Mimir's Well (The Oracles of Kurnugi Book 3)

by Martinez, Gama Ray

  "Andvari did," Henry said.

  Valin huffed. "Respectable dwarves don't deal in such things."

  Henry rolled his eyes. "I know you don't like him, but is there any way you could get into contact with him? He might be able to save us a lot of trouble."

  Valin shook his head. "As soon as Hreidmar released him, he disappeared. I went to his lake, but the cave had been cleared out."

  "There's no hope of finding him then?"

  "No one knows Nidavellir like Andvari. You won't find him unless he chooses to be found. Why are you so interested in him?"

  Briefly, Henry glanced at Andromeda but turned away before she noticed. They might be able to find Andvari with Andromeda's newfound knowledge, but he wasn't willing to risk that unless he was sure it would do any good. Instead, he looked back at Valin and related all they had learned of the ring. Valin's face went red.

  "Leave it to Andvari to cause all this with a careless word."

  "Assuming we could find him," Henry said, "could he break the curse?"

  "It's doubtful. Magic laid on metal is meant to endure as long as the metal itself does. It would take a greater power that Andvari has to unravel it."

  Henry let out a breath, but before he could say anything else, the tent flap opened and Frederick and Cepheus walked in. Henry rose. A flash of joy passed on Andromeda's face, but it died a second later. The men looked at her with the affection of a friend they had not seen for a long time, but not with the love of a father to a daughter. Andromeda blinked. If he hadn't known her as well as he did, Henry would've missed the fact that she was holding back tears. The kings were oblivious to what their indifference had done to her. They each clasped arms with Henry and inclined their heads to Andromeda, but no more. Henry laid a hand on hers and she gave him a weak smile. Everyone sat down around the table. A map of the surrounding area was held down by inkbottles.

  "Have you had any encounters with Idun's forces?" Andromeda asked.

  "A few here and there," Frederick said. "Nothing of any consequence."

  "What's your goal?" Henry asked.

  Valin and the kings exchanged glances. The dwarf thumped his finger on the map. Henry looked down. Valin was touching a valley. He dragged his finger to a mountain range six inches away.

  "Bifrost," Valin said. "We intend to storm Asgard itself."

  CHAPTER 24

  "You can't." Andromeda had gone pale. She blanched at Frederick. "It would be like trying to invade Neustad." She turned to Cepheus. "Like trying to assault Olympus itself."

  There was the sound of wings flapping and the air stirred. "Not quite," a voice rumbled from the tent flap.

  Henry looked over his shoulder and his breath caught in his throat. The familiar figure of Hermes stood at the tent's entrance. Next to him was a broad shouldered man with a face covered in pockmarks. A twisted nose dominated his features. He had ears that looked too small and one of his legs had shriveled. A massive hammer hung by his good leg. Its head glowed faintly red, and he wore armor of shining bronze. A strangled noise came from Cepheus' throat, and when Henry looked at the Greek king, the man had prostrated himself and was whimpering softly. He pressed if face against tent floor. Henry stared at him for a second and rose to greet the gods of ancient Greece.

  "Hermes, Hephaestus," he said.

  "It's good to see you again, boy," Hephaestus said. "Tell me, has the equipment I gave you been useful?"

  "It's saved my life more than once," Henry said as he extended a hand. The lame god clasped it.

  Valin rose from his seat. His grey skin looked more stone like than ever, and his eyes twinkled like sapphires, and he spoke with a reverence Henry had never heard in his voice. "This is the forgemaster who made your sword and shield?"

  Henry nodded. "And who repaired my flesh when that one," he nodded at Hermes, "led me into a volcano."

  "How many times do I have to apologize for that?" Hermes asked.

  "I don't know," Henry said. "How many times do you think would be enough for almost killing me?"

  "It's not something I do every day. Sorry again. Now, can we please put that behind us?"

  "If the two of you are done, perhaps we can get on with business," Hephaestus said. "I believe introductions are in order."

  "Oh right," Henry said. "Hermes, Hephaestus. This is King Fjalar of the Nordi Mountains and his grandson, Valin, the commander of the dwarven armies."

