Legacy of the Valkyrie

by Archibald Bradford

  “Right, you take your girls and get her, we’ll stay here if by some miracle any of the prisoners makes it through the Trogs. Take this.” She handed him her light orb; “Remember, touch nothing. These things are armed.”

  The Gigas gave a dismissive snort.

  “I can break them all right now if you want.” She rested her hammer on her shoulder.

  “Nina, do you know what powers these things?” Miranda crossed her arms.

  The giant jerked her head from side to side with a huff.

  “That’s because no one does. What we do know is that their power sources can be very unstable if damaged. The ordinance disposal people train for years to be able to render these things inert. Don’t. Touch. Anything. I refuse to be the ones responsible for turning this part of the Sansee into a glassy crater. You might survive that, but we certainly wouldn’t.”

  Nina huffed again, but nodded her assent.

  “Fine whatever, let’s go and get Volka already.”

  Nameless was in complete agreement, he didn’t care about the weapons around them; all he cared about was getting to Volka. He led them towards where he sensed her presence, the light of Miranda’s orb dimming behind them as they walked through the racks of deadly weaponry away from her. The orb in his hand casting skeletal shadows on the floor, haunting images formed from the arsenal around them.

  The armory was enormous, the roof supported at regular intervals by squat pillars reinforced with metal, and it was several minutes before they stood in front of the massive metal door that Nina had described. It was clearly very thick and had a strange wheel attached to the center of it.

  “Here! She’s right here! Volka!” Nameless rested both hands against the vault door, a helpless look on his face as he shouted for the girl he had yet to meet.

  Milly tried to turn the wheel but it wouldn’t budge even with all of her strength behind it.

  “Sister, here, I’ll do it.” Nina stepped forwards and stood on her hammer, raising her height to the level of the wheel.

  Nina took it in a firm grip and heaved, there was a shrieking of protesting metal and the ancient wheel abruptly came off in her hands.

  “Oops.” The Gigas held up the now-useless piece of metal.

  “Well shit.” Erica muttered; “Now what?”

  Nameless had been growing increasingly frantic: they were so close! Weeks of travel, facing dangers that he never knew existed, abused by bandits, drugged by Amazons and nearly dying of thirst in the desert; all to be stuck so close to their goal.

  He wasn’t about to be foiled by a stupid door!

  “Nina! Break it down, please?”

  Nina looked at him, still standing on her hammer. She tossed the wheel aside with a clatter and nodded.

  “Right, everyone stand back and cover your ears. This place has stood for centuries but this will be loud.”

  The group did as she said and backed off, Ophelia and Erica both huddled in on either side of their master while Milly took up a protective stance in front of them.

  Nina hopped off of her hammer and hefted the mighty weapon. She placed her hand on the door, ostensibly checking it for signs of weakness. After a few moments she just shrugged.

  “Oh whatever. Hey Volka! If you can hear me: duck!”

  She brought her hammer against the door with a mighty swing. A reverberating gong echoed through the chamber and dust billowed up from the floor from the shock of the impact. The girls huddled even closer around their bond-mate as they were blinded by the sudden cloud of particles thrown up by the shockwave.

  When they blinked away the grit they saw that the door still stood, though it now had a significant dent in it.

  “Oh what the fuck! Stupid door, two hands it is then.”

  Nina seemed to take the still-standing obstruction as a personal affront and hefted her hammer with both hands.

  “You lot better back up further. I’m getting serious over here.”

  They scrambled to comply, nearly knocking over one of the racks in their haste. Nina hardly waited for them, as impatient as Nameless to meet the woman who had saved her life so many weeks ago.

  She brought her hammer against the door again, this time hitting it with a great deal more of her considerable strength. The door all but exploded inwards and there was a deep rumble from the other side as the small room within caved in on itself.

  “Nina!” Nameless was horrified.

  “Again, oops.”

  While the dust slowly settled Nina looked a little sheepish as the group surged forwards towards the crumbled entryway.

  A pile of rubble was all that they could see.

  “Nina, what have you done?” Ophelia’s was horrified.

  “I didn’t mean to! That door was a big jerk!”

  “Was the whole room a big jerk too!?” Erica demanded, hands on her hips.

  “Yes!”

  “ENOUGH!!” Nameless shouted, his eyes were closed, he was trying to think, to feel, but the agitation of the girls wasn’t helping him concentrate.

  Nina flinched back and her lip dropped into a pout, Milly wordlessly put her hands on her shoulders from behind and pulled her close to her thighs.

  Volka! Are you alright?!

  He cast his thought towards where he had last sensed her.

  There was a long pause.

  Husband?

  Volka!

  I must have drifted off, why are you yelling at me?

  I’m not!

  Hmmm…

  Okay I was a bit, but that’s because I was worried! Are you okay?

  Why wouldn’t I be?

  But the cave in!

  There was a cave in? I didn’t notice, I was asleep, as much as I can be anyways.

  Her mental voice was mildly curious, than she realized something.

  Husband… you came for me? You found me?

  There was a quiver in her voice.

  Of course I did! But Nina caused a cave in, how are you still alive?

