Valkyrie Profile:
Lenneth Novelization AU:
Disclaimer: I do not own Valkyrie Profile or any other tri-Ace properties. Please support the official release.
Chapter Thirty:
First Sacred Phase
"They will send for us shortly," Lenneth addressed the einherjar in the meeting room. "Remember, this is no ordinary meeting. You will be before Lord Odin and Lady Freya, themselves. They are the king and queen of not only Asgard, but the whole Nine Realms owes allegiance to them."
"Even so, why don't ya take a seat and take a load off before then?" Arngrim offered.
"I couldn't possibly. Today is not a day for that," the Valkyrie answered.
"Suit yourself," the big man shrugged.
Everyone was present, except Llewelyn, who was absent for his examination. The humans were seated around a table with a pair of benches pulled up with enough room for six altogether. Belenus and Nanami sat on one side, and the three Artolians on the other. Lenneth and a serving maid stood nearby. Lenneth was in her Valkyrie gear with her arms folded behind her back. The serving maid stood one step behind her, holding an empty tray on which she had brought in something called lemonade. The einherjar were currently sipping it curiously.
"That's right," Lenneth reminded herself. "I must also see Loki after this evaluation. He said he would have some leads for me to follow that might shed some light on Midgard's miserable condition."
There was a rapping at the door. Lenneth knew it was time and bade the maid to answer it. The einherjar had all stood in welcome to the person at the door, including Arngrim with a little insistence from Lawfer and Jelanda. The maid opened the door, revealing Gna, Freya's handmaiden. She bowed to Lenneth as she stepped in. Vibrant red curls had been tamed and put into a braid which hung over her shoulder with its end resting on one of her collarbones. She wore a scarlet dress to match, which had long, poofy white sleeves.
"Her Ladyship Freya has summoned you, Lady Lenneth," Gna said. "You are to report to the throne room for your monthly evaluation at once."
"Thank you, Gna," Lenneth replied. "We will be but a moment. Please inform Lord Odin and Lady Freya we are coming."
"Your Ladyship," Gna acknowledged.
She bowed again and left them. The maid closed the door behind her. Now that they were alone again, Lenneth turned to address her einherjar.
"I must reiterate we will be standing before Lord Odin and Lady Freya, themselves," she said.
Lenneth looked around, quickly gauging their reactions. Belenus shifted his weight very subtly as he steeled himself. Lawfer gulped nervously while standing at perfect attention. Nanami took a few discreet deep, calming breaths. Jelanda had shut her eyes, quietly saying to herself that it was no different than attending one of her father's banquettes, except now she just had to stay real quiet unless spoke to. Arngrim boredly stared out a window and didn't even try to stifle a big yawn.
Lenneth cleared her throat very loudly before speaking with a slightly raised voice,
"Therefore, I will be expecting all of you to on your best behavior, today. Your conduct here and now affects your future prospects here in Valhalla, and also reflects on your present commander however well or poorly. I do hope you all understand the situation."
"Yes, Lady Valkyrie," all but Arngrim answered.
"All. Of. You?" Lenneth repeated, stressing every word.
Arngrim got the message, now understanding every word had been directed at him. He shot Lenneth a look telling he did not appreciate being singled out.
"Yeah, yeah, just stand there and don't talk while in the throne room," Arngrim answered. "I know the routine."
"Yes, Arngrim," Lenneth said sharply. "Do not speak in Lord Odin's presence. Please. We are due in the throne room now."
Then she turned on her heels towards the door. The maid opened it for her. Lenneth could feel Arngrim's eyes on her, but she completely missed the subtly unhappy glare Lawfer gave her as well. As Lenneth walked past, the servant girl leaned in and whispered,
"Best of luck, Milady."
"Remind me again, Frigg, what is on the agenda after our review of Lenneth's performance?" Odin asked.
Freya shot him a displeased look as she hovered next to his throne.
"I have asked you not use that name during business hours, husband," she chided.
"You love it, and you know it," Odin teased.
"Hardly the point," Freya replied.
Odin just smiled at her as she summoned a scroll from across the room and unrolled it. While she was searching through its contents for the relevant information, Odin leaned forward, and suddenly grabbed her around the waist. A surprised "Eep," escaped Freya as she was pulled into his lap. Her face turned deep red as she realized where she was sitting. Under different circumstances, the sensation of her back pressed into his chest and his head leaning on her shoulder with his breath upon her neck would have had her excited in many ways. But right there in the throne room during business hours? Freya's mind blanked from embarrassment and primal exhilaration as he gently grabbed her chin and turned her face towards his as he wore amorous smile. He leaned in, planting a kiss on her cheek.
"Wh…! Huh?! Husband!" she protested, regaining her senses. She did a quick sweep of the room with her eyes, ensuring it was indeed empty. "What if someone sees! Lenneth and her einherjar will be on their way!"
"Oh, Dearest, you really should learn to relax more," Odin said.
"Relax? We are…" Freya protested.
A knock at the door sent her into a panic. She nearly cried out, and the next thing Odin knew his wife had vanished from his lap to her previous position floating next to him. He covered his mouth to hide his grin while Freya glared promises of swift vengeance at him before composing herself.
"Come in," she called.
The door opened a crack and Gna stepped in.
"Greetings, Lord Odin and your Ladyship," she said and bowed low enough to make her braid hang down. "Lady Lenneth said they will be a moment, but they are coming."
"Thank you, Gna. That will be all," Freya answered. "Dismissed."
"Be your leaves, Milord and Lady," Gna answered and backed back out.
The door pulled behind her.
As soon as she was gone, Odin hunched forward, letting out the laughter he'd held in. Freya flushed again as she glared at him, pouting. She was decidedly not amused, and opened the scroll again, quickly finding the information he had requested before.
"If His Majesty has been sufficiently entertained," she grumpily said. "In answer to your earlier question, after we have finished Lenneth's evaluation and determined if the soul she has selected for stationing and deployment is ready, King Balin and the dwarven council will be arriving from Nidavellir to discuss the details of reinforcing Alfheim."
"It will be a full afternoon," Odin said. "Are we not making arrangements with the elven kings about the Körmt Bridge's construction right after that?"
"Indeed, we are, Beloved," Freya answered.
Odin looked at her and smirked, "And you wonder why I took this rare opportunity to feel you close to me?"
Freya crossed her arms and turned her head sharply away with a "Humph!", prompting another chuckle from him.
"A gather we have arrived, Lady Valkyrie."
"Whatever gave you that impression?" Lenneth asked over her shoulder with a slight wry edge.
The massive ornate double doors seemed to loom, and Lawfer let out an impressed whistle when he saw it. Even the wealthiest lord on Midgard didn't have doors the size of a castle gate inside their mansions and strongholds. Arngrim smirked, thinking that Odin might be compensating for something.
The goddess Syn stood in front of the entrance with a pair of palace guards on either side. As always, she wore a studded long-sleeved leather jerkin, which looked almost like a waist-length coat matched with dark brown leggings and black leather heeled boots. A single-grip longsword hung from her belt, and she already bore her round shield on her forearm. Her hair was deep red from the roots to the base of her skull before gradually paling into orange and then blonde at its ends which hung about her shoulders, reminding one of blazing fire. Her skin was tanned, and her eye irises matched her hair, starting deep red along the innermost part of the ring around the pupils and turning golden at the outer rim.
Nanami sighed in awe and leaned closer to Jelanda to whisper.
"That must be Lady Syn, she's so pretty."
"Her hair is gorgeous," Jelanda chimed in.
"Good morning, Lenneth," Syn greeting with a nod.
"Syn," Lenneth replied. "We are here for the monthly evaluation."
"And two minutes late, at that," the other goddess put her free hand on her hip. "Not a great start."
"Are Choosers of the Slain late, or do they simply arrive in their own time?" Lenneth almost cheekily asked.
"Whatever your definition of late, Lord Odin has his own schedule to keep," Syn answered. "Come. I will announce you."
She motioned for the guards to get the door. They rushed to the large rings and pulled. Syn walked through as they swung open and bowed to her Lord and Lady within.
"Lady Lenneth arrives with her Chosen Slain, Milord and Lady," Syn announced.
"Very good," Odin replied. "Send them in."
"At once," Syn bowed again.
She stepped aside allowing Lenneth and the einherjar to enter before taking her leave. As they stepped onto the red carpet, Arngrim could not help but look around the enormous throne room. It was then that he was hit with a sense déjà vu.
"This seems… very familiar," he thought.
The others were beside themselves with the fact they were looking upon their creators for the first time.
