Throughout Sweiza’s lifetime, she remembers many times when she had to endure hardships or had an obstacle in her path. It wasn’t just enough to be a farmer’s daughter that could sit idly. She had to find a challenge and overcome it.

-She wanted to be a knight, then had to practice to be a shrine maiden; then she had to do both. It turns out being an armored maiden has its perks; she may not be a maiden, but she is learning grace and refinement through Strife.

-Disobeying mama and papa meant sleeping out in the woodshed; she finally ran away. To live in the outdoors was something she did not enjoy at first. She loved it. It turns out her parents were worried sick about her. The three learned to get a long better since. Sweiza also enjoyed sleeping out in the woodshed on occasion.

-Her father may be a farmer, but he was also a carpenter. His family had just enough to get by. Sweiza learned to ‘rough’ it and also use her imagination.

-Sweiza has a temper and fiery spirit; her boisterous curiosity and headstrong disposition also got her in to trouble. She knows how to find her way out of trouble and doesn’t back down in an argument. It’s still hit or miss on that last one.

-It was unusual for weapons to be openly displayed in Maria Village unless it was by a knight or a certain village sentry (Valkyrie). The village frowned on her carrying a dagger around with her. She made a compromise. She learned to be good with a machete. The village’s ceremonial chakrams were also known to be carried for self defense. Sweiza likes the circular oddities. Then there was the tonfa, which is useful in melee or vs swordplay.

-Martial arts was also almost always taught to the boys. A few of the older women knew it. Sweiza peaked. She learned some basic stances; she wanted more.

…more. Always wanting more and getting into trouble…

—

“Strife!”

Strife looks behind her as Sweiza lets out a shriek. Strife shakes her head once towards the giant hand reaching towards her. Her armor is already on. Sweiza ducks and crouches. Strife’s concentration is on the outstretched hand almost on them. She doesn’t have time to use a sword. Instead her lance is out and takes a slash at the giant. It prick’s Loki’s finger and the hand withdraws. This time it comes quicker. Again another slash.

“Vera!”

Strife looks back at her young apprentice. Sweiza again cowers.

Strife turns around once to see the giant’s hand in a fist. It is coming at her. She doesn’t miss a beat.

The next thing Sweiza knows, she feel’s Strife’s hand grab her and hard. The woman literally pulls her from her sitting position and they fall to the ground. Sweiza lets out a groan.

Strife feels her heart skip a beat as the hand and its shadow pass over them. Sweiza lets out another scream. She can feel the blood draining from her head. She feels like she is going to faint.

“Vera, this isn’t the time!” Strife says it with urgency. Sweiza’s head shakes groggy. She tries to pull herself up but her body doesn’t respond. She feels as if something is lifting her.

She feels Strife’s arms under her. It feels almost as if she is buoyant. She raises an unsteady finger up at the giant that is now following them. Wait. They’re moving? How? Sweiza looks to the side and sees the trees moving behind them. This isn’t possible. How are they flying? Sweiza looks an unsteady gaze up at Strife whom is strictly focused with her eyesight on the trees in front of them. Sweiza then sees it, what appear to be a pair of wings in the form of a transparent red hued vapor trailing behind her. Her body is definitely horizontal with her legs partially behind her. How is she doing that?

Just as they hit the trees, this action is too much and Sweiza finally passes out.

—

A flash of lightning. That’s what it is. It transcends itself through a violet aurora; as it does so, both spark a rainbow of a thousand random colors. Another bolt of lightning. No, wait… there is something odd about it. It is a mountain range. The sparks are emanating from something colliding with it. A hammer?

Sweiza’s eyes scowl. Her hand instinctively comes up to shield her eyes. She looks closer. She can barely see it, that same familiar clothing revealed with each familiar spark ushering away each shadow. Loki is working some kind of forge in the mountains. Does he know what they want? Just how tall is he anyway?

“We are within that thing’s presence.”

Sweiza blinks once and looks over. Demi is standing there next to her. Sweiza’s emotions finally take over. Demi is taken aback when the girl hurries up and holds him in a tight hug.

“I thought he got you!”

