The Prophecy

by Amanda DeShane

  “I’m sorry that my father forced your and other families into serving us.” Apologized Aurora sincerely.

  Looking taken aback and shocked, Amber quickly spoke up. “My goddess no, my family chose to serve you after you saved my great, great, great grandmother’s daughter from a high-level demon that tried to take her into the land of fire. I would not exist if it weren’t for your intervention. We hope to see our people free from this war, and you are our only weapon.” Explained Amber as she turned to make up the bed. Loki protesting jumped up and down on the mattress.

  “Hey, I was having a cat nap, woman!” Squawked Loki unhappily as he fluffed his feathers. Amber playfully poked his tail feathers and responded.

  “Get on down for a moment, Loki, and don’t you think of giving me any trouble, or I will tell the cook to feed you veggies for dinner tonight instead of codfish.” Loki glared at her but made no protest getting down on the floor as Amber made the bed.

  “See, that’s how you deal with that one. Got to be just as conniving and let him know who the boss is.” Explained Amber with a grin on her face. Aurora laughed. The bed made once more, the tiger cub jumped up, then turned around in a circle and lay down. Loki fluttered to the tiger cub and used the cat’s tail as a pillow and closing his beady eyes. “Loki, I advise you not to attempt to groom this tiger this time around. Play nice, and you won’t end up being on the menu.” Said Amber with a sparkle in her eyes. Loki opened his eyes, and Aurora would swear that bird rolled his eyes at Amber. She then stood and with hands on her hips, ordered both familiars out of the room and down to the kitchen for their lunch. Once the familiars were out of the room, Amber asked. “Are you nervous about having to attend Asgard Academy?” Aurora looked at her, trying not to let her panic show on her face as she decided to be honest.

  “I have been through a lot in a very short amount of time in the last week. I lost my foster mom, who was murdered. My ex foster sister tried to kill me with a knife. Lightning shot out of my hands, causing her to drop the knife. I went to a new home, a new town, a new school — Met Loki, who stole my sandwich and may have corrupted my vocabulary with swear words. Found out I am a magical being and I have a tiger and raven familiars. Oh, and I tasered a jerk at my new school in front of everyone with my hands, only to have them look at me like I was a freak. I had a giant try to kill me, found out I am not human and that I have powers. I have been dropped off a bridge, and I thought I was going to die. I lived only to find out nine other realms I had no idea existed actually exist. I found out I have four demigod mates and the tattoos to prove it that just magically appeared on my back. Oh, and they happen to be a wolf shifter, dragon shifter, giant/warlock, and a male Valkyrie I never knew even existed. Everyone on earth thinks according to the legend that they are just warrior women, not a full species. If all that wasn’t hard enough to handle, I found out my parents are a God and a Goddess that are missing, and I still don’t even know what their names are, and my parents’ home is a palace that moves every three months. I could use some peace and normalcy for a bit at this point.” Said Aurora as she let a large sigh out and sat on the edge of the boat haul bed with her head in her hands. Amber sat next to her.

  “That is a lot to happen to any one person within one week. It’s understandable then that you might be a bit wary of change and want some downtime. Some political leaders wanted to see you. They have questions about how you plan to fight the war against Fenrir and how you will uphold loyalty here in Asgard. But I can see that you need time to process this all and learn. Maybe after a bit, you will come into your power and know-how to handle these things. But for now, I will tell them you are not taking visitors. I said I would talk to you first before saying yes or no. So, it is no big deal if I tell them that you are not taking visitors for a few weeks. If you have any questions, though, about Asgard Academy, do let me know, and feel free to ask me anything. I attended there myself as it is mandatory in Asgard for all young adults to do. And I will bring you tea if you would like to relax here?” Said, Amber

  “That would be amazing, Amber; thank you so much for allowing me some much-needed adjustment time.” Said Aurora gratefully.