"Ah, greetings, Lenneth," Odin rose from his throne, folding his arms behind his back. "I trust you have been well."
"Naturally, Milord," Lenneth replied. "I have no complaints, except to lament how the war has kept you so horribly busy."
Freya lowered herself to the ground to stand beside her husband.
"It has been some time, Lenneth," she admitted.
"Too long," Lenneth answered.
"Another sentiment we share, most assuredly," Odin said. "Now, let me have a look at them."
The All-Father turned his gaze on her Chosen Souls, giving them each a good look.
"Good, good," he thought. "They are all coming along well."
Then his eyes stopped on Arngrim and for just a brief second, his smile faltered. He looked at Freya, who just stared back intently without so much as a shrug. Then with an understated clearing of his throat, Odin looked out on them again with his smile returned.
"I can tell from their auras that they are learning to tap into their own inner strength at will, Lenneth. Well done," he congratulated.
He looked at Arngrim again, with a subtly less friendly glint. The mercenary caught it and frowned.
"Well, screw you, too, buddy," the mercenary thought.
"Thank you, Milord," Lenneth answered.
The Valkyrie stopped at the base of the steps to Odin's throne. The einherjar lined up behind her as they took a knee before the All-Father.
"Freya," Odin prompted.
"Mm," she nodded.
He sat down, allowing his wife to step forward and take center stage. She stood on the edge of throne platform in front of him.
"You may rise," Freya told them. "Our current situation is as follows. On The Three Kingdoms Alliance front, we have maintained a military presence in Vanaheim and Muspelheim. We have yet to discover a means of entering Jotunheim or determining how they have been passing between the realms beneath Heimdall's notice."
"I gather they have been freely supporting Queen Laufey and King Surt's forces, then?" Lenneth said.
Freya nodded again. "Yes, and they even bring Vanir or Fire Giants reinforcements as well. We have been put on the defensive with the unified front Jotunheim's involvement allows. The Alliance is pushing against our lines to drive us back to our strongholds in those regions. We must break their lines, instead. If something does not change to meet that end, and soon, then I am afraid we are doomed. If they breach our defenses and take control of the Bifrost Gates, they can pass into Asgard."
Lenneth subtly swallowed.
"Combined, the Vanir, Fire Giants, and the Jötunns have made for a fearsome force, I see," the Valkyrie said.
"Indeed," Freya concurred. "Our only blessing as of late is that my father's current wife Skadi has not been present on the field of battle recently. We have yet to determine why for certain."
"Skadi away from the battlefield?" the thought was alien in Lenneth's mind.
She was not only Njord's wife, not just the current queen of the Vanir through her marriage to him, but she was also the general of his armies and his most formidable warrior. Her skill with her bow and spear was infamous. She was also one of a few Jötunns even Odin feared.
"Skadi," Arngrim muttered under his breath. Something about the name rang familiar. "That's right… Her father was Thiazi Alvadlison, or Thiazi the Shapeshifter. He was even better at it than Loki. He fell in love with Idunn. Odin killed him to keep them apart."
Everyone on Midgard knew the tale well. After Thiazi's death at Odin's own hands, Skadi had barged right past Heimdall into Asgard for the All-Father's head. The Aesir had sent out Loki to appease her and she had agreed that if he could make her laugh, she could give up on her revenge. Loki had succeeded by stripping naked and tying one end of a rope to a goat and the other his genitals, allowing the beast to painfully drag him around. Something about the tale had never quite rung true to Arngrim.
"The fact she married one of Odin's enemies and leads his armies against Asgard means she ain't done with her revenge at all," Arngrim thought. "I wonder what really made her give up that day."
His thoughts were interrupted by Freya speaking to Lenneth.
"This is why I requested a scout and archer," Freya said. "We need a soldier who can move and strike unseen. You believe this 'Llewelyn' will be a fitting choice?"
"I do not just believe it, Freya. I know he is," Lenneth answered.
"Then I hope he lives up to the faith you put in him," Freya replied. "To finish this update, Queen Hel has made a very bold move. Her demon forces now collaborate with the Dark Elves. Led by her Lich Knight Wylfred and the Dark Elves' Chieftain Viorri, they have begun attacking Alfheim."
The einherjar, and even Lenneth, were shocked about that one.
"They mean to gain control of the Yggdrasil's roots by seizing the realm," Freya explained. "We cannot allow travel between the worlds to fall under their control. It has been difficult for us to send additional troops to Alfheim with The Alliance keeping us so busy, but thankfully, King Balin and the dwarven council have agreed to send reinforcements of their own."
Lawfer out of a whoosh of air.
"It sounds like things are getting intense out there," he thought.
"Wow," Nanami thought. "War on an interworld scale. I always knew it was happening, but to hear of it firsthand. It's almost too big to imagine."
Jelanda glanced around before returning her gaze to Freya. She wondered how so few new einherjar could be expected to make a difference.
"But no word of the Undead?" Lenneth asked.
Belenus thought of Count Orlok again. He had to admit that amid Freya' briefing of the war effort, he had almost forgotten.
"Not on a united front," Freya answered. "Lord Brahms seems to have taken a more passive role in the war. We are not entirely certain of his plans."
Lenneth lowered her head in thought. Did that mean Count Orlok and Lady Beliza had been acting on their own?
"Now, then, Lenneth," Freya said.
"Yes," the Valkyrie answered, looking back up to her queen.
"Although your loss of the Ring of Nibelung is a black mark on this month's record," the love goddess said. "On the whole, you have done well. Your thorough hunt for the Undead across the Artolian Mountains has broken a potential front they might have formed, and you have resolved two budding crises which could have had dire consequences is left alone. Hrist would be proud."
"You talkin' about The Forest of Woe and the Thackus Cave there, woman?" Arngrim thought dismissively. He bowed his head to hide his disgusted sneer. "Yeah, we put an end to what was cookin' there, 'cause you Hoity-Toity gods were too busy powdering your noses to bother with us lowly humans, even though we fight this damn war of yours'."
At this point, he was only staying quiet because he knew Lenneth would be in trouble, too, if he didn't.
"You are too kind, Milady," Lenneth humbly bowed.
"And you are too humble," Freya replied. "But enough of that. Time to put your chosen soul to the test. If I may draw everyone's attention to the mirror."
The Aesir matriarch raised her hand and a large rectangular mirror ten feet in height and twenty across appeared off to Lenneth and the einherjar's left. Odin leaned forward on his throne, intently looking into the mirror.
"The wargame should have started no more than a moment ago," Freya said. "Now let us watch…"
Their reflections vanished and for a moment, they saw only sparkling fog before it transitioned again into an overhead view of a forest that looked out over the trees. The natural landscape was only interrupted by a worn down three-story fort with two towers off to the right side. The curtain wall had long since collapsed, leaving only the keep it was once protected. They could see it was inhabited, but not by who.
Then their view panned down into the forest, descending below the treetops. There they saw the foliage broken up by a dirt path which ran parallel to the fort. A lone figure jogged into view, keeping low. He was well-hidden among the trees, but was apparently taking no chances. Arngrim and the other einherjar grinned, recognizing Llewelyn right away. Lenneth seemed as impassive as ever.
"The narrative of this simulation is that a band of rogue Jötunns have abducted Idunn and are holding her captive. Llewelyn Desmondson's objective is to infiltrate and extract her. If he returns with Idunn, he passes the test. We left it up to him to know what he needs to succeed."
"Idunn, again?" Lenneth could barely contain a chuckle. "You always use her."
Freya shrugged. "She has a natural damsel quality, I suppose."
"Alright, coming up on where I leave the trail," Llewelyn thought.
He did not know how he was being observed for the test, but he tried not to think of the eyes he knew were upon him. So, he just focused on reaching the spot he had visually decided upon as the break off point. He wore a green cloak over his regular clothes which matched the color of the leaves around him and a wore a quiver bearing actual wooden arrows.
"Alright, I need to leave the trail and head due South… Here!"
Llewelyn turned sharply to his left and ran low at a slow pace through the bushes and under many branches. There was no break in the foliage as he passed through the weeds, bushes, and long grass. He ducked under a series of low-hanging branches. As soon as he was on the other side, he saw the north tower of the keep in a gap between the trees.
"Found it," he thought triumphantly. "Now I just need to scope it out."
