"Dude it is not cool to creep up on someone," Alex hissed between his teeth.
He was feeling really edgy for some reason and was starting to think he shouldn't have bothered. Especially when he looked over at Becca, Matt and Sasha who were struggling not to laugh.
"Grow up all of you," he growled marching over to the gate. He put one foot on the first strut and leaped nimbly over.
"Ooh touchy. Come on give us a hand. Some of us need to brush up on our ninja skills as you so kindly pointed out," said Sasha grinning.
Alex helped the others over the gate and peered into the gloom.
"Where is everyone else? I thought you said there were others coming from our class?" Alex asked Sasha.
"They bottled it, they didn't want to get caught out on a school night," said Sasha.
"So what's the plan then?" asked Alex.
"Let's get closer to the henge and check out some hiding places. They will be here soon, we don't want them seeing us," Sasha whispered loudly.
They fell into single file and crept along the path, looking behind them when they heard the slightest noise.
"Christ this is such a Scooby moment," Matt chuckled and poked Alex in the back. "I'm Fred, Sasha's the gorgeous Daphne, Pete's Shaggy..."
"Dude if you say Becca's Velma I'll break your legs," Alex cut in.
"No she's like Daphne's sister, you're Velma!" laughed Matt. Alex grabbed Matt in a headlock.
"Hey I could have said you were the dog," Matt laughed pushing himself out of the headlock.
"Guys, keep it down," hissed Becca. "We’re there."
"So where's the henge? There's just one stone over there?" asked Alex puzzled.
"There are smaller stones surrounding the central one, they’re hidden in the grass," Becca replied looking around cautiously.
"Geez was this built by dwarves or something?" Alex looked very unimpressed and moved forward to take a closer look.
"Ouch," he cried hopping on one foot.
"Shush," the others all hissed at the same time looking around the clearing.
"Hey I just stubbed my toe on a stone," he moaned.
"Man up dude, come on let's find somewhere to hide. Pete have you got the beer?" Matt asked.
"Sure do, shall we split up? You and Daph can take that tree over there," Pete said reaching into his bag and tossing a bottle of beer over to Matt.
"Cheers mate, are you going to open that? It's going to explode," Matt asked holding the beer gingerly.
"Nah, pleasure is all yours. I'll bunker down over there with Scooby and Daph two," said Pete as he reached into his rucksack for another beer.
"No let's stick together," said Sasha moving swiftly to Alex's side and holding onto his arm.
"Alex, you could have picked me up," she pouted prettily tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder.
"Well you should have called me like Becca did," Alex muttered irritably shaking Sasha's arm off and striding over towards the dark bushes on the far side of the clearing. The others jogged after him and crouched down behind a thick bush.
"Matt move over, I can't see anything," moaned Sasha elbowing him in the arm.
"Alright keep your hair on," he grumbled, shifting over slightly and peering around the edge of the bush.
"If we get caught, this is going to be so embarrassing. What should we say?" whispered Becca.
Pete grinned, "That's easy, we're checking out the night wild life. Studying the nocturnal habits of the.."
"Shush!" hissed Alex "Someone's coming."
They hunkered down and tried to peek through the dense leaves without making any sound.
"Over there," Alex whispered pointing towards the gate. He could see the light from several torches flickering between the trees and bushes.
"Nine," he whispered quietly.
"What?" asked Sasha.
"Keep it down, there are only nine of them. I thought there would be more," Alex replied parting the leaves of the bush to get a clearer view.
The light of the moon cast long shadows on the grass as the nine people gathered into a close group on the edge of the stone circle. They began pulling items out of rucksacks and carrier bags and they whispered quietly to each other. Each movement was precise and organised, it was obvious to all watching that they had been here before. A tall broad shouldered man swung a heavy looking fur cloak over his shoulders and stood to one side of the group, cocking his head to one side as though he was listening for something or someone. The group stopped their preparations and glanced over at him expectedly.
"Friends it is time," he called out, raising his hands to the sky. "Take your places, midnight is nearly upon us."
