by Neo Edmund
“Ice can get a little obsessive when it comes to home security,” Ash said.
Red spun the dial. “Any idea how we get inside?”
“Allow me.” Ash nudged Red aside and began turning the dial. He spun it three times to the left, three times to the right, and four times back to the left.
The lock disengaged with a clunk.
Red and Wolfgang looked at one another and shrugged.
“I don’t even want to know how he knew that,” Wolfgang said.
“I’m going to just smile and be glad he did,” Red said.
“If you think that was weird, wait until you get a look at what’s inside,” Ash said.
It took Red’s and Wolfgang’s combined might to push open the massive door. They stood in awe as they took in the bizarre sights of the large stone chamber.
Dote looked up in disbelief at a wall lined with enough bladed weapons to arm a squadron of soldiers. “Obsessed much with the killing stuff?”
“This is new.” Ash took a wide step around a rug made from a beast that resembled a grizzly bear, but was several times larger and had vastly more teeth.
Red approached a wall, covered from top to bottom with the mounted heads of hundreds of slain creatures. “Is there anything in Wayward Ice hasn’t killed?”
“Several,” Wolfgang said. “Have no doubt they’re all on her hit list.”
Dote stood trembling. “Can we just get the gem and go? All this dead stuff is giving me nightmares, and I’m not even asleep.”
“Agreed,” Ash said. “Let’s not end up as the next trophies on Ice’s wall of death.”
In the center of the chamber stood an extravagant canopy bed. The legs and poles were made of three-inch-thick animal bones. A white curtain made entirely of animal skins hung over it.
“Major creep show,” Red said.
Next to the bed sat a large nightstand, also crafted from the bones of slain beasts. The glowing Omega Gem sat perched in the severed claw of a raven. Red gazed into its glossy reflective surface and saw an image of the full moon.
“Just like I told you.” Ash said.
Red took a careful look around the chamber. “Is it me, or does this all seem just a bit too easy?”
“I’m pretty sure I’ve been saying that since we hit the ground,” Wolfgang said.
“Well, now I’m saying it.” Red took a quick sniff of the air. There weren’t any obvious signs of danger. Not that it offered her much comfort, considering their surroundings.
Dote whimpered. “Just grab the darn gem and let’s get out of this place.”
As Red reached out for the Omega Gem, she could feel its power calling to her. It wasn’t until her hand made contact that she realized she had made a terrible mistake. An intense shockwave of mystical energy blasted out, knocking her to the floor with a painful thud.
“What a dirty rotten spell,” Dote said.
Wolfgang and Dote dashed over and helped Red to her feet. The gem flickered and vanished in the blink of an eye.
“Whoa. What happened to it?” Ash searched around the nightstand.
“Great job, Dorkus,” Wolfgang said.
“How was I supposed to know it was going to do that?”
“We have to find it,” Red said. “How can I defeat Ragnarok without it?”
“The answer is you don’t, foolish peasant girl,” Ice said. They turned as she strutted in through the chamber door, grinning maliciously and holding Prince’s rapier.
Red pulled her sword and pointed it at Ice. “What did you do with the Omega Gem?”
“You still don’t get it.” Ice snickered. “It’s a fake, you little dummy.”
“You’re lying.” Red said.
“Sadly, I am not. But don’t feel bad. Even I was fooled when I first held it. My sages assure me that it has no real power.”
Red slumped in defeat. “Then we came all the way here for nothing.”
“Dearest Red, don’t be that way. You left our little party the other night so abruptly that I never got a chance to show you my room. I do hope you’re impressed.”
“Impressed is not the word I would pick. Major freak show is more like it.”
Ice smiled quite proudly. “So then you do like my trophies. I killed every one of them all on my own, you know.”
Dote gasped when she noticed Prince’s rapier in Ice’s hand. “Is that the sword that belongs to my pretty prince?”
Ice playfully swung the rapier around. “Oh, poor dodo bird. I do hope he wasn’t somebody special to you.”
“Not yet, but I was making plans,” Dote said. “What did you do to him, you albino freak show?”