He crept closer, only stopping when he reached the ruined remains of the outer wall. He flattened himself against a section tall enough to hide him and then peered around the side. There was only one Jötunn guard in the ruined garden area. He wasn't far from Llewelyn, having placed himself at the top of a short flight of steps leading into the yard. He a full seven feet tall with a white skin, dressed in gray clothes, but black leather armor. He carried a crossbow and large, nasty-looking daggers hung from his belt. Llewelyn could see more guards around the fort, patrolling the property.
"Before I worry about them, I have to handle this guy," Llewelyn decided.
He then looked up towards the battlements and saw a good dozen more up there. He retreated behind cover again and looked around for something useful in the area. There was only forest and debris, so the archer bent down and grabbed a rock and tossed it into the brush. It landed with a loud thud.
The pale Jötunn guard looked toward the woods, but didn't move. So, Llewelyn hunkered down again, grabbing and throwing another stone which landed in the brush, rustling its leaves.
"Cha lick," the guard swore.
Then Llewelyn heard him stomping down the steps. Llewelyn grabbed an especially sharp and wicked looking stone this time. As soon as the guard crossed the threshold, Llewelyn's leg shot out, kicking him in the back of one of his knees.
"Oof!" the Jötunn grunted as he was roughly bore to his hands and knees.
He had only time enough to look up before Llewelyn pounced, bringing the rock down on his cranium. When the guard collapsed, Llewelyn brought it down on his head three more times. After the fourth impact, the rock and Llewelyn's hand were smeared with his opponent's blood. He cast the stone aside and then grabbed the dead guard's legs, pulling him out of sight. He tried not to look at the guard's smashed in face while he did.
"A bold move," Freya said. "But it will not be long before the other guards notice. I do hope your Llewelyn has thought of that, Lenneth."
"It would seem he has, look," Lenneth pointed.
"Alright, one down," Llewelyn thought.
Then he crept around the other side of a climbable tree and began scaling it with the speed of an animal that had made their home in its branches and knew all its subtleties. As soon as he was decently high, he stopped and perched himself in a good place among its thick branches. He then watched the guards in the other yards. Five them were about to converge to report in near the edge of the opposite side yard.
"Gotcha," Llewelyn grinned.
He pulled out the normal arrows he had fashioned for this test. A few of them had Spell Crystals tied to their ends instead of having proper arrowheads. Llewelyn selected one with a Flare Gem and then put the rest back in his quiver. He notched the arrow, waiting for the guards gather, and then loosed it.
It sailed through the air and impacted with a large chunk of debris near the guards, causing the gem to shatter. The guards were thrown by the unleashing of Fire Storm. Even from where he sat in the tree, Llewelyn felt the explosion's shockwave. Voices rang out from within the tower, and Llewelyn heard what almost sounded like "Magico!" shouted. The archer however only stuck around to ensure they went for his trick. As soon as he saw the patrolling guards running towards the scene of the explosion and those up on the roof gather to that side, he leapt from the branches onto lower limbs and descended almost as quickly as he were running down stairs.
Llewelyn rolled into his landing on the ground before jumping to his feet and diving behind the wall. He peered carefully over the top to ensure the guards were still distracted. Once he had, the archer ran low into the courtyard and then dropped onto his stomach to crawl through some tall weeds. Llewelyn soon arrived at the keep's front door, and he could already hear a guard approaching from inside.
"Sounds like only one pair of footsteps," Llewelyn thought.
He's already undone the green cloak he had brought on this mission and laid it out in front of the door before flattening himself against the wall beside the door hinges. He put his bow away in its holder and drew out a dagger Arngrim had given him in one hand and his hunting knife in the other. The door's knob shook and there was a click before it flew open and a guard stepped out.
"Oi, Rannar!" the guard shouted for the man Llewelyn had killed with a rock. Then he noticed the green cloak spread out in front of him right away. "Eh?"
Then he felt a sharp, freezing pain as something cut the tendons in his legs. The guard yelped as the pain shot up and down his body before his legs went weak and he fell onto his hands and knees on top the cloak. As soon as he was down, Llewelyn plunged the dagger into his throat and then cut it out of his neck instead of pulling it out. The guard was dead from the shock of sudden blood loss in a second, dropping onto the cloak as he bled profusely into it.
Then Llewelyn quickly wrapped the cloak around the guard's upper half and secured it, so he'd bleed into that instead of onto the ground leaving a trail. Then the boy grabbed the man by the legs and hauled him inside, hoping his comrades wouldn't notice his absence too soon. Once the seven-foot ice giant was inside, a panting Llewelyn closed the door behind them and used the man's keys to lock the door again.
"Alright, let me see if I remember the floor plan. The route to the south tower where Idunn's being kept should be… this way."
Llewelyn took a left from where he'd entered through and ran down the hall to another door. The interior of the fort was fairly straightforward and according to what little intel there was, it was sparsely inhabited by the Jötunns which had taken the nature goddess. He reached the old guards' quarters on the south end by keeping to the shadows even though he didn't encounter anyone. It looked like everyone had suddenly departed in a big hurry, and recently.
"Guess my distraction really did work," Llewelyn thought.
The steps leading to the second floor were at the far end and thankfully intact, but he treaded lightly, making only the slightest of thuds as he almost daintily scaled those steps. Then he stopped and put his back to the wall just inside the threshold. The entrance to the third-floor stairwell was just down the hall. He looked out, making sure no one was about. This part of the keep did not look like it'd been touched up to accommodate the Jötunns. There was dust everywhere, cobwebs lined corners, and even some support beams had fallen to the floor.
Llewelyn darted for the next set of stairs, and upon reaching their entryway, stopped dead. The first eight steps had collapsed, existing only as a pile of rubble now. The lowest intact stair was nine feet up. Those in Odin's throne room watched eagerly to see how he overcame this one.
"Oh, damn it," Llewelyn muttered.
"This would be a sinch with Lady Valkyrie's help," he thought. "But I guess I gotta learn to make do without her."
Well, that answered why no one was in this part of the keep. This meant the steps at the other end of the second floor were likely intact, but that'd be where all the guards would be passing through. Llewelyn knew he had to think fast. He looked back into the cluttered hall, laying eyes on the fallen support beam.
"Maybe. Just maybe…" he thought.
He ran and picked one end up. It was heavy, but not so much he couldn't drag over the broken staircase.
"Is that human… really going to…?" Freya asked.
"I think he is," Lenneth answered.
Llewelyn looked over his handiwork. He'd made a makeshift ramp out of the support ramp, resting one end on the lowest intact steps above and bracing the other end against the floor. For good measure, he'd dragged a good-sized rock from the pile of rubble to further support it.
"Now to test it," he thought.
Llewelyn raised one foot and stomped hard on the plank. The wood didn't even wobble or bend, and the steps above didn't seem to be affected, either. More importantly, the beam didn't slide back or fall off. To be thorough, the archer gave it a few more stomps, and after it held, he nodded to himself.
"Alright, do or die," Llewelyn thought.
He stepped over the rock and out into the hall where he walked over to the other end. Then he ran back, speeding across the aged cobblestones before he hopped over the rock and up the ramp without stopping until he was around the first curve of the spiral staircase. Llewelyn stood, gasping more out of nerves than shortage of breath and braced himself against the wall with one of his hands.
"Arngrim must be wearing off on me. I've never done anything that reckless before," he said.
Llewelyn then straightened with a start when he heard a voice shout from above.
"Oh, no, did they hear me?" he wondered, almost panicking. "Blast the depths, I wish I knew what they were saying."
Llewelyn quietly sidled the rest of the way up until he came to the archway. No Jötunns appeared at the top, so he hoped they didn't know where he was. The same voice as before shouted, but from where, Llewelyn could not tell. So, he crept up, dropping onto his hands and knees near the top. He hid below the top step, and ever so slowly raised himself up to peer out into the hallway. It wasn't a particularly big corridor, windows with broken glass and a metal ladder which led up to an open hatch were across from him. Raised voices echoed down from the hatch, sounding like arguing men. After waiting a moment, he realized they were not coming down.
"Have to hurry," was Llewelyn's thought.
The other guards would discover their dead comrades any time now. So, the archer silently reached out into the hall and picked up a small a small hunk of wood which had fallen from one of the supports above some time ago. Then he stood while he practiced the motions of throwing the little chunk at the ladder. As soon as he was sure he had the aiming right, he heaved the little block and backed down the steps as it "clunked" against the ladder making it vibrate. The Jötunns' shouted and two stepped over to the hole, looking down into the hall. One had a crossbow, which he moved with his eye as he slowly panned around the area below them. Then he said something in their coarse native language, and the other ice giant began climbing down while the first covered him from the hatch.
Llewelyn leaned forward while keeping to the wall to peek.
