Magnus was first to clear his senses from the blast. He raised Frosik, rushed to the artifact and struck it as hard as he could. Frosik was thrown from his strong arm, tomahawking back at him. Magnus ducked. The Arm of Zeus was unharmed. It reached Kara's blackened arm and gripped her around the bicep with an audible crunch.
Magnus and Sigurd reached down to pull the Arm of Zeus away from Kara.
"No! Stand back! You will set it off again!" shouted Aesa.
Magnus and Sigurd backed up. The Arm of Zeus was humming. Thin blue lines of electrical energy popped and snapped. The Chosen Ones decided to take cover just outside the room. Kara's body convulsed. Electricity covered her body and her hair stood out. She let out a high pitched moan. The electrical fireworks stopped. Aesa was first to step back into the room. She ran to Kara. With effort, Kara sat up. Aesa helped her stand. Kara's wounds were gone.
"Thank you Aesa, I am fine," said Kara.
"You aren't mad at me?" asked Aesa.
"For carrying out the will of the gods?" asked Kara.
"Um...great! Let me show you how that thing works," said Aesa.
The others stepped back again as Aesa got closer to the Arm of Zeus.
"Just tap the thumb twice. I don't know how long it takes to reload. The range is very long," she said.
Kara nodded.
"We should rest here. When all are ready we will have to retrace our steps back to the water. There is no way forward from here," said Sigurd.
The others agreed. They enjoyed a meal of roasted mushrooms and discovered some fermented mushroom beer hidden in one of the Dok-Alfar's rooms.
"What did you mean when you suggested Aesa was carrying out the will of the gods?" asked Doskev.
"The Norns unraveled my strand. The gods allowed this. I would be in Valhalla drinking mead with the Einherjar but the Arm of Zeus kept the Valkyries back. The Arm of Zeus is my fate. I can not change this, so there is no point in harboring anger over it," said Kara.
"Don't you believe you have freedom to determine your own fate?" asked Doskev.
"What is freedom? The gods aid the Godar. The rest of us must live our lives, knowing that one day we will die and only our deeds in Midgard matter to anyone else," said Kara.
"So you do believe you have freedom to decide," said Doskev.
"I believe, as all Thorsen believe that we decide whether to give up or keep trying. We do not feel sorry about what the Norns throw in front of us, we rejoice in the challenge. I choose to fight. I chose to live until the gods take me," said Kara.
"We trolls learned this about your people. No matter how many of you we killed, no matter how many villages we destroyed, no matter how great our warriors or weapons, you continued to fight us," said Doskev.
"We are not as understanding of other cultures are you are Doskev. Perhaps we would have fewer enemies if we were," said Kara.
Doskev leaned back on the wall and closed her eyes but said, "Change is difficult to sense with your eyes and ears."
When all were refreshed from the battle they traced their path back to the boat. They had to cross the battlefield where the dangerous lightning storms nearly took their lives. Kara held the Arm of Zeus over her head and the storms retreated. She took the opportunity to test the artifact on some of the petrified bodies from the long forgotten battle. The range was twice that of a bow shot. The targets became a cloud of ash. They hurried through the battlefield and made it back to their boat. Kara felt confident that arrows would not be a match for her new weapon.
Their boat was still intact where they had left it. Hildagunn used her magic to hide and silence the boat. They loaded the food they had taken from the Dok-Alfar along with the bows and arrows They also kept the magic torches they found. The torches were capped for convenience so the boat would not be in danger from fire. Within an hour they were back to the river routine of using hand signals and watching for islands in the dim light.
The river widened until it became a vast lake. The lake continued as far as they could see. The water was lit by huge swarms of glow bugs. The bugs were consumed by colonies of bats. The bats were albinos and had wingspans the length of a man. Periodically, one would dip too close to the water surface consumed by some unseen water denizen.
