80AD - The Hammer of Thor (Book 2)

by Aiki Flinthart

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Jade’s strangled gasp of fear made Phoenix look sharply around. They were only a few minutes outside the village and he already wondered where and when the next attack would come. Blodbal leapt to his hand before he thought about it. He twisted about, trying to find the source of her sudden exclamation of shock. There was nothing.

  As he looked a question at her, she leaned forward, clinging to the mane of her horse. The mare, startled by her rider’s fear, tossed her head nervously and trotted for a few jarring steps. Jade buried her face in the horse’s neck and held on.

  Phoenix reined his own mount in and leaned over to grab the back of her coat. Truda, sitting behind him with her arms wrapped around his waist, squeaked and grabbed tighter.

  “What on earth are you doing?” he demanded, hauling Jade upright. “Two minutes ago Marcus and I were just talking about what a good rider you are. What’s the deal?”

  Her knuckles were white on the reins. She stared around at him. “I…I…can ride?”

  “Duh,” he said sarcastically. “It’s what you’ve been doing perfectly well for the last fifteen minutes. Why did you suddenly decide you couldn’t…oh.” He realised, a little, late that Jade from the real world must not be able to ride but Jade gan Eleri obviously could. As long as thirteen year old Jade had let her avatar have control, she’d been fine. Once she’d actually thought about what was going on, she’d freaked.

  Phoenix sighed. When this whole weird adventure began, Jade had been a very reluctant heroine but heroine she undoubtedly was. After her initial doubts, she’d coped beautifully with magic, Romans, dryads and druids. Now she was falling apart and Phoenix had no idea why. It might have something to do with how badly she’d been overwhelmed by the presence of the troll – and how stupid she’d been to eat the lily leaves. It had shaken her confidence and now she was second-guessing herself.

  He did know that if she didn’t get herself together pretty fast, they were stuffed. In this land of magic and gods, they needed someone like her – someone who understood the supernatural and who’d read a lot of stupid fantasy adventure novels. He knew computer games and fighting; she knew the books they were based on.

  “Jade,” he tried for patience but managed slight sarcasm, “get a grip would you? You might not think you can ride but you can.” He frowned at her, trying to get the message across without prompting awkward questions from Truda. “Relax. You’ll be fine.” He kneed his horse and hers followed his.

  She sent him a quick, worried look before closing her eyes. Phoenix watched as she took a long, deep breath and released it. Her whole body relaxed and she sat back in the saddle like a seasoned rider. He nodded in satisfaction.

  “Didn’t you tell me your uncle owned a farm,” he said, finally assured she wasn’t going to fall off.

  “A dairy farm,” she replied tartly. “I can ride a motor bike without a problem, thanks.”

  Phoenix grinned. “Well, just think of the horse as an old-fashioned kind of motor bike – a bit bumpier and more temperamental, that’s all.”

  “Helpful,” she shot back, but she smiled a little.

  The three were silent awhile, watching Marcus who rode ahead with Brynn clinging on for dear life behind. Marcus rode as if born in the saddle – which was not surprising, considering how many years he had followed his father around the Roman Empire. Brynn, however, rode badly. The boy’s thin legs stuck out stiffly over the stallion’s round belly and he winced at every bump and jolt. The pockets of his new clothing bulged and Phoenix briefly wondered how he could diplomatically ask the boy what he’d stolen from the village. After a moment’s thought, he decided not to ask at all. He was better off not knowing.

  From the corner of his eye, Phoenix watched as Jade slipped back into deep thought and chewed her lower lip. Something was really bugging her. Eventually, she sent him a troubled look.

  “Do you think we did the right thing, leaving them like that?”

  Mindful of Truda’s curious ears right behind, he shrugged. “Who knows. From a..er…Player’s point of view, yes. We did what we were obviously supposed to do there and we have to keep moving. Anything more would have been just bonus points. Remember where we are?”

  She sighed. “I just don’t feel good about it. I know it wouldn’t have got us any closer to Asgard but it seems wrong to leave them and not know if they’ll be ok. It doesn’t feel like the right thing to do.”

  Phoenix frowned, hearing an echo of his father’s words. He shifted uneasily in the saddle. If he’d just been playing this game on the outside, he definitely would have stayed. On the outside, these decisions were easy: you fought the badguys, collected points, treasure and weapons along the way and eventually either got killed or you killed the big badguy to win the game. In fact, he probably would have gone looking for Grendel’s mother, just for the bonus points and possible treasure.

  Being in the game added an extra layer to every decision. It wasn’t just his life on the line and, as much fun as all these adventures were, it was always in the back of his mind that Jade didn’t really want to be here. Marcus and Brynn were part of the team, too and he couldn’t justify putting them in danger just to chase some extra Experience Points or treasure they didn’t need. No, they were better off on the move than waiting to get tromped by another troll for absolutely no gain. His job was to get Truda back home and prevent Ragnarok.

