by M. H. Bonham
I pulled my head back out of the threshold. “Pay dirt,” I whispered. “Nobody is there, either.”
Elryn slid beside me and peered past the threshold. “I don’t like it. They look unprotected and that’s what worries me. Vindar wouldn’t be so stupid to leave these things unprotected, even with his guards. Plus, Fane would’ve smashed them if he could. He certainly wouldn’t leave a cache of weapons here so Vindar’s forces could use them again, regardless of whether they’re imbued with deadly bacteria or not.”
She had a point, but I didn’t sense anything else. I shrugged. “We can destroy them and hopefully Fane will take care of Vindar.” I looked at Duncan. “What do you think?”
Duncan nodded. “I think we need to destroy them and get the hell out. Maybe we can take out Vindar since we don’t know if he’ll try to create Elfshot again.”
“Good idea.” I took point and slide out, my scavenged sword in my hands. I wished I had my Glock and Drowslayer at my side.
To my surprise, I felt a whisper of something in my mind as I thought about Drowslayer. Almost a tug, like something was tapping on my shoulder, but seeing nothing when I turned around. Had I done something when I named the Vorpal blade? I didn’t know.
We made our way up to the stack of Elfshot arrows and I paused to scan them. Bodies with both Fane’s and Vindar’s colors surrounded the stack, and I even saw a body with a blue and white surcoat slumped over the arrows.
“Don’t touch,” Elryn hissed, pointing at the body and the arrows. “They’re booby trapped and you’ll die like he did if you touch them.”
Duncan took a step back upon hearing that. “How the hell are we to destroy them then?”
I used my mage sight and looked closely. “Is that the red aura?”
Elryn shook her head. “The disease’s magic is overriding the trap. Look closer.”
I narrowed my vision and saw an underlying black shimmer that bubbled through the red aura. I had thought the arrows were causing it, but no, it was a ward that would kill anyone who touched it. I shivered at the thought. I nodded. “We’ll have to wait for Tuz,” I said, answering Duncan’s question.
“Bad idea,” Elryn muttered. “The Drow could come back.”
I turned to her. “You have any better ideas? Magic fire won’t destroy it.”
Duncan turned his head. “Hey guys, we’ve got company.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
We all dropped down beside the Elfshot arrows to hide ourselves, even though the Ignore Me spell was still in full force. I fully expected to see Vindar riding up to kill or capture us. Instead, Vindar was fleeing on his Nightmare with a loyal cadre of cavalry being pursued by that maniac with Fane’s colors and a larger number of riders wearing blue and white colors. The insane Drow had found another Nightmare and was laughing maniacally as Vindar turned his steed to face him. The other Drow riders on both sides squared off in a loud battle of clanging steel and adamantine.
The mad Drow held a spear in his hands and Vindar drew a sword. Not just any sword, but Drowslayer, my Vorpal blade. I gasped in horror. Vindar had my sword. This changed things considerably, if he had woken the Vorpal’s blade power. But, as Vindar took the first blow from mad Elf’s spear, but the Vorpal blade was sluggish or even dead when it clanged against it. Sure, it held its own against the adamantine spear, but for all intents and purposes, it was dead to Vindar.
Vindar realized it too as he fought the mad warrior. As their weapons clashed, I could hear him scream at the blade as he shook it when it didn’t comply.
The crazy Drow just laughed. “That was foolish, Vindar, to take a weapon that has already been bonded to another without killing him,” he shouted above the battle’s din. “The sword’s master is still alive and you won’t be for long.”
“I am more powerful than you think, Fane!” Vindar threw fireballs and lightning at the insane Drow. Fane almost looked bored as a shield swept them away to hit Vindar’s Elves. The Drow screamed as they were light ablaze from friendly fire.
I blinked. The mad Drow was Fane? Oh, this was bad. Really bad.
“What do we do?” Duncan whispered.
“Fane is bad news,” I replied. “We wait for our reinforcements.”
“We can’t let Fane get the Vorpal blade.” Elryn looked agitated.
