Part 7: Vortex
Zane and Zoe were stunned. That was their names, but how did the two of them know? The words just seemed right somehow. The ravens squawked at them.
“So you thought to get away
but now you’re caught and you will pay.”
“Sheesh! Does every weirdo we run into in Norway have to talk in rhyme? This is getting old fast.”
Munnin and Huginn dove at Zane, clawing at his face. He fell backwards and tumbled down the side of the hill onto the beach. Zoe ran after him. The birds seemed to be ignoring Zoe completely. She used her connection to the armor to create an ice sabre. Charging at the ravens before they could notice her, she sliced at the tail of one of them. They broke off to see what was attacking them. Zane had enough space to call his armor. Zoe didn’t merge with him this time so they could fight two on two. The ravens again dove only at Zane. He generated an ice shield in one hand and a spear in the other. Zoe advanced again and finally managed to draw one of the birds away. For being so large, Munnin and Huginn were surprisingly fast and agile. Zane thrust at Munnin with his spear, but every time the bird zipped out of the way. Zoe wasn’t having any better luck. It was all she could do to parry Huginn’s talons with her sabre as he tried to attack her head.
“ARCTIC BLAST!” Zane threw rapid-fire, ice-storm spears at Munnin. The wind gales alone should have knocked both birds out of the sky. But they beat their wings like hummingbirds and stayed in one place. And the cold and ice didn’t even seem to faze them. Munnin dove at Zane again, forcing him back a few more steps. He could feel the water of the sea smacking against the back of his leg. Munnin made a strange squealing sound that almost resembled laughter.
“Father. You summoned me?” Balder was taken aback by the look of almost maniacal glee on Odin’s face. He glanced around to see the other gods of Asgard assembled in the throne room.
“Yes, my son. The moment of our vengeance is at hand. After all this time—the centuries off torturous waiting and building energy—he has returned. Loki has returned at last! I knew that conceited dog would not stay away from Norway forever! My pets have maneuvered him into the sea where the barrier between this world and that is weakest. It is humiliating that we must all pool our power to open the gate to bring him here, but Ragnarok left us slightly more than human and considerably less than what we were.” His gaze took in the assembled Asgardians. “I will need the strength of all of you to do this. It is ironic that we can open a vortex to this world but not away from it. Join with me now!”
Odin’s word was always swiftly obeyed. The Betrayer would be punished. The Trickster made to pay for his crimes against their people! A blinding white glow radiated from Odin and spread out to encompass the others. They added to its strength. Odin could see the beach through Munnin’s eyes, could see the face of his hated enemy. At last!
“Zane! Look out behind you!” She could see a bright vortex forming in the water. Zoe dodged Huginn to go to Zane. Munnin squawked with delight, watching the vortex. While he was distracted, Zane speared him. He fell to the ground with a surprised look on his face. Zoe grabbed Zane’s arm to pull him from the water as the vortex started sucking him in. She planted her feet firmly in the sand, gripping Zane with all her might. For a moment it seemed like Zoe might pull him free.
“Stop the judgment you will not
through the gate, to suffer, to rot.”
Huginn sunk its razor-sharp talons into her arm. “AAAAAAAA!” She lost her grip on Zane. It was only a few seconds, but it seemed like slow motion as he was ripped from her and sucked into the swirling lights. Her whole body jerked in shock as their mental link snapped violently. “ZAAAAAAANE!”
Half a world away, two people popped awake at the sound of her psychic pain. Mia and Kento. Kento was sure Zoe was in trouble. He just knew it. He didn’t have any psychic powers or any special link to her that he knew of, but he was positive she needed help. He ran to the phone to call Mia.
Mia was already out of bed. “Astarte, Gilgamesh, Anubis, Jack, Trace! Zoe’s in trouble! I don’t know what’s wrong, but it’s important. Get dressed everybody. We need to get to Norway fast.” Just then the phone rang. Mia answered.
“Mia! It’s Kento. We have to go to Norway! Zoe’s in trouble!”
“I know. I just felt her cry for help. But…how did you know?”
“I don’t know. Something woke me up—a sharp pain. I knew it was her. She needs us. Are you guys teleporting?”
“As soon as the others are ready.”
“Pick me up.”
“We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Father. What happened? He’s not here.”
Odin was exhausted from expending so much energy. “There was another power there fighting me. So strange. For a moment it felt like there were two of him. Bah! A trick no doubt. But whatever power Loki now possesses is different from before. He was able to resist our pull.”
“Then we have lost him?”
“Not quite. He is here. Not before me on his knees like I planned. But here in this realm. I can almost smell the accursed traitor! He is not far away.” He stood on weak legs and addressed the Asgardians. “Show me your hunter’s skills. He’s out there somewhere. Find that miserable cur! But don’t kill him. I want him alive! I want him to feel my wrath for a long time!”
Balder shivered at his father’s tone. He had as much reason as Odin to hate Loki. After all, Loki had tricked one of the other gods into shooting and killing him with an arrow made from a mistletoe plant. But Odin had become obsessed with finding and punishing Loki. Balder hoped Odin’s long wait hadn’t pushed him over the edge of sanity—for all their sakes.