  Chapter five: Secrets of past lives

  “Before I forget, you tasked my mother to make sure you got something important in this life.” Ambers skirts swished as she ran to the far wall and pulled a painting of a wolf off the wall revealing a secret compartment. Pulling a fair-sized box out, she set it on the bed. Then returned to straighten up the painting and hide the spot once more.

  “You told my mother in your last life that it was detrimental to the war, and of importance that I give these journals to you.” Explained Amber. “I will leave you to have some space to read them if you would like. I could bring you some tea if you would like some?” Aurora, starring at the large stack of journals, nodded her head at her. “Yes, tea would be great, thank you, Amber.”

  Sitting on the stool, Aurora looked at the journals afraid to open them, and at the same time wanting to. They probably held all sorts of answers to this new world she found herself in. Getting up, she walked towards the bed and gingerly took the journals out of the box, reading the titles on them. The journals were labeled with numbers and directions. The first one was titled One: Read first. Picking it up, she walked over to the window seat to sit as she read. Pulling her legs up, she opened the first page.

  Aurora: If you are reading this, then you have probably had the shock of your life. This is very weird writing to myself. Hmm... Where to start. Apparently, we have reincarnated over forty-one times and died the same number. You will be number forty-two if you don’t succeed where I failed. In the box is a necklace with a rose line key. It does not look like a key, but that is the point. Always keep it on. It will open doors unseen like a petal opens and give you security at Asgard Academy while you learn. I have requested that the wolf pack you will be a part of, place you with a she-wolf. You will share a room with her at school. The life before me had a roommate that was killed in her bed when someone thought she was us. So, work on revealing spells and learn them. You are smart, so I’m sure you will figure out what that means. Keep your friends and loved ones close for their safety and your own. You will be made to attend school there to learn and harness your powers and to learn to fight to defend yourself and your people. You will make friends, choose wisely. There are land sprites, Valkyries – who are not just women like people on earth thought. I mean, who knew they were a whole race of people. There are wolf shifters, tiger shifters, dragon shifters, dwarves, sirens, mermaids, fairies, witches, and I feel like I am missing one or two. But you get the gist. In the time I had here, I made some changes to try to help you, myself, in the future to succeed if I failed. Obviously, I have failed since you are reading this. My mates and I died fighting for peace for our people. It is a little daunting, but you are the goddess that chose to become a shield maiden for your people. The prophecy of your birth gave your people something to look forward too. Before you, the Norse Gods died in a great war. Only your parents survived to give birth to you. The Gods loved their descendants, and so they passed on their gifts and powers to them to give us the best fighting chance. You must be brave; I know you might not feel so, but you will have to pull up those bootstraps’ girl and fight. You are stronger than any version of us before you. I made a deal with a demon in my lifetime; in turn, I was given demon powers that I absorbed. I was told by this particular demon who hated his kind for legit reasons that the demon power would increase in my next life. You have a living flame inside you. Learn to harness it.

  Fight fire with fire, my dear self. Learn the history of our people and read the rest of these journals. I have recorded things that happened in the past. Hopefully, this will help you live. Fight for a future with your mates. Freedom for your people who have been fearing for their lives for generations, and keep your mates close, trust them. Keep your familiars close; they have powers of their own. You can trust Amber and her family with
any information. The giants, demons, and secret sects want you dead, and Fenrir found and unbound on the throne. He was a bloodthirsty demigod shifter wolf who cared nothing for our people. Tread carefully. Love lots from yourself.

  Aurora sat sniffling as tears streamed down her face. All her doubt had up and disappeared like poof gone. She had died and lived, again and again, fighting for something far bigger than herself. She felt so inadequate for this job, but if her past self-had put everything in place for her to succeed, then she should try. The demon power a living flame kind of scared her. Was she a danger to those around her, she wondered? Needing to know more, she turned the page and read on.