  I have endured for centuries. Mere rocks pose no danger to me.

  Can you get out?

  Not on my own, forgive me, my strength wanes. It took everything I had to help you save the Gigas, and to light your path for so long has made me… sleepy.

  Nameless opened his eyes and examined the rubble before them.

  “Nina!” She flinched back, expecting a rebuke; “Nina, I’m sorry for yelling, Volka is fine but we have to dig her out, please?”

  The Gigas recovered quickly.

  “Of course Master!”

  She shifted her hammer to one hand and began to pull at the rubble before them, digging with Milly’s help towards their buried sister, Nameless directing them all the while.

  At last Nina pulled aside one last jagged slab easily twice her size, but her look turned puzzled.

  “Um, what the fuck?”

  She reached towards the strange object that she had unearthed but found that even with all of her strength she couldn’t budge it, not even a little bit.

  So imagine her shock when Nameless impatiently pushed by her and pulled it free with one hand.

  It was an ornate heater shield.

  A familiar glowing orb was set at its center, the light illuminating the tiny chamber and the awed faces huddled around it. Nameless reached out and lightly brushed his trembling fingers across the surface of the golden heartstone, warmth suffusing his being, reminding him of the warmth he had felt when he had first touched Milly’s stone several weeks prior.

  “Volka? What-”

  Is something the matter Husband?

  “Is this… you?”

  Yes, you hold all that I am within your hands, and I must say it is good to be held again!

  “But, what are you?”

  There was a sense of confusion from Volka.

  What do you mean? I am a Valkyrie of course.

  Chapter 19:

  Living Legends

  Shortly afterwards a very queasy Nameless showed Miranda the shield and
told them what Volka had said in his mind. The Aegis operative was speechless, but her reaction was nothing compared to Kala’s.

  The Amazon’s spear clattering to the smooth stone of the floor as a single tear made its way down her cheek.

  “Do not jest, Nameless. Not about this.” She whispered into the darkness of the underground vault.

  Nameless shook his head slowly, his wide eyes on the stunned blonde.

  “I would never, and that was before Escrya told us that story in the Saenga village. I would never joke about this. I-It’s what she said… she said that she was a Valkyrie.”

  He held up the shield so that they could get a better look at it. It was ornate, yet crafted with function in mind. Kala gasped out a sob as she looked upon it, the first Amazon to do so in a thousand years.

  Volka was silent in his thoughts again. Almost immediately after she told him what she was, she declared that she needed to rest. As she had said, her recent exertions had gravely weakened her.

  Kala fell to her knees, silently weeping.

  “Kid, you need to stop making the impossible possible. It’s fucking with my world-view.” Miranda muttered.

  The gruff woman’s eyes were dewy as well.

  Nameless considered the older woman while Ophelia handed Kala one of her many hankies.

  Miranda Holt had dedicated her life to the Aegis, an organization named after the very shield in his hands. So it was understandable for her to be moved by the discovery.

  “Why did you join the Aegis?”

  His sudden question caught her off guard, and she tilted her head in thought as she pondered it. She considered him for a long moment; the other girls were more than a little curious as well.

  “The uniform.” She said at last, then turned to place an arm over Kala’s shoulders; “You okay there babe?”

  Kala’s sobbing subsided as she managed to compose herself, though she made Ophelia wince and Nina snort out a laugh when she noisily blew her nose on the dainty handkerchief.

  “I am fine, my love. I am better than fine! Never would I have dreamt of such an occurrence. A Valkyrie! You say she rests?”

  She got to her feet and turned to Nameless, the eagerness in her voice somewhat unsettling to the smaller man.

  “Y-yeah.” Nameless stuttered.

  “Then let us leave this place! Let us bring her into the light where she belongs!”

  With that she turned and shouldered her way through the blasted opening and over the wreckage of the Seeker.

  “Well, you heard the lady, move it people.” Miranda ordered, waving her arm after her.

  Kala handed her spear to Miranda and climbed up the rope first. She then pulled them up one at a time, sweating from the exertion but in her eagerness she didn’t care. Only Nina and Milly remained at the bottom when the Amazon was finished.

  “This is gunna suck.” Nina groaned.

  “I’m sorry.” Milly blushed, she couldn’t climb very well with her hooves and even Kala would struggle with her weight.

  “No big, see you at the top.”

  Nina leaned in and kissed the front of Milly’s crotch through her jean shorts while squeezing her ass with both hands, causing the Minotaur to giggle and blush.

  The climb wasn’t a problem for the powerful monster but it was awkward to do it while carrying her hammer with her off hand.

  Eventually she pulled herself over the ledge at the top, took the rope from Kala and pulled Milly up.

  They found Martin and Bask down a side passage they had uncovered with their digging earlier that led to a chamber that the archeologist was excited about.

  “Hmph, thought you lot died.” The Trog sniffed.

  “Goodness, is everyone alright?”

  Martin’s distracted concern stood in contrast to Bask’s indifference.

  “We’re fine. Thanks for all your help.” Miranda snapped and Martin squirmed a bit, but Bask just sniffed again; “Whatever, I’m over it. Bloodletter, get your people out and keep them out.”

