by Edward Eck
Cyrus exchanged a confused look with Meagan before returning his attention to his sister.
“Are you coming?” asked Amber as she walked past him.
“How?” replied Cyrus in even more confusion as he pointed at Odin.
“Clairvoyance, remember? I could see him going there in the near future, just to look around and try to remember the past. It was actually kind of sad.”
Within minutes they had reached the vault. Here too, the vault doors like the main doors to the spire were ripped from their hinges. The vault had been looted over the centuries, but a few things still remained. Mjolnir, the great stone hammer of Thor, lay on the floor in the middle of the room with its handle up in the air as if pleading for someone to take it, an overhead light shining down upon it. Around the perimeter of the room were many empty chests and broken weapons. This was obviously the site of a battle, but few things remained.
As the girls began digging through the remnants of the chests, Cyrus approached Mjolnir. He knew the power of the mighty hammer. However, no one but Thor could lift it and he was long since dead. Still, he remained transfixed on the weapon.
After a few minutes, Meagan called out, “I found it. The Bifrost spell to Nidavellir.”
As Meagan and Amber ran for the exit, his sister grabbed Cyrus by the arm to encourage his departure and he reluctantly followed. Before leaving the room, Cyrus stopped. It was his one chance to gain the power of Thor. He had to at least try.
Going back to the center of the room, he gripped the leather wrapped handle of the legendary hammer. He lifted with all his might, but no luck. He couldn’t even budge it. Probably the most prized weapon in all of Norse mythology was sitting out in plain view and not a person alive could lift it.
18 The Wendigo
After tracking the Wendigo for almost an hour, Sheelin caught the hint of a noise off to their left. There was a waterfall nearby that masked some of the sound, but she was still able to discern a slight noise of movement. She quickly signaled the other two to get down and be quiet. Taryn ducked behind a tree and prepared for an attack in the direction Sheelin was watching. Radimir dove behind some bushes and started shape-shifting into a grizzly bear, but remained still, waiting for the creature to approach.
Seconds later a figure stepped into view, but still in the shadows. Taryn stepped from behind the tree with a fireball in each hand. Radimir launched himself up toward the figure and growled a fearsome growl. The figure was startled yet not badly enough to be paralyzed by the shock of a bear attack. It raised a shotgun toward the grizzly, but paused when Sheelin ran out, putting herself between the figure and the bear.
“Wait!” she called.
Both the grizzly and figure stood motionless. Taryn raised a hand with one of the fireballs to cast a little more light. The figure was Wallace, a Rogue Hunter member who’d come along on the hunt. Within seconds, Qaletaqa and Alex ran forward into the light as well. Upon seeing each other, everyone relaxed their postures. Radimir returned to the brush and shrank back down to human size.
“What have you found?” asked Qaletaqa, visibly relieved.
“The creature ambushed a hunting party about a mile back,” replied Sheelin. “Two appear to have escaped, but the third was dragged off by the creature. Based on the amount of blood in the snow, he’s probably dead.”
“Let’s hope so,” replied Qaletaqa.
“Excuse me,” interrupted Taryn. “You hope he’s dead? If he’s alive, there may still be a chance to save him.”
Qaletaqa shook his head. “Once bitten by the Wendigo, the curse is spread to the victim. He will soon desire the flesh of another human. Once he kills, he will become a Wendigo as well. It’s better he die than become one of those creatures.”
“Is there no way to lift the curse?”
“There is,” replied Sheelin giving her father an angry stare. “If we can kill the original Wendigo before the victim consumes human flesh, the curse will be lifted. If not, we have another Wendigo to deal with.”
“So far we haven’t had any luck with that,” said Qaletaqa matching his daughter’s stare. “It’s better he die now than us having to hunt him down later.”
“With the six of us here,” interrupted Alex, “now might be a good time to take a break and relax a bit before heading off again.”
