Forneus sighed, idly stroking the sapphire ring on his middle finger, his eyes half closed as he stared at the glittering wall opposite. His gaze drifted over the doors lining the corridor without taking in the unique beauty each one had been crafted with, his mind on other matters; specifically a certain fiery being, and the teenage girl that seemed to be the subject of his ire.
It had taken Forneus several minutes after Phenex's departure to reassure Gwen that nothing that had happened—not Phenex's outburst, nor the artifacts' release—had been her fault. Once certain she had taken his words to heart, he had left her in the privacy of her quarters to shower and dress, telling her he'd wait for her just outside the door.
This was what he was doing as he pondered over the open hostility his old friend had displayed toward her. He didn't understand what it was about Gwen that had Phenex so bothered. He had interacted with humans—however briefly—many times following the incident three-hundred years earlier. Even going so far as to save thousands of them, Forneus had heard, during a mission in the 1950s.
Then what is it about Gwen that upsets him so? This he wondered for what must have been the tenth time in as many minutes, running his fingers through his hair with another sigh. As his gaze fell on a particularly large pyrite fragment imbedded in the wall, yet another thought occurred to him; when should he tell Gwen about her past, about her true role in regard to the artifacts?
The door opened behind him, chasing the thought from his mind. Gwen's chin-length blonde hair was still damp, her eyes bleary and rimmed with red as though she had recently been crying. Seeing her so miserable sent a pang through his chest, but he knew there was nothing he could do to help her. Even if Forneus were to bring it up, Gwen was much too proud to admit what she was feeling, anyway. Instead, he simply rested a hand on her shoulder, and asked if she was ready.
She looked at him and nodded, her lips forming a grim line. Tightening his grip on her shoulder, Forneus concentrated. As the power began to build in his chest, he could feel each individual fragment of crystal, pyrite, and marble blending together until the entire corridor was nothing more than a warped blur. The skin on the back of his hand—the same one on Gwen's shoulder—tingled, as if little bolts of electricity were dancing over his larger knuckles.
As the ether arced all the way up his arm and through his torso, coursing from him and into Gwen, he felt her stiffen, letting out a gasp when she felt the power pouring from him and into her. Fortunately, after having already travelled in this manner, she didn't attempt to pull away from him. Instead, she clenched her eyes shut, blocking out the dizzying blur of the Spectrum corridor.
Good, Forneus thought, relieved. It's just about time for us to meet with Phenex, anyway.
Closing his eyes, Forneus focused all of his will into visualizing the rendezvous point. It was only when he could see the cobbled streets of Wiesbaden clearly in his mind that he opened them again. There was a brilliant flash of white light, and in an instant, the Spectrum's colourful environment had vanished—giving way to the chilly, inky night in the capital of Hesse, Germany.
*
Gwen stumbled when her feet met solid ground, grateful when she felt Forneus's hand gripping her own, preventing her from falling face-first onto the concrete. As she blinked away the trace images of light dancing in her vision, she realized she wasn't standing on concrete at all, but on rain-slickened cobblestones. A stiff breeze blew her hair back from her face, the cool night air making her shiver.
"So sorry, my dear," Forneus murmured, settling his coat over her shoulders as he had the night before. "I should have provided you with a coat of your own."
Gwen took the frock coat gratefully, assuring him that she would be fine. It was only once she'd shoved her arms through the sleeves that she took notice of the building directly in front of them. Up above the black, glass-paned doors marking the entrance were large, dark letters. They read, 'Hessischer Landtag'. What that meant, Gwen didn't know. Standing with its entrance facing the corner, the building took up the full breadth of the intersection, stretching from one street and onto the next.
A series of buildings in shades of grey and brown framed it on either side, none of them quite as large or as magnificent as the Landtag, but still beautiful in their own ways. Arched alleyways stood at the furthest ends of the Landtag's white walls, staggered at intervals and spanning what Gwen assumed to be the town square. Sitting along the edges of the adjoining streets were old-fashioned, cast-iron lampposts, each one casting pale, yellow light onto the glistening stones below.
It was beneath one of these lanterns that Gwen spotted Phenex, leaning casually against the lamppost's base with his arms folded across his chest, staring down the opposite stretch of road from where Gwen and Forneus had arrived.
Forneus called out to him, pointedly ignoring the stares of the few pedestrians on the opposite side of the street as he did. When he started making his way toward Phenex, Gwen knew that, in spite of the burning sensation that had started in the pit of her stomach, she had no choice but to follow. After their last encounter, she wasn't particularly eager to be in Phenex's company again—especially not when she'd been crying because of him barely ten minutes earlier.
