The Prophecy

by Amanda DeShane

  “This is amazing let us go see what else is here.” Said Aurora as she practically bubbled over with excitement.

  “Holy shit, girl! This puts our dorm to shame. If you move in here, can I come?” Asked Paisley in complete shock as she kept flipping her hair side to side as she continued looking around. Walking down the stairs, they came to the second level. There was dust everywhere, but that was to be expected; it had been years since this had been used.

  “I don’t see why not, it's humongous. Let’s check everything out first.” Said Aurora as her mouth dropped open. On the left side of the room, a full wall was computer screens and keyboards, and all sorts of technical equipment, but what caught her eye, and everyone else’s was the hologram in the middle of the command center. It looked like Aurora except without the bright blue hair. It waved and spoke.

  “Welcome, Aurora I am glad you were able to find this place. I made this hologram in our image to give you information that could help you and your mates win the war in this lifetime. You can call me number Forty-one. This is our command center; you will be able to see into different realms here, look at maps, and plan out battle strategies. This hideaway serves two purposes one to keep you safe. I had this built after I found out one of our past selves had a dorm roommate murdered when an assassin thought she was us. Secondly, you are starting to learn and come into your power, which means you have to live long enough to learn enough to give you the skills to fight against Fenrir, the giants, demons, and corrupt sects of people even within Asgard and Midgard. One of the key reasons we have died too soon and been defeated was because we were found and killed before we could harness our powers enough to use them. So, hurry and learn everything you can.

  Here you will find Bedrooms, Bathrooms, A combat area to practice, the command center here, the library, your dragon, and dragon mates hoard stash on the bottom floor, and yes, every dragon collects something. There are probably lifetimes of treasures and things down there. A kitchen fully equipped with everything humanly and Asgardian possible. Although by now, it may need a clean and to be restocked with food. There are a hot tub and pool as well on the lower floor. If you have questions as to how to work any of this equipment, I have programmed this hologram to answer them all. Welcome home, and to Asgard Academy, Aurora, let's kick some demon ass in this lifetime and win!” Said the hologram that looked almost exactly like Aurora.

  “Holy crap, that’s freakin’ awesome. Given that one of your past selves had a roommate murdered, I vote for moving in here!” Said Paisley as she grinned. Aurora, shocked, just nodded. Everyone else in complete shock looked around.

  “Let’s go see the rest than work on getting this place set to rights so we can use it. We have a war to win.” Said Aurora as she smiled at her mates and best friend. They all cheered; it looked like thanks to her past self; they finally had a leg to stand on.

  They explored the combat area across from the command station and found mats and punching bags, work out equipment, wall bars, weights, and weapons to train with along with charts on the walls that explained battle strategies and battle spells. And a few old journals the guys in the past kept, would also help us understand more. One area had a shooting practice technology.

  Deacon explained. “I have never seen these up close; they are like the highest technology. You take one of these special weapons on the wall. They have a built-in laser, and you line your gun up to shoot a target that shows up as a moving hologram. Or hit it with a weapon of choice on this wall. And it will tell you if you hit with a killing blow or not. It basically scores your fighting.”

  Moving on to the next floor, they found a kitchen and two bedrooms and a big bathroom. The bedrooms both had queen size beds and nice furniture. But the bedding would have to be replaced. The amazing thing was the fake windows that sat on the walls and mimicked the outside world and the time of day. Walking down yet another level, they found a pool and hot tub with pool deck chairs and trees and vines and flowers that somehow grew in the garden beds with a lack of light. The pool needed a clean.

  Karis pointed out. “I can clean this whole place with magic and make a list of things we need to restock it.”

  Walking down a short hallway, they walked into a massive room with a bed bigger than a king bed that hung from the ceiling. It was round like a trampoline and big enough to fit five of them with room to spare, and it hung like a swing. On one wall, a great big mirror stood.

  Eli went to inspect it and found it had a secret panel that opened to reveal a DVD area and a remote that turned the tv on, bringing the whole wall to life like a theater room. The sound system was set up around it. Two couches sat off to the side in front of a fireplace with a side table and a few stocked bookshelves. And there was a bathroom down a short hallway that also forked off to a massive walk-in closet that although dusty looked like some of the clothing from the past could probably still be salvaged. The closet alone was the size and length of six cars parked next to each other, not touching. It was mind-boggling. The bathroom held a mini pool like the palace bathroom and had a shower and two sinks. With a separate toilet area with two stalls, so if one was in use, they had another option. Completely amazed, they decided to check out the rest of this floor. So, backtracking to the pool, they took a different hallway and found two more bedrooms with massive beds and great furniture and another smaller bathroom. Seeing a hallway that led to stairs, they walked down the stairs to explore further. Their shoes taped on the stone stairs as they descended. After one flight of stairs, the walls stopped, and railings started the overlooked piles of gold, jewels, bookshelves of books, armor, swords, and thousands of piles of things that might come in useful. They all stared with their mouths hanging open. Eli recovered before everyone else and reaching out for Aurora and Deacons mouths manually shut them while he said.

