War and Famine: An Urban Fantasy Novel (Revelations Book 2)

by J. A. Cipriano

  “The Norse gods are made of two groups, the Aesir and the Vanir. I suppose it could have been one of the Vanir or even one of the giants, but my conclusion still stands. Someone would have to transport him to Jotunheim. Perhaps I can figure out who that someone is.” Sabastin set Haijiku down, leaning it against Atropos before pressing a button on the keyboard in front of him. Light flashed across the monitor as he placed one hand on a pad to the left of the console.

  A holographic 3D model of the base appeared in front of him, swirling around as the roof dissolved, revealing each and every hallway. There were only three flashing dots of light present within the glowing structure. Two were in the control room and one was in a room she presumed to be his daughter’s.

  That room enlarged on the screen, coming into startling detail to reveal the girl still unconscious in her bed. A shroud of crimson light hung across the room like someone had placed a red lens over the camera. Sabastin pressed a green button, and a timestamp appeared on the corner. He turned a yellow knob, and the footage began to flow backward until it showed Ian standing there talking to an immense man wearing the skins from an entire herd of animals. The images stopped moving backward and froze in place. Sabastin twisted another knob and pulled on a lever. The color of the room changed, revealing the outline of a wolf inlaid across the man.

  “Damn it!” Sabastin cried, pounding his fist against the console as two sets of symbols appeared next to the fur-clad wolf-man. “It’s worse than I feared.”

  “How could it be worse than you feared? What did you think had happened?” Amy asked, not liking the anger in Sabastin’s voice one bit. She’d never seen him get really angry before, and the surprise of it was nearly overwhelming. Sabastin had always been an island of calm. This outburst from him was disconcerting to say the least.

  “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that man standing next to Ian is Vidar. The Norse god Ian claims to have met in prison.” Sabastin lifted one hand and traced one finger along the outline of the wolf. “But it looks like he is being influenced by Fenris. At least that’s what the computers are telling me.” Sabastin spun around and his face was a mask of anger. “He’s the one destined to kill Fenris. If the wolf is using him as a puppet…”

  “No one will be able to stop Fenris from killing everyone,” Amy said as a horrible realization made her blood run cold. Ian was in a lot of trouble. Sure, he might be a god among men in the frozen wastes of Jotunheim, but there was no way he’d be able to stop Fenris if Vidar was helping the wolf. Against two Norse deities, Ian was as good as dead.

  “Exactly,” Sabastin said, walking past her toward the hallway that led to his daughter’s room. “I’m going to go check on my daughter.”

  “So what are we going to do?” Amy asked, and as she said the words, Clotho’s screen went completely blank except for one word written in flaming letters.

  “Nothing,” Sabastin replied, not even bothering to look at her as he passed through the doorway. “We do nothing.” The door slid shut behind him leaving her to stand in the room by herself.

  She glanced back at the computer as Lachesis flickered to life. Text identical to Clotho’s filled the screen. So two of the fates were in agreement, were they? Too bad she didn’t know what the words meant. She took a step closer, and as she placed her hand on the same pad Sabastin had used, her knee bumped against Haijiku. A familiar flash of presence unfurled in the back of her mind reminding her of a cat yawning after a long nap.

  She’d felt the brush of Haijiku before, when she’d used the blade to stop Ian when he was under Jormungand’s control, but this felt a little different. The cat in the back of her mind looked around, ears perked as it sniffed the air, looking for something. When it didn’t seem to find whatever it was looking for, the spirit within the sword settled its steely “how dare you exist” cat gaze upon her.

  Before she could ask the sword what its deal was, Atropos flared to life. Words appeared on the screen. The same words as upon its sisters monitors. Only this time, she realized she could read the text. No, that wasn’t quite it. The cat was reading the script through her eyes. Either way, the meaning was as clear as crystal.

  The words “Find Kim. Stop Surt” blazed across all three computers.

