"Just a dead end here," Lenneth stated.
Inside the middle room was nothing but a filthy sleeping bag and blankets that looked like they'd just been kicked aside, as the dust had not entirely settled again yet.
Lenneth turned away from the shabby living space and returned to her einherjar's side at the first entry, giving the barred gate a look. Indeed, it led further down into the old castle, and likely toward the hive chief that had taken over Trelleborg. She glanced toward the end of the hall, giving the stairs leading up the briefest of looks before deciding against it investigating. Lenneth and her chosen approached the barred gate.
"Good thing we don't need any keys," Jelanda chirped. "We can just walk right through everything."
"Actually," Lenneth interjected. "The more I use my power, the more I send out ripples through the area with my aura, alerting enemies deeper within of our presence."
She reached out, resting a hand on the lock of the door.
"So…" Jelanda trailed off.
"We're doin' things the hard way if we don't want to walk into a trap down below," Arngrim finished for her.
"Yes," Lenneth answered.
She turned away from the gate.
"They will have locked that gate, themselves," she said. "It locks on this side, so the key will be somewhere out here. We just need to find it."
Arngrim and Jelanda parted to let the Valkyrie through as she headed back toward the hall. Just as she was passing through the threshold, a hand was suddenly shoved into her face. Lenneth grunted in surprise and jumped backwards with her hand to the hilt of her blade.
"Now, now, is that any way to treat someone who came bearing gifts?"
"Loki," Lenneth grumbled as the trickster stepped into the door. "I have no time for…"
She stopped herself when she saw what he was holding: a key. Her brow wrinkled as she stared.
"Where did you find that?"
Loki gestured upwards.
"Upstairs, where you didn't want to investigate," he replied.
Lenneth lowered her head to hide the bashful look which crossed her features. She accepted the key with a quiet "Thank you" and turned back to the gate. She inserted it into the lock, and it turned as though brand new.
"Some kind of devilry here," Lenneth mumbled.
Arngrim stepped forward and pushed hard on the door. It resisted a lot against being moved, but with a high drumming groan of metal against metal, it gave way. They paused a moment at the brink, but nothing came screaming up the stairwell at them. Lenneth led their descent into the bowels of the nest. As they walked the staircase, Jelanda glanced over her shoulder, staring toward the top, deep in thought.
"Arngrim, did you have silver mixed into the steel when your sword was forged?" the princess asked.
"Heh, so you noticed?" Arngrim replied.
Jelanda rolled her eyes and rested the back of her hand on one of her hips.
"Of course, I noticed," Jelanda retorted. "Any old fool could tell you how to kill an Undead. If your sword was just steel, it wouldn't have done anything except annoy that thing."
"Any old fool can tell you how, but I bet not many can't do it themselves," Arngrim said. "The books can only tell you so much, Princess. Out in the field is where the real knowledge is."
Arngrim tapped the hilt of his sword with his knuckles.
"Beast Slayer here is actually my second sword," he explained. "You never know what you're gonna be up against out here. Any good mercenary knows to be prepared. I had to learn that in the field."
It clicked in Jelanda's mind what he was saying.
"Oh! Your first sword wasn't lined with silver," she said brightly, smacking her palm with the fist of her other hand. "So, you had Beast Slayer forged."
"Yep."
"Do you see a lot of Undead?" Jelanda asked, poorly attempting to make her fear sound like curiosity. "Just wondering."
"Yes," Arngrim answered. "Come to think of it, it wouldn't hurt for you to learn some Light Spells, Little One."
"I would, but…" Jelanda replied, and then grimaced. "My textbooks are back at Castle Artolia."
All motion and chatter stopped when Lenneth raised her hand to halt them all. Jelanda looked to Arngrim for answers, but he put a finger to his lips. The former princess understood and nodded. Lenneth and Loki stood, both sensing something else ahead. They started walking again, going down the final stretch of staircase. They came to a stop just inside the door. Lenneth and Arngrim sidled up to either side of the arch's edge and looked out at what laid beyond. Loki was flat against the wall behind Arngrim, also looking out. Jelanda stayed back far enough she could just sit down while she waited for their assessment.
As the two gods and Arngrim looked, they could see the floor of the cellar had collapsed, leaving only a little ledge still standing. Down below, Lenneth saw there was another underground level beneath the cellar. An undercellar of sorts. A rickety ladder had been attached to the wall by the edge of the ledge.
