"Yeah right, if it's that big someone would have seen it by now," said Alex.
"He is careful not to be seen and he doesn't cause us any bother so we just leave him alone. He does pop up every now and then in strange places....Loch Ness for example, that's caused a stir a few times," said Alan smiling at them.
"What about the others?" asked Becca. She was fascinated with the story and was sitting on the edge of her seat eagerly.
"Odin dealt with Hel next. He banished her to Niflheim and told her to look after everyone who was sent there. She renamed it Helheim, as it is her world now, but she's a bit upset that she can't go back to Asgard. I mean you can't really blame her, being surrounded by dead people for eternity is bound to be a bit depressing. She is constantly trying to escape and return home and she causes all sorts of trouble by encouraging the worst souls, who really annoy her, to escape. When Odin heard she was doing this he sent Modgud and Garm to provide some protection. Before you ask....wait I have a picture let me show you." Alan leafed through the book on his desk and opened the large volume at a double page. The group crowded around the desk to get a good look. On one side of the page there was a picture of a giant woman, standing guard before a bridge with a golden roof. "That's Modgud," said Alan pointing to the giantess. "She's a Jotnar, a giant from Jotunheimr, one of the Nine Worlds and she guards the Gallarbridge.....the bridge leading to Helheim. She's actually quite decent. Her job is to ask people why they want to cross the bridge and enter Hel. It's a bit lonely down there and it can take days before she will let people pass."
"Yes she's a bit of a talker," added Nancy.
Alan pointed to the left hand side of the page. "That's Garm" he was pointing at a picture of a monstrous dog which had multiple eyes and sharp protruding teeth which were dripping with blood and saliva."
"Hmm nice puppy," said Matt grimacing.
"Garm guards the Gate of Hel. It's a bit of a way beyond the bridge. He's a bit of a mean hound, you don't want to mess with him." Alan closed the book and they sat back down on the sofa again.
"Even with these two guarding the entrances, we've still had some problems, some souls have managed to sneak past Garm and Modgud in the past so Baldur lends a hand maintaining order. He is the only one Odin can trust and he is his favourite son. Loki has always been jealous of him. He couldn't stand it that Odin loved Baldur and even Thor more than himself. He had borne a grudge for centuries and he loathes him. He made it pretty obvious to Baldur but it didn't bother Baldur until the day he and his mother had the same dream. They both dreamt that he would die at the hand of his brother Hodr. His mother naturally became anxious and she wanted to protect her son. She made every living thing in the world vow to not hurt him and she asked everything except mistletoe. You see she considered mistletoe to be too young and would not understand. Big mistake. Anyway Loki somehow found out about this and being the sneaky devil that he is he made a spear, which was coated with mistletoe. All of the gods were enjoying a new game of 'let's throw everything at Baldur and see who can hurt him'. They were basically throwing whatever they could find at Baldur and the items kept bouncing off him, he didn't even have a scratch. Loki gave the spear to Baldur's brother Hodr and persuaded him to hit Baldur. It was a bit of a joke as Hodr was blind. The gods were rolling around laughing and Hodr took his shot. Unlucky for Baldur, the spear struck true, whether it was just a lucky shot or if Loki guided the spear we will never know. So Baldur died of the poisoned spear and as he didn't die in battle he was taken to Helheim. He now takes great pleasure in annoying his niece at every opportunity he can. He was especially annoying after she agreed to release him if every object alive or dead would weep for him. Everything did except the giantess Pokk. It was Loki in disguise. He's not a nice fellow, certainly not someone I would want to cross."
“He’s a pig,” cut in Sasha. Alex looked at her with raised eyebrows. “Well he sounds it doesn’t he?” she asked shrugging.
"So what were you doing at the henge then?" asked Becca.
"Our little ceremony gives thanks to Baldur. We remind him that he is not forgotten and ask him to help protect the underworld. Tonight was strange though, nothing like that has ever happened before. We normally complete the ceremony and go down the Dog and Duck for a few pints. The noises, the ground shaking and the lightning, well that was new and something we have been trying to figure out. Nancy did you find anything in the books?" Alan asked looking over at Nancy.
