The Prophecy

by Amanda DeShane

  The sun rose in the sky, signaling a new day was beginning. Waking up to pounding on the hotel door and the raven dancing from foot to foot on his head, he sat up in a flurry, gently pushing the bird aside then glared at the raven.

  “Seriously, Loki, you need to work on your morning technique. You lack empathy for the half-asleep state I’m in,” grumbled Eli as the sound of pounding on the door sounded again. Groaning, he stumbled off the bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he glared at the raven. Running his hands through his short hair, he made his way to the door. Opening it, he found his three brothers staring back at him, smiling. Teagan spoke up

  “We had a bet going to see how long it would take you to get to the door. Deacon said you would get to the door in less than a minute. Karis said it could take you ten minutes since you’re not all sunshine and roses in the morning. I bet that you would get up and to the door within five minutes because knowing Loki, he would have a fit in his impatience to find Aurora.” Eli frowned at his brothers, squinting his eyes at the onslaught of morning sunshine and said sarcastically.

  “Glad I was your morning entertainment. You weren’t wrong about the damn bird, though; Loki danced on my head until I got up.” They all laughed at the mental image, and Loki added his two cents cawing in the room.

  “Well, welcome to my humble abode,” Eli said as he gestured for them to come into the hotel room. Shutting the door behind him, he walked to the kitchenette area and put some coffee on to percolate. Deacon walked to the nearest chair, sitting he focused his green eyes on Eli while frowning at the hideous room décor. Deacon was quite the image standing at seven feet, athletic build with longish chin-length midnight black hair, green eyes, and a serious mouth. Dressed in a black t-shirt that left little to one’s imagination as it showcased his muscular chest. Army green cargo pants with combat boots gave him an air of seriousness. Teagan stood leaning against the far wall near the door, his auburn red hair brushing his shoulders as he perched himself with arms crossed. Deep blue eyes fixed on Eli, waiting for him to get his coffee and thoughts together. Teagan's red hair fit his personality fire after all was his element. Being a dragon shifter, he stood at six feet nine inches and was fiercely protective when he needed to be. The rest of the time, he was happy to be the comic relief. Karis made himself comfortable laying out on the bed with legs crossed as his feet dangled off the bed awkwardly by two feet. Being half-giant and warlock, he stood eight feet four inches and could hulk out at will, among other things. Eli spoke up.

  “I need coffee before we start trying to figure out where to look for Aurora. And these walls are thin, Karis, we need a sound shield, please.” Karis opened up his hands and traced a circle with his pointer finger in the air around the room as he chanted. “Protegam locus, protegam locus, aures audiendo!” A magical clear bubble with faint blue light shimmered to life, encasing the room. Most spells were taught in Latin as that was the language the Gods taught spellcraft, hence why at some point in human history, Latin was called the devil's language. But some spells could be normal English. The room finally sealed from listening ears; they could freely talk without the worry of being overheard. Eli, with coffee in a cracked blue mug, joined his brothers and perched on the side of the bed. Karis spoke up first.

  “I think the best thing to do would be to start looking in the schools here.” Teagan nodded his head, agreeing.

  “Yeah, although I don’t think the school will let us just walk in and around, so we should glamour ourselves to look like students.” Deacon frowned and spoke up.

  “Have any of you thought about how we are going to get her to come with us to Asgard? I mean, we can’t just be like hey you’re a god, and oh, there’s this prophecy about you fighting the demons and giants and anyone that stands with Fenrir who happens to be the oldest and biggest wolf shifter who’s locked away in some secret cave.” All four of them sat contemplating how to get Aurora to Asgard. Karis broke the silence.

  “She will be in danger of having her first shift soon. If she shifts here in Midgard, then she will destroy towns and hurt millions without meaning to. So, we don’t have much choice, and we may have to take her by force. Or try to befriend her for a few days beforehand. Build up as much trust as possible in a short amount of time.” They all nodded in agreement, and Loki the raven cawed. Karis was empathic and could only imagine what a big shock Asgard would be for Aurora. He also quietly worried about her safety once they got her to Asgard. Political sects in the celestial world were heating up, and with the two remaining Gods missing, no one was present to rule and make decisions. The head Vola known as a Norse see-er, had been keeping the peace the best she could while stepping in to make decisions when necessary. But how long could she hold the peace? Shaking his worries from his head, he looked at his brothers. Born of the same father who happened to be a god and different mothers, they were incredibly close.

