by M K Drake
He is my fool, and he has so much heart. If Hel hurts him in any way, she will pay for it, for sure!
He runs into these situations and sometimes, it makes me angry, but only because I do not want his trusting nature to be used. He will turn his back with those he would deem as a friend, only for them to be an enemy, ready to stab him right at the moment he trusts them.
I’ve learned a lot during the transfer to Wysardian Manor, and Ju Long has been amazing. Away from the others, he is so different. He is caring, he is tender. There is so much good in him, it is no wonder he was the demon that was given a soul. But he deserves so much more. He will give his life for anyone, to protect and to save the innocent. Sometimes I feel I’m the one that needs to step in and protect him.
I think I need him to be a bit more streetwise, for his own sake. This team, this quest, we need him... I need him – and I think I’ve only just realised how much.
Anyway, in between all of these missions, I’ve managed to design some really amazing new tech for General Crawford and the Knights. Colin and Pavel are hilarious. Those two really do like each other. I almost think they are flirting with all of their bickering!
This tech could be really useful if the war is not contained. And if the scale of the invasion is as big as I think it will be, these new bits will be key. The Majjai are too few to win this on their own.
Pali Kaur
Chapter 6
The Jester
“Will you please just hold still?” Ju Long argues with the Minotaur, while trying to administer some potion to the wounds that Hel has given him.
“Hurts!” snorts the beast, edging away from the Majjai at every chance.
“Look, I’ve got better things to do. But here I am, spending my time with you, when I’d rather be chilling with my girl. Now hold still!” Ju Long floats upwards, reaching the tip of the broken horn, and adds some more of the potion before binding it carefully, moving in reaction to the pain-induced twitches from the Greek creature.
The Minotaur grumbles a last time before finally relenting and allowing Ju Long to administer the treatment. “I must guard! It is, my duty.”
“You need some rest buddy. Your horn will re-grow now that I’ve applied whatever this is. Hel can look after the gate for a little while, she is no pushover.”
The Minotaur stands and paces around the chamber, his massive footsteps sending powerful low frequency echoes around it, he turns slowly towards Ju Long who is now standing on the ground below him, and tips his head. “Thank you. Majjai. Kind.”
“Well, you’re not so bad yourself when you’re not trying to eat my friends.”
The Minotaur stamps a hoof heavily down into the floor. “They hurt. This!” he shouts, pointing to his injury. “Bad Majjai not friend. You, dragon Majjai. You are my friend.”
“Why do you stay here?” Ju Long asks, sensing the longing to be free within the Minotaur. “I mean, you’re big and strong enough to just say no right?”
“These Gods much hate. They see me as toy, as thing. I do not belong outside. They tell me outside is hate more. I do not belong with them, I do not belong anywhere. I fight. I protect. Purpose of me.”
“I used to be the same.”
The Minotaur lifts Ju Long and places him on his shoulder. “I know. You legend. Dragon of Majjai. Hel tells story, of Dragon who defied Draconus. You, trust.”
“Well, thank you. Do you have a name other than ‘the Minotaur’?” Ju Long deepens his voice to emphasise the creature’s name.
“No.”
“Okay, in that case, I’m going to call you Monty. Now, we should try to rest a little before…” Ju Long stops abruptly as he senses Monty stand alert.
The beast sniffs the air several times, he looks directly towards his healer with concern in his eyes. “Her father. The Jester. Here!”
# # #
Hel observes her Hell gate, as it continuously swallows fallen souls, sucking them into Helheim. Some come screaming, some come laughing, some with sadness, some with relief, but all come knowing they have been torn from their realised existence into one that is unknown.
Hel flicks her snake like tongue into the stream of apparitions before her, tasting the lifeforce soaring into her domain. Her eyes flicker momentarily, taking in the essence of the energy surrounding her. “Delicious,” she whispers to herself. As she consumes the energies soaring by her, she begins to flicker and glow, as if being re-energised.