Doing her utmost not to look at him, she caught the brief flicker of his gaze in her direction before he turned to Forneus.
"I was starting to wonder if you got caught up with something else." Gwen thought maybe Phenex had looked in her direction again when he said this; that he might even be implying that this 'something else' had to do with her. But since she had been too busy staring at her own feet, she couldn't be sure.
"Apologies. I wanted to be sure we didn't draw any attention upon arrival," Forneus replied, black boots scuffing the cobblestones as he shifted his weight. "I trust you haven't met with any trouble while waiting?"
Gwen was only half-listening by this point, contenting herself with studying her surroundings. She took in the breath-taking style of each building, wondering if they were neo-classical or gothic—two architectural types her father had taught her a fair bit about, given his interests in that sort of thing—when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye.
Glancing toward one of the arched alleyways to her left, she squinted, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever it was that had caught her attention. All that stared back at her was pitch blackness. Nothing stirred, not the slightest rustle of debris nor the shuffling of footsteps. Perhaps it had been a cat, if there had been anything at all.
Probably just a trick of the light, she told herself, pulling Forneus's coat more securely around her when the wind started picking up. Clenching her teeth to keep them from chattering, she swept her gaze up and down the street, realizing that the last of the stragglers from before had long since left the area. The only ones here—wherever here was—were Forneus, Phenex, and herself. It was then that she began to feel a bit uneasy. Something felt off; she didn't know what, but she knew it was something. A tingling sensation started at the base of her spine, slowly travelling upward and making her skin crawl.
Realizing that Forneus and Phenex had stopped talking, she looked at them, noting their identical frowns. Could they feel it, too?
"I don't like this. Something feels...wrong," she said, choking back her growing terror. "Where are we, anyway?"
Forneus looked as though he was about to reply, when a high-pitched whistling interrupted him, like the hiss of a tea kettle. The sound grew louder, as if it were getting closer. Feeling the hairs along her arms and the back of her neck stand on end, she drew back behind Forneus. She glanced around, trying to catch a glimpse of something—anything—that would tell her what was happening. Forneus moved into a defensive position in front of her, shoulders tensed. He looked back at her; eyes bright, alert.
"Phenex!" he barked, darting a glance to his right.
Phenex nodded curtly and dashed forward, a stream of fire coming from his right fist as he swung it around to meet his target. The flames fanned outward, colliding with something unseen in the alley. Between her shock at seeing Phenex conjure flames out of nothingness, and the unearthly noises drifting from the alleyway, it was all Gwen could do to stop herself from bolting.
The blast that followed Phenex's attack sent a shower of sparks down around him, the embers igniting and flickering out when they made contact with his jacket. Gwen caught the briefest glimpse of his predatory grin before he lunged forward again. Flames leapt from his fingers, throwing the shadowed walls on either side into sharp relief as they spiralled toward a group of creatures that, until that moment, had been concealed at the far end of the alleyway.
Gwen gasped. There had to be a dozen or more of them, all in varying shapes and sizes. Some bore a striking resemblance to the pictures of mythical creatures she'd found in the books her father kept in his study; others were unlike anything she'd ever seen. At the head of the pack was a two-legged creature with the head of a bull, a large gold ring looped through both nostrils with a small length of chain dangling at the end. A massive, double-sided axe was held between two meaty hands, yellow eyes glowing bright from the aftermath of Phenex's flames.
Is that...a Minotaur? Gwen wondered, breath catching in her throat when the beast shook its large, horned head. A puff of steam escaped its nostrils when it snorted.
A quick glance around revealed that the rest of the creatures had come out of the alley, some of them just as recognizable: chimera, basilisks, cockatrice, gargoyles—as well as a few others she couldn't remember the names of, and felt she was probably better off not knowing.
As she watched, the horde suddenly broke apart, dodging as Phenex launched one fiery attack after another, the flames nearly taking up the full breadth of the alley. A cacophony rose as many of the monsters were engulfed in flame, their shrill wails piercing the air with such intensity that Gwen felt compelled to clap her hands over her ears. Resisting, she watched as the Minotaur rushed forward with an angry bellow, axe raised high over its head, ready to strike Phenex.
He was quicker however, ducking beneath the Minotaur's arm as it swung the axe in a downward arc and thrusting his fist upward. Embers sizzled over his knuckles as the uppercut connected with the Minotaur's jaw, spittle flying from its mouth as it reeled from the unexpected force of his attack.