  She stared at the text on Atropos for a moment longer before turning her gaze back to the computer’s sisters. Their message remained exactly the same. A shudder ran through her. Why hadn’t Sabastin told her what the screens said? Then again, he hadn’t looked back in his haste to check on his daughter. He probably hadn’t seen what they said. That seemed short sighted of him, but maybe Ian was right. Maybe he was too concerned with her health to do his damn job. It was understandable but no less frustrating.

  “How do I find Kim?” she asked the computers, forcing the words out despite every ounce of her being screaming at her to ask the machines about Ian.

  The machines did not reply even though she willed them to do so with everything in her. Instead, the screens went out with a whoosh that surprised her. Clearly, the force was not strong with her.

  She took a step back, uncomprehending, and only then did she realize she was gripping Haijiku’s hilt in one hand. The blade’s naked edge gleamed in the light of the room, casting shadows across the room that flitted to and fro like butterflies. She didn’t remember pulling the weapon free of its sheath, but as she stared at it, she felt the feline presence within it watching her like a grinning Cheshire cat.

  “I know how to find your friend,” it whispered in the back of her mind, somehow conjuring up the image of the grinning feline dragging its scratchy tongue across its fur.

  “How?” Amy asked even though she knew she shouldn’t ask because this sword was evil. It contained a being known only as the Emissary of Tragedy. She couldn’t trust it to help her, could she? No, to do so was to follow the words of a being who had helped Ian kill Jesse. Then again, what choice did she have? Not much of one. Besides, she was a horseman of the apocalypse, and instead of being the harbinger of annihilation, she’d been given the power to stop it from happening. Perhaps Haijiku was the same? Could it be that the Emissary was really just being misunderstood? She had to hope it was true, even if the thought made her feel a touch naïve.

  “Use the machines to open a portal to Muspelheim. It will work, despite what that old coot says.” The Emissary turned its feral, feline gaze upon her, and a shiver ran down her spine.

  “Are you sure?” she asked, raising one eyebrow at the sword. Was she seriously asking an evil sword for confirmation? What was next? Calling Lucifer on the phone to ask for tips on battling gods?

  “You do not trust me?” She got the distinct feeling the spirit within was shaking its head at her and sighing which was ridiculous considering the fact she had no reason to trust the weapon.

  “Not really,” Amy said, but even as she did so, she felt her free hand moving across the keyboard, manipulating the controls to do just as the sword instructed. “I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t trust you.”

  “You should most definitely not trust me, Amy, for you are only a means to an end. For now, we are on the same side. Trust in that,” the Emissary of Tragedy replied as the shadows flitting around her crept ever closer. “While I can taste the hunger of your mantle, feel the fire of it burning within you, your all-consuming fire is nothing compared to the unquenchable thirst of the cold and dark. Even the hottest fire of the brightest sun eventually succumbs to the darkness of space.” The emissary seemed to smile, but the expression just made the feline specter appear even more sinister. “I will help you find Ian. Until then, I will lend you my power and my knowledge. But only until then.” The cat laid back down in her mind and shut its eyes. “You have my word.”

  She shook her head, ignoring the sudden urge to drop the sword and wait for Sabastin to return. But what if he didn’t come back in time? And why was it necessary to find Kim in Muspelheim? Then again, the sword had only hinted she was in the fire world. Perhaps it was lying? Only
she didn’t think so. In fact, she was certain. If she went to the fire world, she would meet with Kim. Hopefully, Ian would be okay until then.

  After all, when the Emissary had spoken of finding Ian, it had seemed truthful, all things considered. It wanted him back, and because of that, was willing to help her. There’s was an alliance of convenience and nothing more. She could work with that.

  The portal sprang to life behind her, and the sound of it reminded her of a firecracker going off underwater. The shockwave of its sudden existence made her stomach lurch as she spun around to face it. The portal’s surface glimmered like a pool of melted gold. Little ripples edged outward as she approached, her right hand gripping Haijiku.

  She reached out with her free hand and touched the portal. It was hot, but that didn’t bother her. In fact, as her hand reached in up to her elbow, power surged through her, intense and warm. It filled her with a single certainty. If she stepped through this portal she would be akin to a god. What did she have to lose? Her humanity maybe, but if she didn’t find Kim and rescue Ian, he would be lost. For him she was willing to travel into hell itself. Going somewhere like Muspelheim was a sacrifice she could make.

