Valkyrie Rising

by GR Griffin

  The sword clattered to the ground, Brahms stepping on the blade, breaking it with his foot. The Valkyrie was snarling, her final words lost to the screams around them. When he pulled her into his embrace, she swung wildly with her free hand, smashing a fist against his temple. Annoyed, Brahms twisted both her arms behind her back, not caring that he further aggravated her arm's injury.

  He'd teleport them away from the battle, to the top of the castle's ramparts. But he did not immediately set out to feed, forcing the Valkyrie to turn around and gaze at the combatants below. The roar of the crowd was still loud, even this high up. It forced Brahms to put his lips to her ears, mouth almost caressing as he harshly made inquiries.

  "Where are Silmeria's sisters!? Why are they not here?!" The Valkyrie said nothing in response to that, just held her chin high as she stared straight ahead. Brahms would continue, trying to reason with the woman. "You need not die this day. Just tell me what I want to know...Hrist and Lenneth? What do they plot? Where do they hide?"

  Below them he could make out Gideon, the vampire moving effortlessly through the crowd. Death followed at his side, the vampire with the salt and pepper colored hair easily snapping necks of any Asgardian that stepped within his reach. Elsewhere, Vanidmeer was present, his hair and clothes making him a dark blur. He had apprehended a sword from one of the einherjar, and was using it to duel with a Valkyrie. Both moved with elegant grace, and deadly intent. It would be difficult to determine who would be the victor, both were so skilled.

  Brahms even caught a brief glimpse of Surren, the vampiress having ditched her fine gowns for a more battle appropriate outfit. She wore a disdainful look on her face, but she was not cowering meekly from the fight. Her claws were drenched in blood, the vampiress using them effectively to tear open throats. If she survived today's battle, she would be a credit to their forces on the plains of Idavoll.

  Everywhere he looked, his vampires were doing him proud. Fighting to the death if need be, all to defend the one place they could call home. Even those who were killed, died with honor, taking down as many opponents as they could manage. Brahms himself could do no less, the vampire growling as he put pressure on the Valkyrie's broken wrist. "Her sisters!! Tell me what you know!"

  "Never!" The Valkyrie screamed in defiance. It signed her death warrant, Brahms' fangs lengthening in response.

  "Little fool!" He managed to hiss, his claws tearing open the cloth over her neck. An instant later, his fangs were plunging into her neck, Brahms savage as he began to feed. The rich taste of her blood filled his mouth, the vampire swallowing it down greedily. A rush of power would follow the swallows, Brahms feeling his sense heightened, his strength and speed increased. With the blood of a Valkyrie pumping through him, Brahms felt as though he could take on the entire pantheon of Gods. It would be child's play to deal with the Valkyrie on his front lawn.

  He finished drinking the Valkyrie to her death. A moment later her body toppled from the ramparts, landing in the midst of a battling group. The einherjar might have screamed in horror, glancing up to see the vampire King glowering down at them. Seconds later he jumped, landing heavily on his feet. Brahms would immediately attack, grabbing a man by his throat, crushing it inwards from the force of his grip.

  A woman would scream from behind him, trying to bring her axe down to sever his arm. Brahms turned at the last second, letting the axe hit the body of her slain companion. Such was the force of her swing, that the axe became stuck inside the man's body. The woman appeared to be whimpering, arms making desperate jerking motions as she tried to reclaim her axe.

  Brahms would fling the body at her, the woman falling over backwards. The man's body would pin her to the ground, the woman screaming, seeming hysterical. The fear coming of her would draw others to her, Brahms already turning from her in order to deal with another attacker. Punches were thrown, Brahm's fist smashing into a man's nose. He'd grab another by the back of his scalp, and knock his head against another einherjar's.

  He'd lose himself to the predator inside him, blood and guts exploding around him as he began tearing apart einherjar. His claws would slash, tear, even rend apart. There was too many dead for him to feed, Brahms leaving a mountain of corpses in his wake. And all the while the Valkyries Hrist and Lenneth continued to remain elusive. If Brahms hadn't given into a killing rage, he would have found it more suspicious than he did.

