Treachery : book 2 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Present time: Asgard

"Close your mouth" snapped Odin "You look like a gaping fish out of water! Time is against us and I must show you this, you must learn quickly"

Odin waved his hand over the stream and it seized flowing as if it had been dammed, it began to pool and get deeper. "I am going to show you what I really learnt, it will not be easy for you and I doubt you will even believe what you see but still...." The stream continued to flood and pool around the kneeling god, he beckoned for Jason to join him. "You are going to see the beginning and the end"

Jason looked curiously at the one eyed god, the water around them had raised to waist hight and yet it was somehow contained in a small area. The water got deeper and Odin splashed a few drops from the golden flask into it. Everything shifted and blurred as the water continued to rise, Jason felt nauseous and closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, Asgard was gone, their surroundings had completely changed. Odin rose to his feet and said "The most important thing to understand is that, we are nothing but ghosts here. We cannot be seen, heard or harmed in any way"

Jason got up and took in his surroundings. He gasped in horror as a memory stirred. They were in a dark and wild forest. Birds of prey cried out from trees while snakes hissed and slithered, insects buzzed. From deep shadows, eyes glittered and watched them. "Welcome to the beginning of the end, welcome to Alfheim"

Jason scowled all around at the dense foliage, he had been here before in a dream, well a nightmare really. Odin began walking off and heading for a thick patch of Foliage. Jason watched as the god passed through it like some kind of wraith. Jason muttered and cursed as he chased after Odin, he forced his way through the bushes, failing to notice that he didn't disturb even a leaf. As soon as he was through, Jason let out a long string of swear words, he drew his sword and took up a fighting stance. The clearing in which Odin had led him too was the exact same one as in the nightmare, every detail was the same, right down to the single standing stone in the centre. Jason was looking around wildly, watching every edge of the clearing. Odin gave him a withering glare and said. "Will you calm down! I told you, nothing can hurt us here!"

Jason briefly looked at Odin his eyes flashed from blue to green and gold then back again. He went back to watching the clearing, watching every branch, every root. Any second now Janus would appear and this time he wouldn't get a chance. Odin muttered a curse and sat himself down on the grass. The fool was not going to listen to him. Jason went ridged and emerald flames began to flare down the length of his blade. The foliage on the other side of the clearing was moving and Jason was watching it intently. He was going to strike first this time, Janus would know what hit him. A figure began to emerge and Jason hurled a massive fireball at them. "Oh for goodness sake!" muttered Odin. The flames passed straight through the figure and through the one behind him. The trees also were untouched by the flame. "Do you see now?" demanded Odin "We are not real here"

Jason glanced back at the god then turned back to the man and woman. Neither was Janus, although they looked human, Jason felt there was something off about them. He looked harder and tried to point out what was off. The best his mind could reason was they seemed like a cross between an elf and a vampire. They were both tall and fair skinned, pointed ears poked out from their long blonde hair. As they spoke, Jason could see very long, sharp canine teeth. There movements were slow and graceful, it spoke of power and almost a predatory grace. It was their eyes that most struck Jason. Deep green with pure gold rings around the pupils. They were dressed in forest greens and browns that seemed to blend in with their surroundings. "They are Fae!" whispered Jason. "Yes" replied Odin in a normal voice "Remember we are not here, this is little more than a memory from long ago"