by Katrina Cope
The mistress pushes backward and lifts into the air, retreating from the position with her hands held high. “Stop, Valkyries!” Eyes glower down at me. “I deem this an unfair fight. I refuse to fight in these circumstances. You may retreat.”
Each of the winged Valkyries imitates Mistress Sigrun and pushes backward, flying away from the dragons. That is, except for the ones Elan tossed, as they still lie unconscious, a couple of them with broken wings.
The four dragons snarl victoriously as they watch the Valkyries retreat. Mistress Sigrun’s face sours as she hovers in the air not far from us.
I stare at her, not feeling intimidated yet wondering what she's going to do next.
Suddenly, something flies through the air and hits her in the back. Her face drops, and her body flings forward like a rag doll, somersaulting toward the dragon.
“Elan!” I cry out. “Do something!” I can tell Mistress Sigrun is in trouble, and I know that my small frame is helpless to stop her fall. Despite my annoyance with Mistress Sigrun, I don’t want her harmed.
Without questioning me, Elan dives forward, spreading her wings, and she lines one of them up directly in front of where the mistress will fall. She breaks the hard landing with the inside of her wing, cushioning the fall like a soft net. Elan topples backward as the mistress’s body hits, and she cradles her softly. Eir gasps as Elan narrowly misses her. I search the area, looking for what might have caused the mistress to fall like that. I scan the mountains behind the mistress, where I had seen the images before, and where I thought I'd seen the dark elf. Surely he wouldn't want to harm Mistress Sigrun, but I can never be sure.
Chapter Seven
As I scan the mountaintops in the distance, I think I see something dart behind a boulder. I fix my attention on that area, looking for any sign of movement, when something catches my eye from the other mountain.
I can't make out the image in the distance. The Valkyries run toward Elan, and their eyes dart up apprehensively, searching for their mistress.
Elan stretches her wing, showing off the mistress lying within its membrane. The red dragon tucks her head in front of the Valkyries, blocking their way, and releases a long snarl from the pit of her throat. The Valkyries stop in their tracks and stare at Ness’s daughter, their eyes wide as they retreat a few paces. The red dragon huffs out a large plume of steam, causing the Valkyries to back up quicker, their eyes never leaving her except for the occasional flick to Mistress Sigrun to make sure she's okay. Elan slowly tilts her wing downward, letting the mistress slide softly to the ground, her wings flopping lifelessly around her and partially covering her. The Valkyries' faces are full of confusion, and they glare at me as though I have attacked her.
“You! You did this!” Rota accuses me. Her arm shakes as she points her sword at me, her knuckles turning white from her firm grasp of the hilt.
I laugh with disbelief. “You're kidding, right?” I shake my head. “You of all people should know that my magic doesn't pull. She was flung as though hit from behind. It was because of me that Elan caught her. Now, why would I do that if I caused her this damage?”
Rota’s eyes flick from side to side, as though looking for reassurance from Prima and Mist, but they look just as confused.
Another movement catches my eye on top of the mountain, and I gaze up. A figure stands next to a large boulder. The figure’s arms move as though it is conjuring something. I point at it, warning the winged Valkyries that something is behind them. The Valkyries flinch as though I’m about to strike them, and my words are fraught with disbelief. It takes a moment to pull myself together. I attempt to turn their attention from me to the figure on the mountain. I am about to speak when I see something fly our way. Instinctively, I raise a barrier to stop whatever it is flying toward me.
Hildr, Eir, and their dragons remain within the protective barrier, and Ness’s daughter joins them. I push the barrier farther until it protects all the Valkyries standing behind me. My recent practice with the Gilroma in the cave is proving useful—other than stopping a mountain from toppling on me. I marvel at the barrier as it blocks the magic, bouncing its potency away from my fellow students and the dragons. Whatever magic the strike held, it was rolling off the sides of my barrier into the ground around the base of its protection, not far from the outskirts of the winged Valkyries. They jump and flinch as the ground explodes into dust at the base of the barrier from the impact. After observing the hole in the ground behind them, they stare accusingly at me as though I had caused this instead of defending both them and my friends from damage. They raise their weapons and look as though they're about to attack us.