  “Keep them mouths hanging open, and you might catch some flies. Your dragon selves were busy in past lives. How long has this place even been here?"

  Aurora couldn’t help but wonder how her past self-had set this up in the short time she had here in Asgard. She had not survived past a year and a half. That was a really short amount of time to pull all this off.

  “Well, I say we should clean this place up and make it our home away from home.” Said Paisley once again.

  “I totally agree. But let’s be smart about this we need new stuff in hear we have to keep our dorm room looking lived in. Anything really important we bring in here, okay, we can get new clothing, so bring a few favorite things. I’m sure Karis can magically get us anything else any of us might need. Are you cool with that, Karis?” Asked Aurora.

  “Yeah it’s not a problem if I can see a photo of what anyone wants, I can conjure it.” Said Karis.

  But let’s keep that room looking lived in.” Said Aurora as she grinned with excitement. We have to keep up pretenses too. With going in and out through that door to the hall occasionally so no one will think anything different about our schedule.

  It didn’t take long for Karis to walk through every room and magically dust and clean it while Aurora sat open-mouthed in awe. “That right, there is the best thing I have seen yet! Imagine what you would make in Midgard if you could patent that sucker in some device like seriously people would pay millions never to have to dust and clean!” She babbled to Paisley, who stood there laughing.

  “I guess we here in Asgard are used to seeing witches and warlocks work their magic its kind of become normal for us.” Said Paisley. Aurora laughed and ran a hand through her long blue hair.

  “Okay, I am starting to feel useless, so what can we do to help?” Asked Aurora.

  “Why don’t you and Paisley sit and make a list of furniture and things in general that we need. And I will do some magical shopping latter. And when I say anything you want, I mean it.” Said Karis. Aurora just looked at him oddly. “What’s wrong?” Asked Karis.

  “When you say magical shopping, you don’t mean like stealing from the human realm, do you? Or
how does this work?” Asked Aurora as Karis laughed.

  “No, I look it up online, and then I conjure it. So, go crazy and find things that will make this place a cozy retreat.” Explained Karis. Aurora’s mouth dropped open that wasn’t the explanation she thought she would be getting.

  “Okay, then how do you get the human realm internet. “Asked Aurora a bit dumbfounded. “We can pick up their internet signal via a device we have. My laptop is in the command center feel free to take it to the library where you and Paisley can check out online stuff and save photos to a file folder on the desktop.” Said Karis as he continued magically cleaning each room. Paisley took Aurora's arm and pulled her away.

  “The man has given us a full no limit shopping job lets go take advantage of it. After all, he did say to get whatever we want.” Said Paisley in a hurry to leave as fast as possible in case Karis came to his wits and decided to withdraw his offer.

  Finding the needed some personal space, Aurora walked up the spiral stone stairs to the library above. Coming to the first of many floors to ceiling bookcases, she trailed her fingers across the spines as she looked at each title. Stopping, she came to a note hanging from one section that read -READ ME! Curious Aurora scanned the books finding over forty journals! Plus, the ones her recent past self had given her. Completely flabbergasted that her past selves had written so many journals in so short a time as they must have had here. Seeing they are numbered; she picks up number one. Walking towards the couches that sit in front of the fireplace where a fire now crackled and burned invitingly. She curled up on the comfy couch, pulling a blue throw blanket with Viking knot designs over her lap as she got comfy and opened the journal.

  Dear Future Self,

  Fenrir has a family and children; yes, you read that correctly as in wolf pups. He has had children over the last few centuries while we have not been afforded that luxury. So not only does he have children, he has hordes of demons and giants that do his bidding. Over the last few centuries, he has taken anyone of substantial power and killed them then entrapped their souls in the land of fire. The realm where Hel used to rule and place souls of people who had done horrid evil things. It no longer is just a dimension for the evil. Many of our Angels, Elementals, Dragons, Demigods and other beings have been slaughtered and put there to suffer for all eternity. I can’t help but think of the war we could wage if someone was able to set them free. But apparently a person even a Goddess can’t go into the Hel realm if they don’t have demon fire or the gift of a living flame.

  Dear Future Self,

  I have compiled a list of the witches and coven leaders that can be trusted. They have undergone a spell of truth and are deemed safe. I have also compiled a list of each species of demigods who can be trusted and who have undergone the same spell of truth. Our wolf pack is safe, and our coven is safe. Still, be wary, but check the list before seeking anyone out for help. It is hidden behind our favorite book. And yes, as crazy as it may sound from what I have read via the journals of Aurora’s before me. We all have likes and dislikes the same. Each of us has some new character traits, thought, or skills.

  Dear Future Self,

  We got word today that Fenrir has sent many of our past selves loved ones bound or chained into medusa’s care. And we all know what happens when anyone looks at medusa. You guessed it; they turn to stone. It should be possible to make mirror glasses to wear to reflect her power back at herself. And in turn, stone herself. At least that is the theory I am working on.

