COF 03

Lenneth let out a surprised cry as her surroundings twisted and turned, the vibrant colors of the meadow smearing together, leaving her wrapped in a cocoon of colors, blue, green, and brown the predominate shades. The world around her seem to be moving at the speed of a cyclone, leaving her dizzy and gasping for breath. She tried to scramble to her feet, to run away, but her limbs felt trapped in molasses, keeping her pinned to the grass.

“Lucian!!” She screamed, the howling of the wind blocking out her cries. “Freya! Einherjar, I have need of you! Come to my side!” But there was no answer, her voice sounded whisper soft even to herself. She felt a sharp pain in her body, it’s intensity similar to that time her sister Hrist had attempted to destroy her astral form. “NO!” She had enough time to think, What’s going on?! before she passed out into darkness.

When next she awoke, Lenneth was elsewhere, still trapped in the dark, unable to see. Panicked filled her as she realized her eyes were open but blind. “What’s happening to me?” No reply came, leaving Lenneth to wonder if she had said that aloud or merely thought it. She gasped for air, confused by this need to breathe. She forcibly took in a deep breath of oxygen, feeling her lungs expand, greedily taking in nourishment. Breathing now, slowly in and out, other smells came to her, the scent of flowers and dirt, the enticing smell of the newly blossomed apple tree were gone, replaced by the stench of chemicals, and the burnt smell of magic recently used. Other signs let her know she was no longer in the meadow, the lack of a breeze to stir the air around her, no warm sunlight against her skin, only cold, hard stone underneath her naked body.

Have I been taken prisoner? Lenneth wondered, slowly sitting up. Even that simple movement hurt, she biting down on her lip to keep from crying out. Her body felt strange to her, alien, like it was reluctant to follow her commands. She brought up her hands to her face, tentatively touching her skin. She thought she heard laughter, male and excited. She sharply turned her face in the direction she assumed it came from. A pinpoint of light broke through the inky blackness, widening until she could see her blurry surroundings. Lenneth fluttered her eyelids as her vision slowly came into focus, seeing stone and mortar bricks, one foot in length by two feet wide, making up a wall that curved, making a continuos circle around the room. She was in a tower, someone’s laboratory by the looks of all the potions scattered about, some in beakers, some in tubes spilling onto the floor. Naked female figures hung suspended in air tight containers of water, their hair and features mirror images of her own. Monstrous creatures lay on similar slabs such as the one Lenneth was perched on, cut wide open, their insides spilled out, waiting for further dissection.

She continued to look around, her eyes landing on a man dressed in an open green jacket, the front of a mustard yellow shirt peeking out from beneath it. He had on loosely fitting brown pants, gloves on his hand matching it’s shade. A belt with several pouches was slung over his hips, a dark green sash around his waist, while a hard piece of tan leather hung down from it. It was dyed with lavender and brown symbols and fell over his front for added protection over his groin. He had a vivid purple cape over his shoulders, the ends of it in tatters from one close call to many.

His face was that of a young man, perhaps a few years older than Lenneth’s Lucian. His hair was a rich brown color, cut short in the back, with the tops and his bangs grown long to messily fall over his eyes and ears. He wore spectacles, the light reflecting off the glass making it hard for Lenneth to see his eyes. She had a feeling they would offer no comfort, as his mouth twisted into a leer, body vibrating with excitement.

“Lady Valkyrie.” He said gleefully, bending slightly from the waist in a mocking bow. “Welcome to my humble abode.”

“YOU!!” Lenneth hissed, confusion turning to hatred at the sound of his voice. She knew that voice well, it made her skin crawl. “Defiler of Souls, you shall pay for your crimes!” Lenneth pointed a finger at him accusingly.

“Ah, I see you remember me, my Lady.” He grinned, taking a step towards her.

“How could I forget the evil you have done Necromancer!” Lenneth twisted on the alter, crouching so that one knee was pressed flat against the stone, while the other was bent before her. It was a defensive pose, but one she could easily spring forward from to attack the smirking wizard. “I see it was a mistake to not strike you down sooner. Well THAT can be easily remedied.” She bent her right elbow against her chest, hand clenching into a fist that grasped at the air. She concentrated hard, but nothing happened. “Where’s my sword?!” She cried out in frustration.

More laughter from Lezard, as he watched her try to use her powers, only to fail again and again. “What have you done to me?!” Lenneth demanded, eyes frantic at the loss of her divine powers.

“So glad you’ve asked. Tell me Lady Valkyrie, do you remember the last time you were here?” He asked, stopping a few inches away from his beautiful guest.