"Damn," he thought.
He unshouldered his bow and sidled forward. He didn't have time to wait for the other archer to look away with the other was already halfway down the ladder.
"Now or never," Llewelyn thought.
He drew another of the wooden arrows from his quiver knowing that the glow of an energy bolt would give him away. This one had a Thunder Gem attached to the end. Llewelyn notched it and drew the string tight before stepping out into the open with it aimed at the giant at the hatch. The other archer immediately noticed him in the corner of his eye, but he did not even try to turn his crossbow to shoot Llewelyn. He shouted and ducked to the side when the human archer let his shot loose.
The ice giant on the ladder turned and saw Llewelyn as his arrow whizzed pass, flying through the open hatch. The Thunder Gem broke against the ceiling of the tower unleashing Prismatic Missile upon the Jötunn archer. Both Llewelyn and the man on the ladder watched as multicolored light flooded down from the small square hole above them, accompanied by the Jötunn archer's panicked screams.
Then the one on the ladder turned and growled something at Llewelyn. From the tone, the human archer could tell it was quite vulgar, but he had no time to parse out the meaning before the Jötunn leapt from the ladder and landed on his feet, squatting into his landing. Then the large sheet-white man stood up, towering at a bit over seven feet, a whole head taller than Arngrim. Llewelyn gulped and took a timid step back.
The ice giant's blonde hair was long on top, but shaved along the sides in an undercut. His large Warhammer rested in its sheath across his back. He wore no shirt or armor on his torso or arms, but did have a pair of boots and a kilt. The Jötunn warrior pulled his hammer out and held it levelly at both ends as he stepped up to the human archer. Llewelyn was almost comedically small in comparison. He stood a whole head shorter than Arngrim, and two heads lower than this ice giant, coming up to the bottom of his chest.
"H-hey…" Llewelyn fearfully stammered out an awkward greeting.
"OM YMIR!" the Jötunn shouted.
He swung his Warhammer across from Llewelyn's right. Llewelyn backed up, leaning away from the strike as it whooshed past. His opponent brought the weapon back around immediately, this time it came straight down. Llewelyn quick-stepped to the side. He was forced to fall back again right away when the Jötunn heaved it up at an angle. This time Llewelyn stopped with his knees bent. When the ice giant brought the hammer back down angled from Llewelyn's left, the archer leapt low towards the swing, ducking under it. His gamble paid off, because his enemy did not strike the ground again, but swung in a complete arc, having anticipated Llewelyn would run away from the swing, not toward it.
Then with Warhammer turned away by his own momentum, Llewelyn threw his whole weight into clubbing the ice giant across the side of his head with his bow. The Jötunn stumbled away, and Llewelyn pressed the attack, running to hit him again. With blurry vision, Warhammer swung at him blindly, but Llewelyn ducked right under the wild arc. Then he jabbed one end of his bow into the back of the other man's knee, sending the ice giant stumbling forward in big running strides as he tried not to fall over.
With Warhammer momentarily disposed of trying to regain his balance, Llewelyn drew his bowstring back, generating an energy bow for the first time since the exercise had begun. He didn't wait, he let it loose, shooting his opponent in the back, dead center. The Jötunn warrior snaped upright stiffly for just a moment, even arching his body forward. Then the hammer fell from his hand, and he dropped to his knees before plopping facedown on the stone floor.
"Whew," Llewelyn let out a whoosh of air.
Then he turned to the ladder, ran over, and stopped. He listened for the Jötunn with the crossbow, but only heard were delirious mumbles. Satisfied the other archer was still under the thrall of Confusion, Llewelyn began climbing, skipping every other rung to scale them as quickly as possible. He hesitated near the top, and listened. He heard what sounded like someone flopping into a bed with more slurred, foreign words.
Llewelyn poked his head into the tower prison and saw the crossbow archer lying on the floor, mumbling insanely to himself. Before he climbed all the way up, Llewelyn took in his surroundings. It was a simple tower prison with a cell door off to one side and plenty of windows to look down at the surrounding area through. The guard was alone. Llewelyn stepped off the ladder with Arngrim's dagger drawn and made quick work of the guard with a well-placed thrust into the man's heart. The Jötunn guard stiffened for a second, and then fell limp. Llewelyn wasted no time in beginning to look through his pockets for the keys. After flipping him over, he found a pouch tied to the back of his belt, which contained the keyring.
"Gotcha," he muttered.
Llewelyn grabbed them, but before going to unlock the cell door, he ran over to one of the large windows overlooking the grounds and peeked out. In the courtyard, the Jötunn guards had moved into the garden shouting the names of the two men Llewelyn killed outside. He withdrew before someone spotted him. With no more time on his side, Llewelyn dashed to the door and began fitting keys at the hole.
"Milady Idunn, I have arrived," Llewelyn softly called from his side of the door.
"Llewelyn, is it?" she answered from the other side. "You arrived very quickly."
"Just lucky, I guess… Ah-ha!" he cried as the fourth key fit into the lock.
He turned it and opened the door, discovering Idunn sitting close-legged in a cushioned chair and a plate of fruit laid out on a small table beside her. She looked up from the book she was reading and hooked it under her armpit as she smiled pleasantly at him.
"Congratulations on competing Phase One of the exercise," she said.
"Might be a bit soon for that, Milady," Llewelyn said. He ran over and offered his hand. "Come, I think I have a path for us to get out."
"Of course, Sir Archer," Idunn answered.
She took his hand and allowed him to pull her up. Then they ran from the cell to the hatch.
"After you, Milady," Llewelyn said. "I'll check on the guards below and follow shortly."
"Understood," Idunn answered.
As she stepped onto the first rung, Llewelyn went to the windows and peered down again. One of the Jötunn guards had discovered the man whose head he fractured with a rock at the edge of the woods.
"Someone will be investigating the keep now," he realized.
Then he darted for the hatch and began climbing down after Idunn.
"We haven't much time before they come back," Llewelyn called down to the goddess. "I think we can pass right by them going down those stairs behind you. They've caved in near the bottom, but I've set it up so we can get down to the second floor from there. You just have to trust me, Lady Idunn."
"Very well," Idunn called up.
"Is she really not going to roleplay at all? Goodness, she at least used to try to play the role of damsel properly," Freya moaned.
"Perhaps you really have run her through a few too many of these," was Odin's grinning response.
"You're kidding. You expect me to walk down that?" Idunn balked at the wooden beam.
"Not walk, slide," Llewelyn said. "Observe, Milady."
He sat down on the support beam and slid down on his back with his arms and legs drawn in, and then firmly stomped against the floor to stop himself at the bottom. Then he stood, turned, and motioned for Idunn to do the same.
"I'll catch you, Milady," he promised.
Idunn hesitated only slightly before pulling her plain white skirt up to her knees and sinching it tight so it would not flap up before settling herself sideways on the wooden plank with her legs drawn in. Then she slid down. As promised, Llewelyn caught under the legs and around her shoulders, lifting her from the beam like a groom carrying his bride.
"Oh my!" she said teasingly.
"Apologies if this is improper, Lady Idunn," Llewelyn said with a light blush.
"Better this than being slung over your shoulder like a sack of beets as some einherjar have done," Idunn answered. "Now then, which way, Sir Archer?"
Llewelyn gaped at that comment as he stepped over the rubble before setting her down on solid floor out in the second-floor hall. In the throne room, Jelanda looked away from the mirror. Lenneth's subtle but weary sigh, a brief roll of Freya's eyes, and Odin rubbing one of his temples confirmed Idunn's statement.
Downstairs, Llewelyn and Idunn discovered the Jötunn guards had reentered the fort and found both bodies, because they could hear them running through the halls hunting for the intruder.
"Oh, shii… oot," Llewelyn stopped himself mid-curse.
The archer and the goddess also heard some of them rushing up the steps on the other side of the keep. They both went flat against the wall in a dark corner of an old break room for the guards. Right across from them was a window. Llewelyn took a moment, mentally situating himself to figure out what direction they're facing.
"We're facing east," he muttered.
Then he stepped away from the wall and peered through the doorway, down the dark hall. The guards weren't looking down this way yet, but they would be soon. Having decided on a plan, Llewelyn nodded to himself.
"Alright…" he muttered. Then he turned to Idunn again, gesturing toward the window. "I have a plan, Milady."
"I'm listening," she said.
"I am going to go distract them. Stay here, but as soon as I've got them chasing me around, just climb out this window and make your way to the path. Just go straight left once outside and keep low in the long grass."
