Atticus & The Blade King

by M K Drake

  Atticus looks around the room, the faces of his friends and family stay silent, but the sense of loss is fading. Now they stand fast, and hope starts to show through.

  “I’m going to do this. I’m going to go and have words with Hel. Who is with me?”

  Khan, without hesitation steps forward. “I will go with you!”

  One by one, they all stand next to Khan, look towards Atticus, and nod.

  The Majjai Journals:

  I understand Atticus’s motivation. We will stand by him, and we will prevail I am sure. But he should not underestimate Hel. She is formidable, and she is also the daughter of a Trickster. She would have learned much from Loki.

  I sense something else is going on. It’s almost as if things have been planned this way, there are too many coincidences. We need to be wary.

  Something else has been troubling me. Mjolnir... this hammer does not sit well with me. It is beginning to feel heavy at my side. The partnership is a façade, maybe Loki is right. I am not worthy of it, it was never built for me, it was built for Thor.

  I sometimes wonder if I am better without it, it is a burden that is starting to haunt me. Especially after spending much of my Majjai life trying to find it, this hammer. It now feels more like a curse.

  Ju Long says I shouldn’t let Loki’s words affect me, but my own self-doubt about it, even without the Trickster’s comments, existed before. This hammer just does not feel a part of me.

  Am I honoured to wield it? Of course! But it is clearly not mine, and being its custodian is perhaps a responsibility that was not meant to be mine, despite what these so-called prophecies said.

  There is much to think about, I’ve spent so much time on this quest, with this hammer, I’ve forgotten how to be... me.

  I am not like the others, they have each other, but my passions lie elsewhere. This voice in my head keeps whispering to me, to take that step, to be who I am... but this is a complication I cannot deal with right this moment.

  Right now, we need to deal with Loki, we need to save Mage Callan, and we shall do so together. With the hammer, or without it.

  Olof Gilmar

  Chapter 18

  The Helheim Assault

  Atticus stands proud, it is the first time in a while that the whole of the Majjai Six have stood together, preparing for a quest. He knows that this one cannot be taken lightly, but still, he knows he must do this. A battle against one of the Old Gods is needed if Mage Callan is to be rescued. He is fully aware how powerful Hel is. He knows that underestimating her would be a fool’s folly. At least, if his words fail, there is a better chance with the Six reunited, even if Khan is still not at full strength.

  Atticus looks to his friend, preparing himself while still avoiding any awkward eye contact with Safaya. Atticus can still sense the tension there, hoping it will not prove to be a distraction in the coming encounter.

  Professor Morgan comes and takes a seat next to him. Atticus fidgets awkwardly, not knowing if his teacher is still annoyed with his previous intrusion. It seems the Professor has added some increased warding to prevent even his emotions being felt by Atticus.

  “It’s okay,” Professor Morgan assures Atticus as sincerely as he can. “I understand why you did it. Why you felt you needed to do it.” He takes a moment to shift his portly belly to maintain balance on the small wooden chair. “The truth is, your powers frighten me. Not you. I know you mean well, but our concerns have risen due to certain discoveries.”

  Atticus doesn’t know how to take these latest revelations, and speaks his thoughts. “What discoveries? I should know so I can dispel your fears, shouldn’t I? Elric barely talks to me anymore. What have you told him?”

  “What he needed to hear, and what you are not ready to hear just yet.”

  Atticus frowns, wondering why he is still being kept in the dark. “But, what gives you the right? If you know something about me, I should know, I have the right to know.”

  The Professor shuffles again, but this time Atticus does not know if it is out of discomfort from his seating position or the words.

  “Atticus, I am still learning. I am still reading. I do not want to tell you suspected truths that later prove to be false.” Professor Morgan closes his eyes and sighs deeply. “Look, when you return…, now you can read these things, too, how about you help me with the translations? That way, we’ll get through them a damn sight quicker—plus you will learn everything I do. I will settle things with Elric.”

  Atticus nods his head in agreement. “I would like that very much. I’ve missed our chats.”

