by Peter Hall
“Eir!” Bryn said “There are Halflings here!”
“Yes!” Eir said and smiled.
“They came here when the monsters..” Eir looked down.
Bryn held Eir close and smiled.
“That’s wonderful sweetheart. So where is this Fae Queen? I think I owe her my thanks.”
Eir smiled and hopped off the grass bed.
“Come, I’ll take you to her.” she said.
Bryn slowly got to her feet and Eir ran over to the white tree. She started dancing around with the other halflings and they were all laughing and giggling. Bryn walked over and a little Halfling man ran up to her and waved, then he ran off and they all giggled. Eir ran back to Bryn and pointed to a small white stone platform ahead. There was a small white throne sitting on the platform and upon the throne was a white Fae that was glowing very brightly.
Bryn and Eir approached the throne and kneeled down. The brilliant white Fae floated over towards them.
“Welcome Brynhildr,” the Fae said in a soft voice. “I am Aine, Queen of the Fae. Eir’s life-force has been restored by the light of Esra, thanks to you.”
“Thank you.” Bryn said as the Fae hovered before them.
“You have banished the darkness and brought light back into the world, the creatures of the forest thank you.” The Fae Queen said.
Bryn could see through the bright light emanating from her that the Fae Queen was wearing a white dress and had a tiny silver crown and scepter. She floated back to her throne and hovered there.
“You are always welcome here in the Fae Kingdom, fair hero of the North. Please accept these gifts as a token of our gratitude.” The Fae Queen said and Odin walked out from the trees.
Bryn stood up and gasped. Odin had beautiful white wings coming from his back! He stretched them out and shook his head.
“How is this possible?” Bryn said as she looked over at Eir who was jumping and clapping.
Then Bryn saw a group of Fae float towards them. They were carrying a large green bag. They brought the bag to Bryn and placed it at her feet. Bryn kneeled down and pulled the drawstring on the bag and inside was a brand new set of exquisite glowing silver armour and a winged silver helmet, along with her fathers sword and a glowing golden shield. Eir screamed with joy as Angel walked over from the trees and the pony had also grown a set of beautiful golden wings. Bryn looked at the Fae Queen and smiled.
“Thank you!” she said, still in shock.
“Armor and horse befitting a Valkyrie.” the Queen said.
“Valkyries” Eir said with her hands on her hips.
Bryn laughed and picked Eir up. They walked over to their mounts and had a closer look at their wonderful transformations.
“That’s Fae magick.” Eir said.
Bryn shook her head. She still couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She wondered what Durandal would have to say about it. She and Eir played with the horses for some time but behind the laughter and giggling, there was a sadness in her eyes.
Bryn equipped her new glowing set of armor and tied a long white cape around her shoulders. She placed the silver winged helmet on her head and equipped her shield and sword. Eir came over and she was wearing a white gown with a silver cuirass over the top and a small silver winged helmet. She had a silver sword at her waist with a diamond embedded in the hilt, a silver flute stuffed in her belt and a small round golden shield on her back. Bryn smiled at the little Valkyrie standing there in the long grass.
“Eir sweetheart, I must leave. The evil people that caused the monsters to come, they are still out there. You should stay here, with your people.”
“I'm coming with you Bryn!.” Eir said “I am a Valkyrie!”
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay here sweetheart? It’s a dangerous world out there, you can be safe here.”
“I'm coming with you.” Eir said, her mind made up.
Bryn smiled “Alright then.”
They mounted their magical steeds and bid farewell to the Fae. They departed the hidden land and made their way through Teeko Forest to the western shore. When they reached the cliffs, Bryn dismounted and walked over to the edge. The afternoon breeze was cool and blowing gently across her face as she reached inside a small pouch on her waist and took out the small figure of her brother. She kissed the doll and threw it out to sea, the small carving disappearing in the water far below. She got back on her pegasus and looked over at Eir.
“Ready?” Bryn said and smiled.
“Let’s go find him!” Eir said and Angel reared up on her hind legs. Odin and Angel extended their wings and launched into the air and the two Valkyries headed west across the ocean towards Valenor, silver armor glistening in the sunlight and white capes billowing in the wind.