"You are certain?" Idunn asked. "The mission objective is for you to return with me."
Llewelyn paused, and then answered, "I know, Lady Idunn. Don't worry about me. There are plenty of windows. I'll draw them to another part of the fort and then meet you in the garden on the side yard."
The goddess smiled, bowing her head.
"Very well, Sir Archer, I will follow your lead," he said.
"Thank you, Milady," Llewelyn said. "Alright, I'm off."
Then he slipped around the corner and began making his way through the musty halls of the old fort.
"I can't be too obvious about which direction I came from. I'll go around those back halls towards the North side. The longer I can go before I'm discovered, the better," Llewelyn thought. "Just as long as I can keep them away from here."
"He's leaving her side. Hmm… May have to dock him for that," Freya muttered.
She made a note of Llewelyn's plan, but didn't drop any points just yet. The einherjar looked among themselves with some confusion. As far as they could tell, Llewelyn had just given himself his best chances of success by drawing the Jötunns away from Idunn. Jelanda looked at Lenneth, wondering how she was feeling under that expressionless mask. In truth, Lenneth was mostly unaffected by this development, as she knew how these einherjar evaluations went.
From outside in the hallway, Llewelyn peered into a large ballroom with a high ceiling and second and third floor balconies around its out rim. A Jötunn commander with a spear on the second floor balcony was conducting three subordinates down on the first floor with their backs to the corridor Llewelyn watched them from.
"Perfect," Llewelyn thought.
The young archer glanced between the commander and the Jötunns in front of him on the ground floor as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small jar with gray liquid inside it. Then he put it away, just comforted he hadn't dropped it somewhere. Llewelyn stepped out into the open, notching another normal arrow before pulling the bowstring back. The command spotted him and shouted, getting the trio to spin around.
"Hello!" Llewelyn greeted.
Then he let his shot fly, hitting the commander dead center in the chest. He stumbled before falling over the railing and down to the floor. The three Jötunn warriors glared furiously as Llewelyn turned tail and ran down the hall. He could already hear them pursuing him. Llewelyn took the potion from his pocket again, holding it tight as he approached a side passage up ahead. Right before he reached the fork, Llewelyn threw the jar straight down, where it broke and filled the hall with smoke. Voices rang out in their guttural tongue as visibility dropped to zero behind him and they stumbled over each other. Llewelyn stopped several paces beyond where he dropped the potion before turning pulling the string tight, generating energy arrows. Based on sound alone, Llewelyn fired three times, and each blow landed. He knew this based on the Jötunn guards' cries followed by the sounds of them flopping to the floor. Llewelyn could already hear more coming.
"Better get out of sight before the smoke clears," he thought.
So, he ducked into a room. A moment later, another Jötunn guard cleared the smoke, and looked down the back hall, but didn't see the intruder. The ice giant turned and shouted to others who had also arrived. Soon, voices were ringing out throughout the fortress.
From where Idunn hid, she could hear the Jötunns begin shouting as they ran towards the other end of the fort. So, she went to the window and pushed the shutters open before climbing out.
"Well, then, I do hope the honorable Sir Archer keeps his promise," she thought. She sat on the sill and swung her legs over the side. "I would hate to see Lenneth's chosen einherjar fail this exam."
She hopped out onto the grass and began creeping around the side of the building.
A winded Llewelyn burst into a room and was overjoyed to see a window.
"Finally," he gasped.
He dragged his tired body over as quickly as he could and grabbed the latch on the shutters. The Jötunns were closing in, so he had to move quickly. His shaking hands fumbled with the latch once, and then he undid it on the second try and pushed the shutters open. One of the Jötunns stopped at the door and shouted. Llewelyn cursed as he jumped out the window.
He took off running towards the side of the fort.
"Lady Idunn oughta be getting to the garden right about right," he thought. He looked over his shoulder at the Jötunn guards jumping out the same window he had in hot pursuit. "Aw, man, am I going to be able to…"
Then another ice giant burst through a window he was passing, tackling the young archer to the ground. An agonized wheeze was forced from Llewelyn as he was crushed into the earth. Then the guard stood up and rolled him over. Llewelyn lifted his head to stare up as the ice giants stood over him in a circle, fingering their weapons or pointing their crossbows at him. Then he plopped his head back against the dirty earth, squeezing his eyes shut. The feeling of failure and disappointment settled in, becoming like a pile of rocks open his chest.
"Ugh…" the disheartened groan passed out from between Llewelyn's teeth. "I blew it."
"Simulation Over, the participant has lost," a disembodied voice said.
Then the world began to melt away and the spells which made the dummies look like Jötunns faded, revealing the featureless wooden dolls beneath. On the other side of the fort Idunn watched as the world melted like a fresh paint being splashed with water. She put a hand on her hip, feeling a little guilty for not trying just a bit harder to dissuade Sir Archer.
"Well, I hope Odin and Freya are satisfied," she mumbled.
Back in the Odin's throne room, they all watched the boy come so close and yet fail. Arngrim shuffled in place, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away from the mirror with an unhappy frown. Lawfer and Belenus bowed their heads sadly with their eyes shut while the two magi exchanged gloomy looks. Only Lenneth was unbothered by this outcome.
"Ah, so close," Odin shrugged. "He really had me cheering for him by the end."
"Mm-hm," Freya absently hummed as she wrote down her final evaluation of his skills.
Then Llewelyn and Idunn materialized into the throne room beside Lenneth. The archer stumbled and almost fell again.
"Wha…? Whoa!" he cried.
Idunn grabbed his arm and steadied him, and Llewelyn gave her a surprised but appreciative look.
"A thousand thanks, Milady," he said.
"Mm!" she nodded in return.
Then Llewelyn looked around and spotted Lenneth standing on the other side of Idunn beside him looking as impartial as ever, the other einherjar behind him, and lastly, Odin and Freya staring down at him. The young archer gasped and bent the knee, bowing low with his head down. Odin half-grinned in amusement while Freya just looked down her nose at him.
"Llewelyn Desmondson, you may rise," Freya said. "For it is time to begin your final assessment."
"Thank you, Milady," Llewelyn replied as he stood.
He first looked on the ruling gods of Asgard before turning toward Lenneth with a shamed, regretful look. She kept her eyes forward, on her lord and lady. Yet she still saw Llewelyn's mouth open to speak to her.
"You do not have permission to speak," Lenneth stopped him. "Lord Odin and Lady Freya are addressing you."
Llewelyn had to stop himself from trying to apologize for that as well. Then he looked back up at Creator gods, feeling very self-conscious.
"If there will be no further interpretations," Freya said. "As stated, we need an archer and assassin, someone who can move silently and unseen to gather intelligence and eliminate chosen targets, striking from a distance before the enemy even knows they're there."
"As you saw, Lady Freya," Lenneth said. "I have trained him to the best of my abilities to meet these ends and he has learned quickly."
"Indeed, his aim as an archer is most excellent," Freya answered while looking through her notes of the test. "Although he used his archery skills sparingly during this test, not a single shot missed. Not even the ones he had to fire based on sound. He even displayed a creative application of his archery skills by attaching spell crystals and gems to arrows he himself made to distract and immobilize."
Freya finally looked at Llewelyn with an air of approval, "I must also praise the fact you went to the trouble of making ordinary wooden arrows because they are less visible than the energy arrows generated by the bow Lenneth gave you."
Llewelyn had to stop himself from speaking again, simply nodded instead, smiling as he did.
"Furthermore," Freya said. "His ability to move quietly and unseen got him past the keep defenses swiftly and all the way to the tower in excellent time. He clearly studied the floor plan keenly and improvised when an outdated diagram was insufficient. In all, this was an excellent display of his skills. 'Tis just a shame he was unable to finish the exercise. I must also deduct points for leaving Idunn to fend for herself when the mission objective clearly stated he was to escorther."
That just made Llewelyn feel even worse. They were actually impressed with his skill, but he'd blown it in the final stretch. He despondently stared at the floor, feeling disappointed in myself and guilty that Lenneth was going to punished as well. He felt Lawfer's hand upon his shoulder and glanced over to see the knight attempt to give him an encouraging smile. Belenus, and the magi gave him sympathetic looks. Arngrim looked away, silently boiling with anger that they were failing the kid considering the odds that were so against him.
"Final conclusion: Llewelyn Desmondson passes with 87%," Freya concluded.
The einherjar all looked up in astonishment, but none were more shocked than Llewelyn, himself.
"Ah… huh?" escaped Llewelyn's lips before he could it.
