Karina had lived in Stavanger her entire life, but it would change today. Staring out her chamber window, she saw Prince Brodric’s men waiting by the front gates, ready to whisk her away to Rysstad.

“It is a marriage that will benefit all parties,” her father had told her.

As the daughter of a Lord, she was always going to be a bargaining chip. With news of Viking raids all along the villages in the south, it was only a matter of time before they reached Stavanger. Support from Rysstad would ensure the town’s safety. However, Karina knew the prince did not care for her people; he was only interested in her magic.

There was a knock on the door, followed by a voice in the hallway. “They are here, my Lady.”

Karina sighed, her breath visible in the cold summer air. “I know. Tell them I will be down shortly.”

She trudged over to her desk and glanced down at the letter from her childhood friend. Aaren had confessed his love for Karina just days ago, begging her to abscond with him to the northern lands. What a foolish man. It was too little too late; the cogs of Fate were already in motion. Perhaps in another life they could be together, but in this life, she had a duty.

Another knock came at the door.

“I said, I will be down shortly.”

Karina produced a flame in her palm and lowered Aaren’s letter over it. As she wistfully watched it burn and turn to ash, sadness clutched her heart.

The door sounded a third time.

She scoffed and went to open it. “I need another momen–”

Karina felt a slash across her throat. She stumbled backwards, dazed as the assailant marched in. Desperate, she unleashed a fireball, knocking the knife out of the stranger’s hand. He shook off the pain and stormed at her. She tried to call for help but started to choke on her own blood.

“Hel is waiting!”

The stranger grabbed her by the neck and dragged her over to the window. As life left her body, her mind searched for a reason, a motive that would incite her murder.

There was none.

A moment later, she was weightless, gazing up at the somber sky.

~*~

Lilith gasped at the image of Karina’s body hitting the ground. Quickly lifting her hands, she found herself back inside the Hall of Hrestyi. Asgard or Hel, the choice was obvious.

The girl’s eyes flickered with life. She looked around, then carefully stepped down from the platform. “Karina of Stavanger. Very honoured to meet you, Valkyrie, though I am rather surprised to be welcomed to Asgard.”

Lilith forced a smile as tears crept out of her eyes.

“Why do you weep?” Karina said.

Lilith pulled herself together and put forth a display of strength. “A thought crossed my mind is all.”

Life was short.

The girl nodded. “If you shall require my assistance, summon me. I am ready to serve.” And with those words, she walked out of the hall.

This isn’t getting any easier.

The Tome of Heroes magically appeared in Lilith’s hands and opened itself to the second page.

Lilith flipped to the first page to review Sigurd’s details.

His loyalty has dropped by one point…

Lilith felt guilty for neglecting Sigurd. She had been so wrapped up in her own matters that she didn’t consider how he might be dealing with life in Asgard and not to mention the death of his father and the uncertainty of his sister. Mimir’s Eye showed he was still hanging out in the valley just below Vestfold. A quick check would put her mind at ease.

Gyllir flew her down to a clearing, where a stream ran from the forest up the mountain. In the field there was a teepee and next to it, a pile of wood. Sigurd stood by the water, deep in concentration. He thrust his spear into the rapids. Then again. And a third time.

Lilith approached and asked, “What are you doing?”

Sigurd sighed. “Trying to catch a fish, but I fear I’m too slow.”

“Do you need food or anything?” The moment she asked that question, she realized he could probably take care of himself. After all, it seemed he had already built a shelter for himself.

“If I cannot even feed myself, how would I be able to serve you, Lady Valkyrie?” He remained focused on his goal.

“How thoughtful of you…” Lilith wanted to tell him to take it easy, but decided to hold her tongue. A hard-working kid like Sigurd would feel insulted by those condescending words. She had to remember this wasn’t Earth; people here knew their away around.

“Father taught me well.” Sigurd thrust his spear again into the water, and when he pulled it out this time, a fish came with it. “Yes!”

Lilith grinned with excitement as she watched the boy carry his prize over to the teepee. He then set his spear aside, picked up an axe, and marched into the forest. She sat down on the grass and listened to the river whoosh and slosh, punctuated by the thwacking sound of wood being chopped. The ruby encrusted on Dainsleif’s hilt sparkled in the afternoon sun. She unsheathed the sword and drew circles in the ground while humming a random tune.

I should’ve asked the Valkyrie Queen for a book instead…

“Valkyrie!”

Lilith stood up to meet Sven as he landed on a tree. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours, but she surprisingly missed him. “What took you so long?”

“Quoth! Don’t mock me.”

The raven filled her in on what he saw. A number of new threats had emerged since the last survey. Threats came in one of two forms: dungeons, or darklings. With Ragnarok on the horizon, the pesky dark elves had begun sowing gloom seeds all over Asgard. These seeds, if not dealt with, would blossom into hostile creatures that could attack cities and weaken Odin’s forces.

