Fated
Chapter Five
=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=
One visible eye the color of deep emerald stared bored around the clear forest, eyeing from one area to the other from the peace that surrounded him. Alfheim, one of the nine worlds right between Asgard and Midgard – the middle world of mankind – was full of life and very pure. A world that belonged to the Light Elves, ruled by the God Freyr – Freyja’s older brother – who called himself the Lord of the Elves.
“Pathetic, that Freyr…” Loki muttered in displeasure, leaning against the truck as the soft breeze danced through his cloak and dark-red hair. He glanced up insipidly, seeing a couple of falling and unconscious figures. Quickly before they met the ground, his emerald eyes glowed in a ruby color when their bodies froze just five feet in the air.
Gently putting them on the ground, Loki noticed with a rough laugh that when the two goddesses he knew as Runa and Eir – though he was surprised at Eir’s appearance the most – woke up to find their male companion gone on them again and nearly dropped them to their death, hell would most likely break loose; one greater then Odin could ever conjure up at that!
“Goddesses actually following the ‘Chosen One’, huh…?” Loki snickered, standing up to his full tall height, gazing down at the two women, “May your mission be a successful one…”
The folds of his dark cloak blew as he turned around and walked away leaving them behind where he knew the elves would find them. With one last look at them, Loki’s snicker turned to mocking laughter; wild flames then engulfed his body and he disappeared out of sight.
The wind continued to roughen, stroking through the skin of the girls and rousing them from their deep sleep; one would have thought they would not wake up for some time. Then a gentle melody was heard, which could easily be mistaken as the breeze, dancing around them softly like touching silk to the skin. Both of the girl’s eyes fluttered open, their drowsiness slowly disappearing which they quickly sat up, inhaling a sharp breath.
Turning
towards where they heard the song, the two goddesses grew alert when seeing a
taller elf girl, sitting on the stump that Loki had occupied before. Long
“Who are you?” Eir questioned the elf, gripping hard on the pouch still at her side.
Runa looked around. “And where is Ikol?”
The song from the elf grew stronger and sharper, though still very attractive to hear. The notes began to play faster and much heavier as the two goddesses felt a comfortable feeling tingling in the back of their minds until unbearable pain wavered through their ears. Eir, being a professional, was successful to block some of the sounds away that would affect the eardrums while Runa kneeled over, resisting the urge to gag from the dizziness.
“She’s playing with our mind!” Eir shouted, covering her ears. Before Runa, definitely not having one of her days, surprised the elf with an attack, she grinded her teeth from screaming as the melody turned into a screeching song, the sound clawing through her brain over and over.
When she thought her head would have exploded, the song abruptly stopped and it had taken Eir and Runa a hard time to even breathe, not knowing they had held it to fight the pain that’s still lingering through their heads. Their minds, unable to take such abuse, gave up on them as their vision blanked, the goddesses losing their consciousness.
“That was just for fun…” the elf finally spoke in a small whisper, a pair of dark lilac orbs gazing at them bleakly, “And my name is Falila…”
Then blackness spread like spilled ink on every inch of their senses until they could think no more.
=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=
Through the daylight that shined upon the village of the elves, everyone dancing in circles with laughing children, playing and hiding in the forest full of energy and spirit, all celebrated the honor of their leader’s new older age, even if the gathering were more of a relief to rest their fear on what their Lord, Freyr, had warned them of the ‘Chosen One’.
Then the music and dancing stopped, all quietly making a path for their leader to walk through to demonstrate his growing magic by giving a gift of his Light showing as he had done through each of the years. It’s expected that the children should be climbing onto their parents’ shoulders to have a glimpse of their leader who should be very tall, handsome, and an elf that shows great status full of respect. But this time, it’s the parents that have to kneel like the children to be able to even see for the height of their leader is like that of any normal child.
Dain was his name but he insisted on being called Aaron considers his height is not on its expected limit, an honorable and powerful elf with a very difficult growth problem. Slowly walking through the crowd, his long glowing thick pale-blonde locks twirled magnificently over his adorable face, the long thin ponytails flowing from behind. The only hint that showed him from being far from a child was his intense aqua eyes which seemed to glitter with hidden skills unknown to anyone.
From far away, some would have mistaken his adorable looks for a girl. But from his features, he showed promise that his looks will change to one impossible to ignore, especially by the ladies, if his growth spurt finally decided to kick in.
He inwardly stared around, as if searching for someone and a glint of sadness showed in his eyes when not spotting the person he wished to see. Finally stopping at his destination in front of a shimmering lake that reflected his frame, he continued to wait, very much wanting that particular person to arrive for a glimpse of his Light which he’s going to give. When noticing that the person won’t appear at all, Aaron’s child-like aqua orbs narrowed before it began to haze with power while everyone closed their eyes for his gift to begin.
