The Valkyrie; The Beginning

Welcome to Arcadia Folks

Jim walked out of Troll Market with Blinky. The four-armed troll was walking him out while they spoke together. "Bular is quite the foe," Blinky said "We must find this Killahead Bridge." Jim nodded his agreement.

"Agre-" A shriek made Jim look up to the sky. "Stalkling?" Jim said, he shuddered from the remembrance of his encounter with one on his birthday a month or so ago.

"It was too high pitched to be a stalkling I'm afraid." Blinky put his hands together as he too scanned the sky for whatever made that noise. Blinky frowned, he didn't seem quite as alarmed as Jim who walked out from the safety of the bridge and searched the sky.

"I don't see anything, but it HAD to be something, right?" Jim sounded worried. Abruptly, a swooshing sound was heard and Jim was yanked back underneath the bridge, "Master Jim!" Blinky shouted, he was the one to pull Jim backward.

"Great Gorgons, it's a griffin!" Blinky pointed to what looked like a brown blur in the sky, how did it get up so quickly?

"A griffin?" Jim yelled, surprised by the statement. "Yes indeed," Blinky replied "I thought they were extinct with the Valkyrie!"

Jim looked down and noticed the griffin's shadow on the ground as it flew about. "Impossible! I would've noticed if a griffin's been flying around." Jim stammered

"It must've just arrived in Arcadia." Blinky scanned the sky hastily "Why would there be a griffin in Arcadia?" Jim asked as he too searched the sky but the brown blur was gone, into the clouds.

"Centuries ago, when I was barely an adult myself," He added, emphasizing how long ago it was with his hands "There was an ancient clan of women, young and old, they were known as The Valkyrie. They would have tattoos on their wrist that indicated whether or not they were Valkyrie, it was inherited through generations." Blinky murmured, gesturing to his wrist below his palm.

"They were a formidable foe, no males dwelled within their tribe-" Blinky was interrupted by Jim who shuffled from foot to foot "Okay! What does this have to do with the griffin?" He demanded, not interested in the troll's story at this particular moment.

"Well, you see Master Jim," Blinky murmured "The Valkyrie would ride griffins into battle," He added, "The griffin would choose its Valkyrie when the women reached..." He trailed off as he began to count on his multiple fingers "16?"

"16!" Jim immediately thought about the only girl who was known to be 16, Persephone otherwise known as Persey.

"Then this Persephone is possibly a descendant of the Valkyrie and the griffin is merely... searching for her." He mumbled, not seeming as worried as Jim was who began to pace.

"W-We have to help her!" Jim stammered

"Why Jim, that is very unnecessary. Griffins rarely harm Valkyries." Blinky quelled Jim's worries, who glared at him "Though there is a process that if done wrong could be dangerous-"

"BLINKY!"

Blinky frowned as he began to realize. "Touche," He murmured, "We must find this Persephone first."

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Persey observed the mark on her arm, it was in the shape of a wing? She didn't know, it had just appeared on her that morning. She was getting her clothes on and when putting her shirt on then did she notice it.

It was weird.

Right at this moment, Persey was stuffing her mouth full of Lucky Charms. Her mother stood at the sink, washing her hands off after she had just put dinner in the crockpot.

Her father sat across from Persey, his face enveloped in a newspaper rather than his breakfast. It was quiet, until Mom broke the silence.

"Honey, I think it's just a birthmark coming in." Mom said, setting the towel down and she shooed Rafael off the counter.

"Mom, birthmarks don't just appear out of nowhere!" Persey exclaimed through her mouth of marshmallow. "Don't chew with your mouth full." Dad said from behind his newspaper. That was all he said so Persey just swallowed her cereal and continued.

"Whatever honey," Mom checked the clock on the wall. "You best skedaddle, flower." Mom teased  but she wasn't joking about the time.

Persey downed her milk and then placed her bowl in the soapy sink. Mom came up behind her and wiped the milk moustache off her face with a paper towel.

"Bye Mom," While walking by her Dad, she leaned down and pecked his cheek "Adios Papa." She said and all she heard was a "Love you sweetpea."

Persey frowned but continued walking out the door, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and made her way to the garage.

Slamming her hand on the button, the garage began to creek open. The gears churned loudly as the sunlight ebbed in. Persey squinted as her eyes adjusted from the sun, but soon enough she pedaled out of the garage.

Time for school....