Ice gave a dismissive laugh. “Is that the best insult you can come up with, dodo bird? Red already used the term freak show when she complimented my decor. Do try to be original next time.”
Wolfgang approached Ice. “Are you just going to stand there cackling like a jaded witch, or are you and me going to have us a rematch?”
“Come now, little wolfy. Did you miss the part where I was talking about being original? We’ve already done that dance.”
Wolfgang cracked his neck to the side. “Don’t disappoint me and go running away with your tail between your legs.”
“Bored now.” Ice said. “How about we stir the pot a bit. Red, do you have any clue why this vagrant is following you around?"
“Try stirring another direction,” Red said. “Wolfgang and I have already been down that road.”
Ice snickered. “Oh, no. Don’t tell me we have a case of puppy love going on here? That is so quaint.”
Red grumbled. “Now I’m getting bored. We gonna fight now, or what?”
“No need to jump right to the primal thing,” Ice said. “How about I pick a fun subject to lighten things up. Let me think. How about the coming of Ragnarok in only a few short hours?”
“Check your calendar,” Red said. “Our big birthday bash isn’t until tomorrow night.”
Ice giggled. “Oh, now this is the part of the game where I say something shocking, then you totally freak out and call me a liar.”
Dote’s face was overcome with a look of dread. “Oh no. I knew something was going on inside the vents.”
Ice pointed the rapier toward Dote. “Zip it, dodo bird. My spellcraft. My punch line.”
Red took a nervous gulp. “What did you do to us?”
“It was so simple,” Ice said. “When I saw you coming on your little flying rodents, I knew that your little Dorkus here would try to use the vents to sneak around the house like he always does. So, in my brilliance, I put a little déjà vu spellcraft down there. I had you all running in circles, over and over and over and over.”
“So then how long were we in there?” Red asked.
“A whole day,” Dote said.
Wolfgang clenched his fist. “I knew it was too easy.”
“Surprise, birthday sister,” Ice said. “Sorry your granny and friends couldn’t stay around to join in the festivities. My guards had to escort them off the property.”
“You mean, they’re not dead?” Dote asked.
“Of course not. If you want them back, I’m sure you’ll know where to find them.” Ice extended her arms. A flash-bang explosion ignited. The chamber rapidly filled with thick smoke. “See you around, Little Red Riding.”
“Ice, I am so going to get you for this,” Red said.
Red couldn’t see a thing in the smoky haze. A sniff of the heavy air revealed that Ice had already fled the chamber. She then caught four distinctive scents. Ice’s elite guards, Mia, Naoki, Suki, and Yuki, had entered the room.
“Ash! Dote! Get out of here!” Red yelled out.
Red could smell her friends nearby. She dashed off in their direction, but an unseen attacker smacked her in the face with a wooden staff. A flurry of invisible attacks followed from every direction. She blocked as many of the strikes as she could, but smoke filled her lungs and slowed her down. The final blow sent her crashing face-first to the floor.
“Ash, Dote, Wolfgang? Where are you?” Red cried out.
A sniff of the air didn’t help a bit this time. There was too much smoke to smell anything. After a couple of minutes of aimless searching, the haze cleared enough so Red could see. Just as she feared, Ice had captured Ash and Dote. Only Wolfgang remained. He was lying half-conscious on the floor, with a nasty gash on the side of his head.
“Get up, Helheim.” Red nudged Wolfgang with her boot. “It’s time to go.”
“Oh, sure, I’m fine.” Wolfgang sat up and clutched his aching head. “Thanks for your concern, by the way.”
Red walked toward the door. “They took Ash and Dote. I’m pretty sure they have Granny and my father, and Prince, if he’s still alive.”
Wolfgang stumbled after Red. “You know she’s going to use them against you.”
“Of course I know that!” Red shouted so loud it made Wolfgang flinch.
Wolfgang took a calming breath. “I’m sorry that things got all screwed up, but don’t go taking it out on me. I’ll do whatever I can to help you, if you’ll let me.”
Red also took a calming breath. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bark at you.”
