Treachery : book 2 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Present time: Asgard

Jason rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Surly he wasn't seeing this? He felt like part of his heart was dying. On either side of the hall were the two great fireplaces, just like the legends told. But they were cold and dark. All the feasting tables were there but they sat empty and covered in a very thick layer of dust. Jason began moving slowly through the hall like a man walking through a nightmare, he traced his finger through the dust on one of the tables. Shields and weapons decorated all the walls and the supporting pillars but they were rusted and dulled with age. There were many torches in brackets on the walls but none burned, the whole place was in a gloomy twilight. Jason looked up to the back of hall where the raised stage was. One torch did burn at that end, its feeble light revealed the great table where the twenty six gods of Odin's high court sat. Jason's sob of despair echoed through the hall, his heart broke as he fell to his knees. This place was little more than a tomb of a time long gone. There was not a single god present. Where are they? Where are my gods? Jason punched the stone floor in anger, rage took over and he punched it again and again. The pain in his hand made him pause, the pain was real, the hall was real and he was really here. So why are the gods not? Jason desperately looked around the gloomy hall through tear blurred eyes. He swept his gaze over the gods table again and thought he caught a glimpse of emerald green.

He got to his feet and scrubbed at his eyes, he started heading that way and yes, he had seen. Two emerald green eyes were watching him. Jason knew those eyes well and as he climbed the stage he saw Brutus sitting in one of the chairs at the head of the table. Perched on the back of the other chair at the head of the table was the great black raven. Jason eyed the cat reproachfully but he spoke directly to the bird

"So I was right all along, you are not just a simple crow. The fact that you both have chosen the seats at the head of this table makes me think I was right about many things. Will you finally speak to me?"

"He can't" said Brutus. Jason swung his gaze to the little black cat and glared. Brutus was still speaking only in Jason's head so Jason fell back on only talking from his mind.

"Why not? You can"

Brutus sighed deeply "Because once a telepathic link is created, it can never be undone. You and I will bear this burden for the rest of our existence."

Jason narrowed his eyes at the use of the word existence rather than life, it was an odd choice. He looked back to the raven but kept up his conversation with the cat

"I know you are not Odin." He pointed at the bird "I would say he is and I strongly believe you are Freyja. So I must, why is it ok for us to have this this link but not for me and him?"

Brutus let out another deep sigh, his cover had clearly been blown for a long time, Jason was just too observant. He gave up on pretences

"Odin sees all and knows all. He has drunk from the well of knowledge, he has seen things and knows of things that would break a lesser god. The risk with this link is that in time you may be able to break into my mind. See my thoughts, share my knowledge. Odin feared if you two shared that link and discovered the things he knows it would destroy you, mentally unhinge you for ever"

Jason flicked his gaze back and forth between the cat and the raven

"So why am I allowed this risk with you Freyja? Are you not wise? Do you not know great magic's and terrible secrets?"

Brutus bowed his head

"I do have great wisdom but it is different from Odin's. I do not have the burdens of the horrors he has seen or live with the crushing loneliness that true enlightenment brings"