Runemarks Fan Fiction - Chapter 1

Martina Fu

After the burning makeshift boat carrying Odin All-Father and his belongings floated out of sight on the river Dream, Maddy Smith turned to the others, still standing and staring out at the river. She wiped away the last of the tears glistening on her cheeks and looked at them expectantly.

When none of them moved, she cleared her throat and asked, “Now what?”

Ethelberta Parson (Maddy still found it hard to think of her as Frigg) smiled at her gently. “Now we have to wait for your sibling Magni so we can rebuild Asgard.”

Rebuild Asgard. The words rang in Maddy’s head. Asgard, the Sky Citadel. It had fallen at Ragnarók, and according to an old prophecy, she and Magni, the children of Thor, the Thunderer, would rebuild it.

“Do you really think that’s possible?” she asked, unsure of herself.

Fat Lizzy, a black pig, replied in Sif’s voice, “It’s a prophecy from, she hesitated slightly,”-from the Whisperer himself.”

Maddy still looked doubtful. Heimdall tried next, flashing his bright teeth at her.

“Come on, Maddy. You and Loki saved us from Netherworld without either of you dying. That was thought to be impossible.”

“Not quite,” snapped Loki. “So, as far as we know, it’s still impossible.” Of course, he wasn’t going to let anyone forget that he had died for them.

“Yet you’re still here, aren’t you? So, as far as we all care, you achieved the impossible,” Heimdall retorted irritably.

“The point is,” Loki said. “You should know that it’s possible, Maddy. Already you’re the strongest of all of us with our reversed glams. Look at what you did to get here. With Magni at your side, you two will be unstoppable. You just have to believe in yourself,” he finished with his crooked smile.

Maddy had to smile. They all had so much trust in her. She took a deep breath and smiled brightly at her friends and family.

“First things first. Let’s get back to the Middle World.”

At that, with Maddy and Loki leading the way, the gods of the Elder Age left the shores of the river Dream and hurried up the roads back to the World Below and up to the village of Malbry.

Fortunately for them, Hel was too preoccupied to make the road to/from the Underworld a long one and after an hour, they emerged at the river Strond. Getting past it was not difficult and they met little on the way to Red-Horse Hill, except for the occasional goblin, who stared at Loki with a shocked or frightened expression.

Once they exited the Horse’s Eye, things got a little more difficult. The village of Malbry was, in the most part, strongly opposed to all things magical. Also, they were well-aware of the dead Jed Smith and Audin Briggs, along with the missing Parson, his wife, Dorian Scattergood, and his nephew Adam. In fact, the whole place was chaotic and was liable to become undone at any mention of “ruinmarks.”

Still, Maddy was determined. More than anything else, she wanted to free the villagers from the chains of the Order. It was they, the enemy of the old gods, who had banned dreaming and story-telling. The Whisperer may have fallen, but the followers of the Order were still out there, Examining and Cleansing the best they could all those with “ruinmarks” or just plain showed suspicious behavior.

Because of this determination, she abandoned all caution and walked straight into the village, unhidden and unprotected. It was due to Ethel’s quick thinking that they managed to hide in the Parson’s house.

“Maddy, I know you really want to help them;, but marching right into the middle of the village isn’t going to do you any good. It’s not their actions that kept dreams and such from them. Everything all comes back to the Order.”

“You’re right. But, how can we stop the Order? Their base is at-“said Maddy, a little confused.

“World’s End.” Loki finished, grinning as he understood. “Otherwise known as, we’re in the wrong place. It’s time to travel.”

Freyja groaned. “Not everyone can shape-shift. Unless we take turns with my falcon cloak, we have to walk.”

“Do NOT start complaining. We haven’t even started, and you’re probably going to start. We are going to walk,” Heimdall warned.

“We might as well get this over with. Whoever can shape-shift can if they want to, but they have to remain with us. Got it?” Maddy looked at everyone. Nobody argued. As an afterthought, she turned to Loki, who was standing next to her. “And no tricks.” He looked at her, eyes wide with an expression of angelic innocence. (She wondered how he managed to pull it off.)

“Who, me?”

“Yes, no funny business.” Maddy said, a little annoyed. “Let’s gather supplies for a while, and then set off for World’s End.”

Everyone agreed to this, so they planned to stay at the Parsons’ for a week before heading out.

© Martina Fu, 2009