I will provide the story so far below (since I don't know how to attach word documents, assuming you can). It will probably not be put on this website (unless I were to ask my friend for permission), but I would like a second opinion on grammar and the direction of the story (how it sounds).
My friend wrote this story and put all of the events/plot points in the order that you see. After a brief period of time, she gave the story to me to act as a kind of editor/coauthor, and I added a lot of dialogue, description, and (tried, because I'm not an expert or grammarian) to fix grammar where it was necessary. I have yet to transcribe all of it on my computer, but this is essentially ten of eighteen chapters that she gave me.
Enjoy!
Chapter One: Here it Begins…
“In this forgotten city, we live in harmony, despite our differences in race; why is it then that we are slaughtered like dogs when we try to leave? What about the frost giants that came here?” With greater anger and fire in eyes, I continued, “I need answers. I don’t think I can take it anymore, being forgotten like a pebble by the riverside!”
I was found by the guards and left to die in the center of the Forgotten city. Nobody knew if I was Asgradian or something else brought there by accident. But it didn’t matter: this place would become my sanctuary, as it did with many others.
It was because of a flaw in the bifrost. The bifrost would sometimes pick up random people and drop into Asgard; Odin made the drop off point around this place. As such, the sight of orphans was a common one, along with the belief that there were no such things as “gods.” How could any god abandon his people and leave them to suffer alone, only to forget that they even exist?
“Then what do you expect to accomplish, Freya? Do you really expect to just waltz up to the palace and knock on their door?” my father retorted with desperation.
“If that’s what it takes, then I guess I have no other choice.”
And so began the battle of wills. My father and I stood against each other’s wills with glares as sharp as daggers. I refused to back down.
“I don’t want to lose you, honey. Neither does your father.”
Looking upon my mother’s blue skin, I was reminded once again that she was indeed a frost giant, different from the rest. My father on the other hand, was just like me, another orphan without a clue to his identity.
“Mom, Dad, I know how you feel, but I want to make a change,” I state with sincerity. “I wanna show those Asgardians that they aren’t so great. I need to prove our existence. Besides, I’ll be fine, everyone knows I kick major ass with a sword and bow and arrows!”
“Please, just give me a chance…”
My parents looked at each other and sighed. Looking downward and downcast, my mother hoarsely whispered, “We knew this day would come since your first words.” She could relate to the pain of being an orphan, even if she was a frost giant.
“Deep down, we know you can do it, so make sure you beat it into the bastards!”
I answer with a smile. “I won’t disappoint you I promise.”
I picked up my bag, along with my sword and bow and arrows. Kissing my mother and father good bye, I started my journey out of the Forgotten city, ready to tackle the world and the unknown.
Chapter Two: …A Journey Set In Stone
I was half way through the city when it started to get dark. Suddenly, I heard a noise behind me, and swiftly barked with authority and sword in hand. “Who’s there? Come out!”
“Relax, it’s only the four of us,” called a familiar voice from the growing darkness. Realizing my mistake, I sheathed my sword and turned around to meet my dear friend.
“You should know better than to try and sneak up on me, Lilith. What are you doing here?”
“Word spreads fast around the city. We want to come with you.”
“We?”
My question was immediately answered as more of my friends stepped out of shadows, this time Kol and his younger brother Kar. “Of course, ‘we’! How could we let you go alone with us being a team and all?” Kol remarked casually. Kar then joined the conversation. “Fellow orphans should stick together. We’re our own family.”
“That’s nice and all, but did you really have to drag me here before dawn, Kol? I’m freakin’ tired…” It was none other than Matthew, the last person to materialize from the shadows. He was one of the few humans here in the Forgotten city.
“We know you love your beauty sleep, Matthew, but there will be no resting for any of us tonight,” I reminded the group. “I want to get to the gate before dawn, and talking any longer isn’t going to help. Got it?”
Just before Matthew could interject, Lilith responds, “Yes, Freya, we understand.”
“Then let’s get going.” With a brief nod from the others, we began to walk at a fast pace, resolve steeled for the coming journey. That is to say, everyone except for Matthew, who was still grumbling over lack of sleep.
There is only one way in and out of the city, and that is the gate. The guards stationed there are hired by the residents of the Forgotten city and paid with what little the people can offer. The guards, also from the city, understand their situation and rarely accept the payments. The situation changes however when people try to enter and leave. Anyone who tries must have a good reason and the money to verify it.