Demi tries to take a trembling hand and push her away. “Don’t forget I’m you. The things you dislike, so do I.”

It takes Sweiza a minute to realize what he means. She doesn’t like being touched or molly coddled by others. However, she doesn’t let go. Instead she leans her neck over Demi’s shoulder and whispers something in his ear.

“If you’re me, then why aren’t you stronger in my dreams than that giant is?”

Demi promply clears his throat. Sweiza finally lets go.

“I felt his presence the night we first met.”

Sweiza scowls. “You mean when you tried to assert control over me?”

“Oh please, you couldn’t even control yourself.”

Sweiza raises her hand to slap him across the face. Demi’s ears shoot back. He shakes a disapproving head at her.

“You need to control your temper and listen to what is in your better interests.”

“And if I don’t?”

Demi’s arms cross. “You also remember what happened that night you didn’t listen to the one that knighted you Valkyrie?”

Sweiza takes in an immediate and shaky breath. Her whole body shudders. What those bandits did to her. It is most certainly the reason she still has resentment for Strife, at least the future one.

“Strife?” Sweiza shrugs with her hands open.

“Yes, I believe you call her that.”

“I don’t know, she never revealed her name to me.”

Sweiza raises a finger and opens her mouth to say something. Demi shakes his head at her again. Sweiza shrugs again and simply sits on the ground, her focus tends up to the sparking ‘fireworks’ some distance away. Demi clears his throat. Sweiza’s attention focuses back on him.

Demi’s hands cross. “I can feel your resentment towards her. It is unfounded. You were raped in a dream.”

Sweiza’s eyebrows shoot up. “No way! I remember exactly how it felt!”

“And I’m sure you hated every second of it. But as I was saying before…”

Sweiza scoffs at him.

This time Demi walks up to her, crouches down and grabs her by the cuff of her shirt.

“You look here you little shit, I’m trying to help you. Whether you want it or not is not my concern. I don’t want to die. If you die, I die, is that clear?”

Sweiza looks away from him. Demi pushes her to the ground. He stands up and looks down on her.

“You were raped in a dream, get over it. None of us dream mares ask to exist, it just happens. You were knighted Valkyrie, I became a dream mare of your armor. I can only speak to you in your dreams. There are certain things I can pick up on that you cannot in the waking world. Likewise, I need your help to relate anything to me in this void. Do you understand this reality?”

Sweiza looks away with no regret. Demi keeps speaking anyway.

“I can feel some kind of presence around you. It feels like my own tied to someone that feels like you. I think you are of the same kin. Regardless, she wants you to live. However…” He trails off and turns around to look back in the distance. Another spark. He looks back to Sweiza. She is looking up at him, but then looks back to the mountain. Demi continues, “I can also feel that things presence. He is trying to invade your dreams. If he keeps it up, you are going to become like the many fowl things that inhabit this area. He has control over them, I can feel it. This is not something you want to happen to you. Just so you know, I felt his presence and one other the night you became a Valkyrie. I think you call them gods. I felt their presence shift for some reason some time later, it has shifted again. I want you to ask your mentor about this.”

Demi grabs Sweiza up by the arm. He is strong. Sweiza can’t tell if he’s using her dreamscape to enhance his being or not. Demi promptly dusts her off.

“Learn that there are people that want to be you friend. That one you call Strife is one of them.”

He finishes dusting her off.

“Also, the longer we spend talking in these dreams, the harder it is for me to manifest, especially with that giant’s presence. It is very draining and will affect you out in the waking world. Is that clear? He took a hit on me the first time and I’m still feeling the affects.”

His hands go down to his sides and his expression lightens, he is about to say something, but freezes. They feel several rumbles behind them. Sweiza can barely see it, but she sees the giant’s face in the moonlight. He is moving at the breadth of the mountain, almost as if searching for something.

Demi’s voice becomes nervous, “He’s looking for us. He can feel our presence. I need to go, or he will find your real location.”

Demi disappears. Sweiza hears a ‘farewell friend’ in his voice.

Sweiza freezes when the giant turns around and his direction faces directly at her.