Tensions remained high while they sat down to eat a bite. Everyone had packed provisions and now took places around the small clearing, facing outward so they could watch for trouble while they ate. Qaletaqa and Sheelin sat together to talk.
Taryn looked across the meager encampment to find Alex. He glanced at Qaletaqa before crossing the campsite and sitting down next to her. “Hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” replied Taryn. “How’s the hunt going?”
“It seems like you’ve had more luck than us. We haven’t seen any traces of the creature so far. Not that I’m really anxious to come face to face with something that can turn me into a Wendigo with a bite.”
“Another piece of info that Qaletaqa hadn’t shared.”
“So tell me about this Amber that I apparently like,” requested Alex.
Taryn smiled. She was happy to see that Alex was at least interested in the events of the past week even if he didn’t remember it. She realized all she could really tell him was what she had been told herself. She had only known him for a day or so, but before his disappearance, Amber couldn’t stop talking about him. She relayed as much information as she could about Amber and their relationship, including the fact they tried the mind link even though it didn’t work.
“Max, err Alex…” Taryn hesitated. “Sorry, I still think of you as Max.”
“I understand.”
“There’s one more thing I think you should know. I believe Qaletaqa already suspected there’s another important fact I was holding back about you. We have reason to believe your real name is not Alex nor Max.” She paused a moment. “We think your real identity is Chronos, the Greek god of time and one of the three immortals. Which would make you one of the three most powerful sorcerers in the world.”
Alex sat wide eyed, not saying a word.
She continued to relay the events of the past week and the battles in Hades and Babylon. When she got to the part where Max was an elemental water sorcerer, he sat up a little straighter and cocked his head.
“I never tried using elemental powers before.”
Reaching out his hand toward some snow, Taryn watched as he stared at it for a brief moment. Within seconds a large patch had melted into a puddle. Then with a quick snap of his hand, the puddle grew into an ice stalagmite shooting up out of the ground. Releasing his grip and relaxing his hand, the ice returned to a puddle of water.
“Cool,” said Alex as he smiled at Taryn.
“Actually it is getting cool again.” After shivering a bit, she continued, “Fire elemental sorceresses don’t like the cold very much.”
“I have an idea. Try casting Magna me-low torum.”
“What does it do?”
Alex paused before replying. “I’m not sure. I just thought it might help you. I have no idea why.”
Taryn looked at Alex cautiously and then decided to try the spell to see what it did. She trusted that Alex, like Max, wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. “Magna me-low torum.” Within seconds, Taryn felt warmer, as if the air around her were suddenly heated. She smiled at Alex just before she noticed Qaletaqa’s approach. “I think our time it up.”
“Alex, it’s time we get going. Oh and Taryn, when were you planning on telling us that you were a fire elemental?”
“You never asked.” She wasn’t sure if he had figured it out when the two groups encountered one another or if Sheelin had informed him during their chat. For now, she decided to give Sheelin the benefit of the doubt.
No sooner did Alex stand up to join Qaletaqa than they heard a loud howl coming from somewhere nearby. Everybody immediately rose to their feet, ready for an attack. It was
close. They could hear twigs snapping in the forest around them, but they couldn’t see the creature. Six of them gathered together must have looked like a feast for a creature who could never sate its hunger.
From out of nowhere, a ghostly white figure lunged at the group. It was incredibly quick and agile for such a large beast. White skin wrapped around bone and lean muscle. A blast of wind kicked up snow, obscuring Taryn’s vision as the creature ripped through their temporary camp. Huge claws slashed across Radimir’s chest sending him sprawling to the ground. Alex was launched through the air landing on Qaletaqa. Sheelin was thrown from the circle into the trees surrounding camp. Wallace was thrown from the clearing, landing head first on a large rock just outside of camp.
Taryn turned toward the movement just in time to feel a searing pain in her left shoulder. No sooner did the pain start than she realized the creature had bitten into her shoulder and was now dragging her from the clearing. The pain was so intense she passed out within seconds.