A dark mass silhouetted by the glow bugs rose from the water. As they got near, Aesa raised a magic torch to get a better look. The uppermost spire of some ancient castle tower struggled to remain visible above the water. A symbol of a hand holding a lightning bolt and surrounded by magic runes had been painted on the spire.
"That is the same symbol we found in the temple of Hermes and the crypt for the Arm of Zeus," said Aesa.
They passed the spire in silence. In the distance they could see an island. When they were close enough Aesa raised the torch to get a better look. The light from the torch revealed a domed crystalline structure that scintillated like the Bifrost bridge.
"It's beautiful!" said Aesa. The sound of her voice was pulled into the structure and replayed in symphonic tones. Breathless, they steered the boat toward the island.
The beautiful building almost touched the water. The sound of their feet touching the shore echoed through the building like a hypnotic drum beat. Each flicker of their torches rose through the place, dancing like lithe fairies.
Aesa read a sign written in many languages that sparkled as she read, "The Great Council. Differences can be settled with ideas instead of war,".
Aesa almost forgot to check for traps. When she was satisfied they entered the building. Inside the domed building was airy with benches of marble, gold and crystal. It was clear that laws were passed here, but it was also a library filled with endless rolls of history, science, poetry and stories. The three languages that helped to categorize material were ancient Welkin, Alfar and Dverge. Priceless painting and sculpture filled the multi-level building, even some made of magic.
Aesa opened a book written in the final days of the Council. "In year 1076 of the reign of Elenas Silverleaf, his son Pendwar Silverleaf in attendance, it has been decreed that the Great Council shall be dissolved until the invasion can be curbed. Wenlas Silverleaf is leading the rebellion in the Saratel against his father. Odianthas Silverleaf is rallying our allies for a final stand. May the gods protect and preserve this Great Council. -Grand Council Chair Ignatius Granitehand Blastfurnace the Fourth.
"Iggy?" asked Aesa.
A clarion blasted from where the boat had been left. The sound resonated through the Council hall, echoing like the a wailing infant.
"What was that?" asked Sigurd.
"I used magic to alert us if something was near the boat," said Hildagunn.
They soon had their answer. The Great Council hall shook. The translucent crystal dome cracked like an egg and then burst in a shower of deadly musical shards.
Hildagunn was quick. She spoke words that placed a protective barrier around the group. The shards shattered further against the barrier and landed harmless on the marble floor.
A hideous dragon thrust it's head through the broken dome shaking the room with it's fury and filling their lungs with it's fetid breath.
Magnus wanted to fight but it was clear the building would soon collapse under the immense weight of the beast.
"Run!" shouted Isgerd.
They fled the broken chamber as the shelves fell like timber, books and scrolls were leaves tumbling in the aftermath. Doskev alone remained. She tossed her Trollspear as the Dragon immolated the room in flames. The rest of the group had made it outside but the dragon covered most of the island. The boat was pulverized beneath the massive foot of the creature. Isgerd noticed the Trollspear rising from the flames as it struck the monster in the eye. It's face reminder her of Odin after he sacrificed his eye at the Well of Urd. She stood transfixed on the image, all sounds around her unheard. The dragon gazed upon her, it's mouth gaping to unleash death. In that moment, the toothy creature grinned and she knew it was Loki. She could not move. She thought she heard him laugh as flames burst from his lips. Loki's face hardened into a grimace and the dragon dove into the sea as Isgerd was struck by a heavy force that knocked the air out of her lungs.
Doskev's clothing and hair were on fire. She was blinded by the smoke but headed in the direction of the water. She struck something, hit the water hard and blacked out. When she gained consciousness, she spit water from her lungs, breaking the surface. The Trollspear's magic had petrified the beast until it could not longer swim. Doskev watched as it sunk beneath the surface. Doskev regained her senses, noticing her flesh was no longer seared and she rested on the back of a large sea-mammal. She knew the creature was Isgerd.