Sasha stifled a giggle and Matt put his hand over her mouth glaring at her in warning.
She pulled his hand away and whispered, "It's Mr Ericson, you know, the head of the history department."
The nine people had donned cloaks too, they pulled up their hoods and stood before a ring of burning candles which one of them had placed at the base of each of the outer stones. Mr Ericson stood in front of the big carved monolith in the centre of the ring and placed his hands on either side of the stone.
"Nancy, the oil," he called not taking his eyes off the stone.
Sasha snorted "OMG, look it's Miss Franklin," she whispered pointing to the woman called Nancy. "Someone video this quick I've got no charge on my phone.”
Pete grabbed his phone from his pocket and set it to record.
Nancy moved forward and rotated around the circle dipping her hand into a bowl and flicking a liquid towards the monolith. She was chanting something in a low, deep voice but Alex couldn't make out any of the words. When Nancy had completed a full circuit she returned to her place on the outer edge. Suddenly Mr Ericson roared out to the sky.
"Hail bright one of Asgard,
Favourite one, who came to ashes.
You who fled your destiny
Only to see it come true.
Help us bright one, to protect the gateway,
Help Garm and Modgud keep the souls at bay from our world
And be our torch in the darkness."
His voice reverberated across the clearing and the hair on the back of Alex's neck stood up. He shivered and ran his hand over the back of his neck.
Then there was silence.
Alex looked at Becca raising his eyebrows. "Is that it?" he whispered.
"I don't know, I was kind of expecting something a bit more," she whispered back.
The nine people stood silently with their heads bowed and hands clasped in front of them as though they were deep in prayer.
Suddenly, a massive cracking sound came from deep within the circle and the ground trembled.
"What in Odin?" cried Mr Ericson losing his balance and falling to his knees.
A white mist hissed from a crack in the ground by the central stone and snaked up the side of the monolith. It oozed into the deep carvings making the runes stand out. The carving of the snake shimmered and started to writhe around the top of the stone.
"Nancy...Nancy... the oil quick," called Mr Ericson scrambling back on his heels away from the stone.
Nancy looked frantically by her feet. "Alan, its all gone, it tipped over," she cried.
"Oh Odin help us. Everyone, quickly the prayer of Baldur again, all together. Hold hands," he shouted.
The sound of beating wings echoed from deep under the ground and a cold wind whipped around their ankles. The leaves of the trees rustled fiercely and Alex ducked his head shielding his eyes from the grit that had been blown up into the air.
The nine people held hands around the central stone and shouted out the prayer.
"Hail bright one of Asgard..." Their words were lost in the wind and their cloaks flapped wildly whipping around their legs. A sudden crack of thunder crashed overhead and a jagged fork of lightning struck the top of the central monolith.
The nine were blasted onto their backs and the smell of sulphur filled Alex's nos
trils for the second time that day. He coughed several times and staggered to his feet.
"Oh my God they're dead," he shouted running towards the circle. He tripped over a stone buried deep in the grass and he sprawled onto his hands and knees.
Alan was lying on his back. He raised his hand to his face and groaned, "What happened? Hey is everyone ok? Nancy?" Alan croaked reaching over to his right and gently shaking Nancy's shoulder. She groaned and rolled over onto her elbow.
"Alan, my eyes, I can't see anything," she whimpered.
"It was the light, just give it a moment," Alan said gently.
He could barely hear her through the persistent hum in his head. He either had tinnitus or they were about to be attacked by a swarm of bees he thought to himself as he raised himself gingerly to his feet and looked around warily.
Suddenly he winced in pain. He reached under his shirt and pulled out the amulet, which was strung, around his neck. The amulet was burning his skin. He held it away from his chest and it glowed a deep pulsing yellow.
"What the....?" he cried looking around at Nancy.
"Check your torshammere quickly," Alan shouted.
The others already had their amulets in their hands, they had all been burned and all of the amulets were glowing a bright yellow.