A torch hung from the wall near the top of the ladder and two lit the area on either side of its base below, faintly lighting that corner of the room. Arngrim's eyesight had been augmented a lot, he discovered, allowing him to see the room as though it were under full moonlight. The warrior glanced toward the Valkyrie beside him. Her eyes slowly scanned the room, having no difficulty seeing in the dark. He knew she could probably still see better than himself, and they'd be relying on her.
As Lenneth continued to inspect the room, she looked for a way ahead. There were two doors at the Northwest corner while the third was along the west wall almost directly across from them. The area directly below the ledge and around the west door had been cleared of debris. There was plenty of room to maneuver around. Large groups could enter and exit through the west door. In contrast, all the wreckage had been piled on the North end in the neatest piles possible, allowing only narrow paths between each mound, just big for one to pass through. It looked somewhat like a makeshift maze. Lenneth could also see undercellar's stone flooring had withstood time's ravages better and seemed intact. The room had been supported by eight tall pillars, which all crumbled whenever the ceiling had collapsed. Only their bases still stood.
That wasn't all she saw in the dark, though. In the darkness beyond the torchlight, she saw multiple pairs of glistening red eyes piercing the blanket of shadow. She focused a bit harder and then saw the owners of those eyes.
"Ghasts," she'd recognize this type of fiend anywhere.
All that remained of their lost humanity were their bones, which were mostly bare. Just a few clinging bits of dried skin and withered hairs stubbornly clung onto a skeleton that had long since abandoned the flesh which caged it. They were cloaked with shabby, raggedy clothes mostly consisting of ripped tunics with no sleeves. Each of these Ghasts bore crude, jagged blades attached to gauntlets which were rivetted right into the bones of their forearms.
They were patrolling the halls of the cellar's second level. One had just entered the hallway beyond the west door while the other lingered in the room for a moment. Another stood near the exits in the Northwest corner. Others roamed about the wreckage. There were at least ten of them scattered around the room.
"What I would not give for a bow, or an einherjar with archery skills right now," Lenneth thought dismally.
Looking down at the rubble, Lenneth began formulating a strategy.
"There are simply too many of them to try bypassing them. We'll have to fight our way through," she murmured.
"We will need a plan," Loki pointed out.
"Quite," Lenneth said. She pointed to the west door. "That will be our way forward, then. They took special care to clear out this end of the room."
Lenneth noticed one of the fallen columns lied a short distance from the base of the ladder.
"We shall use that for cover when we get down on the floor," she said.
"We better be careful once we leave it, because there's nothing but air between us and those Ghasts standing at the door," Arngrim stated.
"There's only two of them," Jelanda argued.
"Yes, child, but taking down a Ghast makes noise," Loki replied. "All the rest will come for us the instant the fighting starts."
"Most of them wander between the rows of debris," Lenneth commented.
She stood up straighter, having decided on her tactics.
"I have our plan of action," Lenneth announced.
All eyes turned to her.
"We start with the two closest to us, then hold the line at the edge of the debris," she explained. "We can choke the points, using their own numbers against them. Some of them may attempt to climb the piles and drop down on us, so we will need to hurry."
"Sounds risky," Arngrim said, and then smiled. "I like it."
"Good. Now, on my mark…"
The fiery red eyes of the Ghasts met as they stood guard at the west door. Their job wasn't difficult. They could survey the area around them easily and see any intruder coming from several yards away, whether it was from the between the rows of debris on their left from the ladder right across from them. Their cursed flaming eyes easily saw through the dark like an animal's.
Clunk!
Both undead fiends looked to their left. Nearby, some dust had been kicked up by a rock bouncing against the floor. The two exchanged a glance and then scanned the area around them again, looking for an enemy or even an animal that might have wandered in. They weren't ready to sound an alarm just yet. They also weren't about to budge from their assigned place guarding the door, either.
"Yoo-hoo!"
"Ggnnnaaa…" they growled in response to the catcall.
One of them looked up at the ledge and spotted Jelanda. It pointed wildly with its blade arm, alerting its partner to her. They both growled at the teenaged girl waving at them.
"Mystic Cross!" a voice from their right chanted.