  “I know what you mean,” he finally said, “but we don’t even know for sure if this matches up with Beowulf. Keep in mind the…quest we’re on. We can’t get sidetracked. Who knows, maybe it’s just a co-incidence. Maybe the…” he hesitated, glancing at Truda’s wide blue eyes over his shoulder, “powers that control this world just like the same sort of stories you do. Maybe it’s no big deal to them,” he said. “You know how easily amused those geeks are.” That was a word that shouldn’t translate.

  Jade stared at him for a second then nodded with obvious reluctance. “I suppose.”

  After a few minutes, she shook herself and made an effort to be her old self again. Phoenix breathed a soft sigh of relief. She wasn’t quite back to normal but at least she wasn’t sunk in depression. He just hoped nothing bad happened to Olshamarr. If it did, she’d be sure to blame herself and he’d never hear the end of it.

  They didn’t discuss it any further and the day passed without incident. Hrothgar’s directions had them travelling northeast. They aimed to be at Orebro a large town about fifty kilometres away, on the shore of a lake called Hjalmaren. However, because of their late start, the shortness of the northern spring days and the slow pace of the pack horses, they had not yet reached their goal when night swept in.

  As dusk turned everything softly grey, the companions slipped stiffly down from their mounts and lead them off the narrow road. To the east was yet another of the many small lakes and ponds that dotted this area. Nearby, they found a small thicket of saplings growing in a rough circle. It seemed like a good place to set up camp.

  Phoenix was surprised and a little guilty when one of the packs opened to reveal two tents made of thin, waterproofed leather. It was certainly a change from sleeping in makeshift lean-to’s or caves and a very welcome relief from the chilly spring night air.

  Marcus and Brynn took charge of cooking, bantering light-heartedly over who would clean up afterward. Jade, still subdued, didn’t protest. Phoenix eyed her uncertainly. He definitely wasn’t going to ask why she wasn’t cooking as she usually preferred to. He might not read books but he wasn’t stupid enough to ask a modern girl why she wasn’t doing domestic chores. She’d probably whack him over the head with her quarterstaff and call him a pig – or worse, turn him into one. That didn’t change the fact that he was worried about her.

  The night was perfectly clear and calm. Stars glittered brightly until a gibbous moon rose to dim them. The companions set watches, as usual. Truda was the only one exempt. When told,
she complained so much that Jade eventually sighed and agreed to let her stay up with Brynn for first watch. Then she slipped quietly away into one of the tents.

  Marcus, Phoenix and Brynn exchanged concerned looks. Phoenix raked a hand through his hair and decided there wasn’t much they could do. He went to the other tent. It was still early but there wasn’t a whole lot to do other than sit around watching the campfire and stress about stuff over which he had no control. Anyway, he was tired enough to welcome the extra sleep.

  The night passed and they were disturbed only by the distant sound of a single, lonely wolf-howl. Phoenix took last watch, shivering in the early morning chill, poking at the fire and watching yet another spectacular sunrise. At least this time there were no rocks falling on his head.

  They had breakfasted and were striking camp when Jade held up a hand for silence. Obediently, the others stopped. She listened for a moment, an intent look on her face that made her sharp, Elven features seem strangely pronounced. Then her eyes widened and she stared across at Phoenix.

  “There’s a horse coming fast,” she glanced over her shoulder, “from the direction of Olshamarr.”

  Phoenix grimaced. “Marcus, would you please go out to the road and wait for it while we finish packing? It’s probably nothing but if it is a messenger for us then he’ll go right past.”

  The Roman nodded and disappeared into the pine forest. Jade sent Phoenix a stricken look that showed just how bad she felt about leaving the villagers. He gestured for Brynn to keep packing the gear and sent her a reassuring smile.

  “It’s probably nothing. Could be someone sending for a midwife; a bandit attack; just a message for the next village – the Queen suddenly craving blueberries,” he said, trying to sound positive. Inside, he couldn’t ignore a sinking feeling that it was something quite different.

  “Yes,” Jade said quietly, “it could.”

  For the next several moments, no one spoke. They all went about their duties silently, listening for the sound of hoofbeats. Sure enough, within seconds they all heard what Jade had picked up: the sounds of a horse galloping full pace down the road, heading north. Abruptly, they thudded to a stop and Jade lifted worried eyes toward the road.

  Marcus appeared again, followed by a breathless messenger boy leading a sweating horse. The Roman shook his head gravely as he entered the clearing.

  “We must return. The village has been attacked. Hrothgar is slain. Grendel’s mother has taken her revenge.”

  “Ásúlfr? The Queen?” Jade’s hushed question fell in the silence that followed.

  The messenger held up a reassuring hand and nodded. “By virtue of his new health, he was able to escape, my lady. He lives, as do the Queen, the princess and the young princes. But twenty thanes and warriors were slain as they slept in the great hall, Heorot, last night. Hrothgar took a party and followed the beast back to its lair but he was killed when they attacked it.” The boy swallowed and scrubbed tears from his red face. “My brother was the only survivor. He sent me to fetch you and beg you to help us once more, Trollslayers.” His blue eyes beseeched them as he glanced back and forth between Marcus and Phoenix.