I stare at them in disbelief. “That wasn't me.”
Rota stares at me, and she calls out, “Then why did the magic come from your direction?”
“It didn't come from my direction. It bounced off my protection barrier. The magic came from behind you. There is something on the mountains.” I wave my other hand directly at the mountains. Their resolve wavers as a look of thoughtfulness crosses their faces. This quickly turns into action as another hit of magic comes our way. I raise a barrier just in time, and it explodes behind them, spraying the winged Valkyries with the dirt from the closer attack. “See. I told you it wasn't me.”
Rota’s face blanches, and she spins around and stares at the mountain. Suddenly, I'm faced with a sea of white as each winged Valkyrie imitates her and faces the mountain, and their wings face our direction.
One of the winged Valkyries flops to the ground, creating a small gap between those in the standoff. Through the gap, I see a figure not far from us at ground level. He looks like a dark elf that I once saw pictured in a book in the library. His long dark hair is pulled back into a ponytail, unlike Gilroma’s. His ears point out and up from the side of his head, and his frame is tall and thin. He is dressed in armor, a sword clinging to his side. Although I see only the lone figure, he approaches slowly with surefooted confidence.
The sea of white wings in front of me back up slowly and part as they go around me to retreat behind the dragons and myself. I watch in disbelief. These are supposed to be our fearless warriors.
Realizing that the dragons and I are at the forefront of the battle, I refocus my attention on the distance, and several of these similarly dressed elves are approaching, each tall and with a different color of hair. They form one unbroken line, and I estimate that there are fifty marching forward. Their swords are clanging against their metal armor in a synchronized march.
We need a strong leader to combat these elves successfully. I gaze down at unconscious Mistress Sigrun, and it is clear we will not have a competent leader. Searching around me, I try to judge who would be the best leader out of these winged Valkyries. They have seen several more battles than Hildr, Eir, or I have. My eyes land on one of the senior students—a winged Valkyrie in her final year. She must've sensed the responsibility had fallen on her shoulders, and her hesitant eyes glance at the unconscious mistress. Her face contorts before being ironed expressionless, and seconds later, she steps forward as though taking the lead. Although she is trying to hide it, I can see her attempt to pull herself together while observing the fifty elves in front of us. She lifts her arm high, holding up her spear, and bellows, “Get ready! We will defend Asgard!” She shakes her spear in the air a few times.
Several of the winged Valkyries join her, standing in a line just past me and outside the line my barrier had reached before. After several Valkyries join the line, they raise their spears and swords and call in unison, “We are ready!” They shake their weapons threateningly. The fighting call of the Valkyries pierces the air with a loud trill, and I flinch, fighting the urge to cover my ears. I look up just in time to see something fly through the air and hit the new Valkyrie leader squarely in the chest, flinging her backward and slamming her onto the flank of Drogon. Her body slides down his side and falls unconscious to the ground. Drogon’s brown eyes widen in shock as he peers down at her still form.
Chapter Eight
With a look of destruction plastered on his face, the elf and his comrades approach. He pauses with his legs a shoulder width apart, his eyes never leaving us. “Stand aside, Valkyries,” he calls across the distance. “I have come for Odin and his palace. Stand aside, and you shall reign in Asgard with us.”
It takes me a minute to realize our group is blocking his way to the palace. It lies in a valley not far from the academy. But then I think, he has some nerve. Does he really expect the Valkyries to stand aside? Protecting Asgard and building a strong army from Midgard’s warriors is everything that Valkyries live for. If any of them step aside, then they will be de-winged and disgraced because they have betrayed their realm and their one job in life.
The dark elf’s chin lifts slightly higher than normal, and arrogance radiates from him. I keep my peripheral vision peeled on the white wings of the Valkyries lined up slightly in front of me. I'm determined to watch and see if any of them move. At the same time, I mentally prepare myself for a fight, hoping that Elan is doing the same.