It took us a while to reach our first stop, but we made it just before dawn. After resting for a short period, we decided to confront the guards and get ready to leave.
I quickly ask Lilith, “Have you been practicing your transformations?” Lilith developed a skill, like most frost giants, to shift from her original, frost giant form to a normal sized Asgardian.
“Yes,” she responds. “But it takes a lot of energy out of me.”
Once again checking to make sure that we were ready, I was given confirmation by my companions, and I nodded in reply. I looked up towards the top of the gate and yelled, “Gatekeepers, we would like to pass.”
The gatekeepers, disrupted from their usual duties, turned to our direction. One of the gatekeepers, a young man, answered. “We know. Just answer this one question for us: Do you really think you can do it, just you and your friends?”
“We do,” Kar shouted whole-heartedly. The maw of the black gate, as if in response, opened to reveal the outside. We passed through the gate and heard the call of the other gatekeeper, a slightly older man.
“Then good luck, young ones. You will be in our prayers until you return.”
The gates then closed shut. We knew that there was no turning back now. “Lilith, it’s time to take your form as an Asgardian. Everyone else, hoods up and let’s move.”
Donning the black and red robes that mother had hand-woven for us, we raised our hoods and walked outward toward the morning light. As the golden thread in our hoods gleamed with hope for the future, we continued our journey to the palace.
Chapter Three: My Days On The Road
We soon passed through the peasant town near the Forgotten city, and after a day’s work arrived in the town closest to the great city of Asgard. We walked through the twilight of the town, asking for directions and searching for a place to stay for the night.
The people were not as friendly, often dismissing us or making rude remarks. While walking down a large avenue, I accidentally bumped into a stranger. “Hey, what’s the big idea you fucking tramp?! Watch where yer goin’!” As he sneered at us with pure disgust, I apologized, and the man walked away, continuing to swear under his breath.
“I don’t like it here one bit,” Matthew whispered while glancing around cautiously. “The quicker we find a place to stay, the better.”
It was at around that point when Lilith’s pace started to slow, and her breath and footsteps grew heavy. Her face was entirely pale as she stated, “I don’t know how much longer I hold the transformation. We need to hurry before I turn blue.”
“Look, there’s an inn,” Kol said excitedly.
“But it’s run down and old.” The complaints of Matthew never grow old.
“It’s perfect for now. We don’t have time to search anywhere else,” Kar replied. Following Kar lead, we headed towards the inn. I opened the door and was greeted by the sight of the owner. As I approached her, she visibly grew more irritated and apprehensive.
“Please, we don’t have much to give for a room…” I state while pulling out a gem from around my neck. “…But take this gem. We will stay in one room and be gone before tomorrow noon.”
I had found the gem when I was five years old. I was looking through garbage at the time, and was pleasantly surprised. I have treasured it ever since. However, what is at stake right now is worth more than any gem, regardless of its value or where I found it. I could give it up for the sake of my friends.
Wasting little time in snatching the gem from my hand, she replied while looking only at her reward. “Fine then, pick a room. No one’ll be staying here anyway. But you have to be gone before dawn, understand,” the woman replied sternly.
We headed up the stairs to the second floor and chose the biggest room. Lilith’s disguise finally dissipated and we fell asleep in our own spaces as best as possible.
Chapter Four: The City
Upon awakening an hour before dawn, Lilith changed into her Asgardian form. As the rest of us prepared to leave, we reasoned that it would be better to take the longer route and relax before our confrontation with the king.
Our group went down the stairs, only to find that the owner was already awake. “This is a valuable gem,” she claimed while holding it. “You may each take a fruit from that bowl over there and be on your way.” With a smile that teemed with excitement, she finished, “With this gem I won’t need this shack anymore.”
We thanked her for the services she provided, and each took a fruit. She exited the inn and proceeded to stroll northward.
“Now let’s see…I believe that the long way to the city is this way…or is it west,” I mumble to myself dubiously.
“Oh God, please help us…Freya is incredibly bad with directions,” Lilith groaned.
“Can’t argue with you there. She sucks at this,” Kol said, joining the fray as his brother nods in agreement.”
“Please, let’s just ask for directions or something. Remember the last time she took us somewhere? It took us a month to get there,” Matthew exclaimed with a laugh, delivering the final blow.