  “Okay, well, let’s get this party on the road!” Teagan bellowed. Karis, Eli, and Deacon followed his lead getting up and heading out the door, Loki flying behind them. Unfortunately, they couldn’t teleport somewhere they had not been before, so they were stuck with the more traditional two-leg route. They walked through the small town and drew a lot of attention. A few ladies enjoying an early morning coffee stared ogling the muscular physique. By now, they were used to these reactions when in the human realm.

  Once in the school field, all four of them huddled together. Eli was impatient, hopping from leg to leg. It was finally happening. Everything he had been trained for from a young age was coming to fruition. Aurora, who he had grown up hearing stories about, was here. Teagan, as if reading his mind, clamped his hand on his shoulder and spoke telepathically.

  “Remember, she doesn’t know who she is. And she’s recently been through a lot. Plus, we don’t know what she will be like in this life. The temple scholars told me once that she reincarnates differently in each life. Same soul sometimes different body and personality. Life probably hasn’t been easy, and that in itself might have made or broken her into who she currently is.” Leave it to Teagan to take a break from being the jokester, shocking you into speechlessness when he had a rare moment of wisdom.

  “Okay, Karis, it's magic time! Can you make it, so we appear as we are to Aurora but normal school teens to everyone else?” said Teagan realizing Eli needed a moment.

  “Sure, coming right up! Hands together, everyone.” Said Karis as the sound of hands slapping together in a doggy pile fashion, sounded loudly in the empty school field. He is pointing at all their hands with his index finger. Bright blue magic swirled around their hands as he spoke.

  “Videri volumus ostendere quomodo fiat espelliolis!” Then just like a mist, the blue magic faded to nothing.

  “So, we are seen as everyday school kids to everyone except Aurora, who will see us as we are. The school will find us registered if they look. The only thing I couldn’t mask is how humans are drawn to us, so have patience with the girls. It’s not their fault our ancestors mated with a siren. It’s only natural that they would feel drawn to us. Keep your heads in the game, and we have to assess the risks of her shifting soon or outing her powers to the humans. We are going to need one more thing if we want to pretend to be students, bags, and binders with writing stuff.” Said Karis as he waved his fingers at the ground, saying a spell under his breath. Four black backpacks fully stocked magically appeared on the grass in the middle of their huddle.

  “Okay, we are ready, let’s head into the school. Eli, you have the map with you?” Eli took his backpack off his shoulder and pulled the scroll out of the detailed case speaking as he unrolled it.

  “I have not been able to get it to show me where she is. There must be a spell to make it appear, but my teacher died before he could tell it to me.”

  The prophecy scroll crinkled as Eli unrolled it, letting his brothers have a look at it. Aged Carmel paper that has the prophecy written in neat script at the top greeted their eyes, but they could see no
map. Looking awfully out of place and funny as they stood in a school field frowning at the script in front of them. Loki, the raven, fluttered his wings and hopping from Eli’s shoulders to Deacons. His little beady eyes were staring at the map as he cocked his head to the side.

  Karis's face lit up as he smiled brightly.

  “I think I know what they did. They must have put a spell on it.” Coming closer, he touched the scroll and said, “revelare!” suddenly, a map appeared of the world on earth. When footprints appeared on the map where Canada was, the map morphed again blue wisps of magic appearing as the ink rearranged itself once again on the page. All four young men leaned over the scroll intensely, watching it pinpoint Aurora's location. Materializing again, it showed hope B.C. then once again, and it morphed rearranging the ink to show streets. Footprints appeared moving down 6th avenue towards the school.

  “Wow! This map is amazing; it shows her as she is moving!” Exclaimed Deacon, who now grinned fully.