Freya looked down at him with a raised brow, unsure of what was unclear. Lenneth stared off, touching her index and thumb to her chin as she pondered the score.
"I could have sworn that was good for a full 90%," the Valkyrie deliberated. "Was it the fact he failed to eliminate more of the dummies?"
Odin chuckled at Llewelyn's plain and utter confusion and stood up.
"It seems young Master Desmondson was given the wrong impression altogether concerning this exercise," the All-Father said.
He stood and Freya stepped aside as he walked to the end of the throne's platform to address the einherjar. Lenneth's arm fell to her side as she stood at attention again.
"The point of this war game was to observe the full range of your skills and evaluate them," Odin explained. "Finishing the simulated mission is preferred, but entirely optional. Had this been a real combat scenario, you would have been a part of a team sent to extradite dear Idunn. You performed as well as any lone soldier would under the circumstances."
Odin then paused for dramatic and then said, "So without any adieu, you pass. Welcome to Valhalla's army."
Llewelyn was stunned for a moment more before a great big smile formed. The others were a mix of relief and giddiness that was just being contained. Arngrim felt the anger drain away, and yet, he couldn't entirely dispel the unease he felt staring at Odin.
"What is this feeling I've met this guy before?" the scarred mercenary thought.
A flicker in Arngrim's mind saw Odin as a much more brooding, foreboding visage, but he couldn't fathom how the mental image was there since this was their first meeting. Lenneth sensed Arngrim's conflict and glanced at him standing right behind her. She made a note speak with him about it, but later.
Llewelyn bowed and with his most gracious tone said, "Thank you, All-Father."
Odin nodded in return.
"You will receive your deployment orders on the morrow, Desmondson," the All-Father said.
Lenneth then stepped forward, facing Llewelyn.
"With that, Llewelyn Desmondson, your time under my command has ended," she said. "You will walk the paths and shadows of Midgard no more with us. Your days ahead will be in service of one of Lord Odin's commanders and surrounded with new comrades on missions in other realms. May Fate bless your future endeavors."
Llewelyn smiled, but there was a bittersweetness in his eyes.
"This is it, huh, Milady?" he asked.
"You forget how many of the same einherjar we see in the dining hall every morning," Lenneth said. "We will meet again."
"I guess that's right," Llewelyn brightened up a bit.
"Worry not, young Desmondson," Odin said. "You will be given ample opportunity to say your goodbyes. For today, allow the burdens you have carried to be eased and enjoy yourself with your team one last day. Dismissed. I believe you all have some celebrating to get to. The dining hall is always open, so you may help yourselves."
That got him a doubtful look from Freya, but she said nothing.
"Thank you, Lord Odin," Lenneth put her right fist to her chest and bowed again.
She turned on her heels to leave. The einherjar parted to let her through before following her out. Idunn lingered behind just a moment longer before curtsying for Odin and Freya and taking her leave as well.
Freya hovered closer to Odin and as they watched Lenneth, Idunn, and the einherjar leave.
"Are you certain about giving them a day of rest, Love?" she asked. "Ragnarök comes. Surely you do not intend to give them reprieve every Sacred Phase?"
Odin just turned to her with a knowing smile.
"Always so worried," he teasingly chided.
Freya gave him a look, and he shrugged.
"Let them celebrate," he offhandedly said. Then as he watched them exit the throne room, he added with something darker in his tone, "While they still can."
Freya sighed and looked over her notes again.
"Moreover," Odin said. "For a soul that was not even supposed to be chosen, this Llewelyn performed magnificently. It makes me ponder if we might not reconsider our criteria."
"That would take us almost to the eave of Ragnarök to configure," Freya told him.
"Yes," Odin replied. "Just in time for Hrist to reap us a plentiful harvest."
As soon as the door closed behind them, Arngrim ruffled Llewelyn's hair.
"You did good, kid," the mercenary said.
"Hey!" the archer laughed while batting his arm away.
"I knew you could do it," Lawfer cheerfully said.
While Llewelyn began smoothing his hair back gone, both Jelanda and Nanami approached, beaming. Llewelyn flushed and backed up a step from the girls.
"Congratulations!" Nanami said enthusiastically. "Goodness, it was difficult trying to determine what the gods expected of you."
Lenneth raised a brow at that statement, wondering what exactly what been unclear. Idunn tuned to face the Valkyrie.
"Bless, Lenneth," she said in parting.
"Bless," Lenneth answered the nature goddess.
"What made you think to try using that support beam as a short cut?" Jelanda asked.
"Well," Llewelyn answered. "This is actually not my first time in an abandoned castle. There's an old fort just outside Little Monferaigne father and I used to hole up in during hunting trips. Between the stone walls and roof, it was easy to ward to keep the Undead out. We had the place rigged with all kinds of quick fixes like that to get around."
"Clever," Belenus commended him. "Almost recklessly hazardous, but clever."
Llewelyn could only shrug as if to say, "Oh, well."
Lenneth stepped away from the group.
"I also wish to congratulate you Llewelyn," she said. "Your perseverance has earned you this."
"Aw, well," Llewelyn awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I wouldn't even be here or gotten this far without you pushing me so hard through the training."
"It was you that rose to the challenge," Lenneth assured him. "Now, as much as I am loathe leave you in your triumphant hour, I have some business I must attend to. Excuse me."
Arngrim gave her a perplexed look.
"Really? Even today? Do you ever take five?" he asked.
"I've not the time," Lenneth said. "But please do not allow your festive spirit to be mired on my account. Please, enjoy yourselves. I will join you when I can. Excuse me."
Then she left them.
"Eh, your loss," Arngrim shrugged.
"I guess that's drinks on the house from what Lord Odin said," Lawfer said.
"We've hardly had the chance to look around Asgard on our own even after a month," Jelanda said. "I think I'd like to just get out of this palace while we're here for once."
"Now that you say it, you're right," Llewelyn replied. "I've seen what almost looks like a town east of here a few times while training. Wanna check it out?"
"Whatever just gets us away from all these blasted gods," Arngrim said.
A sharp "Ahem" from Syn who stood guarding the door made the others flinch.
"Let's just get to the dining hall for now," Lawfer said. "Before Arngrim's mouth gets us all in trouble."
"R-right," Llewelyn muttered.
As they moved away from the throne room, a moment of melancholy hit Llewelyn.
"I wish I could tell Millia," he said.
Belenus placed a hand on his shoulder.
"She knows, lad," he said. "She knows."
As soon as she was alone, Lenneth phased out of her Valkyrie gear into simple long, gray skirt paired with a long-sleeved white button-down blouse and a shoulderless lace-up black bodice. She sighed in pleasant relief at being in comfortable clothes now. She began working out the stiffness in her shoulders first by rolling them and stretching them, suppressing moans and grunts as she did. Standing around in that combat gear waiting for Llewelyn to finish his test had been about as tedious and uncomfortable as she thought it would be.
"Must I really do this every month from now on?" she asked wearily. "Ugh. What even brought this about? Was it something I did? Hrist, perhaps?"
She sighed drearily.
"Well, whatever the cause, it is behind me for the next four weeks," she told herself. "I am off to see Lord Loki again. He said he would have intel for me concerning Midgard's woes."
"I will look for corrupted locales near key focal points in the flow of Yggdrasil's energy through Midgard while also keeping an eye out for any discernible patterns," Loki had told her. "Come back in four days' time, after you have finished your monthly review with Brother Odin and Freya. I will have a list for you readied."
She so hoped that such a pattern existed.
As she walked, her thoughts strayed back to the monthly review. Being alone, she allowed herself to roll her eyes. When her blue orbs rolled back down, she stopped with a startled cry at the figure that was suddenly in front of her. Urd, the youthful-looking Norn of Fate and Prophecy had appeared before her again. Her light blonde short hair hung just below her ears, and she still wore an ornate green dress like Freya's.
"Huh?! Urd? How did you…?" Lenneth stammered.
She stopped herself and cleared her throat.
"How did I fail to sense her presence?" the Valkyrie frantically thought.
"Hello, Lenneth," Urd greeted. "We meet again at last."
Lenneth flushed, both perturbed and embarrassed knowing the Norn had seen her with her guard lowered. She quickly reasserted her collected veneer.
"Good morning, Urd," Lenneth greeted with a curtsy. "Forgive my rudeness. How may I help you?"
The childlike Norn just smiled ruefully.
"No, Lenneth, I am here to help you," she said. "Do you remember what I told on the day you awakened?"
"Yes," Lenneth answered. "You first told me nothing had ever been as it seemed to be."