A flicker of white flashes in the corner of my left eye. I turn, ignoring the clamminess on my face as I wonder whether a Valkyrie is about to stand aside. But as I stare at her, I realize it is just a flicker of annoyance manifesting in her white wings. Her feet don’t move an inch.
The dark elf moves suddenly, flicking an arm at the next leader of the Valkyries, his magic colliding with her and knocking her backward. She crashes against the flank of the red dragon. Ness’s daughter snarls at the Valkyrie then backs away before she turns toward the dark elf and growls at him. I am sure the snarl at the Valkyrie was purely because of how this Valkyrie had treated her not long before. She nudges the Valkyrie away with her front feet, clearing her path to the elf. The Valkyrie flops around lifelessly, her wings falling in all directions.
A strange twitching travels along the line of winged Valkyries. It looks as though they are nervous and the twitching is a manifestation of their uncertainty about how to deal with magic. The academy Valkyries haven’t had to defend themselves against this.
The next senior Valkyrie calls out, “Why don’t you fight us like real warriors and not hide behind your magic?”
One side of the dark elf’s mouth lifts in a sneer. “But then what fun would that be? We wouldn't have a guarantee of winning. You want to challenge us to the brute force of a fight?” He seems to feign feeling insecure and upset. “Oh no, perhaps we might fall to your mighty swords. You might actually defeat us.” He pulls out his sword. “Unlikely! But I'm willing to let you think you have a chance.” He raises his sword in the air and cries, “Charge!”
A deafening cry echoes across the plain as they charge forward, swords held in their hands and armor clanking as it collides with other armor between their running legs.
The winged Valkyries release a higher-pitched cry as they run forward. The three Valkyries hit by magic remain unconscious on the ground near us. I watch the charging Valkyries, then I turn to Eir, Hildr, and the dragons. “We need to help them. There must be at least another twenty of them. The odds are not in our favor. As much as I don't like the winged Valkyries, we can't let Asgard fall.”
We'll help, Elan says. Won't we? She glances at the other dragons, and they slowly nod. My mother told me that there was a time that the dark elves ruled the dragons. This was a very dark time for the dragons. There wasn’t an alliance agreement. As much as the winged Valkyries mistreat their captors, there is an alliance, and we can mostly live in peace. Hopefully, Mother is working on a better agreement.
The red dragon snarls.
Thank you, Tanda. Elan doesn’t hide her excitement. Your cooperation is appreciated. Drogon?
Drogon echoes his agreement. When Elan looks at Naga, he lifts his head high then tiptoes on the spot from one foot to the other. It almost looks like a dance. He throws his head forward and growls, exposing his teeth.
“Oh, you’re so cute, Naga!” Eir chuckles, and Naga glances appreciatively at her, giving her a toothy smile that looks cheeky, unlike Elan's aggressive grin.
Then let’s stop them! Tanda snarls, turning the mood serious again.
Let's go! Elan turns invisible, and the ground rumbles around me before rocks scatter backward followed by a big gush of wind. I am sure she has pushed off into the air. The sound of wings flapping confirms my assumptions.
“Be careful, Elan,” I call to the empty sky.
You, too, Kara.
I turn to Hildr and Eir, and the determination on Hildr’s face matches her spiky red hair. Her green eyes are set, and her hand twitches over her sword hilt. “Finally! We finally get to fight alongside the winged Valkyries against a common enemy.” Giving in to her itch, she reaches for her sword and yanks it out, the metal sliding against metal, and she charges forward, lining up with the other Valkyries. “We finally get to do something noble,” she calls over her shoulder.
Eir watches Hildr. Her face shows concern. “I wish there were a peaceful solution, but I can't find one.”
“Then join us, Eir,” I say.
We stare at the dragons flying above, and when a cry catches my attention, I gaze across the field. Dark elves are flung to the side, their faces confused as an invisible force captures their body.
“Are you coming?” I ask Eir.
She nods, and we run forward until we're in line with the winged Valkyries. Hildr’s fingers fiddle with her sword hilt as she eyes the dark elves in the distance. With my sword in hand, I weave through the Valkyries toward her side, and Eir is entering the line on her other side.
