Demon-Killing Sword

8.1 Flee

Muninn plunged into the trees. Gunnel was a gray streak ahead of her, Huginn a white shadow behind. The woods were alive. Demons crashed and grunted, too close, far too close.

Claws snagged at the demon hide Muninn wore. She spun around to face it. A horrifying mass of eyes stared back at her, arms and limbs connected directly to the ball of muscle on which the eyes sat. She slashed down. Half a dozen eyes leaked like egg yolks bleeding into whites. The demon didn't flinch. A huge mouth split it in half, teeth sharp as needles jutting out at her. It drew her closer, long tongue sliding out of its gaping mouth. Muninn dug in her heels and leaned away from it, but it was stronger than her. She couldn't escape. Come on, come on!

Its claw turned to dust at last. The whole demon began to disintegrate, from the extremities inward. She stumbled backwards, spun, and ran, as Huginn raced past. He smirked at her and tossed something over his shoulder.

Not again. Muninn put on an extra burst of speed, feet thumping into the leaves.

The bomb let out a sad phut of an explosion. It was her turn to smirk. "What was that, a dud?"

Huginn dropped his goggles into place and pushed even faster.

"Hey!" Muninn snapped, and then the scent of sharp pepper hit her nose. She sneezed and took a deep breath, only to find that the air was burning. Her lungs and nose ached as if a fire was burning inside her chest. Her eyes watered, as if the smoke from that fire was coming out of her tear ducts. Tears and mucus streaked down her face. "What did you do?"

He yanked a handkerchief out of his collar to cover the lower part of his face. "Pepper bomb." Even muffled, his voice had a hint of amusement in it.

Muninn scowled and wiped her eyes and nose. She yanked her shirt up over her face. "Warn me next time!"

Behind them, the demons squealed and growled in pain, their aggression turned to fear in a heartbeat. She risked a glance back. A cloud of reddish-gray gas hung in the air between them and the demons. The nearest demon, a fox-like creature with big human eyes, staggered another step after them, then collapsed. Its nose dripped thickly, and its tongue lolled from its muzzle. Other shapes limped through the gas, indistinct through the haze. A jotun staggered out of the cloud to lean against the tree, blue skin tinged red. The smoke shifted to reveal two of the green creatures from before passed out in a bush, eyes rolled up in their heads.

She whipped around to face front. "It's working."

"Of course it is," Huginn scoffed.

The wind whispered above them, an almost furtive sound. Muninn looked up. A huge shape blocked out the sky. Four sets of claws glinted in the faint moonlight, baring down on her and Huginn. It was so close she could see the whites of its eyes, the stains on its claws.

There was no time to think. Muninn tackled Huginn. Leaves flew up around them.

"The hell!" Huginn struggled against her. Muninn held him down with all her might.

Claws raked inches above their heads. Wings, each as wide as Muninn was tall, snapped out and caught the demon short. Each beat of its wings was a hurricane wind. Muninn's hair danced wildly, and the feathers of the demon-skin rustled. Huginn fell still, eyes wide. From the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of glistening, powerful equine legs, a feathery tail, a delicate face. With one last great flap, it vanished above the trees.

She jumped to her feet, and Huginn bounced up as well. Both of them ran as fast as they could, no words needed. Their feet pounded in sync.

"Is that a greater valkyrie?" Muninn panted.

Huginn shoved her towards a pine tree with low branches. As she ducked under them, the valkyrie crashed into the branches above. Pine needles and branches rattled down on them. The valkyrie screamed its frustration, a disgustingly human sound. It pushed off the tree. The whole tree bent under its weight, then snapped back upright with a crack almost as loud as the snap of the valkyrie's wings grabbing the air.

"Just run!" Huginn shouted.

Miasma pressed down on them. Ever so slowly, the sky was falling, heavy purple-black clouds drifting to the earth. All around them, demon calls rang out, roars, shouts, screeches. Muninn and Huginn darted from tree to tree, her feathered demon-skin and his long white coat dancing after them.

The valkyrie swooped again. Muninn darted to the nearest tree and pressed up on the opposite side of the trunk. Huginn slid in beside her and knelt to catch his breath, white hair even wilder than usual.

With a heavy thump, the valkyrie landed in the tree. Its high, rough voice called out again and again, desperate with anger. It spread its wings and shook the tree, its claws biting into the bark. Leaves rained down, and then an acorn smacked into Muninn's head. She winced and raised her arms as more tumbled down on them.

Huginn lifted his bag above his head to block the worst of it. Muninn scooted close, but he pushed her away. "Use your own."

Ahead of them, two demons with long, pointed ears and wild, leaf-strewn hair chased each other out of the forest, locked in a fight all their own, yowling and biting one another. Both Huginn and Muninn froze, eyes locked on the demons. If the demons noticed them, they'd forget all about their fight. Nothing enraged demons as much as the scent of human blood.

Slowly, Muninn reached out and stretched the demon skin over Huginn as well. It couldn't cover much of him, but it was better than nothing. He huddled over. The bag slid out a little, just enough to cover her from the worst of the acorns.

One of the demons broke free of the fight. She danced back on all fours, body held in an odd, low crouch, her eyes locked on the other demon. He bared his teeth, showing long canines, and leaped at the female demon. She slipped under his leap and scurried off, raising to two legs to pick up speed. Growling, the male demon gave chase.

Muninn breathed out with relief and dropped the skin. They hadn't noticed. They were safe for now.

The tree creaked threateningly. She and Huginn both stared up. Holding onto the tree, the valkyrie threw its weight forward and backward. The tree swayed, dipping lower with each swing, and as it swayed, it groaned, a tortured sound. On the next sway, the wood snapped. Splinters burst from halfway up the tree. Muninn's cheek ached. Hot blood rolled down her cheek.

The valkyrie pulled the tree back again. The snap became a crack. As they watched, the tree began to break in two. Bark spat from the growing wound. Smaller branches rattled to the floor.

"We have to move!" Huginn grabbed ahold of Muninn's sleeve and pulled.

She resisted. The tree. There was a seam up its middle, a rounded lump of bark that went right up the center of the tree. Her eyes followed it up, up, up. It no longer made a Y shape. One of the branches had broken off. But, undoubtedly, this was the tree from the memory.

"Just up ahead." Muninn whirled and searched the horizon. Where? What had Brunhild been charging toward?

The wood started to snap. "Muninn!" Huginn shouted.

"Just up ahead!" she repeated, and took off.