by Kate O'Hearn
Maya took her mother’s hand and started to explain. “Our family are the direct descendants of Vanir-Freyja and Freyr. For generations they’ve used a spell to suppress the power in our family line. But for our generation, they didn’t. We possess the powers of the Vanir. I inherited Vanir-Freyja’s beauty and power to enchant. That’s what you’re all feeling. I cast a spell to send the giants home, but it’s affecting you, too. Vanir-Freyja is here in Midgard and is doing the same thing in Europe and the rest of the world. It’s working. The giants are leaving.”
Vonni shook his head to clear it. “You’re defeating the giants with magic?”
Maya nodded. “Vanir-Freyja warned me that using magic would have a price. I’ve enchanted everyone.” She looked at all the Dark Searchers beginning to get close to her again. “That’s what’s happening to you. It’s not real. You must fight past it.”
“What of Freya? Have you seen her?” Her mother’s voice shook.
Maya dropped her head. “Mother, Dirian has Freya. He’s cut off her wings and is holding her in his keep in Muspelheim.”
Her mother gasped, and the shock of hearing what had happened to Freya broke part of the spell over everyone.
“I—I swear I didn’t want to leave her there,” Maya implored, “but freeing Vanir-Freyja was the only way to end the war.”
“You did right, my daughter. Freya knows that too. This war has cost us all dearly. . . .”
Once again, Maya was struck by her mother’s suppressed grief. As she pressed further with her senses, she felt something terrible. Maya’s eyes shot up to her sisters. “Gwyn, Kara, where’s Skaga?”
Tears rimmed her sisters’ eyes. “A fire giant killed her and—and . . . she didn’t rise again,” Gwyn struggled to say.
Maya inhaled sharply and shook her head. “No . . .”
“Your grandmother is gone too,” Vonni added with a pain that ran deep. “The frost giants attacked the mountain in Colorado. I’ve been told Mims and the baby are safe, but the military has moved them. . . .” His voice broke. “I know what happened to my Sarah. Eir says because you and Mims reaped her, she is still with Mims, but I don’t know where they’ve been taken.”
“We’ll find them,” Kris rasped with his broken voice. “It will be a grave mistake if the humans try to keep them from us.”
Maya couldn’t breathe. So much pain and loss, all because of Dirian. She rose from her stool and staggered, finally overwhelmed. Two Dark Searchers darted forward to support her. But their touch only added to Maya’s distress.
“No, I’m all right.” She pulled away and looked at the large gathering of Dark Searchers and her family. “This isn’t the time for our tears. Come, we must go.”
“Where?” her mother asked.
“Vanir-Freyja told me to meet her at the tunnel the giants are using. We’re going home to declare war on the giants in Asgard!”
35
QUINN’S HEALING POTION WORE OFF somewhere in the tunnel between Muspelheim and Asgard. But Freya found the pain wasn’t as bad as it had been. Her burns were healing, and her bones felt stronger. It was her wing stumps that still throbbed and stung. She wondered if that pain would ever end.
But with the clearing of her head, her senses returned. She could feel Yggdrasil all around them as they moved within its root. But something was wrong—the vibrations from the tree had changed and were becoming sporadic. The green lichen that grew on it was turning pale and its glow was fading. The Cosmic World Tree was in distress.
“How much farther?” she asked the troll.
“Not far now. We will be there soon.”
“I miss Bifröst,” Archie grumbled from beside her. “I don’t ever want to travel through a tunnel or root again!”
“Me too,” Freya agreed.
“I’ve heard Bifröst is beautiful and filled with the colors of the rainbow,” Quinn said.
“It is,” Freya agreed. “That’s why they call it the Rainbow Bridge. If we manage to survive this, I’ll take you there.”
“Well, aren’t you just a little ray of sunshine,” Loki teased. “What do you mean, ‘If we survive this’? Of course we will. Soon everything will get back to normal.”
When Freya looked at him, he winked at her. They both knew things could never return to normal. But she appreciated him saying it. Freya hated to admit it, but she liked this new version of Loki.
“We are here,” the troll called excitedly.