"Alan, what is happening...?" Nancy asked holding onto Alan's arm. He drew her protectively towards his chest.
“I don’t know,” said Alan looking worried.
Alex stood up slowly wiping mud from his hands onto his jeans.
"Who's there?" called Alan peering into the darkness towards Alex.
Alex started to move forward when suddenly the amulet in Alan's hand flew towards Alex and slammed into his chest. Alex was flung onto his back by the force, a fierce burning engulfed his chest and he struggled to breathe. His eyes flickered and he slipped into unconsciousness.
*
The mist curled around Alex's prone form and tendrils broke off and snaked towards the village as though they were searching for something....
Chapter Four
"Alex....Alex...can you hear me?" said Alan as he gently shook Alex's shoulder.
Alex groaned and rubbed his hand on his chest. He felt like he had been hit by a ton of bricks.
"What happened?" he asked groggily. "Where am I?" he looked around puzzled.
He was lying on top of a bed with crisp white sheets in a room with plain white walls. The only other furniture in the room was a chair by the side of the bed. Alan was sitting in it looking at Alex with a worried expression on his face.
"Is this a hospital?" Alex asked sitting up slowly and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He winced as he felt a muscle pull tightly in his chest.
"Agh my chest," he said looking down and rubbing his hand over a red raised lump in the middle of his chest bone.
"What's that, it stings? Hang on where has my shirt gone? What's going on around here?" he asked looking around confused.
"Alex you have been unconscious for hours, you've had us really worried. We are in York at our headquarters we...."
"York? That's like two hours away," Alex cut in.
"Yes well we couldn't have people asking questions about what happened to you. We have a great medical facility here, you have been in good hands, don't worry. It's probably best if we go join the others now if you are up to it, we have a lot to discuss. You can clean up through there," he said standing up wearily and nodding towards a door on the right.
"We found some clothes which should fit you, they are in the bathroom. When you're done come and join us, we'll be in the room at the end of the corridor," said Alan.
Alan left Alex alone and Alex opened the door, which Alan had indicated. It was a bathroom. He stripped off his dirty jeans and turned on the shower. Standing under the powerful hot stream was bliss and he sighed deeply running his hands through his hair.
When he was clean he stepped out of the shower and wiped the steam off the mirror. He took in his reflection and he thought he didn't look too bad considering he had been knocked unconscious. His eyes drifted to his chest to the red mark, which was irritating him. It was shaped like an upside down anchor and throbbed constantly.
"Weird," he muttered to himself. He grabbed the green combat trousers he found sitting on the side and pulled a dark t-shirt on over his head.
Alex left the room and made his way along the corridor to a door at the end. He opened it a crack and peered around the edge.
"Great you're ready come in, come in," said Alan coming over to the door and opening it fully. Matt, Becca and Sasha were seated on a comfy looking leather sofa and they all jumped up as soon as Alex entered.
"Oh my God, you're ok," cried Sasha crossing the room in two strides and flinging her arms around his neck.
"We thought you were in a coma or something, it's been hours," she sobbed into his neck.
"I'm fine guys, just a bit of a sore chest," he said rubbing his hand over the red mark.
"Welcome back buddy," said Matt walking over and punching him on the arm gently.
"Come on, sit down, we have a lot to discuss and I am sure you are eager for answers," said Alan sitting himself down behind the large desk in the centre of the room.
Miss Franklin, or Nancy as they now knew she was called, hovered to the right of him leafing through a large book. She looked up at Alex and smiled.
"Good to see you awake, you really had us worried there," she said closing the book and taking a seat to the side of Alan.
"Can someone please explain what is going on? The last I remember is the henge being struck by lightning," said Alex sitting on the sofa next to Becca. She smiled up at him, reached over and squeezed his hand. Alex felt his stomach dip and he smiled back squeezing her hand gently.
"This is going to be really hard to explain. I need you all to keep an open mind," said Alan.
"Hang on, I should really call my foster family, they are going to be really worried and you guys, have you been here the whole time?" Alex asked looking at his three friends.