“Yes, you had just murdered the school teacher and her husband.” She replied, the memories of their first encounter adding to her agitated state.

“It was also when you destroyed all of the vessels I created. As you can see…” He swung out his arm in a wide gesture, encompassing the whole room. “I have been busy making up for the loss you caused me.”

“What does that have to do with me?” She didn’t take her eyes off him, feeling a ball of tension root it’s way through her body.

“I think you already know, dear Valkyrie.” His voice was smug, his eyes behind the glasses running over her naked form. He had seen nearly a hundred homunculus crafted after his beloved in such a state, but this was special, more arousing to see the flesh given life, the Goddess animating it, giving it personality. “Remember I said I would have you as my lover.”

“Gods and mortals cannot fall in love.” She said automatically, her problematic romance with Lucian doing little to change her thoughts about that particular situation.

“Then it is a good thing you are no longer a Divine Being.” He told her, still smirking in that infuriating manner of his.

“Wh…what did you say?” Lenneth asked, praying silently that it was not possible, let it please be just a nightmare.

“You’re mortal Valkyrie, stripped of your Godhood…”

“And left at your mercy.” She interrupted, trying to stop her rising terror, to keep from screaming.

“When you put it that way…” Lezard paused, pretending to think over her words. “Yes.”

Lenneth let out a wordless howl of outrage, body unbending as she stood up on the table. She lashed out with her leg, the sole of her foot connecting with his chest, making him stumble backwards, her strength no longer capable of knocking him to the ground. Seeing that, she backward flipped off the altar, feeling something wrench free of her arm, splattering blood about as the tube continued to pump the sacrifice’s blood into the air. “You will pay for this insult!” Lenneth snarled, hair falling around her body like a cloak, offering a small amount of protection from Lezard’s eyes.

“Okay…I can see that was the wrong thing to say…” Lezard said, hands up in a placating manner as he approached the stone table. “I apologize Lady Valkyrie…now is not the time to be playing games and making jokes.”

“I don’t give a damn about your apologies!” Lenneth hissed, feeling small comfort to have the heavy stone between them. “You can go to Nifleheim

for all I care!” Her eyes blazed with fury, as Lezard’s lips quirked into a smile, giving her the feeling she had missed a joke. “Necromancer!” She slammed her hands against the altar with as much force as she could muster, displeased to see that the stone didn’t even get a crack in it. “You restore me to my former self immediately, or I will bring down all of Asgard on your miserable head!”

“I’m afraid that is impossible dear Valkyrie.” Lezard gave a slight shake of his head. “Believe me when I say, I have not yet discovered the secret of turning a mortal into a God. If I had I would have gone TO you, instead of taking you away from your home by force.”

“I would never allow the travesty of you becoming a God to go unchallenged.” retorted Lenneth. “You cannot hold me prisoner indefinitely. The others will be looking for me, and when they find me—-”

“You mean IF they find you.” Lezard said, fingers sliding back into place his glasses. “They will be looking for a God, not a mortal. Your human energy signature won’t even show up on their radar. Most likely they will never discover what happened to you.”

Lenneth’s mouth opened and closed several times as she processed this information. “No…” She whispered, feeling her eyes grow moist. They had to find her–rescue her from this mad man. “Valkyrie…I realize this is a lot to take in…perhaps you would like to rest, let sleep take off some of the edge to your shock.” She couldn’t stand to hear his voice, hear him trying to sound soothing and comforting to her. She glanced this way and that, looking for something–a weapon, a way to escape—and noticed the chemicals lying in reach of her.

Lezard was slowly edging around the table, talking in a soft baritone, trying to keep the former Goddess calm. He saw her as a wild thing, needing to be caught and tamed. Suddenly she dashed to the left, feet slipping on the slick floor, as she stumbled-slid towards one of the many tables in his lab. Her fingers closed around vials, and she began hurling them at him, shouting curses all the while.

Lezard turned to the side, bringing up his cloak for protection. A sizzling sound was heard, one of the chemicals eating through the coarse material. Glass broke around him, shards and multi colored fluid decorating him and the floor. “Valkyrie STOP!!”

“Hel spawn!” Lenneth cried, still hurling things at him. “Wretched sorcerer!”

“Valkyrie please…” He pleaded, trying his best not to lose his temper. “Will you just calm—”

“Since you are an unholy half-man that was hatched from Nidhogg’s dung, you have no right to ask me anything!” This time she had found the rock he had been using as a paper weight. It rebounded off his hip, and Lezard winced. That’s going to leave a mark.