Then the Valkyrie looked away, beginning to look distressed.
"The second thing was how 'a limb that is severed dries up and dies. Yet when sickness is allowed to germinate in one branch, it will spread and infect the whole plant'," Lenneth soberly recited the warning. She looked at Urd intently. "That was clearly in reference to the sorry state of Midgard."
"Uh-huh," Urd chirped back. "What have your discovered since then?"
Lenneth sighed.
"Only that Midgard ails, but something is keeping it from fully expiring," the battle goddess said. "I do not understand how this is possible, but I am seeking answers."
She looked at Urd hopefully.
"Perhaps you know?" Lenneth inquired.
Urd seemed to stare past the Valkyrie.
"The truth is closer to you than you think, dear Lenneth," she said. "Your path is before you, but that is not all."
Urd smiled then. "I have a somewhat less frightful message for you this time."
"Oh?" Lenneth answered.
Urd then hovered into the air, floating right up to one of Lenneth's ears.
"The one makes your heart pound and your cheeks rosy will soon be at your side," Urd whispered. "When you feel lost, when all feels hopeless, call to him and he will come. Always."
Lenneth just stared at her uncertainly.
"…Is this about Lucien again?" she wondered.
Urd seemed to know her thoughts, and winked, putting a finger to her lips. Then she vanished without a trace or a means of tracking where she had gone to. It had not even felt like she passed through a rift of any kind. However she had done it, Urd was gone now, all the same, leaving a perplexed and frustrated Valkyrie standing alone out in the hall for the second time in just twelve hours.
"Why can she not just be straightforward with what she wishes to tell me?" Lenneth asked.
When Lenneth stopped in front of Loki's office, the fact she had received visits from Lofn and one of the Norns about Lucien in such short a time was still at the forefront of her mind. She raised a fist to her mouth and coughed quietly into it.
"Lenneth, focus," she told herself.
She pushed the thoughts aside, facing the office door in front of her, and knocked.
"Lord Loki?" she called. "'Tis me, Lenneth. I have come about that matter we discussed."
There was no answer, but Lenneth waited a good half-minute before putting her ear to the door. She faintly heard something within that almost sounded like creaking floorboards, but not quite. Her brow furrowed and she tried again, knocking louder this time.
"Lord Loki," she raised her voice higher this time. "'Tis Lenneth Valkyrie. I have come to speak with you."
From the other side of the door, a moan reached her ears. At first the goddess was confused, but then she shrank back, eyes wide with repulsion.
"Oh, no," was her dismal thought. "I do hope I've not arrived while he makes merry with one of his wives again."
Then a voice that was undeniably Loki's called out, completely slurring his words. Lenneth tilted her head, more uncertain if she wanted to open the door than ever.
"Lord Loki?" she called again.
"Uuuuuugh… Yeah, whoizzit?" he answered.
Lenneth breathed in and held it before answering patiently to the best of her ability,
"'Tis Lenneth Valkyrie. I am here to discuss the matter of Midgard."
There was silence for a moment, before Loki spoke again.
"Oh, yeah," he uttered. "Come on in."
She hesitated, but then grabbed the knob firmly, turned it, and pulled the door open. The Valkyrie thought she had set her expectations accordingly to prevent herself from being surprised or mortified. She was then proven wrong and was immobilized in the doorway at the sight of Loki sitting on the end of his desk in an unbuttoned night shirt, a sleeping cap that had become wrapped around one of his antlers, and pants, but no socks or shoes. He was yawning and stretching out as though he'd first awakened with all the documents and paperwork that were normally piled on his desk replaced with a pillow and blankets.
Then as Loki scratched himself under the armpit in the presence of a lady, he turned and smiled dumbly at her.
"Oh, good morning, Lenneth. I trust the evaluation went well," he said as though she hadn't walked in on him waking up in his office.
Lenneth responded with a series of "Uh's." Loki looked at her, and then his makeshift bed as it dawned on him just what had taken her by surprise. He uneasily grabbed a handful of his own black hair as he looked at her guiltily.
"Oh! A thousand pardons! That was not for anyone to see! Goodness!" Loki cried.
Lenneth's appalled befuddlement was as plain on her face as it was in her voice when she asked,
"Uh… Sh-should I return later?"
"No, no! That will not be necessary! Just give me a moment!" Loki insisted.
He swept his hand across the front of his nightshirt, causing it to instantly button itself up and tuck itself into the waist of his pants. With a flick of his wrists, the bedding flew from the desk and folded itself up before coming to rest in a chair in the corner. Loki's boots and socks flew towards him and fit themselves over his feet. Then he hopped off his desk and snapped his fingers, causing several books, scrolls, and folders to fly off the bookshelves or up from the floor, laying down on his desk, arranging themselves in what he called "organized chaos".
Then Loki turned to Lenneth, holding his arms up as if to say, "Tada!" with a wry smile. However, he could see she was not amused. She slowly, cautiously even, stepped in from the hall, shutting the door behind her.
"Lord Loki?" she asked quietly. "I have come…"
He held up his hand to stop her.
"Of course. Forgive this shock, my dear," he said quickly. Then he motioned to one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Come, have a seat."
Lenneth approached and sat down in the chair he pulled up. She quietly thanked Loki. He bowed, then went behind his desk and sat down.
"Ah…" Loki began, but hesitated, knowing how oafish he must have seemed at the moment. "Despite what you may think, I did not forget about your request. I looked through the reports we compiled for our petition to Brother Odin concerning Midgard's decline and compared the information to various charts and other materials to a discern any patterns. I believe I have found you some decent leads."
Upon hearing those words, Lenneth almost forgot the sight she had walked in on.
"Really?" she asked. "You have found something?"
Loki smiled back.
"I believe I have, but until these locales have been investigated, we cannot say for certain," he answered. "In your report of the winter-locked Skara region, or as you called it, the Forest of Woe, you stated that an Undead artifact had been fused with one of Yggdrasil's roots, which caused the curse of never-ending snow until you dealt with it."
"Yes," Lenneth affirmed. "The snow stopped immediately, and the temperature began to rise the instant the enchantment was undone."
"Well, that gave me an idea," Loki said. "One of the things I compared the list of infected regions to was a chart of Yggdrasil's roots on Midgard. No points for guessing what I discovered."
"That many of the imbalanced locales are near the boots?" Lenneth answered.
Loki grinned, "Many of them are located on one prominent root in particular. Observe."
He reached into one of his desk's drawers, producing a pair of scrolls.
"I think you will find this especially interesting," Loki said.
He cleared a space through the middle of his desktop and then unrolled the larger of the two scrolls. Lenneth leaned forward to study them. One was a chart of Midgard. The landmasses had been inked in traditional dark gray. Thick lines had been penned with red ink representing where the roots of Yggdrasil ran through the realm. They all started in the Southeast corner, spreading out from the Forest of Spirits and stretched to the other end. One of the most prominent veins of Yggdrasil's life-giving energy had grown westward along the southern coastlines of the eastern islands and Nordrick, the main continent. Then the root curved north and grew along Nordrick's western coast. Five locations had been marked in blue ink. Four of them were along the west coast, spanning from the south to the north, but always near or right on the root. The fifth was on an island just off the western shore just below the equator. While Lenneth looked over marked locations, Loki took his cue and read from the other scroll.
"Apart from being located along the Nordrick's western coastline, do you want to guess what they all have in common?" he asked.
Lenneth reached out and tapped her finger on island location.
"Well, that is the Palace of Brahms, Lord of the Undead, located on Åland Island," she said. "If I must guess, you mean to tell me these locations are ruled by the Undead."
"And Hel's demonic forces," Loki said.
Lenneth looked up curiously.
"I thought Brahms had refused an alliance with her," she said.
"He did, but their underlings often gather and reign in the same places, nevertheless," Loki said.
He first pointed a blue dot on the Northwest corner of the continent.
"The Arkdain Ruins," he read. "Located in the northwestern Villnore region. Gigantic magic crystals are said to be sealed there, along with a very powerful entity that sealed itself…"
He stopped when Lenneth voiced her displeasure at that last statement with a hard look.
"It? Please do not debase Lyseria so, Lord Loki. Lord Mimir's only granddaughter deserves better," Lenneth sternly said. "We both used to eat at the same table as her before…"
She could not bear to make herself finish, promptly looking away and firmly shutting her mouth. Then she recovered and continued.
"Even after so long, please give her proper respects," Lenneth asked.
"Apologies. Yes, quite right," Loki said guiltily. "That was awful of me. I supposed it was easier to just feign ignorance than bring up such… terrible memories."
