Beyond the Ragnarok Chapter 3

Chapter 1
Chapter 2

Shifting Shadows

“Does someone want to explain what is going on?” Luna asked, looking around at the others. Hearing no immediate answer she decided to take matters into her own hands.

She walked back to Tiella. “Can you hold this please” she asked, handing over her staff and then began the incantations required to summon the shadows to speak to. “How do we find a necromancer?” she asked expected some kind of riddle. They never gave her straight answers.

Balar slumped down onto a nearby stool and looked on as Luna conversed with the shadow. Tiella had told him of shadow magic but this was the first time he was actually seeing it. It was very different from the blood magic imbued in her dagger, it seemed more alien somehow.

"Are we ready to go?" He asked Tiella, she gave a brief nod.

"I just need to go see to the horses." She turned to face Majvok, "I am Tiella."

"Tiella, Balar and Luna. Got it. I picked up the other two in all the screaming just now."

"And you are?" She prompted.

"I am helping you with the horses." He answered before walking out towards the kitchen.

"Be careful." Balar warned as she made to follow. She gave him a patient smile before answering,

"He is as trapped as we are now. The deal has been struck."

The door closed behind the pair and Balar looked up to see Luna looking down at him with those unreadable eyes. She was a beauty that was for sure.

"Well what do your shadows say?"

"They have given me an answer of sorts." She replied, "but first I require a full explanation of what just happened."

Balar gave a sigh, "A full explanation would take up time that we do not have." An animal roar sounded outside followed by a guttural scream as if to prove his point. They both looked nervously towards the door.

"Still." Luna pressed, "Some kind of explanation is perhaps in order."

Balar shifted in his chair his hand unconsciously finding its grip on the axe. "I made deal. I was young and stupid..." He shook his head, "Gods who am I kidding. I would do it again even now." He paused then before looking up and meeting her gaze.

"I am human, Tiella is half elf."

Luna nodded, "Yes I see that." She looked at him keenly then and asked, "how old are you?"

"Older than I have any right to be. I struck a deal with the blasted devil himself and he gave the means to live a full life with Tiella, and now it is time to pay."

"With your soul?"

"If that is the price." Balar answered unable to hold her gaze. "I keep my word."

"And this task he has given you? It sounds like a death sentence for you."

"Perhaps," he agreed, "but then again, this will not be the first God I have killed." He held his hand up to that, "a story for another time, and it is not as grand as it sounds."

They were silent for a moment then, until Balar spoke once more,
"You struck no deal." He said, "You do not need to be involved in this. You could leave."

"I also keep my word." She replied, "but i thank you for not holding me to the task. I am... a free spirit."

"I am beginning to see that." He laughed, "You and Tiella will get along well."
She smiled, "I will have more questions."

"And you will get more answers, but first let's get out of here."

“ I think we need to start in the northern mountains.” The Elf girl said, “There was something about and old volcano. The also mentioned something about finding help along the way and a dragon or a great lizard”

She turned to leave then panicked turning back to look at him. “do you know where my staff is, it not replace able” she said panicking . She looked around unsure looking suddenly very young and very lost.

Balar smiled up at Luna. At that moment she looked so helpless.

"You handed it to Tiella," he reassured her, "Let’s go get it and be gone. If your magic is to be trusted it sounds like we are heading north."

“That’s right thank you, I can talk to the shadows without it, but I need it to help control my magic, it’s a wand of sorts and humans should never handle it” she said. A low whisper came to her mind, an after effect of the shadow magic and a warning.
“The time to act is now.” She whispered almost to herself.

Something pushed against the outer door. There came a guttural snarl from without. Balar put his fingers to his lips to signal silence as he led Luna out towards the kitchen. On the way past the bar he reached down and grabbed a flask of spirits and the lock box containing the days takings.

He gave the common room one last glance, beneath the blood and bodies lay twenty years of hard work, a normal life. It wasn't until that moment that he realised that it had also been a lie. Not his love for Tiella, never that, but the peaceful life. He had seen it in her eyes too, the thrill of adventure was like a drug to them both, and damn it that bastard fool of a demi god knew it

Tiella stepped out into the yard and was met with the stench of death. A shrill whiney was cut short by a growl in the darkness. She winced at the sounds of breaking bones and tearing flesh that followed.

She realised she still held Lunas staff him her hand. It was an item of power she was sure, but it was distant as if hidden behind a cloud of... shadow was the best way to describe it. Still her half Elven blood called out to the magic as it did with the dagger.
She saw that to access its power she would need to plunge into the shadow, to lose herself. She pulled her senses free. That was not a path she would willingly tread.
Silently she motioned for Majvoc to head back into the kitchen where they came face to face with Balar and Luna coming the other way.

"Something is coming in through the front." Balar whispered.

"There is another 'something' out back eating your horses." Majvok answered, eyeing the chest of money clutched under Balars arm.

“Are any of the horses still alive?” Luna asked and Majvok shook his head.

Luna took a deep breath, “I can use the staff to control the shadows and transport us to safety… Maybe.” she said. She took her staff from Tiella.

“Do we have everything we need” Luna asked as she took several deep breaths to get ready. Navigating the shadows was difficult enough alone.

“Everyone hold on to my staff with both hands and hold on tight.” she said holding her staff out in front of her. Assuming they took hold of the staff the shadows would rise around them. They did not.

Everything was dark, the moon symbol on her staff began to glow. When she reappeared on the edge of the town alone Luna fell to her knees exausted. Her staff was gone and hopefully her human companions were smart enough not to touch it.

***

Back in the yard Luna vanished and her staff fell to the ground with a clatter. Majvoc snatched it up with a grin.

'Okay,' said Majvoc, 'See you kids around.' He flicked a finger at Balar and Tiella, then turned away to begin walking in the dark.

