by M. H. Bonham
Watching the Valkyries fight the Watchers was shocking. Say what you will about the fairer sex being weaker, they can be ruthless and scary in battle. Personally I believe men made up those stories about women being weaker because they didn’t want to fight them in battle and lose miserably. It takes more than strength to win a fight, and even if you are physically stronger, if your opponent is faster and more skilled, they’re going to kick your ass. That’s why I never would pick a fight with Elryn. I’d lose. Big time.
Sigrún and another Valkyrie slammed their swords into a Watcher and hacked on him even after he fell. The Sigrún whirled around and decapitated another Watcher as he bore down on her. His blood sprayed across her face, but she didn’t seem to notice as she flew upward, golden wings against the sky and plummeted downward to impale her next foe.
The Greek and Celtic monsters fled or disappeared, depending on their magic. Most of them were bright enough to realize they were outclassed, but the Oni stuck it out and continued to pound on the Tiny House’s defenses. I called up some magic from a grimoire Eir gave me when we left to find the Elfshot. Spreading my fingers, I summoned what I liked to call “Force Lightning” and slammed the Oni with it. Purple-white lightning danced from my fingertips and hit the Oni square in their chests. They staggered backwards and howled in horror as the lightning left smoking holes where their hearts had been. They collapsed.
For a moment, I stared in shock. I had never used the Force Lightning on any living creature, even though I had practiced it a couple of times while recuperating at Eir’s place. The stench of burnt Oni made me gag. It smelled like a mix of burnt meat and hair combined with the reek of scorched rubber. No idea where the rubber odor came from, but there you go.
While I was feeling remorseful, the Tengu flew off upon seeing their Oni dead. There was no way they’d be able to break into the Tiny House without their demons’ muscle. In the meantime, Samyaza hesitated as he saw the Oni. He had abandoned the Uzi and was using a flaming sword like the one Azazel used. He and Sigrún had been duking it out with swords, but on seeing my display of power, he broke off and flew to the top of the Williams Carillon Tower. He saluted me once by raising his sword and nodding at me. And then, he just disappeared.
The Watchers disappeared as well, leaving bodies and gore strewn everywhere. The Valkyries suddenly leapt into the air and spun like a gigantic flock of birds. The bodies of both Valkyries and Watchers disappeared in a whirlwind of air and feathers—leaving behind the Oni and other Supe corpses strewn across the parking lot.
“They couldn’t take the others?” I stared at the mess. It’d need a hell of a cleanup party and I only had one chicken. Still, I might be able to convince her to clean up the area.
Elryn looked askance. “Well, they did get rid of the Watchers.”
“True.” I nodded as a golden eagle glided down to the Tiny House and transformed. Sigrún stood where the eagle had been, still in her bloody armor, but she had sheathed her sword. “Wow. I had no idea you could do that.”
“Summon my sister Valkyries?” Sigrún smiled. “That was fun. We don’t get to do that often.” She ran her hand through her mussed-up blonde braids. “Gaah! I hate it when my hair tangles.”
“I’m sorry you lost some Valkyries,” I said earnestly. “The Watchers are tough.”
Sigrún snorted. “Lost? Hardly.”
I glanced at Elryn who was trying to keep from laughing. “What am I missing?”
“Where do you think the dead Choosers of the Slain go?” Elryn asked.
“Uh…uh…” I stammered. “Valhalla?”
“He’s really dense, isn’t he?” Sigrún said.
“He can be.” Elryn nodded.
“I don’t get it.” I looked from one to the other.
Elryn chuckled and the Valkyrie stared. “Okay, should I use small words?” Sigrún asked.
“No need to get nasty.”
“Okay, so if Valkyries die in battle, we go to the same place we came from.” Sigrún patted my arm. “In other words, we don’t die, we just reappear back where we came from.”
“Oh. And the Watchers?”
“They probably return to the Christian hell, because we sure as shit don’t want them. Again, nothing lost.”
“I see.” I frowned. “What about all the other creatures?”
Sigrún shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably their own afterlives.”
“So, basically nobody got hurt except a bunch of lackeys who joined up to attack us.”