As Quinn slowed them down, Freya felt the presence of other Valkyries, citizens of Asgard, and Light Elves, and was filled with hope. But her heart sank when she also picked up on a large number of frost and fire giants.
“It’s true,” she said. “The giants have broken through the defenses. I can feel them here. I also feel Dark Elves and more dwarfs and . . .”
“And Dirian,” Kai finished. “I feel him too. He and all his Dark Searchers are here.”
“Then what are we waiting for, a written invitation?” Archie said. “C’mon, let’s go kick some Dark Searcher butt!”
“Hear, hear!” Loki cheered as he led them forward.
They climbed up the incline that led into Asgard and exited through the base of a large, fallen ash tree. Freya stood in stunned silence as her eyes took in the sight of her home realm. They were in the Asgard forest, just outside the city. Before them, the wall that surrounded the city had been partially knocked down. In places it was gone completely.
Beyond the wall, plumes of smoke rose in the air above the many buildings. In the distance, she spied the damaged spires of Valhalla. The flags were down and smoke billowed from its windows. She was sickened to realize that the Great Heavenly Hall was burning.
“They breached the walls,” Orus cawed, as stunned as she was. “The walls have stood for thousands of years and now they’ve fallen. Asgard is burning!”
“Look at it,” Archie said in shock. “How long have the giants been here?”
“Too long,” Freya cried. “C’mon, let’s get them!”
Forgetting herself, Freya took three long strides and leaped into the air.
“Freya, stop!” Orus cried. “You can’t fly!”
Just before she hit the ground, Freya stopped and floated in midair for a moment, before being lowered to the ground by Quinn. “You must remember your wings are gone.”
Freya’s spirit crashed to the ground, even if her body didn’t. The horror of her new life cut as badly as Dirian’s blade. She was grounded and felt helpless. “I can’t believe I just did that,” she muttered softly.
Skuld reached for Freya. “It is understandable considering the circumstances. It will take time for you to adjust.”
“Time we just don’t have,” Kai said. He opened his wings and drew his black swords. “Quinn, can you bring the others with you? I’m going ahead to find Dirian.”
“No, Kai. Wait for us!” Freya called. But he was already in the air, winging his way toward Valhalla.
“Kai’s not going to be the only hero here.” Loki started to shimmer and grow. “I’m going to fight fire with fire.” Soon his staff and clothing started to burn as he turned back into a fire giant. Loki bent down and he smiled at Freya. “See you on the other side!”
As Loki started to run toward the destroyed wall around Asgard, Quinn lifted them in the air and carried them toward what was left of the walled city.
“Freya, where’s Dirian?” Quinn called.
Freya cast out her senses until she started to shake. She felt Dirian’s evil presence like a foul touch on her burnt skin. “He’s that way.” She pointed. “Moving toward Valhalla from the opposite side.”
When they passed over the damaged outer wall and reached the outskirts of the city, they encountered the worst of the fighting. The reaped human warriors from Valhalla were fighting side by side with Light Elves and faeries as they took on renegade dwarfs and Dark Elves.
“We trained for this at Valhalla”—Archie gazed around himself in awe—“but I never im
agined it could happen. I hope Crixus is okay. He’s the toughest warrior in Valhalla—and crucial to our fight.”
Freya tried to take it all in but couldn’t. Her home realm, everything she’d known, was being destroyed.
The sounds of battle were coming from every direction. Everywhere they looked, they saw Asgardians and friends from other realms fighting to defend Odin.
“Gee, look up there,” Archie cried.
Freya followed his gaze and saw a cluster of Valkyries taking on a frost giant. Their swords flashed as they went after the giant’s head. Despite the enormous size difference, working together, the Valkyries quickly defeated the giant and he fell to the ground with an impact that rattled buildings. Not stopping to rest or celebrate, they flew like a squadron toward the next giant.
The sounds of thunder and lightning rose in the air. For a moment Freya hoped it was Thor, back from Earth, but as she listened, she could tell the sounds were different. “That’s Odin!” she shouted. “He’s still alive!”
Freya strained her senses to feel Odin. “Quinn, forget Dirian. Head in that direction as fast as you can. Odin’s in trouble—we must protect him!”