Several of the other monsters launched toward him with angry cries as their leader attempted to recollect himself, crimson eyes alight with utter loathing. As they swooped down on Phenex, Gwen found she could understand snippets of what they were saying to him.
"You will pay for what you've done to our comrades!"
"How dare you strike Lord Asterion?!"
"The boss sends his regards...now prepare to die, beloved pet of the gods!"
She didn't have time to ponder what any of it had meant. At that moment, intense light radiated around Phenex, forming a circle with him at its centre. There was a sudden, outward burst, and a massive ball of golden flame engulfed those who had dared get too close to him. As the smell of burning flesh reached her nostrils, Gwen brought her arm up to her face, the coat sleeve neutralizing the stench.
Eyes watering, she glanced at Forneus in wonder. How was he not the least bit affected by it? It had to be one of the most horrid things she'd ever smelled! Throughout the entire ordeal, his gaze never strayed from Phenex, simply watching in silence as he incinerated one enemy after another. Was it because he wasn't human? Or, was it because in all of his years of existence, he'd borne witness to too many battles just like this one?
The murmur of voices drew Gwen's attention, heads poking out of apartment windows overlooking businesses and from the door of a nearby bar to see what all the commotion was about. It appeared she wasn't the only one to have noticed. Forneus moved forward, speaking rapidly in a language Gwen thought sounded familiar, but couldn't place.
The people hanging out of the windows of the apartments bordering the Landtag were the first to comply with whatever Forneus had said, ducking back in and rapidly shutting their windows. The bar's patrons took a little more convincing, only returning to the warmth and merriment of the bar at Forneus's sharpened tone. Once the last of them had stumbled back inside, Forneus reached into his breast pocket, drawing out a cylindrical capsule of some sort.
"It's an instant veiling spell," Forneus explained, catching Gwen's eye. "The council crafted a handful in case of just such a situation as this. Sadly, this is the only one in my possession." Tossing it up in the air, he muttered something under his breath, the last syllables of which seemed to ignite something within the veiling capsule. There was a flash of white light, and then a gauzy film of indigo seemed to stretch over everything in sight, lying flat over every surface like tightly-stretched saran wrap.
That was as much as Gwen was able to witness before her attention was drawn back to Phenex, unleashing another salvo of flame with every punch and kick he threw at the enemy horde. Those who had hung back during his first round of attacks now lurched forward with furious cries, their claws outstretched. As fire lit up the night, gleaming against the damp cobblestones beneath Phenex's feet, Gwen could only stare in wonder.
She couldn't deny it, at least not to herself; she was awestruck. The very idea that Phenex could inspire such a feeling should have been absurd to her, but as the flames trailed behind him like glowing ribbons, all thought pertaining to their mutual dislike of one another was forgotten. She had never seen someone move so gracefully while fighting, and yet with such raw power at the same time.
"Everything will be all right, Gwen. I won't let any harm come to you, I promise."
Gwen gave a start at Forneus's words, peering at him questioningly. It wasn't until she noticed a dull aching in her fingers that she finally understood. Both hands were wrapped around his forearm, her knuckles white. Embarrassed, and having no memory of having grabbed onto him in the first place, she hastily let go, thankful that his attention seemed to be on the veil itself.
"That will have to do," he said. "It won't prevent collateral damage, I'm afraid, but it should prevent any curious bystanders from coming out to investigate."
Gwen was about to ask what would happen if anyone came out regardless when Phenex was knocked to the ground with the flat of the Minotaur's axe. She gasped, breathing a sigh of relief when he twisted around into a kip-up, flames lancing from his heels as he slammed them squarely into the broad head of the beast, planting him in the ground muzzle-first.
"What should we do?" she asked, casting a furtive glance at Forneus. Phenex had done well, holding his own against the horde, but it was only a matter of time before he was overrun. His movements were no longer the lightning-quick blows from moments before, and in spite of his attitude toward her, Gwen couldn't help but worry.
Forneus seemed to share her train of thought. He gave her an anxious backward glance, his silver eyes unnaturally bright. "Phenex can hold them off, but he won't be able to do so indefinitely," he replied. "We need to find Loki's Amulet. Only then will this battle come to an end."
Loki's Amulet?
"Okay...do you have a general idea of where it might be, then?" she asked. "It's got to be around here somewhere, right? Wherever here is..."
"Wiesbaden."
Startled by his reply, she glanced up at him. "Sorry?"
"Wiesbaden," he repeated, silvery eyes dancing with the orange glow of Phenex's flames. "The capital of Hesse, Germany."
Gwen gaped up at him, dumbfounded. "We're in Germany?"
