Eternity | T.J.

That Was Unexpected.

A/N: Just really quickly, most of the art I'm showing isn't mine, if it's mine, it'll have a signature of 'Alex' next to it.

     I didn't know whether or not I was supposed to be surprised that the 'World Tree' was a statue of ducks... because the World Tree was apparently a statue of ducks. Sam, Blitz, and Hearth didn't seem surprised about it.

     " Behold! The nexus of the universe!"

     " So..." Magnus began." I'm just going to point out that this is the Make Way For Ducklings statue."

     " Do you think it's a coincidence?" Blitz asked." Nine worlds? Nine ducks? The symbolism just screams portal! This spot is the crux of creation, the center of the tree, the easiest place to jump from one duck- I mean world- to another."

     " If you say so."

     Hearth waved his hands over the ducks before turning to Blitz and shaking his head.

     " As I fear," Blitzen said." Hearth and I have been traveling too much. We won't be able to activate the ducks. Magnus, Willow, we'll need one of you."

     Magnus turned to me immediately.

     " Hey, your prophecy."

     My brother looked to Blitz for an explanation of what he was supposed to be doing exactly, only to get none. After a while of just starring at the dwarf expectantly, Magnus eventually spoke up.

     " Okay, I'll bite. How do I activate ducks?"

     " However you do it," Sam, who had joined us again just a little while ago, said." Do it quickly. I don't like how close we are to the gates of Valhalla."

     " But I don't know how! Don't you guys go world-jumping all the time?"

     Too much.

     " Kid, the more frequently you travel between the worlds, the harder it gets. It's kind of like overheating an engine. At some point, you have to stop and let the engine cool down. Besides, jumping randomly from one world to another is one thing. Traveling on a quest, that's different. We can't be sure where exactly we need to go."

     " Fun," I remarked.

     Magnus turned to Sam." What about you?"

     " When I was a Valkyrie, it would've been no problem. But now? You're a child of Frey, your father is the god of growth and fertility. You should be able to coax Yggdrasil's branches close enough to let us jump on. Besides, like Willow said, it's your quest. You have the best chance of navigating. Just use the sculpture as a point of focus. Find us the quickest path."

     My brother knelt next to the sculpture before placing a hand on the closest duck.

     " This," he reported." Is the quickest way to Niflheim."

     " Excellent, let's not go there."

     Before we could figure out where else not to go, someone yelled in our direction.

     " Magnus Chase!"

     We turned in the direction the voice had come from to see Gunilla, two other Valkyries, and a whole bunch of other Einherjar, the only one I could recognize being X.

     Magnus moved to grab his sword, before Sam stopped him.

     " Magnus, no. Concentrate on the ducks. We have to change worlds now."

     The two Valkyries I didn't recognize drew spears, while Gunilla threw two hammers in our direction, both of which sam deflected.

     " I can't fight them all, it's leave now or be captured."

     " I-I need more time."

     " We don't have time!" Sam said as she deflected a third hammer.

     I changed my watch into the sword I'd gotten from Valhalla, considering a Lamp-Post probably wasn't the most useful weapon in a fight.

     " Hearth," Blitz spoke." Now would be good."

     Our elf frowned, before pulling another runestone from his pouch, muttered to it without actually making a sound, before throwing what looked like an R into the air.

     Suddenly the space between us and our attackers seemed to become longer just as the Einherjar charged, although from our point of view, and probably theirs as well, it looked like they were on an invisible treadmill that kept them from actually going anywhere.

    " Raidho," Blitzen explained." It stands for the wheel, the journey. Hearthstone has bought you some time."

     Only seconds. The elf signed. Hurry.

     He collapsed.

     Magnus reached for another duck, and another, before finally stopping." This one."

     " Well open it!"

     He took out Summarbrander before slicing at the air above the duck he'd just pointed out. The air seemed to part where he'd cut, and suddenly we had a view of a large tree branch.

     " Hurry!" My brother yelled to us." Jump!"

     Blitz quickly did as he was told, as Gunilla continued her yelling.

     " You are doomed Magnus Chase! We will pursue you to the ends of-"

     Before she could finish that thought, Hearths spell broke, throwing all the Einherjar face-first onto the pavement and the valkyries over our heads and into a building.

     Magnus and Sam quickly grabbed onto Hearth, pulling him into the world tree, while I put away my blade, sparing a glance to the Einherjar who were beginning to get up, before jumping in after my old friends.

A/N: Alright, fun fact, I just wrote the first word and then stared at this Authors Note for five minutes before writing this. Also, recommendation for anyone reading this... Listen to the Lightning Theif musical, including the Demo Songs, especially Pick A Side, which is my favorite song out of all the songs. I hope at least someone somewhat enjoyed this chapter, any to all comments from anyone about anything make my day, and just keep in mind the world is your erster.