The Ghasts had no time to react when a man with antlers jumped out at them from behind the fallen pillar with his hand expended. From Loki's palm shot several glowing cross shaped blasts of purifying energy. They scattered everywhere and flew at the undead pair from all directions. The spell lit the entire room with the flames of a hundred torches momentarily before pelting the Ghast guards mercilessly with its cleansing power. While the pair screeched with inhuman voices, their kin also cried and roared in response.
The guards fell to their knees with bones blackened like they'd just been in a funeral pyre. Lenneth and Loki zipped over and quickly finished them. They brought their blades down on the creatures' heads, shattering their skulls. The fiery light in the sockets extinguished as the Ghasts' bodies fell still on the floor.
The footsteps of other Ghasts could already be heard racing to find the intruders. Both gods looked up from their fallen foes toward the sound coming from the narrow paths between the piles. There were three in all, one at the west wall, one in the middle, and over by the ladder to the upper levels.
Arngrim leapt over the fallen pillar and ran over to join his Valkyrie while Jelanda climbed down the ladder, trying to catch up to him. More shouts and roars from the incoming Ghasts rang out from within the small maze of pathways just out of sight.
"They're coming from there," Lenneth pointed at the middle opening between debris piles.
She ran over and situated herself just around the corner from the path's maw. Across from her, Arngrim flattened himself against the wall on the other side. Farther back from him, Jelanda did the same. Lenneth spared a single glance herself and again didn't see Loki at all.
The first Ghast darted out from the shadows. Lenneth gathered energy in the palm of her hand, and in the same instant her foe was crossing the threshold, she unleashed the cold grasp of one of her ice crystals against it. The beast stood, frozen, blocking half of the exit. She backed away as the next Ghast came up and had to turn sideways to get past its incased partner, slowing it down considerably.
Arngrim's blade came down, cutting clean through it. The next Ghast behind it clamored over the crystal and tried to drop onto Arngrim. The warrior swung, clobbering the thing in the face and ribs with the flat his sword, and knocking it to the ground. Before it could try getting up, Lenneth sped by, skewering it skull with her sword and tearing it from the creature's vertebrae.
Another Ghast leapt into the open through the narrowed exit past its frozen friend. Lenneth swung her own blade, dislodging the severed skull and sending it on a collusion course with the next Ghast's face. The skeletal thing stumbled and let loose with a wild swing, but Lenneth dove feet-first under its stroke into a sliding leg sweep. Her boot caught the Ghast at both ankles and sent it crashing face-first into the floor. Arngrim's blade came down, shattering its head.
"Jelanda! Fire Storm!" Lenneth ordered, gesturing frozen Ghast.
"Yes, Lady Valkyrie," Jelanda replied exuberantly.
The princess stepped out from her hiding spot and trained the scepter of the trapped Ghast as she began concentrating. The ice crystal containing the Ghast cracked as the beast within fought and struggled to escape. As it attempted to break out, three more of its companions dashed down the pathway. Ahead they saw the cracking and breaking crystal containing one of their own, and it drove them on.
Lenneth and Arngrim quickly backed away from the opening, because Jelanda's spell was ready.
"Lenneth!" Loki's voice called from the path at the west wall.
The Valkyrie heard the clattering of bone feet coming from there and moved in. Behind her, Jelanda's scepter glowed with power as she began casting.
"FIRE STORM!"
The little princess had timed it so she would cast in the same instant the other three Ghasts reached their incased peer. The ground shined red under their feet before the explosion of rock and flame blew them apart, sending their bones scattering everywhere and causing the rubble stacked on either side of the middle path to come loose. The chunks or brick and pillar slid, filling in the middle path, utterly blocking it and crushing several more Ghasts.
The intact upper half of one of the exploded Ghasts landed at Jelanda's feet and grabbed at one of her ankles.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!" Jelanda screamed. "Getitoffgetitoffgetitoff!"
She began frantically pounding its skull with her scepter. Not far off, another Ghast which was still mostly intact except for its left arm hit the ground and then its head was promptly smashed under Arngrim's boot. The other two were too pulverized to ever move again, and the warrior ran to assist Jelanda. However, the little princess pulled her foot free and kicked the Ghast's head off, sending the skull sailing over the top of the debris piles, never to be found again.
