Chapter 30
“Will you come ashore with us Floggen?” Questions Curios. “I’d love to drink you under the table.”
“How would you know the difference Curios when he walks up he’ll already be under the table.” Snickers Hallthor.
“Bite me.” Snaps Floggen.
“Not on your best day.” He says jumping over the side of the ship onto the ground heading towards the small village.
“I’d love to come and have a drink a little later Curios, but now that the ship has repaired itself I want to get some sleep before anything else.”
“Yeah sleep sounds good, I still feel a little strange from the fight. Before I do anything else I need to crash for a bit.” Says Kol yawning.
“You look pale Kol you should get some food before you crash.” Says Curios.
“I say you forget about the feeling strange thing Kol, the problem is that you’ve have little to no food or sleep in who knows how long. You can’t keep running yourself ragged like this.” Floggen says sternly. “In fact Curios, why don’t you head out and catch up with Hallthor I have a drink that will make Kol feel right as rain in no time.”
With a frown Curios takes one last look at Kol. “Alright I’ll see you guys in just a bit.”
Floggen watches Curios run off into the streets before turning back to Kol, with some effort he lifts Kol to his feet and leads him to his cabin. After looking around in all of his drawers and cabinets Floggen finally pulls out a giant vial of green liquid with gold flakes floating in it. Weakly Kol takes the vial downing the whole thing in one swallow.
A slight glow surrounds Kol for a second returning the color to his face and making him feel better than he ever has.
“What was that stuff?”
“Hair of the dog that bit ya.” Laughs Floggen.
“What?”
“Truthfully kid I don’t know exactly, it was given to me by a goddess. She told me that when it was needed the most I should use it, after the beating you took from the gods and your lack of food, water and sleep I figured now was the time.” He smiles.
“Floggen you should have saved that for when you needed it the most.” Chides Kol.
“Not to worry Kol, I’ll be fine without it now why don’t you meet the others they were pretty worried about you, I’ll be along in an hour or two after I get some rest.” He says walking him to the door ushering him out.
“Get some rest Floggen you’ll need it to try and drink with us.” Smiles Kol running to the edge of the ship and flipping off to the ground below.
Floggen closes the door with a sigh.
“How did it go Floggen does he suspect anything?” A voice whispers in the shadows.
“I’m sure he is beginning to wonder but he doesn’t know anything yet.” Floggen answers.
“Good, we have to keep him from learning the truth otherwise the entire alliance between the Norse and the Greek gods could be destroyed.” The voice whispers again.
“I will stay by him and keep the other gods from learning the truth for as long as I can.” He bows.
“You do your people great credit Floggen it is a shame that they did not wish to be our allies after the war ended.”
“They may yet come around with the impending danger that rises.”
“We can only hope my friend, until next time.”
Flopping down on his bed Floggen holds the bridge of his nose exhaling a giant breath. “So much rides on Kol and Vasos, if this gambit doesn’t work I fear that more than just the an alliance will be in jeopardy, if they can’t overcome the obstacles ahead then all the demigods of the prophecy will fail to save the world.” He says to himself.
Curios had already had three beers and wasn’t planning on stopping anytime soon, as a matter of pride Hallthor was keeping up with him but Kol really didn’t feel like drinking so he just sat enjoying his friends company.
“So what’s the plan from here Kol?”
“We keep heading south. I guess our next stop will be Dyvlin after we’ve searched Ktn of course. Hopefully we can figure out that riddle soon, I’d hate to sail on and on searching every place we come across.” He says with frown.
“Don’t worry we’ll figure it out.” Says Curios. “Not with my help of course because I don’t know any of these lands.”
“I know where we have to go.” Slurs Hallthor, downing his tenth beer.
“Is that right?” Questions Kol humoring him.
“Yeah it’s simple, we’ve got to go to Noi.” He laughs falling out of his chair.
“Why’s that?”
“Think about it the riddle says head to a land that faces the land and the sea, half of Noi faces land the other half the sea.” He hiccups.
“A lot of places face water and land not just Noi, but good try Hallthor.”
“Shhh.” He says putting his finger on Kol’s lips. “I’m not done, then the riddle says if you feel the water on you face one direction will there be, one whole side of Noi is facing water.”
Suddenly interested Kol eyes him carefully. “And the last part?”
“What?”
“The riddle Hallthor the last part of the riddle.” He says insistently.
“Listen close and hear the bark of the color yellow/green, Noi faces the Bay of Biscay, Bay is another word for bark and Biscay green is a yellow green color.” He laughs passing out on the table.
Kol just stares at Hallthor’s snoring body. “It fits, I can’t believe it fits.”
“Really? I thought that was all drunk talk.” Slurs Curios.
“So did I at first but Noi does make sense as the destination, it’s the only one that fits everything.”
“That’s great we’ll capture the little boy and be on our way to the second feast in no time, we just have to say hi to the pig and bury the tub.” Curios smiles before passing out himself.
“Was I sleeping that long?” Questions Floggen laughing as he walks up.
“No, last time we drank they were able to handle it a lot better. I think the lack of sleep played a big part, good news though Hallthor figured out the riddle.”
Looking surprised Floggen looks at Hallthor’s snoring face. “I don’t believe it.”