"Wait a second, you are talking as though this Baldur and Hel are real. They are just myths, you know stuff we learn in primary school to fill out the curriculum," said Alex.
"Actually they are all real, I know it's a bit much to take in but we are pretty sure you are involved in what happened last night somehow. The torshammere, the mark on your chest and I understand there was an incident in the museum?" said Alan.
"Remember the torc Alex, you went all funny and read out something that wasn't on the card," said Becca.
"Yeah I remember," he said rubbing his hand through his hair. This was ridiculous but some strange things had been happening recently and he couldn't deny what he saw at the henge.
"So what has this got to do with me?" he asked.
"Well I haven't managed to find anything in the books so you will have to ask one of the Volvas," said Nancy.
"Oh dear, I was hoping to avoid that," said Alan standing up and moving to the window.
"Hang on it said something about a Volva on that card in the museum," said Sasha. "Something about the torc belonging to a Volva or something like that."
"That's right. We know about the torc of course but no one has ever been able to read the runic inscription. The markings have worn down too much. We have our best analysts working on what Alex saw but to be honest I think Nancy is right, you are going to have to speak to a Volva," said Alan.
"Sorry I'm lost, what's a Volva?" asked Matt looking very confused.
"Best way to describe her would be a seeress. The one we know practices the art of prophecy and she's actually quite good. I should also add that she's quite a powerful wand carrier...a witch. You don't really want to get on the wrong side of her," Alan replied.
"And I have to go see the creepy, powerful witch because....?" asked Alex.
"Because you're the one with the torshammere engraved on your chest. She'll want to see that. She will also probably only talk to you about what you saw on the torc. She can be a bit funny sometimes," said Alan.
"Reading between the lines you really mean neurotic, crazy, old bat," said Matt.
"In a nutshell, yes," said Nancy her eyes twinkling.
"Ok so I need to ask some crazy old witch what happened at the henge and why I have a hammer on my chest? Does that sound crazy to anyone else or is it just me?" asked Alex as he paced around the room in frustration.
"You got it," said Nancy rising from her chair and moving to the door. "I'll make the arrangements," she said, leaving four very confused teenagers in the room.
Becca glanced at Alex's chest. "So can you show us this magic mark?" she asked raising her eyebrows.
"Ha, of course he will, any chance to show off his abs," snorted Matt.
Alex glared at him, stood up and peeled off his t-shirt. The red hammer was still pulsating red.
"Ooh weird," said Sasha reaching out her hand to touch it.
"Don't," snapped Alex stepping out of reach.
"Calm down," she pouted sitting back down.
"Look we don't know what it is yet. Best leave it alone until we find out more," he said sitting down again.
Becca was staring at his chest, she couldn't take her eyes off him. How can someone be so perfect? She wondered to herself, feeling very disappointed when he pulled his shirt back on. She was dying to touch his smooth chest.
"So where is this wicked witch?" asked Matt. "Don't tell me, she lives in a cave up a remote creepy mountain."
"Not exactly. Manhattan, New York," said Nancy coming back into the room carrying a f
older.
"Right you are all set, we've booked you on the last flight out of Manchester airport. Your ESTA visas are being sorted now and your passports will be at the desk waiting for you," she said handing the folder to Sasha.
"What the? That's just not possible, it takes ages to get a Visa doesn’t it?" asked Becca. "What about our parents...school? We can't just go running off to New York," she cried.
"Needs must Becca," said Nancy. "What you saw at the henge has never happened before, something is very wrong, I can feel it and we need to know what is happening."
"Hang on, are we all going?" asked Becca.
"No, Nancy and I are needed here," said Alan gathering some papers on the desk.
"We can't go to America on our own, we're minors," said Becca pacing up and down.
"Well that's not strictly true, one of you is now legally an adult," said Nancy looking through the notes in her hand.