  Amy stepped into the portal. Heat and light washed over her, drowning her senses in the burning embrace of fire. It felt better than anything she had ever known.

  Kim 02:06

  When Kim finished her tale, Caleb took a step back and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Well,” he said slowly, drawing out the word even though it was only a single syllable. “That is certainly bad.”

  “That’s all you have to say?” Kim asked, incredulous. He had seriously stood there glaring at her for the last half hour, interrupting her only to ask clarifying questions that seemed designed to poke holes in her story. It had been so frustrating she’d nearly slugged him. And when she made a mistake, he acted like she was trying to lie to him. She wasn’t. She just didn’t quite get all the details out the first time. “Where’s your big plan Mr. God of Space and Time?”

  “It’s stewing in here.” Caleb tapped his temple with one hand. “You can’t rush perfection.”

  “Look jackass, you may have all the time in the world, but I, and the whole planet, don’t.” Kim put her hands on her hips and glared back at him, letting all her frustration flow out of her through her eyes.

  Caleb looked away from her and stared at the horizon. It was still a flat royal blue color, much like everything else. Blue in every direction for miles. It would have been unnerving if she could have overcome her frustration. As it stood, she didn’t have time for this. She had to get him out of here before his murderous sword ate through her math teacher and covered the world in flames. He didn’t seem to get that. He seemed more than happy to putz around like a snail on holiday.

  “Okay, if he lets me out of here all nice and neat, I won’t try to break out of here.” Caleb turned back toward her, his face suddenly serious. “Beyond that, I’m not sure what else I can do.” He gestured at her with Incinerator. “My blade has even agreed to talk it out with Freyr, but he’s made of fire and a little bit crazy, so I can’t say for certain he won’t try to burn the god to cinders anyway.” He fixed his sword with a stern look. “Even if that is not what I wish.”

  “Awesome,” Kim replied, and the weight of the world seemed to lift from her shoulders. Somehow she’d managed to convince Caleb to do the right thing and quit trying to chop his way out through her math teacher’s stomach. “You have no idea how much better that makes me feel.”

  “So how do we get out of here?” Caleb asked, sheathing his sword and taking a step toward her. “I was joking about the magic rope earlier, but you do have a plan to actually get us out of here, right?”

  “I’m not actually sure,” Kim replied suddenly feeling kind of stupid. “Mr. Matthers wasn’t exactly clear on how to escape. He said I’d be able to find my own way out so there has to be a way, right?”

  “Yeah, through his chest with a sword,” Caleb replied but there was an edge of humor to his voice as he waved one hand in front of himself.

  The scenery faded back to what it had been before it had become a tapestry of endless blue. Snakes approached on all sides, coming toward them through the cotton candy grass in uncountable droves. Kim suppressed a shudder as she watched them. Surely there had to be an easy way to escape. If there wasn’t, well, her coming here was pointless because Caleb would just break out.

  “Mr. Matthers?” she cried at the top of her lungs. “It’d be really great if you let us out now. Caleb promises to behave himself.”

  The sky above them rumbled. The ground shook. Her feet went out from under her as she plummeted through the grass like it was no more substantial than a cloud. Dirt slipped past her, sliding over her face and hands as she clawed for grip. Her fingers caught hold of something, and her arm jerked violently as she seized upon it. Agony tore at her shoulder as she came to a sudden halt, gripping the roots of an immense tree. Its spidery roots filled the cold dark earth around her. High above she could see Caleb leaning over the hole through which she had fallen.

  “Are you okay?” he called, and while his voice barely reached her, concern filled his words.

  “I think so,” she yelled back and reached up to grip the thin roots with her other hand. The pressure on her shoulder eased. Kim sucked in a deep breath and kicked at the dirt, digging the toes of her tennis shoes into it. “I think I might be able to climb out.”

  “Well, you had better hurry.” Caleb turned away from her, unslinging his broadsword. Fire leapt across its edge. “Because all those itty bitty snakes are melding together to form a giant snake.”

