by Kate O'Hearn
Brundi climbed unsteadily into the bedroom. There was a large cut on her forehead and she was moving stiffly, but she wasn’t seriously injured. When she saw Mims and Sarah, her head dropped. “I’m so sorry, child.”
“Don’t be,” Sarah said gently. “When I was alive, I was a liability to you. Now I might have more strength to join in the fight against the giants.”
Leaving the wreck of the house behind them, they walked down to the beach and joined Kai with the baby and Grul. Maya took her raven back and cradled him gently. “You’ll fly again, my sweet Grul. I promise you will.”
The sun was just coming up to reveal the full damage done to the house. Beyond it lay a trail of complete destruction as the two giants made their way inland. Seeing the devastation wrought by the giants, Maya was surprised that any of them had survived.
Her senses told her that they were alone. The million-dollar beach homes surrounding them had been abandoned as their inhabitants had fled the moment the giants arrived. A soft, sweet ocean breeze was coming off the calm water. At any other time, it would have been beautiful. But now it only reflected the desolation of the area and the eerie silence around them.
Maya looked back out over the ocean with an uneasy feeling. “More giants are coming—we must leave here now.”
Brundi nodded. “And I want to call Vonni to tell him what’s happened.”
Sarah shook her head. “Please don’t. It will only distract him. I’m fine. The baby and Mims are fine. He’s needed where he is.”
“But he should be told what happened to you.”
“He’ll find out soon enough,” Sarah said. “Earth needs him now. We can’t ask him to come back when there’s nothing he can do for me.”
Kai stepped forward. “She’s right. Our first priority is getting away from here.” He looked at Maya. “Are you strong enough to fly?”
Maya opened her wings and gave them a full workout. She nodded. “They’ll work. Just as soon as I get all these bandages off them, we’ll go.”
With Mims to help her, Maya’s wings were soon freed from the bandages. She took a quick test flight along the beach and came right back. Landing with the others, she nodded. “All set. Let’s go.”
17
BACK IN THE RUINS OF Montreal, Freya reluctantly turned away from the terrible sight of Loki going down. For all the trouble he had caused her, all his sarcastic barbs, he had become a big part of her life, and she realized she would miss him.
“Come on, Gee,” Archie called from Skye’s arms. “You can’t help him now. None of us can. But he’s given us the chance to get away. We can’t waste it.”
Archie was right, but it was still hard to leave Loki behind. Freya maneuvered in the sky and hung poised, ready to fly away. Now that she’d experienced fighting the giants, she was able to come up with a strategy. “Remember, the giants can’t move very quickly, and they aren’t agile. Keep low and fly no higher than their knees. We’re too small and fast for them to hit us. Follow me!”
Freya led her small group of fighters away from the city and continued to fly south. Along the way they saw a straight, wide path of destruction. East Coast cities that had stood for hundreds of years were burning ruins as the giants followed a course leading from the Florida Everglades up to northern Canada.
In the sky above them, military fighters took on the giants, but their struggle was in vain. Rockets couldn’t wound or even slow their progress, and on the ground, large military tanks lay quashed by giant feet. Humanity could do nothing to stop the invaders.
Occasionally they saw evidence of a small victory as they encountered a dead giant. It seemed that when a fire giant died, its flames were extinguished. In death they looked just like frost giants. Freya and the others knew that the immortal giants would rise again, but they didn’t know how long this process would take. Hopefully, the war would end before then.
As they flew over the ruins of Boston, they spied several giant corpses whose wounds gave Freya hope. She called the others to land and flew up to the head of one of the dead giants.
“Look.” She pointed at the wounds. “There is only one thing in all the realms that could do that kind of damage to a frost giant.”
Archie came up beside her and peered at the wound. “Could it be?”
“What?” Quinn asked. “What killed him?”
“Thor,” Freya and Archie said as one.
Archie continued. “Only his hammer could make this kind of dent in a giant’s head. Thor’s fighting them here on Earth. The military must’ve let him go.”