“THAT’S ENOUGH!!” Lezard bellowed, when something hard slammed into the base of his neck. His hand came up glowing, white and blue currents playing on his palm. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the tailbone of a Lesser Dragon clatter to the floor. Wonderful! She’s wrecking my experiments now! He thought moodily, even as he yelled out, “Lightning Bolt!” Three bolts of crackling electricity shout out of his hand into the air, circling around each other as they barreling towards the enraged woman. Lenneth let out a scream as the lightening slammed into her body, bringing her down to her knees. Her limbs felt heavy, and she struggled to not give in to the urge to pass out.

“I’m sorry I had to do that…” Lezard was at her side, kneeling down to look her in the face. “But you were being unreasonable…” He reached up with a hand to brush back the strands of silver that had fallen across her face, tucking the silk like hair behind her ears. His hand returned to her face, caressing her cheek, fingers slowly trailing down to touch her lips. It was then that she moved, snapping her teeth at his fingers, reminding him she was still dangerous.

“Okay…” He said, having pulled back his hand. “I get that, no touching. You’re not ready for it.”

Looking away from him, Lenneth let out a humorless laugh. “You really ARE crazy if you think I’ll EVER let you touch me.”

“Things have a way of changing.” He told her quietly, hands reaching for the clasp of his cloak. The rustle of clothing made her look back at him, just in time to see him place the cloak over her shoulders. Without a word of thanks, Lenneth took hold of the ends, pulling it tight against her body. It was reassuring to the young woman to have something to cover up her nudity.

“Come on.” Lezard stood up, hands at his side. “I’ll take you to your room.”

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“Hmmm…” murmured Hel, rolling onto her side. She reached out with her arm, seeking to cuddle against her lover’s side, instead being met with an empty bed. “Odin?” She opened her eyes, a small frown on her face.

“I’m here Hel.” He said quietly from across the room.

“Come back to bed.” Hel said, languidly stretching her arms up over her head. The covers slid down, leaving her naked from the waist up.

“I’m not tired.” Odin replied, a wry smile on his face, as he watched her slide forward to the edge of the bed. “I wasn’t speaking about getting any sleep.” She told him with a smile, slinking towards him. “Wait…” She drew back, pushing playful flirtation aside to study him carefully. He was dressed in a short black robe, lounging on the love seat, a glass of brandy in his hand. “Something’s different…” Odin merely smiled at her, not offering any information. “You’ve changed somehow…” She crossed the last steps to him and upon reaching his side, she inhaled deeply, filling her nose with his scent. “Ah ha!” Her eyes gleamed, a crafty smile on her face. “You’ve grown stronger. There’s more power radiating off of you.”

“Yes.” Odin smirked. “It appears our wizard friend proved useful after all.”

“Lenneth is gone.” Hel said with satisfaction. “Then it’s time to rally the troops. Nifleheim’s forces can be ready to leave for Asgard by morning.”

“Let’s not be too hasty, my pet.” Odin said, drawing Hel into his lap. “If we make our move too soon, then they may suspect we had something to do with Lenneth’s disappearance.”

“So let them think that.” Hel shrugged her shoulders. “They would not dare go against the All Father.”

“Ah, my sweet. I fear you may be wrong in that matter.” Odin told her. “There will be some who would resist my return, and more others who would be against my bringing you and your people to live in Asgard.”

“Any such opposition I will crush.” Hel swore.

“I believe you shall my dear. But until I am completely reenergized, we will wait.” It was not a plea, but a command he gave her. “Let the Asgardians worry a while longer…let them become distracted by the search for Lenneth, so much so it will lead to their ruin.”

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A subdued Lenneth walked a few steps behind Lezard, hands tightly clutching the cloak as though it were her only lifeline through the chaos she found herself in. She tried to memorize the route he led her on, but found it near impossible to do so. There were too many twists and turns, the corridors all looking alike, bereft of any adornments, windows too few and far in between. There was also many doors, leading to where–or what, she did not know. Lenneth wasn’t even sure she wanted to discover the other unpleasant secrets the Necromancer might have hidden in his tower.