  “And why would I do that?” Her voice was hostile.

  “Because the fucking Aegis is telling you to! I am invoking the charter. This site is now under Aegis jurisdiction.”

  Bask’s eyes widened as she considered the severity of Miranda’s tone.

  “Quarantined?”

  “I’ll explain outside, secure your prisoners. Now.”

  The lizard woman’s curiosity outweighed her irritation and so they wasted no time and they soon emerged into the light of the afternoon sun.

  Nameless’s eyes blinked rapidly as they adjusted to the brightness outside, tears welling to combat the stinging sensation of the light.

  The reaction of the Troglodytes as they brought Volka into the dazzling light was much more composed than Kala’s. In fact, once Miranda told them exactly what was beneath them they were far more concerned with keeping their prisoners away from the arsenal below the sands.

  Bask sprang into action, barking orders that sent Troglodyte’s sprinting in every direction to carry out her commands.

  “All inmates are to be locked in their cages until further notice! If any prisoner objects, make an example for the others! I want triple head counts to account for them all! Sila! I want guards posted on this shaft day and night, four bodies per shift!”

  “But what about the excavation?” Martin wrung his hands in consternation.

  “This site is shut down by authority of the Aegis.” Miranda spoke first to the now-despairing archaeologist before turning to the imposing Trog; “You and your fighters are to guard this dig until such time as an ordinance disposal team can get here.”

  “But! My work!” He whined.

  “You can carry on your work, just not here. Unless you want to join those men in their cages?” Miranda barked.

  She was in no mood to argue.

  “It will be as you say Aegis.” Bask hissed.

  She didn’t like having her authority usurped but she knew what was at stake. If the weapons below found their way onto the black market the consequences would be dire.

  “Bask!” In desperation Martin turned to the Trog.

  “Silence! The Aegis has given me an order.” She snapped at the surprised man before turning back to Miranda; “How long before your people can get here?”

  “They’ll make it a priority believe me, a few months at most. Do you have enough supplies to last that long?”

  “If we don’t then the prisoners will just have to start dying.” Bask shrugged.

  Nameless shuddered at her callous attitude, but given what he knew about the men being herded into their cages he couldn’t muster much sympathy, he hadn’t forgotten how men like them had treated Ophelia in the woods.

  “Right, in the meantime we need to gather supplies for the return trip.”

  She and Bask broke away from the others, deep in conversation regarding what provisions the lizards could spare.

  As they walked away, Kala couldn’t take her eyes off of Volka’s glinting shield.

  She had soaked a rag from a canteen and handed it to Nameless who was cleaning the grime and dust of centuries off of it. Once he was finished as best as he could she helped him to strap it to his left arm, shifting the witch-charmed bracer to his right.

  “What a sight you make, Valkyrja!”

  She once more had tears standing in her eyes as the shield gleamed in the desert sun.

  “Are you alright?”

  “Yes, yes I am. You sweet man! You have found something that my people have mourned the loss of for centuries. I-I am honestly unsure how I feel right now. I have so many questions!”

  Ophelia placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

  “It’s alright dearheart, feel whatever you need to feel. This is nothing any of us were expecting!”

  Kala nodded, and then her eyebrows leapt into her hair.

  “Wait, how are you even able to lift it?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It is said that on
ly the Valkyrie could wield their shields.”

  Nameless looked down at the face of the shield and sighed.

  Kala wasn’t the only one with questions.

  The weary group reunited with Jan and Jez and spent the rest of the day huddled under the shade of Martin’s tents. They had been awake for nearly a full day now and needed some much needed rest.

  The camp, already militaristic, was even scarier now. A few prisoners had complained about being put back in their cages and just as Bask had ordered were made examples of.

  But with the men locked up and the various entrances to the dig now under heavy guard the camp eventually settled down as the sun faded and fires were lit.

  When the sudden flurry of activity from the lizard women had finally ceased, Nameless had a sudden thought that was important enough to brave the ire of the Trog leader and distract from his weariness and the weight of the shield on his arm.

  He left the shade of the tent and found Bask watching the setting sun at the top of the quarry along with several of her sisters.

  “Um Bask?”

  “What?” Her tone was cold as she looked down at the little man.

  Somehow, even with the callous warriors all staring at him, Nameless found his voice.

  “I w-was just wondering if you could help me with something.”

  “Haven’t we done enough?”

  Before he could lose his nerve he quickly explained about the mysterious Troglodyte that had saved him as a child, but her look had turned to one of amusement.

  “We don’t all know each other softskin.”

  “No o-of course not! But I just thought that maybe…” He trailed off, realizing that he wasn’t sure what he had thought.

  She considered him for a moment, and then shared a glance with one of her sisters. Privately she admitted to herself that it was pretty ballsy of him to just walk up by himself and start talking to them at random.

  Trogs respected strength, and not just physical strength, so she decided it cost her nothing to offer him some insight.

  “I’m afraid I can’t help you, except for maybe one thing. Iron stud in her ear?”

  Nameless nodded in earnest before she continued.

  “The mark of a life-debt. It seems your father did her a great service somehow and she swore herself to him until she could repay him.”