Cursed Earth (Kat Drummond Book 12)

by Nicholas Woode-Smith

  Finally, I got to my humble little office, nestled in the corner of the HQ. I steeled myself for whoever was inside and opened the door.

  “Ah, Drummond,” Thor greeted with his booming voice. His white smile shone through his fiery beard.

  “Danny Black?” I asked, sighing with relief and just a bit of surprise. As far as uninvited guests went, I was expecting far worse than the god of thunder.

  Thor laughed. “I didn’t want to shock your receptionist. But I suspect she knew who I was.”

  “And then decided to surprise me herself. Typical.”

  I turned to hang my coat on the hook and then made my way to my desk.

  Thor started reaching out towards my coat, only looking at me for my assent. I nodded.

  My coat hummed contentedly at the attention.

  “It is alive?” he asked.

  I nodded. “In a way. The soul of the salamander still resides within it…”

  Not exactly a lie. But it was more like the salamander’s soul was inside me.

  “Magnificent. My companion spoke of a coat like this before. He was from Hope City.”

  “Beowulf? Conrad has spoken about him. Apparently, you poached him.”

  Thor grinned.

  “Barry did insist we call him that. But we all called him White-Scar. He did not wrestle with trolls as well as his namesake did. Got a hefty scar across his chest.”

  “Called? Is he…?”

  “Dead, yes.” Thor’s eyes became downcast. He let go of the coat and took a seat. “Many of my comrades have fallen. In the past, I would not have mourned their deaths too harshly. I knew they waited in Valhalla. But…I am not so sure of that anymore.”

  “Don’t tell me the god has lost faith,” I tried to jest, but Thor did not smile.

  “It isn’t faith. I feasted and drank in Valhalla, with the souls of the men and women I fought alongside. They were never truly gone. My father feasted in their names and they remained alive, despite their deaths. But, they all served a purpose there. They could not truly die yet, as they were preparing for the final battle. For Ragnarok. But…Ragnarok has happened. And Valhalla has been burnt to ashes.”

  “Wait…what? Ragnarok has happened?”

  This was a shock. The Norse gods on Earth haven’t said much about their homeworld. All we knew about Ragnarok was the myths we’d known before the Cataclysm. The battle to end all battles. Where the Wolf would devour the world.

  And Thor claimed it had happened.

  “But if it’s happened…” I continued. “Why are you here?”

  “I was meant to perish at Ragnarok, with my father. With my brothers and sisters. But one of my comrades had different plans.”

  Thor looked away through the window. As if picturing that fateful day.

  “Before we could engage Surtr and his infernal hosts, my battle-brother betrayed us. My father and I were caught in a rift of Loki’s making, and sent to Midgard. Here. But, things had changed since we had last travelled your world. We tried to get back, but the Vortex had destabilised the Realms. We couldn’t open any rifts. We were trapped. And…I think you know the rest. We united our people. And now, we stand on the precipice…”

  He stopped, and silence fell.

  I realised that despite his proud demeanour, and carefree laugh, his eyes were deeply sad. Too sad for a man with such a fiery beard.

  “You…you said that you were losing your immortality,” I finally said. It was a sensitive subject. But I had to know. It wasn’t every day that a god died.

  “Perhaps,” he said. “The apples of Idunn kept us young. Ageless. Even without them, we are long lived. But, it has been a long time since my father and I ate of the apples. Even now, the white of his beard seems more from age than wisdom. And my power has diminished. I am not sure I could banish Fafnir again…”

  “Nonsense,” I countered. “You’re the greatest monster hunter on Earth! You don’t need any apples to keep yourself in the game.”

  “How do you deal with mortality?” Thor suddenly asked, catching me by surprise.

  “Um, what do you mean?”

  “You are a mortal. Despite all your skill, and your powers. You will die someday. By the blade or in your bed. And Valhalla won’t await you. At least, not a Valhalla I’m familiar with. How do you deal with that?”

  “I don’t think about it,” I answered, simply. “There’s no point waiting to die. My life could end any second. Contemplating death’s inevitability changes nothing.”