Sand whipped through the air as the wind blew through the busy streets of Sharilan. Located in the centre of the Sand Kingdom, the city was a hub of activity as traders and travellers from across the land went about their business under the scorching rays of the desert sun. The city was known for its markets, but primarily it was known for the arena. It loomed large in the centre of the city, a towering, round stadium built of stone. Giant pillars surrounded the structure and the sky was cluttered with lanterns and confetti as the crowds poured in the main gates. Purple flags were flapping in the breeze along the top of the arena and it seated around twenty thousand people. The spectators groaned as Starcaller squeezed past them. She finally found an empty seat and snatched the spot before it was gone.
The crowd began to get louder and a chant began around the stadium. The atmosphere was electric. Starcaller loved these arena contests. She had been looking forward to seeing a fight ever since she decided to seek her fame and fortune in the Sand Kingdom. Well fame anyway. She had two Corelian Gems in her pocket that could buy the entire arena if she so desired. A year had passed since she had left Drogan. She figured that somehow the small group back in Asgard must have defeated the Master, seeing as how the world didn’t end and all. She wasn’t proud of what she did, leaving the group to face the demons alone, but she lost no sleep over it. The man next to her tapped her shoulder.
“It’s beginning!” he said excitedly.
The centre of the arena was a round, empty dust bowl with four gates at the north, south, east and west ends. The northern gate opened and the crowd roared. A huge man walked out, a Jotnar from the Badlands, like Cerberus. In one hand he was wielding a pole that had a huge spiked steel ball hanging from a chain attached to the end. In his other hand was a large shield with a spike protruding from the centre. He had a spiked shoulder guard and a steel helmet with a grid of steel covering his face. He was a sight to behold! Starcaller was impressed. The crowd went wild as he roared and raised his hands, playing to the people. He whipped the morning star around and smashed it into the ground with a thunderous boom!
The western gate opened and a large dark skinned warrior from the Southern Wilds walked out. He wore a long hide cape and was wielding two large golden, curved swords. He had white paint on his face and had no armor apart from leather strapping on his arms and legs. He swung his swords left and right as he walked, then held them up to the crowd and roared. The crowd went wild and Starcaller leaned forward, watching with intense interest.
The eastern gate opened and a woman walked out with silver armor and an orange cape. She was wielding a silver sword and shield and her long brown hair was braided to the side. She held her sword in the air and twirled around as she walked forward. The crowd was now at fever pitch as the three warriors faced off. Starcaller was on the edge of her seat.
The southern gate opened and a man walked out holding a rusty longsword. He was barefoot and wore a tattered loincloth and a leather band wrapped around his head. The young man had scruffy brown hair and a scar running down the side of his face. He didn’t quite get the rousing reception the other, more flamboyant gladiators had gotten. Starcaller was puzzled at the sight of the filthy beggar entering the arena. Who in Hades is this fool? S
tarcaller thought and watched on.
The beggar suddenly sprinted towards the warriors facing off in the centre of the arena. They seemed taken back by this and turned to face him. The Giant swung his morning-star and it crashed down into the ground as the beggar darted to the left, avoiding the blow. The tribal warrior swung at the beggar but he darted back to the right and dragged his sword across the warriors throat as he ran by. Blood sprayed from the warriors neck as he toppled over and the beggar lunged at the armored woman. She held her shield up but the beggar stabbed his sword over the top of it, straight through her neck, and pulled it out as he landed. Blood gushed down her steel armor as she fell back and collapsed. The beggar slid in the dust and sprinted towards the giant. The giant whipped the spiked steel ball straight at the beggar but he slid underneath it on his knees and stabbed the hulking Jotnar through the gut. He pulled out his sword and the giant fell to his knees. The beggar turned around and in one swift stroke cleaved the warriors huge head clean off, in an explosion of blood. The giant’s body collapsed to the ground and his head rolled away.
The crowd was hushed as the beggar walked to the centre of the arena and threw his sword down. He looked around at the crowd with gritted teeth.
“Is that all you’ve got?” he shouted, and walked back to the southern gate.
The crowd erupted and confetti started raining down on the arena. Starcaller watched the beggar leave the stadium and smiled.
“Who the Hades was that?” she said.
The man beside her leaned over. “They call him the Lion of Galadon.” he said and got up from his chair to applaud.
The mystical archer from the badlands took one last look at the carnage in the centre of the arena and headed for the main gates through the bustling crowd.
FIN