  They fell to one knee. "It is an honor," Fjalar said.

  "And this," Henry continued, "is King Frederick of Argath and possibly Neustad now that Zuab has been defeated."

  Frederick inclined his head. "I'm working on that."

  Henry indicated the man with his face to the ground. "And I believe you know King Cepheus of Aetheopia."

  "By reputation," Hephaestus said. "Rise, Cepheus."

  The king got to his feet, but he still shook in terror. He was drenched in sweat and had left a wet mark on the canvas floor. Color had drained from his face, and he avoided looking at the gods face as if afraid they would strike him down for his insolence. He turned to Henry.

  "Who are you that you talk to the gods as ordinary men?"

  "He is a hero, King Cepheus," Hephaestus said, "and while your reverence does you credit, we are not the gods of these lands. You need not abase yourself before us." He waved a scarred hand at Henry. "Continue."

  Henry nodded and grinned. He indicated Hermes. "This is Hermes, messenger of the gods and an occasional friend."

  "I said I was sorry," Hermes said, though the half hidden smile said he was enjoying the jest.

  "And this is Hephaestus, god of blacksmithing and all the crafts of men." Henry's eyebrows shot up. "How much do you know of cursed rings?"

  Hephaestus shrugged. "I've made a few in my time. Why do you ask?"

  Quickly, Henry related the information about Andvari's ring. Hephaestus shook his head.

  "Without having the ring, I can't tell you how to break its curse," he said. He pursed his lips and examined the knife at Valin's belt. "The work of your forgemasters?"

  "Yes, Lord Hephaestus."

  "May I see it?"

  The dwarf nodded and unsheathed the weapon. He handed the weapon to Hephaestus who held it up in the light of the yellow emberstone illuminating the tent. He stared deeply into it, and Henry wondered what he was seeing.

  "Tell me, is this Andvari a great deal more talented than the one who made this dagger?"

  Valin shook his head. "A fair bit less so, I'd imagine."

  "That's what I suspected," the smith god said. "It's very nearly the most impressive weapon I've seen save for those that came from my workshop. It can't stand up to my work though. The sword I gave you should be strong enough to destroy the ring."

  Henry sighed. "So I have to fight the enemy leader again."

  Hephaestus nodded and handed the dagger back to Valin. "As I said, you are the hero."

  "Thanks." Henry glared at him. "Is there anything you can do to help?"

  "I don't dare spread powerful artifacts in a world not my own," Hephaestus said. "I can help at the forges though. I suspect there's a thing or two I can teach them that won't unbalance things too much."

  "And you?" Henry asked Hermes.

  "What else?" Hermes asked. "I can carry messages back and forth between the various elements of your army, and I can do it a lot faster than anyone else."

  "That would be a tremendous advantage," King Frederick said."

  "Still, that's it?" Henry said. "You came all this way to make a few swords and pass a few messages?"

  "It's difficult for us to exercise our power in an area not our own," Hephaestus said. "Doubly so in an entirely different world."

  "Then, why did you come?" Henry asked.

  "I said it's difficult to exercise our power," Hephaestus said. "I did not say it was impossible." He patted a hand on the head of his war hammer. "When the gods of this world take the field, we will be there to meet them."

  "Please do
n't be offended," Henry said, "but you're not exactly the ideal warrior."

  Hephaestus looked down at his withered leg. "This? This is nothing. I was born like this, and my mother threw me off a mountain because of it."

  "Sorry, I get your point."

  Hephaestus shook his head. "No, you don't. As a newborn infant, I survived a fall of a few miles with no injury to show for it save for those I started out with. If the stories I've heard of these lands are true, these gods can be hurt, and they can die."

  He hefted his hammer. For a moment, its red light glowed brightly, overpowering the gentle glow of the emberstone. The dwarves around the table got up. Most took a step back, but one stared at the hammer intently, his mouth open in shock. Henry realized this dwarf must be a forgemaster, and he could only imagine what a god's weapon would look like to one of them. After a second, the glow subsided.

  "This hammer once split open the head of Zeus," Hephaestus said. "He survived, of course, but if it can do that to an Olympian, I'd imagine it can do much worse to one of these gods."

