Fated

Chapter Seven

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A feeling of warmth caressing through Aaron’s skin slowly woke him up from the agony and pain. Once his mind focused and cleared, he noticed the reason of the warmth was from where he was laying on his large bed. He was able to see a glimpse of the smiling Freyr and Freyja before sitting up, gritting his teeth in pain.

“You must rest, Dain,” Ordered Freyr, a man with high honors and brother of the beautiful goddess, hair the color of the glorious sun with eyes as rich as the earth, holding a hand up to stop the elf from sitting up.

“My Lord and Lady,” he began but a slender finger on his lips from Freyja silent him.

“Listen to my brother, Dain,” she whispered gently, tightening the blanket around him, “You are severely wounded and need to heal.”

Aaron nodded obediently, looking around once the memories of the explosion hit him, wondering how he was able to survive it and end up laying in his room. Then he also remembered Falila…his lids lowered.

“We found you on the ground not so long ago,” Freyr began solemnly, “Odin had said there’s something going on and we came here as fast as we could. Apparently we were too late to know the details. Do you mind filling us in or should we ask you at another time?”

“My Lord,” he began, his face shadowed, “The ‘Chosen One’ was here…”

“So he is still alive…?” Freyja’s absorbing eyes widened. “Runa…Eir…have you seen them?”

“I met only a Goddess with powers of water…”

“Runa…”

Freyr turned to the bowing elves by the door, “Gather a group and search for them! Without Dain, neither one of them could be able to leave Alfheim.”

They lowered their heads with a nod and immediately disappeared behind the door at his command. Aaron coughed weakly, looking away. “I had failed…”

“We’re not blaming you, Aaron, your powers haven’t been complete,” Freyr whispered, a rough hand on top of his head, “A seid like Runa is a tough one, that Goddess. You’ve given me enough information and I want you to rest…Freyja, I need you to go to Odin after you’re done while I go search for the ‘Chosen One’.”

Freyja watched her older brother leave and once he was out of sight, the beautiful goddess turned back to the weak elf. “It’s been awhile since I last came here…you haven’t changed yet, Dain.”

“Please, my Lady…I’m not honored enough to be carrying that name just yet.” He gave a low smile, unaffected by her beauty. “When my powers are complete as a true Leader of the Elves, I will use that name…but for now, it will be Aaron.”

“Aaron…” she repeated, a hand caressing his cheeks in a tender manner, “Your age has now come but your form still needs to be a bit more mature. I had told you how your powers can be complete, one where they could be compared to any of the Gods…”

His aqua eyes inwardly turned dull. “By you, my Lady…?”

“It’s tradition for all of the Leaders of the Elves, but forbidden if your feelings turned strong for me or another.” She gently ran her fingers through his long strands. “No one but us and my brother should know of this tradition and also of the forbidden. You understand, don’t you, Aaron?”

Face hidden, he nodded. “Yes…I’ll watch for my growth carefully and will seek for you. I will protect those in Alfheim as my Lord had wished where my feeling should be free – away from the forbidden.”

“Now rest; you deserve it,” she muttered, kneeling down to plant a gentle kiss on his forehead before slowly striding out the door.

“My Lady…”

She stopped, glancing back curiously.

“Forgive me…”

“Nothing to apologize about, Aaron.” Her sapphire eyes glittered sweetly and she left the room, closing the large door behind her tightly. The silence at once greeted him, surrounding his ears while staring at the ceiling of his home. He noticed that not only was he lacking the strength to move, but also his powers had dropped dramatically and it would take some time to recover, even if it mostly depended on him.

Moving his arms, he began to search for the glowing string he’d saved for Falila. But instead of the string, he found a gentle violet colored petal hidden in his sash. His eyes greatly sadden but a smile of happiness still grew on his face, caressing the soft petal with his lips.

