COF 02

With a hissed out curse, Lezard awakened, leaping to his feet, the sound of a book hitting the floor hard thundering in his ears. The wizard crouched in a defensive position, wild eyes darting back and forth across the blurry room. A gleeful burst of laughter gave rise to goose pimples on his arms, and he issued an angry order. “Come out and face me demoness!”

“Now now…” A voice playfully purred. “No need to get angry, my darling little Necromancer.” A figure in green moved towards him, and except for the rustle of clothing, made no other sound as she walked. “I’ve come to help you, Lezard Valeth.”

“So you know my name, big deal.” Lezard’s hand was groping at the table top, searching for his glasses. He refused to sound impressed, even over the fact that this female has gotten past his monsters.

“I know more than just your name.” She reached out with her hand, pushing the spectacles into his fumbling fingers. ‘I know a great many things about you, your past, present, and future.”

“Oh, is this the part where you announce I have no future because you have come to kill me?” He asked sarcastically, putting on his glasses. He let out a small gasp, eyes widening in appreciation of the beauty before him. She was five foot eight in height, with long pale orange hair cut down to her waist. She had green eyes, and full pouty blood red lips. A gold circlet surrounded her head, with rubies and cobalt stones for ornaments. She wore a long sleeved tight fitting green dress with black stitching, the hemline stopping just at the ankles, revealing black boots. She wore a black cape over the back of the dress, but the most impressive aspect of her was her bustline. While her neck was covered by the dress’ material, the material wrenched open to reveal her large breasts. The two fleshy mounds seem to quiver with each movement, looking as though they might spill free at any moment.

“I see you are definitely dressed to kill.” Lezard said, regaining his composure. “But I will not be distracted by your tartish outfit!” His aura flared, probing at hers, seeking to judge the depth of power she held in her body. He barely started the inquiry with the slightest of touches, before power backlashed into him, sending him flying across the room to crash into a bookcase. Books spilled down on his body, and to his credit he did not cry out in pain. “What…what are you?” Lezard demanded, from his spot on the floor.

“I think you already know.” She stared down at him, and watched as realization dawned in his amethyst colored eyes.

“You’re a God…” He whispered in awe.

“Goddess actually.” She corrected him, leaning down over him. Lezard’s breath quickened as he was literally eye to eye with her chest. He was barely aware of her hands hooking under his shoulders, the Goddess easily lifting him off the floor.

“But WHICH Goddess are you?” Lezard asked, as she set him down.

“I’m upset.” She pouted. “Don’t you recognize the ruler of Nifleheim?”

“Queen Hel.” Lezard stated, wondering if his time was finally up, and she had come to personally deliver him into eternal torture because of his recent crimes.

Hel laughed, chest bouncing. “No, you are not going to Nifleheim today, sweet man.” She patted his face with her hands, noticing how worried he appeared at her words. And indeed Lezard was, for the Goddess Hel had only said he was safe at the moment, she didn’t say he would escape the fires of her realm when he did eventually die. Which to Lezard meant all the more reason he must become a God to be exempt from the rules the Afterlife would inflict on him.

“So little to say? And normally you’re so talkative Lezard.” She laughed again, turning her back on him. “Perhaps you hit your head harder than you thought.” She picked up some his notes, and Lezard had to exert all of his will power to keep from snatching them away. He absolutely hated it when someone touched his things!

Hel perused through the papers, skimming over the paragraphs until she found the word she was looking for. “A homunculus eh?” She turned to smirk at him. “You naughty little boy. Don’t you know the Gods have forbidden the making of such things?”

“So that’s it.” Lezard’s face hardened. “You were sent here to deliver divine punishment for my crimes against Nature?”

“Oh my, you really aren’t familiar with my area of expertise.” To his relief she set down his notes and slowly walked towards him, hips swaying. “I like bad, evil is what turns me on.” She leaned against the side of his body, running a hand through his hair, as she blew into his ear. “You have no respect for rules set by either mortals or Gods. You take what you want, kill without hesitation…”

“You uh…you came here to tell me you are pleased with my actions?” Lezard said in disbelief, keenly aware of her body pressing against his, sending delightful tingles through his skin. She let out a laugh, kissing his earlobe. He jumped when her teeth bit down, drawing a trickle of blood.

“I like you very much Lezard.” She abruptly pulled away, tongue licking at her lips. “So much in fact I came to offer my services with the homunculus.”