Throwing them an irritated glance, I replied, “Thanks for the support guys, I appreciate it. But don’t worry, it’s just a little early, that’s all.”
After a while the light started to peak out from the dark sky, and the world was showered with streams of golden rays. “This feels a hell of a lot warmer than our city,” Matthew stated with awe.
Looking up to admire the scene, I agreed. “Yeah…it’s nice.”
We kept walking through the town, passing through markets whose items we could not afford regardless of the vendor’s advertisements. Luckily, today was one of the quieter days, and as such we were able to leave them and the town quickly.
After leaving the little town behind, we came to the big city, whose swarms of people easily amazed us. We stood still, gawking at what appeared to us as a phenomenon. Taking up space in the middle of one of the main entry points did not settle well with the city dwellers. That fact, coupled with us being complete strangers, prompted the residents to curse and threaten our group to move; we humbly obliged, as we refused to cause trouble.
As we walked for a while, we finally came to a conclusion.
“Are we lost?” Kar asked while simultaneously complaining.
“Not that I know of.” We might be, I thought to myself, but I refused to believe it.
“Says the girl with the worst direction skills,” Matthew replies mockingly.
“At any rate, I’m hungry,” Lilith added. “I don’t know whether I can keep this form for much longer without food.”
“What do you want us to do about it? Just look at these prices,” Kol remarked with outrage. We couldn’t afford them even if we had money. That being said, we’re broke!”
“Relax guys, we’ve just been traveling for too long. We’ll rest after we arrive at the palace.” Assuring them as the best as possible, it was at that moment when someone bumped hard against me. I fell to the ground after momentarily losing my balance. Trying as I might to get a glimpse of his face, I could not discern anything of his appearance besides his smile, since most of his face was masked by a hood.
“Watch it fool,” he growled with a sneer. He tried to walk away only to be intercepted by Kol.
“Hey man, what’s the big idea, tryin’a knock a lady down! You’d better apologize ‘fore I get hasty!” Kar and Matthew swiftly move to back him up, but I get up and stop them.
“It’s fine guys. Some people are just arrogant.”
Upon my word, the guys let him pass. Taking one glance at me, the man walked away with a smirk. I happened to notice his icy-blue eyes and black hair.
Chapter Five: The King
After the incident we walked around the city for a while. When we got tired, we agreed to walk directly towards the palace. Eventually reaching the palace exterior, the gates of our destination were in our sights.
“Okay everyone, hoods up,” I announce with presence. Shortly afterwards we approached the entrance of the gates, and saw a lone guard sharpening his sword. As he placed his weapon into the sun, its gleam further distracted him from his duties.
“Excuse me sir, we would to request for an audience with the king,” Kar implored. Finally drawing the attention of the guard, who sheathed his sword into its scabbard, the man replied rather lazily.
“What d’ya want? Can’t ya see that I’m busy?”
“Please sir, it is urgent.”
“Hah! YOU guys want to see His Majesty? Listen kid, he and I don’t have all day. Are ya gonna bore him to death with a string o’ complaints? Or is it just one request?”
Kol stops his brother before he could respond. “The latter, sir.”
Inspecting us rather carefully from the guard tower, he then spoke. “Huh…I guess you guys are serious. It’s not every day when you see a couple o’ kids who want an audience. I thought you might be tryin’a pull some stupid stunt. Anyways, you’re lucky, since His Majesty has yet to receive any type of business or counsel requests. He’ll see you now if he so chooses.”
The guard soon gave a signal to somewhere on the other side of the gate, and it opened. With its golden frame and stable architecture, it refused to creak under strain like the one back home. To our surprise, the same guard left his post, either unwilling to let our group wander the palace alone or simply because of his natural duties. Another man on patrol around the upper length of the wall took his place, and nodded back in affirmation.
We walked for a while, and were met with the curious glances of servants and guards. They were constantly whispering, often imploring about our presence and our motives. Lilith, slightly unsettled by the amount of attention, mumbled aloud,
“Is it really that uncommon to request for an audience with the king?”
“No, not really. It’s just the way your party is dressed with the same clothing and all. You must’ve came from afar,” the guard astutely replied.