  “So have I dear boy.” Professor Morgan is about to mention something else, but becomes distracted by a heavy metallic thudding sound, resembling heavy footsteps.

  Atticus and the Majjai stand to prepare themselves for a potential intrusion as the footsteps get closer and closer. Atticus clenches his fists and begins to charge up a fireball, his hands begin to glow blue as his Mark of the Majjai also begins to tingle. He closes his eyes for a moment, trying to sense the threat, and then smiles, charging down the fireball energy. “It’s okay, it’s…”

  “General Crawford at your service, fellow soldiers!” The General lumbers into the chamber through the doorway, wearing a slightly more tooled-up version of the exo-suits worn by the Knights of Valhalla. He looks towards Pali, gesturing her to come forward. “Your work on the upgrades has been exemplary! Only niggle, I can’t reach the damn power cycle button.”

  Pali sniggers. “Sorry General, the waist measurements you provided were, uhm, a little less than the actual.” She walks over and taps some buttons on the console attached to her own bionic arm, triggering some tentacle-like metallic cables to appear and attach themselves to the arm of General Crawford’s suit. The metal plates on the exo-suit morph and switch positions, enabling the button in question to relocate to a position more accessible on the General’s side.

  General Crawford waits for Pali to detach and step back before stretching and ensuring his mobility is back to one hundred percent. “That is much better, thank you. Now, are we ready?”

  “We are,” Atticus affirms. “Now we know the location, I suggest a portal? Try to surprise her?”

  Khan smiles. “Exactly as I would have advised brother, we just need to decide who is coming, and who is staying.”

  Elric appears behind General Crawford, overhearing Khan’s last statement.

  Atticus eyes him wearily, hoping he agrees with their plan, and for any indication that all is now well between them both.

  Elric nods towards Khan. “I suggest you all go, Professor Morgan, the Knights, myself and Spitfire will remain behind to keep guard here. Just in case Loki tries to use your absence as an opportunity.”

  Atticus forlornly looks towards the ground, disheartened that there still seems to be some distance remaining between himself and Elric. He is about to turn towards Khan, when Elric takes a step towards him and places a hand on his shoulder.

  Elric looks straight into Atticus’ eyes. “Good luck Atticus, I have faith.” With that, he smiles and steps back, waves an arm and forms a portal large enough for the team to jump through.

  Atticus smiles, feeling as if a rather large weight has been lifted from his shoulders, he looks back towards the Majjai and General Crawford, and says nonchalantly. “Well, let’s go pick an argument with a Goddess of Hell shall we?!” before jumping through the portal with the others in tow.

  # # #

  Atticus pauses, looking around the chamber. The portal fizzes as it closes, with General Crawford the last to come through. He recognises it as the same room where Hel’s guardian had them trapped. The smell is the same as before, metallic, with the old stench of rotting flesh that can only be brought on by death and aged carcasses. Fires still burn from when the Minotaur tried to cook them; their embers flicker throughout the room, casting dancing shadows of Atticus and his companions on the cavern walls.

  “Hellfire takes some time to burn itself out it seems
,” Olof whispers behind Atticus. He points the way forward along the path they took before.

  Atticus leads the way. The portals ferrying the dead souls are no longer active, even the waterway is much calmer than what they encountered on their previous visit. “It’s like the dead are waiting,” Atticus says, feeling the nothingness around them, as if a void of all spiritual essence has been sucked out of existence.

  Olof forms an ice bridge across the water creating it at a point where they are still hidden from the sight of the hell gate.

  Khan creeps ahead, and signals Ju Long to use his invisibility to scout the path ahead and around the corner where the entrance to Helheim is stationed.

  Atticus uses the time to gather himself. He begins to realise ever more the gravity of their situation, but he also tries to resolve his feelings and reasons. If the Majjai Six are unable to persuade Hel, how will they ever be able to defeat Razakel and his armies of demons? They cannot fear greater beings—these beings need to be fearful of them. They are the protectors of their realm! If the Majjai Six are unable to defend against these beings of higher power, who can?

  “It’s okay Atticus.”