  He continued to fight, to kill, to maim. Another Valkyrie would engage him, bravely marching to her death. They would be in the midst of exchanging blows, when a vampire would teleport besides Brahms. The vampire Lord refused to be distracted from his prey, grabbing her by the arm, prepared to break it. The vampire besides him took an unsteady step forward, and slowly Brahms realized the man was badly injured. And still he did not take his eyes off the Valkyrie he had in his grasp, not until the vampire let out a wheezing gasp.

  "Silmeria!"

  Instantly Brahms' attention was captured. "What about Silmeria?!" Brahms demanded, head butting the Valkyrie. Blood trickled out of her nose, the woman dazed for the moment.

  "Danger..." moaned the vampire, as the Valkyrie resumed her struggles. "Inside the castle. They've come..."

  His stomach seemed to knot up in fear, chasing back the killing instinct for the moment. "Silmeria's sisters!" Brahms gasped knowingly. The Valkyrie in his arms stamped on his foot, Brahms reacting by snapping her neck. She went lifeless in his arms, slumping to the muddied ground the instant he let go. "How large a party is the intruders?!"

  "Not many..." wheezed the vampire around a mouthful of blood. "But...inside...it's a slaughter....so many of our people dead..." And from the looks of this man, he didn't have much longer to live himself. Not with the many bleeding wounds all over his body.

  "Feed." Brahms ordered, gesturing at the dead Valkyrie laying at his feet. "Her blood may save you yet."

  "Thank you Lord Brahms..." The vampire seemed to collapse, no longer having the energy to stand. He would drag himself forward on hands and knees, staring hungrily at the dead Valkyrie. Her blood would already be cooling inside her body, the power fleeing. But there was still a chance she could save this vampire, even though she was already dead.

  Brahms didn't have time to watch over and protect the feeding vampire. He didn't even have time to alert Gideon to where he was going. His sense of urgency was too strong for any more delays, Brahms catching an arrow just before it buried into his heart. He looked up and met the eyes of the archer who had taken aim at him, spying another Valkyrie. She was already putting another arrow to her bow, her einherjar fighting to keep the vampires away from her.

  He didn't have time to deal with her, and didn't care if the Valkyrie thought him a coward. He tensed to teleport, when his instincts screamed a warning. Brahms turned, it was the only thing that saved him from a more severe wound. The Valkyrie who had tried to impale him with her spear, scowled, furious. Brahms snarled, enraged as he worked to pull the spear out of his side. He didn't have time to play with this woman, with any of the Valkyries. But even as he slowly got the spear out of the wound, more arrows were flying his way. Brahms let out a frustrated scream, bellowing out Silmeria's name, all his anger and worry for her in that sound. His scream was so loud, it seemed to rise above the roar of the crowd, causing many on both sides to stop and stare. Even shiver in fear. They heard and recognized the sound of a predator who feared for the life of his mate. It was a fear that would make him do anything, kill anyone to get to her. And damn anyone who tried to stop him in the process.

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  ....

  Chapter 25 : Twenty Five

  The sounds of the battle could not be drowned out, the roar of the screaming voices carrying over to the rear of the castle. It was there to greet Silmeria when she stirred, leaving her to awake in confusion. For one brief moment, as she drifted in the in-between state of slumber and wakefulness, Silmeria thinking she was back on the plains of Idavoll. It wasn't an entirely reassuring thought, Silmeria frow
ning, thinking she had been felled by a foe in battle. And with that assumption, she tensed, expecting claws to tear into her.

  Silmeria would be in the midst of stretching out her arm, trying to feel for her sword when the softness beneath her body registered. This was no firm ground she lay on, no sharp blades of grass pricking into her exposed skin. She was in a bed, and with that realization her eyes snapped open, Silmeria lurching up right. There was no Brahms to greet her, but then she wasn't surprised. Not with the sounds Silmeria was hearing, the girl realizing war had come to the island.

  Something close to excitement filled her, Silmeria lurching out of bed. Her new skirt fell just short of the floor, Silmeria moving gracefully in it. The sounds continued, Silmeria hurrying over to the room's window. She wanted to press against it, to peer out of it. But Silmeria was conscious of the spell enchanted on the window, the one that would zap and burn her. But even if she didn't touch the window, she could hear the sounds all the louder. As well as scent many different smells, Silmeria's fangs lengthening in response to all the blood that was being spilled.