—-

Sweiza awakens to the sheer of thunder in the distance. She looks up. Stars. Several of Avalan’s moons. A red aurora adorns the sky. Her head shifts to the left. Strife is there. She has a bruise on her arm and what look like several cuts on her face. Strife’s expression is hard, but it softens when she sees the girl rouse.

“You’re awake. Did you have a good sleep?”

Sweiza looks up at her dumbfounded.

“Young ladies are wise to hold their silence than to act a fool, but I it wise in this case to give a pleasant answer.”

Sweiza shakes her head.

“You didn’t have a good sleep, or…”

Strife freezes. There is an earthquake in the distance. It rumbles, but then stops.

Strife is about to say something. She can hear more of the rumbling. It takes a rhythmic cycle.

“We need to move…” Strife says it with slow and serious intent.

She grabs Sweiza by the arm and then pulls her up. Strife’s strength surprises the girl.

Strife pulls her into a brisk walk. She pulls out an animal hide canteen and hands it to Sweiza.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“Drink. Hurry.”

Sweiza hesitates.

“Drink dammit, we have a long walk ahead of us!”

Strife shoves it in front of Sweiza. The girl does as she is told. The skin is flimsy and awkward to hold. Strife promptly grabs the base and pulls it up just as Sweiza pulls it to her mouth. Water spills all over her. Sweiza lets out several coughs after several gulps.

The canteen disappears from the woman’s arm. She grabs Sweiza by the hand and starts pulling her.

“Move!”

This is going to be a long night.

—

Their brisk pace lasts about an hour and a half. Sweiza finally slows huffing and puffing. Strife slows to accompany her student. Sweiza finally stops and stoops over with her hands on her legs. She breathes hard from the effort. Strife gently massages her on the back.

“You did well.”

Strife turns around and a snide look adorns her face. She remembers what Demi told her. She deliberately stifles her face.

“Weren’t you flying earlier? Can’t we both do that to escape?”

Strife shakes her head. “It’s only for emergencies. Even then, once I return to Valhalla, Odin will want a full report. You should know a Valkyrie will be punished if it is misused.”

Sweiza stands up, puffing just a little less. She is about to say something, but Demi’s words ring in her head. Several ruminations and memories hit her.

“What can you tell me about Dreammares?”

Strife tilts her head at the girl. A curious question. “I would have thought I would have told you about that shortly after I knighted you.”

Sweiza shakes her head, “No such thing. In fact you seem to keep secrets.”

Strife’s hand goes up to a strand over her left ear. She flicks it once. “Perhaps for your safety.”

Sweiza is finally standing and then moving, her breathing somewhat normal, “Blablabla.” Sweiza grimaces once and then rolls her eyes at Strife. Strife also mock grimaces at the girl, but it quickly quivers into laughter. Strife catches herself and stifles herself. She promptly stiffens up and clicks her heels together.

Sweiza stares at her wide eyed.

“Okay, so as you know…” Strife starts circling her, acting overly pretentious for effect, “Dreammares are a part of our being. They inhabit our armor. They pick up on things we cannot.”

“Mine said that it can feel the presence of Odin and Loki.”

Strife stops and puts her hands on the girl’s shoulders, “Yes. They can feel the presence of enchanted or magical beings in the vicinity for some distance. The problem is communicating this information. They seem to be able to have premonitions about our future based on our current state. They are there to give us advice and warnings.”

Strife let’s go of Sweiza’s shoulders. She taps her on the shoulder once. “Did your Dreammare relate something?”

Sweiza nods. However, she doesn’t answer right away.

“Well? What did it say?”

“When I was knighted I underwent some kind of trial. It said that those were dreams.”

Strife nods once, “As your dreammares are born, a world is built up within you. This so to speak is your ability to hold weapons and items in your being. It is also your dreammare’s way, or rather I should say your armor’s way, of building up information about your surroundings. It seems to be tuned to the supernatural incase of the Valkyrie. To some limited degree they’ve been known to predict the future.”

Sweiza’s arms cradle herself and she shudders.

“What?” Strife says it with some concern at the girl. As much as she would like to continue running, if a dreammare has something important towards there situation she wants to hear it.

Sweiza looks away from Strife.