  Thor contemplated my words, and I sensed Treth watching me. He knew my views on death. My own death.

  And he knew that since Ithalen, I’d been willing to die. If I hadn’t already. Perhaps I couldn’t die simply because I’d died already?

  “I watched you heal the dying yesterday,” Thor answered, suddenly. “It moved me.”

  “Just doing my duty.”

  Treth nodded, approving.

  “And what is your duty?” Thor pressed.

  “You ask a lot of hard, philosophical questions for your domain, god of thunder. Aren’t you meant to be carefree and quick-tempered?”

  Thor laughed, and his eyes smiled. Sincerely.

  “Ah, yes. My father has told me my mood has taken a turn for the worse. He seems to be taking this better than I. Probably due to his wisdom. But I do not have his foresight. I have to meander along through life’s great mysteries, asking questions.”

  “I cannot put my duty into words so simply,” I replied, satisfied with Thor’s answer. “I slay the monsters who harm the innocent. I save the people who do not deserve to suffer. I do the right thing, because it is the right thing. If we are going to be academic, there is plenty to dissect here. But I find that a simple moral code is oftentimes better than a complex one. Much less room to justify evil.”

  “Simple? Yes. I agree.” Thor nodded, appreciatively. “I also want to save people. To protect my people. A simple duty. A simple code. And that’s why I need you.”

  I sighed. I knew this was coming.

  “What you ask isn’t that simple. My place is here. And I’m not sure I can do anything you can’t at the 6th Convent…”

  “I know about the Army of the Vessel.”

  Well, that’s a surprise.

  “My father has seen your host,” he said. “And has compared it to the hosts of Valhalla. The hosts we abandoned when Loki sent us here. My father is convinced that this army can break through the veil at the 6th Convent and destroy their project.”

  “And what is this project?” I asked, glancing over the fact that Odin seemed to have intimate knowledge of my secret powers. Well, he was god of wisdom, after all. Perhaps, even wiser than Athena.

  “Ragnarok has consumed Asgard and the other realms,” Thor continued. “But Midgard has been spared. Not by accident. For the Vortex was created. Somehow. We aren’t sure by whom. But we know that it now safeguards Earth, while also making your world an entry-point for all the realms. But, as a cost for this access to all realms and the In Between, Earth is in flux. No rift can be sustained on this world. The Conclave wants to change this. They want to stabilise Earth’s rifts and control the Vortex.”

  “Would that be so bad?” I countered. “The Olympians have been trying to get home. And, perhaps, there’s a way for you and your father to return to Ragnarok and continue your fight.”

  Thor shook his head. The gesture looked heavy. Like one he had to repeat to himself every day.

  “There is no going back for us. Asgard is destroyed. Even if the Seraphim were to aid us and help us across the void, there’d be nothing to go back to. But, Ragnarok isn’t finished. There is a reason the Vortex opened just as Ragnarok started. For Surtr of Muspell, what you called Raz’ed, seeks to burn the realms. After Asgard, he was to invade Midgard. But now, he cannot.”

  “And if the Conclave finished their project…?”

  Thor nodded, sombrely. “Surtr will gain access to Earth. And your home, my home, will perish in flames.”


  “Why…why would they do this? This is their world too.”

  I already knew the answer.

  “Insanity? Delusion? A lust for power that only an infernal demonic giant can give? I do not know truly. But the Conclave are working on their void-defying project. The safety of Earth be damned.”

  “Why did Athena not tell me this?” I asked. “And why does she think we can afford to wait?”

  “The maiden…I must admit is right. We are not ready.”

  “But the Conclave could be finished at any time.”

  “No. They are getting there, but there are at least two pieces of the puzzle they have not yet gained. The Vortex is still under control of the Russian MagiPol. And the Titan still sleeps.”

  “Adamastor?”

  “Yes. Your mountain guards the last thing the Conclave will need to open up a gateway to Muspell. But it is just a matter of time before they find a way to destroy the Spirit of the Law and finally awake the Titan and use his magical energy to power their rift.”