  Her inner predator was roused, Silmeria wanting to go out and revel in the bloodshed. To join in the fighting. But she knew neither side would welcome her. The vampires were wary, even frightened of her strength. If the other side was the Valkyries, then their mission was clear. They were here to kill Silmeria, and would not tolerate any help she might offer them.

  And yet that didn't stop Silmeria from wanting to fight. She didn't know how the battle was going, how each side was faring. There was nothing to see from her window, the fighting far removed from this side of the castle. She had only sound to go on, and the noise was so muddled together Silmeria could tell nothing of what was actually happening.

  It left her frustrated, the girl pacing about the room. She grumbled constantly under her breath, Silmeria glaring at both door and window. She'd even attempt to open the door, only to get her palm and fingers charred by an enchantment that was similar to the one on the window. The confinement spell wasn't going to let her out any time soon, Silmeria growling lowly as she rubbed her burnt hand on her dress' skirt.

  She might have even muttered a curse, damming Brahms in her mind. Silmeria couldn't stand being locked up, her situation made a million times worse by the fact a war was being waged just out of sight of her. A war that was over Silmeria, over whether she would live or die this night. To Silmeria it was a pointless battle, people going to needless deaths. She didn't want to live, not as a vampire. She didn't want to feed, didn't want her soul to be damned simply because of the monster she had become. The vampires were killing, all to keep Brahms' bride alive. They were intent on taking her choices away, wanting to force her to be with them and their King.

  Her agitation mounted by the minute, Silmeria pacing even more. She worried for the Valkyrie and einherjar that had come to the island. Worried for those that would die this night. But more than that, she began to think of her sisters. It was not happy thoughts, Silmeria remembering the threats Brahms had made, the vows he had sworn. He would kill Hrist and Lenneth, and all because they came to free Silmeria from a soulless existence.

  She knew her sisters wouldn't go down easily. But she also remembered that Brahms was the ultimate predator, a monster that had been killing Valkyrie for a millennia. Silmeria had no way of knowing if her sisters could defeat Brahms, if there was even a chance for any of the Valkyrie to win. Their chances would become even more slim should Brahms feed off of any of the Valkyrie present on the island.

  Silmeria would pause in her pacing to pray, begging Odin to heed her words. But she didn't know if the God would even listen to her, Silmeria fearing her prayers fell on deaf ears. What God would listen to the prayers of a vampire, even one with a soul? But still she prayed, hoping fervently that someone would hear, and allow a miracle to take place.

  Praying took up time, but not enough of it. Silmeria would resuming pacing, her claws curling as a sign of mounting aggression. She wanted to scream, as if that would somehow release some of her tension. How long had she been trapped inside this room? Just waiting, listening to the sounds of a battle she could not take part in? Was it hours? Or was it minutes? She could not tell, the moon hidden from her. The sky itself was obscured by dark gray storm clouds, rain constantly pelting the island. She knew enough to know it wasn't a natural storm, but something conjured up by the mages.

  Amidst all the fighting, an explosion would sound. It would rattle the very walls of the castle, Silmeria stumbling about as she tried to regain her footing. The roar of the outside battle continued, Silmeria trying to use her enhanced hearing to pick and choose the sounds she would hear. But she had no training, the sounds many, and near deafening to her. She could only pick up bits and pieces, voices yelling, footsteps running.

  And then amidst all that, Silmeria heard a woman's voice. Stern but with enough emotion to be angry. She couldn't make out the woman's words, just hear the rage that boiled in her voice. More voices shouted, another explosion of sound occurring. Silmeria lost the woman's voice, left to wonder who that was and what it all meant.

  The sounds continued, the roar from outside nowhere as loud as the noise that was coming from within the castle. Even more running was heard, the footsteps echoing loudly. Metal clanged, armor jingling. Sounds she recognized. Vampires very rarely bothered with armor, Silmeria knew that from experience. That left only one other that might be here in the castle, dressed so.