“It sounds like a big problem,” Lilith said, unsure if she understood the gravity of the situation.

“It is.” Sven flew to her shoulder. “And we have a duty to cleanse Asgard of these evil spawns.”

That meant there was work for her to do. “Am I really needed in all of this?”

The raven cocked his head right and left. “Hesitance from a Valkyrie? Very strange.”

Lilith was getting a little annoyed with everyone’s unrealistic expectations of her. She wasn’t some warrior princess who could lead armies to victory; she could barely hold a sword. “Sven, I’m not the person you think I am.”

“Another glitch, perhaps? Nevertheless, I spotted a darkling in the forests not far from here. You must deploy the Einherjar to eliminate it.”

“No, I will not send Sigurd.”

Sven pecked at her head. “Your reputation is at stake. The boy can handle an F-class monster. But if we delay, it will evolve and become a greater threat.”

“It’s too dangerous for him.” Lilith knew she was speaking from her own fears. But if anything were to happen to the boy, she would not forgive herself for sending him into harm’s way.

“Quoth! So much nonsense from the Valkyrie today.”

At that moment, Sigurd returned with a bundle of wood. “Is there something I could assist you with, my Lady?”

When Sven explained the threat, the boy gladly volunteered himself for the mission. Lilith wanted to object, but ultimately relented. The hero energy in Sigurd was too strong. It would be wrong to deny him the opportunity to prove his worth. However, he would not go alone.

“Here are the darkling’s details,” Sven said, producing a parchment out of thin air with a simple wave of a wing.

How does he do that?

“I wish I could provide more, but my Raven Sight skill is still rather low. Quoth! How embarrassing.”

“It’s perfect, Sven,” Lilith said and patted the bird on the back. Then with feigned superiority and confidence, she gave the order to Sigurd. “You and Karina shall go together on this mission. Do your best.”

The boy grinned. “I will not fail you, Lady Valkyrie!”

A day went by with no news of the two Einherjars. If not for their hero indicators, Lilith would have thought they were dead. Sven surmised that the darkling had evolved and was on the move, making it stronger and harder to track down. There was no cause for concern as long as the indicators stayed green–and not fade to grey.

As she lay on the cold and stony block that was her soul bed, Lilith’s mind drifted to the encounter with the hypnotic stranger in the Vestfold tavern.

“Sven,” she called to the raven. “Who is Loki?”

The raven flew to her side. “Loki is the God of Mischief, one of the Elite who lives in Ithavoll. How could you not know that as a former Midgardian?”

“I was never taught,” Lilith explained. How would the people of Earth know anything about other worlds?

He stuck his beak right up to her face. “Quoth! The transmigration process must have warped your brains. Everyone in all of the nine realms has heard of the notorious Loki. That handsome devil.”

Lilith was drawn to his allure at the time, but now her head was clear. A god with ‘mischief’ in his title could only mean bad news. She doubted what he said had any truth to it; he was a rambling drunk. Yet, Earth still ruled her thoughts. “Do you know anything about the tenth realm?”

“There are only nine realms.”

She knew it was too good to be true. “I see…”

Gyllir came over and nudged at her. They had ridden around the sanctuary a number of times already, each trip with a new sight to see. Was there still something else to discover?

Lilith sat up. “What is it?”

The horse bolted back to where he was grazing not too far away. Following him, she saw a bunny bouncing in the grass, evading Gyllir’s ceaseless attempts to nip it. In the blink of eye, Sven swooped in and snatched it with his claws. Lilith almost scolded him, but didn’t when she saw the bunny vanish in a poof of white smoke, replaced by a cylindrical object.

Sven lowered a scroll into her hands. “What a surprise! It’s a letter.”

Curious, Lilith unrolled the scroll and read its contents:

-

Dear Lady Valkyrie,

Your eagerness to learn about the tenth realm has aroused my interest. I would be most delighted to share with you my limited knowledge of Earth. As such, it would be a pleasure if you would join me at the Midsummer Festival in two days’ time as my guest of honour.

I await a favourable response from you.

May Fate allow our paths to cross once more.

Warm regards,
Loki

-

“Quoth! An invitation from the God of Mischief himself. I underestimated you, Valkyrie. Whatever you did to win Loki’s attention, I say do not stop. By his good graces, you will ascend the ranks and join the Elite. You may even be given land in the Domain. Remember Sven when that day comes!”

Lilith barely heard the raven’s words; all she could think about was the letter.

What does Loki know about Earth…my Earth?

midnightrainbow

How are you feeling about the death scenes? In case you were wondering, the heroes' stories do continue to develop in Asgard. And there's a bigger story brewing in Midgard, alluded to by the death scenes.

Also FYI, there are more types of blue tables I have yet to show. They will be revealed in later chapters as the story requires it. Don't want to overwhelm you guys!