A chuckle rose to his throat, knowing this petal represented something much more then the acceptance of his magic from the string he’d given to her. Thinking back on Ikol whom she had decided to join, he gave it a long thought. For a ‘Chosen One’ like Ikol with a mission feared by everyone, the group he’s quickly gathering was quite the opposite then what they should be. For a group as them to find Loki so Ragnarok can take its place, it’s pretty unbelievable and still is! He, himself, would never imagine the people – a leader like Ikol, two goddesses, and Falila – of a group like that to be a threat to the whole universe. It’s just…too wrong…

Closing his eyes and taking in the sudden pain, he felt his chest tighten while rolling onto his side. Aaron could feel his powers slowly flowing away; the weakness of what the Leader should fear was now felt though it’s much stronger now then ever before. The weakness…is from the forbidden he had dared himself to feel. Thankful that neither of his Lord nor Lady had caught him yet…but soon would.

Altogether from the pain and the weakness, Aaron wouldn’t allow himself to scream, feeling the wetness coming from his closed eyes though it would not drip. If he doesn’t stop himself any sooner, his Lord will read his aura easily; an aura that will be compared to other elves with normal magic…for his will was probably the weakest. And if that happened, then his position as the Leader of the Elves would be stripped away and he will have to live through life with shame as an example for the other upcoming Leaders to never follow in his footsteps.

But from all of this, nothing can be as painful but the distance between him and Falila. He can remember her reaction clearly when he had confronted her of the forbidden, shock and betrayal washing over her figure and from there he knew their friendship had forever been ended.

Instead of trying to go back through his life as if what he had done is just a mere act, he let himself fall deeper into the forbidden, accepting all the consequences that would be given, always reaching a hand out for Falila to take…for her to accept along with him.

…But she never did nor had she ever faced him again after that. A reaction too great, but he was able to continue his life as a Leader, even if each day the pain of her rejection – the mere thought of it – slowly made him grow weaker and weaker. He knew he’d be nothing but a normal elf soon and expected it to be on the day of the gathering where he decided to search for Falila for the second and last time, repeating the forbidden once again, hoping this time she would understand that he was extremely serious and would never betray her of his feelings.

And he had failed when she’d decided to leave by joining with Ikol on his journey. At her departure and the petal she gave in exchange of the string, he knew her full direct answer when they finally were able to see each other for the last time.

Aaron felt his body tremble, aqua eyes closed tighter. From her answer…he can understand his position as the Leader will still continue for the powers were slowly coming back once more.

The forbidden – the feeling of affection and love he held for Falila – would never rise in him and never again would he fall into it anymore. The pure power of Light given to the leader will have to stay strong and blank from any emotion that involved affection. His fingers loosened, sensing the violet petal dropping from his hand and down towards the floor…

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Dazedly, Falila stared at the smiling younger boy in front of her, her clouded eyes never blinking to which he returned the gaze curiously. The sun had set and the darkness had spread, a warning to the boy that the girl’s behavior would be greatly changed to one startling enough to scare a child into running for miles. But he wasn’t affected scared, for he knew the girl needed him by her side the most when the night came when no one would ever go near her. “What’s wrong?”

“…Dain…that name doesn’t suit you…”

His aqua eyes widened before laughing in amusement, “It’s a name I was born with, whether it suits me or not. It’s still my name.”

“…Dain…a name given to you for being the Leader of the Elves…?”

“My Lady gave me that name.”

“…It still doesn’t suit you…”

“Why don’t you give me one then? A name that will flow easily by your tongue towards me and maybe I will use that name until I’m mature enough to be called Dain.”

The little girl lifted her face to the night sky, a long smile marring her lips while the boy waited eagerly. He perked when she finally muttered, “…Aaron…”

“Aaron?”

“…I see the light…” she whispered out of the blue, staring back at him, “…I like Aaron…”

And he beamed with happiness, “Aaron it is then!”

“…Don’t expect me to call you Dain soon either…” Falila giggled eerily, a finger poking his forehead, “…Not until I see a good change in you…a person that I could accept…”

“A person that you could accept?” He grabbed her hand away from his face, tilting his head to the side cutely, “Then that will be my challenge! I will have you accept me! Just you wait!”

