Treachery : book 2 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Present time: Asgard

Jason Redfield lay motionless and hardly daring to breath. How long had he been laying like this? How long could he keep it up? The final memories of the battle, crashing around in his skull, the arrow in the neck, feeling his life fade, Eva....sweet beautiful Eva lying dead at his feet, The witches. Something was very wrong, Jason could feel it in every fibre of his body. Elysium had a certain smell to it, decayed and musty. The constant storms didn't improve it. Also he had fallen in the city centre, there was hard cobbled streets beneath his body but now it felt soft. He could here birds singing, feel a warm spring sunshine beating down on his back. The gentle breeze smelt fresh. Jason didn't dare to open his eyes. He couldn't allow the idea to form in his mind. He could smell the grass he was lying on. He had died, he knew that much, but could he really be here? Jason swore softly and pushed himself up into a kneeling position, finally opening his eyes. Jason gasped at what he saw, tears of joy began to well at his eyes. He had seen many beautiful places in Midgard but this was a whole other level. Fields of lush green grass, rivers and streams running through valleys and rolling hills, distant snow-capped mountains. Jason turned in a slow circle taking in the whole scene, beautiful forests, bird's flying free in blue skies. Before he knew it, Jason was running. Upon a hill that dominated the whole place was a great hall, shining golden in the sun. It had to be, it just had to be Valhalla. Finally Jason was going to meet his gods, Odin would welcome him in and he would feast with the greatest warriors in history.

Jason was out of breath by the time he reached the hills summit, he stood before the great doors and tried to hold back his excitement. He had to get control, this was no state to be in to enter such a legendry place. He looked at the runic inscriptions above the doors then caught a whiff of something dirty? He looked down at his clothes and groaned. He was exactly as he had been when he had died. His black Druid robe was filthy, his long hair was matted with dirt and gore. He pulled his sword a short way out of its scabbard. Just as he feared, it was caked in dried on blood. Is this how a warrior entered Valhalla? Would all the others look at him and cheer or would they just see a filthy man? Why wasn't anyone around to tell him or guide him? Jason decided that maybe he should at least be presentable. He would go back to one of the little streams and try to clean up a bit first.

The water was pleasantly warm, at first Jason was conscious about stripping off but there had been no sign of anyone. The warm breeze played over his bare skin and as time passed he began to relax. He hung all his wet clothes on some nearby rocks to dry off then led back in the long grass. He mused on the different start to Elysium, there he had been soaked through, cold and miserable and quite possibly losing his mind. Now here he was sunbathing naked. He chuckled to himself. Even if this wasn't Asgard, it was a big upgrade from Elysium. He wondered about the others, had Cassie and little Alexia made it here? What about cranky old Tiberius? And of course Eva. That was the priority, find out what had become of Eva. He loved Cassie as a friend, got on well with Alexia and respected Tiberius greatly but they could all wait. The sun soothed him and his mind began to drift off, he thought of Eva, praying she was ok, vowing he would find her again when a voice cut right through his train of thoughts.

"Oh my! Well I say, I expected to find you on the ground. But I must say, I wasn't prepared to find you spread eagled in the grass and naked!"

Jason was on his feet in an instant, face burning as he tried to locate the source of the voice. He heard a very familiar sarcastic and mocking laugh but could place who it belonged to or where it was coming from.

"Who are you? Show yourself"

The reply was dripping with sarcasm and so familiar

"I think you are doing enough showing for the both of us"

Oh, that sarcastic voice. There was only one person that could belong too. Well person wasn't really the right the right word.

"Brutus?"

"Present"

Jason watched as the long grass parted and a little black cat with emerald green eyes walked towards him.

"I thought you were dead!"

"Oh please. If you can live on, why can't I? Cat's do have nine lives you know, unlike mortals who are only meant to have two."

Jason considered that, what did Brutus mean only two? Yes he had died twice already, that thought sent chills down his spine. He was starting a third life. As for Brutus, he wasn't really a cat. Jason suspected it was Freyja's magic that had created him. For the Goddess was always associated with felines. Household cat or giant wild lion, it was said all would lay at her feet and adore her.

"I'm sorry Brutus, I didn't mean to offend you. It's been a rough time, what with dying again!"

Again that though sent a chill down Jason's spine. The little black cat was looking at him with a mocking glare. Brutus had always been able to make his cat features look very human when he wanted.

"Well you're certainly having fun at the wake! Anyway get dressed, your presence is required. I doubt you want to be wandering around Asgard naked!"

Jason stared at the cat. that was very abrupt for Brutus, it sounded almost like an order. Again Jason wondered about who Brutus really was and why the sudden change in attitude.

"That's because it was an order!" snapped Brutus "You will soon have all the answers and I fear you will not enjoy what you learn"

"Why? Where am I needed?"

"In Valhalla of course. Now hurry up and get dressed!"

Jason rapidly dressed in his still damp clothes, at least they were cleaner. The excitement was building again. This was Asgard, Brutus had confirmed that much. He was summoned to Valhalla, the home of Odin and Freyja, the gods whom he had always served and trusted. The ones he had never lost faith in. Odin was wise and could see all, he would know where Eva was. He would help get her back. Once dressed, Jason adjusted the sword at his hip for the tenth time and looked around but could no longer see the little black cat.

"Brutus?"

There was no answer, still it was clear where he had to go. This was it, this was his big moment, his welcome into the most legendry hall in history.

Back outside the great doors, Jason straightened his robe and swept his damp hair back, he fussed with his swords position repeatedly. He kept reading the inscription above the doors, nerves were getting the better of him but also a feeling of doubt was creeping in. something was off but he couldn't put his finger on it. This was the place where great warriors came to feast and drink, to celebrate great deeds of valour, mighty battles, to laugh and be merry, to get into drunken brawls of mock fights. So why was it so quiet? It hit Jason all at once, the whole of Asgard had a quietness about it. Even the birds had gone quiet. Memories of the disturbing silence of Elysium stirred. Jason shook them off and pressed his ear up against the door but could hear nothing. Was it spelled or enchanted to keep the noise inside? That did make sense, it would be a shame to ruin the peace of the place. There was only one way to find out, Jason straightened his back and adjusted his sword one last time before pushing the great oak doors open and going in.