While that was happening, the Ghasts Loki alerted them to emerged from the west path. Lenneth leapt into the air, performing a downward thrust on the skull of the last one, cleaving right through it and crushing its vertebrae. The other two skidded to a halt and tried to get themselves turned around to attack her. Loki materialized right behind one of them and blasted it, sending bits of bone flying everywhere. The last Ghast was stunned at the sudden sight of Loki, becoming momentarily distracted from Lenneth, a costly mistake.
Lenneth channeled energy into her sword and slashed the air as though attacking a foe. A powerful arch of white energy burst from its tip and engulfed the undead creature, causing it to explode into chunks as well. Another scream from Jelanda made Lenneth turn around.
As she'd feared, the Ghasts were climbing the debris and dropping down roughly around where the middle path had been. Arngrim was engaging three more Ghasts, keeping himself moving and going on the defensive to try preventing himself from getting overwhelmed. He banked right, putting one of the Ghasts between himself and one of its own cohorts. Two were still able to attack him. The first came at him with a straight thrust and the other attacked with a cross slash. Arngrim swung in an upward arc, parrying the first's thrust and then blocking the overhead strike from the second. He saw the third coming at him from the side. When it stabbed at his face, he bobbed to the right, grabbed the skeletal thing, and throwing it into both its cohorts, sending them all crashing into a mess of bones on the floor.
Arngrim heard several objects hit the floor around him. He looked around and saw he was surrounded. Above him, the more Ghasts appeared on the edges of the piles. The first one to jump down landed in front of Jelanda, which made her yelp. Arngrim saw the beast accost her, but with more of them between him and her, he was going to have to fight his way through first before he could help her. The princess turned and ran, just avoiding losing her head to this new opponent. Arngrim returned his tense glare to the undead fiends before him. With a mighty roar, he charged them.
"Ah! Get away from me!" Jelanda cried as the Ghast continued to chase her.
That was the cry which made Lenneth turn around as well. She saw what was happening and dashed forward to intercept them. Loki however paused for a moment, spotting some figures along the back of the room. More Ghasts, and these ones were archers and a spellcaster. Glancing first at his three companions and these new ranged enemies, he knew what he had to do. He ran past the fighting to prevent the group from begin caught under fire.
More Ghasts rained down from the stacked debris and planted themselves firmly to go on the offense. Lenneth tried to push through by bobbing and weaving around them to get to Jelanda, but there were now too many and they were too quick in too small a space. She incased the first to get in her way and tripped up the next with by throwing herself into another sliding leg sweep. She used the momentum to throw herself into a roll and then jump to her feet.
The next Ghast crossed blades with her, forcing her to a stop. In a moment, she was fighting three of them. She ducked as a slash went over her head, and she quickly sidestepped into the creature, body-checking it to the ground before parrying another blow from one of its cohorts.
She froze another one, and then a third, but still the others came.
A death rattle gurgled out from the creature's broken jaw.
Arngrim jerked his sword back from its split skull before sidestepping around a leaping attack from above. He backhanded the Ghast, breaking its jaw with his gauntlet before catching another attempted slash by grabbing the fiend's sword-arm and driving its blade into one of its own instead of him.
He heard one coming in behind him and dropped into a squat. Sure enough, Arngrim felt his hair part as the steel passed an inch above the top of his skull. With no hesitation, he dropped his sword, turned, and grabbed the damned thing by the ankle with both hands. Throwing his whole weight into it, Arngrim sprang back up and whirled around, bodily slamming the Ghast into several of its allies. It broke apart, bone by bone with each impact. He tossed away its feet when those were all that were left.
Arngrim smacked a sword-swing away with the back of his gauntlet and grabbed another Ghast by the ribcage, flinging it head-first through the ribs of another one. Without stopping, he dropped and picked up his sword again, and cut down three more undeads at the knees, making them crash to the stone floor beneath him.
He looked past his opponents and saw one was still chasing Jelanda around a fallen chunk of the ceiling. The girl was trying to get enough space to cast, but the Ghast was right on her at all times, slicing and slashing the air just behind her. Arngrim's bared his clenched teeth and glared up at the Ghasts circling around him.
"Get out of my way!" he shouted.