“Neither did I at first, Hallthor said he was terrible at riddles he was given another one that he hadn’t figured out for years or something.”
“What riddle?”
“It goes, in the land where the red wind blows and stones are made to point at the sky, there is a hall with ages past flowing right by your eye. Digging down is the way to find the first king who’s dressed in rags where it will be, but you better move once you have it post haste or no more days you shall see.” Kol says repeating the riddle.
Floggen’s eye go so wide that Kol feels like he’s going to fall into them. “Forget that riddle and everything to do with it.”
“You know where the armor is hidden don’t you?”
“No, I just think that you have more important things to worry about right now.” Floggen says composing himself.
“I don’t believe you Floggen, why won’t you say? Where is this place and what’s the danger?” Kol questions anxiously.
“I…don’t know.” He says getting lost in his drink.
Just then the golden eagle flies into the bar landing on their table and drawing everyone’s attention.
“Hey what the hell is that thing?” Questions another patron walking up to the table poking the bird in the head.
“Go away.” Kol says slapping his hand away from the bird.
“Or what?” He asks pushing Kol from behind as five other men stand up to back up the first drunk.
“Or you’ll deal with me.” Floggen says standing on the table.
Everyone begins laughing at him.
“Real scary, short stuff.” He says going to push Floggen off the table.
Floggen smiles grabbing the man’s arm and breaking it in one move before kicking him in the face. Quickly he jumps off the table landing on the man’s ch
est breaking several of his ribs.
“So who’s next?” He grins, waiting for the next attack. “Kol get the guys, the bird and get out of here I’ll be done in a minute.”
“But…”
“Get lost! I don’t want to be worrying ‘bout you while I’m having my fun.”
“Fine.” Sighs Kol using his magic to lift his two friends and the eagle heading up to their room.
Settling the other two on their beds, Kol sets the bird down on a dresser and settles in to hear the message.
After listening to the message Kol sighs pacing back and forth in the room.
“What will you choose?”
Kol turns to see Floggen sitting on the edge of a bed painting Hallthor’s face. “I haven’t decided, what would you do?”
“I wouldn’t be on these quests in the first place.” He replies flatly. “If I were though I would have to weigh how much I trust Vasos and take into consideration the fact that you have no idea which goddess it is.”
“Does it matter which one?”
“I think it does, what if it’s Eris?”
“Good point but I can’t let Vasos and his friends go through more trails simply because I was afraid.” Sighs Kol.
“Then I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens after you say yes.”
Pressing the button Kol clears his throat. “Vasos, I support you and your friends, I would not have your quest made more difficult because of the unknown, when this favor is called we will handle together whatever it may be. As such, I hereby pledge to this goddess that if you agree to her terms I have an equal share in the favor that’s owed. We’re brothers in arms Vasos and I will not have you face things alone. Also, I’m glad that our help found you in time and was of some use. Our thanks to you as well for notifying Poseidon about Ares, he sent Hercules and Nike to our aid. We arrived safely at Ktn and have figured out the riddle and finally have a course heading, in the morning we will leave again on our journey to Noi and our first quest. If there’s anything else we can do for you just let us know, I’ll wait for your reply on what happened after we agree to the terms, good luck.”
“You’re a brave man Kol.”
“Thanks Floggen.”
“That or really stupid, guess we’ll find out which.”
“I guess we will.” Laughs Kol heading over to his bed. “Sorry Floggen but I’m not up for drinking tonight, I’m going to relax and think about some things before we head back out tomorrow.”
“No problem Kol, I’m actually going to head back to the ship and sail out to do some fishing, I’ll see you guys in the morning.” He says heading out of the room.
Floggen enters the cabin of his ship slamming the door behind him. “Damn it!”
Closing his eyes Floggen prays for a moment. “We need to talk.”
Again a voice whispers from the shadows. “What has you so agitated Floggen?”
“Someone has given one of Kol’s allies a riddle that if solved would lead them to the place he was raised, if that happens before the time is right it could be disastrous. I encouraged him to forget it but that only sparked his curiosity even more.”
“He had to find out sooner or later.”
“But if he finds out now so will the gods and if that happens it will be the beginning of the end.”
“We do not know that for sure I have faith that Kol will be a force for good and salvation in this world unlike his father.”
“Your feelings concerning the boy are bias.” Floggen grunts.
“Of course they are.” Laughs the voice. “But none the less he has proven thus far that I have been right concerning him.”
“Don’t think that I do not have faith in him that is not what I meant at all. I have great faith in the boy and his companions.”
“Ahhh I see now, you are starting to care for them.”
“Don’t be ridiculous my concern is for my people and the rest of the world. That is the only reason I have any interest in this at all.” He snaps.
“Then you wouldn’t mind if I make things a little more interesting for them during the next leg of their journey?” Asks the voice.
“Well actually…since they will be on my ship I’d prefer if you didn’t.” He says looking away.
“I see. So be it, but I’m not the one you or they have to worry about.”
“I know and I can only block the vision of the others for so long, I can feel them searching for Kol and Vasos as we speak and if she finds them you and the gods will not be able to help them.” Grimaces Floggen.
“I know. We must make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“What would you have me do?”
Immortals Children Of The Gods Page 30