Soon enough, we reached the great doors leading into the throne room. Our escort pushed them open, and the sheer opulence of the room itself was astounding. The size itself was quite daunting, with enough room to fit two upper galleries that could easily hold several mobs. Chandeliers of brilliant crystals and flame lit the ceiling, bringing attention to the frilly and expensive looking decorations hanging from the balconies. In the back center of the space were the blood-red thrones, as tall as two or three men, and in the center sat King Odin. His sons rose beside him, watching us like hawks. Frigga, however, was not present. Feeling nothing but humility, we walked to the front of the thrones, and bowed before them.
“You may rise,” ordered the voice, one with the power and wisdom brought by age and royalty.
As we ceased to bow, my eyes locked with one of the sons, Loki. He looked like the same guy who bumped into me.
“You may speak,” Odin continued.
Without hesitation, I followed suit. “We are from the Forgotten city, my Lord, and we hope to receive your aid. After all, we are still your people.”
“Lies,” a voice exclaimed in dubious anger; it was none other than Thor, Odin’s second son. “The Forgotten city is a myth. Do you expect us to believe such an excuse of a story?”
“Silence, Thor!” Hearing the mandate of a father whose voice made the ground quake, Thor was pacified for the time being. Loki, on the other hand, would only to continue to look at us with curiosity. Odin then returned his austere gaze back to our group.
“You expect me to help a people-children, nonetheless-that don’t exist? Return to your beds if you believe that I will indulge such fantasies.”
I knew he was lying. There was something in his eyes that gave it away, but that could not change the outcome either way. He was the king, and the king’s word was law. My friends, however, would not respect such a decision. Matthew grew particularly restless, as his body quite literally shook with raw anger. Knowing him, I doubted that he could stand it much longer; he gave into it soon enough.
“How the hell could you say that?! Who the fuck do you think you are?! I don’t care if you’re the goddamn king or not, how dare you claim that we don’t exist and toss us aside like trash! We traveled from our home to peacefully ask for your help. You dare deny this right to citizens!”
“How dare I? HOW DARE YOU!” It appeared as though the room itself would collapse from the King’s wrath. “You come into my palace and throne room, and not only disrespect me, in front of my children nonetheless, but try to convince me to believe in a children’s story? A mere wive’s tale? Be gone from my sight, wretched brat!”
“Who the hell’re you calling a brat, you old bag,” Matthew growled while beginning to draw his blade.
“Don’t do it man. Think before you act,” Kol states hesitantly. Even he couldn’t quite keep his cool in this situation.
“Yeah, I thought about it. And I decided he needs a few slashes in that body to remind him he ain’t so young anymore. How dare he deny his people and try to get away with it!”
Just as he was about to leap forward and deliver an overhead strike, several palace guards appear out of nowhere and tackle Matthew to the ground, leading him to drop his sword in the process. He tries to give a blow to the head to the guard on his right, only to have it intercepted. A larger guard then held him tightly and knocked him unconscious with a blow to the neck.
Falling into the comfort of unconsciousness, Matthew was escorted out of the throne room, with my friends in tow. I stayed longer, giving a final glare of disdain to Odin, before being interrupted by a guard who put his hand on my shoulder.
“Don’t touch me with your filthy Asgardian hands!” I didn’t even know if I was Asgardian myself, but I could not care less at that point. I turned my back to the hypocrisy of royalty, and stormed after my friends, trembling from the rage that had engulfed Matthew.
It was not until later that I learned that Loki had been smiling.
Chapter Six: Sweet Revenge
After being forced from the palace, we found an inn to regroup. Our only issue was money-of which we had little-so the owner let us stay in the cellar. I paced back and forth, clearly angry at everyone and everything.
“Wow, I’ve never seen Freya think this hard,” Lilith whispered to the others in her giant form.
Kol gave a large smile, asking, “Remember the last time she thought this hard?”
“Oh yeah…” Kar recalled while chucking lightly. “When we played a trick on the guards!”
“Those were some good times,” Kol replied softly.
“What are you talking about? I broke my arm that time,” Matthew complained hoarsely, returning to his usual, not-brooding self.
“I can hear you guys, you know.” Of course, I was hardly paying attention to them, since I was still lost in thought. I had to think of something to turn this situation around…and then it hit me.
“I GOT IT,” I squeal with a huge grin.
Matthew shakes his head. “I know that look from anywhere. We’re gonna do something crazy, aren’t we?”
“What’s the plan then?” It was Lilith. At least she trusted me.
“Well, Lilith and I could sneak into the castle.”
“How do you plan on doing that, exactly?” Lilith asked.