While they flew over the battleground that had once been Asgard, Freya caught hold of Skuld’s hand and placed it in Archie’s. “Stay close to Archie,” she said. “This is going to get very dangerous. and I don’t want you hurt.”
“It is you I worry about,” Skuld said. “You have so much rage in you; it might make you reckless.”
“I’ll be careful.” Freya looked at Archie. “You have your sword. Be ready to use it. Skuld must be protected until we can get her back to her sisters.”
Archie nodded. “Don’t worry about me—Crixus trained me well. You just focus on protecting Odin.”
“And I will protect you,” the troll added.
Freya had almost forgotten about the troll. She fought to hide her revulsion of him as they approached the partially destroyed Valhalla. She gazed down to the large training field surrounding it. Not too long ago, that field had hosted the Ten Realms Challenge, where members of the realms competed against each other in friendly contests. Now some of those same participants were back, fighting against each other for real.
“It’s a nightmare,” Orus cawed mournfully. “How can we hope to beat them?”
“We don’t have any choice,” Freya said grimly.
Thousands of human warriors were gathered on the field, battling against the invaders. As they moved closer, Freya was overwhelmed by the number of fighters on Dirian’s side. Apart from the giants, Dark Elves, dwarfs, and trolls, there were also faeries, Dark Demons, and creatures she’d never seen before that must have been dredged up from the deepest depths of the darkest realms.
Large spiders, snakes, and serpents fought alongside the giants. Freya’s eyes landed on Sif among the throng. Thor’s wife held two swords and fought with bravery and expertise as she stood back-to-back with another Asgard fighter. Freya also spotted Heimdall, the bulky Guardian of Bifröst, fighting against a frost giant. Though the giant was bigger, he was felled by Heimdall’s might.
Freya took it all in, realizing that this fight was bigger than just Dirian’s bid to dethrone Odin. They had to stop it from becoming Ragnarök—or none of the realms would survive.
As they scanned the immense battlefield and listened to the sounds of roaring voices and clashing swords, Freya’s eyes landed on a group of Dark Demons, Dark Elves, and Searchers moving in on a Valkyrie and one other fighter she couldn’t quite make out. Despite her fighting skills, the Valkyrie was taken down swiftly by demon magic. When she hit the ground, the dwarfs pounced on her, tearing out her feathers and breaking her bones.
The other figure tried his best to defend himself against the attackers. His back was to her, and Freya saw him for only a flash before he was swamped by the invaders. But she’d seen enough. The flash of a gold eye patch, blazing red hair, and familiar armor, now dented and covered in the many shades of elf, dwarf, troll, and giants’ blood, made it clear who it was.
“Odin!” Freya cried.
“Where?” Archie asked. “I don’t see him.”
“Down there!” Freya pointed. “Near that fallen Valkyrie. They’ve overwhelmed him and somehow captured his staff. Without Gungnir, he doesn’t stand a chance!”
“Freya, give me your hand!” Quinn cried as he reached for her.
Using their combined powers they blasted away Odin’s attackers and lifted the leader of Asgard off the ground. A large serpent launched itself into the air after him—as it went for Odin’s foot, Freya reached down and cut off its head with her sword.
“Freya!” Odin roared when he saw his rescuers. “What are you doing here?” His shock grew more intense when he saw Skuld. “What’s happening?”
“Great Odin,” Freya cried. “We’re here to protect you. Dirian is behind all of this. He’s back in Asgard and coming for you. He plans to kill you and take your throne.”
“He’ll never take the throne!” Odin boomed. “Take me into Valhalla. I will face him there!”
“No, sir, you can’t,” Archie cried. “It’s too dangerous. The giants will capture you in there. We must take you away from the danger.”
“Abandon the battle?” Odin cried furiously. “Never! I am more than the leader of Asgard—I am its protector! If it falls, I fall with it. Do as I command and get me inside Valhalla—now!”
Freya looked at Quinn. “We’ll take him into the banquet hall. It’s in the very center of Valhalla and looks like it hasn’t been damaged.”