Ahead of Loki were Ghast archers, spearmen, and their dark magus. If he didn't get them taken out, this battle was going to get so much worse. He ignored the noise behind him and made himself very visible as he charged this enemy. Loki skillfully weaved around the arrows fired on him and reached out his hand, catching the spear as it passed him by. He stopped, smirking up at the Ghasts who dared to stand against him.
"Is that really all?" he asked snidely.
They bristled with rage and notched their arrows again while the caster held its hands over its head, forming a ball of what looked like black fire in its hands. Loki yawned and held up his mouth in an exaggerated fashion, further aggravating them. Even as they took aim with their bows, he remained unconcerned.
"Whoa!" he exaggeratedly cried whilst sidestepping an arrow that almost imbedded itself in his knee.
"Ooh! Ah!" more sounds belted out of him as he danced merrily around the bolts fired on him.
Then the ball of black flame came hurdling at him. Loki dropped back into a crab-like position as it sailed right over him. Loki then twirled away, evading more arrows. He performed several flips, bouncing from his feet onto his hands and then upright again before finally jumping high into the air, spinning around several times. All the Ghasts let loose their bowstrings, and this time, they seemed to hit and Loki dropped from the air.
Except he landed on his feet. He held both hands up over his head, displaying all the arrows he caught in his hands.
"Come on, fellas, this is just embarrassing now!" he chided them.
The caster chanted something in a vile tongue known only to those who dwell in Niflheim and made the dark grow thicker. Loki actually felt something which made him uneasy. The shadows stopped moving to the torchlight and took on a life of their own as they stretched and warped from their natural shapes. They started moving toward him. Loki nearly forgot to keep an eye on the archers and just barely caught an arrow inches from his eye with his hand. He backed away, no longer cocky and overconfident. The Ghast caster had tapped into something it perhaps should not have.
"Better end this now," Loki thought.
One of the Ghasts drew its own blade and jumped down towards him. Loki drew his and raised it to meet his opponent's as the shadows closed in around him. The Ghast brought its sharpened steel down, and…
Passed right through Loki, clattering clumsily onto the floor with enough force to partially break itself apart. The bones of its left leg bounced away, leaving the discombobulated undead stunned. The others leaned closer in visible confusion over what had just happened.
"Up there, dumb-dumbs!"
They glanced up, immediately spotted what they presumed was the real Loki up on the ledge next to the ladder. He held out his out-stretched palm, forming an orb which shined with the spectral color range.
"PRISMATIC MISSILE!" he chanted.
The bolt dispersed, splitting into orbs of different colors. The entire party of undead cowered away from the light, cursing it as they did. Yet the rainbow barrage only rained down on the downed Ghast down on the floor, pelting it. The thing was blown entire apart, but more importantly, the shadows receded and seemed to shudder in pain under the holy light of the spell.
When the spell was finished, the Ghasts lowered their hands to look at Loki, but he was again gone. Before they even knew what was happening, something rushed across the top of the rocky debris, slicing them up as it went until only the caster was left. It looked around frantically and was suddenly face-to-face with the wry smile of the Trickster god before he reached out and yanked it skull from its body. Then he throw it into the remaining shadows. The skull sunk into the ground, swallowing by the cursed darkness it had conjured and then both it and the dark entity it had called forth were gone.
"Phew, I might have actually been in trouble if I kept messing about," Loki muttered.
He wiped a single bead of sweat from his brow, and then went to check on the others.
Lenneth broke off the engagement and leapt away to give herself space. As one of their skeletal enemies charged her, she cast encasing blast of energy, but the undead thing leapt to the side and all Lenneth trapped in a crystal was a rock. Several more charged her at once. She glanced down at the stones on the floor, and swiped her hand out, unleashing crystalizing energy to incase the loose stones.
The Ghasts ran right into a line of crystal pillars which then sprouted up right in front of them. One cracked its skull and stumbled away blindly screaming pain. Others just bounced off it and became a tangle of bony limbs on the floor. Others that were further back were forced to run around them, giving the Valkyrie more time and space.
Lenneth saw one coming at her in the corner of her vision and zipped away as a blue and silver streak. She'd narrowly dodged receiving a nasty blow to her arm. She blocked and parried another attack before counterattacking, hewing it in two at the waist. The other Ghasts tried to a form circle around her, but Lenneth responded by taking to the air over them. She saw Jelanda in her peripherals. The girl was attempting to keep a mound of rubble between herself her enemy, but more were closing in, and they'd surround her in no time.