“Let me finish! The three boys will create a diversion. With Matthew’s temper, Kol’s fighting skills, and Kar’s bad habit of stealing, Lilith and I could do it right under their noses.”
“I do NOT steal,” Kar protests innocently.
“Sure…says the guy that stole the money of our escort into the castle! How the hell do you think I wouldn’t know my own brother’s bad habits? It’s how the guards got to us in the first place,” Kol retorts while annoyed.
As Kol and Kar kept bickering, Matthew and Lilith decided to ignore them. “Anyway, what do you expect us to do once we get inside?” Oh Lilith; the voice of reason that always gets ignored.
“We get arrested and tried, and then present our case to Odin,” I replied.
Kol, holding Kar in a headlock, finally returns to the discussion. “It just might work…”
“I’ll…follow…Kol…..”
“Dammit man, just let him go. Kar won’t lie anymore,” Matthew insisted. “Besides, we’re going to need everyone at full strength if I go berserk.”
Everyone then looked to Lilith, who was the only one to remain silent. We don’t usually do something as a group unless the consensus is unanimous. She sighed and rubbed her head while saying, “Fine. It’s the only chance we got.”
“Then it’s decided. We rest tonight and change tomorrow,” I respond. It was pretty nostalgic, that saying. Father used to say that when I was very young. He always encouraged my recklessness because he knew that I was always stubborn-stubborn to the point of desiring nothing less than success.
We slept well that night, knowing that we had plans. In the morning we got up and Lilith changed her form.
“Ready for this?”
At my question, the group nodded, donning our hoods in the daylight. We were prepared to be the voices of the lost.
Chapter Seven: Ice
The three boys got ready near the gate, while Lilith and I stayed in the shadows, watching from a afar. No sooner than when we got into our positions, an aristocrat began to walk past the gate. It was almost as if something wanted to ensure our success.
Kar, realizing that this was the perfect opportunity, started to walk in the direction opposite from that of the man, and noticeably bumped into him. Utilizing his usual technique, Kar swiftly put his hand in the man’s pocket and stole some coins-silver ones based on how they shone in the light. The man turned around a few seconds later.
“Hey, wait a second! You!”
Kar turned around. “Yes sir,” he implored innocently.
“You little theif! Gimme my money back,” the aristocrat growled with a deep voice. He began to straighten his posture, showing his full height and girth-both of which were fairly large.
“Sir, I do not understand. I didn’t steal from you.”
“Liar!” As the man grew visibly more irritated and aggressive, a crowd slowly formed around the two men. Kol pushed through the crowd with relative ease.
Standing at his brother’s side, he asked, “Is this man bothering you, Kar?”
“You got it all wrong. That little bastard stole from me!”
“A brother of mine would do no such thing.”
“He bumped into me and I saw him! He did!” At that point, even the guards began to pay attention to the escalating conflict, especially when the yells of Matthew began to permeate through the ruckus of the crowd.
“Are you calling my friends liars, sir?! Thou art an insult to Asgard,” Matthew retorted with bombastic contempt. The guard’s ears were practically dead set on the crowd with Matthew’s provocation.
“You little runts planned this! How dare you mock me, one of the richest men in this city!” The aristocrat was indeed livid.
“YOU sir, are mocking ME with such distasteful manners. I can’t believe that someone such as yourself even has the wealth you claim to have! You appear to just sit around all day with that sack you call a stomach.” Matthew, realizing quickly that he had taken it too far, was shocked as the man slapped him across face. Kol drew his sword and crowd stepped back on signal with a woman’s screams. The opportunity was nigh, as all but one of the guards rushed to the scene to stop the potential fight.
Since the only remaining guard at the gate was watching his fellow guardsmen, I whispered directly to Lilith. “Now!”
We ran up to and scaled the wall. Upon reaching the top, we could hear the call of what sounded like the guard captain. “All right, show’s over! Break it up!” The boys ignored him, Matthew drawing his long sword and Kar unsheathing his knife. The aristocrat in response took out a jewel encrusted sword.
Recalling that we had no time left to watch, Lilith and I leaped over the side of the wall and into the palace interior. We trusted them with making the scene, which we knew was a pretty damn good one. By this point, the three boys were probably arrested, and the two of us conspired a way to achieve the same result.
“I have some of the powder I found near the tree,” I suggested.
“The one that explodes when fire is set to it?”
“Yeah.”