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As the violet petal fell, his emotions and powers grew stronger, reaching close to the highest level as the Leader of the Elves…

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“My Lady told me my magic will be fully complete when my body turns mature and is still pure,” Aaron said, sitting still from where Falila had finally decided to tie his long loose hair into a low ponytail, her gentle delicate fingers running through the soft light strands.

“Then…?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“That’s not all,” Falila mumbled astutely from behind, now tying the gathered hair in her hands with a leather string, “I figure that you don’t have much privilege since you’re giving me information about being a Leader that isn’t allowed to be heard by others, but I know you’re leaving something out.”

“How did you know?”

“You’re too easily figured out…”

He perked until his smile turned gentle and warm, but it was dropped a second later to mere confusion. “I don’t understand what she meant after this, but she said I will when I grow a bit older. Just promise never to tell anyone!”

“You weren’t supposed to tell me any of this,” she reminded him, giving her finishing touch and stood away proudly once finished, “So?”

“Something about it being a tradition to be with her for one night; then my powers will be complete.”

She sat there in stunned silences, but being the one older than him by a few years, she fully understood what he meant. A blush burned her face that spread far over her cheeks, lifting a hand to cover it.

“Falila?” Aaron glanced back at her from the corner of his eyes. “Can you tell me? What’s so wrong about being with her for one night anyway?”

Her arms were felt wrapping around his chest and neck, pulling him into her embrace. Astonished by the sudden affection, he didn’t move nor push himself away, sitting there quietly until hearing her soft words whispering in his ears. “It means you’re finally honored to be a true Leader…but a Leader by being a grown man…”

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And the petal landed on the ground…his affection for Falila disappearing as well.

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Falila stood straight to her tall height, towering easily over to the still short Aaron, both gazing at one another but with different expressions. Falila’s face was flushed but blank, shock, pain, and betrayal written across her features and could feel her body shivering as the breeze blew, dancing through her dark-colored hair where the loose strands flowed smoothly to the side.

Long strands of pale-blonde blew along with them from the ponytail behind him, his face serious and apprehensive. A glint of determination shined in his mature aqua eyes. Slowly, he raised a hand out towards her. “Falila…please accept the forbidden I have sought…allow me to share this affection I dared myself to feel…with you…”

Her knees buckled as she dropped to the ground, her arms that were supporting her trembling. But Aaron didn’t move or even kneel to help her stand, only holding his hand out, waiting. “Aaron…do you have any clue what you are doing…?”

“The forbidden…”

“Why…?” Tears steaming down her pale cheeks and he longed to wipe them away from her face…but not yet. His hand was still out and open, wanting to feel the touch of her fingers around them. “You can’t do this to yourself, Aaron!”

“Exactly; I cannot do this to myself any longer.” He gave a warm but low smile. “I have reached the limit where my feelings for you will burst. I have longed myself to have you by my side as any other would for someone they wished to protect and cherish. I apologize for keeping this from you for so long…but I need to let it out…I need you with me…”

“Your powers…”

“I do not wish to become the Leader of the Elves…My Lord can find another who will now take my place. I do not want to give myself for one night with my Lady just to have the completion of my powers as the Leader. Only to the one I want to be with me through all of my life…”

“Why…?” She grabbed onto her head and lowered herself to the ground. “Why are you being so unfair, Aaron?!”

His eyes widened incredulously, his reaching hand slowly shaking. “Unfair…?”

“Think of your feelings only, but don’t you even consider of how I feel!” she shouted, looking up at him, “I don’t want you to give me such responsibility…I don’t want to be the blame of your selfish decision!”

“Selfish…? But…Falila…” he trailed off, “I stayed in this form for you…where I can still be pure…but it will be released once you-”

“It’s me again…always me…” She stood up with shaky legs, her eyes narrowed in mute rage and grief. One glance at his hand, her eyes burned and slapped it away, an action where Aaron felt his heart destroyed into a million puzzle pieces, never to be solved and put together. “Your challenge of our childhood will end here…I won’t ever accept you, not even your feelings…Aaron…”

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…Then a teardrop fell upon the violet petal…

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Gazing at the glowing string she held between her fingers, not a single expression was shown on her face, dark lilac orbs hidden under lowered lids, deep in her thoughts. But her thoughts were leading to nowhere, for whatever came to her mind was quickly forgotten or unsolved which slowly lead to other unanswered and forgotten thoughts. It helped keep her mind occupied but it was much too frustrating and disturbing when finding no answers to endless questions.