A surge of power arose from him, circling around his small child-like body which began to form a long transparent shaped ribbon. Reaching his hand out as it twirled around his fingers, one quickly clutched onto his magic and it began to tear into thousands of separate strings, all escaping from his gasp and swirling around each of the elves present in the gathering.
Their bodies felt light like feathers, a feeling of gentleness and pure life, each relaxing from the temporary sensation that soaked through their forms. Their minds were instantly cleared, all suffering and hardship gone and forgotten from their minds in that moment. This only showed how powerful and pure the magic was from their leader.
Many frowns crossed some of the elves’ faces when that moment they’d long to feel was instantly gone, almost as soon as it ended. Though none of them complained – all too honored and drunk in the feeling – while they each kneeled on their knees for a low bow. Aaron gave a smile, though hidden in his grasp is one magic string he’d kept for that one person that did not arrive.
With a wave of his hand, everyone cheered as the celebration, again, began. Though Aaron may be slow in his growth, as strange as it seems for an elf, but that didn’t stop many of the ladies from going up to him. But Aaron was already gone, quickly disappearing into the crowd and out of sight, searching for that one person he longed to see, the glowing string of his magic still in his hand.
The music and laughter of the gathering slowly ebbed away once he reached the deserted bright forest, his long pointed ears opening to hear any sounds, aqua eyes searching and whispering her name. “Falila…”
The sound of the flute, as he had expected from her, was not what he heard but a body – a heavy one at that! – suddenly dropping onto him from out of nowhere. So unexpected was it, he didn’t even hear it falling from the sky! With tears in his eyes from the lack of air, the leader of the elves crawled out from underneath the body twice his size and three times his weight, standing up with wobbly feet and tucking his magic string onto the sash on his waist.
Staring at the body, his eyes glowed, feeling a trace of magic coming from him. Aaron wasn’t surprised at that much, but the mingling aura around the boy’s body did…for the feeling was unusual for him to even have.
“A
Midgard human?” Aaron whispered, crouching low for a better look. Then it hit
him fast in the face, his prediction of who this human might be very clear to
him. “The ‘
=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=
“Runa…”
Runa groggily woke up from the call of her name, looking up at the relieved Eir and slowly sat up from a soft bed which seemed to be made out of leaves. “What happened…?”
“…Does your head still hurt…?” A question from another was asked in a dazed tone, so close to her ear that Runa gave a startled yelp, backing against a wall that seemed to be a tree, knocking a few things over only to meet a pair of clouded dark lilac eyes from the same elf who’d knocked them out. “YOU!”
“…It’s me…” Falila mumbled, slowly walking over towards her. Runa would have lifted her hand to attack her, but the elf surprised her when she kneeled down to pick up her dropped items and slammed it back onto its rightful position hard, the sound echoing in a home inside a large tree as she repeated her actions over and over, “…You need to be more careful, you know. You can get hurt…”
It didn’t take a genius to notice that the elf girl’s attitude is definitely a bit freaky. Her eyes were not at all present with her voice so low and dazed, as if she’s talking to someone else but still directly towards them. Runa had to think if this Falila is even the same person as before.
“…Make yourself at home…” Falila continued, walking past the two goddesses slowly towards the corner of the room where she was steaming quite a large and abnormal pot. Grabbing three small cups, both Runa and Eir were taken back when she easily lifted the pot and poured them gently inside the cup. “…Do you two want some tea…? It’s very good…”
Runa lifted her hand, making the gesture of forming an attack with a dull frown. “What is it that you want with us and where’s Ikol?”
“…No…? It’s quite alright then…” she muttered, not bothered by the threat as she only poured herself one. Slowly, she walked over and sat down on a small cushion in front of the low table in front of them. “…It’s always nice to have a few people over for company, don’t you agree…?”
The seid could feel her blood boiling and her veins popping out in anger. “I happen to be asking a question here! An important one at that!”
“…So you have…” She sipped her steaming tea gently before lifting her eyes, “…But it’s not a good time to ask me such questions…”
“What?”
“…Look…it’s night, isn’t it…? Ask me when the sun rises…your answer will be much more understandable then now…” A long freaky smile spread on her lips, both goddesses feeling chills running down their spines. Then within the blink of an eye, she suddenly stood so close towards Runa’s face that the seid would have attacked if her powers were working. “…Your powers are temporarily blocked…I made sure of that on you especially, Runa…”
Eir frowned, “The result of the song you played when we first met.”
“…Correct…rumors of you being a sharp one especially when it concerns problems like these are true after all…” Falila giggled, twirling back towards her seat as if she was drunk, “…And the boy Ikol you had asked for…who is he…?”