  It was all too much. It made the Necro Lord look tiny in comparison. Hell! It made the Blood Cartel’s vampiric god look like a cakewalk.

  And they wanted my help to stop it. They wanted me to save the world.

  “When?” I asked, simply.

  Thor shrugged. “A year? Two? War doesn’t wait, nor does it come when it is needed. It erupts when most inconvenient. But, it will take time for the hosts to rally. And Europe is not burning yet. When the time comes, we will call for you and your army of ghosts. The war is inevitable, so we do not need your assent. But we do not think we can defeat the Conclave without you.”

  I was stunned, but Thor did not demand an answer.

  Instead, he stood up and stretched.

  “We will call on you, Last Light. And you can make your decision then. But it is about time I return to Scandinavia. Monsters to slay. Not-so holy Romans to put in their place.”

  As he stopped stretching, he sniffed, loudly. As if catching a scent. Didn’t know he was a werewolf as well as a god. Or perhaps, Norse gods had a good sense of smell.

  “A Seraphim?” he muttered. “Typical. They’re everywhere when you don’t need them. And deaf to your cries when you do.”

  He bid me farewell and left without another word.

  Treth manifested, sitting on my desk.

  “So, are you going to help save the world?” he asked.

  “Heavy question, Treth. I think, I don’t have a choice.”

  “Of course, you do.”

  “Very lenient of you. The old Treth would have told me to start packing for Italy already.”

  “The old Treth thought virtue was in action without thought,” he replied. “But, I know now that you have to truly want this for it to mean something. And you heard Thor. They need the Titan. You could probably prevent this entire thing from happening by just staying here and guarding the Citadel.”

  “True. But that wouldn’t stop them from attacking us. Perhaps, the only way this will really end is if I stop them. The only way I know how.”

  With a sword.

  “And what do you think about what he said about a Seraphim?” Treth asked, sparing me having to make a decision.

  “Oh? Didn’t think much of that. Conrad is still an angel, even if he is drained. Actually, it’s been a while since I spoke to him.”

  “Fine by me.”

  I snorted. “Conrad has helped us plenty of times.”

  “He’s a scumbag.”

  “Exactly! And that makes him a saint. In his own words. And besides, he’s probably approaching Odin’s wisdom. He can help me reach a decision.”

  With the intent of consulting my old boss, I left my office and made my way down to Jane’s reception. The ex-politician was busy typing away at her computer.

  “So,” she grinned. “How was your meeting? Thunderous?”

  “Had fun? Anyway, I’m looking for Conrad. Do you know where he is?”

  “Conrad hasn’t been in all day. I think he’s sorting some stuff out at the merch manufacturer in Old Town.”

  I furrowed my brow at that. Strange. Conrad isn’t here? But then what was Thor talking about?

  Probably nothing. A Seraphim could have landed on the roof for all I knew. Wouldn’t be unusual in Post-Cataclysm Hope City.

  Seraphim or not, and a war against the Conclave or not, I remembered that I still had a job to do. The golem case was still pressing.

  “Last thing,” I said. “Do you know if Cindy finished her lab-work?”

  Jane nodded. “Was about to tell you. She’s back home but told me she left the report in the lab.”

  I thanked her and left the reception. Off to the lab!

  The Crusader lab wasn’t the most impressive of facilities. I’m sure that Puretide and Drakenbane had a much more imposing setup. But Cindy had done wonders turning an old restaurant kitchen into a scientific and magical laboratory.

  The spotless room, covered with silver and steel tabletops, was adorned with beakers, analysis crystals, computers and all manner of gadgets that I couldn’t begin to understand. I had no desire to go into forensics, and I don’t think I’d get very far. Give me the humanities any day!

  A sheet of handwritten paper on the countertop caught my eye, next to a vial containing the bloody tissue. Cindy’s handwriting and addressed to me.

  Only select personnel had access to the lab. So, we didn’t have to worry about a leak. Not that Cindy ever left anything out to be leaked. She was meticulous, perhaps obsessive, with her cleaning.

