Alex ran the rest of the distance to the centre of the henge. He leapt up onto a hillock, which had formed in the earth and jumped down into the centre of the henge with the sword pointing downwards. Alex struck the central stone with all of his strength and the sword slipped into the granite as though it were butter. There was an almighty clap of thunder and a jagged bolt of lightning struck the sword embedded in the stone. The stone crumbled and the sword fell to the ground. White light lit up the clearing and a fierce wind blasted around Alex. Garm howled furiously, his legs tangled together useless. Hraesvelg screeched and as he neared the ground he stretched out his talons, his beady eyes fixated on Alex.
"It's not working," shouted Alan over the noise. "Baldur, we entreat you, help us," he cried lifting his hands to the sky.
"Odin protect us," cried Nancy joining Alan's side.
There was another massive clap of thunder and the ground shook and opened up under Garm. He disappeared into the ground howling in anger, his feet still tied together. There was another massive clap of thunder and a tornado rose up out of the centre of the henge just below Hraesvelg. The wind tore at his wings and flung him around and around in circles. Suddenly there was a loud sucking noise and the tornado sucked Hraesvelg back into the earth. The earth closed back up again with a shudder, the wind died down to a gentle breeze and then there was silence.
The thick black clouds which had covered the sun dispersed and the sun shone brightly warming Alex's face. He had felt chilled to the bone and his legs were shaking uncontrollably. He looked behind him at his friends. They were all standing looking around warily and wondering whether it had really worked. Birds started to sing and the breeze blew away the stench of the acrid smoke and blood.
As the smoke lifted it revealed the henge. It was completely intact and the ground was back to normal. Alex gave a large sigh of relief. He had done it. He dropped to his knees and rubbed his hands through his hair. It was sticky with dark red blood and he grimaced. As he looked up from his hands he saw a tall man step from behind the central stone. The man was dressed in a long black leather coat and his long dark hair was tied back. He looked very pale and his black eyes glinted dangerously.
"Hello nephew," he said smirking. "You are meant to be dead. Magnus, long time no see dear friend. Would you care to explain why my nephew is still alive?" he asked looking beyond Alex.
He was looking at Pete's father who was standing behind Alan and Nancy. All the blood had drained from his face and he fell to his knees pleading.
"Loki....I...I couldn't do it, he was just a baby," he said terrified.
"You weak fool, this is all your fault. My daughter was about to be freed. Oh the fun we would have had," he hissed.
"You would have destroyed Midgard, I have family here," said Magnus miserably wringing his hands.
"Family? Pah. My family was taken from me, why should anyone else have theirs? I couldn't believe my luck when my idiot brother got a human pregnant and triggered the curse. Odin didn't think anyone would defy him but he should have known Thor couldn’t resist a good-looking woman with blonde hair. It was all going to plan until that meddling Volva interfered with that damn prophecy about the sword and him," he snarled looking at Alex. "You had to die Alex. It was the only way my daughter could be freed. If this fool here had done his job properly she would be out and we would rule Midgard together."
"Odin would never let that happen uncle," said Sasha stepping forward.
"Sasha, sweetness, how lovely to see you," said Loki turning towards Sasha.
"Sasha?" asked Alex confused.
"Hey cousin," she said shrugging.
"Cousin?" asked Matt.
"Yep, my father is Baldur. I was sent from Asgard to keep an eye on you. Make sure our dear uncle Loki didn't harm you," she said.
"Why didn't you say something?" asked Alex amazed.
"We figured it was better this way," she said. "We weren't sure if it really was Loki who was after you," she said glaring at Loki.
"We?" asked Alex.
"My dad and I," she said.
"But he's in Helheim, how can you talk to him?" asked Matt.
"Email, they have all the technology down there now," she said grinning.
"But he's dead isn't he?" asked Alex completely confused.
"Your perception of death is different to ours. My mother and father have moved on to another plane. I can chat to them but I can't visit them or touch them, you know," she said hanging her head sadly.
