General Art Asgard Legends

[Lukémon]

very interesting chapter. Saga is now in Migard I see. With a vengeance in mind.

 

[Caeda]

I keep forgetting to post how awesome this story is...

Looks like there's two parties that want to conquer/destroy/whatever Midgard. Wonder who's gonna win...

 

[*M i d n a*]

very interesting chapter. Saga is now in Migard I see. With a vengeance in mind.

Yep, he is. Thanx for reading, Tyson...er... D: Lukemon.

I keep forgetting to post how awesome this story is...

Looks like there's two parties that want to conquer/destroy/whatever Midgard. Wonder who's gonna win...

Lol, yep, that's how it looks atm. Thank you for reading.

--Okay, first things first. I'm sorry it took me a while to come and post an update, I was actually busy with all this Christmas stuff. Merry Christmas to you all. I know this chapter does not future art intro, but I will add that later, I didn't have the time to make it. I also edited chapter 1, the one where Zeri appears. I removed Claire and Breanna as characters and replaced them with...(after giving it a good thought) Smitie and Shadsie. Smitie=Claire, Shadsie=Breanna. Smitie signed up for one of my stories in the past, but I never really finished that one, so I thought I make up for that and add her here. I don't recall her character's name, thus she's known as Smitie. And Shadsie...well, I love her writing, even if I haven't seen her lately.

Artolia Castle​

The headmaster sat on a chair with his arms crossed and feeling too at ease with himself. He stared at the magical window that his colleague had just finished designing on top of the round, wooden table in front of them. Rishian knew that Raina, who was sitting opposite of him, had done a good job creating the window, and now that she had actually completed that task the two could now get to finding Raina's aunt.

Earlier upon their arrival to the royal castle of Artolia, Rishian and Raina had gotten busy setting up everything that they would need in order to find Raina's aunt. Even with help from several castle attendants that princess Nola had assigned them earlier when she had also assigned them a large, empty room in the main floor of the castle, the two mages had spent the whole day setting things up in it. These things went from simple tomes and other magical items that they would need for their magical tasks, to two small beds and other type of furniture such as the round table and the chairs they were now using. Then they had been called for dinner at about eight o'clock in the evening. The mages had had the privilege again of dining with two royal princesses that breezy night, and they felt a little proud of that feat, for not every day did one enjoy the company of two lovely princesses.

It was now late at night, but the two mages had agreed to attempt finding Raina's aunt this night. Princess Nola seemed desperate to find out what the skeletal remains were, and so at dinner she had begged the two of them to at least make an attempt at finding Raina's aunt before they went to bed this night. The mages had agreed to that, merely to calm the troubled princess down.

"Well, the window is ready," Raina proudly announced as she stared at Rishian. "We might as well start, but before we do, there is something you have to know that I should have mentioned earlier before we started to set everything up."

"Really? What's that?" an intrigued Rishian asked, and he felt curious of his colleague when he actually noticed that Raina had put a serious face before him.

"It's actually about my aunt," Raina proceeded to say without delaying too much, for she knew there was no use in wasting time, Rishian would come to know the news anyway, whether she delayed or not. "She's not what you may be thinking."

Confused, Rishian blinked at her twice but Raina just remained staring back at him.

"You mentioned at the dig site that she used to be an archivist," Rishian remembered. "And you also mentioned that she was...a traveler of sorts."

"Yeah I did say that," Raina declared, resting her hands on the table and keeping her composure cool. "Although she's not the traveler you may even come to imagine at first or second thought."

Again Rishian blinked at her with an impassive face. In front of him Raina seemed quiet and as if she was lost or something. To quiet and disoriented, in fact, that Rishian felt as if she did not want to tell him about her aunt.

"Look," Raina said after a heavy sigh. "She's...what I mean to say is..."

"Go on, Raina," Rishian spoke with a comforting voice, one which he knew would settle down Raina, the headmaster even reached with his right hand to the middle of the table and touched her hands with his. "It's alright to tell me, or not to tell me at all, I'll understand either way."

Raina felt a rush of nervousness as she felt Rishian's soft touch, she did not remove her hands, however.

"It's not simple letting someone know about my aunt," Raina proceeded, feeling a little embarrassed within. "Even to a friend like you, Rishian. This is why I didn't mention much about her in front of the princesses in the first place." Raina lowered her sight to the table, as if embarrassed, and she removed her hands slowly away from Rishian's comforting touch. "My aunt became a thief five years back, and then last I knew...a killer."

Rishian never winced at that, nor did he blink, but he was witness to Raina's deep sadness and embarrassed facade.

Everything suddenly went quiet in the room, not that there was too much going on to begin with, even the noises that came from other parts in the castle were defeated at the door, for Rishian had placed a noise-diminishing dweomer there earlier when he knew they would need all the concentration in the world if they were to find Raina's aunt.

"Um," Rishian went on, thinking very well on what he wanted to respond to Raina's confession, the headmaster even wiped his nose with his fingers, but this merely to buy a little time. "Alright...so she became that, a thief and a killer. That was her choice, just as you and I chose to become mages. I won't be the judge of her, but she's still alive, right?"

As soon as he had asked that question he shook his head twice and rolled his eyes knowing it had been a stupid question. Of course Raina's aunt was alive, else Raina never would have created the magical window to find her in the first place. Raina sort of smiled when she saw him rolling his eyes.