“That’s about right.” Sigrún stretched. “Do you have any more coffee? I need to get a shower and I’m going to need a cup.” With that, she walked past me and into the Tiny House. Elryn followed her, snickering as she did so.
I looked over the bodies of the Oni and wondered if they went to Yomi-no-kuni, the Shinto land of the dead. It seemed likely. Although they were sometimes considered a Japanese demon, most Oni were more akin to trolls. I wondered if “To Serve and Protect” needed to encompass them as well.
I felt a warm muzzle in my hand by my side as Luna gently nudged me. Come on, we need to plan where we should go.
I looked down at her expressive brass-colored eyes and bent over to kiss her nose. I just feel bad I killed the Oni.
She nodded and leaned against me while I quietly stroked her fur. Could I have saved them? I wondered. If she heard my thoughts, she didn’t answer. I rubbed her ears gently and she pressed into my hand.
You said you’d talk to me about Dad. Luna looked up at me.
Yeah, he said you’d know where he was. I ran my fingers through her thick mane.
She cocked her head. He did? Why would he think that?
I don’t know. You tell me.
Luna looked down at the ground for several moments, flicking her ears back and forth. Maybe Uncle Alaric would know.
I don’t think he told Alaric. It would keep the pack safer. He specifically said his daughter would know. Unless, he has another daughter?
No. She shook her head. I am his only child. Jimmy is my older half-brother.
I scratched my head. I knew she didn’t have fleas, but sometimes the thought of Jimmy, who occasionally got them, caused me to itch. What happened to your mom?
Luna took a deep breath. She’s in Montana. She’s the Alpha of the Garnet Wolf Pack.
I looked sharply down at her. And Fenrir is the Alpha male there?
Luna glanced up suddenly. Uh, yeah. But it’d be too obvious he went there.
Maybe, maybe not. Who knows he’s the Alpha outside of the two packs?
No one. She shook her head. If you hadn’t seen Dad in his human form, you probably wouldn’t have figured out he was Fenrir.
Who knows you’re Fenrir’s daughter? I asked.
Alaric and probably Kira. Jimmy does. The Garnet Wolf Pack. Grandpa and grandma.
Loki and Angrboda? I raised an eyebrow.
She nodded.
Let’s keep that secret right now. I don’t need for you to be another target.
Do you think the others are spies? She looked alarmed.
No, I don’t. But the fewer who know, the less likely someone makes a mistake and says something, whether inadvertent or under duress. Although I worry about Loki. He’s been known to have a big mouth.
Grandpa would never betray me. She spoke with such vehemence that I didn’t question further. Instead I kept my reservations to myself. Loki was known to betray anyone, especially under coercion. Granted, he used his trickery to make amends, but Loki, by his very nature did things that benefited Loki.
Instead I pulled out my smartphone and pulled up a map of Montana. It looked like we were going on a road trip.
~ * ~
“Where are we going again?” Elryn stared at me as I met her gaze.
“Garnet Ghost Town.” I poured a mug of coffee from the Tiny House’s coffee pot as we sat around the table. “It’s in Montana between Helena and Missoula. Sort of.”
“I assume this has to do
with Fenrir?” Nana asked as she drank what smelled like Earl Grey from her cup. She wrapped both her hands around the mug as if to warm them, although the Tiny House kept the place plenty comfortable.
“A ghost town?” Tuzren exclaimed. “I’ve never been to a town full of ghosts!” He flew up and snagged a chocolate muffin from the tray of sweets that the Tiny House had provided. He chomped into one, covering his mouth and sharp teeth with chocolate goo and crumbs. “Man! These are good!” He sprayed chocolate crumbs over me.
“Yuck! Didn’t your mom ever tell you to not talk with your mouth full?” I brushed the crumbs off in disdain.
Tuzren cocked his head. “Why would she do that?”
“The ghost town doesn’t have ghosts—it’s just a name for a town that people no longer live in.” Elryn looked annoyed at the demon. She gingerly picked at the scone that she had chosen from the tray.
“I bet there are ghosts there.” Tuzren sneered at her.
Elryn rolled her eyes.
I laughed. “There might be, but humans called abandoned towns ghost towns before they knew the actual ghosts really existed.”