“Or he escaped when the giants arrived,” Freya said. “Either way, he’s free and fighting. Maybe my family is free as well.” She looked around, hoping they might still be in the area.
“I wonder where they are,” Archie mused.
“I can feel Kai. He’s alive, and not very far from here.” She closed her eyes. “But something is wrong.”
“Of course something’s wrong,” Archie said. “There are giants on Earth!”
Freya shook her head. “No, it’s more than that. . . .”
“I am sorry, Freya, but whatever you’re feeling means nothing right now,” Quinn said. “We must get moving if we are to stop this war.”
“I know,” she reluctantly agreed. “I just wish I could let my family know what’s happening.”
“They could be anywhere,” Orus said. “Quinn’s right; we don’t have time to look.”
A furious roaring of giants sounded behind them, followed by explosions and gunfire. The battle was starting again as the next wave of giants descended upon the area.
“Hey, you kids, get out of there!”
Battle-weary soldiers ran at them but slowed when they saw the wings on Freya and the Vanir. They raised their weapons and their leader came forward.
“Who’re you fighting for?” he demanded.
“We fight for you,” Freya said carefully. She could feel their despair. They were fighting a losing battle. She tried to sound reassuring as she extended her wings. “We are with Thor and the Asgardians. You might know of my mother and sisters, who also have feathered wings. We all serve Odin and are on the side of peace.”
The soldiers lowered their weapons. “I’m sorry, miss. I’m Sergeant John Romin,” the soldier said. “These days I can’t tell the good guys from the bad.” He looked back at his men. “They’re on our side.” As an afterthought, he warned them, “But don’t any of you touch them. This young lady is lethal.”
“So you know my mother and sisters?” Freya asked hopefully. “Have you seen them?”
“Not personally,” Sergeant Romin said. “But we’ve all heard of what happens to those who touch Valkyries. We’ve been ordered not to fire on anybody with wings until we know who they’re fighting for.”
“How long have the giants been here?” Archie asked.
Freya shook her head. “Archie, you’re a ghost—he can’t see or hear you.” While Archie cursed, she repeated the question to the sergeant.
“A couple of weeks,” he said. “They’re appearing all over the world. Here in the United States, they’re crawling out of a big hole in Florida, and we’ve just heard reports of more coming out of the Pacific Ocean.”
“And they’re heading to a tunnel in northern Canada,” Freya finished.
“That’s right,” the sergeant agreed. “But nothing we try seems to stop them. So far the only thing that has been able to kill them is your people.”
“But it’s not enough.” Freya called Quinn and Skye forward. “Sergeant, I need you and your men to find Thor or my mother, the head Valkyrie, and get a message to them—”
“Look, miss, I’m grateful for what your people are doing, but we’ve got a war to fight. We ain’t a courier service.”
“If you don’t pass along this message, the war is over and the giants have already won. This information is crucial to the survival of Earth.”
The soldier hesitated for a moment and then nodded. He pulled
out his mobile phone, dialed a number, and then handed the phone to Freya, careful not to touch her. “It’s the command center—give them your message.”
“Hello?” a voice called over the phone.
“Hello, I’m the black-winged Valkyrie your people saw in Chicago some time ago,” Freya explained. “It is imperative that this message reaches my mother, the lead Valkyrie, and Thor, leader of the Asgard forces and his Dark Searchers.”
“Hold a moment, please. . . .”
A couple of minutes later, another voice started to speak. “I am General Pickers, central commander of the International Coalition of Defense Forces for the United States. Who am I speaking with?”
“I’m Greta, the black-winged Valkyrie that caused a lot of trouble in Chicago,” Freya said.
“I remember reading the reports about you,” the general said. “And I’ve seen more than a few photos of you in action. You caused quite a stir back then.”
“But that’s nothing compared to what the frost and fire giants are doing to Earth right now.”
“True,” the general agreed. “What can I do for you?”
“It is critical that you get a message to Thor and his people. This information could change the outcome of the war in the realms.”