  Her heart began to beat faster, Silmeria finding her palms began to sweat with nervous perspiration. She'd repeatedly wipe them on her skirts, trying to get them to stay dry. Sounds of fighting would accompany the footsteps, voices screaming as they died. There was many screams of agony, dozens upon dozens dying. Silmeria could smell the blood, the fighting coming ever closer to her. Her own fangs lengthened in response, that damnable hunger upon her. She ignored the starvation pangs, backing away from the bedroom's door. Tensing in preparation for whatever, whoever was about to come through that door.

  Another explosion sounded, and this time the door was blown off it's hinges. Silmeria heard a voice scream. "Stop! You mustn't...!" And then a dying gurgle. The woman had been silenced, her killer quick and efficient. The door fell the rest of the way in the room, the smoke of the explosion obscuring the person who had kicked it inwards.

  Silmeria was prepared to lunge forward at the slightest threat, her claws hidden in the folds of her skirt. Silmeria knew who she hoped was at the door, but also knew enough to realize it might very well be Brahms who had come for her. The smoke was thick, and smelt of fire and gun powder. It confused her sense of smell, Silmeria trying not to choke on the smoke.

  The screams in the hall had died. Slow, steady footsteps sounded, the kind that was made from metal greaves. Then the heavy thud of them on the wood of the door, someone walking over it. The smoke had not yet cleared, but Silmeria could make out the shadows of the figure approaching. It was a woman, recognizable by the shapes of her skirts, and the feathered helm she wore over her hair.

  Silmeria knew it was a Valkyrie, knew it had to be one of her sisters come at last to rescue her. Something like tears might have welled up in her eyes, but the former Goddess was too proud to let them fall. She blinked rapidly, letting the moisture blur her vision an instant before it cleared. The smoke wasn't as thick now, seeming to part to reveal the figure of the Valkyrie.

  She was tall, statuesque. Had dark eyes that were piercing. They were offset by the rich ebony of her hair, which hung down her back absolutely straight. Her skin was lightly tanned. This Valkyrie had spent more nights than days on the plains of Idavoll, though she was nowhere near close to being pale like a vampire. Her armor was a vivid purple, a color that was stained by the smears of blood that dripped down it's metal. Silmeria tried not to look at the blood, tried to ignore the hunger that spiked at the sight of it.

  Instead she stared at the dark haired Valkyrie, something in her chest beginning to swell with painful em
otion. Silmeria licked lips that had gone too dry, blinked one more time, and than was stepping towards her eldest sister.

  "Hrist!"

  That was all Silmeria got to say, and then another shadow was moving through the smoke. Instinct had Silmeria jump back just in time, a large sword swinging where she would have been. Silmeria gasped, her hand going to her throat as though to reassure her that she still had her head attached. Her eyes had widened, Silmeria taking another leap back as a man emerged from the smoke, swinging a blade that was almost as long as him.

  "Hrist?!"

  "Arngrim, that's enough!" Her eldest sister snapped. The brown haired man seemed to scowl, his eyes glinting with menace as he looked at Silmeria. But at Hrist's sharp command, he stepped back though he did not lower his sword. Instead he held it in front of him, arms bent so that he took up a defensive stance. The smoke continued to dissipate, the Valkyrie Hrist walking past the einherjar she had named Arngrim.

  Sounds continued in the hall, Silmeria realizing there must be more einherjar out there. Maybe even another Valkyrie. Her heart gave another painful clench, Silmeria wondering if Lenneth was here as well. Lenneth might be fighting off the remaining vampires to buy Hrist the time needed to save Silmeria's soul. Again her eyes grew wet with tears she refused to shed, Silmeria staring bravely at her oldest sister.

  Hrist stopped a foot away from Silmeria. It was a foot too close for the overly muscular einherjar, his whole body tensing. He had to know as well as the women did, that if Silmeria wanted to do harm to Hrist, this close he wouldn't have been able to stop her in time. But right now, Silmeria couldn't think of anything beyond an odd sort of grief at seeing her eldest sister.

  "Good." Hrist's voice was startling after what seemed an eternity of silence. She had been staring into Silmeria's face, nodding her approval of what she saw. "Your eyes are still your own." Instantly Silmeria realized Hrist had been looking to see if any crimson had colored her eyes, the former Valkyrie lifting her hands to touch her face.