  “Awesome,” Kim muttered sarcastically as she peered down below her. Endless darkness filled her eyes for what seemed like ever. She took a deep breath and began climbing out of the hole. Her muscles strained and her fingers ached with every movement. The thin roots of the tree cut into her hands like razor wire so blood ran down her arms as she climbed.

  “Keep on climbing. Keep on climbing,” she murmured to herself as she hoisted herself upward, doing her best to drive back the pain and keep moving.

  She was nearly to the top when Caleb’s smoking body came flying backward down the hole. Incinerator slipped from his grasp as he careened toward her, eyes distant and unseeing. Instinctively, she reached out toward him, grabbing onto his left wrist as he passed by. The sudden weight nearly jerked her arm from its socket. She screamed as her grip came free of the roots. They plummeted downward through the hole. The earth surged by them so quickly it resembled a nauseating blur.

  Green steam rose from Caleb’s chest as Kim wrapped one arm around his waist and pulled him against her body. His shirt had been burned away to reveal blistered, raw skin beneath, and the moment his bare flesh touched her, a surge of power coursed through her veins. Her eyes snapped forward, fixing on his falling sword. It was just beyond her, but that didn’t stop her from trying to grab it. She reached out for it, muscles straining. She would get it. She was almost there. Once she did, she could drive it into the earth and stop their fall.

  They slammed into an outcropping of blood red rock with bone-jarring force. Bloody breath burst from Kim’s lips as she lay there dazed. Caleb had taken the brunt of the fall, but it didn’t seem to have killed him since his chest still rose and fell. She could tell because she was lying with her cheek against it. She pushed herself up a few inches and gasped even though the sharp intake of breath scorched her insides with pain. The blisters had already faded from his flesh, leaving pristine tan skin in its place. Well, that was certainly a neat trick.

  She sat up, somewhat amazed she wasn’t injured by their impact with the rock. By all rights, she should be a bloody smear, even with Caleb taking most of the force. Whatever the reason was for her sudden immunity to fall damage, she was glad for it. She wouldn’t be saving anyone from anything if she’d been reduced to a puddle of goo.

  “You should watch that last step. It’s a doozy.” The wor
ds resounded in her head like a gong, seeming to come simultaneously from a few feet away and from within her brain. She craned her head toward the sound. Incinerator was only a few feet away, embedded up to its hilt in the rock.

  Had the sword spoken to her? She briefly recalled how Ian had said Haijiku talked to him. It was the main reason he’d relinquished the weapon. That said, Haijiku had seemed to bond with Ian. She had no bond with Incinerator so how could the blade converse with her? She stared at it in disbelief. Why had it spoken to her?

  “Are you talking to me?” she asked although the statement was more for her own confirmation than anything else.

  “Yes,” the sword replied, and as the words echoed in her brain, a black shadow stretched from its plainly wrapped hilt, extending out along the ground until it resembled a vaguely humanoid shape with a crown of writhing flames.

  She stared at the weapon, trying to ignore the flash of disbelief that had surged through her. After all, she had known Surt inhabited the sword. It stood to reason it could talk, didn’t it?

  “Pleased to meet you,” Kim said and was about to curtsy when she realized she was straddling Caleb’s perfect abdomen, her thighs pressed against his body. She could feel the heat radiating off of him even though the fabric of her pants. A blush crossed over her face as she scrambled to get to her feet. Something told her, close contact with Caleb might bring on the ire of his girlfriend. You know, assuming he had one.

  “Stop,” the shadow commanded. “If you stop touching his bare flesh, I will no longer be able to speak to you.”

  Kim stopped in mid-motion before settling back down so her thighs rested against Caleb’s sides once again and tried to keep the worst of her thoughts at bay. Now was not the time to be having those kinds of ideas anyway. Perhaps when this was all over…

  “What do you have to tell me?” she asked, looking up from Caleb and staring at the shadow extending from the weapon. She got the vague feeling it was relieved she’d stopped trying to get off its master.