"Ok this is really weird." he said rubbing his hands across his face.
"This is weird...really? After all we have been through today?" she laughed.
"Excuse me for interrupting the family reunion but I would really like to take my revenge now if it's not too much trouble," growled Loki menacingly. "Magnus, he's not a baby anymore. Now can you kill him for me please? You know what happened last time I touched him."
"Loki I can't, I've known him all his life, he’s my son's friend..." said Magnus pleading.
"Peter, we are good friends now aren't we?” said Loki looking at Pete. “Remember what I promised you if you helped me?" he said.
Alex swung around and looked at Pete. He was standing behind Alex holding the sword.
"Pete, what are you doing?" asked Alex putting his hands up and backing away from him slowly.
"Immortality," Pete said to Loki. "You promised me immortality if I help you," he said.
His hand was shaking and the sword wavered in the air.
"Yes, now finish it, then we can see what we can do about my daughter," said Loki.
"There must be another loop hole to free her," he smiled at Alex and it sent a chill down his spine.
Pete jumped forward and stabbed the sword towards Alex.
"Pete stop,” shouted Alex, jumping out of reach. “We're friends.”
"Pete, he's lying he can't make you immortal, it's not possible," cried Sasha.
"Silence niece," shouted Loki.
He flung out his hand and Sasha was thrown onto her back. She jumped straight back up and threw herself at Pete's legs knocking him off balance. He fell to the floor and the sword flew from his hands. Alex leapt forward and grabbed the sword pointing the tip of the blade towards Pete.
"Pete, stop. I don't want to hurt you, you’re my friend," he pleaded.
"No," hissed Pete. "I want to be a god, he can make me a god," he said pointing at Loki.
"Pete no," cried Sasha as he launched himself at Alex with his arms outstretched. Alex tried to swing the blade out of the way but it caught Pete on the arm.
"No," cried Magnus, running forward and grabbing Pete's arm.
"Ha, you’ll have to do better than that. You barely scratched me," sneered Pete.
"No, Pete, no," Magnus was crying and hugged Pete to him. Pete pushed him away.
"It's just a scratch, I'm fine," he said looking at his arm. There was a small gash, which was bleeding slowly.
"Pete, the sword, the curse. It brings death to anyone it strikes," said Magnus.
He had tears streaming down his face. Pete looked at his arm again and then at Dvalin. The dwarf nodded slowly.
"Fix it dwarf," he shouted. "You made the curse, you break it."
"I can't, I can't, I'm so sorry, it's too late, it's starting already," said Dvalin.
Pete clutched his arm and screamed in pain. He rolled up his sleeve and looked at the cut in horror. The skin around it was turning black and spreading up his arm quickly.
"Aghh help me," he cried looking at Loki.
"No can do buddy, you failed me too, just like your weak father. You are pathetic, all of you," he sneered.
Pete screamed again and fell to the floor writhing in pain.
"Pete, son, hold on," Magnus cried falling to the floor next to him and cradling his head in his lap.
The blackness was spreading all over his body and they all looked on in horror as he screamed and thrashed in pain on the grass.
"Help me," cr
ied Pete. "It's agony, take the pain away."
"Dvalin what do we do?" asked Alex desperately. Dvalin looked stricken.
"There is nothing you can do Alex. The slightest wound caused by the sword will cause a slow and agonising death," said Dvalin sadly.
"Alex," Sasha shouted, "The sword." Alex looked at the sword in his hand and looked into Pete's eyes.
He understood what Sasha wanted him to do but he couldn’t do it.
“No Sasha, I can’t,” he said shaking his head.
“Alex you have to, he’s in agony, finish it quickly,” cried Sasha.
“No, I…”
Before Alex could finish what he was saying Dvalin leapt up and threw his weight onto Alex’s hand driving the sword directly into Pete’s heart. Alex looked at the sword in his hand in horror and quickly let go. He met Pete's eyes and saw the life and pain leave him.