  "We are honored to have your aid, Lord Hephaestus," Valin said.

  "What about you?" Henry asked Hermes.

  Hermes shrugged. "I can be a spy or a scout. Even if some of them can fly, I doubt they have someone who can keep up with me."

  "This is good," Henry said. He turned back to the map and then looked up at Valin. "How long until we reach Asgard?"

  "Three days to reach the mountain range," the dwarf said. "Another two to make it to the Bifrost."

  "Five days," Henry said. He looked at the kings who each nodded. "Then, we end this."

  CHAPTER 25

  Fjalar started to speak, but blaring trumpets cut off his words. Two long notes, then a short one. Valin cursed and the kings shot to their feet. Instinctively, Henry stood up and drew his sword.

  "What is it?" he asked.

  "There's a significant force approaching from the east," Valin said.

  "How significant?" Henry asked.

  "They have orders not to raise an alarm for less than five thousand," Valin said.

  "But we saw your force," Andromeda said. "You have many times that number."

  "Zuab had many times our number," Valin said, "and from what I understand, Master Henry here once defeated an entire army by himself."

  "Point taken," Henry said. He looked at Hermes.

  The messenger god sighed. "Fine, I'll go out and see what I can."

  The wings at his heels flapped so quickly they filled the air with buzzing. Hermes darted out of the tent. The wind in his wake knocked down the inkwells holding down the map, but Frederick snatched them up before they'd ruined too much.

  "We should get ready," Cepheus said. "No matter what Lord Hermes sees, we'll have to do battle."

  There were nods all around the table. They had just started to get up when Hermes burst into the room again, practically knocking down King Frederick.

  "Twenty-three thousand five hundred and sixty-two," he said.

  The mortals stared at him, but Hephaestus only nodded.

  "Is that just soldiers or camp followers too?" Valin asked.

  "Soldiers," Hermes said. He pursed his lips and scanned the canvas ceiling for a second. "There were seven thousand forty-two camp followers." He looked at them. "Do children count as camp followers?"

  Valin sputtered for a second. "Usually."

  "Oh, sorry. Then there are eight thousand three hundred and seven camp followers."

  There were several seconds of stunned silence before Frederick spoke. "That's almost half of our combined armies."

  Valin cursed again. Henry looked at him.

  "What is it? We'll beat them, won't we?"

  "Without a doubt," Valin said. "Whether we can beat them and still have enough men to effectively oppose Idun is another matter." He turned to Hermes. "Did they fly a banner?"

  Hermes nodded. "There were a few. The one I saw the most of was of a flaming hammer."

  Valin pursed his lips. "It's not Idun's banner nor one belonging to any of other gods. Unless..." his eyes went wide. "Was the fire blue or orange? I mean, are you sure it was fire and not lightning?"

  "It was fire unless lightning comes in red and orange."

  Valin let out a long breath. "For a moment, I feared a battle with Thor. I don't know this banner."

  "King Budli," Andromeda said. "Budli of Gothia."

  "Budli." Henry drew out the name. "That sounds familiar." He quirked his head. "Isn't that the name of your..."

  "Yes, I've met him," Andromeda said. "I don't think he's here to fight."

  Henry wrinkled his brow, but Andromeda shook her head slightly. He bit his lower lip and nodded.

  "Are you sure?" Frederick asked.

  "Reasonably sure, yes."

  Frederick huffed. "It's been my experience that when people are reasonably sure, in reality, they're not sure at all."

  "He can be trusted," she said. "I know that beyond any doubt."

  "That's good enough for me," Henry said before anyone could raise any objections. The last time she'd mentioned Budli hadn't been in reference to some random king she knew. Budli was her father in this world, and she knew better than anyone what he would do. He could only assume that since they were in the realm of Norse mythology, the other kings were no longer her fathers. Budli, on the other hand, still was. Then again, she had changed and looked more like the Andromeda of ancient Greece. Maybe whatever she was hiding had cut her off from this world, though he couldn't imagine what could do that.

  The kings and Valin looked at him. Cepheus nodded first. Then Frederick, and finally Valin.

