Zoltraak: Ragnarok- Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“I see.” Lügner’s voice was droll, his gaze never turning to look at his subordinate as Draht delivered his findings. “A boy with a bow.”

“And they have a mage with them?” Linie asked, looking for confirmation.

“Two,” Draht sneered. “Though perhaps I’m being generous. The girl at the market barely had any mana to speak of, but it was trained, focused. There is no doubt that she has some formal magecraft experience.”

Lügner remained staring out the balcony glass door. “Even so, two mages, two warriors. Our quarry is well protected it seems, and we cannot risk exposing ourselves to Graf Granat. We will have no reinforcements from Lady Aura or the others until that barrier is nullified.”

“Then what shall we do?” Linie asked. 

Letting the boy go crossed his mind before immediately dismissing it. Such strange power needed to be examined. Studied. It was wasted on a human mountain savage. Linie alone could kill the two warriors, and he was likely more than a match for the apprentice mage and the teacher Draght had sensed at the inn.

But still, Graf Granat…

The answer came to him as he saw several human teenagers carrying blue flowers, formed into crowns and accessories.

“The Humans are holding their Liberation Day festival,” he commented. 

“A stupid celebration of Himmel and his party, what of it?” Draht sneered.

“Festivals make humans lax. They wish for revelry, and celebrations. It can provide an opportunity.”

“To seize Graf Granat, you mean?” Linie pieced it together quickly.

Lügner nodded. “Correct. Our diplomatic overtures will be a waste, but once the barrier is down, lady Aura and our fellow demons can approach. Seizing the boy will make up for our lack of finesse, given the circumstances.”

“And if the barrier isn’t dropped in time?” Draht asked. “Humans are cattle, true, but enough cattle can make a stampede.”

“If the worst occurs-” Lügner shrugged- “Then at the very least we can use the Graf as a hostage, and the boy as well.” He thought for a moment longer. “In fact, thinking on it… Draht: I wish for you to leave the city, quickly.”

That caught his subordinate by surprise. “I don't understand.” 

“Its simple: Demons cannot pass the barrier, in or out, but humans have no such restrictions. Even my shoving the Graf out of the barrier’s envelope will have him slip right through.”

“Where other demons will be waiting to take him,” Linie nodded. “Crude, but that would still leave us on this side of the barrier.” 

“With their beloved Graf outside of it, they wouldn’t dare to attack us, less he be killed in turn,” Lügner dismissed.

“Same with the boy right?” Draht said. “Take them both- Festival would make for the perfect cover.”

“Agreed. We’ll ask the Graf for permission for you to leave; once he grants it, you will go and gather as many reinforcements as possible from Lady Aura.”

“I understand.”

“Then let us go speak with the Graf,” he dismissed. “We only have a few hours before the festivities begin.”

—

Atreus could feel an almost nervous tickle in his stomach.

They were going to a festival.

He’d heard of them, of course: Mimir’s stories sometimes explained some, and the way his mother's stories told it, they were like celebrations in the mead hall.

But he’d never actually gone to one, never even been to a mead hall, really.

And this place… there were so many people. The streets were already filling with colorful banners, and flowers, people were smiling-

It all just felt so very exciting!

“I wonder what its about.”

The words caught Atreus’ attention. “Hmm? What do you mean Mimir?”

“Well laddie, Festivals tend to have a meaning: Celebrating a past event, worshiping one of the gods, hopes for the future, things like that. I’m curious as to which this one is; it's too bad I can't ask the lady Frieren without her spell handy.”

“I think its about celebrating a victory?” He hedged with a shrug. “I think someone fought and defeated some really scary monsters a few years ago, and the festival celebrates that.”

“Sounds fascinating; be sure to remember everything so you can tell me later.”

Atreus startled, turning to look at the head, surprised. “You’re not coming?”

“Oh, nae laddie. Crowded place: it's just asking to be seen and cause a scene, or worse, for some urchin with fast hands to pick me right off yer da’s belt, thinkin I’m some coinpurse.”

Atreus (did not!) pout at that. “I'll feel bad going if you’re not going too, Mimir.” 

“No laddie, don't be! I’ve seen my fair share of festivals and mead halls and parties. If you don't go ‘cause of me, I’ll feel guilty, so- go, enjoy yerself. And keep yer da out of trouble.”

Kratos grunted. 

“Still-” Atreus looked to the doors that led to the connecting room.  “I wonder what’s taking so long.”

“Lad, if there’s one lesson you should know translates between all realms and all peoples, it's that women take however long they please to get ready, plain and simple; and if a man wishes to have a happy life, he’ll politely sit and wait for them to get ready.”

His father didn’t seem like he disagreed, simply sitting on the bed, jar of olives in hand, idly snacking on the little green bulbs as he seemed content to wait.

Atreus returned his attention to the window, sitting beside it to keep people watching as the minutes ticked by.