She already knows of the intrusion, she can sense her father lurking, trying to hide, but she cares not. Her strength has surpassed his for millennia now – while he courts magic with party tricks and pacts, she deals with death and the energy of souls. She has forced Titans to bow before her and beg for their souls to be freed; what chance a Jester to cause her harm?
“You can come out now, foolish father,” she demands softly, but sternly.
Loki skulks into a remnant of light, his dark crimson robe, hooded still, only his pale hands protruding forwards and his nose poking out of the darkness under the headpiece. “Daughter, why do you mock me so? Did I not raise you to be more respectful?”
Hel laughs. “Respectful? Raise me? You threw me to the pit, because you were too busy with your snake of a son. Tell me, do the tears wept for Baldur still burn you?”
“How dare you!” retorts Loki, visibly angered by Hel’s comment.
Hel turns swiftly and grows in size, her giantess physique on full show before she bellows in anger. “I dare! Everything you touch dies. You seek respect, and want others to fear you, but you are nothing. You have no honour, you are no father to me. Wait…” Hel looks around the chamber. “You come now when the guardian is not here, a dishonourable act in itself… but you also bring the tainted blood of Demons?”
Before Loki is able to respond, Shadow Wolf emerges from the darkness and attempts to strike a blow into the back of Hel.
The Norse Goddess anticipates the attack and moves aside, but only into the path of Scourge who tackles her legs and sends her to ground. The shockwave directs a plume of rock outwards, striking Loki and Alvarez back towards the rock face behind them.
Hel, unhurt, flicks her legs launching Scourge into the same direction as his comrades, forcing them further into the stone wall. She stands and dusts herself down. “Fools! I command the gates of Helheim, you dare attack me in my home!”
Loki chuckles as he raises a hand indicating to his companions to halt. “Sorry, daughter. This was merely a test, I wanted to ensure you were still, shall we say, resourceful in your defences without your guardian.”
Hel, not convinced of her father’s answer, merely nods, continuing her suspicion of his true visit. “The book is no longer here, the Majjai have it. So what is your real purpose now?”
“Actually, I need an answer. Well, no…” Loki spins and takes down his hood, allowing his long ponytailed hair to spiral to his side, his pale face tries to enact an expression of kindness, but fails miserably as he scrunches a vague, forced smile. “I need confirmation. The tri-sword of power, when unified, and wielded by the Chosen…, is there a sword that can match it, or beat it?”
Hel shudders, trying not to realise the answer to the question that she knows. “You suspect the impossible. The sword you seek…, pursuit of it is too dangerous.”
Loki sniggers and snarls, rasping towards his followers who sit behind him; rabid for the blood of a Norse deity, they feed off the energy that Loki gives them, as his outpouring of glee flows all over him. “I knew it! A sword born from the stone of creation can be matched by the sword born from the fire of destruction!”
“You fool!” Hel shouts. “You would trigger the destruction of us all by awakening Surtur for his sword! His kind sleeps for a reason. You would not have the power to wield it, unless…”
Loki opens his mouth to a maniacal laugh, bouncing off the walls with its vigour. “Ha! Now you realise!”
Hel stands affirm and readies herself. “Traitor!” She clenches her f
ist as she flicks her forearm forward, snapping into life a giant sword of light, crackling with energy. “Leave this place, while you still can!”
Loki sneers, taking a single step back from his daughter. “Oh my dear girl. You always were a disappointment.” He claps his hands together fast and hard, causing a pressure wave to shoot forward towards Hel.
The blast distracts her, as she attempts to thrust her sword of light forward. The attack misses, allowing Loki and the demons to surround the chamber.
“Now!” Shouts Loki.
Scourge and Alvarez run towards the Hell gate and attempt to lift its seal.
“No!” Hel darts back towards the gate and strikes a blow at the demonic pair, forcing them away. “Stay away from them. They are mine! They are my souls!”
As her focus is on Alvarez and Scourge, Loki takes his chance and sends another strike towards Hel, sending her crashing through the seal.
