Super Glitches 2: The Cursed Ones

He's So Fancy...

I tried desparately not to scream and cry as I knew the ground was inched beneath me. It was no use. I became a wailing wreck, clinging to a warm body and sobbing. Hang on... body? I opened my eyes and saw a blurred figure suspsended in mid-air. Soft green light surrounded them and I was held in their arms, saved from certain death. I blinked away my tears and studied my rescuers face. It looked a lot like Loki but they seemed terrified and were shaking. I frowned. It was Loki. He was scared, trembling.

"Never," he hissed suddenly, noticing I was watching him, "ever do that again."

"What did I do?" I asked in confusion. I genuinely had no idea what I'd done, being stood on top of the roof one second and falling the next.

"You just... vanished," Loki said slowly. "Miss Lahan was almost sucked out of the air and then you were put in her place."

"Why?"

"How do I know ? I'm god of mischief, not wisdom."

"And you're also so very helpful."

"Hey!"

*

Sophie, Lotte, Rebecca, Loki and I were all sat around our desk in History when it happened. I was explaining what I'd done the best way I could and Loki chipped in with a few suggestions of his own now and then. There were still some confused faces but I'd run out of things to say.

"Are you listening back there?" the History teacher called. I looked over and promptly froze. A man was stood in the doorway, smiling at us. He seemed to be normal but as I watched he flickered before coming back into view.

"Mr... " our teacher tailed off uncertainly. 

"Shaade."

"Mr Shaade wants to talk to you all," the History teacher continued. "Make sure you return them, Mr Shaade."

"Of course," the man said in a softer voice than I had expected. He smiled and his eyes glowed black. I shivered and reluctantly stood up. My friends trailed after me as I led the way out of the room.

"Listen," Shaade said the second we were down the corridor. He shut the window and made sure the classrooms were empty before continuing. "I have an important message for you all.

'You must go for that play, 'A God's Gamble'. Seriously. Odin has threatened to kill you if you don't - torture included free of price. You must sing, act and possibly dance to the best of your ability. Loki, you know I talk the truth. My friends were murdered in front of my eyes just because I was too afraid to perform. Now I'm forced to run, unable to settle anywhere very long. It's a good thing I'm god of shadows otherwise I'd be dead by now."

"God of shadows?" I echoed. Shaade nodded.

"I can hide in them, create things from them, do whatever I want with them," he explained.

"Are you like a vampire?" Rebecca asked suddenly. Shaade frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"As in, does sunlight kill you?"

"No," Shaade laughed. "It just drains me for a while. Some more powerful gods or goddesses would be able to see through my disguises and my tricks."

"So this isn't your actual face?" Sophie asked. Shaade hesitated before snapping his fingers. Darkness wrapped around his entire body for a second before retreating, taking his stolen features along with it. Beneath the mask he had an angular face, a little like Loki's but with a squarer jaw. His eyes were a pale blue and his brown-blonde hair curled slightly over his forehead but generally pointing up in a queer little quiff. He wore a navy waistcoat with a golden pocketwatch chain poking out of a pocket over a crisp white shirt, a black bow tie fastened around his neck. The fold lines in his clothes were so sharp it looked like he was wearing them straight off the hanger. His shoes were polished to high shine, black and laced. Overall he looked normal (unlike Loki when we first met him) if a little posh. 

"Ta da," Shaade said with a smile, giving us a twirl to show off his outfit. The golden chain flew into the air and he caught the watch with one hand, glancing at the clock face before slotting it back into his pocket. 

"Very fancy," I noted. "But not very inconspicuous for someone who's on the run."

"Well I like it and fashion never killed anyone," Shaade retorted. I noticed that his voice had changed from what we'd heard before (how far did his powers go?!). Instead of it being a rough Northern growl it was an articulate London tone, the sort of voice that made Cockneys like me want to go 'evenin' guvnor' instinctively. 

"Shaade, why are you telling us this?" Loki asked, breaking the silence in which we had all stared at Shaade's change. 

"Because I want help," Shaade replied.

"Isn't it below someone of your class?" Loki sneered. I turned to him, shocked. He'd never been deliberately spiteful to anyone before. He was getting more and more human by the day.

"Will you stop being bitter?" Shaade snapped. "I've changed, Mr Laufeyson. Honestly. My family cast me aside when I made that terrible mistake concerning my friends and hence, I dropped my shield. I am as normal and as common as these girls here."

"But obviously a lot more arrogant," Rebecca muttered.

"Shaade, Loki, stop acting like four year olds," I said whilst the two teenagers - Shaade was only young - glared at one another. "Shaade, if you want help, we'll give it."

"Thank you."

"But only if you stop being a prat and agree to get along with Loki."

"Only if he stops stereotyping me due to my family reputation," Shaade said. His mouth turned down and he looked on the verge of tears. "I'm different. The black sheep of the family."

"Fine," Loki growled. "But keep that mewling quim away from me, alright?"

"Oh Lord," I murmured as the boys starting having a cat fight. "They're like alley cats. Hey, break it up, you two!" I shouted the last bit, yanking them apart. "Behave."

"Apologies, my lady."

"Sorry, George."