"What did you do?" shouted Magnus horrified.
"He was dying, we ended his pain," said Dvalin removing the sword from Pete’s chest and dropping it onto the grass. "He was in agony."
"Quite the heroes," said Loki sarcastically.
"You murderers," Magnus cried, pointing at Alex and Dvalin. "You killed him, you murderers."
"Magnus, don’t blame Alex I did this. I had to, Pete was dying, the sword killed him, not Alex," said Dvalin. "If it's anyone's fault, it's Loki's," he said pointing at Loki.
"He brought it on himself," Loki growled.
"You monster," Magnus said to Loki. "You got into his head. You couldn't make him immortal. You lied to him. You're a monster," he cried.
"Yes gullible little fool wasn't he? I'm going to have to find another minion now. How about you," he said turning to Matt. Matt backed away from him shaking his head.
Suddenly the sky lit up white and a bolt of lightning struck the ground just outside the henge. Everyone jumped in shock except Loki who just looked around casually and laughed.
"Loki," boomed a voice.
A giant of a man with shoulder length red hair and a long red beard stood next to the henge. His eyes flashed white with streaks of lightning and he carried a huge hammer in his gloved hands.
"Brother dearest. You don't write. You don't call. Anyone would think you have been avoiding me," said Loki smirking. "Please let me introduce you to your son. Look we can have a happy little family reunion."
Thor looked at Alex and nodded. "Hello son."
"Er hello, dad?" said Alex confused.
"We'll talk later son. I just have some business with your uncle here," Thor said nodding in Loki's direction.
"Brother, come now, it was a joke. You know me, always kidding around," said Loki backing away from Thor.
"You took my son from his mother, from me. That is not a joke brother," he spat.
"Thor, come on, all is well that ends well. Look he's a fine young man, no harm done," said Loki whining.
"Silence," roared Thor pointing his hammer at Loki. "He has grown up not knowing who he was, not knowing that he had a mother and a father, not having the love of his family. You tried to kill him Loki. That is unforgivable. You have done some bad things in the past Loki but this, this…." he said gesturing to Alex with his hammer, "This is unforgivable and I will kill you this time," he said furious. Streaks of lighting blazed from his eyes and static electricity filled the air. Alex's chest started to throb as it reacted to the electricity in the air.
"You can't kill me you idiot, I'm immortal," sneered Loki.
"No Loki, we are not immortal. Remember our brother Baldur, Sasha's father, remember? Was it just a joke to you too when you murdered him?" snarled Thor.
"I didn't know he would die, anyway he's fine. Hel is taking good care of him. He enjoys it down there, Nanna's with him, it's all good," said Loki looking at his finger nails as though he really didn't care.
"He is stuck in the underworld with your weirdo monster of a daughter," hissed Thor.
"Don't call my daughter a monster," said Loki through clenched teeth.
"She's a monster and you know it," said Thor tossing his hammer from one hand to the other.
"Shut up," snarled Loki stepping towards Thor.
Thor swung his hammer and hit Loki in the chest. He went flying back and hit the central monolith of the henge. His head snapped back against the stone with a crack and he slumped to the floor with a groan.
Thor laughed. "Oh that felt good. Eric, do you fancy a shot?" he asked looking at Alex.
"Eric?" he asked. "My name is Alex."
"Alex? Well we named you Eric, Eric Thorsson," said Thor placing a large hand on Alex's shoulder.
"Well I think something got lost there, everyone knows me as Alex Thornson," said Alex.
"No it's Eric, a great Viking name. Magnus was that you? I know you took him as a baby. You put a spell on him didn't you so we couldn't see him?" asked Thor.
Magnus looked up and narrowed his eyes in anger.
"Yes I changed his name and got a Volva to put a protection spell on him. I was protecting an innocent baby from you freaks," he snarled.
"Yes well, I am still deciding whether to punish you or thank you for saving him," said Thor looking directly at Magnus.