She didn't have time to make sense of this information, however. At that moment, an ear-splitting shriek cut through the air, forcing her to cover her ears. She glanced over just in time to see a large woman covered in black feathers backhand Phenex with enough force to take him off his feet, her scraggly features contorting into an ugly scowl. The attack sent him tumbling across the ground, coming to a stop no more than three feet from her and Forneus, face down on the cobblestones.
"Not that it isn't fun, getting batted around by the harpy and all," Phenex coughed up a mouthful of dirt, and pushing himself up on his elbows, glanced back at Forneus, "but I could really use your help right about now."
Forneus seemed to be caught in a moment of indecision, his gaze flitting between Gwen, the veil he'd erected, and his flame-wielding companion. Taking notice of the many cuts and scrapes crisscrossing all along Phenex's neck and face, Gwen opted to make the decision for him.
"He's right." Even then, she knew just how foreign the words must have sounded, both men giving her startled looks when she said them. "You said the artifact is close by, right?"
Forneus faltered before giving a single, sharp nod. "Yes, though with the seal being dormant, I cannot pinpoint its exact location. That's why—"
"That's why you brought me," Gwen interrupted him, the realization causing an uncomfortable prickling at the back of her scalp. "That's it, isn't it? The reason the council told you to bring me along is because for some reason, I can find them when you can't?"
It was true; ever since they'd arrived, she could feel a warm, familiar thrumming just at the edge of her consciousness, the sensation spreading until it flowed from one limb and into another. It was the same feeling she'd experienced when she'd touched the amethyst on her dining table the night before.
The feeling grew stronger, and with it, Gwen became more convinced that it had something to do with the artifact they were looking for. She didn't know why she could feel it, nor could she explain how she knew it was the artifact she was sensing—she just simply knew.
Before Forneus could reply, three of the monsters broke away from their renewed battle with Phenex and turned their hungry gazes on Gwen. There was a flicker of movement, and in the time it took her to blink, Forneus and the monsters had collided in a blur of fur and clothing, the sound of their guttural snarls resounding off of the nearby buildings.
"Forneus!" Flames leapt from Phenex's fingers in great tendrils, creating a circular divide between Gwen and the horde. It was no use. Several of the monsters had made it across the flames, and worse still, past Phenex himself.
And they were coming straight for her.
Gwen counted about six or seven of them, each one identical to the last. Four legs, wrinkled, charcoal-coloured skin beneath scraggly patches of grey fur; protruding lower jaws, wickedly curved teeth, and long, dual-split tails. If she'd had to compare them to anything, she might have compared them to dogs, maybe even lizards, for between their teeth poked long, forked tongues.
As they came toward her, however, Gwen didn't much care what they were. All she knew was the sensation of ice-cold fingers walking down her spine, fear coating the back of her throat. She could hear the creatures' deep, throaty growls, smell their hot, sour breath. Her heart pounded rapidly, and Gwen began to retreat—only to trip over the curb behind her, landing hard on her backside. Every muscle in her body screamed for her to get up, to run, but she couldn't. Her legs had turned to jelly, leaving her to stare helplessly at the approaching pack of reptilian dogs.
Just when they seemed about ready to pounce, a crackling reached her ears, followed by a blinding flash of violet light.
By the time the light faded from her vision, Forneus was directly in front of her, his black dress shirt slightly rumpled and torn, though he seemed otherwise unharmed. Blinking dazedly, she looked around, startled when she realized the creatures that had just been bearing down on her were nowhere to be found. That's when she finally saw it. She hadn't noticed with his back turned to her, but now that he'd turned around, she could see the electricity dancing across Forneus's left arm, crackling along the rings on his fingers.
Did he just summon lightning? Gwen wondered, fascinated.
"Are you all right?" Forneus asked, pulling her to her feet with a frown. Gwen could only nod, her vocal chords refusing to work. Forneus seemed to understand this, resting a sympathetic hand on her shoulder as he searched her face, his eyes bright with concern. "I know you're afraid. Given the circumstances, it's perfectly understandable. But we really need your help right now. Do you think you can manage...?"
"You need me to look for the artifact," she squeaked out, swallowing back her terror. "By myself."
"I'm sorry. If we had any other choice..." He trailed off, casting a furtive glance in Phenex's direction. Seeing that he was outnumbered, he went on hurriedly, "I promise you Gwen, we will keep you safe. So will you help us?"
She stared at him, not knowing what to say. When she did open her mouth to answer, to tell him she didn't know if she could do it, Forneus pulled one of her hands into both of his own, his luminous eyes pleading. When he spoke, his voice shook slightly. "Please, we can't do this without you."
