Of Gods & Valkyries: Book Three

Pursuits

"Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak." 
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War 

– K Á R A –

The gleaming damandium was an extension of myself. I entered the realm in a burning circle of light and I intended to fight in the same dazzling impossibility. The immortals fell to my hand one after the other. Every traitor that stood on the wrong side of the gods was my duty to end.

I used everything Odin had bestowed as his original. And it was more than enough.

The winds of Athena could not stop me. Nor the waters of Poseidon. The earth of Hades crumbled under my bolts of pure purple infused power. Then there was Ares fire.

Ares original. It was as clear as the high suns over my mountainous home in Valhalla.

She had fought to the knife edge as I had. The only near equal I had ever faced. My only purpose was to be the weapon the right god needed. I was fighting on the right side. Ours was the side of justice. The side that would see Ares destroyed for splitting the gods apart so brutally in his power mad desires for total control.

The other gods had paid the price already. There were no guarantees for any among us.

We fought with everything we had in the god warring time. Surging elementals an extension of the gods power themselves. Even fighting Valkyries below us couldn't help but pause in awe as we fought on high in the skies of Valhalla. Our elementals surged in impossible explosions. Floating rocks the size of taverns collided around us as we took the fight out on steps of bright white power.

Stormbringer, you must finish this. There must be none left infected with Ares will. Only the Valkyries of Odin can restore balance to the realm.

I will see it done, Odin. In this realm and the next.

"Kára, please! Please do not make me fight you–" Ares slave begged me.

The desperation in her eyes only told me she was on the losing side and nothing more.

I twisted at a speed she could only meet because of her close ties to Ares. Otherwise I would have her struck through with a bolt of lightening so powerful not even damandium would stop it.

"Enough. You have made your choice, immortal. You chose the side of deception and power–now you will pay for it." I snarled over our crossed blades.

She threw me off with a parry and twist that I hadn't come across... yet. I tucked it away along with every other tell she gave. Adapting and learning–perhaps she was even doing the same. But I would be faster. Stronger. 

I had to be.

"You do not remember! He has taken everything from you–you would never do this! Would never hurt–"

"The sooner I take your head from your shoulders the sooner I can be done with your lies!" I roared, ripping the shield from my back and flinging it into her guard. It sent one of her blades spinning away but she rapidly replaced it with a dagger the size of her forearm.

The rest of her was a blur of fire red hair and gold armour with chainmail closely fitted to her arms.

"I'm trying to save you–damn it Kára!" She shouted, dancing back from my endless advance.

The dance went on for many more slithers. Our power was as endless as our skill. But mistakes were inevitable. She made hers first and I did not fail to see it. Her second weapon was launched from her grip and she no longer had the reach to engage. She knew this. I cared not.