  Aurora sat stunned. She had demon fire, so theoretically, if it were possible to rescue every one of value to their cause from the Hel realm and medusa’s grasp, they would stand a bigger chance of winning this fight. They would have to have somewhere safe to house them. But like her past self said to make them undergo a truth spell test, then they could stay in the hideaway if they could expand it and make it larger to accommodate more people. Standing up fast, she dropped the journal and rushed down the stairs to the command center. “Hey, everyone! Meeting now!” Yelled Aurora. Everyone came into the command area, wondering what the heck was going on.

  “Karis, is it possible to make this safehouse bigger and deeper into the ground? Essentially making around fifty more rooms with bathrooms and small kitchens.”

  Karis raised his eyebrows. “Why would you want to do that this place is gigantic already.”

  “I learned some things in the journals. In order, they are as follows.

  1. Fenrir has killed and taken the soul of any person of substantial power for eons and placed their souls in the Hel realm to suffer forever. Now only a Goddess who possesses the living flame can bring a soul back to life. And only someone with demon fire can go into the Hel realm and get anyone out. I am estimating that there might be thousands of people to help us fight this war if I can find a way to get them out.

  2. He has given our past selves family members over to Medusa to stone. They, too, will need a safe place to stay if I am able to rescue them. Apparently, there is some way to un stone them, but my past self, at least in the journal I was reading, didn’t know-how.

  3. The command center has a magical program that tracks Fenrir’s magic he used to forge his mark on the wrists of people who join his cause. This magical essence in the mark can be magically tracked, and my past self-had someone makes a program that tracks Fenrir, who is apparently no longer bounded by his chains, and has a large family now, his giants, his demons, and any other person that wears his mark. So, is it possible to enlarge this place and make every person who comes into it take a spell truth test or magically silence them from talking about this place and any of our plans to fight Fenrir? Plus, any other precautions?”

  Everyone stood starring wide-eyed at her, almost not believing their ears.

  “Okay, so what you are telling us is there could be in theory fifty or hundreds of powerful angels, elementals, dragons and other races that Fenrir has killed off that you could bring back to life who would have a very good reason to want the war to end and Fenrir dead? Plus, possible past family members of ours too?” Asked Deacon as if he couldn’t believe his ears.

  “And we have a program here already set up to track Fenrir and anyone else he has marked?” Asked Eli in shock.

  “Essentially, yes, that is exactly what I am saying. And although I am not ready yet as in, I don’t have the skill sets yet to do battle. We do have or should be able to find the resources to start expanding this place any which way if it is possible. While I learn and train.” Said Aurora as she stood with hands-on-hips looking at them expectantly.

  “If you were able to bring a soul or souls back from the land of fire. Then maybe you could bring back my teacher who died protecting your whereabouts, the scroll, and me as a boy as I hid in a grate in the floor of a temple.” Said Eli solemnly. Aurora shocked, walked to him, and hugged him.

  “I will do what I can to get him out, but I can’t promise anything. I don’t know how things are going to pan out.” Said Aurora.

  Everyone looked at Karis. “Yes, via magic, it is possible, but it will take a lot of energy, and I may have to ask some witches or warlocks to help. And I don’t know who to trust and who not to.” Said Karis. Aurora smiled from ear to ear.

  “My past self made a list of trustworthy witches and other species that have already been sworn in via a truth spell. I have the list somewhere in the library, does anyone want to help me look in the library for my favorite book?” Asked Aurora. Suddenly everyone smiled and started laughing. Paisley walked over to Aurora and hugged her.

  “Girly you are amazing you just stumbled on something that if we could pull it off, it would give us a far better chance at ending this war! We would stand a fighting chance!” Said Paisley.

  “Okay, who is coming to help me look through the library for a book about Shakespeare?” Asked Aurora. Everyone rushed up the stairs to the library, eager to help find this book that had the list behind it. Climbing the ladders and looking from top to bottom, they looked fo
r hours. Taking books off the shelves. Finding every Shakespeare book, they shook the book and looked in it and behind it.

  “How many Shakespeare books did your past self-have like holy crap! You, my girl, have a collector problem.” Said Paisley as she pretended to fall over and faint. It took hours longer to find the actual location, which was up towards the far-left ceiling, literally the last shelf. Up as high as it could possibly get. It took them until the early morning to find it. It was a bound journal book accept this one contained all the names of anyone that was sworn to secrecy and deemed safe to seek help and assistance from.

  “I’m skipping classes today. I can’t keep my eyes open.” Said Aurora as everyone agreed that sleep was the better option.

  The next day they had gone after Aurora was done school to each coven of witches and warlocks swearing in different witches and warlocks who agreed to have their minds erased and to wear a blindfold upon entering the hideaway. Then after helping them expand the hideaway and make some improvements, they would need to be blindfolded and portalled to two different places before their home address. It was complicated and a crazy plan.

  “We should teleport them in. That way, they don’t know where the normal entrance is. And we should update our wards on this place with their help while we have it. Then have a plan drawn out, so they know what we are wanting.” Said Aurora to everyone sitting around the dinner table. “That sounds like a wise idea. Based on the layout of these floors, we should be able to easily make 16 two-bedroom small units with a shower and small kitchen unit.” Said Teagan in between mouth fulls.