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"Immortal Blood" (Lenneth, Freya) ------------------------------ Valhalla, Asgard - Early Morning - ------------------------------ It was not the grand hall of Valhalla - that was the first surprise, but one that should have been expected. Freya had always been a maverick when it came to interacting with the other gods, and she prefer to speak from a place of privacy and seclusion. Or to be more precise, she prefered to talk in private and out from under Odin's gaze, a right that she was more than justified in taking as the only other god who could challenge the All Father in terms of power and wisdom. The quarters that Freya used when she was visiting Valhalla were sumptuious, extravagant - and dancing on the edge of being completely overdone but never quite tumblings down that precipise. Water fountains and exotic plans covered the floor, except for several narrow walkways that traced winding paths through the foliage. Most of the plants were stunningly beautiful, but there were also those that bore an aura of menace. And a wide array of lethal implements, used for trapping and killing prey. Freya's tastes as a goddess were best described as 'unique'. The lady of the lair was found lounging in a large chair next to a still pond, a goblet of mead in one hand as she reclined in a marble bench. The sun poured in a large, arching window to light up her outfit - again, something that was designed to achieve the best possible effect with the least amount of effort. There was a space cleared off to one side, with a small cushion that a person could sit on placed next to the pond, and a small platter of drinks. It was here that Freya gestured for her guest to sit, the hint of a smile on her face. "Lenneth, it was been too long of a time. I hope that you are refreshed after you long bout of dreams and rest." The goddess gestured to the wine and food on the platter. "Eat and drink my friend - we have much to discuss this day." Lenneth approached the appointed position with legs that felt as if they were lead, not quite sure why she felt so...reluctant to join the one she recognized as her mother and one of her creators. Nothing about Freya seemed any different, to her memory; nothing forboding or harmful, or distant. But the note of her awakening lingered, holding her down as if Queen Hel's infamous robe was dragging at her shoulders. Her surroundings were a blur as she passed, receding into the back of her mind as she finally sat, taking a goblet but not drinking from it. Not yet. She simply stared into the depth of the dark, cloudy liquid for a moment before looking back up into Freya's face with an apprehensive tilt to her eyebrows. It was bad form to show much in the way of emotion, but it seemed warranted. Somehow. "I'm honored that you've chosen to awaken me." Yes, that seemed about right; the words formed themselves in her mouth. "I've missed this place." "Honor has little to do with it... I had need of you, and thus you were awakened." Freya swirled the mead around in the bottom of her goblet for a moment, watching the sunlight reflecting through its amber depths, before she continued. "Because you have slept for so long, you are of course not aware of the recent developments that have been talking place here in Asgard. Odin has again consulted the head of Mimir, and it has been revealed to us that the end is coming. The Twilight of the Gods, the final battle, Ragnarok, is at hand. "I have no intention of losing this battle," Freya continued, her face drawn into a hard mask of anger and contempt. "No matter how fearsome the Giants and their Vanir allies have become, they are nothing more than worms and rabble compared to the glory and power of the Gods. But even we may fall if we are faced with a great number of opponents..." She again paused, and then slowly, almost teasingly, she ran a finger down the side of Lenneth's jaw. "And so Lenneth, I have again wakened you to take charge of my other daughters, so that we might again bolster our ranks with the most powerful and wise of mortal warriors and sorcerers. Under your guidance, I expect to be handed a host of Einherjar such as that they will make the heavens themselves tremble with their passage." "Ragnarok..." The word was laden with all of the shock the valkyrie felt, the dread and even anger that any god would feel to hear of the end of their days. The final battle always seemed so far off on the horizon, more of a dream or an idle threat than a reality. All good things would come to an end eventually... that was the only sure thing in life. But /this/... so soon... "I understand. I will, of course, do whatever you require of me." And that she would... Lenneth was always one for sticking by her duty, just as Hrist was known for her unswerving, even blind loyalty. She would not allow their enemies to win, not on her front; Midgard would yield the strongest army of warriors Valhalla had ever seen - she would make sure of it. Freya slid down from her perch, her feet dipping but never quite touching the ground as she stood to her feet. It was almost an erie sight, the blonde woman floating a few inches above the ground as if she felt that its very touch was beneath her. She smiled warmly, and extended one hand down to Lenneth, gesturing for her to rise and walk beside her. "As much as we have all feared the coming of Ragnarok, we have not been stuck completely unaware. Your lesser sisters have been seeking the souls of those who will be most useful in the coming battle for a time, but now we approach the moment when they shall need the guidance of a Greater Valkyrie to ensure that the warriors that shall join our cause are the strongest and most powerful in the world. "You understand Lenneth that I will not tolerate failure in this matter, no more than I would tolerate it at any other time." Freya paused for a moment as they approached a vast, expansive window, overlooking most of Valhalla and the clouds beyond. "The Greater Valkyrie have always been willing to serve when needed, but this task shall be the greatest that you have ever preformed." "Yes, I understand." Of course she