"Yes," Raina responded then, actually feeling a little better knowing that Rishian had taken the news quite well. "But that was the main reason why I was having trouble telling you about her, because of what she has become. I am not too proud of that, you know? Neither are my relatives."

"I know," Rishian said with a comforting smile, one that settled the young headmistress down.

"Regardless of what she has become, she's still my aunt," proceeded Raina. "And I love her as if she'd never made that decision to become such an evil person. I've had the privilege of talking to her twice but she doesn't seem too convinced about giving up her current life. The recent dark events the world witnessed changed her. She lost her husband and her two dear kids, which to her were so special, her whole world, in other words."

"I'm sorry to hear all that about your aunt," said Rishian with a gentle voice, and he adjusted his glasses using his left index finger. "I know how badly many people were affected and transformed by those terrible events. I, myself, lost a few relatives and friends, and surely the events made me think about many things. Heck, they have been giving me lots of trouble, but I'm hanging in there, I haven't despaired."

"I am hanging tough as well, and so is everyone else," added Raina. "Those who lost loved ones, like myself and you."

Rishian nodded at that and asked. "What is your aunt's name, by the way?"

"Shadsie," spoke Raina. "Shadsie Elwin."

Rishian nodded, but he never had heard of her. "That's a beautiful name," he admitted.

Seated in her chair, Raina nodded agreeing with him, but she also remembered it was late and that they had something to do.

"It's late, and I feel very tired and beginning to feel sleepy," Raina said. "We should commence the search and see if we get lucky."

Rishian noticed her stare on his.

"Aye," he smiled at her, straightening himself within his seat in the process. "I'll enhance your will, as you have asked me to."

"It shouldn't be a problem finding her," said Raina. "I have an item that belongs to her."

"Oh, then it will make things easier," Rishian said.

Raina nodded at him and then got out of her chair and headed to a nearby chest, where she had deposited some of her belongings earlier. She returned to the table and placed an old wooden brush just underneath the magical window, where it became contaminated of the magical energy feeding the window.

"I found this in her destroyed home two years ago," said Raina, feeling a little sad since remembrances from that dark time returned to her memory. Raina actually saw the devastation that she had seen two years and several months ago when she had gone visiting the devastated central region of Midgard. Her aunt's village, known back then by the name of Zinai, had been completely destroyed, and that destruction was vividly in her mind just then.

"It's the item that has allowed me to find her those other times I've spoken with her," she added.

"It was good of you to keep it," said Rishian. "It's a helpful tool to you now."

Raina nodded at him, and in her eagerness to find and speak with her dear aunt again, she quickly said. "We should begin, headmaster."

"I'm ready," replied Rishian.

Moments later, the two of them extended their arms out towards each other and took hold of each other's hands. They both concentrated and willed their minds to become blank. When Raina felt Rishian's magical will enhancing her mind, she began to think about her aunt.

*End of Chapter*

 

[Caeda]

Wow... I was NOT expecting her aunt to be a killer. That's sad what happened to her aunt. Keep up the good work.

 

[*M i d n a*]

Wow... I was NOT expecting her aunt to be a killer. That's sad what happened to her aunt. Keep up the good work.

Yeah, well many Midgardians suffered greatly at the hands of Loki, who brought about the near destruction of the world those two years and several months ago. I'm glad you continue to support the story by reading it, Caeda.

Today I was able to work on two chapters here at my sister's. I had to search for some data using the story thread since all my information is over at my own house. So here, I hope you enjoy reading them whenever you have the time, guys/gals. I'll surely be trying to write some more later today, my sister will probably allow me to do so since she's actually quite busy preparing some stuff for tomorrow's New Year celebration.

Remember, it's still the same night in which Saga arrived, no days have passed since then. (I'll add the intro art once I return home)

Artolia City​

Kirana and Tekara had followed the rider closely. The rider had proceeded galloping through the street and took a left turn, giving the impression to the two following elves that it was headed to the center of the large city.

Kirana and Tekara followed closely behind but not too close so as not to wake up any suspicions in the rider's mind. The rider made it to a well-lit street and led the horse slowly towards the porch of an inn. There, the rider dismounted from the horse and then tied it to the porch's front railing, where two other horses were tied. About a minute later, just as the cloak figure was disappearing through the inn's entrance, Kirana and her partner arrived the inn and took the same action as previously had done the cloaked rider.

"Dang, she went in," cried Kirana with a worried voice as she tied her own black horse to the railing.

"I'll go and bring her out," said Tekara, not missing the older elf's worried tone. "You just wait out here, my friend."

"Be cautious then," Kirana told. "Make sure that hood is hanging low enough to cover your face."

A nodding Tekara left her and headed towards the entrance as she adjusted the hood on top of her head. From within the inn she could hear voices talking and even several laughs. In she went, leaving a mildly nervous Kirana waiting outside.

***

Without wasting any precious time, Tekara walked towards the cloaked rider, who was just finishing dealing with the inn's attendant, who was a beautiful brunette maiden. The elf noticed as she went walking that there were several clients sitting on tables, some eating, some drinking, others doing both things and talking, but they did not matter at all to the elf, just the cloaked figure with grayish boots standing at the counter.

"It's been a while, Zeri," she merely said in a whisper as she made it to the figure's right side.