“Falila!” It was Runa, for once she was greatly thankful, who was the one to finally disrupt her thoughts. “WHY did you lie to me?!”

“Of all times, now you start asking when we already managed to leave Alfheim?” Falila smiled, tucking the string away, “At least we are now free, Runa.”

Not wanting to hear much of her excuses, the seid grabbed onto her jacket tightly, bringing the elf close to her angry face. Runa glared at her, “Tell me your answer straight out! I could have been a filthy murderer, damnit!”

“Runa, just let her go,” Ikol’s quiet voice slightly demanded her from behind the two girls. The seid turned to bark back a reply, but catching the sharp look on Ikol’s face she scowled, releasing the elf. “Care to explain, Falila? If you can control a person’s mind, then why tell Runa to kill Aaron if he disagrees?”

“If I told her differently she would’ve given it away very easily. Besides, I was telling the truth in everything,” she responded quietly, staring out at the deserted and rocky area from their escape, “Aaron is very intelligent…he could have figure it out and would have done something to stop me.”

“But in the middle of that explosion, both he and Runa wouldn’t be able to escape with minor injuries,” Eir pointed out shortly, “If it weren’t for Ikol who somehow finally controlled his magic and was able to get them both out alive, Runa might’ve been fine in the end but Aaron…”

Ikol looked away and murmured to himself, “It was luck actually…”

“I was near him,” Falila whispered, lowering her gaze, “He’s probably fine now with our Lord and Lady by his side…”

Eir shook her head, “You tortured him greatly, Falila, that could’ve cost him his life! He was badly wounded when he was unconscious and should have rested. But you… you still controlled his mind so he could follow your every command to use his powers for us to leave Alfheim and we just left him lying there!”

“What other way was there?” Falila countered calmly and the others immediately quieted down, “Do you think I possibly wanted to do that to him? It’s because we have no choice that I forced myself with this plan.”

“A plan you made on your own!” Runa obviously was not letting the subject drop so easily. “So you rather have us leaving peacefully in risking his life?!”

“No…I rather have all of us leaving so he can dedicate his life as a true Leader without seeking for the forbidden. He had grown weaker because of the forbidden and he knows it, not to mention his powers weren’t complete…”

That shut the mouth of the seid quickly, her jaw tightening firmly, aggravated that she didn’t have any other comment to speak. Not even Eir had any reply to argue to her about but Ikol was different. His next question that would lead to another argument was not his intention. “You care for him, don’t you…? In your own confusing and twisted way, but still…”

Falila smiled, unperturbed. “Aaron has a life that was already chosen for him…I don’t want to be the interruption of his path that will lead him to another…”

Ikol’s jade eyes hardened but understood her words; he tried to not let that bother him. As if knowing his distress, Runa quickly changed the mood and gave the most vicious but composed look on her face as she said owly, “Ikol…I have something I wanted to discuss with you for a long time now…”

From her tone, the pit of his stomach literally flopped and reverted, feeling a shiver crawl up his back and managed a small squeak. “Yes…?”

He flinched horribly in fear when feeling a hand grab onto his head, giving him a frightening thought of dieing by a simple crush from her grip. “Tell me when we’d fallen from the Bifrost down towards Alfheim…Why did you leave us hanging again?”

“I left you…?”

“What kind of question is that?!”

“Sorry!”

Eir laughed while Falila glanced at them with a small glint of amusement. Not wanting to disturb the two, Eir looked around the empty and rocky land, shivering a bit from the cold where she could see the snow on top of the many mountains. “Falila…where are we?”