I gripped her shoulder to hold her back, despite her glare. “Fane can’t use it other than a normal sword. He won’t be able to bond to it.”
She hesitated and looked at me in wonder. “It bonded to you?”
“I think so. Otherwise, Vindar would be able to use its power.”
The fight wasn’t going well for Vindar. He couldn’t get inside to deliver a blow with the sword, so all he could do was block Fane’s attack. Fane spun the Nightmare around, giving Vindar an opening, but it was a trap. Vindar fell for it and charged in, only to have his Nightmare speared. Fane’s force was so great that the spear point slammed into the stone floor and pinned the steed to the ground. The Nightmare squealed and thrashed, but Fane had pinned the beast like an insect to a science display. Fane drew his sword—a black adamantine blade that looked remarkably like the Vorpal blade—and charged forward. The blades clashed and dark fire erupted from both blades. Vindar jumped off his Nightmare in time before Fane could get a cut in.
“Shit, Fane’s got a Vorpal blade,” I hissed.
“Where the fuck did he get that?” Elryn growled.
“Apparently they grow on trees.” I watched as Fane toyed with Vindar. The Drow was an absolute sadist. He pranced his Nightmare forward and caused it to rear. As Vindar tried to cut the Nightmare’s legs, its hooves would clash with the blade in a shower of sparks.
“There aren’t too many trees here,” Duncan observed. “Is there any way you can get your blade back?”
At that moment, we heard a scream as Tuzren came flying in at breakneck speed tossing fireballs at Drow, both Vindar’s and Fane’s troops. He threw a couple of lame fireballs behind him at the rows of statue soldiers rushing in. They ran towards the wizardry magic and I grinned at both my cohorts. Duncan made a fist and held it up to me. I bumped fists with him.
We backed up and I shouted, “Globus ignis!” I pointed to the Elfshot arrows. A gigantic fireball erupted on top of the Elfshot arrows, doing no damage, but attracting the statues.
Compete chaos ensued. I figured out the statues attacked anything that didn’t have Dark Elven magic. Hence, they woke up and followed me when I used magic in the alcoves and hallway. Tuzren literally painted the Drow with a big bull’s eye throwing fireballs at them. The Elfshot had another target painted on them. Like moths to a flame, the statues descended on the arrows. While the statues were magic, their brute force wasn’t. They smashed the arrows to tiny bits as we watched the spectacle unfold.
Vindar screamed something in a language I didn’t recognize, but it didn’t matter. The statues had done their work and left not a single bodkin point intact. Fane used Vindar’s hesitation to charge the warlord. At that moment, I called for Drowslayer.
“Drowslayer! Come to me!” I held out my hand.
At that moment, the sword appeared in my palm, my fingers clutching the hilt. The sword belt and scabbard appeared on my waist, as if it never had left. At the same time, Fane broke through Vindar’s shield and impaled him with the Vorpal blade. Vindar howled in anguish as his life force left his body. He collapse in a heap.
Fane turned to us and grinned, his face splattered with Vindar’s blood. The statues came at him and us both, but he batted them away with Drow magic. He reined his Nightmare and charged toward us.
Elryn cast open a portal and we jumped into it. It snapped shut before the mad warlord could reach it.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
One Week Later
I sat on a bench in the garden of Mengloth, looking up at the stars. We had arrived in Mengloth a week before to rest and recuperate from the battle against the Drow. Eir, stating the obvious, had told us that our mission had
been a success. The statues had destroyed the Elfshot and Vindar was dead. Even if I hadn’t killed Vindar or destroyed the Elfshot directly, without my intervention, neither would have happened. I was willing to take credit, along with my cohorts.
The first day after we returned, Eir reversed the procedure that made me look like a Drow, so I was now human again. In truth, I was more than just a little miffed at the goddess, but seeing as we were still alive and we had once more saved the Earth—thanklessly, I might add—I wasn’t going to challenge a fucking Valkyrie on her home turf.
Call me silly, but it just didn’t seem like a prudent thing to do.