“You mean you don’t know?”
“…I’ve never seen him…”
“Don’t you lie!” Runa slammed her fist down onto the small table, shaking it roughly which made the steaming cup tilt as the liquid spilled with the elf staring at her reflection torpidly, “He’d fallen with us! Where else could he be?!”
“…Oh look…you spilled it…”
“ANSWER ME!!”
“…Why
are you so concerned of him…?” The elf asked in a mere whisper, “…Especially a
‘Chosen One’ as him…”
Runa’s
muscle tense with Eir looking at her suspiciously.
“…Once you spill something…must clean it up, right…?” She smiled before the two can ask, reaching over for a cloth and began wiping it clean, “…You can be so loud, Runa…”
Eir had to hold the seid back; powers or not, she could still kick some sense into her in what would probably be the most painful way she could think of.
“…Is this the first time this…Ikol…left you alone…?” Falila questioned knowingly, her head resting against her folded arms on the table, “…I’m telling you the truth…I don’t know where he is…”
“Runa…she does have a point,” Eir said acutely, glancing over to the smiling elf, “Ikol must have disappeared somewhere else once we landed or something. Without a scratch on us, it must be from him but where could he be right now?”
Runa threw Falila a scornful look. “And what do you want with us?”
“…Peace…” She replied jokily, facing away from her killing glare, “…What do I want with you…? I wonder…”
“Eir! Let go of me now! I just want to wake her up!” Runa shouted, her waist being wrapped tightly by the physical goddess. With quick reflexes, she caught a flying cup in time before it can smack directly into her face.
“…I think I remember now…” Falila’s dark eyes slightly glimmered, “…To use you two as bait…” And a cup was flung back, smacking her painfully over the head, thrown by the irritated seid. Rubbing her head from the pain, she looked up at the waiting Eir and the smirking Runa, “…What I meant is to save this Ikol…”
The two blinked, “What…?”
“…I’m disappointed…didn’t Urd tell you anything of me…?” A grin spread lazily over her lips, “…I’m the one from Alfheim here who’s been waiting for you…as requested from Urd herself…isn’t this exciting…? We’re partners…!”
Eir slowly glance over at Runa, who was staring at her with deep dread. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”
“…Saving Ikol will have to wait though…we’ll start going after him in the morning…” She whispered, already laying down on her bed to sleep and wrapping herself tightly with a large blanket. Runa was looming over her with a table held tightly above her, threatening to smash her with it while Eir tried to hold her back with a loud cry. “…Goodnight…”
“Eir! Just let me-” Runa’s shout stopped, feeling a twist at her neck from a tight grip that sent her eyes rolling behind her head and fainting towards the ground.
“Sorry, Runa,” Eir sighed, cracking her fingers while putting the table back and blinking when feeling the blanket that was around Falila covering both her and the seid. “Falila?”
“…She’s going to catch a cold, lying like that…” Falila looked at her, “…That blanket is large enough for you two…it’s always cold here at night…”
“Then what about you?”
“…No need…I am taking the bed…” She smiled dauntingly as the corner of Eir’s eye twitched. Briefly, she considered whether she should’ve stopped Runa or not. With a last nod, the elf rolled onto her side, her back facing them, “…Until the morning…”
“Falila, tell me the truth. Even I have no clue of your…unusual condition, but I know there’s a reason why we can’t find Ikol now especially if he’s out there alone and might be in danger…”
“…I’m just too lazy, that’s all…” She simply answer, only to roll back catching Eir’s actions, the goddess’s fingers very close to her neck, “…Because I can’t do anything at night…”
“…?”
She rolled back on her bed, “…Goodnight…I promise I won’t do anything to either of you for fun…”
If Eir was worried about herself and Runa before because of Failia, she’s much more worried now after she said that! A sound growled in Eir’s throat but she wouldn’t say anything else, lying down close beside Runa for safe security – lord knows she was quite good for that, regardless of her apparent lack of patience – and waited, slowly closing her eyes to sleep. The coldness of the breeze blew around the house, but the two goddesses were comfortingly warm.
Falila’s intimidating stare gazed fixedly in front of her,
a sudden gloom glinting in her dark lilac eyes, not bothered with the cold that
still affected her body enough to shiver. “…Having a couple of people for a
night over sure is annoying…”
=:*:=
For the second time on the same day, Ikol woke up through the pain from his head; though it’s much worse than a mere bump he had received just recently. Ikol had learned that things can change a person quickly; normally it would take them a few weeks or so. But he can’t believe his life changed in just one day from the start of that raining morning!
