Magnus Chase - Rise Of Darkness

Chapter 22 - Death Waits For No Man

The  sky was nothing like what we have seen before. As was the building.

After stepping through the rift, it was obvious that this was not going to lead anywhere good.

Wherever we were was definitely polluted, the night sky, which was usually clear and star decorated, was practically brown from smog. Dusty frost blew on us from the winds to the left. The brown and white snow coming up to our ankles. What I would give for a warm summer sun right now.

But the main sight was in front of us. A gray warehouse towered above us, roughly two to three stories tall. Blacked out windows reflected us and the sky. A long, barbed wire mesh fence wrapped around the perimeter of this horror house.

Next to me, Cyrus' breath hitched. "I'm back." their voice was trembling. "Of course she would choose here of all places."

Saar and I looked up at the fear stricken berserker; quite a rare sight. "What do you mean this place? What's going on?" Saar demanded. She was not the most sympathetic individual.

"Cyrus," I spoke softly. I suddenly felt a strange urge to be cautious and gentle with the beast. "You know this place, how can we help?"

All Cyrus did was stare at the building. "This is the place you saw Magnus." Thier voice was grave, so it took me a minute to figure that they went the duel in Nifleheim.

The memories of being strapped to a table, dissected, tested, shaved, stripped of humanity and morality since they were a child. The hand of agony clawed at my chest as I stared down the warrior's empty eyes.

For a moment, I thought I could hear the grumble of a growling animal in their chest, building up a pressure to roar in anger. But as it grew louder, the idealization came that it wasn't from Cyrus.

Over our heads, a black, military helicopter flew over our heads. The blinding beam of a searchlight targeting us.

"Take over!" Cyrus screamed, holding their hands to their ears. Saar and I reciprocated, but it was no use. As Saar tried to fire an arrow, a shot rang out as she collapsed into the muddy snow with a yelp. A net cocooning her.

The daughter of Hodur's name was ripped from my throat. I wanted to dart over and help her, but Cyrus held me back.

"Stay with me Magnus!" Cyrus ordered, their muscular arm holding me back. The champion tried to drag me away, putting distance between us and the zombies now swarming the captured mafia leader. There was nowhere to hide.

Cyrus was desperate, but took my arm to drag me around. The physical contact, Cyrus' delirious pleads, plus my high adrenaline, made me more and more frantic.

Our luck ran out. A militia of zombies spotted us, firing their guns and throwing their weapons. The spinning blade of an axe snagged me on the shoulder, tossing me to the snow.

"Gah!" I cried, cradling my arm. The murky icy ground was tinted red with wine colored ink. The blood mostly being absorbed by my clothes.

"No!" I heard Cyrus shout, but their yells were drowned out by the incoherent growls of zombies hoarding us. They brought Cyrus to the ground, bounding their arms and legs. I could see the sonic waves laser out of the mosh pit every now and then.

My world began to tilt and blur. I could taste the cold, but was my mouth even open? My shoulder throbbed, but I healed it though, right?

The rest of my body was sprawled to the ground long before the soldier of Hel were ever upon me.

                                      •••
"Good to see you again, Magnus Chase." Said a voice.

Just like my dream before this all happened, a cloth bag was ripped from my head. I expected to be suddenly blinded by the light, but no.