"That's all been taken care of," cut in Nancy. "Your foster father was there at the henge, he's, er, one of us," she said looking sheepish. "He was here earlier to check in on you but he had to get back to the henge to help the others. I just called him to let him know you had come around."
"Seems like all of our parents are involved in some shape or form," said Becca. "Amazing what goes on right under your nose."
"Well perhaps if the youth of today bothered to tear themselves away from their computers and phones once in a while they might notice a bit more," said Alan testily.
"Yeah good point, we’re all ears now though so perhaps you could enlighten us," said Alex sitting forward on the sofa.
"Ok, let's start at the henge. What you guys saw was a ritual that we and our ancestors before us have performed every year for generations and generations. It goes right back to when the Vikings first settled in the area. It's basically a ceremony held each summer solstice where we ask Baldur, son of Odin to help the guardians of Helheim, to contain the dead. Baldur lives down in the underworld and he keeps Hel, his niece in check. Do you know anything about the Norse gods? You must have seen the Avengers films surely?" he asked looking around.
"Too right, Thor is soooo hot, I love that scene where he takes his top off, he is totally ripped," said Sasha bouncing up and down on her seat.
"Oh yes," agreed Becca her eyes shining "Tom Hiddleston as Loki is pretty hot too," she added.
"Can you please stop lusting over a bunch of overpaid actors and let me hear the rest," said Alex frustrated.
He glared at Becca and released her hand. Becca shrugged apologetically.
"Great well at least you know of some of the gods. They are not fictional by the way, they are very much in the here and now though quite a distance away. Anyway as I was saying, Baldur helps keep order in Helheim. It's not his job, he does it to wind up his niece," said Alan.
"Sorry you’ve lost
me, Thor and Loki are real? Are you serious? And Helheim is what exactly?" asked Alex looking thoroughly confused.
"I'm very serious. Helheim is the world where spirits of people who die of old age, disease or not in battle live. You are probably more familiar with Valhalla, where the spirits of those who die in battle live, where they feast with warriors they have fought in their lives and recount their great battles. Helheim is the opposite, a miserable land where spirits roam trying to find their way back to the living. Hel is the Goddess who rules this land but she's not terribly reliable. You see she really doesn't want to be there and thinks it's all a bit unfair."
"So she's like Hades?" asked Becca.
"You could look at it like that I suppose.....though....never mind, it's all a bit complicated," said Alan pushing his glasses further up his nose and running his hand through his sparse grey hair. Anyway as I was saying, she thinks she has a bit of a raw deal. You see there was a prophecy that her and her siblings would cause great mischief for the gods. She's the daughter of Loki and Angrboda and they had other children, Angrboda gave birth to the wolf Fenrir and a serpent they named Jormungand."
"She gave birth to a wolf and a snake, that's so gross, what is Ang whatever her name is?" asked Matt horrified.
"Angrboda is a giantess. Gods and giants do not make a good combination and their children basically turn out to be monsters. Their daughter Hel is a girl and she looks relatively normal from her waist upwards. You would think she was a human at a quick glance. She's always miserable though and rarely smiles," said Alan.
"Like my older sister then?" asked Matt laughing. Alan ignored him and continued.
"The bottom half of her body is a different story, her skin is green and black and her flesh looks like it is rotting off her. She is certainly not the type of girl you would want to take back home to meet your parents," said Alan chuckling at his attempt at a joke. He glanced at Alex who was looking like he didn't believe a word he was saying.
"Anyway," Alan continued, "the other gods knew that there would be trouble and they asked the Norns to confirm it. They did and so Odin got a hit squad together and sent them to Jotunheim where the children lived with their mother. They stole the children and brought them back to Odin. He dealt with the serpent first and he threw him into the sea thinking to drown him. He didn't drown though, he just got bigger and bigger as he ate more and more fish. He is so big now he could wrap himself around the Earth."
The Cursed Sword (The Nine Worlds Trilogy Book 1) Page 3