"You what? We're all seventeen," said Matt.
"Alex?" asked Nancy looking over at him.
"Yeah well I would have said something, it just never came up," he said sheepishly.
"What?" asked Matt.
"I got held back a year in my previous school. I turned eighteen a week ago," he said.
"And you didn't say anything? Mate that is not cool. We totally missed out on a party there." Matt said disgruntled.
"It's not a big deal, I didn't want to make a fuss. I'd just been moved to my new home and I told them not to bother," said Alex shrugging his shoulders.
Suddenly Matt's phone started vibrating in his pocket. Removing it, he looked at the caller ID on the screen.
"It's Pete," he said putting the phone to his ear.
"Pete? God yeah, I wondered where he was," said Alex.
"He said he had some things to do and would be back," said Sasha.
"Ok mate, calm down, hang on I'll put you on speaker," said Matt fiddling with his phone.
"Guys I'm freaking out here, there's some really strange stuff happening," Pete's voice echoed through the receiver.
"What's going on?" asked Sasha moving closer to the phone.
"People in the town are going nuts, like they're possessed or something. Mr Baker, you know, the school cook? He stabbed Sandy Cooper in the head with a knife. It was sticking out of his head. He just dropped dead in front of everyone. Mr Baker says he can't remember anything. The cops arrested him and took him away. Then there was Brian from the fish and chip shop, he stuck his head in the fat fryer...."
"Oh my god I'm going to be sick," cried Sasha.
"No it's cool, the fryer wasn't on, he just got like really greasy. Kept saying over and over 'die...die' Skegs was there said it was well creepy. God if that fryer had been on..."
"This is worse than I thought," said Alan taking his phone from his jacket.
He dialed a number and said urgently into the receiver, "We've got a problem. Yes the henge, I think we have a breach. Not a full one, the whole world would have known that by now if she had escaped. Send your guys in, we need containment fast."
"This all sounds a bit Men in Black," snorted Matt.
"Matt this is serious. Your father heads up the containment team, he could be in a lot of danger if they can't contain the breach quickly enough," said Alan.
"Yeah right, my dad works for the Government, this is crap," said Matt.
"Yes he works for the Government but he also works for the Asguardians. We have people in many important roles, hence the visas being sorted so quickly. The American ambassador is one of us," said Alan whilst texting a message to someone.
"Hang on don't Asgardians live in Asgard?" asked Sasha twirling the end of a long lock of hair around her finger. Alex looked at her with his mouth open.
"What? It's in the Avengers film," she said quickly.
"We are the guardians to the secret of Asgard, hence Asguardians. The gods want to keep a low profile; they think it's for the best. Nothing good has ever happened when they meddle with Midgard. That's what they call Earth," explained Alan when he saw their blank faces.
"Guys...guys...you still there?" echoed Pete's voice down the phone.
"Sorry Pete, look you need to get to Manchester airport, we'll explain when you get there," said Matt into the phone.
"It's ok if Pete comes isn't it?" he said looking at Nancy.
"Of course he's part of this too, I arranged a ticket," she replied. "Ok guys are you ready? The car is waiting in the basement. I’ve sorted a bag for each of you with some essentials. You can buy anything else you need on the way," she said handing an envelope to Becca.
"Cool we get chauffeur driven to the airport," said Sasha walking out of the door and following Nancy.
"Hang on, I'm starving," said Alex rubbing his stomach. "Is there any food around here?"
"You can stop off at a service station on the way. We have a canteen here but you really need to get moving or you will miss your flight," said Alan ushering them out of the door.
Nancy led them to an elevator and took them down to the basement car park. An old battered Honda pulled up.
"Er where's the cool black SUV?" asked Matt. "You are a super secret organisation, you must drive around in blacked out SUVs..."
"Budget cuts," said Nancy "and who said we were secret?" she smiled opening the door for Matt.
"Ben, take them to the airport and come straight back, I'll need a ride back home," she said to the driver. Ben sighed; this was going to be one long day for him.