“I find it hard to believe that a Divine Being would do something like this out of the goodness of her heart.” His eyes narrowed, as he demanded, “Why are you really showing so much of an interest in my homunculus?”

“Fine, I will be truthful to you. To do this favor would be mutually beneficial to both of us.” stated Hel.

“Hmph…” scoffed Lezard. “How exactly would this help you?”

“Because it will help me get rid of a rival.” Hel explained. “Oh…I could strike at the All Mother directly, but then I would have the Asgardians after my head for all eternity. Your homunculus offers me a chance to get rid of her, without killing, nor would it implicate me in any way.”

“It sounds like YOU need MY help more badly than I need yours.” Lezard said boldly, a smirk on his face. Hel turned away so he wouldn’t see the anger that flared on her face at his words.

“It’s…the only chance YOU have to acquire the All Mother.” Hel replied at last. “You will find it even harder to trap her now that she is the single most powerful immortal in all of the nine realms. And it will be impossible to trap something that has been destroyed.”

“Destroyed?!” repeated Lezard. Inwardly he thought, Shit! He had never considered the possibility that the Valkyrie could be killed.

Hel smirked at the distress on the Necromancer’s face. “Still want to refuse my help?”

“You would really risk the wrath of the other Gods if I thwart you in this?”

“It would be a small price to pay to see that bitch dead.” Hel retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. “Now you must decide, and you must do it quickly. Her fate is in your hands, will she live on as a mortal, or she will die?” The expression on the sorcerer’s face was stony, silence his only reply. Hel’s teeth flashed as she smiled open mouthed at him. “Perhaps this will be the incentive you need.” She put her hands together, a glow of light appearing between her fingers. Lezard watched as she slowly pulled them apart, the light growing impossible to stare at.

“Gaze upon your love’s face…” The Queen of Nifleheim told him, knowing that upon looking at the All Mother’s visage, he would be putty in Hel’s hands. The light dimmed, becoming more tolerable, and Lezard cautiously lowered his hands. His breath stilled as he gazed upon the Goddess, a warm smile on her face as she looked at something beyond the illusion’s range. Her silver hair was braided in it’s familiar style, a white summer dress in place of the blue armor he was so used to seeing her in.

“Valkyrie…” He whispered, failing to notice the predatory look in Hel’s eyes. She cast the illusion at him, the Goddess face barreling towards his, only to evaporate into nothing upon touching his skin. “Bring her back!” He demanded angrily. “Or else I’ll…” His right hand rose, the red glow hinting at a powerful spell about to be cast.

“I cannot do that.” Hel said, unfazed by his threat. “Only YOU can make the illusion a realty.”

Lezard hesitated, hand still glowing. It had been many months since he had gazed upon so accurate vision of the Valkyrie’s loveliness. Ever since he had lost the Philosopher’s Stone, he had to rely on memory, and the homunculus he had crafted. “All right, damn you! I’ll make the bargain with you.” Why did he feel like he was signing away his soul to this foul temptress? He let out a chuckle, knowing he had been damned long before this.

“Excellent.” Hel hissed, holding out her hand. He cautiously took hold of it, her fingers grasping him in a vise like grip. “Now the transference begins.” She said, her aura flaring into view, a twisted black thing, with spots of red splattered all over it. Those spots zoomed together, forming a medium sized blob. As one they traveled down her arm, entwining onto Lezard’s. The pain was immense, the Necromancer falling to his knees, sweat dripping down his face. “Just a little more to go.” Hel said soothingly, watching as the blob separated into several pieces, attaching themselves into his arms, and over his face.

Lezard would have fallen flat on the floor if not for Hel holding him up like he was a ragdoll. His eyes were tightly shut, glasses askew on his face, as a pounding headache attacked him. It was only when blood started pouring out of his nose, did the evil Goddess release him, and then he did fall. Gasping and wheezing, tears in his eyes, Lezard was grateful for the cool tile on the floor. It helped ease the fire burning throughout his body.

“It is done.” Lezard merely grunted at Hel’s words, eyes locked on the boots before his face. “Make sure the homunculus is ready, crafted to your liking.” She told him, a peal of laughter accompanying her words. “You will only get one try at this, so DO NOT SCREW IT UP!!” The last of her words screamed at him like a banshee’s wailing, and he heard a tingling sound, as the feet vanished. The Goddess Hel had finished with him, leaving him all alone in the study. Lezard promptly fainted with relief for this was a brief escape from his pain.