  Joyce’s familiar voice soothes him, he reaches out and takes her hand, the warmth of her touch is always a calming influence. He forgets sometimes how important she is to him. His heart steadies, he looks at Joyce knowing that, if nothing else, his love for her will carry him through any obstacle. He knows his resolve to protect his team, but most of all, he knows that without hesitation, without pause for thought, he would die for Joyce, he would save her from any harm, but he also knows that she trusts him.

  And then it hits him, how can he be so foolish? How can he run these risks? Isn’t rushing into this unknown battle a betrayal of that very trust? Not just of Joyce’s, but of the Majjai and General Crawford, a normal human who has joined them in this quest to protect the Earth realm?

  Joyce’s squeeze brings him back to the situation at hand. “Easy there,” he says. “I do like my hand in one piece you know.”

  Joyce winks at him. “Good, I know where your mind is going. You’re doubting again. Don’t do that.” She puts her arms around him and hugs him tightly. “We all understand the risks, but with you, we somehow know that you will see us through. You just need to trust us, as we do you.”

  The Australian twang in her accent mixed in with hints of all the places she has travelled to with her parents, is one of the unique things Atticus loves about Joyce, just one of the millions of parts of her that captivates him. Atticus smiles as he waits for Joyce to move away from her embrace. A few strands of her raven black hair hover over her left eye, and he raises a hand to softly brush them over her ear, then rests a hand on her cheek. “You know, with all of this craziness, we barely get any time together. I can’t wait for all of this to end, so we can just go out on a normal date and do normal things.”

  “What on Earth are you on about? Hunting demons, defeating gods, these are the best dates,” Joyce replies grinning.

  Atticus tries to hold in his laugh. “Heh, yeah, these can be fun. But one day, I’d like to take you to watch a movie, eh? Maybe go bowling? Dinner?”

  Joyce reaches up and covers the hand that Atticus holds to her cheek. “I’d love that too, pancake man!” She looks over Atticus’s shoulder and nods towards Ju Long who returns quietly.

  Atticus gives Joyce a quick kiss on her other cheek. “To be continued,” he whispers with a smile before turning his attention towards Ju Long.

  “Hey,” Ju Long says. “Atticus, my man, we are close, but no kissy kissy for me okay. That’s Pali’s job.”

  Pali sneers at Ju Long, and gives him a light punch on his arm. “Oi! I think you just ruled yourself out of anything for a while.”

  “Uhm, guys, mission… rescue…” Atticus says, trying to bring the focus back. “What did you see Ju Long?”

  “Well, Hel is there, reconstructing the gate. She is quite pre-occupied with that.”

  Khan looks towards Atticus. “It would be a good time to strike.”

  Atticus nods in agreement, but also remembers they have a military mind amongst them. “General Crawford, you must have been on missions where the enemy needed to be surprised. Any suggestions on the plan of attack?”

  General Crawford pushes a button on the side of his exo-skeleton helmet, revealing his face. “Well, yes. But this is beyond anything even I have ever planned—we are talking about the Goddess of Death and keeper of Helheim. However, stealth is definitely going to be key here, as well as distraction. I would advise Ju Long and myself flank her. He can go invisible, and this suit has a cloaking mechanism that should mask me from Hel’s sight. Then, we have to go on the offensive. I suggest a three-wave attack. A charge from yourself, Safaya, and Khan, which should distract her long enough for Joyce, using her super speed, and Professor Sprocking with the Sword of Al Amir bringing in a secondary attack, while Ju Long and I surprise her from behind. Pali, we will need you to scan and break up any attacks from her reinforcements if they arrive. Then we have to somehow subdue her. Olof, we will need your hammer, and as much ice as you can muster. She seems to like fire, so let’s make things uncomfortable for her with a bit of cold.”

  Khan raises an eyebrow. “Well, I certainly agree, that is a good plan. I could almost retire. But alas, I still have a Princess to protect.”

  Safaya pretends not to hear, looking away from Khan.

  Atticus can sense a conflict within her, she loves Khan, that is certain, but she still can’t quite forgive him for his secrecy. He looks towards Khan and shakes his head slowly, indicating that his friend should perhaps not push this right now.