“Vera, no secrets between Valkyrie.”

“During my trials I was raped. It is one of my worst fears turned nightmare. My dreammare said it was a dream. He said it was my fault for not listening to you.”

“Vera, listen carefully. In order for a Valkyrie to be knighted, they must be killed.”

Sweiza starts backing away from Strife. Strife approaches her. Sweiza backs into a tree. Strife is just one foot form her face. Her eyebrows perk at the girl.

“A Valkyrie is the chooser of the slain, that includes other Valkyrie. Valkyrie undergo their trial based on their background, environment and who knighted them. It all plays a factor.”

Sweiza is clearly not impressed at this development. It’s almost as if she refuses to believe Strife. Sweiza simply lets out an “Oh.” She attempts to turn away from Strife and remove her back from the tree. Strife blocks the girl’s retreat with her arm.

“There is one other thing Vera. I’m sure you’ve noticed your dreams have been odd lately.”

Sweiza’s eyes narrow. “Let me go.”

Strife removes her hand. Sweiza starts off with out her. Strife quickly follows her.

“You are not my friend! You’re a terrible bitch of the worst sort!”

Strife flinches at the word. She continues following Sweiza. There is no end to the girl’s hurried pace. Sweiza finally breaks into a run. Strife follows. Strife tells her to wait. Sweiza turns once distracted and knocks into a tree. The girl feels stars and passes out…

—

Sweiza sees it. Down below her a mountain range. There are several nearby villages. However, one of the mountains catches her interest. She somehow sees a close up view of it. A cave?

“That giant has been herding you.”

Sweiza blinks once, then seemingly hovering, she turns around and sees Demi.

An earthquake?

The ground rumbles beneath her.

“The snake’s venom does this when it drips on it. I can feel his pain.”

“If he has been herding us, what does he want?”

“I’m not good at reading other being’s minds and I don’t know if that’s an ability I get… Its also too soon for this, I’m feeling weak. I can feel him…”

“Demi?”

Demi fades as down Sweiza’s surroundings fade to black.

—

“Wake up!”

Sweiza feels her body shaking. She then feels cold water splash her face.

“Wake up!”

Sweiza lets out a cough and a groan.

Strife shakes her shoulder again. Sweiza’s eyes perk. She looks up at the woman groggy.

“He’s been herding us towards his ‘torture chamber’.”

Strife gives a light smile, “I had a feeling.”

“Lets go.” Strife helps the girl to her feet.

Sweiza staggers once. “I think I owe you a few times. You keep looking after me.”

Strife gives a brief chuckle, “This is what Valkyriekin do…” She nudges Sweiza playfully, “…and especially friends. Remember, no secrets between us.”

Sweiza finally understands. “Is that a tradition or something of you made up?”

“It’s an older tradition, but a little bit of both. I understood the importance of friendship once I lost them all. I wish more Valkyrie were so inclined, but the older ones can be stubborn if you catch me.”

Sweiza blinks once. “You were rather stubborn in the future.”

Strife’s eyebrows perk as she looks down at her. She otherwise says nothing to the girl.

Sweiza looks away. “Sorry for being so much trouble.”

She looks up. Strife has her hand offered to Sweiza. She helps her up and they are on there way.

—

It is some hours time and the two have been walking in the direction of Strife’s (Skuld’s rather) penchant. The logic is simple. Loki is chaotic and has malificent intent. Therefor when all the clock hands align in a compass in one direction with the internal crystal a deep black or purple color, that is there mark.

Along the way they talk about this and that.

-Valkyrie are indeed killed in order to become Valkyrie. A Valkyrie effectively chooses someone to be slain, either as an enforcer, someone to become a warrior, or to knight a Valkyrie.

-There are roughly two thousand Valkyrie. One on average is knighted every two or three years. There are about five hundred Valken. However, there are many, many more fallen warriors that grace the Halls of the Fallen in Castle Gungir.

-Odin has made questionable decisions as of the last three decades. The house of Strife’s parents being demolished among other things, is why she resents him. All of the canals are there for a reason, but many houses were demolished in the process. For this reason and many others, are why many of the populace oppose Odin.