———————————————————————————————————–

In Asgard it was always a beautiful summer day, the sky only darkening and letting loose with a flood of rain when the unthinkable happened. The death of a God. During the massacre caused by Loki, the sky had bled rain for many days, a sign that even the sky wept over the loss of Lord Odin.

But that was in the past—however recent the events might have occurred, everyone was getting on with their lives. Or trying to. Lenneth had been surprised to learn how nervous she was over spending the day with Lucian. She found herself feeling she was doing this more to get away from the rigors of office, than to spend time with him. And that worried her. He was supposed to be the love of her life—one of them anyway. The last time she had been mortal, she had been known as Platina, and Lucian had been her childhood romance. One he apparently never gotten over, his heart crying out for her in his moment of death.

At first things had been blissful between them, but as she became more involved in ruling her people, she found the distance widening between them. It was not just the difference between a mortal and a Goddess, but also that they appeared to have little to next to nothing in common. But she preserved in the relationship, saying she owed it to him for being her rock that allowed her to be able to face Loki and win.

“Platina!” Lucian waved a hand before her eyes. “No thinking about work today.”

She blinked, focusing in on the boy before her. “I’m sorry Lucian…my mind tends to wander a lot lately.”

“That’s all right, as long as you only think about me–about us.” Lucian told her, eyes twinkling as he smiled.

“I will.” She said, smiling weakly back at him. “It’s just…”

“Care for some desert?” He interrupted, holding a plate with some sort of chocolate pastry on it.

She took it from him, even though a God had no need for food. It was something they indulged in, merely for the taste, for a Divine Being never grew hungry. She speared the pastry with her fork, taking a delicate bite of the chocolate richness. “Hmm…this is good.” She said truthfully.

“I knew you would like it, Platina. It was your favorite food when you were mortal.” He told her, chewing happily away on the pastry.

“Lucian…” She set down the plate. “We’ve been over that before…my name is not Platina, it’s Lenneth.”

“You’ll always be Platina to me.” He replied, avoiding her eyes.

Lenneth sighed. Did he really see her as the helpless child she had been so many years ago? “But Lenneth is who I am NOW.” She tried to be patient with him, but the name debate was a sore issue between them. “My life as Platina wasn’t what I would call a pleasant memory. It was full of hardship and abuse, and I rather forget about the fourteen years I wasted as that pathetic mortal.”

Lucian set down his plate with an audible thump, his eyes angry. “It was a waste to you?!” He demanded. “All of it?! Even time spent with ME?!”

Lenneth’s mouth dropped open in shock. “I…I didn’t mean it that way.” She said honestly, not having meant to insult him. “I just…”

“Just didn’t like being a pathetic mortal like I was born as?” He said accusingly.

“Lucian, no!” She protested. “I didn’t…” He interrupted her, talking over her words. “Face it Lenneth, ” His use of her name caused her to wince. “You’re as stuck up as the other Gods when it comes to dealing with beings lesser than you!”

“No, that’s not true!” Lenneth cried, but Lucian wasn’t bothering to listen to her. Instead he stood up, and told her, “All this time, I thought I knew you!” And then stomped away, ignoring her pleas for him to come back, to listen to her.

Lenneth was shaking with barely suppressed rage as she glared at his retreating back. How could he say such things to her? How could he jump to such insane conclusions? Damn him! She thought dropping to lay flat on her back, not caring if the grass stained her pristine white dress. She laid her left arm over her eyes, blocking out the brightness of the sun, wishing it would rain, the water being able to wash away all her problems. For too long she had been mentally tired, stress coming at her from all sides. Until she became the All Mother she had not realized a God could experience stress. Now she dealt with it on a daily basis, grateful that she couldn’t experience the migraines mortals constantly suffered from.

If only I could get away from it all. She thought, knowing such a wish was foolish. It was impossible for the All Mother to delegate power to another, only with her death would a new God be chosen as worthy to the throne. Letting out an angry scream, she pounded her fist into the grass, her hand denting it’s impression into the soil. “I never asked to be the leader of the Gods…” She whispered, a sob rising in her chest.