understood. This was the final battle - what could be more important? Although she didn't understand why /she/ had been awakened for this. Not really. Wasn't her elder sister more suited to a task like this? Lenneth was a warrior, yes, but her talents... they always lay along a different tack. Sealing, quelling... Well, perhaps Freya's choice in awakening her wasn't such a mystery after all. "Who will I be working with?" she asked softly after a rather long pause - or so it seemed to her. Everything seemed long and stretched out, as if she was still half asleep... and indeed, she could feel a part of herself still struggling to wake up. "Which one?" There was a trace of amusement in Freya's voice as she spoke, although the source of it could not be easily identified. "The principal Valkyrie that shall be assigned to assist you is Kara Valkyrie. She is the youngest of my daughters who has recently joined our ranks, and she is somewhat rough around the edges. I trust that you will be able to shape her into a Valkyrie worthy of respect. "In addition, there is another task that you will be undertaking - not as important as collecting the souls of the slain, but one than you can accomplish to further your true mission. The Undead, demons and monsters alike, have begun to reappear in the world in greater number over the previous century. While the Lesser Valkyrie have battled them, it shall be your task, Lenneth..." Freya turned to face her, leaning backwards as if she sat upon a chair rather than floating in mid air. "...to seek out and destroy the leaders of this undead scourge, using the souls you have collected. This will strengthen their abilities, as well as serve to decrease those who can move against us." Freya leaned over, and with a slight smile gently kissed Lenneth on the forehead in benediction - and with that kiss, it seemed as if all concern that she had not completely awakened faded away. It was as if someone had closed a door on part of Lenneth's mind and locked it, while reassuring her that what lay behind it was not important. The valkyrie blinked, taken aback by the gesture and the dizzying sensation that seemed to rush in upon her senses. But the feeling vanished so quickly she wasn't even sure it really existed but in her mind; she raised her head to look at the goddess floating before her, ignoring the view through the window beside her and the charm of the room behind her. There were more important things to be worried about - the rest would pass in time enough. It always did. "Where will I meet Kara? And what of the others?" Freya's gaze seemed sharper than she remembered it. Was it the pressing matters of the circumstances of this awakening, or simply forgetfulness? Lenneth's fingers tapped her thigh in a rare expression of nerves, which she quickly stilled; keeping her mistress's gaze was difficult, but she welcomed its vivid sharpness. Freya did not give what was not deserved. "Are you directing them, or will that responsibility also be mine?" "You shall direct them - provided, of course, that your service lives up to the high expecations that I place upon all of the Greater Valkyrie. As for when you shall meet them..." Freya paused, a sentuious smile crossing her face as she regarded her 'charge' before her. All had gone according to the plans that she had laid out. Now all that was left was to draw the strings together and let the show play itself out to the end, whatever that might be. "Soon enough, my dear child. But first there is much that the two of us must do. I must make certain that your awakening is... complete. And to do so, I shall assist you on your first mission." Before the Valkyrie could make any sort of reply, the green clad goddess raised one hand to forstall any agrument that might be forthcoming. "I of course appreciate that you are a Greater Valkyrie, and well versed in both the arts of magic and battle. However, the gravity of the situation bades me to assume both myself and our Lord Odin that you are indeed the proper Valkyrie to handle this most critical of assignments." Freya's voice dropped in tone, her words almost assuming a hostile chill. There was no apparent reason for it, but the implied question hung heavy in the air. "Should it be discovered that you are insufficient to this task, one of your sisters must instead be summoned to task." ------- When the Gods descend to Midgard, they rarely do so in a flash of fire and with a great fanfare to announce their arrival. Indeed, for a race that carries the ego and self assurance of the Aesir, the Gods walk softly indeed upon the lands that they hold divine dominion over. For a mortal to see a God once in ten generations is a most fortunate event, for like the fair folk who live in the deep forests and valleys, the Gods do not show themselves lightly, and without purpose. And so on a barren, windswept peak high amongst the mountains that served to divide the world of mortals in twain a pair of Gods appeared, without fanfare or glorious welcome. Freya and Lenneth stepped in one moment from the Freya's chambers, high in Valhalla, into this lonely barren wasteland that was the first glimpse of Midgard that either Goddess had viewing in many decades. The wind howled about them like a lost spirit, its keening whisper like the cry of a banshee of old as it clawed at the pair to no avail. Freya absently brushed her hair from her eyes, turning around to look at Lenneth with an expectant expression. What was it that she was looking for? Suprise? Recognition? Fear? She would find none of these things of course, and the Valkyrie would die before she allowed herself to be distracted from her mission by any lesser emotion. Such actions were expected from mortals, of course, but for a noble Aesir to fall to such flaws was rediculious to the extreme. And so Freya nodded, turning back to face the raging zephyr that would have frozen the flesh of a mortal man before she spoke. "It has been too long since I have set foot in Midgard... far too long indeed. Alas, this may be the last time many of us see this world that we have fought and died to protect from Surt and the Vanir." She looked back at Lenneth, waiting