Not being face-to face with the man meant Freya couldn’t read him fully. But her senses were acute enough to hear his breathing change. “You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?” she asked.
“Ragnarök,” the general breathed.
“Yes,” Freya agreed. “Now, please, listen to me. Thor and my mother must hear this. It’s desperately important information.”
The tone of his voice changed again. “Greta, I’m recording this conversation right now. Tell me what you want them to hear. . . .”
“Mother, Thor, it’s me, Greta,” Freya started. “I’m sorry I disappeared from the farm, but I’ve been with Loki. He was on our side all along—though I just watched him fall in battle in Montreal.” Freya’s voice caught for a moment as she recalled the sight of Loki being overwhelmed by the giants. “Loki took us to Vanaheim to ask the Vanir to help us defeat the giants. While we were there, we found out Dirian and his men attacked the Norns at the base of Yggdrasil. Urd and Verdandi escaped, but he’s taken Skuld to Muspelheim and is using her to end the destinies of those who oppose him.
“There is only one thing we can do to stop this war. We’re going to Muspelheim to try to free Skuld. Once she is safe, we hope the fallen immortals will rise. Or, at least, we hope that those who fall after she is free will be able to rise. Then we will go to the giant kings. I’m with two Vanir warriors. They’ll use their magic to get the giants to turn on each other again.”
Freya paused, knowing the reaction that this news would bring to her family. “Mother, we know the danger we’re facing, and it’s likely we’ll die and perhaps stay dead in the attempt. But it’s the only way to save the realms. Urd and Verdandi agree with us. Skuld is the key to ending the war. If we fail and are killed, you must follow us to Muspelheim and free her. As long as Skuld is a prisoner of Dirian, none of us are safe and all the realms will fall.
“We’re leaving now, and must travel down to the Andes. There’s a hidden, direct tunnel to Muspelheim. It’s in the ancient city of Machu Picchu. When we find the entrance, I’ll mark it with my crest, so you’ll be able to follow us.
“Thor, please forgive us for doing this without you. But you are so desperately needed here on Earth. We’ve seen the damage the giants are doing. Midgard needs you, just like Skuld needs us.”
Freya took a deep breath and looked at her companions. “Have I forgotten anything?”
Quinn shook his head. “No. That’s everything.”
Freya focused on the phone again. “That’s all. Thank you, General. Please ensure that the message reaches Thor and my family as soon as possible.”
Just as she was about to hand back the phone to the sergeant, she heard the general call, “Greta, wait.”
“Yes?”
“I will ensure your family hears this message. You have my word,” he said. “And I want to thank you on behalf of the people of Earth for your efforts. But please, let us help. There’s nothing our Earth forces can do to stop the giants; we know that. Nuclear weapons have been discussed, but we’ve been told by Colonel Giovanni Angelo and Thor himself about Yggdrasil and that the tunnels are the roots of the Great Tree and that to kill the roots is to kill the tree and end all of us.
“It’s still so hard for us to accept, but considering what we’ve seen, I must believe in the existence of the Cosmic World Tree and the damage nuclear weapons pose to it. So we will do what little we can to support the Asgard fighters.” He paused for a moment and then said, “And you.”
“I don’t understand,” Freya said.
“I’m asking you to let us help you,” he continued. “You are in the Boston area, and it’s a very long way to Peru. Let us take you there in military transport. If you are going to fight for us, I don’t want you exhausted from flying thousands of miles before you engage the enemy. I can make all the arrangements now. We can have you in the air in half an hour. Will you let us do this for you?”
Freya’s initial instinct was not to trust humans. But this time was different. They were united in war. She told Archie what the general had said. “Do you think we should trust him?”
“Are you serious?” Archie cried. “Of course you should trust him! This could save us a lot of time!”
“Do it, Freya,” Orus cawed. “I know it goes against everything you believe, but this time, we must trust them.”
Freya said into the phone, “Thank you, General. We would all be grateful for the ride.”
