Demon-Killing Sword

22.1 Ash

"Muninn, this is insane."

Her bad shoulder panged as the good one slammed against the nest. Under her shirt, her wing complained, less than pleased with the situation. The nest shuddered slightly, but didn't budge. Muninn drew herself back and prepared for the next swing.

Huginn caught her. "Are you mad? We'll die."

A screech split the air. Muninn ducked. Wings snapped out, loud as a whipcrack. Shadow fell over her. Claws swooshed over her head, close enough she felt them part her hair. The valkyrie screeched and swooped up.

"Dammit! She knows you're not dying, now," Huginn muttered.

Muninn pulled back and threw herself against the edge of the nest again. "Come on!"

"We'll die!" Huginn snapped. "You're going to kill us!"

"We'll die if we stay here!"

"There has to be a better way."

The valkyrie swooped again. Muninn threw herself under the edge. Huginn hugged the floor. The valkyrie kicked at Huginn as it passed by. It connected with a dull thud and a huff from Huginn, and then it was gone again, up into the sky.

"Are you alright?" Muninn asked. She got up on her knees. Branches creaked under her. Through the branches, she could see the cliff face fall away, the sheer drop that awaited them. Fear shivered through her. Is this going to work?

Huginn got up, a hand to his side, and shook his head. "Looks like it's our only choice." He backed up, all the way to the egg, and ran at the far wall. The nest shuddered and groaned. Sharp snaps rang out along the underside. The nest ground into the earth and shuddered forward.

"One more time!" Muninn shouted. No time for doubts. They died to the valkyrie, or they died escaping her, and she wasn't going to give up. She jumped back to her feet.

Huginn tackled her to the ground. Her shoulder hit hard. Muninn yelped and went rigid with pain.

The valkyrie thudded down on the edge of the nest. Her hooves perched beside her claws, body bent at the edge so both sets of legs could rest on the lip. Big gold eyes narrowed. It leaned in, nostrils wide. Only two eyes, not three, the calm voice in the back of Muninn's head noted. The rest of her laid very, very still. Maybe it won't notice me.

The nest rocked. The valkyrie's wings flared wide. The nest wobbled under them. The far end tipped up while the front end sagged under the valkyrie's weight. Muninn started to slide. She gripped at twigs as the nest slid forward, over the edge.

Huginn fell past her. He thumped into the front edge of the nest, and the whole thing jolted downward. Startled, the valkyrie leaped into the air. The front edge of the nest was thrown downward as it kicked off.

For a moment, it teetered there on the ledge, inches from tipping over altogether. It held still, frozen in a precarious equilibrium. The slightest movement could throw it off, or settle it back onto the ledge.

Muninn met Huginn's eyes. He twined one arm into the wall of the nest and reached toward her with the other.

She let go and plunged toward the edge of the nest.

Branches rushed up at her. Beyond them, the void loomed. Steep earth dropped to infinity. Their hands met. Huginn rolled out of the way, and she slammed down into the nest.

The nest tipped further, further. The egg leaned forward. It slid toward them. Muninn held her hand out toward it, as though that would stop it.

The bottom dropped out of the world. Her stomach jumped to her throat. Her heart pounded. They hung in the air. The valley spread out below them, infinitely far away.

With a thump, the nest hit the cliff wall. It rushed down the steep slope. Dust billowed up behind them. Rocks bit at them through the branches. The ground threatened to pull them under. Muninn grabbed at the nest and pulled herself away from the front wall. She reached back. Huginn took her hand, and they both plopped down in the nest proper.

Air rushed past. Muninn's hair whipped around her face. She shoved it back and sat up. So fast! How could they survive?

Huginn let out a wild whoop. He punched the air and laughed. Muninn found herself laughing along, her fear forgotten. It was like sledding, but a thousand times faster. As death rushed up at her, she wiped away tears of laughter. We're going to die, but at least it was fun.

Screeching split the air. The valkyrie dropped out of the sky, claws spread wide, wings folded back. Eyes wide, Muninn froze. The nest was wide open. There was nowhere to hide.

Huginn jammed his hand into his bag and threw something at the valkyrie. His other hand yanked his goggles down. Claws reached for him. Hooves caught the low light.

With a loud bang, a brilliant light burst between them and the valkyrie. Pure white flooded the sky and lit the clouds from below. Muninn was left blind, her vision whited out. She rubbed at her eyes desperately. The valkyrie could be anywhere. She could hear it flapping, but couldn't see a thing. It was invisible now, whited out with the world.

Something thumped into the earth behind them. Her vision faded back in, and she caught a glimpse of the valkyrie, all tangled up in its own limbs, as it struggled back to its feet.

"Ha!" she shouted, half a laugh, half a scream. Her heart beat so fast she was almost afraid it was going to leap from her chest. That was too close.

"Oh no," Huginn muttered.

Muninn whipped back around in time to see the end approaching. No more slope, but a bare drop awaited them. She tensed and grabbed the bottom of the nest.

They blasted over the edge and took to the air.

She sucked in a deep breath, her stomach high as her heart. Dark hair streamed out behind her. The valley awaited them, so far below. Muninn's wing tugged at her shirt. The fabric strained. Stitches snapped, and then it gave, all at once. Her wing caught the air for a moment. Muninn was snatched out of the nest. For a second, she flew.

Huginn grabbed her in the next instant and yanked her down. Muninn pulled her wing in as tight as her bad arm, her heart hammering away in her chest. I flew! I could've died. But I flew!

The ground rushed up at them. With a thump enough to toss them from their seats, the nest hit the earth. It spun, flipped over. Sky chased earth around Muninn. She struck the ground. Her bad shoulder cried out. Rolled over, over, over, her shoulder in agony. She slammed into a tree back-first. Pain burst out, a starburst in her shoulder and a fire down her spine.

Stunned, Muninn couldn't help but lie there. The world continued to spin, but at a lazier pace. As the pain ebbed, she clawed her way to a crawl, then a sit. Her back plopped against the tree. It hurt, but sitting up without the tree hurt more. There'll be bruises later for sure.

Sticks sprawled over the forest floor, a trail of them leading to the bundle of the nest. The nest was still mostly intact. It had flipped up onto its side and over, twisted half-over on itself. Muninn stared, dazed, and then her heart jumped. Huginn. Where was he?