So, we spent our time on R&R in Mengloth, which I found out was in Asgard. Both Tuzren and I thought it’d be cool to crash the party in Valhalla, but Eir assured me that I would not be welcome. And since she paid for our stay, I kind of had to go with that. Still, Duncan and I talked about possible plans to make that a reality.
In the meantime, we hung out by the pool and did what most people did on vacation: slept, ate, and viewed the sights. The mountains offered some pretty gnarly terrain for snowboarding, and I found out we could catch a ride with one of the Valkyries, but I was still beat from the trip to Svartalfheim. Yeah, I know. I’m a complete lightweight.
So, we were back at the pool. Tuzren was diving into it, hunting fish with a spear he’d found somewhere. Duncan and Elryn were busy arguing over how we were going to take out Fane next. When it came to Fane, I really wasn’t up to it. I had fought Fane once and barely escaped with my life. Eir assured me we had destroyed all the Elfshot and none would fall into Fane’s hands; that was good enough for me. Eir also assured us that the time differential would be minimal when we returned from recuperating from our adventure.
The only problem I had now was trying figure out a way to make good on my promise to both Nana and Li’alla. I had promised I would get them out of Svartalfheim and bring them to Earth, but the logistics were daunting. I could transport back to Svartalfheim and open up a gateway, but how on Earth would I removed my father’s curse so the Ironspell Dark Elf clan could stay in Colorado?
I had already discussed it with Elryn, who claimed that they could live in Wyoming, Kansas, Utah, or even Montana. The curse didn’t extend that far. I thought about it awhile, but honestly, I wanted my family with me. Maybe I didn’t know them all, but they were family, albeit distantly. No matter how distantly related they were to me, they were still my family. I had grown up with just my mom and no other relatives to speak of, so having several dozen relatives suddenly enter my life was both heartwarming and daunting. They were the family I never had. It would take a lot of adjustment to get used to life in the 21st Century, magic or no magic.
As I watched Duncan and Elryn argue in a friendly manner, I realized that I had family right here with me. Duncan and Elryn were family too in their own way. Just like Luna and the werewolf pack. They had my back when things got rough. That really was what made up a family: people whom you cared about.
The sound of children laughing broke me out of my reverie and I saw Li’alla’s boys, Li’arn and Naran, race towards me. “Uncle Ironspell! Uncle Ironspell!”
“Whoa!” I said, standing up just in time to nearly get bowled over by their hugs. I looked up and saw Li’alla and a Dark Elven lady walking towards us. Both Duncan and Elryn stood. Elryn immediately stiffened at the sight of Dark Elves, but as she met my gaze, hers softened. “Elryn, Duncan, I’d like you to meet my nephews or cousins, or whatever they are.”
Both Naran and Li’arn looked as if they had put on a few pounds and no longer wore rags. Instead, they wore blue velvet tunics and brown trews made from leather. Their cuffed leather boots came up to their knees. And they were clean for the first time.
The boys turned around and their eyes widened. “Oooh, pretty lady!” Li’arn spoke first. “You’re a pretty Light Elf!” Score one for the handsome little devil. He was definitely going to be a heartbreaker when he grew up.
Elryn offered her hand to shake, and Naran grasped it and kissed it, much to everyone’s surprise. “I’ve never met a Light Elf before coming here, but you are the prettiest I’ve seen.” Elryn stared at him speechlessly.
I laughed. “Where did you learn such manners?”
Li’alla and her friend came up to us. Li’alla looked healthier than I had seen her before and was beautiful, but her friend was an absolute knockout. Both women wore tunics and trews similar to the boys, but they also wore their weapons’ belts with swords and daggers. Apparently they had spent some time here and had gained weight on what had been emaciated frames. “The little rapscallions have been hanging around the Light Elf court too much. I’m afraid they’re picking up some bad habits.”
Duncan silently snickered behind Elryn.
“Not at all,” Elryn said, her voice betraying her surprise. She turned to me. “Will you introduce us?”
“Oh, yeah. This is Li’alla, my cousin, and this is…?” I glanced at her friend.
“You don’t recognize me?” The woman sounded amused.