At her words, the cloaked figure turned to regard her with much awe under the cloak, Tekara could even tell she had been alarmed.

"Te...kara?" a nervous female voice asked, and Tekara smiled and nodded before her, recognizing Zeri's voice.

"Yes, it's me, Zeri."

"W-what are you doing here?" Zeri asked, surely more than alarmed. She turned to face her and noticed just how deceivingly well her friend was dressed in her own cloak.

"We've been looking all over for you!" cried Tekara. "Come on, we have to get you home, your mother is dead worried about you, as is the rest of the tribe."

Zeri did not respond at that, rather just remained quiet and staring at her for a while, the elf nearly breaking down crying after all that had happened. But Zeri was strong, and she maintained her composure before her kinswoman.

"My mother, eh?" she said before patting Tekara's shoulder tenderly. "Come," she led her away towards one of the tables. "We have to talk about this."

"There's no time," protested Tekara as she followed her along. "Kirana Alfendell is outside waiting for me... for us."

That made Zeri stop dead on her tracks, and at her side, Tekara stopped as well and stood staring at her.

"I promised her that I would come in here and get you so that we can be on our way... you know the danger we are in merely by being here, Zeri. Our elven presence is not welcomed here, you know that as good as you know you are an elf."

"Oh," Zeri gasped, and just then she came to realize all the trouble the two elves had gone through just to find her. "You are right, Tekara. It's best if we leave the city, we can always talk at some other safer place. To be honest with you, I was actually heading back to Thackus, but I came here just to resupply myself for the long journey. My heart is vibrating with much joy now that I understand my own kin has been looking for me. I know I made a wrong decision back then, but I've changed."

"That is good to hear, my beloved friend, but do come with me," Tekara invited with a smile, the elf was just glad that Zeri saw it that way and apparently would not give her any further trouble. "We will talk about this and more once we are somewhere safe. I am sure you have much to tell us, as do we to you."

Zeri merely sighed, but then a few seconds later, her mind made, she followed the young elf, who led her outside of the inn. As she went outside and the nasty cold wind hit her, Zeri did not feel that cold, rather was feeling quite warm inside due to the unexpected turn of events. Her friends had been looking for her, and they had found her!

Kirana couldn't believe it when she had the missing one standing in front of her. As soon as she realized that it was indeed Zeri, she launched herself at her and gave her a very strong hug, one that made Zeri feel loved once again. She had lived many moments at Kirana's and Tekara's side, the three had been hunters and tribe guardians before the trouble Zeri had gotten into.

"Oh, child! We've found you! I'm so happy that you are alright," Kirana nearly shouted in happiness, both Tekara and Zeri taking note of her relief, for with Zeri in front of her all anguish and worry was finally leaving her.

Zeri pat the older elf's back in a comforting way as this one hugged her. She knew how much she had been missed. When they separated and Kirana stood holding on to Zeri's forearm in a caring way, that was when Tekara proposed that the trio leave and find a suitable place where they could talk.

"That wouldn't be a bad idea," said Kirana. "Our mission is complete, it would be best if we leave this human city behind and move closer to our own realm."

Tekara nodded lively, Zeri just barely did. But moments later, the three elves were galloping out of the Artolian Capital.

*End of Chapter*

Villnore​

They had been making up lost ground in seconds, the two assassins were just ten feet away from their targets, who still ran on like scared chickens.

"Ahahaha!" laughed one of them. "Run, pretty ones. I will enjoy skinning you two alive."

Ashie, knowing that soon enough she and her friend would have to stop and fight off the threat, took a right turn, Dusana turning that way as well but almost missing the turn.

Ashie suddenly ran into three figures who had been walking down the darkened alley, and though she fell on her butt as she bounced away from one of the figures, the three figures were just shoved away but did not fall. Dusana, who was coming in fast on the princess' trail, tripped with the downed princess and dived forward and fell with her full body weight on her left hand on the wet, muddy street.

"Aughh!" she cried as she felt tremendous pain in her hand. She kept on rolling on the ground for several turns, then she stopped when her entire body hit the legs of an individual who quickly cried, "Are you alright?"

The two assassins rounded the corner then, murder in their eyes. To their surprise they noticed the downed females, but also the three other figures, and so they quickly stopped dead on their tracks.

Ashie was quick to get up, and she gave her attention to her pursuers, not the figures who she had met, for as she had been down on the muddy ground she had understood that these three fools were merely passing by.

"Stay where you are if you appreciate your life!" she shouted at the two assassins just as her right hand began to glow with deadly magic, magic which soon turned into a blade and somewhat lit the street. Ashie quickly managed a look at her downed friend, who was already beginning to get up with groans and holding her left forearm with her right hand. Her left hand hung awkwardly with no real strength to keep it straight. It was surely broken.

"Are you alright, Dus?" Ashie asked, but she somehow believed that her friend was hurt.

"I...Arghh! I think I broke my left hand," Dusana cried as she was back on her feet and taking the pain as the tough mermaid she was.

"Excuse me!" cried a young voice from behind Ashie. "What is going on here, Miss?"

"Mind your business, friend," Ashie shot back right away without turning to regard the speaker, rather after having seen that Dusana was injured, she had returned her attention to their pursuers, for she knew that she could not give them an opening to attack.