Hel clambers and clasps to the edge. “You will never have them!” She looks to her left and sees the Minotaur storm in with Ju Long clinging to his back. “Get out!” she screams to them. “Keep him safe! Loki must not get him!”
Ju Long jumps down and changes into his Dragon form swiftly, sending a massive jet of flame towards Loki and the demons. He flicks his tail forward, felling them. Turning towards the Minotaur he nods towards Hel, indicating for him to save her.
“I said no!” screams Hel as she lets go of the ledge. “Get him away! Now! Or the Accord will be broken!” She falls down into the pit while sending blast upon blast of energy to the walls, sealing herself in and keeping the pit safe.
Ju Long reverts back to his human form and looks towards Monty. “Do you know another way out? We won’t win this fight alone.”
Monty nods and grabs Ju Long, throwing him onto his back before storming out of the chamber and escaping.
It doesn’t take long for the dust to settle, as Loki pats himself down. Scourge, Shadow Wolf and Alvarez join him at his side as they look down into the debris filled pit blocking the access to Helheim.
“Farewell daughter, enjoy your time with your pets,” Loki snarls before turning towards his demons. “I guess we will have to find you an army another way.”
Chapter 7
The Secret of The Bhandari Clan
“Welcome Atticus! Welcome Pali!” Mage Avipaul’s voice resonates deeply around the lush green jungle foliage. “Your teleportation accuracy has improved greatly. It is impressive that you were able to navigate through our own cloak.”
Atticus smiles and moves forward to shake the hand of the Bhandari Clan leader. “It’s good to see you. How are things here?”
Mage Avipaul leads them towards the Great Tree, the home of the clan. “They are well, dear boy. How is my old friend, Elric?”
Atticus senses Pali glance at him, knowing that Joyce may very well have shared his concerns with her; he still proceeds with caution. “He’s fine. A bit quieter now-a-days. Ever since the Orb of Time was destroyed, he has been aging faster.”
“I may be able to help with that. Daljeet!” Mage Avipaul calls out to another member of the clan who stands guard at the entrance of the Bhandari’s home. “That concoction I have been working on using the sap of the Great Tree, please, bring a vial of it to me.”
Daljeet nods and holds the door ajar allowing the others to enter before she briskly heads down to retrieve the requested item.
Atticus is briefly reminded of their last visit, when the humidity of the jungle behind them suddenly changes to the cooler air beneath the roots of the Great Tree. He follows Mage Avipaul down the steps which carry the trio deeper underground. “We have questions about something else, too, if you do not mind?”
Mage Avipaul nods, inviting the query.
“Remember the story you told us?” Pali asks quickly. “About the Blade King?”
“I do.”
“Can you tell us more? Is it true? Did he really exist?”
Mage Avipaul pauses abruptly, looking almost perturbed that Pali would think his stories to be fiction. “Of course he existed; he may still exist,” he says coyly, teasing the two younger Majjai in retaliation for their implied doubting of his truth. He then continues to lead them downwards to the main chamber.
As they reach the room, Atticus darts his gaze about, then takes a seat after being beckoned to do so by the elder Majjai they have come to see. This was where they learned about Ju Long and his past. As Pali takes the seat next to him, he makes himself comfortable in anticipation of perhaps another secret being revealed to them. “We need to find him, can you help?”
Mage Avipaul takes his own seat; his is much larger than the others, more regal. Still made of wood, as the other furnishings in the sparse, but vast room, lit only by torches powered by Majjai flames flickering against the stone, imbuing a comforting hue. “I can, but first, you need to understand who it is you are searching for.” He leans back into the rear support of his throne like chair, placing the palms of his hands onto his seat’s arms. He takes a deep breath before allowing the air to escape his lungs.
“Kazmagus was the first, of course. The first Majjai. He achieved a balance, an understanding that enabled him to tap into the source of our powers. An energy born from creation itself. But, he became lonely. He wanted to share this gift, and therefore found two brothers, Al Amir and Alfatun, the Blade King.”
Atticus, curious to know more of the origins of this trio, probes deeper. “Brothers? You mean they were family?”