She looked familiar in a way, but I couldn’t quite place where I had seen her. She looked in her twenties, if that, if she were a human, but I knew she was much older. I met her gaze and was surprised to see ancient eyes stare back at me in such a youthful face. “Nana?”
“That’s right, child.” Nana grinned and I sucked a deep breath before slowly letting it out. She was gorgeous with long, black hair plaited in braids, high cheekbones, and a body that curved in all the right places.
“She’s your grandmother, Dude, don’t look at her that way.” Tuzren somehow appeared beside me and whispered loudly in my ear so all could hear.
Nana laughed. “Yes, this is my proper form when I don’t have to hold back all our enemies.”
“Dude, you have a smoking hot grandma.” Duncan quipped.
“Shut up, Duncan.” I glared at him.
Surprisingly, Elryn turned to them. “Are all the Ironspell Dark Elves here?”
“Why yes, Eir brought us over after Ironspell sent me and Tuz through the portal,” Li’alla replied. “Tuz went to Mengloth and asked Eir if we could move to Earth in exchange for our help. Otherwise, the goddess would’ve owed us.”
“And Eir agreed,” Nana said.
I blinked. “You mean you exhorted the goddess?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes.” Nana smiled slyly.
I chuckled. Going after the Elfshot and Vindar had somehow righted the timeline, as far as I knew. Eir would’ve owed Nana big time for saving my ass and getting me to where the Elfshot was. They could’ve asked for just about anything, but instead simply asked for a chance to live on Earth, or Midgard, as the Valkyries liked calling it.
I sat back down and the two kids descended on me like a long lost puppy and peppered me with questions. “How’d you kill Vindar?”
“Did you have to kill a dragon?”
“How many of Vindar’s Elves did you shoot?”
Yeah, bloodthirsty tykes.
Luckily Li’alla walked over to me and glared at them. “Quit pestering your uncle. He’s resting up for his next big adventure.”
“Ooooh!” Li’arn looked impressed.
“Where are you going?” Naran chimed in.
“Can we go too?” Li’arn added.
Li’alla shot me a look of desperation. I chuckled. “Kids will be kids, whatever race they’re from.” I turned to address them. “I don’t know what my next adventure is, but I bet it will be crazy.”
“That sounds like fun!” Naran declared. “We’re coming with you.”
“Oh no you’re not,” Li’alla said.
“Awww Mom!” They both spoke in unison.
“Hey, I hear there’s a dragon roaming around here.” I met Li’alla’s gaze. “Why don’t you go check him out?”
“Yay!” The kids grabbed Li’alla’s hands and tugged her away. She shot me a look that said I was dead. I just laughed.
“Was that wi
se?” Elryn spoke as she and Duncan joined me and Nana.
“Probably not, but Dark is a pretty big fan of kids, so they’ll be okay.”
“You rested up enough?” Duncan asked.
“Yeah, why?”
“Elryn and I were thinking again about crashing Valhalla—it’s too boring here.” Duncan waggled his eyebrows. Elryn rolled her eyes.
“Sounds wonderful! I’ve always wanted to bed an Einherjar.” Nana pronounced the word like ‘Ein-her-yar.’
“Grandmother!” I gasped, turning red in embarrassment.
“What? I don’t get any nookie because…?” Nana crossed her arms. “Does this look like the body of an old woman?”
Duncan howled with laugher and I glared at him. “You’re not helping.”
“No, but…you should…see your face…” He spoke between gasps of air.
I looked at Elryn who raised an eyebrow at me. “You’re blushing.”
“I am not!”
That only caused Duncan to laugh harder.
“Whatever, Dude.” Elryn shook her head. “So, are you in?”
“To go to Valhalla? Well, yeah!” I glanced at Nana who nodded emphatically.
“We should wait until Li’alla gets the kids to bed,” Nana said. “She’d kill us if we didn’t take her.”
“I could see that. And we don’t want to piss off Li’alla.”
“Good, we’ll plan on crashing the party after dinner,” Elryn said. “No matter what Eir says about crashing the party, no one really seems to mind except the Valkyries. And sometimes not even them.”