“Jotunheim; the land of the Giants…”

That stopped Runa who was close to strangling the poor Ikol, and stared over at them in disbelief. “Jotunheim…we’re in Jotunheim?!”

“Going to Midgard is only leading towards a trap since the Gods will first start searching from there, considering I believe that’s where Ikol comes from?” Falila glanced over at the human boy who nodded mutely. “And if we should start looking for Loki…going up to Nifheim might give us a big clue.”

“You’re right…” Eir muttered, a finger to her lips in thought, “It would be a very big clue indeed…”

Ikol scratched behind his head. “I know all the ‘nine worlds’ are in one earth, but where is this Nifheim now?”

“Up towards the north where not a living soul lives.” Runa was the one who answered, rubbing her arms to keep warm, eyes lowered. “Towards where Hel rules…the Goddess of Death…”

“And why are we going there?! I’m not dead yet!”

“Hel is the youngest of Loki’s offspring…maybe talking to her might give us something.”

“That’s one of Loki’s children? We’re talking about the Goddess of DEATH here!”

One glare sent from the seid quickly made him cower behind Eir. “I know that already!”

“She will not speak or listen to anyone, but she’s not the person we’re seeking,” Eir corrected her, already knowing Falila’s idea, “So Freyr must be quite a talker if he blabbed where Loki was chained, but then again, he was the one who told everyone where Loki was bound since he had the honor of witnessing it.”

Runa perked. “You’re telling me that Loki was bound in Nifheim?”

“That’s all I learned but where in Nifheim is a problem,” Falila spoke shortly after, “And the danger of going to Nifheim is as high as going to Midgard. Odin’s probably going to start searching from there as well if he wants Loki found so desperately.”

“So going to Nifheim is out of the question then!” Ikol exclaimed, gathering their full attention, “I know it might give us a clue if we found where Loki was hidden and bound, but the point is we don’t know where and I presume Nifheim must be a large place?”

“Always snowing and full of ice, worse then where we are now,” the seid added, “As much as I love the cold, going there could freeze you to death easily if you stay even less then an hour.”

“That’s another, not to mention you did say Odin will start looking from there as well so us being seen is going to be easy for him. Sorry, but I rather keep my body warm and alive while not getting captured for a third time.”

Eir sighed, “Then maybe we should try and talk to Hel…?”

“Forget it! Anywhere that involves death, I will not go!”

“You’re being stubborn, Ikol. Then why don’t you think of something to find Loki? It’s mostly your mission anyways.”

Runa snorted as Ikol’s face glowed, taking a seat beside the elf on the rocks. “We’re waiting…”

Ikol glared at her, his face glowing even more and scratching under his chin in thought to distract himself from the embarrassment. Then he thought of something, looking at each of the girls. “Who here knows Loki the most?”

“I know nothing but common knowledge of him since I never saw him the few times I’ve been in Asgard,” Runa replied with a wave of her hand.

Falila slowly nodded, going with the seid and muttering, “All I know of him is being bound in Nifheim from our Lord. Otherwise, nothing as well.”

Eir frowned. “Truthfully, I never talked to the Trickster God, but I guess I should know him a little from all he had done in the past.”

“Doesn’t matter; at least you know him,” Ikol said, biting his bottom lip, “Do you know anyone – on his side, mind you – that might tell us the exact location where he was bound at the least?”

“Odin and most of the chosen Gods like Freyr and Thor…otherwise, no.”

“That doesn’t help.” Ikol ran a hand through his bright-red hair. “What about his other children? I’m not counting Hel though!”

“I’m not sure if I’m correct in this, but Loki had quite a number of offspring and bastards, each from different women.”

“I hate him already…”

“The only ones that are important is a total of five…two of them were from his wife, Faithful Sigyn,” Eir paused from the name of the wife in sadness, but continued. “And the other three are from one of his mistresses…Hel is counted.”

Ikol quickly scratched the latter out. “The two from his wife then? Do you know where they are or are they with the Asgard?”