Chapter Five
Alex settled into the front seat, laid his head back and closed his eyes. He was feeling very tired and completely confused. What Alan had told him made no sense at all but something deep down told him that he was hearing the truth as crazy as it sounded. Real gods, an underworld, monsters, witches, the Asguardians. It was all too much for him to take in. His stomach grumbled loudly and he looked over at Ben. He looked like he was not much older than they were and looked out of place in his ill-fitting black suit and tie in the battered old car.
"I really need to eat something, I haven't had anything for ages," moaned Alex.
"Sure, the Bilbrough services are the closest, I'll pull in there but you will have to be quick," said Ben pulling onto the dual carriageway.
Alex turned and looked at the others cramped in the back. Matt looked smug sitting between the two girls.
"So what do you make of all this?" Alex asked them.
"Totally stark raving bonkers," said Matt shaking his head. "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I would say Miss Franklin was on drugs and that guy Alan needs to see a psychiatrist, he is a complete loony," he added.
"I suppose it would sound rather unbelievable to you if that was the first you had heard of the gods but it's all true, Odin, Thor, Asgard....the whole lot," said Ben. "It's pretty cool really. I haven't met any of them but Alan has."
"So where do you fit into all of this?” asked Alex.
"Alan's my dad," said Ben looking in the rear view mirror at Matt and grinning.
"Awkward," said Matt under his breath. Becca dug him in the ribs and Sasha giggled.
"It's ok, I thought he was a loony too when he told me everything about what he did. He took me to meet Lit though and that kind of changed everything," said Ben.
"Who is Lit?" asked Alex, "another god?"
"No he’s an immortal dwarf. He's the only one who can come out into the light, as he's immortal. All the others would turn to stone if they are exposed to sunlight," said Ben.
"Hang on, now you are telling me that there are dwarves who turn to stone in the sun?" asked Matt leaning forward and resting his elbows on the back of the seats. "Why do they turn to stone?"
"One of them annoyed Odin centuries ago so he got a Volva to place a spell on the entire dwarf race for eternity. He basically banished them underground so he would never have to set eyes on them again," said Ben.
"Wow, that's harsh," said Matt. "What did they do to annoy him so much?"
"A dwarf
named Gelgus cut off Odin's beard when he was asleep. He thought it would have magical powers and he wanted to test it to see what it could do," said Ben.
"Odin was furious when he woke up. He is rather proud of his beard you see and he was just left with a few straggly bits. He found Gelgus and fed him to Loki’s son, Fenrir the wolf. Then he got the Volva to curse all dwarves so they would turn to stone if they ever came out into the sunlight.”
"He sure likes his curses," said Alex.
"He likes power and he likes to be obeyed," said Ben seriously. "Take my advice, never get on the wrong side of him. Oh and if you get to meet a dwarf watch yourself with them, they are moody little buggers so be careful. Lit's pretty cool though, he acts as our go between and passes on messages, between the worlds."
"So why is he immortal and the others aren't?" asked Becca leaning forward too.
"Well he was at Baldur's funeral. I take it you know about him?” he asked looking into the rearview mirror. The three in the back nodded slowly. “Well he was messing about in front of Thor doing this little death dance ritual. Thor lost it and kicked Lit into the funeral pyre. As Baldur's wife Nanna had also thrown herself into the fire, because she was so upset, there was some serious immortal mojo going on in the flames and it made Lit immortal," said Ben.
"I don't get it, if Baldur is a god, then he is immortal surely? How could he have died?" asked Alex.
"They are not immortal, that's a common misconception. They eat golden apples from the orchard of Iduna, the Goddess of Spring. They eat them to preserve their youth. So you would think they are immortal and to be honest they consider themselves immortal as they will live forever....providing they keep on eating the apples," said Ben as he indicated and started to pull over onto the inside lane. "The services are the next exit, we're ok for time at the moment but don't hang about in there," he said steering the car towards the exit.
The Cursed Sword (The Nine Worlds Trilogy Book 1) Page 4