Chapter 16
“That was a great meal Kol maybe you should give up this hero thing and become a cook instead.” Laughs Hallthor as the two of them walk through the small fishing village.
“Sure I’d make some man very happy.” He jokes. “Anyway so this is Holt, not much to look at is it?”
“It is a small village but it has a comfortable feeling to it I think, if you look around everyone seems friendly, calm and happy.” Says Hallthor waving at passersby.
Before Kol can answer a man flies out of a bar through the door into the street right in front of them.
“You were saying?” He giggles.
“My kind of town.”
“Shall we check it out?” Kol questions listening to the sounds of fighting coming from inside the bar still.
“Good deeds and peace keepers and all of that?”
“No, I just wanted to beat up on some jerks.” He laughs.
Thinking for a moment he looks at the bar then back at Kol. “Yeah, okay.”
The two of them walk into the dimly lit bar to find a young man around their age fending off several others with a trident. His black hair is hanging down slightly over his ocean blue eyes, visibly his clothes are ripped in multiple places from sword cuts that he is slightly bleeding from. He’s about six feet tall and built like all he has done is workout.
“You’re going to pay for breaking my cart one way or another Greek boy, your gods don’t protect you here.” Grumbles a dirt covered man clearly in charge of the others.
“I told you it wasn’t my fault.” Snaps the young man. “And I don’t need anyone’s help to take you and your cronies on.”
“Bold words boy I look forward to making you eat them.”
Flooding the room comes ten more men armed to the teeth intent on ending the life of the young man.
“Okay cowards, who dies first?” He questions bravely looking around the room.
“Are you just going to sit here and watch?” Questions Hypnos appearing at the table sitting next to them with a drink in his hand.
Yawning uncontrollably Kol and Hallthor just stare for a moment as everyone in the bar freezes as if time had stopped for a moment.
“By the look of things and the feeling of overwhelming exhaustion I’m guessing you are one of the gods but I am sorry to say I don’t know which one.” Yawns Kol rubbing his eyes.
“Not to worry Kol I am one of the Greek gods I would not expect you to know us by sight…yet.”
“Forgive us none the less my lord.” Hallthor replies half asleep with his head on the table.
“Again no apologies are necessary and I am Hypnos god of sleep and the young man being attacked is the demigod son of Poseidon, I transported him here but inopportunely I dropped him right on top of that farmers cart over there destroying it a bit, believe it or not all of the gods do make the occasional mistake. But to make a long story short Curios there woke to some pretty angry people, well one thing led to another there was some fighting and bit of name calling and then low and behold we are here. Oh yeah, did I mention he’s meant to help you on your quest?”
Waking up a bit Kol stares at Hypnos dreamily. “That’s great news, very top shelf.”
“Yes well you can see that he could use a little help or he may be injured or die.” Says Hypnos more insistently.
“That’s wonderful death and injury like a warm blanket.” Whispers Hallthor drifting further into sleep.
“Every time.” He sighs looking at them.
With a wink Hypnos robs them of sleep completely reversing it and giving them insomnia instead.
“What?” Kol staggers shooting to his feet at the same time as Hallthor jumps up, instantly Kol’s magical staff appears in his hands and Hallthor grasps his two war hammers.
“Relax boys, now as I was saying Curios there is in rather deep trouble and requires your help, he will join you and aid you in the trails ahead.” Repeats Hypnos. “You can help him now or watch to gage his skills before he joins you the choice is yours.”
With the last word Hypnos dissolves into thin air allowing everything to speed up back to normal.
“What do you think he will choose?” Questions Lady Sif, wife of Thor, standing next to Hypnos as the two of them stare into the window of the bar.
“I believe he will help, he is nothing like Loki. If he were I do not believe Thor would have made the choice he did.” Replies Hypnos.
“I remain unconvinced.” She says crossly.
“Let us continue to watch and see then.” He replies coolly.
“What’s the play Kol this is your party in the end, I’ll follow your lead.” Hallthor comments watching the men circle the young demigod.
“I think he’s proven himself already holding his own since before we arrived on the scene and even were he not a demigod or part of this quest I don’t like bullies, twelve against one is hardly fair.” Says Kol getting to his feet.
“Back away from him!” Yells Kol getting on top of the table before jumping over the group and landing next to Curios who eyes him suspiciously.
“You the hell are you?” Asks one of the men in the group stepping forward.
Freezing the man in place from the waist down Kol smiles. “I am Kol son of Loki and surrogate son of Thor.”
The whole building shakes with the sound of thunder for a moment as Hallthor’s hammers whiz through the air slamming into the floor between Kol and the mob.
“And I am Hallthor son of Thor attack us and our comrade if you dare!”
Slowly and silently the mob disperses leaving only the man whose cart was destroyed standing alone.
“This man destroyed my cart!” The man whines.
“Through no fault of his own, it was the gods that transported him here and dropped him on top of your cart. If you wish complain to them.” Says Hallthor joining the others.
Anxiously waiting for his reply Hypnos begins building some power in his hands.
“No, I am sorry I did not believe him before, may the gods forgive me and be praised.” He huffs heading for the door.
“He passed your test Sif.” Says Hypnos powering down.
“So he did, yet I remain unconvinced. He cannot change who his father is or the fact that he has his blood in him, many a time has Loki fooled us into believing he could be trusted, I will not make that mistake with his child.” She says walking away.
“Give him a chance Sif.”