“So, you expect Fenrir to be in this ghost town?” Sigrún looked skeptical. She had joined us after a shower and had donned clean clothing. From where, I had no idea. Maybe Valkyries could call up armor and clothing at will. “Why wouldn’t he be here in Colorado?”
I scratched my head. I had chosen Garnet Ghost Town from the map to get us close to the pack. I had no other good reason than my hunch that Fenrir would go where Luna’s mom was. It was a long shot, but if I didn’t find Fenrir soon, we’d be in the middle of Ragnarok. Luckily Montana was sparsely populated, comparatively speaking, and I knew by the map it was a big country. It was unlikely someone would find Fenrir without knowing where to search, even as close as we were to him.
The problem was time. I’d need to travel distances and being on foot—two and four-legged—was too slow given my time crunch. With Fenrir wounded, I suspected the venom would make him delirious enough to start Ragnarok.
“I think Colorado is too hot even for him. There are too many factions looking for him here.” I glanced at Elryn and Li’alla, who were nodding in agreement. “The Enchanted Forest isn’t safe, either. Plus, he’s wounded, which makes me suspect he’d run someplace relatively close by, but safe.”
“Why wouldn’t he just go to Canada or Alaska?” Nana asked. “Or, for that matter, Siberia or even to a different plane?”
“He’s not outside of the Lower 48,” Sigrún replied. “I did some checking with Eir this morning and they’re pretty sure he’s still in the Rockies, but that hardly narrows it down.”
I nodded. “I figured as much. Look, I know we all want to stop Ragnarok, but chaining Fenrir back in Asgard isn’t an option either.”
Sigrún frowned. “What would you suggest?”
“I have a plan to keep him safe and prevent Ragnarok. Right now, let’s just say I want to give it a try, and I’d rather keep the plan to myself.”
“What if it doesn’t work?” Nana asked.
“I think it will, but it involves finding him first.” I nodded. I turned to Sigrún. “Can you talk to Odin for me and ask him if he’ll give my idea a chance first?”
“What do I tell him?” Sigrún looked dubious.
“Tell him I have a plan to stop Ragnarok. I don’t want to share because it would put more people in danger.”
Sigrún nodded slowly. “I’ll go back to Valhalla and tell him. But he won’t be happy.”
“He doesn’t have to be happy. He just has to wait. Meet us at Garnet.”
Sigrún looked annoyed, but nodded again. She turned and for a split second, I saw a golden eagle before she disappeared.
“Why Montana?” Elryn asked. “He could be in Idaho, Nevada, Washington…damn near anywhere.”
I took a deep breath. “Let me say that my sources tell me he’s probably in Montana.”
Elryn looked from me to Luna and back again. “Did Fenrir tell you that when you met with him in your sleep?”
“In not so many words, but yes.”
“And just how are we going to get there this afternoon?” Elryn crossed her arms. “I’m not powerful enough to create a Gateway for our vehicles as well as ourselves.”
“No, but I am,” I said, with more bravado than I felt.
Elryn snorted in disbelief, but Nana nodded. “It’s a matter of focus,” she said. “You almost had the Tiny House’s levitation down. I’ll help you with the Gateway.”
“Oh great. Don’t encourage him.” Elryn headdesked herself on the table, forgetting she had a half-eaten scone in front of her. She came up sputtering with crumbs and powdered sugar all over her face. I laughed, and Tuzren and my Dark Elf cousins joined in. Luna howled in mirth. Yeah, cruel, but hilarious.
“Maybe you should finish your scone?” I raised an eyebrow, which elicited more snickers and guffaws. Elryn showed her teeth and left the table, presumably to wash up. I turned to Nana. “I really need you to make sure I get the portal stable. If you don’t mind staying here at the Tiny House, it could use your mojo.”
Nana grinned. “I was planning on it. I have a lot of preparations to make to bring our family into this world.”
I nodded, resigned. “Can you do something about the dead Oni outside?”
“I was thinking of letting your ‘chicken’ take care of them.”
“Oh, you noticed Fluffy isn’t really a chicken?” I looked askance at her.
“It’s a good guise, but I see through her glamour. How big can she get?”