Mage Avipaul chuckles. “Ha, no Atticus. They were brothers in battle. Brothers with a bond of blood, but shared through the slice and the shake of a hand,” he says while enacting the motion of a blade slicing his palm and thrusting it forward as a handshake. “They were inseparable for a while, until their ambitions took them into different directions. Kazmagus sought to make himself stronger, more powerful. Alfatun found peace with ironmongers and swordsmen; so much so that he became known as the first Majjai Swordmaster. His ability to forge weapons of great power enabled him to conquer lands; such was his reputation that he was soon able to do so without even shedding a drop of blood. He protected humanity from demonic invasion many times and earned the respect of his followers. And then one day he just walked away with but one slave, who he released after discovering the Staff of Mages.”
“Staff of Mages? What is that?” asks Pali
“I’m not completely sure,” replies Mage Avipaul. “but what I do know is that Alfatun went through a great deal to keep it hidden. Rumour has it that the Staff gives the bearer the vision of everything – all of time at once, in its ever changing state. Some say it is a doorway to multiple universes and realms. Its core is purportedly created from the original hearthstone of creation, a rock that contained the blast that created the universe we now stand in. But that is as much as I know of it.”
“But,” interjects Atticus. “how do you know so much already? We’ve not come across anything like this information before.”
“I’m sure Elric has his reasons for not telling you Atticus. He is well aware of the existence of the Staff.”
Atticus looks at Pali who returns a cursory glance, he senses her warning that he should not pry any further, for fear of dissuading Mage Avipaul from continuing. He settles back and waits for the elder Majjai to continue.
“Anyway, I digress. The third brother, Al Amir… not much is known of this one. His backstory is clouded with a darkness that even I cannot see through. If you find the Blade King, you may be able to ask him.”
“And how can we find him?” Atticus is growing a little impatient, his mind darting to and fro. His thoughts fly briefly to Ju Long. The worry on his face conveys itself to Mage Avipaul. Before he can connect the dots, Atticus again asks, “And how do you know so much?”
Mage Avipaul rises from his seat and paces around the room. His heavy footsteps echo through the chamber as he walks purposefully, thinking. A few moments pass before he speaks again. “What I am about to tell yo
u cannot leave our inner circle, there are still those that do not understand.”
Atticus glances at Pali and they both nod with agreement towards the elder Majjai. Both curious as to what could encourage a secret of such proportion.
The Bhandari Clan leader sighs, placing a hand on the wall, then he closes his eyes, takes a deep breath as he composes himself. “The Bhandari Clan have a unique kinship with nature, it is why we are able to work so well with our Rhinors.”
Atticus remembers these magnificent creatures from their help in the battle against the Horseman and Death, giant rhinoceros-like animals that the Bhandari clan rode into the fight. He makes a mental note to remind himself to ensure he asks to ride one someday, if they ever make it through this war. And with that dark realisation, remembering that despite the wonder this world has brought him, the darkness still overshadows it, he shakes his head to clear his mind again as Mage Avipaul continues.
“There is reasoning behind it. A darkness behind it… We didn’t always exist as you see here. You see, Majjai, specifically, those who do not bear a mark such as the Six… we need totems. But sometimes, the matching – the calling when a Majjai is bonded with their totem – doesn’t go to plan.”
Pali interjects quickly, her voice filled with concern. “You speak of the Dark Majjai?”
“I see your studies do sometimes get absorbed into your minds. Yes, Pali, I mean the Dark Majjai. Although I’ve never really liked that moniker, it paints such a sombre picture. The Dark Majjai are not evil, their actions do not portray their true feelings. When a bonding does not go according to plan, a Majjai’s compass of morality becomes warped. They are clouded, they do not see right or wrong, they just see what they need to protect themselves, and act on those impulses. They lack their right mind to give them guidance.”
“And there is no cure for this, from what I remember,” says Pali. “All the Dark Majjai are contained far from here, on an island protected with powerful magic. Some say an entity of sorts protects the island.”
