Demon-Killing Sword

14.1 Past

Niina faded back into visibility as she approached one piece at a time. Her head, her shoulders, her legs, then her arms. "Here," she offered, holding out the pile of dark fabric.

Muninn peered at what she'd found. Pants, a shirt, and a pair of black boots. "Thanks," she said.

"Not like the demons were using them," Niina replied. She wandered off toward Vivi.

They were camped out a few miles from the pass and the demon village. The lake was less than a day's travel ahead, and the atmosphere in the camp was charged. Muninn could practically feel the tension in the air. Niina wouldn't even look at Kjell, which was fair, because Kjell spent most of his time trying not to show his satisfied smirk.

"Can't go back now," he'd said.

It was obvious. He hadn't needed to say anything. And now Vivi and Niina were angry for no reason, all because he'd had to gloat.

Muninn didn't mind too much. It was awkward, but it wasn't as if they were angry at her. Besides, if Niina hadn't been angry, she probably wouldn't have stomped off and found her a fresh set of clothes. I agree with Kjell, anyways.

She brushed the worst of the dirt off her feet and inspected them for scratches. They weren't as bad as she thought they'd be, for how badly they'd hurt. She winced as she plucked a leaf from inside a cut on the bottom of her foot, then used the bottom of her pants legs to clean the rest of the mess off her feet. Her new pants were a bit dusty, and crackled when she pulled them on, but they fit well enough. The shirt was too tight at the neck and cramped around the chest. She pulled at it. What's wrong with it?

Pain pinged at her back. It almost felt like her wrist was twisted wrong, except she didn't have a wrist on her back. Muninn frowned, then realized: the wing. She sighed and pulled at the shirt some more. Her wing had gotten bigger, so now shirts didn't fit right. Stupid useless thing.

"Are you ready yet?" Huginn asked, annoyed.

Muninn glared at him and pulled her birdskin coat over her shoulders. "I am now." So much for making any progress. She'd thought they could be friends when he'd helped her in the stream, but it looked like that hadn't changed a thing. Huginn was Huginn, after all.

"Then let's hit the road," Kjell said. He leaped to his feet, then winced. A hand went to his ribs. Muninn furrowed her brows, but before she could comment, his smile was back in place as though it had never left. I didn't imagine that. He's still hurt. 

From the far side of camp, Niina muttered something under her breath. Vivi pressed her lips together, but didn't say a thing. For a second, Muninn thought they might turn back after all, but they fell into their usual places in line without complaint.

Gunnel appeared from the woods ahead of them and gestured for them to follow. Silently, they set off. Though it had never been wide, the path narrowed as they went. Soon it wasn't even a deer track so much as a place where the undergrowth was a little thinner. Weeds clung to her legs, and she was forced to high-step over brambles.Thank goodness for my new pants, she thought as she carefully stepped over a fruitless blackberry vine.

"No one comes this way," Niina grumbled.

"But they used to," Kjell replied lightly.

Gunnel glanced back. His pale eyes caught the light. They pierced directly through Muninn. "There is a way," he whispered.

She blinked. Was he talking... to me? Before she could ask, Gunnel turned back to face forward. Muninn frowned. I've never even seen the lake before. How could I know how to get past it?

Or... have I seen it? In the memories, she had. Victor had failed, and Brunhild had succeeded. But what was the difference? Brunhild had more men. I can't magic up a hundred men... Except for that time she had. They had. She glanced at Huginn, who grimaced at her. No, I can't count on him. Whatever had happened with the valkyrie and the grim, she couldn't count on him to replicate it. If he even could. Miasma made magic stronger. Though she didn't understand what he'd done, it was definitely magic. There was every chance he couldn't do magic like that without the miasma around to strengthen him.

I should really ask him about that, she thought, frowning at the back of his head. He was such a pain to talk to, though. It wasn't worth the effort.

She sighed out. I can't count on his magic. There has to be something else. Some other clue. But what? Muninn twisted her lip. Nothing really stood out, except...

Her eyes widened. Could it be? It's so obvious. Too obvious. Or is it? "Huginn," she called. He glanced back, eyebrow raised. She jogged over. Niina's eyes followed her, so she leaned in close and whispered so she wouldn't hear: "Could you..."

**

The first thing she noticed was the clean scent of water. Then silvery light, pouring through the cracks in the trees. The trees grew smaller, the undergrowth thicker. Up ahead, she caught the first glimmer of the lake, smooth and placid as a silver plate.

"What're you two up to?" Vivi asked, peering over Muninn and Huginn's shoulders.

Muninn jumped. "Nothing!"

"Saving your lives," Huginn said. He passed a torch to Muninn.

Vivi frowned. "Fire doesn't work," she said, looking from one to the other. "Huginn, you know that. You were there."

Huginn shrugged.

"You can't go with Kjell. The two of you should turn back with Niina and I," Vivi said. 

"It's not the fire," Muninn started, but Vivi cut her off.

"Kjell lost his brother at the lake last year. I don't know what he's thinking, but I know he's not thinking straight. You'd be risking everything for no reason. Turn back with us."

Huginn looked her in the eyes. "No."

Vivi looked to Muninn, but she shook her head as well. Not until I've killed the demon king. She wasn't a smuggler, out for money. Her family was on the line.

"Please," Vivi begged, her face stricken with fear. "I don't want to watch you die."

"We aren't going to die," Muninn said. She passed Vivi one of the torches. "I've figured it out."