  “Okay, so she’s headed to school now, so our goal is to let her get to know us. If she shows signs of her first shift coming on or her powers, then we take her to Asgard by force if necessary. Everyone on the same page?” Deacon boomed as he stared intently at everyone to make sure they knew the plan. Looking perplexed when he noticed his shoulder was now minus a bird.

  Deacon asked. “Has anyone seen where Loki went to?” Everyone responded “no” as they looked around the field. Loki had a mind of his own; unfortunately, he couldn’t talk although if legends were true, he was able to speak in the past. That bird was ancient, and he somehow never aged. Everyone in Asgard said the pain in the ass bird had been blessed by the Gods to live immorally. Must have been some God's sick joke. Deacon rather thought the bird’s connection with Aurora made him too stubborn to give up on living.

  A deacon from a young age had been the leader of the four. Due to his stubbornness, communication skills, and battle worthiness, he naturally fits the position of Alpha in their small group. Probably helped that he was born a Valkyrie, entering the battlefield at the age of twelve, he took his first souls to Valhalla.

  Aurora trudged down the sidewalk reluctantly, making her feet move towards her destination, she was tempted to ditch school. Feeling overwhelmed, she strolled towards a bench to sit. So much had happened in a short amount of time. Part of her blamed herself for Mia's death; after all, her hands had glowed and shocked Greta, making her drop the knife. She couldn’t help thinking that had she faced her fears instead of cowering with the children that just maybe life wouldn’t have changed so drastically. Her hands glowed and stunned people like lightning or live wire. It hadn’t been her imagination; her coat pockets had the burns to prove it now. So many questions swirled through her head like how it was possible? Was it genetic? Not that she was thinking of having kids yet, but still, it was the kind of thing one should know.

  Before that fateful night, she had called her worker, asking for information on her birth parents. When she was a baby, she was dropped on a church doorstep swaddled tightly in a light blue blanket. The pastor stepping outside to lock up for the night, swung open the old creaky doors and was assaulted with a red-faced crying baby. She had been put into foster care shortly after being found. The fact was that for the last few days, Aurora had been in denial, essentially living on autopilot overwhelmed and scared.

  The children and family’s worker had called her yesterday evening to report that she had no luck finding Aurora’s birth parents. The province had to issue her a birth certificate, and all they had to give her was a note that had been found tucked into her baby blanket. Pulling the small faded crinkled piece of paper from her black leather pants, she reread it again and again as tears streamed down her face.

  It read: Please take care of my darling daughter, her name is Aurora because she is destined to be bright like the aurora lights; one day she will do great things. She’s not safe with me. She was born a month ago. My darling daughter, I’m so sorry. If fate wills it, I’ll see you again one day. Love mom.

  Her mother’s tear splotches could be seen where the ink smudged long ago. Wiping the tears away with the back of her hand, she willed herself to take deep breaths. Got to get a hold of yourself, Aurora, she told herself. Standing up, she attempted to reign in her emotions that seemed to be going haywire lately. Reaching out, she snagged her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder, and she made herself head towards the school.

  Suddenly a caw caw caw and flurry of beating wings could be heard from above. Startled, Aurora glanced up only to see the same raven who stole her sandwich flying right at her. Instinctually ducking Aurora was stunned when it landed on her shoulder, tucking its black silk wings in towards its body.

  “wow, you again. You’ll be looking for another sandwich, eh? Well, prepare to be disappointed; there’s no sandwich today for you.” Babbled Aurora as she thought how extremely odd it was for this raven to be taking to her so effortlessly. In response, the raven nuzzled its small head against her cheek as if offering comfort. Then it started playing with small strands of her bright blue hair. How odd thought Aurora, didn’t this bird have any self-preservation instincts? Like what if she was a horrible person and he landed on her shoulders, he could be hurt or worse.

  “Where is your self-preservation instincts bird?” Asked Aurora to the raven as she continued walking to school. Expecting her ride along feathered friend would eventually take off to other pursuits. When she arrived at the school, not only did the raven stay fixed to her shoulders, but she found herself rather uncomfortable when the other students came up to her in droves. They all assaulted her with questions.