—————————————————————————————————————–

Upon leaving the Necromancer alone in his tower, the cruel Goddess known as Hel returned to Nifleheim. Here the land was chiseled all from the stony underground of the Earth beneath Midgard, with huge chambers carved inside caves. The light of the never ending fires kept the world cloaked in red hues, the screams of the damned rising in a musical salute to the talented torturers she had in her employ. Hel walked through this realm, feeding off the suffering, a hungry look on her face. She ignored all the greetings from her subjects, the monsters that prowled this ream being enough to make one go insane merely upon looking at one directly in it’s face.

“Taking the long way home?” A black clad figure appeared at her side, it’s face hooded, giving the appearance of being a common wraith.

“I need a bit of appetizer after lending so much energy to that twisted wizard.” The Goddess replied, glancing at the creature that walked beside her.

“OUR energy you mean.” He corrected her, surely there was a scowl underneath that hood. “I supplied the greater amount, and unlike you I have no way to recharge myself.”

“Soon my love. Soon.” Hel whispered, taking hold of his hand. She teleported them both to her private chambers, and it was only when they were sure that they were alone did the wraith eased back his hood. His hair was a light gray, at times appearing completely white, his eyes were also gray. But he was by no means an old man. His face still looked the physical age of one in his forties, with only a few frown lines for wrinkles. Once he been a man of great power, a God—THE God, who all others must bow to. But that was before he struck down by Loki, left for dead, mourned and soon forgotten.

“My full powers won’t be restored fast enough for my liking.” Odin, the former Lord of the Gods told her, his voice sounding soft and weak. “Everytime that traitorous bitch Lenneth uses her powers, more of mine is drained. I fear if we do not dispose of her soon, I will die, or even worse, become mortal!”

“It won’t happen my Lord. I won’t let it.” She told him, eyes blazing with passion. “Soon the wizard will dispose of the threat the All Mother presents, and WE shall take up the throne.” She took hold of his hands, bringing one towards her face. Neither of them had ever thought they would fall into bed with their sworn enemy, but this how desperation works in forging odd alliances.

————————————————————————————————————

Lezard worked diligently in his lab, trembling hands running over the homunculus’ body over and over again. Was the nose too pointy? The eyes too wide, the eyebrows too bushy? Everything had to be perfect, for the Goddess would soon be his!

Even as he worked, a dull pounding was in his head, the migraine trying to rend him invalid, delay him from claiming his prize. He slowly went over the preparations, wishing he could take something to relieve the pain. But it might make his mind fuzzy, unable to concentrate, or even worse, interfere with the power bestowed upon him by the Goddess Hel.

This time he had sacrificed a human girl, a pretty little thing dressed in the robes of a student from Flenceberg academy. She had raven black hair, with brown eyes, filled with fright. How she had screamed as he plunged the knife into her heart, watching the life drain out of her face as she went limp in Zephyr’s arms. It was her blood that was being pumped into the homunculus body. Her blood that decorated the alter, staining the homunculus’ back red.

The herbs were mixed and crushed, coating the appropriate chakra points. The spells of Earth, Fire, Wind and Water being used to work the body into a semblance of life. And finally Holy met Dark in a spell of summoning, his aura being emptied of the energy Hel had given him, boosting the summons. Upon being drained of the power of a God he dropped to the flood, weakened, and feeling his migraine slowly start to dissipate.

His eyes were wide and hopeful as he watched the spell envelope the body, before shooting up through his ceiling into the sky. He held his breath at seeing this new aspect to the spell, now knowing why it had never worked before. He, alone did not have the strength to reach Asgard through any means. But with the support of a Goddess, the spell was now amplified a hundred fold.

A glittering purple light speeded down the shaft of the spell, moving with the speed a behemoth traveled when it slipped into a beserker rage. The purple light circled the body, separating into wisps of smoke that went in through all openings. The body twitched, the chest rising as oxygen was forced into it.

Lezard watched with pleased awe as the homunculus sat up, it’s body glittering with the incandescent light of a God, it’s aura forming from the remaining purple energy. The head turned slightly towards him, and he watched as the blue eyes went from cold and unlife like to awareness. Her facial muscles twitched, blue eyes narrowing into suspicion as she frowned at her surroundings. She held up her hands before her face, flexing the fingers, even as the glow faded away, still leaving her beautiful, but completely mortal. The All Mother was no more…

T.B.C.