  Phoenix sighed, glanced at Marcus, then drew Jade and Brynn nearer for a whispered conference. Truda sat on a stump looking mulishly annoyed.

  “I hate to go backwards. We ought to be getting on with finding Asgard. We’ve only got two days left, remember,” Phoenix murmured.

  Marcus frowned and Brynn scowled.

  Jade looked outraged. “You can’t mean it, Phoenix. It’s our fault those people are dead. We have to help them.”

  He grimaced. “I know how you feel, Jade, but remember where we are and who they are.” He tapped the amulet lying beneath his shirt and rolled his eyes significantly, trying to remind her that they were just part of a digital world, not a real one. She had to be objective about this. If she kept getting emotionally involved with the characters in this game, they’d end up taking forever to get to Level Five, if it were even possible. “We have to get Truda home before her birthday, remember?”

  “No, Jade is right,” Marcus stated. “It’s our duty to help these people. I could not be easy if we left without trying. I don’t believe you could, either.” The Roman gazed straitly at Phoenix, his dark eyes solemn.

  Brynn hesitated, one hand covering a pocket possessively. Jade glared at him. Finally he sighed and shrugged. “I guess we could go back if we have to.”

  Phoenix echoed his sigh. This ‘do the right thing’ stuff was going to get them all killed one of these days. Having a conscience was a pain in the butt. Logically, he knew their best option was to go ahead to Uppsala without wasting time but that was just too cold-blooded for any of them.

  “Alright, we go back but,” he raised a warning finger, “if we try and it looks like we have no hope of killing this thing, we evacuate the village and get the heck out of there. Agreed? We don’t want to lose anyone on this little side trip.”

  The other three exchanged glances and nodded.

  So they turned deaf ears to Truda’s complaints, packed and rode as fast as they could south, toward Olshamarr.

  After a while, they decided to put Brynn and Truda on the packhorses and ride on ahead. Brynn protested until Phoenix laid a heavy hand on his thin shoulder.

  “I’m asking you to take care of Truda, Brynn. You know she’s the most valuable thing we have. She’s the whole purpose of this quest. We have to take care of her, first.” He tightened his grip until the boy winced. “We need to help these people, too. You ride with Truda and the messenger. He’ll find you somewhere safe to stay outside the village until we come back. Guard her with your life, Brynn. We’re counting on you. Plus,” he grinned, “I’m not sure you really want to go back to the village anyway, do you?”

  After a brief attempt to look innocent, Brynn had the grace to give an ashamed shrug and a half-grin. Turning serious, he glanced at Truda, nodded curtly and gripped Phoenix’s forearm. He set his jaw and turned away to clamber onto the pony without another word. His dark eyes were fierce with awareness of his new duty, one hand clamped onto his new sword.

  Marcus lifted Truda up on the packhorse, tucking her in amongst their baggage. She grumbled bitterly the whole time until Marcus gave her a stern look and a short, sharp lecture on how a goddess should behave toward her people. After that, she subsided, bottom lip quivering. The messenger led her horse and Brynn’s as neither knew how to ride well enough to control their mounts. After giving the village boy final instructions, Jade, Marcus and Phoenix put heels to their horses’ flanks and galloped toward Olshamarr.

  Rank upon rank of huge, sombre pines zipped past, even as time seemed to drag. To Phoenix, it seemed to take forever to cover the distance back to Olshamarr. Shoulder to shoulder with Jade’s fleet roan mare, his grey stallion flew over the rutted dirt track. Close behind, Marcus’ bay pushed to keep up.

  Finally, they slowed to a trot as the village came in sight. Even from a distance they could see the destruction wrought by the troll. Houses lay flattened as though the beast had simply kicked down the thick walls. Workshops and stables were just piles of matchstick tinder. High on the hill a column of black smoke rose above Heorot. In the village, people either wandered about as though they had no idea where to start, or worked tirelessly, with blank expressions, to restore their property.

  As the three companions approached, Ásúlfr came striding toward them, his face alight with relief. Beneath that, Phoenix could see pain and remembrance of fear and suffering that would last for years. A baby wailed somewhere nearby.

  Jade clutched at his arm, her expression distraught. “If we hadn’t rushed off yesterday we’d have been here to help them last night, Phoenix. We have to make things right.”

  He nodded, knowing there was no argument this time. They shouldn’t have left.

  “Well, we’ve done it once, we can do it agai
n.” He swung down off his horse and squared his shoulders, clenching his teeth against bile that rose at the sight of the devastation in the village. “And this time we’ll have your help, too, so it should be easier.”

  Jade’s fingers tightened. He looked down to see her guilt had turned to fear.

  “But you said my magic won’t work against a troll, Phoenix.” Her nails dug into his arm. “I can’t help you. Grendel’s mother is supposed to be even worse than Grendel…and I can’t do anything!”