Moments later she regained consciousness only to find she was being dragged by one leg through the snow. She could still feel the pain in her shoulder. Her coat was stained with blood and she knew it was her own. Looking up she could see the large white skeletal figure of the Wendigo dragging her.
As difficult as it was to focus through the pain, she launched a fireball at the creature who dropped her leg and scampered quickly away. Stopping a good twenty feet from her, it turned and growled, bearing its fanged teeth in an angry snarl, preparing to attack. Taryn scrambled to her feet, her legs wobbly and uncertain, but she needed to defend herself.
Launching another fireball at the Wendigo, it easily dodged the throw. She could tell it sensed her weakness, but kept its distance. It would wait her out; her loss of blood would soon do her in and then it would have her. She needed to escape. She remembered the sound of a waterfall nearby at the clearing and listened for it now. It was close. If she could make it to the waterfall, maybe she could lose the beast.
She started walking away as best she could with uncertain steps. The creature kept her in sight, but far enough to avoid her fireballs. Once it realized where she was headed, it made a move to cut her off, but a quick fireball changed its mind. Taryn quickened her pace. As she reached a cliff overlooking the waterfall, the creature made one last attempt at rushing her only to be deterred by one last fireball. She jumped into the churning water below.
Fire and water don’t mix, which was the reason she had never learned to swim. The pain in her lungs was not due to fire, she knew, but rather because of the icy cold water as she gulped for air. Grasping hand over hand, she attempted a doggy paddle to reach the safety of land. As she latched on to the nearest rock in the middle of the river, she looked back. It was only a thirty-foot drop, but the Wendigo did not follow. Whether because of the icy cold water or the churning rapids, Taryn didn’t know and didn’t care. It was no longer following her.
The temperature of the water began to seep into her bones. The warming spell Alex had taught her had worn off when she lost consciousness. She needed to make it to land and cast the spell again or she would freeze to death. Struggling as she did to reach a low hanging tree limb, she pulled herself ashore. The cold helped numb the pain in her shoulder, but now she worried about frostbite. Clearing her head as best she could, she cast the warmth spell. The sudden rush of heat helped ease her pain, but she knew she was still in trouble. The Wendigo was out there… she was separated from the group and if it was up to Qaletaqa, he would just kill her now. She had been bitten, and soon she would start to crave human flesh. Then she would become a Wendigo. She knew she needed to find help quickly. She could only hope Alex, Radimir or Sheelin found her first.
19 Taryn’s Escape
After recovering from the swift Wendigo attack, Alex realized Wallace was still unconscious—bleeding from a head wound, but alive. Sheelin cast a few healing spells and the bleeding stopped. A few minutes later, Wallace regained consciousness, though still a little lightheaded.
Alex was more concerned about Taryn at this point. Sheelin examined the blood trail leading away from the camp. They all knew Taryn had been bitten, but the trail was minimal… meaning she was probably still alive.
“We need to find Taryn before the creature kills her,” Alex said, hurriedly packing his things.
“No,” replied Qaletaqa. “If she’s not dead yet, then the sooner the creature finishes her the better.”
“What?” Alex blustered. “Look, I know you two have a difference of opinion over me, but we can’t just let her die.”
“If she lives, she will become another Wendigo. She’s been bitten. It’s only a matter of time.”
“What if it were me, Father?” asked Sheelin, moving to Alex’s side. Radimir fell in behind as well.
“The window of opportunity is small,” replied Qaletaqa. “With her powers, she’ll be able to kill easily. I can’t risk letting her live. It may end up costing us more lives.”
“There is a spell to help her resist the curse,” said Sheelin. “Isn’t there?”
“It has been lost through time,” answered Qaletaqa, his temper obviously growing.
Alex could see he was not accustomed to people arguing with his decisions. Alex lowered his gaze for a few seconds as he pondered the idea of a spell to resist the hunger of the Wendigo. “I think I might know it. At least, I think I knew it at one time.”
“We can’t take that risk,” said Qaletaqa.