"I would," came the quick response, and the speaker even walked to stand at Ashie's right side. "But it seems to me that you and your friend are in trouble and in need of help."

Ashie quickly regarded the figure from the corner of her right eye and came to know that he was taller than her and had dark, messy hair. He also wore dark armor and a red cape.

"Mind your own business, fool!" shouted one of the killers from the front. "It would be best if you and your friends leave, and now. Lest you want to bring the whole attention of the Seh Quyrh upon you. These two wenches are on our list, you lot are not, so unless you wish to die, leave now."

The words of the assassin surely unnerved the young man, for he shifted nervously in his place, and one of his companions said from behind with much urgency. "Come on, Dam. We better not get involved, man. You've heard of these goons."

"We're already involved, I'm afraid," said Damera in a brave voice, for it was indeed Damera and his two friends whom Ashie and her friend had just run into. Damera regarded the two killers. He knew plenty about the Seh Quyrh, at least a little from rumors he had picked up here and there. His friends also knew about the vicious gang. Unlike most of the assassin clans that kept their headquarters and operations in the northern regions of Midgard, the Seh Quyrh was a traveling clan of assassins, and they had members here and there stationed in every major city. It was said to be one of the top three ranked assassin clans in all of Midgard, and one of the most brutal ones.

"I insist," said Arkus from behind Damera. "We better go, man, quickly now before we come to regret it."

"We are staying," Damera snapped without turning to chastise his friend with a serious stare. Behind him, Arkus Razen frowned in confusion.

"Personally," Damera went on. "I have never been fond of assassins, much less of those who happen to come to my beloved city and harass the citizenry."

"Your beloved city?" laughed one of the assassins. "That's one mighty claim you make but one with no real value. It's not your city, see? The city belongs to no one in particular and to everyone who wishes to come to it. The Seh Quyrh is here, so it belongs to us in part."

"That's right," assisted the other assassin, the taller of the two. "Now if you don't want any trouble with our whole clan, boy, and that is big trouble, I assure you, I suggest you leave as my partner here suggested to you earlier."

Tyson stepped forward as he heard the threat. He had been standing next to the injured girl, but upon having heard the threat he knew he had to back Damera up.

Damera saw his friend's action, but he remained quiet for a while, thinking hard on what his next move would be. He could not easily dismiss the threat, the danger the two assassins posed for him and his friends this night and in the future. But he could not dismiss the fact that the two females were in need of help as well. And so without giving it much thought, Damera merely shrugged then drew his fat sword and valiently launched at the nearest assassin.

It all happened so fast that everyone, save for Damera, was caught off guard. Swords collided as the assassin barely brought up his own piece to fend off the young man's attack. The two worked their blades expertly in an attempt to cut the other one down, but when the other assassin actually saw the skill of the intruder, he rushed in to aid his partner. Ashie was upon him in an instant, though, the mermaid princess's magical sword intercepting the assassin's just in time before it cut Damera's back. Ashie drove the assassin back with a serious of deadly swipes.

The assassin cried with a laugh. "So you have skill with the blade, little girl. Come then, entertain me for a while before I send you to hell."

The sound of steel against steel and steel against magic rang that night the following minutes. Tyson and Arkus had much honor and dignity, so they remained at the ready just watching the bout between the four contenders. They both knew Damera would have wanted it that way, anyway. But as to Dusana, with broken hand and all, she cared too much about her beloved princess. So she brought out one of her small, curved swords and was about to rush to Ashie's side to help her, however, Tyson's strong right arm secured her from her slender waist and kept her from going forward. Dusana turned to regard him, her beautiful face deformed in surprise but more anger.

"What are you doing, you fool?" she asked. "Let go of me, the prince..." she blanched before him. "My friend is in trouble, don't you see?"

She tried to fight off his grasp, but Tyson was just too damn strong for the likes of her.

Tyson rose an eyebrow up in surprise. "Were you about to say princess, darling?"

Dusana merely stared at him. "Mind your business. Let go of me, damn it!"

"Have you no honor, then?" Tyson asked, his voice gentle as he released her. "You wish to go aid your friend and make it an unfair battle so that your honor and dignity are lost forever?"

Dusana responded nothing, but her face became one of frustration. "She needs my help, what would you do? Those are assassins, mind you!"

"She seems to be handling herself quite well," remarked Tyson, and he wasn't lying, Dusana knew, for Ashie was actually doing better than her opponent, the mermaid princess had already cut and stabbed the assassin several times and had made him retreat quite a lot, his face so unnerved.

"And besides," Tyson added, staring at the girl's broken hand. "Your hand is broken. Allow me to rush and aid your friend if the battle goes wrong."

Dusana said nothing, but she did nod at that and felt gracious at the offer.

In the end, Tyson did not have to rush in to help anyone. Ashie and Damera defeated the two assassins. The battle had been a fierce one, for Damera and Ashie had actually received several cuts and bruises, but they were the lone survivors, the two assassins lost their lives that stormy night.

"I suppose I should thank you," Ashie said to the young man who had rushed in to aid her. "You and your friends, that is. I really wasn't expecting any help, nor was I expecting that reckless action from your part. You are very brave."

"I am sorry," Damera told her as he put his mighty sword at his back within a fat holster. "I just don't like being threatened, nor do I like to see people getting harassed by killers, I had to help you out. I like helping those in need."