Their boat and few remaining supplies had burned in the attack. The nearest island was some distance but they had no choice but to swim. Even Aesa was silent as they swam to the next landmass. A gloom hung over them. The loss of the ancient writings contained in the Great Council hall was indeed hard for some, but even Magnus felt it. The feeling of oppression reminded him of the temple where they almost destroyed each other. Isgerd knew. It was Loki. She had never seen the face of a god, only felt the dulcet tones of the gods flow through her and give her power and foresight. The image of his smiling face, the sound of his laughter shook her confidence. What were they doing here? This place was like a cairn that had already claimed its dead, they just hadn't gone to Valhalla...except Ignatius. Isgerd no longer remembered the sound of his profanity laced voice. She could still see his face...for now, but it was not the face of the living, ever changing, interacting...more of an image painted on the wall of her mind. Exhausted she reached the island. Isgerd transformed back to human form.
Without waiting for her kin and friends she headed to a large rock, nearly tripping on Doskev's Trollspear that had floated onto the beach where she came to shore. Isgerd climbed a steep natural rock and looked up. An ancient buttress rose from her rock to a great height above her. It must be castle belonging to gods. She found a break in the wall and went through.
Doskev was thankful to find her Trollspear laying on the beach. She looked up to see Isgerd already far ahead, climbing high up on the fortifications of a mammoth castle. She wondered why Isgerd had dumped her halfway to the island. The others soon joined her, following her glance, shaking the water out of their clothing and wondering why Isgerd would leave without them.
"What is going on with Isgerd?" asked Aesa.
"I don't know, but we had best follow her before we lose her in that mountain," said Sigurd.
They followed Isgerd's path. The winding trail took them through the castle, past broken runes and strange contraptions. Aesa could tell that all of these things once housed something but had been looted recently.
The path took them to an inner courtyard. There they found Isgerd kneeling before a large crystal statue of Athena. She was chanting something. A greatsword made of crystal rested near her, a large pommel stone sparkled next to it.
As they neared Sigurd called out to Isgerd. She turned her head slow like a phototrophic plant, toward the group as if seeking out their brilliance amidst her own dark doom, and between incomprehensible syllables she shouted, "LOKI!" Isgerd's eyes were turned up in her head. Froth spewed from her mouth. With a sudden lurch, Isgerd leapt at the statue of Athena, embracing it and vanished as if she were never there.
"Isgerd!" shouted Aesa.
There was no answer. Sigurd walked over to the pommel stone and picked it up as if his fingers were the daintiest of spider legs, concern for Isgerd a distant memory. The smoky diamond gleamed with such magnificence he thought he dreamed it. As he watched the smoke moved within the gemstone, beckoning him. A smiled formed at the corners of his mouth as he reached for the sword.
"Sigurd! Don't attach that gemstone to the sword! You don't know what might happen! Isgerd left that there for a reason!" said Hildagunn.
"Pah!" said Sigurd as he snatched the sword in one hand and with a deft twist returned the diamond to its home. At once, an alien voice, deep and resonate, full of power and something else they could not describe spoke, "Are you the one who shall wield me?"
"Don't answer that!" said Hildagunn.
"Yes!" said Sigurd.
"So shall it be, but I allow no others before me, nor shall you," it said. The voice echoed in his mind, settling in a deep corner, burrowing, alien and powerful, full of such knowledge that it hurt to think on it. All of Sigurd's other weapons vanished at that moment as his eyes burned bright, changing from their natural sky blue to a deep violet with gold and smoke.
Sigurd tested the greatsword, using both hands, swinging it as if it were a youthful damsel, and he were wooing her. The others watched the spectacle with concern, when Sigurd seemed to snap out of his enchantment and with a nod to the others ran toward the crystal statue of Athena and embraced it as Isgerd had done moments before. He too vanished.
"They will need us. Follow me!" said Magnus.
"Of course they will!" said Aesa.
One after the other, they embraced Athena and disappeared.