  "Just like that?" Henry asked

  Cepheus laughed. "Lord Alexander, I've seen you do the impossible enough times to know that word has very little meaning for you. I gather from what I've heard from these that they have seen the same." The others nodded. Even Hermes inclined his head. "If you believe Andromeda, that's enough for us."

  "Alright," Henry said. "Let's go out to meet him." He motioned at the tent flap. "After you."

  CHAPTER 26

  Henry and Andromeda were the last ones out of the tent. As she neared the flap, he grabbed her arm.

  "Hold on a second. What's going on?"

  "Henry, we don't really have time for this right now."

  "You keep using that excuse. It may not get any less busy in the next couple of days, so I want you to tell me now. Why don't they remember you're their daughter? Why didn't you want them to know that King Budli is your father here?"

  "Henry please." Unshed tears welled in her eyes, and suddenly, he felt like an enormous jerk.

  "Sorry," he said. "I'll drop the subject." He looked after the departing kings. "You've lost more than I have."

  She shook her head. "No, that's not it. I'll tell you, just not now. I really need to not think about this right now."

  Henry nodded once and mentally resolved not to bring it up again. He held open the tent flap and followed her out. King Frederick raised an eyebrow, but Henry just smiled and gestured with his hand.

  "Lead the way."

  The whispers Henry had become all too familiar with followed them, though this time, the focus of their attention wasn't Henry himself. It was the eight legged horse who trailed him. The name of Odin drifted from the men of Argath and of Greece, in addition to the dwarves, though Henry suspected only the latter group truly knew who the one-eyed god was. Valin made a curt gesture, and a dozen soldiers fell in around them.

  The flaming hammer banner appeared over the sea of men a few minutes before the men holding it did. Andromeda missed a step when she saw it but recovered before anyone but Henry noticed. The guards parted, and a huge man wearing a gold circlet stood before them. He looked slightly smaller than a mountain. He had pale skin, though callouses covered his hands. A long handled axe hung from his belt, and a leather hilt showed over his shoulder, though the sword itself was covered by a heavy fur cloak. He scanned each of the people in Henry's par
ty with a stony gaze. He cracked a smile when he saw Andromeda, but the color drained from his face when his eyes fell on Pegasus.

  "Is that..." Words failed him.

  "Odin's horse," Henry said.

  "Then, the Allfather fights for you?"

  "Not exactly," Henry said. "Let's just say he's not against us. I take it Andromeda was right, and you're not here to fight?"

  Budli shook his head but never took his eyes from the horse. "The gods have sent elves and dwarves against us." He glanced at Fjalar.

  "High King Hreidmar has made his position known," Fjalar said. "Those who went against that are traitors."

  Budli nodded. "I heard there was an army moving against Asgard. I gathered every man able to hold a sword and brought them here to join forces." The three leaders with Henry looked at him, and Budli frowned. "They said nothing of a boy leading them though."

  Andromeda spoke up. "King Budli, surely you must have heard of Henry Alexander Gideon."

  Budli gave a slow nod. He looked Henry up and down, his eyes lingering on the sword at Henry's belt. He looked Henry in the eyes, and Henry had to resist the urge to shift on his feet. Budli took in the army of men and dwarves. A few men were nodding.

  "Henry Alexander Gideon. I thought you were a myth."

  The ridiculousness of that statement struck him, and Henry erupted in laughter. Andromeda quirked a smile, but the others just stared at him.

  "I'm sorry," he said. "It would take too long to explain why that's funny. King Budli, we welcome you and your men to this fight."

  Henry extended a hand, and the king took it. One by one, Budli clasped hands with each of the rulers there before turning to Andromeda.

  "Andromeda, it is good to see you," he said, "though I must admit, I never thought to find you in the middle of a war."

  "We go where we're needed." Her voice cracked. "And we are who we need to be."

  "Very true." Budli nodded. "Still, do you know anything of war?"

  Andromeda nodded. "My father taught me."

  No instant of recognition flashed across his face. He simply nodded. The other kings just shrugged off what she said. Andromeda brought her hand to her face to wipe away a single tear, but even this went unnoticed by them.