“None of them nor his wife are with the Asgard any longer…” Eir shadowed her face. “Faithful Sigyn left Asgard to be by her husband’s side when he had his punishment and since he’s escaped, no one knows; I have no clue of her whereabouts. But the two twins as Freyr told me…one of them was used as the chains around Loki by his entrails, killed by the youngest of the brothers…”

Runa recoiled in disgust while Falila looked away with narrowed eyes. Ikol’s teeth clenched, his tone changing from friendly chatter to ice age in mere seconds. “I guess asking any of them is impossible…then the siblings of Hel…?”

“Fenrir-wolf happens to also be bound and gagged as well in Nifheim near where Hel lives, I think,” Eir said, now tapping her lips in thought, “To get to him is to walk past Hel and probably the Gods if they’re there searching for Loki.”

Runa chuckled, “Forget him then.”

“But then there’s Jormungand, the middle of the three,” Eir couldn’t stop herself when her amber eyes lit up from the possibility. “He might be our answer!”

“Jormungand?”

“Midgard Serpent; lives deep in the ocean where his body is large enough to circle around the earth.”

“You must be joking with me, right?” Ikol’s eyes widened and repeated, “A serpent big enough to circle the earth?”

“Save us the time to find him though,” Runa grinned, standing up from her spot, “Then it’s settled; where’s the nearest ocean around here so we can get started?”

“Even if we do find him, talking to one part of his body is like speaking through insanity,” Eir mumbled, “To talk to him face to face is to where his head lays…”

“Can’t he just move his body?” Ikol asked her sarcastically, “Going around the earth to search for where his head’s located is just too much of a hassle.”

“You don’t have to; I already know where it is.” Eir exhaled a long breath. “I’ll give you a hint…he’s not named the Midgard Serpent for nothing.”

Both Ikol and Runa felt their body stiffen as Falila smiled, finally speaking. “It seems like going to Midgard is our only choice then.”

“Perhaps…” Eir nodded, swinging the pouch to her other shoulder, “We should get going now…remember, we’re in Jotunheim. Most of the giants who live in this world aren’t really friendly, you know.”

“They never are,” Runa managed to say caustically, watching Falila sit up from the rocks while they all began to walk, the mountains towering over them from both sides, “I think I remember hearing that a few of the giantesses are married to the Gods in Asgard, right?”

“Amusingly, yes,” Eir gave a small grin, “Not to mention, Loki’s origin is a giant as well.”

It was Ikol who gave a loud mystified cry of, “What?!”

“I’m not joking with you, Ikol…How Loki was able to make an oath through blood to be Odin’s brother is still a mystery to me.”

Falila tilted her head to the side curiously, “Odin? Blood-brother with Loki, the Father of all Lies?”

“Just imagining that is way too wrong for me…”

“What’s wrong with that?” Was Ikol’s question, before shrinking from the stares in three sets of eyes, quickening his pace to take the lead. Slowly, his jade orbs dully sharpened, lowly looking back out of the corner of his eyes.

Falila smiled once catching his look, being the one closest behind him. “So you can sense it too?”

“Ikol was given a gift from Skuld, so he’s not much of a normal human.” Runa made a click with her tongue in annoyance. “I hate people who act worse than a chicken, hiding instead of facing us.”

“The people in Asgard aren’t the only ones against us and these mountains here can be good for hiding,” Eir whispered, “No use making a scene either or else Odin will find us. We must hurry and leave…”

Ikol agreed quickly, his eyes narrowed even lower as his view changed to the one much farther towards the distance. There’s more…

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A mass of messy dark-brown hair was seen behind the rock where Falila had sat, watching the group with a low growl in his throat, his glowing emerald eyes hardening. Slowly, a sly grin spread over his lips, showing long pointed sharp teeth and repeated the name he had thought he’d never hear or speak again. “Loki…” He gave a dead chuckle. “So these are the group I heard so much about that will search for him…I guess I’ve been caught…”

Then he growled, feeling an itch at the back of his head and wouldn’t dare turn around since he was already in the watcher’s view. As the walking trio continued on, his sly grin grew to a pleasant devious one. “I guess I’m not the only one who is following them…”

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