“One chance, that’s all he gets.” She says vanishing.
“Stay good Kol, I and others have faith in you.” Whispers Hypnos disappearing himself with one last look at him through the window.
“That went well.” Hallthor says cheerfully.
“Better than I hoped, now for formal introductions. As you no doubt heard I am Kol son of Loki and Thor and this is Hallthor son of Thor.” States Kol shaking Curios’ hand.
“Thank you both for your aid, you’ve no idea how difficult it was to fend them off without really hurting any of them.” He smiles shaking the hand heartily. “I am in both of your debts, as you also no doubt know I am Curios son of Poseidon. Any aid I can give you on your journey will be yours.”
“We will be better off for the aid my friend especially since we have to travel by water for the next leg of our journey, hopefully having the son of an ocean god will bring us some good luck.” Prays Hallthor.
“I can do more than just luck, I have spent all my time mastering my power over water and storms and earthquakes, and I can cut the time at sea in half. Plus any creatures from my father or his domain I can communicate with.” He smiles confidently.
“With you two by my side I believe we have a real chance to complete these quests with little resistance and I don’t mind saying for the first time I don’t feel alone.” Kol says throwing his arms around their shoulders leading them to the bar.
“I’m glad my friend and trust me you are not alone.” Smiles Curios taking a drink. “If you don’t mind me asking though how is it that you are
a son of both Loki and Thor? From what we Greeks understand Loki and Thor are enemies.”
“Yeah what’s the deal with that?” Questions Hallthor.
Frowning at the thought Kol turns to Hallthor. “Understand my friend that I would never wrong you if I could help it so please don’t judge me too harshly. Everything started when I was still very young, in the city where I grew up lived a demigod named Ragnar.”
“What!?” Yells Hallthor shooting to his feet. “It’s you! You’re the one who killed Ragnar?!”
Kol closes his eyes while slightly shaking his head.
“Who’s Ragnar?” Asks Curios surprised at Hallthor’s behavior.
Looking past Kol to Curios, Hallthor answers. “Ragnar was my half-brother another demigod son of Thor from a different mother, he along with his older brother Calder and I were raised together for a few years before our father separated us. Recently he was killed by another demigod but my father wouldn’t tell me who it was and now I find out it was Kol.”
“Yikes, well this is clearly none of my business.” Says Curios turning towards the bar again and focusing on his drink.
“Look at me Kol.” Demands Hallthor.
Turning towards him sorrowfully Kol looks into the other man’s eyes silently.
“Tell me truthfully Kol, were you the one that killed Ragnar?” He asks intently staring at him.
“It’s true but before you judge me for this crime against you hear me out, Ragnar was…”
Surprised Kol is interrupted by Hallthor pulling him into a giant hug. “He was an evil creature from the depths of hell!”
“What?” Questions Kol clearly baffled.
“Say again.” Insists Curios turning back towards them.
“Ragnar and Calder used to nearly beat me to death when we were growing up, they constantly tortured and tormented me in every way they could think of, they would ridicule me and say that I was weak and undeserving to be a child of Thor’s. Finally my father came and trained me himself before leaving me with a good family to help raise me, for my last birthday he gave me the two war hammers as a present. They allow me to fly and come to me with a thought.”
“So you’re not angry with me?” He asks.
“Hell no, I wanted to kill them both myself but my father, our father forbade me to fight them.”
“That’s such a relief; I was worried you were going to hate me.”
“So how did it happen that you killed him?” Questions Curios.
“Well back in Skaalholt where I’m from Calder runs a group of warriors who force everyone to pay them money; they kill without cause and take anything they want including women. Ragnar was doing the same thing to all the teenagers and kids in the city learning to be like his brother so he could join him when he came of age. For the longest time I paid along with everyone else, then one day I didn’t wake up in time for his diminutive meeting. To make a long story short he found me starting beating me up, and was going to rape me. I fought back and he was killed during the altercation.”
“No one would fault you for defending yourself in such a manner but it still doesn’t explain how you became an adopted son of the god whose child you killed, in my experience the gods aren’t so forgiving.” States Curios.
“I offered my life in exchange for the one I took, Thor accepted and allowed me to live on the terms that I listen to him and treat him as a father.” He answers.
“This is too great. One of those jerks is dead and gone and I get a better brother!”
“I never had any family growing up, my mother died in child birth and I moved from place to place scrounging for food anywhere I could, I didn’t even find out I was a demigod until a month ago. Being around you both I finally have a sense of what having a family would be like.” Says Curios thoughtfully.
“I can’t speak for Kol but from this day forth you can count me as a brother, I will hence forth protect you and fight by your side as all the gods as my witnesses. I am and always will be your family.” Smiles Hallthor slamming his fifth shot.
Before Curios can respond Kol exclaims. “I agree. I am your brother as well, you are my family and I yours.”
Welling up a little bit Curios pulls them both into a hug.
“Thank you my brothers, I am your family and I pledge my life to you both here and now and should either of you ever need I will give my life for yours.”
“To our family and the success of our quests!” Shouts Kol raising his glass.
The others join in the toast heartily laughing and joking with one another while they talk about what they will do once the quest is over and their hopes and dreams. Together their bond grows as they celebrate into the night unaware that they are being watched.
“Enjoy your happiness for now boys because tonight I will rob you of your hope and courage.” Hisses a sinister woman.
Immortals Children Of The Gods Page 16