for some reaction. "I do not recall this place..." Lenneth gazed out to the horizon without expression, tracing the jagged lines of the mountain peaks with her eyes as her hair floated listlessly on the currents of the wind. She twisted around once to take a better look, and her eyes had the faraway cast of one who was trying their best to surmount the impossible bounds of memory. "I was asleep far longer than I realized." A harsh gust threw her hair around her shoulder, ripped a mass of strands free of Lenneth's braid to whip against her cheek as she cast her gaze about. She pushed it back with a bare hand, and her lips tightened for a moment. This wasn't her first time here. Despite its vastness, she knew she had covered every span of this earth and more in her search for souls during her previous missions; why was it so unfamiliar now? The world of mortals was not itself immortal - it changed as its inhabitants did... but not so much. How long was it, now? Would it make her task more difficult, to have to discover everything again? After another moment of contemplation, the valkyrie turned back to the other goddess with an expectant air, seemingly unbothered by her observation of a few moments ago. And indeed, she was quite unconcerned - perhaps her memory of Midgard as it was in the past was /not/ necessary to the completion of her mission now... she would not be sent down lacking, after all. What mattered at this time was Freya's instructions, and reassurance that she had not made a bad choice in awakening Lenneth for this task. "I am not surprised - few come here, even among the Gods, and time has a way of changing all into a form that will can no longer recognize." Freya was walking as she spoke, and gestured for Lenneth to kneel in front of her. "Perhaps a gift will help to restore your memory of this place, and the battles that you have fought in this land," she commented dryly. With a single gesture Freya touched her fingers to Lenneth's forehead, and the Valkyrie was instantly consumed in a bright flash of light. As the light faded away, it revealed a startling transformation in the silver haired Valkyrie. Gone were the clothes that she had previously worn, dull and durable things that had been left for Lenneth when she had awoken from her sleep. She was now garbed in her own personal armor, an extension of her fighting spirit - a thing of blue and silver metal, feathers and pure white cloth, as graceful and functional as the Valkyrie herself. A gift... it was a magnificent one indeed, light as a feather but stronger than anything the smithies on the human plane could ever produce. The plates were awkward after the simple dress she had worn but a moment ago, yet it was a familiar, comforting feeling that reminded her of home; it would be a great comfort, in the time she would be spending away from Asgard. If she could not stand in the valley of lilies, at least she could carry its essence with her during her travels. The sword, too, had a familiar feeling to it, as she closed her fingers about the hilt. She could sense the fibers of the steel, the alloy that protected it, and beneath... blood. The blood of immortals, stains that could not be erased. They would mark her, if she drew close to anything powerful - she would have to be careful of that, if she wanted to roam the world unnoticed. Destroying the enemies of Asgard was all well and good, but it wouldn't do to draw them to her like a magnet. "I will remain with you until you gather your first soul, Lenneth." The valkyrie looked up, and met Freya's critical gaze with her fist still about the hilt of her sword. Slowly, she loosened her hold on the leather and dropped her hands to her sides. A faint smile frosted her companion's features. "It would be cruel to leave you to face this experience alone so soon after your awakening, but I must return to Asgard as soon as possible." "I understand," Lenneth replied faintly, her reply carried away by a chilling gust of wind. It was heard however, if Freya's nod was any indication, and met with a silent gaze. Lenneth closed her eyes to the goddess's expectant gaze and turned within, focusing on the peaceful blackness of the divine plane until the wind, the cold, and the feel of the earth beneath her boots all faded and disappeared from her awareness. Echoes both faint and near brushed over the hands she stretched out into the darkness, like ripples in a still pond. Sometimes there was silence, and other times a clamor of voices, but nothing sharp and clear, nothing worthy of her attention. Then - "You're the witch! You're the..." The man's voice struck her with a sudden burst of red-tinted anger, and Lenneth flinched in shock, only just managing to maintain her concentration. It passed, and the heat faded, but there would be more - there always was. Human emotions were so intense and colorful that they nearly became a physical reality to the valkyrie who listened... she would have to remember that. But how had she forgotten in the first place? A woman's voice, distraught, shattered the silence again. "Things will turn out right in the end!" A slap. Lenneth opened her hands and moved, dissolved, willing herself to appear in the midst of the conflict. She could not tell where they were quite yet, but she would be guided, eventually. Sobbing snaked across the blackness. "I'm... I'm such a fool." "I'm a fool too." A village, small and quaint. In a mountain gorge. A picture of it appeared in Lenneth's mind, and distantly, she felt a shiver rake her body. "You miss her, don't you?" She drew closer, called by the sense of impending tragedy. She remembered this place; one in thousands on this world, but at least one. But try as she might, she could not remember /how/ she knew it. "Can you look me in the eyes and tell me that it'll be okay if you never see me again?" On the verge of tears, the woman's call tugged at Lenneth's heart, and closed its fist. Entangled in human anguish, she descended. and opened her eyes to the drama before her. ------------------------------------ "Immortal Blood" (Lenneth, Freya) By Rune Grey and Amber Michelle ------------------------------------ |