-There is a secret order of Valkyrie that opposes Odin. They number some two hundred.

-Starla is Sweiza’s given name; Sweiza is more of a nickname. Strife wondered about the word “Sweiza” on her rucksack.

-Sweiza’s life in the future; her chores with the village, her relation with villagers, the annual pilgrimage festival, how she deals with things on her own, how she met Strife, how she met Sprite…

“Wait… where is that little shit anyway?” Sweiza looks around and realizes she hasn’t seen him for some time. Strife gives a quick gander around, but doesn’t say anything. Sweiza lets out several clicks, then a chirp. Nothing. She finally lets out a really bad squawk. Nothing. Finally she inserts two fingers into her mouth and lets out a very loud and shrill whistle.

Sweiza hears a faint squawk. She looks straight up. He’s been hiding beyond the trees.

Strife sees a blue glow above them. The glow disappears. “He’s pretty good at that. But this is not the place to be hiding above the trees. There are many predators above and below. We need to stick together.”

Sweiza lets out another whistle, this time less shrill. The blue orb flickers once and then a small object comes straight for them. It gets bigger. It is indeed Sprite. He lets out a small chirp before landing on all fours on her shoulder. He is panting.

“Poor thing. He’s probably been trying to stay hidden this entire time.” Strife looks down at him. “What he probably needs is some food.”

The sprite’s wings flutter once. Strife holds out her hand and a small pastry is in it. Sweiza blinks at it once. Valkyrie can conceal food in their being? Nice!

Sprite thinks the same thing. Sweiza comes back to reality and already sees he is greedily gobbling it up (her words for it). Little pig that he is. Sweiza shakes her head.

—

It is some hours time. The trees give way and they find themselves quickly approaching the village at the foot of a large mountain range. It is not too unfamiliar to the one in Sweiza’s dream. From some distance away there is a large dark depression in the mountain’s face at the furthest end of the village. It appears to be a cave opening. Strife finally holds her hand out and produces the penchant. It’s hand point straight forward the cave; the crystal glows between black and a dark purple.

Sweiza gazes from the penchant to Strife and then the village, “Last one there is…” Sweiza attempts to break into a run, but she feels Strife grab her by the hand. There is a hard pull on her. Sweiza lets out a grunt. “Hey!”

Strife shakes her head and puts her finger up to her mouth. The universal ‘quit being obnoxious’ sign.

“Why?”

“Look at the edge of the village…” Strife points along the perimeter. It is a wooden fort and embankment rolled into one. A water moat travels alongside the perimeter of the fortlike structure. Strife also points to the opposite sides and front of the village.

“I don’t see it.”

“Look harder.” Strife comes alongside and behind Sweiza. She points her finger along her gaze.

Sweiza squints once, then uses her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. She finally sees it.

“The doors? A raised gate?

“Yes dear. This is most likely a well guarded village or a seat of government of sorts for this area. It might be a military installation. I wouldn’t be surprised if the locals worship Loki if not having him outright control them.”

“How can he have control of them if he is a mischief maker full of malice?”

Sweiza wrinkles her nose at the thought. Odin is bad enough, but Loki has followers?

Strife’s face brightens. She waves for Sweiza to follow her at a walking pace towards the village.

“They will most likely be civil, but show them nothing but respect. This is their country and it is a very untame one. Expect anything.”

“But what about Loki?”

Strife stops. “From what I recall, Odin prefers to be allknowing; he seeks wisdom from the many secrets in his travels through Midgard. He prefers the physical and to give wisdom. He wants to gain perception of and predict the future. Thor simply believes in establishing order and maintaining it. Loki prefers sparking events through simple acts that cause great change. Riddles and wordplay, lies, misinformation, mischief, mindgames, shapeshifting are all tools that he claims. I am hoping that the dream’s I’ve been having will confirm his penchant for the mind.”

“Why not just keep an explanation simple Strife?”

Strife’s eyebrows perk, but her face drops into a frown, albeit a friendly one, “So that you may learn Miss Serif.”

Strife’s eyes open wide. She looks at the girl in disbelief. Strife’s hand quickly comes up to her mouth and she claps it lightly several times. “My apologies, Vera. I forget you don’t like that form of address.”