“Good, then use it,” Lilith said with an encouraging smile. On her words, I began to search my supplies to search my body for something to ignite the flames, only,
“Wait a second! Crap! I forgot the stuff I needed to light it!”
Lilith, not surprised in the slightest, groaned with minor annoyance while shaking her head. “Then why would you mention it! God help you, Freya…”
“Fine then, we go to Plan B: we run around waving our swords and jab things with them,” I state resolutely.”
“Ugh…sometimes I wonder why you’re the captain…Either way, we don’t have any other options, so I’ll follow your lead.”
I soon took out my sword and started running around, screaming like a deranged madman. I started breaking random stuff, including a large, expensive type of dining table that I broke clean in half. Lilith, losing all will to fight, sat in the corner laughing maniacally.
“Come on, Lilith. Join the fun,” I exclaimed while breaking a portrait of Odin in two. In an instant, I feel a hand clasp my throat and nearly break my neck.
“Freya!” Lilith was screaming, but it started to sound like her voice was drowning out and getting softer. Just before I nearly blacked out from asphyxiation, the thing choking me threw my body into the wall. Shockwaves of pain engulf my body, and the only thing I can see is a pair of icy blue eyes, cold and unwavering.
Knowing who it is, I drop my sword. I refuse to resist. All of my remaining focus is gathered solely to stare into the eyes of my assaulter, Loki.
Lilith cautiously takes out her sword, the entire time staring at him to prevent any sudden movements. Breaking my stare for a fraction of a second, I glance assuredly at her, prompting her to lower her blade, but keep her guard up.
“Why do you not struggle? Why so serious?” he questions coolly with a sickening grin. He only squeezes tighter as he continues, “Why don’t you kneel before me and beg for your life? Why shouldn’t I kill you?” Try as I might, I cannot speak.
Lilith responded in my stead. “Because she knows that she would have died for a cause. She is not afraid to die, though I don’t think you could ever understand that.”
Ceasing to pay her any mind, he then draws his face closer to mine, and whispers into my ear, “Foolish girl, how dare you tease me. You should know better than to act strong when you’re near me. But don’t worry, all in due time. I shall break you, and your life shall be in my hands!” Tightening his grip in one last burst, he releases me, seemingly recomposed once more.
As my body practically convulses for air, the royal guard arrives on the scene. Loki walks away from the scene, and one of the soldiers asks, “What shall we do with them, Lord Loki?” Briefly turning around, and glancing at me with a smirk, he responds,
“Arrest the women and bring them to the dungeons. Don’t be afraid to be rough with them, though; they can take it!”
The guards, not quite as sick as Loki, help me up, and put both Lilith and I in chains. They confiscate our weapons and lead us to the dungeons, where we are placed within a glass cell that already contains our friends.
“Where’ve you been,” Kol asks light-heartedly. “We’ve been waiting for ages.” After I tell them, of course excluding Loki’s words, the three boys break out in hysterics. I gaze up at the ceiling and rub my neck, recalling the sensation with slight shock. Noticing my pain, Kol stops laughing and looks at me with concern. “Are you okay, Freya?”
“Yeah, I’m fine, don’t worry,” I say with a hoarse cough.
“Relax Freya, you didn’t even sleep last night, right?” It was Matthew’s turn to be sincere.
“You caught me…I didn’t.”
“Sleep then,” Lilith says while putting her hand on my shoulder. “You will need all the rest you can get.”
Rubbing my neck one more time, I fall into a deep sleep in the uncomfortable cell.
Chapter Eight: To Say Goodbye With Nightmares…
I can hear voices. Screams. Cries.
Louder than I have ever heard before. Unsettling.
I can see a face,
a woman perhaps? Familiar.
The dripping wetness of tears fall to my cheek. Warmth.
“Hurry, my love. There is not much time.” Male.
Familiarity once again plagues my senses,
and I turn to him. Blood. Everywhere.
Kissing my forehead,
he turns to fight the enemy. What enemy? I can’t remember.
“Find safety on one of those nine planets, my love.” Concern.
She sings a song to comfort me. Foreign. Beautiful.
“Now! You must send her now!” The man. Pain.
Magic envelops my body in flames and streams of light. Sobs. Hers.
“Let us hope that when you find us, we are alive and well. If not,
Than you will know me and your…” Crackling. Blur. Everything.
Everything is gone. Black. A void to cripple all.