Lezard wasn’t saying much, gripping a torch in his hand. His emotions were at war with each other, leaving him a turbulent mess that didn’t know what to think. He was more than happy to have finally caught the Goddess, he was ecstatic! But there was also disappointment—he had foolishly indulged himself in fantasies where the Goddess would immediately fall in his arms, love and adoration in her heart for him. On one level he had known she was bound to be angry over what he had done, but information gleaned from his deceased “friend” Mystina’s trashy romance novels assured him she’d get over it. And then there was anxiety, just because he had her now, didn’t mean he’d get to keep her. His determination would have to be enough to get her to change her mind about him. How he would go about doing that, he did not know…

“Here we are.” Lezard said, his voice loudly breaking through the silence, causing a startled Lenneth to jump. He brought out a ring of keys, slipping one into the lock. He turned it, and the door let out an ominous creaking sound as it swung inwards. “Ladies first.” Lezard said with a smile, gesturing her on ahead of him.

She looked at him, face blank of emotion, before squeezing past him into the room. Their fronts brushed together, bringing up a static of electricity that had them both staring into each other’s eyes. It lasted only a second or two, before Lenneth uttered a, “Hmph!” and turned her nose upwards, walking on ahead of him. Lezard let out a sigh, and placed the torch in a metal holder–one of many that lined the walls of the hallway. “Illumi–nata!” He commanded, the room lighting up far better with magic than a torch could ever hope to accomplish.

Lenneth kept her back to him, studiously ignoring his presence. Instead she gazed around the room, the walls made of the same stone and mortar of the rest of the tower. They were large blankets hanging over the walls in an attempt to keep out some of the cold air the stones trapped. They were a deep burgundy, with black lines that made a complete track around the border three times. A crest of some sort was in the center, one of it’s symbols she recognized as the one for alchemy, the other necromancy.

Beige wall to wall carpeting was on the floor, she was ankle deep in it’s plush fibers. A large, four poster bed of oak wood was in the center of the room, gauzy white sheets hanging off the top, adding insulation in the winter, keeping out mosquitos in the summer. There was also some other furniture in the room. A large armoire pushed into the upper right corner, a mirror vanity a few feet away. A small table big enough to seat only two people was over to the left, an empty vase on it’s top. There was two doors in this room, the one she had just entered, and the one Lezard was now heading towards.

“I’m going to draw you bath.” He explained, and she heard the sound of water sloshing into the tub. She slowly walked towards the bathroom, standing just outside it’s border, silently watching Lezard work the pump. It was a large ivory bathtub, looking as though there was enough room to lay down in it. Clawed golden feet kept it suspended off the ground, a drain on the floor to soak up any spilled water.

Upon finishing filling the tub, he stepped back and chanted softly. “Fire…” A warm red glow lit up the still water, before fading back to it’s naturally color. Pulling his hand free of it’s glove, he dipped his fingers into the water. “Perfect temperature.” He told Lenneth. “Not too hot, and not too cold.”

She merely cocked her head to the side, still giving him that expressionless look. He stifled his sighs, and pointed at the towels that were placed on the lid of the toilet. “You can use those to dry off.” Lenneth just stood there, appearing to try to bore holes through his body with her eyes.

“Or…I could assist you.” He smirked, trying to get some sort of rise out of her. “I’ve been told I have excellent hands. I could even soap up those hard to reach places…” He trailed off, the aloofness of the Goddess sparking into anger. It’s intensity stilled Lezard’s tongue from making any further insinuating remarks.

“Leave.” She ordered. He decided not to argue, pausing only long enough to whisper in her ear. “So the former Goddess is still capable of speech.” He lightly ran his fingers through her long mane of hair, letting it slide away from his as he left the bathroom. She whirled around slamming the door, sorely disappointed to have missed hitting any body parts. “I hate him.” Lenneth whispered to herself, leaning against the door. “No…hate isn’t a strong enough word to describe what I feel for him.” She listened intently, and only when she heard the outer door close, the wizard locking it behind him, did she step towards the tub. The cloak fell onto the floor, Lenneth easing herself into the water. She gripped the bar of soap in her hands, working it into a fine lather, almost viciously attacking her skin with it. She scrubbed hard at her skin, as though that could wash away the mortality the Necromancer had bestowed on her.

When she emerged from the tub, her skin felt raw, looking pinkish. She wound a towel around her hair, another around her body. She cautiously opened the bathroom door, making sure no one was in the room before she stepped out. Clothing had been laid out for her, a gray dress with matching slippers. Ignoring them, she slid naked under the covers, and soon after fell into a deep sleep.

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Um…okay…the world of the game certainly didn’t look like they would have modern plumbing, but for conveyance sake (And less of an ick factor.) this fic does indeed give toilets instead of a bucket. Or having to run to an outhouse. Maybe it’s a bit weird to have that modern invention mixed in with a tub and sink you have to pump manually, but hey…it’s my fic, I’m exerting my power as the author to set it up this way.