Finally, when the sun was just shy of setting beneath the western horizon, and night was beginning to take full hold of the sky, there was a knock on the door.

Fern, Stark and Frieren were on the other side.

The small elf woman nodded as she saw him. 

“Are you ready to go?” She asked.

And Atreus answered with a bright smile. 

—

Her name was Aura; the humans knew her as Aura the Guillotine. The world knew her as one of the Seven Sages of Destruction. The greatest Demon mages that had served the now dead Demon King. 

She was one of only two left upon this world: Her and Macht. But Macht wanted to understand humans, to become human even. He was always fascinated by them.

Frivolity and futility all in one. Even she, the youngest of the Sages, knew that humans were chattel. At best, amusing diversions.

They were softer, weaker, and their lives ended in barely enough time to blink; an instant of nothing.

Why understand something that’d be gone before you even blinked twice?

So it was with this knowledge that she stared at her lieutenant somewhat skeptically as Draht reported this latest… anomaly.

“The unknown Mana is from a human child?”

The young Demon nodded. “Yes. I saw him with my own eyes. He’s in the company of two human mages. One an apprentice.”

“Hmm-” She had sensed a massive fluctuation of Mana just a scant few days ago. She’d sent scouts to check, but they hadn’t returned as of yet. Then there had been something strange lingering in the air, like a drifting scent, before it was suddenly gone. If the source was inside the barrier, it would make sense.

“I assume Lügner has a plan to capture this human child?”

“We can’t do it with the numbers we have.”

She sighed. “No, I suppose not.” 

She’d been hoping to take the city of Granat ‘intact’ to study the barrier that kept their kind out, to find a way to counteract its effects for future conquests. Needless destruction might make study difficult. 

However… an unknown magic… in a human child…

Draht was little more than a child himself, with barely a century of experience, but Lügner was actually her senior, in age if not status or power. He would not have sent Draht here on a whim or because of something that wasn’t worth the hassle.

If they waited for the boy to leave Granat; the odds of capturing them increased, but she doubted Lügner would wait. He no doubt wished to study it as well. And waiting would mean that he’d be cut off from said study, being stuck in Granat playing to the humans whims.

No. He’d force her hand in order to increase his own magical knowledge. 

Magic was everything. She understood.

She sighed again. “Very well.”

Draht nodded. “How many will be sent, my lady?”

“I shall send six more to facilitate Lügner’s plan,” she acquiesced, then glared. “However- should this be some… error in judgement as to what exactly you two are sensing, and you up-end our efforts to take Granat intact for nothing-”

She trailed off, lifting the scales of judgement so Draht could see the artefact clearly, his nervousness equally clear in the face of it. 

“These scales don't just work on the cattle.”

Draht bowed his head. “Yes, my lady.”

“Go.”

—

There were so many colors! So many people! And Lights! And Food!

People’s clothes were so bright it was like the sun was still out. Sapphire Blues, Gold Yellows, splashes of Red and Green. He’d only ever seen so much color in Giant paintings and tapestries. 

The scents of food were all so foreign. Atreus was used to potatoes, venison, hare, fowl, or even the occasional boar or wolf. Sometimes grains, or the rare vegetable. 

But these- Fern had called them “cakes”, and there were so many of them: from the simple to the extravagant, covered in glaze and tasting so sweet.

The music too! He’d rarely heard music at home. His father didn’t sing, but mother had, a few times. But it’d been so long, he couldn’t even really remember the words, or her voice anymore. 

Mimir sang sometimes, but only when Father wasn’t around. 

But the music here? It was nothing like back home, with strings and hands beating drums and the whole townsfolk spontaneously joining in on a song only they knew. The air of celebration permeated through the whole town. 

There were games to be played, and the ales, at least the ones father let him taste, were sweet with honey. Artisans sold beautiful pieces of jewelry and art from stands.  

He tried to take it all in, following Fern and Stark as they showed him a new thing around every corner.

When he caught sight of his father, he found the man watching him with a strange expression Atreus had never seen on his face before.

“Father?” He asked.

The God of War only offered a barely there smile, something Atreus had only seen a few times, but it was there and it made him smile back.

“Enjoy yourself,” his Father allowed. And that made the night all the better. 

Lady Frieren was happily nibbling on a piece of cake, sitting beside his father, but then he heard Stark’s voice behind him.

“Hey! Atreus-” Stark called. “You ever try hoop rolling?”

But then, quietly, unseen to the boy or the festive townsfolk, the lady Frieren opened her eyes, a cold chill in her jade green orbs; she set her cake down, and very quickly, a staff was in hand..

‘Demons approach.’

(X)(X)(X)

Hallo :)

If all goes well there should be another chapter up in a few days where wonderful things will happen to the people targeting a completely normal, not at all divinely protected human mountain child :3