Elves attack us in one formation, their swords raised high. An elf charges at me, swinging his sword directly at my throat, and I block it with my sword. Clanging metal sounds throughout the air, hurting my eardrums. He pulls his sword back and strikes again. I twist, narrowly missing it as I swing my sword to the opposite side. He manages to retreat just in time to block my strike, and his sword clashes with the edge of mine. A chip of metal springs to the side. My stomach sinks as I glance at my sword and spot a slight chip in the blade. The Elven sword must be made of much stronger metal. This is not good. I wonder how many other Valkyries have already faced the same problem.
He attacks with his sword aiming straight for my torso. I pull in my stomach and jump back, blocking it with my sword. When I realize I’m in the clear, I glance over to another Valkyrie on the side, and I take a look at their sword. It is also dented all the way up its length. At this rate, I don’t think it will be long before some of the Valkyries’ swords break. There are so many more of them than us, and their swords are stronger, not to mention that they also have magic. We are only students of the Valkyrie Academy. We aren’t full-fledged Valkyries like the many mature ones who go off to battle. When the winged Valkyries from the academy go to battle, they are more like rookies going for their first day—always overseen by a senior Valkyrie. And our senior Valkyrie, Mistress Sigrun, lies unconscious in a crumpled heap several yards behind us.
I hear the slight whistling of the wind as a sword swings toward me again. I dart in the opposite direction while swinging my sword and blocking the blow. My ear screams as the metal clangs. I'm suddenly overcome with a strange sensation. Something is buzzing in the air. That something reminds me of what I felt earlier yet couldn’t place. I wonder if it was these elves that I could sense before. Besides Gilroma, who is encouraging my magic and training me, I have not met another dark elf and did not know that I could sense them.
The strange buzzing grows stronger. I don't know whether any of the other Valkyries can sense it or if only I sense it because of the magic within me. Something must be amiss, because the sensation suddenly surges.
The sword swings at me again, aiming for my throat, and I manage to block it, costing my sword another chip. While holding the block, for a split second, I let my eyes travel, looking for what may be causing the sensation, and my eyes land on the chief dark elf. His hand is weaving and darting a
round, as though conjuring up something like the elf on the mountaintop not long before. His hand weaves some more, and I sense the magic building. He twirls it a few more times and pulls it back then aims straight for Hildr.
I hear the whistling sound of the dark elf’s sword in front of me, swinging for me again. I move my sword quickly, spinning, and block its blow. I lift my hand, then I dive toward Hildr, forcing out my palm and shooting my magic out and around Hildr to try to block the blow. I'm not sure if this will work, but I've got to try.
Chapter Nine
The blow lands against my magic. I can feel it, and a small jolt of excitement mixed with relief runs through my veins. My barrier managed to block the blow against Hildr just in time. A bright light sparks off the blow, and Hildr blinks. Her face expresses disbelief as she stares precisely where the bright lights flashed only inches away from her. When the recognition hits, her eyes widen, and she turns her head until her uncertain eyes land on me. When she spots my outreached palm, her face relaxes. “Thank you!” she quickly mutters before she embraces her sword with both hands and slices it through the barrier, cutting the torso of the dark elf in front of her.
He lurches forward, his hand grasping the injured spot, and it is only seconds later that his body lurches farther forward as he's pulled up into the air by an invisible force and thrown to the side.
Drogon lands next to Hildr, his eyes agitated and vicious. As he stares toward the dark elves, he thumps his tail on the ground. He stares into Hildr’s eyes for a moment, and I can only imagine the private conversation they are having. He leans in sideways, as though making sure Hildr avoids his many horns, and she presses toward him, embracing his nose as he nuzzles her. She casts me a glance then climbs up his side and onto his back, hanging onto his horns and scales. Drogon takes to the sky, rising to a decent height after a few wing beats. He then nosedives toward a few dark elves while Hildr hooks her legs around his neck and grasps her sword. At the last second, Drogon twists, and Hildr drags her sword along several dark elves, a cry of victory following her as she slices four of them along their backs. They cry out, and their knees buckle while they drop their swords on the ground beside them.