  Khan closes his eyes momentarily and bows his head, acknowledging Atticus’s advice. “Right, we will wait for Ju Long and General Crawford to get into position. We should not linger here too long. I doubt she will have left this pathway completely without guard.”

  As they begin to walk towards the bend leading to the hell gate, Atticus feels General Crawford’s hand on his shoulder.

  “Atticus,” he says, softly enough so that the others do not hear. “That was impressive. A good leader learns to use all the knowledge at his disposal. Asking me shows insight and learning to trust your team. You have the makings, young man.”

  Atticus appreciates the General’s words, and responds with a smile. “Thank you.” He signals to Ju Long to get ready, before returning his attention to General Crawford. “Now, uhm, I think you better get this cloak thing started before Ju Long goes all by himself. He has a habit of knocking things over, especially when he isn’t trying to.”

  The General smiles, nods, and flicks his head, triggering his exo-suit to re-engage its helmet. He taps some buttons on his forearm, enabling the suit’s cloak. “Give us ninety seconds, then bring the rain.”

  Atticus waits, closing his eyes, focusing his thoughts. He grasps his sword tightly as his heart beats heavily, its rhythm and pace become faster, harder. Counting down in his head, waiting for the moment to attack to arrive. Taking a deep breath, composing his spirit, he knows he must use this fear—trust his instinct, to keep him safe.

  As his thoughts help him through this moment, Atticus begins to sense a pulse of energy flow from his Sword of Ages into his body, as if again, it is trying to tell him something, to guide him.

  “Find me!”

  The words resonate through Atticus’ mind, momentarily dizzying him. He shakes his head, then looks at Joyce. “Did you hear that?” he whispers.

  “Hear what Atticus?” she replies. “Are you okay?”

  Confused, but realising he must keep concentration fixated to the task at hand, realising he has lost count, he quickly restarts the timer in his head, waiting patiently, trying to put the voice out of his mind; ‘Deal with that later!’ he instructs himself. ‘Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two… one.’… “Okay, let’s do this, stick to the plan!”

  Atticus charges forward with Khan and Safaya beside
him. Launching himself into the air, he cries out with a concentrated anger, unsheathing his sword, and soaring ahead.

  Hel sees him, and smiles. She waves a hand, sending Atticus crashing to the floor.

  Khan tears a giant chunk of rock from the cavern wall and throws it with all his might towards the Norse goddess.

  Hel laughs out loud, as if she is enjoying the intrusion. She blasts a ball of energy from her other hand, destroying the boulder mid-air, shattering it to dust, and following up her defensive act with another blast of energy that hurtles Khan back, straight into Safaya.

  Joyce and Professor Sprocking come by to try their attack, but they are both held still, Hel has them trapped, unable to move.

  Ju Long and General Crawford reveal themselves, sending multiple fireballs and laser blasts towards their target, but to no avail.

  Hel is barely affected and traps them both easily. With another wave of her hands, she piles the Majjai she has captured and the General into a stack in front of her.

  Olof and Pali know they must intervene earlier than planned. Running forward, with Olof trying to launch an ice attack before throwing his hammer, they are blasted back by another energy wave.

  “Enough!” Hel roars out, her hair ablaze and glowing. Her eyes turn a bright white, as she forcefully throws her attackers against the cavern wall. “You dare! I should destroy you all now. Why are you here?”

  Atticus struggles, trying to break free of Hel’s invisible grasp. “Return Mage Callan to us now!”

  Hel laughs. “Ha! You are here for him? He died with honour. He belongs with me. And, truly, none of you are in a position to bargain.”

  “We will keep fighting. You knowingly sent him into an impossible battle! You will give him back!” Atticus shouts, determined to not be intimidated.

  “Oh Atticus, the only thing I will give you, is information.” Hel slides towards the Majjai Six leader, sniffing around his aura, before looking towards Professor Sprocking and the Sword of Al Amir. “You have two thirds of what you need to kill Razakel. You need the final sword. And then, only then, will you be able to pierce the heart of the Demon King.”