Lenneth growled in frustration that Loki had not come to the girl's aid like she'd assumed. With Arngrim was still indisposed, she'd have to do it. Then she felt something dark and powerful below her. Lenneth was forced to fly backwards to avoid a blast of black energy. She looked down and saw a Ghast in proper clothing with a swirling dark aura around it, like a fog. It'd stepped between her and Jelanda and was not going to move unless moved. Its dark, malevolent aura stretched out all around, forming a sort of wall.
"A Dark Sorcerer. Very well then," was Lenneth's curt response.
Lenneth's body glowed with power and her wings became partially visible again as she and this new opponent approached each other.
Arngrim's battle-cry echoed off the walls as he pounced through the air at his quarry. The Ghasts sidestepped, which was just fine with him. He'd anticipated it and simply shoulder-checked the thing to the ground instead of trying to correct his sword swing.
Then he charged the next batch of Ghasts in front of him. They were quick and successfully blocked his attack, but the collision forced them back a step. Arngrim took advantage of the opening and barreled past them. He swung wildly at everything in his path trying to get through. Anything in his way was knocked clean off their feet as he forced her way through.
More replaced them and the next to step up to him ran at him with its sword raised. Their blades clashed and sparked as they passed each other, but the dint in Arngrim's momentum had been made and the others took advantage. The next to jump at him was able to slow him down even more. It launched itself with its blade straight out to impale him. The warrior was forced to stop and turn himself to side to just avoid anything worse than having his armor nicked. The Ghast stopped abruptly before turning to another swing at him. Arngrim grabbed its forearm in one of his hands. Pivoting on his feet, he drove its blade into a crack in the floor before kicking the Ghast away as hard as he could. Only its skeletal arm remained where it'd become rooted in the flagstones.
Then the counterstrike began. Two came in from the sides, forcing him to dig his heels in to stand up against their offense. Arngrim managed to completely block one, but the stroke from the second Ghast glanced off his armored forearm gauntlet and managed to cut him just above the elbow. In the corner of his vision, he saw his wound, but it didn't bleed. There was a cut, no doubt, but instead of the life blood which ran through his human body, silver, sparkling mist bled from it, dissipating into the air.
Arngrim didn't have time to think about it. He backed off, frantically going on the defensive as more gathered in to crowd him.
CLACK! CLANG! CRASH!
Arngrim was slashing and blocking in all directions as nearly a half-dozen Ghasts closed in. He moved to dodge, dug in to block, and would then push back, but by now they had turned the tide and were battering him. Arngrim was being forced back. Feeling a fire welling up with him, he roared at them again and tried to drive himself forward through a hole in their rank, but there was none. Two blades met his, working in tandem to counter the previously unstoppable warrior. Others formed to a circle to box him in.
"FIRE-Argh!"
Arngrim saw Jelanda knocked to the ground. The same glittering mist poured from a deep cut in her forehead. In that instant, he was brought back to seeing her lying dead on the road to Villnore. A deep guttural growl emanated from his throat as his eyes turned wild and wicked. He belted out a primal scream unlike any he'd ever shouted in life.
Ghasts paused in surprise. Although Arngrim himself didn't notice, his body began to glow with a fiery aura much like the flames in their eye sockets. The flames spread from his arms into his massive sword. When he swung again, it was with the strength of a dozen Arngrims. All the Ghasts shattered in pieces all over under the might of his blow.
Arngrim dropped into a low crouch, leaning forward enough to have to steady himself with one of his hands. Then he fired forward with inhuman speed and power, obliterating several undeads as he passed through with a single stroke.
"I GROW TIRED OF YOUR DEVILS!" he shouted.
His feet left the ground and he flew several yards farther than any man should be able to jump. The Ghast standing over Jelanda with its bladed arm raised turned, but never saw what was thundering at it before it went up in a fiery explosion. A shocked and speechless princess sat on the ground as Arngrim landed beside her. Arngrim looked around at the surrounding enemies, and unbidden, an unfamiliar incantation passed his lips:
"Finishing Strike…!" he shouted. "FINAL BLAST!"