“I can.” Alex was determined to help Taryn even if that meant defying Qaletaqa. He couldn’t remember Taryn in particular, but he did remember being part of the Circle. This much he was sure. He knew he had to at least try. He couldn’t stand by and just let someone die.
“I’m sorry, Father,” said Sheelin, “but I’m going with Alex to find Taryn. It’s the right thing to do. I’m tired of sitting on the sidelines while others fight the battle between good and evil. Taryn offered me a place in the Circle and I intend to accept. Once we find her.”
“I go too,” said Radimir with his thick Russian accent as he puffed up his chest like his decision was very important.
Qaletaqa sighed and stood staring at the determined trio. “I wish you all good luck. I don’t want to see another person die because of the Wendigo, but if I find her first, I must kill her.”
“Then let’s hope we find her before you do,” replied Alex.
Qaletaqa quickly packed up his things and helped Wallace to his feet. He was not moving fast and needed further medical attention, but he was able to walk. After some quick farewells, Qaletaqa and Wallace headed back to their original base camp.
Sheelin started following Taryn’s blood trail with Alex and Radimir close behind. The trail was spotty, but the path from Taryn’s limp body being dragged through the snow was better defined. Unfortunately, it had begun to snow again. The continued lack of blood meant there was a good chance Taryn might still be alive.
After almost a mile, they spotted what looked like a large patch of matted snow. Sheelin moved closer to make sense of the patterns, while Alex and Radimir continued scouting the surrounding area. After finding a few scorch marks on nearby trees, Alex was even more hopeful Taryn still lived.
“There’s two sets of prints,” said Sheelin. “Taryn went off to the southwest and the Wendigo headed due west. We need to find them both. But which one do we follow?”
“We follow Taryn,” replied Alex. “If we can cast the spell to help her resist the hunger, then we can buy ourselves more time to track down the beast and kill it. Also, we need to protect her from Qaletaqa and the other hunters.”
“Taryn,” said Radimir.
It took little convincing as Sheelin nodded and started following Taryn’s tracks.
Alex knew her father and the other hunters could track as well if not better than her. It was important they reached Taryn first.
Traveling southwest from their position, Alex could hear the sounds of rushing water getting closer.
Sheelin noticed the Wendigo had also followed Taryn which did not improve their spirits.
Once they arrived at the cliff overlooking the waterfall, Sheelin continued to search the area. “It looks like Taryn must have jumped into the waterfall below. On the positive side, the Wendigo did not follow. It paced here for a while before heading off to the northwest. If she survived the jump, she might still be alive. Unfortunately this makes tracking her more difficult. We have no idea where she came ashore downstream or on which side of the river. Since the Wendigo didn’t follow, she probably came ashore on the opposite side.”
“I don’t know about you two,” said Alex, “but I don’t see a way across.”
“Jump,” replied Radimir.
Sheelin stretched her neck to look over the side. “That water is going to be freezing cold. We could get hypothermia.”
“Well,” smiled Alex, “if we make it to the other side, I know a warming spell we can use to keep us from freezing. I taught it to Taryn right before the Wendigo attacked, which means she knows it too. I just hope she remembers to use it.”
Alex inched toward the edge as he peered over the side. “Taryn seemed to think I was a water elemental sorcerer. Let’s see if she was right.” He reached his hand over the side and a column of water rose from the maelstrom below. He stepped onto the waterspout and steadied himself.
Radimir transformed into a hawk and flew to the opposite side of the river below. After gathering his clothes in her pack, Sheelin took an uneasy step toward the cliff edge. Alex reached out a hand to help her onto the spout.
As the geyser lowered to the river below, Alex noticed movement on the opposite shore. Unsure of what he saw, his concentration faltered. The column collapsed and they plunged into the icy water below. Surfacing, they gradually made their way to the other shore and Alex cast the warmth spell. After drying off a bit, they resumed their search, but without any idea where to start. It would be many hours before sunrise and tracking Taryn was going to be difficult.