* * *
Six hours later they stood at the back of a large military transport airplane, escorted by multiple fighter jets. Freya had been on an airplane only once before and it had terrified her then. This was worse.
The aircraft was larger than the one her uncle Vonni had flown, but it was bumpier and much noisier. They were surrounded by soldiers who looked at them with a mix of fear and awe.
Little could be said on the flight as it was too loud to be heard above the noise of the plane. But as she stood holding on to cargo netting for balance, she watched her new friends’ faces. Quinn was taking it all in his stride and wasn’t bothered by the sights and sounds around him. Skye was more anxious but just as determined.
“How much farther?” Freya called to one of the soldiers escorting them to Peru. They had been flying all night and the sun was already up.
“Just over an hour,” answered a female soldier with her dark hair tied back in a neat ponytail. Even though she looked to be only in her early twenties, Freya sensed she had seen more than her fair share of battle. “We’re taking a bit longer to stay on a route that’s giant-free, so we don’t encounter any trouble.”
The hour dragged and the tension grew. It was one thing to plan to go to Muspelheim; it was another to actually get there. What horrors lay ahead in the land of the fire giants? Yes, she had her silver breastplate and armor for protection, but Quinn and Skye were exposed. She’d heard that Muspelheim was hot. But just how hot was hot?
Finally they felt the tilt of the airplane, signaling their descent.
“Greta, we’re approaching the jump point,” the female soldier called to her.
“Thank you, Corporal . . . ?” Freya noted the corporal’s name wasn’t on her uniform.
“Corporal Biederon.” She smiled, but her expression held the same anxiousness Freya felt. “But you can just call me Tina.”
“Thanks, Tina.”
They heard the large airship groan as the rear cargo doors opened and a long, wide ramp slid out into the open air. Morning sunlight blazed into the darkened hull, and all the soldiers around them rose to their feet and prepared to jump out of the airplane.
Freya had argued that she and her team should travel alone. But the general had insisted on a protective escort t
o see them safely to Machu Picchu. He reasoned that their mission was far too important to risk locals attacking the winged visitors.
Sergeant Romin had requested that he and his soldiers be the ones to escort Freya. Permission had been granted, and as they prepared to jump from the transport ship, the sergeant leaned closer to her. “Greta, let me and my people jump first and then you and your team can follow us. I’m sure, with your wings, you could land before us. But please don’t. Stay with us and land when we do. We know this area is seeing a lot of activity from frightened people escaping the giants and coming here to pray. There may be trouble when they see you.”
Freya nodded and watched the soldiers check their parachutes a final time. When they got the green light, one by one they ran down the ramp of the open cargo doors and jumped into the blazing blue sky. The sight of the parachutes opening reminded Freya of the wild mushrooms that popped up in the Asgard forests. When the last soldier had jumped, Freya nodded to her team. “Ready?”
Skye caught hold of Archie again, and Orus launched off Freya’s shoulder and was the first out of the cargo exit.
“Let’s go!” Freya said. She ran after Orus and, keeping her wings closed tightly, dived off the ramp and into the sky. Turning around in midair, she watched Quinn and Skye follow behind her.
When she turned to see where they were going, Freya was struck by the sight. Machu Picchu was a magnificent stone city at the top of one of the mountains. As with most ruins, the roofs were missing, but the walls and structure of the ancient homes, temples, and meeting places were still intact.
Tiers had been cut into the side of the mountain, which held all of Machu Picchu stable and kept landslides at bay. Freya wished she’d been old enough to see it when it was still a thriving city.
Halfway down to the ground, Freya opened her wings and started to glide. High in the Andes, they were surrounded by tall mountains covered in tropical and subtropical vegetation, with two distinct peaks directly beside the ancient ruins. The sights were stunning as they dropped down into the lush green area.
Freya maneuvered closer to the parachuting soldiers and stayed with them as they headed toward their destination on the open, grass-covered Central Plaza of the old city. As she glided past the soldiers, they waved at her and gave the thumbs-up signal.