Quinn carried them over the raging battle secured in the magical bubble. Swords, spears, and weapons flew at them from below but were deflected away. When the group approached a large, gaping hole in the side of Valhalla, they had a close-up view of what the giants had done to the Heavenly Hall. The entire front had been torn open by giant hands. Towers lay in rubble on the ground, and many of the doors had been ripped off.
Most of the roof had been burned away, as well as all the warriors’ sleeping quarters. Acrid smoke billowed out of the windows and holes from the parts of Valhalla still on fire.
As they drifted down to the ground, Freya was left speechless.
“In here,” Odin commanded. His one blue eye focused on Freya. “If you really want to redeem yourself, Valkyrie, follow me.” Just as he was about to move, Odin frowned. He caught Freya by the shoulder and roughly turned her around.
“Who took your wings?”
“Dirian,” Freya said. “I was a prisoner at his keep.”
“He held me and Vanir-Freyja there as well,” Skuld added.
Odin was stunned by the news. “Where is this new keep?”
“In Muspelheim,” Orus cawed.
Freya continued. “He’s been forcing Skuld to end the futures of fallen warriors and using Vanir-Freyja as a prize for the giant kings who served him.”
Skuld nodded. “He had me cross out your name, Odin, but I restore you now. He cannot keep you dead.”
For the first time in her life, Freya watched Odin bow deeply. “Thank you, Skuld.”
“It is not me you must thank. Freya, Archie, Quinn, and many others have served and sacrificed for you without you knowing it. They are the ones deserving of your thanks.”
Odin was looking at Freya as if seeing her for the first time. His one remaining eye lost its hardness. “Where is Vanir-Freyja now?”
“In Midgard,” Freya answered. “Maya and a Vanir called Skye rescued her from the keep. They took her to Midgard for safety.”
Odin took in the information but gave nothing away. He turned and started to climb over the rubble outside Valhalla.
“Come,” he commanded. “It’s time we faced Dirian!”
36
THEY FOLLOWED ODIN THROUGH THE rubble.
“Valhalla is gone,” Orus moaned.
“It can be restored,” Odin said.
They wound their way deeper inside and reached the banquet hall. Tables
were overturned and chairs toppled, but the walls and high ceiling were intact. On the dais, Odin’s throne remained standing.
“Up there,” Odin said. “If Dirian wants my throne, he’s going to have to take it from me!”
They followed Odin up onto the dais and took protective positions on either side of his throne. The sounds of the battle raging outside echoed through the ruins of Valhalla.
No one spoke. They all knew there was nothing left to say. This was it, the final confrontation. Soon they would have to fight Dirian and his Dark Searchers for ultimate control of the realms.
“My sons, Thor and Balder, are dead . . . ,” Odin said softly, breaking the silence.
“Dead? When? How?” Freya cried.
“They went to Utgard to learn of the giants’ plans. They were killed at the keep just before the war started.”
“Wait,” Freya said, shaking her head. “They weren’t at the keep at the start of the war. They were with us in Midgard.”
Odin’s head turned sharply to her. “What are you telling me? Speak!”
“Thor and Balder weren’t killed at the keep. They and a few loyal Dark Searchers followed us to Brundi’s farm.”
“My sons are alive?”
Freya nodded. “The last time I saw them, they were planning to fight the giants in Midgard. I promise you, they were very much alive.”
“And they still are,” Skuld added.
Odin roared in joy and jumped to his feet. He scooped up Freya in his massive arms and nearly squeezed the life out of her. Freya was too stunned to cry out that he was crushing her wing stumps and fragile ribs.
“I was told they were no more,” Odin said in disbelief, and put Freya down.
“I assure you, they are unharmed,” Skuld said. “They still have a future. I can see them in it.”
“I don’t understand. What were they doing in Midgard?”
Freya dropped her head. “They were coming after me and my twin brother, Kai. We were . . .” She stopped as she felt as if her stomach had been punched. It was Kai. Her brother was in pain and struggling. Then Freya felt something else pull at her. She forced herself to block Kai’s pain for the moment and focus. She stepped down from the dais and raised her sword. “Dirian and his Dark Searchers are approaching.”