  My Dear Self: The most important advice I can give you is to trust your gut instincts. If your reading this, you are probably close to your first shift. I don’t want your experience to be like mine was where I was scared and didn’t know what was happening to me. You, my dear, are unlike any others, and you are part wolf shifter, part dragon shifter, part witch, and medium. You have gifts from all the Norse gods. Add to the demon fire, and I honestly don’t know what will happen once you fully shift for the first time. I live with the guilt of having shifted in the human realm, and my power hurt many decimating city’s. I don’t want you to live with that type of guilt. So, I tasked a coven of witches I belonged to, the Volas, and temple priests/priestesses to build a secret thick stone magically enforced room for you to have your first shift.

  The Vola will know where it is when the time comes —don’t assume that you can trust her, though. I have had a feeling for a while now that the Vola might be feeding intel to our enemy. Power can corrupt even a see-er.

  Are you feeling feverish and unwell? If yes, then you have only a day or so before your first shift. Be brave. You have a wolf soul inside you and a dragon soul. After your first shift, you will be able to talk to them and feel them. They are a part of you, so trust them. Shifting will hurt like crazy, and your bones break then reform. Then break again to reform back to your human form. On the positive side, you won’t die, and it won’t always hurt. It gets easier.

  Learn to meditate; otherwise, you might find your hands tasering people you dislike with lightning and or setting things on fire due to anger. Life’s about to become far more interesting. Some people can be assholes. Your massive amount of powers threatens some, and jealousy wasn’t just a thing on earth. Just be the bigger person. Love lots from yourself.

  Aurora sat, stunned her hands shaking as she put down the journal. That was a lot to digest. She had been feeling feverish since yesterday. She walked over to the mirror, looking into it at her flushed cheeks. This body of hers would soon change. Everything that she thought she had known was wrong previous to now. A knock at the door echoed in the room.

  “Yes, come in,” yelled Aurora. The door opened and in ambled her tiger cub, and Loki flew onto the bed, making himself at home. Amber walked in behind them with a tray in her hands. Placing it on the window seat, she turned to Aurora.

  “I figured it being around noon that some lunch and tea was a good idea. Is there anything else I can do for you?” Asked Amber.

  “No, I think I am okay to read for a bit. Thank you to your mother and you for following through on giving me these journals.” Said Aurora. Amber nodded and left the room, leaving her to continue reading.

  On the other side of the city, the brothers all climbed steep stone stairs to the temple. Teagan, just like his brothers, had so many questions. He hadn’t slept the greatest last night, which lead to him growling at everyone today. His dragon soul inside him kept demanding he turn around and head back to their mate. “What are you doing? We are too far away from our mate!” growled his inner dragon. “We have to go see the Vola and find out how to help her and a few other things, and This is information that will help us keep our mate safe.” He explained to his dragon. “I don’t like it!" Whined his dragon.

  "I can't smell her lilac scent! I can’t protect our mate from so far away!” Complained his dragon angerly. His dragon didn’t like being away from Aurora even if he was only down the damn hall. He wouldn’t let Teagan rest until he walked down the hall last night with his pillow intending to sleep on the floor. His dragon took over, and he ended up sleeping in dragon form outside her door. The damn dragon was madly in love with her already. The sound of her heartbeat and breathing was the only thing to calm his dragon half to sleep. The sight of a big red dragon taking up the hallway this morning gave one of the maids a fright. From the smell of her, she had been a land sprite. They were naturally skittish and afraid of bigger species.

  He and his brothers were Aurora’s mates; they all had the matting marks to prove it. But had they been her mates in previous lives too? That was one of many burning questions. Normally the one to crack jokes when things got a little too serious, he found himself unable to. What did sharing his mate with his brothers mean? He was sure that none of them had ever thought or dreamt of a five-way relationship. Let alone sex with them and one woman. Even though she was incredibly attractive and if she wanted to get intimate with them all, he was sure they all wouldn’t say no. But sex wasn’t the only thing on his brain. She had a shift coming up, and he didn’t want to see her hurt more than she had to. Shifting for the first time was a bitch.