“Farewell, my daughter.”
……“Freya”….”Freya! Wake up!”
It was Lilith.
I awoke to a start, leaping off the floor. But I did not have the strength to stand. My legs collapsed from beneath me, and I fell to my knees. I began to sob uncontrollably, undoubtedly frustrated; I had forgotten something incredibly important. But what I needed most was to be placed back into reality; to be grounded.
“Where are we?”
“In the cells beneath the palace,” Lilith said with an unsettling calm.
“What happened?”
“You were screaming and crying. We didn’t know what to do…I’ve never seen you like that before.”
“I was?” I could feel their uneasiness, yet the more prevalent feeling was the light sensation on my cheek. It felt like a kiss.
“Yes,” Kol replied seriously.
“Like a baby.” Thanks for reading the situation, Kar.
“I don’t know what that was, but was it a dream?” Matthew questioned with a confused look.
“It was nothing.” I turned away from them. “It doesn’t matter.
Before they could protest, we heard a large bang coming from the cell door. We could hear the tumblers rising and falling with the overbearing silence that now pervaded through the atmosphere. Soon enough, three guards burst through the cell, weapons drawn in case of emergency. The one to speak was the guard captain-the one who tried to break up the boy’s fight. “All o’you, listen up. The King wants to see you. Get a move on,” he ordered.
With no reason to disobey, we followed their lead, and entered a large room at the end of the dungeon hallway. It appeared to be some sort of interrogation or torture room. In its center, was a table, and at its head, Odin. Upon a nod from their master, the guards left the room with haste, and he began with grave news.
“There is little doubt that all of you shall be severely punished. You especially, frost giant,” he said with a hint of ire. “I know of your city.”
The last line delivered a gust of sheer surprise and horror to our group. “I know that you didn’t come from Asgard or one of the other nine worlds. Be grateful that I have yet to crush your city into dust.”
“On that note, you shall suffer a similar fate. You have disrespected me, my guards, and all of Asgard with your antics. To let you go would only be an insult,” he roared with his typical booming voice. At that moment, I knew I had failed. My friends. My brethren. My city. They would all be destroyed, and there would be no changing his mind. We would pay the price for my sins.
“Do you have any last words? I shall sentence you otherwise.”
My friends shook their heads in denial. I, however, did not. I couldn’t give up now…not without sacrificing my pride; not without tarnishing the honor that desired proper justice. “I have a request to make, my Lord,” I state with unprecedented humility.
“Oh…Speak then,” Odin states with curiosity.
“I have brought my friends here. I am the conspirator-the villain-who planted the ideas into my friend’s minds. I bestowed upon them the arts of rebellion: anger, theft and conflict. I even destroyed some of your property. I dared to insult you and swear your damnation to the stars…”
“My point is…let them go. I alone shall pay the price for my actions. My brethren, those in the Forgotten city, also deserve the right to be saved. Every day, we walk through the streets only to find the bodies of children, shriveled and dead from starvation. Every night, we see the parents of each family sell their bodies and souls to beg for scraps of bread. We push ourselves to the limit so that we may survive another day. All I ever wanted was their safety.”
“Please…”
Never before had the world been so silent. Odin looked at me with a face I shall never forget. It was almost sympathetic, but then quickly recomposed to be that of a king: cold and calculating. He then proclaimed his judgment.
“Let it be done. But bid your companions your last farewells, for they may be your last.”
For what might be the last time, I looked to my friends. What did I get myself into? My merry band of comrades in arms, reduced to sniffles and sobs, looked upon me with the sadness I haven’t seen in a number of years. Even Matthew, always complaining, could not contain himself. Kol was comforting his brother, doing all he could to keep himself from shattering like glass. And Lilith, the most heartbroken of them all, was reverted back to her giant form, crying tears of ice. Well, as long as they are safe, and our city is saved, that is all that matters, right?
Bringing a forced smile to face, I give them my final orders. “You four, make sure you stick together. Matthew, try to stop complaining so often. Kar, don’t be such a baby; if you’re in our squad, you should be strong. Kol, protect your brother. And Lilith…always watch out for them. I need you guys to find recruits, and you can’t do that if they’re always fighting. Give my love and hope to my parents and the city. Protect them as if they were your kin. Let this be the last time you weep for me, because I don’t know if I’ll be coming back…”
“But wait for me. I’ll try my best,” I hope.