How could she say no? He had just saved her life, yet again. If she didn't help, like she had promised she would...if she failed to find Loki's Amulet...
We'll all die here.
The realization was all that it took to set her legs in motion, and giving Forneus a quick nod before pulling her hand free from his, she tore off down the street. With her heart pounding in her ears, and the steady thrumming in her veins growing stronger, Gwen shut out all other sights and sounds, the square around her becoming a distant blur as she concentrated on finding the amulet.
Rounding a corner to her left between a long stretch of white and rose-coloured buildings, she had just passed another one of the arched alleyways, when the 'pins-and-needles' prickling in her limbs became overpowering. Skidding to a stop, she backtracked, and tentatively stepped into the entryway. A single ring of pale, white light shone at the far end of the alley, illuminating a stack of cardboard boxes against one wall, and a couple of wooden pallets propped against the other.
Casting one last look behind her, she took a deep breath and ventured into the alley, straining her ears for the faintest sound, the slightest hint of whether or not she was being followed. The only sound that greeted her was her own footsteps as her shoes crunched over debris, the narrow passageway seemingly devoid of all else. It wasn't until she reached the far end that she realized the alley turned into a split junction leading onto another city block, this one appearing to be residential.
Just before she could set foot onto the street, she froze, unable to take another step. The prickling in her legs intensified, coursing through her body until it was almost unbearable. If she'd been able to collapse she would have. But whatever had taken hold prevented her from falling now, keeping her firmly in place like a living statue.
What's happening to me?
Afraid, all she could do was stare at the rows of houses in front of her, noting with some relief that each of their windows was dark and devoid of movement. The fear continued to build in her chest until it was almost suffocating. She could barely see the twinkling lights lining the street, her senses fading in and out with every heartbeat.
A sudden warmth blossomed in the tips of her fingers and toes, spreading inward until it reached the very centre of her body. Something about the warmth stole her fears away, settling over her like a comforting glow. It was then that she realized she was glowing, a soft pillar of white light surrounding her and stretching as far back as she could see.
Just when she was really beginning to wonder what to do about her predicament, a flash of green caught her eye, drawing her attention to a spot no more than seven feet from her. Something was hovering there, just beneath one of the street lights. Squinting, she tried to make out what the object might be. As it started floating toward her, she managed to catch a glimpse of a green stone set in gold filigree, strange symbols accenting each of its four corners.
Loki's amulet? Excitement coursed through Gwen, chasing away the last of her anxiety.
Was the artifact responsible for her current state of immobilization? As it drew nearer, the surge of power she'd felt upon entering the alley enveloped her once again, almost as though something within her was greeting the amulet's return. It was a strange thought, one that seemed both familiar, and foreign. She didn't know why, but it reminded her of Forneus. There had been something familiar in the way he had looked at her that first time, a fondness in his eyes. But why anything about Forneus should be familiar to her, and why he should have been looking at her with fondness, she didn't know. And so it was the same with the artifacts; she didn't know what her connection to them was, but she had to conclude that there was one. Why else would they respond to her otherwise?
Gwen was in the midst of thinking she needed to ask Forneus again just what that connection might be, when a voice echoed all around her, forcing a startled gasp from her lips.
"You who have awakened the power of Loki's Amulet, behold! You have proven yourself worthy of its gifts!"
Gwen stared wide-eyed as her right arm lifted of its own accord, reaching out toward the amulet as it floated closer, nestling into the palm of her hand. When the voice spoke again, she realized it wasn't coming from around her—it was coming from inside her own head!
"By the grace of the gods, you have been blessed with the ability to control the weak-willed of all those who would dare oppose you." The voice was pleasant, its disembodied words flowing melodiously over her like a warm summer's rain. "Have a care, however. You must use the gift sparingly, for its effects are only temporary. Now, go forth! Make use of this power in the name of all you hold sacred."
It was only after the voice faded that Gwen found she could move again, the pillar of light vanishing from around her just as suddenly as it had come. She collapsed against the cool, grey bricks of the alley wall beside her, her limbs trembling as she fought to stay on her feet. Taking several slow, deep breaths, she savoured the cold burn of the night air on her throat. The last traces of shock began to wear off, adrenaline flooding her system and filling her with sharp awareness.
Casting a quick glance at the amulet in her hand, Gwen straightened, gritting her teeth when her legs threatened to buckle under her. When she finally managed to steady herself, she took off running, turning back down the alley she had come from with such speed she nearly went sprawling over the garbage bins at the far end.
She only had one thing on her mind—getting back to Forneus and Phenex before it was too late.
*