Ashie nodded at the lad in a thankful way, then she let the magical sword die in her hand.

But then, Dusana, nearly shouting in her anguish, arrived to stand next to Ashie. "Are you alright, Ash?! Oh no, you are hurt, you have been..."

"I'm fine, Dusana," Ashie silenced her with that sweet melodic voice of hers, and the young mermaid princess even smiled at her to calm her tension down. "Just a few battle cuts, nothing serious. You is who I am worried about, that hand is broken."

"It'll mend," said Dusana, and she even smiled proudly before wincing at sudden pain that came from her broken hand. "There has to be someone in this large city who can help me out, a magician or healer."

"Actually, there is," said Damera, but before he could proceed, his two friends arrived walking calmly, the both of them actually enjoying the light rain as it continued to fall from the heavens.

"Good going, Dam," said Arkus, still not feeling like calling Damera by his first name, for it was still an unsure time to be doing that, they hardly knew who these two pretty girls were. "You handled yourself pretty well, I must admit, and I hardly do."

"What?" joked Tyson. "You hardly handle yourself well, or you hardly admit stuff?"

"Bah!" Arkus stared at him, but then he returned his stare at the two girls.

Damera spoke up as he stared at the young silver haired girl. "These two are my friends, I trust them with my life. Tyson and Arkus they are, and I am Damera. We call ourselves mercenaries, although it's just us three, we work independently and for no guild in the city."

Ashie nodded at that, and her friend Dusana stared at the three young lads with more detained attention. Tyson smiled at her and she lowered her stare in a little felt embarrassment, but then she smiled back at him in a friendly, cool way. As to Ashie, she had been reading Damera's mind, and what she found within assured her that indeed they had run into good folks.

"I'm Ashie," she decided to trust the three young men. "and this is Dusana, my best friend and...somewhat guardian."

"Guardian?" Tyson asked from his place, the lad still holding suspicions from what he had heard earlier coming from Dusana.

"It's a complicated matter," said Ashie, scratching her right forearm. "But you three seem like good people. Maybe I can tell you why we were being pursued by those two. It's a long story, though."

"Ashie!" cried Dusana. And in a much lower voice she added. "What are you doing? Are you sure it's safe to..."

"Be at ease, Dusana, these three are not trouble for us."

"I'd love to hear your tale," said Damera. "But not here, we may be spotted soon enough. I suggest we get going and even out of the city altogether."

"What?" Arkus became fearful. "Without having a tasty drink, boss?"

Near Arkus, Tyson chortled. "Haha."

Arkus, with a mean stare upon him, shoved him away, but Tyson just continued laughing lightly.

"Come on," Damera cried. "I'm pretty sure we'll find a good drink and meal along the way, Razen."

"Ah, but the Dull Sword is just a few paces away," complained Arkus. "So close and yet...you want to leave?"

Damera shrugged, then he turned to stare at the two girls. "What do you say? Will you be coming with us? I can surely get you out of here safely, we have a wagon stationed over there."

Ashie and Dusana stared at each other then, meanwhile Arkus was muttering something to himself, mostly incoherent curses that made Tyson laugh the harder.

"Fine," said Ashie. "We will tag along."

"But not before I see some healer," said Dusana, who was not entirely sure the princess was making the right decision to join up with the three mercenaries. "I'm not that much help to my friend in this state."

"Which brings me back to what I wanted to say earlier," said Damera with a wide smile. "I know someone who ought to help you. In fact, I was with her just a while ago. Come with me, she'll tend to your broken hand, she's a good healer, best damned one in all of Midgard I do dare proclaim."

"See?" Ashie told Dusana as she pat her on the shoulder. "You'll be alright soon."

Moments later they all returned to where the wagon awaited. They boarded it, left the scene, and headed to Shan's place.

*End of Chapter*

 

[Caeda]

Two chapters at once. Nice work. I don't think that everything's going to go as planned. Don't ask me why I think that .

 

[Myriadviper42]

Just caught up. Lol, you made Arkus quite the ladies' man....not exactly how I imagined him, but I'm not complaining.

Good job.

 

[Raindrop14]

Alright! I've read 13 14 and 15 now.^^ And they were amazing!:clap: I really love your writing.^^ Oh and it made me smile when I read this...

Confused, Rishian blinked at her twice but Rainy just remained staring back at him.

^^ Keep up the great work!

 

[*M i d n a*]

Two chapters at once. Nice work. I don't think that everything's going to go as planned. Don't ask me why I think that .

Haha, I won't then. Thank you, I shall continue my work with this tale I have going. Imo it's too good to abandon.

Just caught up. Lol, you made Arkus quite the ladies' man....not exactly how I imagined him, but I'm not complaining.

Good job.

Thanks. :yes: His time to shine is still to come, he hasn't really seen any action yet, as have not other characters. But soon.

Alright! I've read 13 14 and 15 now.^^ And they were amazing!:clap: I really love your writing.^^ Oh and it made me smile when I read this...
^^ Keep up the great work!

And you know I love your writing. Thanks, you surely know how to put a smile on people's faces. ^^

--This is probably the final chapter of the year. Enjoy it, guys/gals.

Southern Tartakus​

"I...just don't believe it, sister." Queen Hel's voice sounded as troubled as never before to Medusa's ears.