This is why I hate goodbyes: I’m never good with them. But nonetheless, I have to be strong, so I force myself to hug each one of them. They nod, knowing their mission, and Lilith returns to her Asgardian form, shedding a tear for the last time. They are the best friends I could ever ask for.
After my friends are escorted away by the guards, they leave and go back to the city. I, on the other hand, am given a long term cell. Odin brought me there personally, and said just before closing the cell door, “Rest, for you will need it.”
He walked away without looking back, and so ended my freedom. I broke down, unable to hold back the emotion I had kept at bay.
I am now truly alone in this world.
Chapter Nine: …And Say Hello To Monsters
After what seems to be an eternity, my mind and body are brought into the comfort of dreams. The world changes; it is rivers of gold, meandering without purpose. My vision is flooded, blinded by the bursts of amber light, as I float aimlessly. I am in control, this time, but it feels all too real as I am suddenly delivered into the arms of my savior.
It is none other than Frigga, the queen of Asgard. I only have a few precious moments to gaze into her kind eyes before another figure materializes into the space. It is, to my dismay, Odin.
Taken aback by the sight of me, he hastily asks, “Where did she come from?”
“She just…appeared.”
“We cannot keep her, my love. She is not from any of the nine realms. She could be dangerous,” he says sternly, overtly stating his position of the situation.
“And what do you plan to do? Drop her off in that city?” Frigga’s calm gives way to fury.
“Yes, along with the other orphans. It is drop off day, after all.”
The golden world is shaken to the core. Cracks of darkness appear as Frigga screams, “IT makes me sick, what you do…these are your people too! It matters not where they come from; they live here now. Can’t you see that? Open your eyes, my lo-“
“SILENCE!”
The golden realm is no more. It is once again the void, and in its center is Frigga. Odin can only watch as she kneels, sobbing in anger, sobbing…for me. “Frigga…”
She rejects his embrace, pushing him aside. “Don’t touch me. Just go.”
The king’s demeanor returns, and he releases me from her tender grasp. “I shall make sure that she has a good family,” he states with frigid composure.
As I cry, the world shifts once again, this time to the nostalgic walls of the Forgotten city. He enters with me in his arms, along with the other children. It is not long before he finds a young couple, suitable to care for me: my adoptive parents. He tells them about how he came to find me, and reminds them before leaving, “You must not tell her that she is not from one of the nine realms.”
He then leaves the city, caring little for the orphans he left behind. Considering most families cannot afford to care for another mouth to feed, they would most likely have to fend for themselves, assuming they survive. After speaking with the gatekeepers, Odin’s guards resume their formation around him, and the gates close behind him with their audible boom.
It was only then when I awoke. Sheer hatred coursing through my veins, I jumped from the floor and started to beat the glass wall with every fiber of my being. “ODIIIIN! ODIIIIN! YOU FUCKING MONSTER!!!! I’LL KILL YOU!!!!!”
It was only a matter of time before the guards found me, arms and elbows bruised, fists scratched and bloody. They managed to drag me into a dark room, despite my attempts to resist. As a screamed, horrified of what may await me, one of the guards grins smugly. “I thing I’m gonna enjoy this.”
Soon enough, I am hit with what felt like a bar. I fell to the floor, hissing in agony as I clutched my left side. “Did you think you could get away with lying to the king, you stupid whore?!” Another beating, this time over my back. It seems as though the bar is made of metal. But I take my punishment in silence. “You’re going to be a tough little girl, aren’t you?” I would nearly come to regret my stubbornness
I only experience more suffering shortly afterward; I endured countless kicks, whips and beatings as though I were a pound of raw meat. I probably looked like a bloody mess. But through it all I kept having flashbacks to the dream where I met my real mother. When they were satisfied with the results, one of them stated cooly, “Don’t take it personally, missy. Someone had to pay for the crimes of five people. And that was you.”
As the sweet embrace of light shines into the room, I am left practically half blind from pain-riddled and bloodied vision. But I can still hear the fear of the guards when I hear the words, “That’s enough.”
“But…my lady…we had direct orders from the King! She’s still a threat. A rebel, nonetheless!”
“And now you shall take orders from the Queen. Cease this foolishness as once, before I have my husband award you with a similar fate.” The guards responded with a hasty nod, and ran from the room. The woman-apparently the Queen-removed my chains and lifted my broken frame from the cold floor.
And then everything went black.