Then with another mighty leap, he landed between two more undeads, slamming the tip of his blade into the floor, creating another explosion, sending more bones flying. Then he practically flew through their rank in an unstoppable surge of power. Jelanda tried to follow his movements, but he was like a shadow through the dark chamber, running and jumping all around. The only indication she had of where he went were the exploding Ghasts left in his wake.
Then, just as suddenly as he'd become like some kind of vindictive demigod, it was over, and their enemies lay in pieces all around them. Arngrim staggered back towards her, and then collapsed onto one knee. Jelanda looked up at his face, immediately seeing the bewildered look on his face.
"Arn… Arngrim… I… I…" she tried to speak.
Barely aware of it, he turned to look at her, more on instinct than from any conscious action.
"What the hell was that?" he asked, unintentionally voicing the only thought his mind could form at the moment.
"I… Ah… uh…" was all Jelanda could muster.
C
The Dark Sorcerer Ghast aimed its energy blast at Lenneth and fired. She dropped straight down, watching four dark energy bolts fly over her. The other Ghasts swarmed her, and instead of trying to fight them all, Lenneth closed her eyes, tapping into the raw power inside her. She plunged her blade into the floor, unleashing rippling tremor of power that made several Ghasts go tumbling head over toe and others stumble
The Valkyrie drew her sword from the floor, lifting it over her head. Power gathered it in, appearing as a whirlpool of white and blue particles draining into the blade, making it shine brighter and brighter. The undead things hissed and cursed, covering their eye sockets as it glow blinded them.
"It shall be engraved upon your soul!" she shouted.
Lenneth sprang forward, sailing over the ground and cutting down Ghasts everywhere they were in her path.
"DIVINE ASSAULT…" she continued her chant.
She broke off the attack, springing into the air with a somersault before landing on the stump of a pillar. Lenneth held her sword loft again as the ethereal energy now surged through it with such intensity, taking the form of three great spears once more.
"NIBELUNG VALESTI!" she finished.
Lenneth unleashed three spears, engulfing the kennel of Ghasts before her. They were burned to ash, leaving few alive. The survivors scattered, shrieking in either panic or rage in the dark. One by one, they were felled by a blue and silver streak and plowed through them like scissors through fabric.
After finishing the remaining Ghasts, Lenneth looked toward Jelanda again, and breathed a relieved sigh. Her einherjar had vanquished the enemy as well.
"I underestimated how quickly our foes would organize," she thought. "But I will not make that mistake again. Hmm. Interesting, all the bones seemed to been burned black and there are scorch marks all over the floor now."
Arngrim stood next to Jelanda, looking at his hands in shock. The girl had her fist pressed to her chin in thought. Lenneth paused, getting a read of Arngrim's spirit aura. Something had changed.
"Ah," realization came to her and she put the pieces together.
See movement in the corner of their eyes, both einherjar turned as she approached them. They both bore questioning looks on their faces, though Jelanda's had an edge of concern as well. Arngrim's was mixed with suspicion. When Lenneth stopped to address them, the former princess gave a little bow for their Valkyrie. Arngrim stabbed his sword in the crack between flagstones.
"Congratulations, Arngrim," Lenneth said. "You have unlocked your Finishing Strike."
"That what that was?" Arngrim asked, curtly.
He scowled slightly.
"You knew I was gonna explode into flame and make a buncha stuff blow up?" he rumbled in irritation at such information being withheld from him.
Jelanda lightly kicked the side of his boot in response. He looked down at her, still as annoyed as before. The little princess crossed her arms and frowned up at him.
"Sir Arngrim, you can't keep being rude to the gods like that," she sternly warned.
"The last time someone didn't tell me everything I needed to know, we both ended up dead," he protested.
Jelanda looked away, about to cry. A displeased noise came up from Lenneth's throat as her eyes narrowed into angry slits.
"Human," she said sharply.
That got his attention, and when he met her face, he was shocked at the intensity of the goddess's anger. She marched right up into his personal space and jabbed her finger into his chest.
"I did not tell you about this ability, because no einherjar has ever awakened their Finishing Strike consciously," she explained with each word shooting forth like a javelin into the large warrior. "It is a power that lies dormant within the depths of strong souls destined for Valhalla. It can only be awakened when the soul is no longer bound by the limitations of the flesh. Even then, it only first manifests in a moment of desperation."