Lenneth's expression softened then, thinking about Lyseria's grim fate. She remembered the quiet young woman well.
"Poor thing," Lenneth thought. "Has it been so long? I have not thought of Lyseria, since… Well, at least since before any of Midgard's current regimes."
"Back to topic," Loki said. "Gigantic magic crystals are said to be sealed there, the largest of which happens to be the one Lyseria sealed herself in. The crystals are infused with Great Magic, but it was determined that their location was too precarious and too infested with demonic forces to be safety extradite to Valhalla."
"How has the local environment been effected?" Lenneth asked.
"Well, nothing like the frostbitten Forest of Woe," Loki answered. "But the forest surrounding the ruins is infested with the Undead as well. There has been some unusually nasty weather just off-shore directly to the west of the forest. They may or may not be connected."
Then Loki pointed at an open lake just south of Villnore and almost directly east of Brahms's castle.
"Next is the Audoula Temple on the Lake, or the Sunken Shrine as it is called these days for obvious reasons," he said.
Lenneth tried to remember if she had ever been there before. After so many centuries of roaming Midgard's dark corners, it sometimes became a big blur.
"Foul fumes from rotting meat floating in the artificial pools permeate the shrine," Loki explained. "There are rumors of something powerful being stored there. Exactly what is anyone's guess. If true, then 'tis likely still there unless some human treasure hunters lifted it before the shrine sunk."
"Something powerful…" Lenneth muttered.
She considered the location.
"Wait, didn't Sothis once tell me that the Dragon Tribe had build a temple for the Dragon Orb on a lake once?" Lenneth recalled. "Yes, I think that's it."
Then Loki traced his finger south of a spot just north of the Turgen Mountains in the southwest region. Lenneth felt her heart sink, as she was not exactly thrilled at the prospects of going so close to the wasp hive again.
"The Clockwork Mansion," Loki identified the spot. "A Yamato-style mansion owned by a wealthy clockmaker. Apparently, the whole thing is just one big machine and its owner dabbled in Necromancy. He made something which angered his neighbors in nearby towns, who eventually hanged him. Now the mansion is rumored to be the prison of clockmaker's creation, and that none who enter ever return. You sister Hrist has confirmed that the Undead have had the run of the place ever since it was left empty."
"Why did the local villagers not destroy it when they hanged its master?" Lenneth asked. "That would have solved the problem of the mansion and the creatures it houses."
"Hrist attempted to answer that riddle, but the mysteries of Clockwork Mansion managed to confound her, not that she could openly admit it," Loki said with a smirk.
"Of course not," Lenneth dryly answered.
"And last," Loki tapped his finger on a marked spot in the Southwestern corner right on the shore beside the Turgen Mountains. "One of the flesh towers build to worship my daughter Hel you spoke of. The Dark Tower of Xervah."
"Yes," Lenneth grimly said. She took in a deep breath before letting it out heavily. "I remember it was Belenus and Llewelyn who spoke of these towers. The other is called the Black Dream Tower."
The Valkyrie turned away, almost as if ashamed.
"I know it must sound cowardly, but I have put off investigating these sites for the time being, until I have more einherjar by my side," she admitted.
Loki seemed both amused and surprised by her guilt.
"Cowardly?" he disbelievingly chuckled. "Wise is more like it. Lenneth, your pragmatism is nothing to be ashamed of."
"The more I hesitate, the Undead bolster their own ranks," Lenneth asserted.
"And if they could not take up residence in the towers," Loki replied and then moved his finger to Gerebellum. "They would likely do so in the shadows of a populated area."
"Yes, but the Xervah tower has a cruel trick to it," Lenneth said. "According to Belenus, the tower shines like a beacon at night, beckoning travelers in, but the inviting pretense is a cruel illusion designed to lure the unwary into the arms of its Undead and demonic inhabitants."
"Indeed, it is," Loki confirmed. "All the same, when you begin your investigation of these sites, I would highly recommend you do thorough reconnaissance. And… I know I designated Brahms's palace as one of the locations, but I must advice against entering there unless you are left with no alternatives."
Loki motioned around the Nordrick's west coast. "Start with the other locations and report back to me whatever you discover at each of them. If you uncover nothing of note, we will discuss the matter of infiltrating Brahms's domain if and when we come to it."
Lenneth could not disagree.
"Yes, although I do not fear confronting that brigand, he has proven to be a most worthy foe over the centuries," she admitted.
Loki rolled both scrolls back up and handed them to her.
"In the meantime," Lenneth said. "I have four possible sites of infection that may hold some answers to Midgard's plight."
"Five, if you count the other flesh tower," Loki said. "That Llewelyn fellow said it was in northern Crell Monferaigne, yes?"
"Correct," Lenneth said. "I will likely venture there before considering Brahms's palace as well."
"Very good," Loki said. "I make no promises, but this should be enough to get us started in this investigation. At the very least, you can break the Undead's stronghold upon Midgard."
"That I will," Lenneth said.
Then she stood, clutching both scrolls in hand.
"Thank you, Lord Loki. You have been a tremendous aid," she said. "Now I must take my leave. I promised my einherjar I would not be too long."
"Of course, Milady," Loki said.
He quickly walked back around his desk to get the door.
"'Tis just as well," he said, grabbing the knob. "I have my own share of work to do."
"Then I will not keep you," Lenneth answered.
As she was stepping out the door, the Valkyrie stood and looked at Loki curiously. She nearly allowed the question on her mind to pass her lips, but instead she bid the Trickster farewell and exited into the hall.
"Enjoy your day off, Lenneth," Loki said as he closed the door.
As she walked away, Lenneth decided it was probably for the best she did not ask Loki what he had done to incur the wrath of his wives so completely that being sent to the sofa in their parlor had been considered insufficient punishment.
"I must say, this reprieve from the darkest, foulest places on Midgard has been most pleasant," Lawfer said.
Among them, only Arngrim disagreed with that assessment, but for the occasion, the scarred mercenary kept his mouth shut.
"Was it always like this when you were alive?" Jelanda asked curiously.
"Hel no," Arngrim answered bluntly. "Even during wartime, sometimes it'd be weeks between battles because we had to walk or ride horses. None of this 'divinin' out' evil and flying across Midgard in just minutes every single day like with Valkyrie."
"My troop was on the ocean for weeks before our fateful battle," Llewelyn said. "This einherjar warfare is completely different from anything you'll ever encounter while alive."
"It's honestly exhausting," Nanami dourly said.
"That it is," Lawfer agreed. "But I suppose someone must do it. I never knew how dangerous Midgard really is until I joined up with Lady Valkyrie."
"A real shithole, down there, ain't it?" Arngrim asked bitterly.
The tone of that last comment got him a couple of looks, but before anyone could ask what the matter was, the elven waiters brought their refreshments, and they eagerly grabbed up the goblets.
"Now, while I remember to," Belenus thought.
The nobleman stood, holding out his drink.
"A toast," Belenus said. "To our watchful archer. Our time was short, but we all owe each other our continued afterlives and your sure and true aim was no small part of that. Your contributions are going to be missed on the field of battle. So, here's to you, Llewelyn. May you serve with your Aesir commander and new comrades as well as you did with us."
"Thanks, guys," Llewelyn almost timidly replied.
"Hear hear!" they all clinked their drinks together and took a hearty gulp.
After he had lowered his drink, Llewelyn looked around. Had it really only been less than a month? It seemed like he'd been serving in the front lines of some war he could hardly understand for a while now. In that short time, it was as Belenus said, they had relied on each other to survive, and now it had come to an end. Even Nanami had who just barely began to know the hay-haired boy was already feeling his absence.
"He's fast with that bow. Faster than our spellcasting," the shrine girl thought. "It will be a difficult adjustment if another archer does not join us soon."
"A far cry from the runt who could barely shoot when Valkyrie first found ya," Arngrim said. "Give 'em Hel out there, kid."
"I think you mean 'Behave yourself out there'," Lawfer said to his old friend.
"Be good? What's the fun in that?" Arngrim smiled mischievously as he answered. "These wet dishrag gods could use some trouble in their lives."
"Eh, I wouldn't go that far," Llewelyn awkwardly replied.
"You beast, stop trying to corrupt the youths around you," Jelanda scolded him only half seriously.
Then she turned to Llewelyn, her expression becoming more earnest.
"I really am going to miss you, Llewelyn," she said.
"Farewell, but not goodbye," Llewelyn reminded her.
The former princess smiled as they both took another drink from their goblets.