"Oh, but I am speaking truthfully to you," Avonite said to her unconvinced sister, who had immediately turned around and walked slowly away. "All that I have told you I learned just a day ago. Baldr's resting place has been found!"

Everything was quiet within Queen Hel's personal chamber, the only sound that would reach the two Sisters ears was the random shouts of guardians keeping the mighty palace safe and some ringing of steel, for nearly almost all the time Queen Hel's troops were sparring with one another in order to be in top form.

Ignoring those sounds, Medusa continued. "That is why I came this night without letting you know of my arrival beforehand, I know how serious this matter is. I can go ahead and create a magical window and show you his resting pla--"

"No!" Queen Hel replied and even made her sister shiver with the shout.

Queen Hel seemed to be lost with her own thoughts, but not only that, her heart was pounding her chest so hard that the queen of Tartakus felt it in her throat, and she felt her arms numb and her legs wobbly. She could not believe what was going on at the moment, could not believe the news that her sister had brought her. To Queen Hel, shadows of the past were returning, but she tried to get a hold of herself, for she could not despair, not now when things really seemed to matter. Her son's image appeared in her thoughts then, and just by imagining him, her dear Saga, Queen Hel found a bit of relief, and she began to breathe easier, her normal color returning to her own self.

From her place, Medusa could easily tell that her sister was troubled and she did not blame her, for Medusa knew that many beings who knew about Baldr had reacted in such a way or worse when they had learned about related news of the dead god's reappearance. When it came to her sister Hel, though, Medusa knew it was a whole different matter. The serpent lady knew her younger sister had been deeply stunned to hear the revelation and was taking the matter very serious, for she, above everyone else, had shared some of Baldr's most kept secrets. Moreover, she had been the last one with whom Baldr had shared words before his final moments prior to his fall four thousand millennia ago.

Slowly and now breathing easy, Queen Hel turned around, her left arm across her bosom and the right one in an upwards position, hand touching her chin in a pondering way, a sign that let Medusa know just how troubled she actually was. She had been thinking deeply about it all, all the meanwhile having hid her blanching, concerned face from her sister.

"I-If this is true," Queen Hel said, trying hard to establish a composed voice, but she failed at it and it sounded nervous. "then I must see it with my own eyes to believe it. I...I just..."

"Are you alright, sister?" asked Medusa with concern written all over her beautiful face.

"I'm alright," confessed Queen Hel with a lie, lowering her hands down, but her troubled face remained. "Just stunned, that's all, and still finding it hard to believe."

"I know, I felt the same way when I came to know of the news," Medusa's eyes narrowed. "I thought Baldr had been lost forever...the explosion...it was big. I thought both Father and our brother had been pulverized to nothingness...and yet..."

Queen Hel cleared her throat.

"We must go have a look," proposed the queen of Tartakus, and she walked towards Medusa, who remained arms-crossed and standing low off to the side of Queen Hel's queen size bed, her slithery dark serpent form coiled underneath her.

Medusa nodded at her, keeping her calmness before her sister. "Right away, sister? Or...do you want to go come the morrow?"

Queen Hel was quick to reply with a very serious tone and a very serious look upon her face. "The sooner the better, sister, this is no laughing matter. Do you know what this means? Do you know what it means for those many followers our brother left behind? If they become aware of these news, then..."

Medusa's heart began to race then, but she just nodded and knew what her sister meant by leaving her phrase hanging. As she remained at her place, Medusa thought on the possibility of Baldr's followers already knowing about the news. Did they know? Just that thought sent a shiver running down her spine.

"The Artolian Princess has set heavy security on the dig site," warned Medusa, who had already seen Baldr's tomb via a magical window that she had created a day ago when she had become aware of the news. "I tell you now, sister, we may face some opposition. So knowing how much you love humans, there might be a slight possibility of hurting some of them if we are to see Badlr's remains."

"Not if I can help it," said Hel, and she walked away.

"What do you have in mind?" Medusa was curious. Queen Hel did not respond immediately as she headed to the south side of the large room.

"You said you had gotten this information off of the royal princess herself, did you not?" Hel asked a few seconds later.

"That's right," nodded Medusa, following her sister with her own eyes. "From Princess Hazel Nola herself. Humans just don't know how to keep their mouth shut, they just don't know who might be listening in. The young princess has been talking about the find many times over, the news has already spread like wild fire. I found out thanks to one of our spies who picked up the rumor and brought it to my ears. I quickly looked into it and found out that it was true, that Badlr's remains had been found."

Troubled at the mentioned name, Queen Hel made it to where her large, dark brown wooden hairdresser--which had six drawers and a large oval mirror on top of the wooden counter--stood. Medusa already knew that most of her sister's furnishings and decorations had been made in Midgard, which strengthened and spoke millions about the love she held for the human race.

"Then you did good."

"Yes I did," Medusa scratched one of her eyebrows. "Now, do you mind telling me what you have in mind, dear sister?"

"It's simple," said Queen Hel as she watched her own reflection within the oval mirror. "We'll attend the dig site looking like normal human soldiers, captains or something in order to get close to Baldr's remains, but we have to be quick, I'd hate to leave Tartakus unruled."

Medusa vainly smiled at her place, however, what her sister was proposing brought back dear memories from times long gone when she had been but a mere heavenly child who at some point in life had thought about nothing but having fun, adventure, and playing games. Having transfigured into something else had been one of her most beloved games, for she and Hel loved to fool their brothers and sisters and other godly relatives with whom they had spent their childhood.