'You can't turn into the night,' cried Tiella, 'There's god knows out there.'

'Hey, yeah, maybe - but guess what? It doesn't involve magic and shadows.'

There was a terrible, guttural growl from somewhere in the dark.

'But it does involve trolls,' said Balar, readying his axe in his hand.

***

Two trolls sat tearing at the flesh of a soft grey horse. Blood dripped, and guts were spilled out onto the street. The trolls scooped handfuls upon handfuls of the flesh into their mouth. They shoveled it like they were starving.

Suddenly one slowed, his large nose twitching as it sniffed the air. He scanned the dark, his black beady eyes searching for the source of the something. The smell was sweet and sickly, dark and heavy, and irresistible.

He got up from his feast and began to walk towards the smell. Slowly and heavy footsteps, almost like he was shuffling. Then a walk, and then a jog. Then a run. Then his long arms joined in the run, his thick knuckles hitting the ground as he bounded towards the smell.

***

'Now, listen,' said Majvoc, waving Luna's staff, 'You two can go gallivanting through some magic horseshit realm to get us out of the town. But I'll take the safer route, trolls and all.

Then there was a heavy breathing behind him, blowing at his hair and warming his neck. He could hear a deep growl as the breath moved from his neck around to his hand, which had become frozen in its place. Something wet and slick closed over his hand and swallowed the staff out of his grip.

'Great,' growled Balar.

Majvoc turned around to see a troll standing behind him, licking his lips and rubbing his belly. Then another appeared behind him, and seemed to be searching for something. When his search led him to the other troll, there was a roar of anger. The troll bite directly into the stomach of his friend, blood and guts spilling out to the street.

'Grab the staff!' shouted Tiella at Majvoc, who on instinct dived into the guts of the troll and fished out the staff before the other troll could eat it up.

'Okay,' said Majvoc, holding the staff as it dripped with saliva, 'What now?'

'Do something with it before we become the next meal,' said Balar.

'And how does it work, exactly?' asked Majvoc as he backed away from the troll that was still sifting through the guts of his friend.

'Usually, you just think,' said Tiella.

'Think?' shouted Majvoc, 'Think of what?'

'Luna? Exit? I don't know just, think!'

'Okay, everyone grab onto it!' said Majvoc as the troll started to come towards them.

The three hit the ground with a thud, landing at Luna's feet.

***

'We are not doing that again,' said Majvoc.

'For once, I agree with the thief,' said Balar, pushing himself to stand.

'Hey, look at that,' said Majvoc, 'I'm making friends.' Majvoc handed Luna her staff,
still dripping with spit and guts.

'Well, what now?'

'The mountains are over there,' said Luna, pointing to the horizon.

'There are a couple of villages that way,' said Tiella, 'So we might be able to stock up on supplied there.'

'But I seriously suggest we don't use that magic again, or at least in that way,' warned Majvoc, 'It looks like we could get more trouble than we'd get in help.'

Luna looked at the thief troubled, "You should not have been able to use it at all human."

"I am half elf." Tiella offered, "Perhaps i triggered its magic."

"Perhaps." Luna looked doubtful, "I believe you are touched by shadow deeper than you know." she said to Majvoc.

"We can puzzle it out later." Balar growled, "Your magic stick has not brought us far and with trolls in the area I would rather be elsewhere."

"So north then." Tiella said, "We can be in the next village by midday tomorrow."

"Are you with us thief?" Balar asked. The man gave a shrug in answer. "Here this is yours." he thrust the money box into Majvocs hand, and strode away not waiting for a reaction.

Tiella walked alongside Luna as they made their way northwards. The lands surrounding Nettlehole were mostly gentle hills and fields. They passed a few farmsteads and she was relieved to see torch light burning within. The trolls had not brought their slaughter here. Luna continued to look troubled as they walked and Tiella finally broke the silence.

"A strange night." she offered.

Luna raised her staff towards Tiella, "My life is filled with strange nights since choosing this path."

"We owe you our thanks for the escape." Tiella said after a moment.

"It almost did not work... it should not have worked for..." she glanced at Majvoc who was trailing behind them.

"You said yourself that he was touched by shadow."

"He is human."

Tiella shrugged, "We all need to stick together if we are to get through this. You did not take the fools offer, the rest of us are not so fortunate."

"You have no part in Balars bargain."

"Oh he told you did he?" Tiella glanced over at Balar in irritation. He smiled and waved back to her not seeing her features clearly in the dark. They walked in silence then for a time before Luna blurted out,

"I do not understand."

"Understand what?" Tiella asked

"Their attitude to magic, the men in your inn and the thief."

"We should probably stop calling him that."

Hearing, Majvoc grunted a laugh and Balar called back, "That would involve him telling us his damned name!"

Luna shrugged, "I do not understand it."

"Amongst our..." Tiella stopped herself, "Your people, magic is common. For humans it is not, and what is not known is often feared."

Luna nodded but did not respond so Tiella continued.

"Besides, you particular brand of magic is... dangerous."

"It is misunderstood." Luna said defensively, "I am not evil."

Tiella raised her hands, "I did not say you were but..." she took a deep breath, "Balar and I have been around for a while. You are not the first follower of the dark path we have encountered. Twice now I have seen you move through the shadows."

"What of it?" Luna asked.

"Our friend is not wrong." she indicated Majvoc, "It is a dangerous thing."

"It saved our lives." Luna snapped defensively.

"Which is why my wife started by thanking you." Balar said, coming to walk with them. "You know your own business, but large uses of alien power like that it... well lets just say it can attract unwanted attention."

"You are correct." Luna replied, "I do know my own business." She quickened her pace and walked ahead, as Balar and Tiella shared a glance.