Sweiza scoffs. “You’ve been having dreams?”

“Same as you.”

“You didn’t tell me.” Sweiza’s hands come down to her hips. “What about no secrets?”

“I am the master. I make the decisions.” Strife’s eyebrows perk up.

Sweiza is undeterred, “No secrets!”

“Ah, whatever. In the dreams he knows I seek the hammer. He comes to me as a beautiful man. He promises fame and fortune in exchange for releasing him. Simply out of the question.” Strife muses at the idea. She has no interest in marrying a god, let alone the disgusting creature known as ‘Loki’. Really, a giant. How could anyone want to marry such a thing. What if Valhalla knew? Then there was Sigurd…

Strife snaps back to reality. “Let’s go Vera.”

Sweiza amply follows along without further question.

—

At the gates of the village, they see there is a wooden bridge around a moat. The moat isn’t clear, but is full of a disgusting brown murky liquid. Strife wagers it is sludge or some kind of waste. Perhaps they have plumbing. However, the crossed gate is closed.

Strife walks up to the bridge, but stays beyond its perimeter.

“HAIL!” She says it in a loud voice. She can hear muffled voices from the upper part of the gate, but sees no one. She then produces a horn in her hand. She holds it to her lips and blows it. It lets out an ominous and deep earthy noise that reverberates throughout the area. Sweiza jumps at the noise. Sweiza looks for Sprite once, but sees he is staying well hidden. Her attention shifts to the gate. There are several figures now standing waist high above the wooden wall surrounding the village. They are most likely on some kind of platform. Sweiza shields her eyes from the sun again. She can barely make out their colors. They appear to be variations of grey.

They look fat and muscled to her. One has a big belly. They are in some kind of armor and are holding spears. One is holding a bow.

“Ogres… no… they don’t normally live in villages… Orcs maybe? Most likely.” Sweiza mutters it to no one.

Her mentor walks ahead several paces until she is on the bridge. Sweiza once again hears her mentor call out, “Hail! We come in peace and wish to pay our respects to Lokisenna, our rightful lord and master of all nine realms.”

The guards excitedly speak to each other. One of them finally bellows at Strife. It sounds like a low growl.

“You are far from Midgard. Why would a human woman bring herself to the Maw of Mischief?”

There is definite suspicion in his voice. However, Sweiza is too busy wondering about the name. Is it a village, or perhaps referring to the cave’s mouth?

“We are ousted Valkyriekin of Valhalla.”

Strife clicks her heals together.

One of the orcs flinches at the words “Valkyriekin of Valhalla”.

The same orc from before bellows again, “Your kind isn’t welcome here.”

Strife remains undeterred. She clicks her heels together again. “Tell your master that we bring ill tidings of Valhalla.”

The orc bellows once more, “You declare war?”

Strife smirks as her hands come down to her hips. Her plan is working. “Negatory. Odin has gone mad. There is talk of rebellion. We are outcast Valkyrie looking to raise an army.”

This gets the guards excitedly talking to each other and nodding. They silence and another orc speaks. “Master Loki will hear of this. You will wait here. If he does not seek an audience, you will leave, or we will declare war. Agreed?”

Strife clicks her heels together then bows. “Agreed.”

Strife raises the horn once more and blows into it. One of the guards disappears. The others simply stand stiff as they watch Strife. The woman walks back to her apprentice.

Sweiza looks at her wide-eyed. Strife’s face brightens; she can clearly see the bewilderment on Sweiza’s face. Strife’s face shows delight, “So far so good.”

“You’re crazy!” Sweiza says it as a matter of factually. She peaks her head around Strife up at the guards. They are watching the two closely. Sweiza’s head slinks back behind Strife. “What if they kill us?”

Strife simply clicks her heels together. “We are the choosers of the slain; a fate far worse then death awaits us.”

Sweiza looks up once more at the guards with ill omen. Orcs, ogres, goblins and trolls do not mix with humans well. Looking deep into Strife’s eyes, in Sweiza’s mind, this cannot end well. The goddess (of fertility) only knows if they’ll make it to Loki or not.