"How nostalgic you've made me feel," said Medusa. "We'll be reviving our fun days once again, those crazy times when we used to play with our brothers and sisters in heaven."

"It's our only option, sister," came Queen Hel's voice. "It will make it easy for us to get near our fallen brother's corpse."

"Ah well, it's a good option," Medusa agreed. "This means I get to leave this ugly body of mine even if only temporary...a much welcomed change, sister. I am with you on this. I have a big doubt, though."

"And that is?" Queen Hel asked, satisfied of the beautiful image reflecting on the mirror in front of her.

"Where will we be getting strands of hair or anything else relating to a human? We'd need to go to Midgard and..."

"Relax," said Queen Hel as she finally pulled out a drawer. "I have it all figured out."

From the drawer she brought out a small bronze coffer which could have held valuable gems or jewels. The coffer did not hold anything of that sort, but something else that Queen Hel had kept there for a long time. The queen of Tartakus smiled when she realized the time to give that saved treasure proper use had come.

"Come over here, dear sister," Hel invited Avonite over as she opened the coffer. Medusa was quick to slide her sister's way. And she was able to lay eyes upon the content of the coffer.

"That's hair," Medusa noticed. "Whose is it?"

"You will know when the transfiguration spell has taken effect. For now, just stand still, I will take care of transforming you."

"Fine. You will take care of this, but I will be taking care of creating the portal," Avonite said with a pointed finger in her sister's direction, to which Queen Hel nodded with a smile. How had Avonite always loved creating magical doors and windows.

"Sounds like a plan," Hel responded. "Now tell me," she added as she held a blonde strand of hair in one hand and a black strand on the other. "Which do you prefer, the blonde or the brunette?"

"I always wanted to see myself differently when I was young," confessed Medusa as she eyed the strands of hair. "So I will take the blonde hair."

"You will be making me very proud, then," said Queen Hel with a light smile.

"Why?"

"You will see."

*End of Chapter*

 

[Raindrop14]

Oh that was a great chapter!:clap: I love your writing.^^ Oh and I can't wait to see who they will turn into!^^

 

[*M i d n a*]

Oh that was a great chapter!:clap: I love your writing.^^ Oh and I can't wait to see who they will turn into!^^

I thank you a million times, Rainy. ^^ I can't wait to write about that either, it shouldn't be too hard to guess, though.

Attention: Remember I said I was trying to replace as many non-ZD characters with ZD characters? Well I decided to include an old friend of mine known as Enemy Tracker. He has replaced Nils. So Nils=EnemyTracker, AKA Tracker. There will be two more replacements, but I will let you know when the time comes, and no, those won't be the dead necromancers, lol. Anyway, I went ahead to replace a few mistakes I found through out my writing as well. One such mistake that you must know about is this one: In the Prelude of this Second Book, the one where Medusa and Mimir have their talk, I mentioned that Beliza was aunt to those deities, but that was really never the case. Before that prelude, in the first book I mentioned that she was actually their cousin, so yeah, Beliza is not an aunt to them nor to anyone, just a cousin. So, Beliza, Hel, Avonite, Mimir, and Din are all cousins, as well as others you may read about in the future. I hope this clears some confusion. I know that with me changing names around for the characters may be making this a little confusing, but really, it's not that confusing, I am just getting the story ready for future publishing.

South of Villnore City​

Tracker, in all his fear, did not know which direction he had taken when he had come out of the citadel. The most important thing to him had been running away, it hadn't really mattered where to, he'd just wanted to get away from the grave danger he knew he was in.

As the necromancer had run away on that rainy night and through a dense forest he'd come upon, he had spared a few looks over his shoulder fearing that the creature was coming after him. Nothing came after him, but his fear made him believe that the demon would pop out of the entrance at any time!

He had relaxed a bit after the seventh time he had looked back, and his running pace had slowed down just a tad bit, for his legs and lungs hurt. Not really in much of a good shape, the young necromancer had exhausted himself quickly and was out of breath.

Tracker decided to stop near a tall pine tree, ignoring the danger of the lightning that showed up in the sky at random intervals, lighting the region of Villnore. There under that pine tree, he gathered himself, his wits, and his breath as he remained touching the pine tree's trunk with one of his hands while with the other he pat his own chest in a calming way.

Because of his heavy breathing, and a few curses he afforded to mutter then, several nocturnal birds flew away from their nests, scaring the hell out of him and making him curse again, for he had believed it was the dark demon who had come out of nowhere.

"Ah, jeez!" he cried stupidly and then smiled gladly and nervously when he understood he'd be alright, that there was no demon near him.

There was silence all around then, except for the trickling noise of the rain as it fell upon the ground, and the random thunderclaps produced by the storm, which was surely waning by now, its power long gone. Tracker, his robes soaked, trembled both in fear and cold.

Breathing a bit easier now, Tracker remembered about his three colleagues. What were they doing? Had they been able to solve the creature mystery? Were they interrogating it at this moment and having their fun with it? And what about the blast he had heard as he had been running through open ground with the harsh rain of the thunderstorm pounding his body and face? He hadn't imagined that, nor had it been a clamor of thunder from heaven above, he clearly had heard a blast. Had his friends battled with the demon then? Had they managed to subdue the creature if that had been the case? Or had the creature proven to be the strongest and his friends now laid dead? And what of the three young girls within the citadel? Even their safety crossed through Tracker's mind then.

