“Did this Shadow Man tell you his name?” Odin asked Vanar sitting in Loki’s lap, Thor seated to their right, resting a comforting hand on the boy’s leg as Frigga seated on the other side of them held Vanar's hand.

“I don’t want to say it. I don’t want him to come here. When the Bull Man said it he came out of the wall.”

“You say this being is a shadow. Shadows are destroyed by light. If he were to appear I would blast him with the brightest bolt of lightning in the history of lightning,” said Thor, raising his hammer from the floor beside his chair.

“Airbus…like an airplane and a bus mixed together,” Vanar answered after a moment of hesitation.

“Erebus…” Odin said, correcting Vanar’s slight mistake in pronunciation, “the entity of whom I spoke yesterday.”

“You said he had been defeated,” said Loki.

“Defeated does not mean destroyed. Laufey, other enemies of Asgard and the realms have been defeated yet they live,” Odin replied, “He cannot be destroyed, only contained. He was imprisoned within an idol in the safekeeping of those who guided the civilization mortals now refer to as Ancient Greece.”

“Obviously they were sleeping on the job,” Loki quipped, “What can one expect of lesser gods?”

“If he is in need of another to do his bidding he must remain at least partially attached to the idol,” said Odin.

“Vanar said Erebus saved Dario’s life and in return he must do as he commands. Clearly he placed a similar curse on Dario, though Dario is able to control his transformation, or learned to do so over time. Erebus may have offered to lift the curse and free him from servitude in exchange for the goblet,” reasoned Loki, “but why poison Boda? He was getting what he wanted, at least he thought he was.”

“I’m not certain,” Odin answered.

“It must be another warm day in Jotunheim. The great Allfather has admitted there’s something he doesn’t know,” said Loki sarcastically.

“Loki…not now,” Frigga said admonishingly.

“Mommy says no one knows everything,” Vanar chimed in.

“She’s quite right,” Frigga agreed.

“Could there be a connection between Erebus and this Dario and Stian’s murder?” Thor asked.

“The timing is unlikely to be coincidence,” Odin replied.

“What reason would he have to take the life of a simple shepherd tending his flock?” inquired Loki.

"Erebus is able to mimic others by draining their life force. He is also capable of possessing another thus bestowing upon them that ability as well.”

“Then no one is safe,” said Thor.

“That is why I have ordered everyone to remain in their homes until the guilty party is apprehended. Anyone who must venture out is not to do so alone. That includes all of you as well,” said Odin before addressing Loki, “If ever you were to obey one of my ‘ridiculous’ edicts, let it be this one.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thor, Loki, Vanar and Boda sat around the table in the dining room of the cottage, Thor and Loki having finished their meal, Vanar picking at the last bit of food on his plate, Boda barely having touched the meal on her own.

“Vanar, finish your dinner,” said Boda as the boy sat his fork down.

“I’m full,” Vanar replied, “You didn’t eat yours.”

“I’m not hungry,” Boda responded.

Thor stood from the table, resting a hand on Vanar’s shoulder.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“I enjoy a bit of exercise after a good meal. Would you care to join me?” Thor asked the boy.

“Can I?” Vanar asked Boda.

“May I,” Boda corrected, “Yes, you may.”

“An excellent meal. Thank you,” said Thor, Vanar taking his hand as Thor turned, leading him out of the room, leaving Boda and Loki alone.

“I should clean up,” Boda said, beginning to rise, Loki reaching out and grasping her arm.

“Leave it to me,” Loki said as Boda sat back down.

“I doubt you’ve washed a dish in your life,” Boda replied.

“When we were children, my mother insisted that my brother and I assist in the kitchen. I’ve washed more than one dish in my time,” said Loki, beginning to gather up the plates and utensils, leaving Boda’s in front of her.

“You can take mine too,” Boda said.

“You should try to eat something. You need to keep your strength up. It may prolong the elixir’s effects.”

“I should have ended us both before I let him take him,” Boda said, Loki returning to his seat beside Boda, reaching over and taking Boda’s hand, “This was what I always wanted…you and I…children...a simple cottage by the sea...” Boda said morosely.