  Their footsteps sounded in the afternoon air as they quickly scaled the fifty steps. His brothers were uncharacteristically quiet this morning too. If they were anything like him, they probably were struggling with their inner souls not being happy about being so far away from their mate.

  Karis was half-giant, and they naturally would become overly protective of their mates. Giants were crazy when their mates went into heat, which only happened once a year for giants, and they hoarded their mates to themselves. Think a rabbit except bigger on steroids fucking their other half until they could smell her pregnancy. Dragons weren’t much better. It was no secret that dragons liked to horde treasure and things of value away. When a dragon’s mate became fertile, they would take them to their secret horde and for sometimes weeks, apparently, have their way with her. Wolf shifters like Eli, were normally possessive and overly affectionate. They are looking after their mates every physical and emotional need, especially when it came time to make a family.

  If any other wolf tried to take another wolf's mate, the wolf would tear the other wolf apart. Luckily Eli hadn’t felt the need to tear them limb from limb when he found out they too were her mates. Deacon was a different kettle of fish entirely. It was rare for a Valkyrie to find his true mate. They didn’t normally live long enough to get to that point. That’s why there were so few Valkyries left today. It only stood to reason than that a male Valkyrie would be extremely protective of the rare chance to procreate and have a mate.

  He wondered if, in any past life, Aurora had gone into heat. Was having children with her possible? With the war to fight, maybe, kids were not a wise choice.

  But in that case, what did they do if she did end up fertile. There wasn’t a shifter in history that could not give in to mating instincts and resist their mates' fertile smell when she was in heat. And if she ever did become fertile and carry their child before ending the war, how could they protect her and their child? How could she fight the war while carrying their child? It has been told that a shifter once tried to resist by getting someone to cage him up. He went crazy chewing off his own foot to get free from the chains and was never the same again. Coming to the temple doors, Karis lead the way by pushing the doors wide as they entered. Walking up to the clerk at the front desk in the temple hall, Karis stated.

  "We are here to see the Vola, and please let her know the Askelson brothers are here to see her.” The clerk quickly rose from his seat behind the desk and walking, threw a hall door ran quickly down the hall to inform the Vola they were here. “No need to tell me Alfi I knew ahead of time these four young men would be here to speak to me.” Stated a voice down the hall. Coming into sight, the Vola in long robes adorned with stars, carrying a staff s
he held with gloved hands as she walked into the room. She had her face hidden in a hood, red long hair and white eyes and a very pale complexion. Some said she was blind, but in Teagan’s opinion, she saw more as a Vola then she would have with her eyes.

  The Vola’s first name was Mimir, although it was more respectful to call her a Vola. Some legends say that Mimir the Vola was the one that Odin made a deal with. As the legend goes, Odin wanted great wisdom and knew to attain that wisdom, and he would have to drink from Mimir’s infinite well. So, Odin gave up one eye for the chance to drink from her well. Mimir is the remembered and see-er; she always guided the gods on how-to live-in accordance with their ancestral tradition and wisdom. Some legends say that in becoming who she is now, she gave up her physical sight to gain great inner sight. “Come, come, let’s go where we can find you your answers." Said the Vola as she gestured for the men to follow.

  They walked in her wake towards a door down the hall. Teagan and his brothers walked into a round ceremonial room. It had three levels of ground and sat like a circle that stepped down into another circle that had a smaller raised circle in the middle. Furs and pillows lay invitingly in the sunk in the area of the ground. She motioned for them to have a seat, so they bowed respectively before taking a seat around the alter circle. On the main level above the sunk in seating, a fire roared in a hearth, and two drummers sat on furs, at the ready. The Vola took a seat on the alter circle in the center of the room. Sitting upon the furs in the raised area, she sat cross-legged then pulled her hood back, revealing her face. A tattoo circle inside another circle with little lines sticking out of the outer circle sat at the center of her forehead. A thick line crossed the expanse of her cheeks and up over the bridge of her nose. Two lines adorned her chin, from lip to neck.