Troubled with those many thoughts and trembling mildly, Tracker shook his head several times, hoping that his friends were alright and that he was wrong in his reasoning. Again, the necromancer cursed in silence, knowing he shouldn't have abandoned them like that. They had been a team, always a team of four who had taken care of business. Tracker lowered his head in shame and even began to shed tears as he recalled the vow he had made a few years back when he had joined the group.

Despite the way he felt then, Tracker became calmer as the seconds ticked away. And he looked about the forest, cursing himself silently yet again and stomping the soft, semi-muddy ground for having run away like a coward. He'd had to, he reminded himself then, the creature and its powerful aura had surely frightened him. Never had Tracker felt such a tremendous, powerful aura on a demon before.

Tracker, biting the left sleeve of his wet robe, wondered where he would go from here on out. He stared back the way he'd come, to the way that led back to Doodle's hidden citadel. His courage told him to return, to go back to his friends and see what had become of them. But his conscious told him to keep running away, that he had run away for safety in the first place.

"Damn it!" cried Tracker, not knowing what to do, he just bit the sleeve of his robe harder while he thought hard on that.

He thought about their client then, the mighty figure who had hired him and his three friends to search for answers regarding the demon rumors, rumors which had started in northern Midgard a few months ago. Even if he ran away and returned to Crell Monferaigne without answers for the King, what would become of him then? The ruler of the second most powerful realm in Midgard was not so easy to please, nor was his anger easily appeased. He had paid them greatly for guaranteed answers on the matter already. So, knowing that, what was he, Tracker, going to report to him? That the group had summoned up a different kind of demon, nay, underdark creature and that he had run away like a coward merely because of the creature's looks and its powerful aura? The king would surely have his head that very instant!

"Arghh!" growled Tracker, not pleased with those thoughts. "Think hard, you fool!"

Then he did, and Tracker nodded as an idea developed fully in his mind. "Yes, that's it!" his face brightened up. "This ought to spare my life. I'll just tell the King this information, he ought to understand."

Without thinking too much on it, nor did he want to stay any longer in the forest and so close to the demon, Tracker ran again, only this time with a clear vision of where he was heading to.

***

Saga felt the rain hitting his whole being as he came out of the citadel's entrance. Never had he felt rain upon him before, but he had known about rain thanks to several books he had read back in Tartakus when he had been younger, much younger and not even yet considered a good fighter in the realm. His mother had encouraged him to read books which spoke about Midgard, and so he had, merely to please her. But after more years went by, Saga had left the books in order to study what he had fallen in love with, and that had been weapons and fighting styles.

He felt indifferent as he stared at the sky, this one lighting up in a sequence of colorful lightning before going back to darkness, a color Saga--and all the creatures residing in the lower realms--knew too well.

Then came the roar of thunder. Saga was not too impressed at the display of nature's beauty, but he knew that if Ailyth had been at his side, it would have been different, much different.

For one brief second the young girl he had met a few seconds ago appeared in his mind, only to be replaced by his true Ailyth. Saga smiled briefly, and he then understood that he had not been with her in a long time, ever since he had left to conquer Netherrealm. He missed her quite a lot, he really did, and so he reminded himself that he needed to take care of business in this world as soon as possible in order to return to her. Saga remembered the promise he had made her, Ailyth had been patient up to this point, but how was she doing back in Tartakus. Did she miss him as dearly as he missed her? Saga believed that she did, and so he took heart in that and stared up at the sky, believing the rain to be Ailyth's soft hands caressing his exposed chin and mouth.

Then a fleeing necromancer appeared in his thoughts, and Saga lowered his stare and looked about the area, trying to find a clue that would let him know which way the necromancer had gone. He easily found his first clue on the wet ground; the necromancer had left his foot prints on it.

Way too easy, Saga thought as he dismissed his magical wings. He was going to go after him on foot, not to give him any advantage or fairness in the pursuit, but because Saga wanted to have a good look at the world that was Midgard. Chasing the necromancer on foot would allow him to do that, even if there was little to see what with darkness still enveloping the land.

There was no rush in killing the necromancer, and besides, the necromancer was headed in the direction Saga needed to go anyways: East. Saga knew as well that in that direction was where Sammy's and Repiv's killers were at.

Soon, Saga thought with much satisfaction knowing the time was nearing to avenge his fallen friends. He ran after the necromancer, who probably was a good distance away from him. It didn't matter; Saga would find him and deal with him. In the meantime, he would enjoy chasing him down.

*End of Chapter*

 

[Myriadviper42]

Well, looks like Saga's having fun.

Good job.

 

[Lukémon]

Well, this has gotten really exciting, and it kinda riminded me of skyward sword a bit, Saga the demon lord/god, and Ghirahim the demon lord. One obviously looks a lot cooler than the other though ( Saga )

 

[Caeda]

Glad to see you're gonna finish this, because if you didn't... Well, lets just say it wouldn't have turned out well for you .

 

[Raindrop14]

Well, that was a very interesting chapter.^^ I wonder what'll happen next? Will Saga find the necromancer and kill him? Can't wait till the next chapter!^^