“I must be on my way soon. I agreed to meet Arvid at the tavern this evening for a drink but seeing as the tavern is closed, I’ll bring the drink to him,” Loki informed her.

“The more things change, the more they stay the same,” Boda replied bitterly.

“I plan to do as you advised.”

“You’re going to break with him? How do you think he’ll take it?”

“Likely the same as he’s taken it the other times...badly.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thor and Vanar strolled along the sandy shore of the sea. Thor stopped, turning his head, looking out over the water.

“I feel like going for a swim. How about you?” Thor announced.

“You’re not supposed to swim right after you eat.”

“Nonsense. Who told you that?” asked Thor.

“I heard someone say it on TV.”

“TV? Oh…the picture boxes in Midgard. Your father’s told me of them among other things. I haven’t visited Midgard in some time.”

“I’ve never been swimming. I don’t know how,” Vanar said.

“It’s simple. I’ll teach you,” Thor offered.

“We don’t have swim trunks.”

“Why would one need a trunk to swim?”

“You wear them.”

“How does one wear a trunk? Midgard is a strange realm,” Thor said as he began to undress.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Loki sat alone at the table as Boda entered the dining room from the kitchen, a wooden tray in her hands which she sat on the table in front of Loki. Upon it rested the large knife and the smaller knives she had discovered earlier in the drawer.

“Take these with you,” Boda said.

“Won’t we need them?” asked Loki.

“We’ll make do...it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“Oh…I’d forgotten. I brought something…” said Loki.

“You brought many things. You weren’t kidding about him being spoiled.”

Loki rose and offered his hand, Boda taking it. Loki led Boda from the dining room through the sitting room into the bedroom to stand before the wardrobe.

“Open it.”

Boda opened the wardrobe to reveal additional gowns of various colors hanging among the identical drab grey dresses. Removing a powder blue gown, she examined it.

“Thank you. Dungeon chic isn’t my style. Clearly your father didn’t want me to forget I’m still a prisoner.”

Loki and Boda heard the front door open, Vanar racing into the cottage.

“Mommy?” Vanar called out.

“In here!” Boda replied, Vanar appearing in the doorway in a pair of wet undershorts, his hair dripping water onto the floor.

“We need towels.”

“Obviously. In the washroom, in the cabinet,” Boda said, Vanar zooming off to the washroom, Loki and Boda hearing the sound of a cabinet door open and close then the sound of Vanar’s wet, bare feet running across the stone floor, followed by the front door slamming.

“What are they doing?” Boda asked, replacing the dress in the wardrobe and walking past Loki, leaving the bedroom and following Vanar’s wet footprints to the front door. Opening it, she stepped out, looking in the direction from where she heard Vanar and Thor’s voices as Loki made his way to the door.

Just as Loki reached it, Boda stepped back through into the cottage walking backwards, bumping into him, Loki stepping aside as Boda closed the door.

“Is there any wine left? I need a drink,” Boda said, turning as she walked away from Loki, exiting through the doorway into the dining room.

Loki opened the front door, stepping outside. Thor, standing on the beach wearing only a towel around his waist, watched as Vanar ran past him into the water. Catching sight of Loki as he exited the cottage, Thor grinned, raising his arm in a wave.

“I’m teaching him to swim! He’s doing quite well! Are you certain he wasn’t cursed to be a fish?” Thor called out.

“That’s wonderful…lovely…” Loki called back in reply before turning and rolling his eyes up into his head, entering the cottage and closing the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Frigga descended the stairway into the vault, two einherjar trailing behind her. They joined the other two already standing at the foot of the steps as Frigga continued on to find Odin standing before the pedestal upon which the gu had been placed, staring down thoughtfully at the vessel with his remaining eye.

“I thought I would find you here,” said Frigga, Odin turning his head to glance at her before returning his attention to the gu, Frigga stepping up next to him, looking down at it as well, “So much trouble brought about by something so small.”

“There are far more diminutive objects in the universe that would bring about worse were they to fall into the wrong hands,” Odin stated.

“It is not of relics I’ve come to speak but prophecies.”

“My father’s last words are only one of many. What is destined to be will be. Even I lack the ability to alter fate.”

“You have decided her fate is to die?” Frigga asked.