I turned and looked at Fluffy. She was an unassuming bantam Ameracauna hen to the unobservant and unmagical. Her feathers were largely partridge-colored, with browns and blacks, but I noted an occasional blue feather sticking out. “I don’t know. I got her when she just hatched. She’s full-grown now, which means she probably could outsize most critters. But if you do take her outside, put her leash on her and hang onto it. It’ll be the only thing that will control her if she sees a car or something she wants to investigate. The leash is by the door and is hanging over the peg marked ‘Fluffy.’”
“Right.” Nana clucked at the hen. Fluffy strode up and offered her comb for a good scratch. Nana rubbed the comb and the bantam cooed at her.
I grinned. “She likes you.”
Nana nodded. “No surprise. I like her. Ever thought of breeding her?”
“Yeah, but I hear they can get pretty possessive of their clutch. And I wouldn’t know who would have a mate for her nearby.”
“Internet, dude.” Elryn walked back in, wiping her face and hair with a towel. “Get with the Net.”
“Yeah, I’ve looked there. Nearest stud is over in Kalispell, Montana.” I shrugged. “If the situation wasn’t so dire, I’d bring Fluffy along and make the trip up there.”
Nana stood up. “Come on, let’s get this Gateway made so you can find the wolf.”
I nodded and followed her outside. I just hoped Fenrir was still alive and no one else had found him yet.
Chapter Twenty
I hadn’t lied when I told Elryn I could create a Gateway big enough for us and the truck, but doing so was nerve-racking, nonetheless. Nana had me focus on creating a Gateway to the coordinates Google Maps supplied, and I was able to envision where we wanted to drive with the photos taken of the area. I chose Elryn, Tuzren, and Luna to come with me since Li’alla and Nana decided to stay behind. Duncan and Salazar had jobs in Idaho Springs, and while they’d probably come with me if I asked, I decided against it. No sense adding any more people to the potential danger.
Elryn insisted we take her Dodge RAM with the crew cab because we had four people and we’d be squished in the CJ7. She was right, but I knew I owed Gunny an apology, and perhaps a full tune-up as penance.
“You need to mentally focus on creating a Gateway.” Nana pointed ahead of the truck while Elryn, Tuzren, and Luna sat in the truck and watched. Nothing like having an audience to
convince you to not screw up.
“So, I just focus on the spot where I want the Gateway to go? How do I program it to go to the right place?” I looked at her skeptically.
“It’s intention and feel. Like you did with the Tiny House.” Nana shook her head in annoyance. “It’s not that hard, Ironspell. You’re overthinking this. Just think about where you want to go, conjure the Gateway, and poof! It’s there.”
“Suppose I conjure us someplace else?”
“Create a new Gateway.” She shrugged.
“What if it’s in a dangerous place? Like in the middle of the ocean or on top of lava, or something?” My voice sounded whiney, even to my ears.
“Nike.”
“Nike?” I repeated. “What does the Greek goddess of victory have to do with this?”
“Just. Do. It.” Nana sighed in exasperation.
I turned from her, rolled my shoulders, and gently rotated my head to release the tension I felt. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, I felt myself relax in a meditative state. The thoughts of failure immediately rose, but I brushed them aside, accepting them, and letting them dissipate into nothingness. In my mind’s eye, I held the image of the parking lot before me. At the same time, I envisioned the place in Montana I wanted to go. I wanted to appear in the parking area next to the Garnet Ghost Town, so I visualized the parking lot and the ghost town beyond. Holding the two images in my mind, I ripped a hole in the fabric of space-time, drawing a circle in the air before the Dodge. I felt a power surge as I did so and lifted my hands to mimic the Gateway I wanted to create.
My hands crackled with energy and I opened my eyes to see the magic flow from me to the Gateway I had just create. Without words. Without focusing gestures. And without a staff or power rod like the wizard in Chicago uses.
I stood there completely dumbfounded. I almost didn’t hear Elryn yelling at me to get in the truck. Luckily, Nana grabbed my arm and pulled me back to the passenger side, opened the door, and shoved me in. Elryn hit the gas and the pickup’s tires smoked, even on the snowy pavement. The truck’s wheels threw snow everywhere. We blasted through the Gateway and it snapped shut behind us.
