The Hell of the Nine Realms: Book 1: The Mystery of the Odinsons

X: I Take Some From Behind

I woke up in the middle of the night. After several minutes of trying to fall back asleep, I decided to walk around. While I was exploring I saw David and I decided to see if I could sneak up on him. I hid behind a wall, then slowly walked up to him.

When I got close, he said, "Raelin, what are you doing?"

I stopped. "How did you know I was coming?'" I asked. "Better question: How'd you know it was me?"

David was clearly amused by the question. "Coconut and lavender." he answered, then flickered, along with everything around me, for several seconds.

I did a double take at that. "What?"

"That's what you always smell like." he explained, acting as if nothing had happened. "Go back to your chamber." he suddenly added. "The guards... Prefer wandering guests to anyone who stays in their room."

"I take it that means something good?" I asked hopefully.

"It means they will eat you." David said bluntly. "Now go. You may wander after dawn." I was going to say "no", but my body suddenly started moving on its own and wouldn't obey my commands. I was took to my room against my will and I fell asleep as soon as I got into my bed.

Hours later, David shook me awake. "Come on, Raelin." he said. "We are under attack. You need to wake up." Then he slapped me.

"Ow." I complained. "I'm awake, dammit."

I got up as he left my room, but stopped for a second. What had happened last night? I remembered getting up and something... Weird happened. What was it? It was on the tip of my...

"Raelin?" David's voice called.

"Coming." I quickly said without thinking and followed him outside. I looked up at the threat and said, "Oh, shit."

A woman came, bowed and said. "My Lord."

David bowed back. "Please, do not call me 'Lord', Frigg." he replied.

Odin's wife, I thought.

"Where is Thor?" he asked her.

"He is in Nifelheimr, my Lord." she answered.

David nodded. "Raelin, stay put."

He flew off towards a giant that was 90 feet tall. David told everyone to stand clear or be vaporized.

"Who are you?" the giant boomed. "Thor, Tyr?"

I couldn't hear what David said, but whatever it was it made the giant laugh, but suddenly he stopped moving for some reason. Then the clouds began to gather.

"Impossible." Frigg said. "The weather here never changes."

Unless you're dealing with David Odinson, I thought.

Lightning crackled and thunder rumbled loudly. David flew up to the giant's face and said something to the giant. Then a dragon made of lightning came down on the giant's head, completely obliterating him.

"That wasn't his usual way of attacking with lightning." someone noted.

I turned around and saw it was Abby.

"That technique is special to David.'" I explained. "He tames the untameable - natural lightning and thunder and sends it crashing down on his opponents. Even I can't do that. When he said yours was just a cheap knock-off he was telling the truth."

Abby laughed.

"Yours was slower than his and less powerful. The reason he didn't use it in the tournament is because everyone would've been annihilated in a matter of seconds."