Magnus was still sitting on the floor cradling Pete. He looked at Thor with hatred burning in his eyes.
"I should have killed him when I had the chance," he growled laying Pete's head down gently and rising to his feet.”He murdered my boy. I demand justice," he said pointing to Alex.
"Justice? He was going to kill my son in exchange for immortality. And you, you stole my son when he was a baby. If anyone should demand justice around here it should be me," shouted Thor. The sparks in his eyes flashed dangerously.
"Uncle, please have mercy he’s upset, he has just lost his son," said Sasha walking over and standing next to Thor.
"I know, that is the only reason why he is still alive," said Thor glaring at Magnus.
Loki groaned loudly and sat up rubbing the back of his head.
"That really wasn't necessary brother. I think you broke my skull," he moaned.
"It would take more than that to break your thick head," said Thor, not deigning to look at him. "Magnus, I suggest you take care of your son. As you did not kill my son I will ensure his soul rests in Helheim rather than being sent to Niddhogg. He was intent on murder in his heart so Niddhogg has every right to him," he said.
Magnus went very pale and started to shake.
"Come," said Alan to Magnus. "Nancy and I will help you with the preparations."
"No, leave me. I want to be alone with my son," said Magnus bending down next to Pete and stroking his cheek.
Alex looked at Thor. "What happens to him?" he asked nodding in Loki's direction.
"Odin will decide, Loki is right I can't kill him but I can make sure his life is miserable for the foreseeable future. Eric..sorry Alex, I'll have to leave you here whilst I sort this out in Asgard. I'll find you when it's done and we will talk. We have a lot to catch up on," he smiled sadly and grasped Alex by the forearm.
"Sure, no problem. Can we go get my mum too?" asked Alex.
"Your mother? Alex I am sorry but your mother died. She died of a broken heart when she lost you," said Thor with a tear in his eye.
"But Alan said....." Alex looked at Alan confused.
"Thor, Mathilde is alive," said Alan looking embarrassed.
"What?" shouted Thor. A streak of lighting flashed in the sky and a rumble of thunder sounded in the distance.
"Odin made me tell you she had died. He doesn't want gods and humans mixing, you know that," said Alan miserably.
"She is alive?" asked Thor looking at Nancy now. She nodded and smiled weakly.
"My father has a lot to answer for," said Thor shaking his head sadly. "All this time, I thought she was dead." He sighed deeply and straightened his shoulders.
"Alex I need to sort this out first and then we will go and find your mother together," he said smiling widely.
Alex n
odded not knowing what to say. He felt like crying but couldn't in front of everyone.
Thor grabbed Loki by the back of his long coat and lifted him up into the air.
"Come brother, you have some explaining to do to our father," he said glaring at him.
"Ha, I think you will have some explaining to do yourself, brother," sneered Loki. "You broke Odin's rule and messed with a human. This is all on you brother; do you think he will punish me and not you? You are a fool, always have been."
Thor swung his hammer and knocked Loki out with one blow.
"Peace at last," he grinned at Alex. "I'll be back soon," he said hauling the unconscious Loki over his shoulder.
Static electricity filled the air and Alex could feel his hair stand on end. A bolt of lightning shot out of the sky and struck Thor. They all shielded their eyes and when the lightning receded Thor and Loki had disappeared.
"Alex, are you ok?" asked Becca coming over and holding his hand. He looked at her and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"As good as can be expected," he said sadly looking over at Pete.
"You did the right thing you know, he was in agony and dying," she said.
"I know but I'm still responsible. This damn sword, I have to get rid of it, where's Dvalin?" he asked.
"Picking daisies look," she said pointing to Dvalin who was crouched on the grass looking for flowers. "I guess he has never seen a flower growing before. This must be quite some experience for him," she said.
"Yeah, for us too. I can't believe it's over, that was pretty intense. Did you see the size of that dog and the bird? I really thought I was going to die," he said laughing shakily.
The Cursed Sword (The Nine Worlds Trilogy Book 1) Page 21