“Don’t let that angst go so easy, Alpha Huntress. You’re going to need it tonight. Ice is going to have an army waiting out there for you.”
Red ground her teeth. “I hope you’re right. I’m so ready for a major fight.”
“What about the Omega Gem? How will you defeat Ragnarok without it?” Wolfgang asked.
“I don’t think I’m supposed to defeat him just yet.”
Red recalled how the first Red Riding told her that the search for the Omega Gem would be a long journey. She felt foolish as it became clear that she had again jumped into action without thinking things through. “Tonight I only have to stop Ragnarok from getting into this world. It’s time to go to the Moon Temple.”
Wolfgang nodded in agreement. “Then we go together. And I know exactly how we’re going to get there.”
Chapter 28
Red was certain the moon was on fire when she caught a glimpse of it in the night sky. It was sweltering crimson and loomed just above the trees that lined the rocky path she had been speeding down for over an hour. The voices of the lunar deities were calling her toward the inevitable battle awaiting her in the Moon Temple. The Alpha Power surging through her body gave her strength unlike any she had ever imagined possible.
“Faster!” Wolfgang called out to the horses that pulled their carriage along, the same one that had carried Red and Dote to Ice’s grand ball. He was sitting by Red’s side in the driver’s seat with the stone cold expression of a warrior ready to face his destiny.
The fearless confidence in Wolfgang’s eyes made Red believe they had a chance to survive the night. A smile came to her face as she recalled their brief time together. He was not the same guy she had met a mere five days ago. The disgrace of the Helheim name no longer defined his existence. Wolfgang was now on a new path where he could carve out his own destiny.
“They’re almost here,” Wolfgang warned.
A surge of fear overcame Red when she got her first look at the swarm of phantom faeries now pursuing them. They were winged creatures with the size and form of a full-grown human. Their skin glowed with a reflective luminescence that made them look like they were on fire. Her skin tingled as she stiffened involuntarily, as her grip tightened on her sword and she mentally tried to prepare herself. I am the Alpha Huntress. I am the Alpha Huntress.
“Red, I don’t get it. If Ice wants you to go to the Moon Temple, why is she trying to stop you?” Wolfgang asked.
“I don’t think she’s trying to stop me. She’s trying to slow me down, so I get there after she has a chance to destroy the Alpha Stone and claim the powers for herself. Then she can make me watch her help Ragnarok through the gate.”
“If we weren’t talking about Ice Seether, I’d say that sounds totally insane,” Wolfgang said.
“When you’re dealing with crazy people, you gotta think crazy.” Red stood up on the roof of the speeding carriage. She locked her eyes on a phantom faerie that now flew alongside them. “Are you sure these things aren’t humans with wings?”
“Not even close. Phantom faeries are mindless beasts that only care about eating and killing,” Wolfgang said.
Red clutched her sword. “Then I won’t feel bad about hacking every last one of them to pieces.”
“Don’t go thinking this is going to be easy, Alpha. There’s a good chance they’ll rip our carriage to bits and try to eat us alive.”
Red buried her fears deep down inside and focused her thoughts on saving her family. “Then I guess you’d better keep this thing moving no matter what happens.”
A phantom faerie glared at Red through its blazing red eyes and wailed out a vicious screech. It swooped in and swung its razor-sharp claws. Red’s armor provided excellent protection from the attack, just as Ethan had promised. She countered with a swipe of her sword that chopped the beast’s arm off and then followed up with another slash that hacked its wings in half, sending it spinning into the trunk of a tree.
Another phantom faerie grabbed Red from behind. She responded with a backward thrust of her elbow that knocked it away. She spun around and swung her sword with so much force that the creature’s head flew off into the woods and its body fluttered off in another direction.
The swarm of phantom faeries began to viciously slam into Red from every side. She lost her balance and crashed down onto the roof. While trying to catch her breath, she spotted a phantom faerie flying near the underside of the carriage. It swung a claw and slashed the wooden wheel into splinters.
“Wolfgang, I think we’re in major trouble,” she said.