  “Kat,” the letter read. “I analysed that sample. It’s odd. Doesn’t contain any traces of human blood, ruling out humans and undead. But neither is it vampiric. I also couldn’t find any traces of demonic or fae residue in it but, of course, these can’t be ruled out. The best I can say about the blood is that it is neutral. Less than water, yet red like human blood. Fake but not fake. I will give it more thought but, for now, I don’t know what this may have been from.”

  I clicked my tongue irritably and considered swearing. But Treth had been getting a bit of a potty-mouth and I needed to watch what I was saying around him.

  Instead, I sighed.

  “Back to the drawing board.”

  “At least you are one step closer to finding out what the culprit was,” Treth replied, cheerfully.

  “How? This puts us right back at the beginning.”

  “Not at all. You can rule out all known species. That’s a great milestone in my opinion!”

  Somehow, Treth actually got me to laugh at that, just as the door to the lab opened.

  “Ah, Ms Drummond,” Ismail greeted, smiling. He was one of the few personnel with access to the lab. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

  “Not at all,” I said, retrieving the vial of blood and the letter. I could ponder them both later. The lab seemed to be exhausted of options. “Do you need something?”

  “No, Commander. Was just checking up on you. Jane said you were here. It has been a stressful past two days. Are you okay?”

  “I am, Ismail.” I smiled. “Thank you. The stress is seasonal, however. We always get these catastrophic events every few months. It helps keep things interesting. Can’t have dull hunts and life-threatening escapades every day. Need some real adventure.”

  Ismail chuckled, that scholarly, good natured laugh. I approached the door and he let me pass, following me as we walked through the Mosh Pit.

  “I hope that this debacle with the new Necro Lord is ended soon. I don’t like it,” Ismail commented.

  “Me neither. But this is what we’re trained for. We’ll end him.”

  Ismail frowned. It seemed he wasn’t so confident. I turned to face him as he fidgeted with the bottom of his jacket.

  “We’ll be fine, Ismail!” I smiled, reassuringly. “You have me.”

  He smiled, but something else caught my eye. Some stitching on his usually pristine chino pants.

  “What happened there?” I aske
d, pointing at the damage.

  “Oh? This?” he smiled faintly, embarrassed. “Monster hunting is not good for fashion.”

  Ismail was usually at the HQ, but he did go on some hunts. This must have been linked to the reason he was limping yesterday.

  But, before I could press him further, a woman who looked just like my mother popped up.

  “Kat! Ismail! I’ve been looking for you,” Mandy Caleb, my elf-obsessed aunt exclaimed. She had been living in Hope City since we got back. Hadn’t seen much of her. But she occasionally came to the HQ to pick Ari and Ismail’s brain about things.

  “Hi Mandy,” I greeted, smiling. She gave me a hug.

  “Can I have Ismail for a sec?” she asked. I suspected it would be much longer than a second.

  “Of course. If that’s okay with Ismail!”

  He nodded and Mandy beamed.

  “Professor, I’d like to ask you again about your knowledge of Sintari…”

  Mandy’s voice became a buzz as I zoned her out. I waved them both off and prepared to leave the HQ.

  “So,” Treth started. “What’s the plan now?”

  “The blood doesn’t have any trace of species, but that doesn’t mean it’s not scentless. Thor gave me an idea. Perhaps the source of the blood can be smelled out. And, lucky for us, we have a werewolf compound right across the road. And werewolves have good noses.”

  Chapter 11.

  Wolves

  Before embracing her role as an alpha, Trudie had pulled close to 24-hour shifts hunting beasts for the Crusaders. She pushed her new condition to the limit, discovering more about herself while growing an iron resolve. This had provided her with not only something to do while she contemplated her new life, but also with a healthy amount of cash. Cash that she used to eventually purchase and renovate an old church and community centre, turning it into a home for Pranish and herself, as well as all her new wolves.

  And, it was conveniently located opposite the Crusader HQ, right next door to the Gravekeeper Tavern. Its old, exhumed cemetery had given the tavern its name, in fact.