First being dragged and pushed around by Runa was already something surprising – and painful too. Then he got the news of his life where he was chosen to find the man to start Ragnarok. The result of being which caused them to be chased by a whole mob of Gods and Goddesses, only to barely escape but including more pain from being stomped down a steep hill from his other savior, Eir, who was kind enough to give him the most nastiest drink he’d ever tasted to heal a bump she’d caused ! Though she did say it was a fake…
Not even half the day had passed yet and he was chased by the Gods again and the last thing he remembered was falling through the Bifrost and had thought he’ll be joining the angry Runa and Eir in death!
And what could possibly be worse now when the sun had finally set, the moon having risen beautifully above him? Hanging hundreds of feet off the ground supported by nothing but an invisible ribbon-like material he could feel which wrapped around his arms and legs enough to give him a heart attack maybe!
Ikol would be screaming if he wanted, but the dreadful sight from the mistake of looking down made his head spin, seeing double images instead of one as he groaned, face turning very pale and green.
“So you’re afraid of heights?” He turned towards where he’d heard the child’s voice, seeing a mere boy relaxing comfortably on one of the thin branches. A pure white glowing dove was in his hand and with his last muttering he released the bird. “You were unconscious for a long time.”
Ikol couldn’t help but stare at the pointed long ears at the side of his head in confusion. Meeting the Gods and Goddesses who resembled humans was something he never thought of; now he’s spotting another who can pass being a human if it weren’t for the ears. How many more surprises can he get? “What are you?”
The child blinked and laughed, “Expected from a Midgard human…I’m an elf. Dain is my name but I like it when people called me Aaron instead since I’m not honored enough.”
“Elf? Aaron?” The word and name was pronounced weirdly from his tongue, but that doesn’t seem to matter now except for his dangerous position, “Who’s the bastard that tied me like this? You shouldn’t even be up here! It’s dangerous for you!”
“Child, I’m the one who tied you like that…”
Child?! Ikol wouldn’t dare glare at him, feeling the panic rose inside him, “What do you mean you tied me like this?!”
“Exactly what I mean…” Aaron’s aqua orbs gave a hazy glow which Ikol didn’t miss, “Tell me…you’re the ‘Chosen One’ I’ve been warned about, right?”
Ikol’s jade eyes burned angrily from the word but closed his eyes to hold back his emotions; his body stiffened from the fear. Then he gave a hollering shout, feeling whatever was holding him loosen a bit as he felt himself slowly slipping.
“Commanded from the Lord Freyr, I should be bringing you to him for your judgment by our Allfather,” the elf murmured, aware of Ikol’s fear, “How you were able to come here in Alfheim, I may not know, but for now, you are caught. Any last suggestion, ‘Chosen One’…?”
“My name is Ikol,” he hissed through gritted teeth, “Do not call me the ‘Chosen One’…it’s Ikol!”
“That’s what you are, are you not?” Aaron said sagely, noticing his anger and wouldn’t pry any longer as he repeated, “Your last suggestion…?”
“Are you pitying me, child, like the others?”
His eyes glinted from the address he used back on him but was still confused on his question. “Pitying…?”
But Ikol wouldn’t speak any longer, his teeth clearly shown clenching together in full rage, his eyes hidden beneath his long bangs. Then he began to curse himself, curse the world, all the Gods and the Allfather, the Norns, and especially Loki and Ragnarok through hell!
But all of his words were heard from the leader of the elves, confusion settling greatly across his youthful face. Aaron could tell this wasn’t an act for he’s much too angry to even pretend that he hated what the fate had brought him. “Tell me something, Ikol…why have you chosen yourself to find Loki for Ragnarok to begin…?”
THAT was the last straw. “I DIDN’T!!” He hollered, flames burning through Aaron’s magic that’s supporting his height and began to fall. Aaron watches with wide eyes and cringes, seeing him screaming in regret while hitting trees along the way that were in his falling path. Before he can reach the ground, the elf had thought of helping him, but seeing him disappearing in red fire ten feet above the ground and reappear back where he landed safely, he shrugged.
Ikol groaned, spitting leaves out from his mouth while shaking his head to remove the twigs stuck in his hair. He looked up tiredly when Aaron leaped down easily and landed perfectly on two feet. Looking at him, Aaron’s lid lowered, “I’m surprised you did not escape. And what do you mean you didn’t…? You’re telling me you didn’t choose this path?”
“Do you think I’m stupid enough to do that?” Ikol spat, feeling the ribbons back around his body again as it wrapped around him tightly. Though feeling no pain and having his lungs open to breath, but the tightness is enough to distract him from the thought of escaping.
“I guess with me apologizing, you won’t even listen to me…Lord Freyr will arrive soon for you…from there, the Allfather will have to deal with you…”
=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=:*:=