Red looked over the other side of the carriage just as a phantom faerie clawed the other back wheel to bits. The rear of the carriage collapsed to the ground. It caused such a jolt that Red had to jam her claws into the roof to save herself from being thrown.
A phantom faerie tugged at the reins in Wolfgang’s hands. Wolfgang slashed his claw into its wing. “If they take out another wheel, the carriage is done for. And we might be, too.”
Red saw a phantom faerie swooping down along the front of the carriage. She fearlessly jumped over the edge and caught a handle on the side. Right as the beast raised a claw to slash the front wheel, Red swung her sword and lobbed its wing off.
“Wolfgang, keep an eye on the other wheel,” she warned.
A phantom faerie grabbed Red from behind and pulled with all its might. She let go of the carriage and locked an arm around the winged beast. It screeched out and swooped upward, carrying Red high enough to leap away toward the top of the carriage. In mid-flight, she swung her sword and hacked its wing off, sending it screaming away.
Red landed on the carriage’s roof in a battle-ready pose. She was relieved to find that the remaining phantom faeries were gone.
Wolfgang grinned at Red. “You didn’t think I was going to let you have all the fun?”
Red kicked away an unconscious phantom faerie that was dangling off the side. “Looks like we’re clear for now. But this carriage is done for.”
Wolfgang pulled the reins and slowed the carriage to a stop. “We gotta get out of here before more of Ice’s minions find us.”
Red and Wolfgang hopped down to the ground. They worked quickly to unhook the two ghost-white stallions that had been pulling the carriage. Their hands touched as they both reached for the final piece of the harness.
The way Wolfgang looked into Red’s eyes made her heart flutter. “Red, I want you to know how much tonight means to me. Nobody has ever given me their trust like you have.”
“I didn’t give you anything. You’ve earned my trust. Tonight you’ll bring great honor to your name.”
“No matter what happens, I will stand with you. My life is yours, Alpha Huntress.”
“L
et’s just hope it doesn’t come to that, Wolfgang Helheim.”
They stood in silence, gazing into one another’s eyes. Red slowly moved in for a kiss, but Wolfgang turned away.
“We’ve only got an hour to get to the temple.” Wolfgang jumped up onto a horse and rode off in a flash.
“Wait for me, Wolf Boy,” she called after him.
With her heart fluttering, Red leaped onto the other horse. She raced off and was soon riding by Wolfgang’s side. Together, they rode across the majestic landscape on their way to face their destiny.
Red had come to love Wayward with all of her heart and would fight tooth and nail to protect it from evil. She knew the moment would soon be upon her where she might have to choose between the survival of her loved ones and stopping Ragnarok from thrusting her new home into eternal night.
“The Moon Temple is just ahead,” Wolfgang said. “We’d better ditch the horses and go in on foot so they don’t hear us coming.”
“The Alpha Huntress is not sneaking into battle tonight. They already know we’re coming, so I want them to hear our thunder when we arrive.”
Red and Wolfgang roared out as their horses leaped over a tall hedge. The Moon Temple was now directly ahead. Blazing red light blasted out of the stained glass windows. It illuminated an army of heavily-armed werewolves guarding the main door.
“I thought you said this was going to be tough,” Red shouted.
“These guys are vicious beasts. They’ll take us out without a second thought,” Wolfgang said.
Red’s adrenaline spiked as they charged into the horde. The hands of countless werewolves grabbed and pulled at her arms and legs. As her horse lost its balance, she stood up and vaulted high into the air. In mid-flight, she hacked down a werewolf that was twice her size. The instant her feet hit the ground, she again swung her sword, taking off the arm of a werewolf as it tried to grab her.
Moving at lightning speed, Red hacked and slashed her way through the onslaught of attacking werewolves. Wolfgang was nearby, battling the horde without the use of a weapon. He preferred to fight with his claws and a flurry of martial-arts style punches and kicks.
The final werewolf charged up behind Red and batted at her head with a hatchet. She dropped down to her knees just in time to evade the strike. With a backward thrust of her sword, she stabbed her attacker through the chest. Finally, spinning around and swinging her blade wide, she lobbed its head off.