  “Is that your pet?”

  “Wow! Can I pet him?”

  “Hey, you’re the new girl, why do you have a crow as a pet?”

  Were only a few of the questions hurled at her. Looking and feeling a bit perplexed, Aurora bit her lip as the raven cawed and nuzzled her cheek again.

  “He's not my pet he just landed on me and now won’t go!” exclaimed Aurora as she looked at everyone awkwardly. A student stuck their hand out to pet the raven only for the bird to nip at their fingers aggressively as if to say, don’t touch me.

  Aurora stepped away from the crowd and tried to brush the raven off her shoulder. But the stubborn bird only nipped at her fingers, flapping its wings in a flurry. The school bell rang, echoing in the cool morning air, and signaling that class would start soon. Exasperated and now panicking because she couldn’t afford to fall behind in English, Aurora walked towards the school doors. What the heck did one do when one had a raven on their shoulder that refused to leave? Just as she stepped into the school hallway, everyone stopped and stared at her. Only one person was moving towards her. Student sensing an altercation like bloodhound’s sense blood, all crowded around to watch and see what would happen. Kevin, the dick of a jock, stalked towards her angrily.

  “You're new here, so I’ll tell you like it is. No one humiliates me and gets away with it.” Sneered, Kevin, as two more of his friends, stepped out behind him.

  “Well, you're not very smart coming back for seconds. Maybe you didn’t get the memo, but I don’t dance to anyone else’s tune. You demanded I kiss you on my first day, to which I said no. If I want to be precise, I said no fuck off. Are you that dense that I have to tell you to fuck off again?” Said Aurora angerly as she scanned the crowd, where the heck was a principal or teacher when you needed one.

  Eli, Karis, Teagan, and Deacon entered the school from the back door. Walking down the halls, they glanced from side to side, looking for any girl that could be Aurora. Most of the halls were almost empty because teens were scurrying around to their classes. Locker doors slammed shut, echoing down the halls. Up ahead, a large group of students stood closely together, watching something. Whispering and laughing, the students watched, while a few held out cell phones to record video — more than a few laughing at something. Curious, the guys attempted to find a way around the crowd. They were pushing thei
r way through the crowd, and they were greeted with the sight of a very attractive girl who stood out with bright blue hair and dazzling green eyes. She stood with her feet shoulder-width apart and arms crossed in a pissed off manner, with Loki perched on her shoulder.

  “Well seems that Loki might have been trying to tell me last night that he found her. He gave me strands of blue hair last night.” Said Eli to his brothers that all stared at this glorious young woman who, at the moment, had fire in her eyes.

  Chapter three: Giant Revelations

  Aurora looked around again, still no teacher’s insight, but she did notice four very fall muscular guys standing together. One couldn’t miss them; they were well extremely hot. Her eyes locked for a fleeting moment with the one who had midnight black hair and green eyes. Mentally she shook herself, come off it lets deal with this jerk first, and then you can drool over the pantie melting guys. Kevin stepping closer, threateningly reached out to pull the raven roughly off her shoulder. Loki squawked and flapped his wings in his face snapping his sharp beak in a warning. His warning not heeded, the raven chomped down on his finger, causing a shriek of pain to escape his lips. Yanking his hand back, he inspected his finger that now bled. Students in the crowd laughed, which just angered him further. Speaking through their shared telepathic link, Deacon said.

  “Hey, guys, that answers the question of where Loki went! Damn bird found her before us.” Teagan and the others chuckled.

  “She’s amazing to look at the way she’s standing up to that jerk! And look at that bright blue hair!” remarked Teagan, who loved a woman who could stand her ground firmly.

  “Yeah, reminds me of her mom.” Commented Eli.

  “But hey, shouldn’t we be worried about how unstable her powers probably are given emotions and instincts amplify them? I’m going to take off the glamour spell, let these entitled pricks see us as we are.” Said Karis. Eli chipped in.