She withdrew her hand and stepped away from Arngrim. He and Jelanda listened intently now, and so her tone softened slightly.
"Now that it has been dragged up from the depths of your soul to protect your comrades," Lenneth continued her explanation. "It can be called forth with greater ease. Soon you will be able to control your own spiritual energy enough to conjure it as needed."
Arngrim still did not seem convinced. Before he argued more, Lenneth cut him off.
"If I had told you about it beforehand, you might have tried perform it in the middle of battle, creating an unnecessary distraction."
Arngrim seemed insulted, but Lenneth held up her and continued.
"I did once tell my einherjar about beforehand, and many of them tried to force it out instead of letting it happen. I learned it was better to let some things happen on their own."
He still didn't seem happy with that, but he nodded and accepted it.
"Lady Valkyrie?" Jelanda asked.
"Yes."
"Might I be able to do that sometime soon?"
"Yes," Lenneth answered. "Although how 'soon' is yet to be seen. Do not try to force it, as I've said. It will happen when it needs to."
"Yes, Lady Valkyrie," Jelanda replied. "But, um?"
The Valkyrie waited for her to go on.
"What kind of Finishing Strike might I get?" the princess asked.
"It is different for Magi," Lenneth answered candidly. "Mage einherjar can conjure Great Magic when their energy peaks."
Jelanda's eyes grew wide with excitement at the thought and the biggest, wonder-filled smile broke over her face.
"Still a kid," Arngrim thought almost enduringly.
Lenneth turned to the West door, staring down the black maw that greeted her.
"Onward, my einherjar," she said. "We have dealt with a mere symptom of the ruins' infection, not the cause."
"Shall we go?" Loki asked, upon rejoining them.
He glanced around but spotted no more remaining enemies in the area. He still sensed auras not too far off, but not in the room with them, large as it was.
"Yes. Come," Lenneth ordered.
The others stepped in tow, following her into the dark hallway. It was sparsely lit by infrequent torchlight, stretching into the distance.
"Be on your guard," Lenneth said.
She walked alongside Arngrim at the front of the party. Jelanda followed right behind them while Loki took up the rear. They kept an even pace, wary of what might be lying ahead.
"Such power. This must be one of Odin's battle-maidens. She dares intrude upon my house? Audacious, this woman is. But a silver-braided Valkyrie does not sound familiar to me. She is not The Black Valkyrie our Lady Beliza spoke of. Nor is she the blondie that Count Orlok encountered. Either way, let her come. I will make the gods pay for their impertinence and their arrogance."
"You were very careless, Freya."
"Forgive me, Husband."
The love goddess stood before Odin at the base of the throne steps with her hands folded in her lap and her head hung. Odin gripped the armrests of his throne with his own head bowed as he considered what to do about the theft of the Nibelungen Ring.
"This is most unfortunate," he said gravely. "Without the Ring, the seal will not hold indefinitely."
"Lenneth offered to attempt finding it. Perhaps I should have taken her up on that," Freya murmured.
"No," Odin said firmly. "That would distract from her duty. We need those Chosen Slain now more than ever. Besides, you likely waited too long to attempt tracking that impudent mortal. You know better than I do that tracing a teleportation spell is difficult at best."
He cursed. But how did a human even learn magic reserved for gods and other higher beings to begin with? This warranted looking into, but at the moment, there were no leads. Like it or not, they'd have to wait for this impertinent human to make his next move before they could make theirs'.
He stood from his throne and took a couple steps to one side with his hands folded behind his back. He sighed as he considered what the best course of action would be. He stroked his chin with his fingers as he deliberated.
"For now," he began. He waited until Freya lifted her head toward him, so he knew she was listening. "The matter of the seal is the one we can sort. We shall… simply monitor it for the time being."
He regarded Freya sternly then.
"Be vigilant about it. If it deteriorates too quickly, we may have to do something… drastic to amend the situation. Understood?"
"Yes, Beloved," Freya replied. "There are many folds in the seal. You needn't worry."
"Good," Odin said. "See to it, then."
Freya bowed before him before vanishing from view. Odin scowled upon being left alone.
"How did he even get close enough to Lenneth to take the ring?" he muttered tensely. "Why take it? Just what is this mortal playing at?"
