Emerald Green {Book Two}

Echoes of the Divine

The path winding up Mount Valdis was treacherous, its steep incline covered in loose shale that made every step a lesson in balance. Eryk and Shadow moved with a synchronicity born of their deep bond, their pace steady despite the challenge. The air grew thinner as they ascended, each breath a reminder of the journey's arduous nature, yet it was the conversation Eryk had begun that weighed heaviest on his mind.

"Shadow," Eryk started, his voice low to not disturb the mountain's solemn silence, "you know now, as do I, that my father is none other than Loki, the Trickster God." His words hung in the crisp mountain air, mingling with the mist that cloaked their path.

Shadow glanced up at Eryk, his eyes, deep and understanding, reflecting the moonlight with an eerie glow. He didn't need to speak; his presence was a comfort, a silent acknowledgment of his revelations.

"How did it happen, Shadow? How did my mother ever cross paths with a god like Loki?" Eryk pondered aloud, his gaze drifting to the stars, as if seeking answers in the constellations. "She, a celestial maiden of the stars, and he, a force of chaos and cunning. It's like a tale from the ancient scrolls, yet it's my lineage."

The wolf's ears perked up, his head tilting slightly with curiosity. Eryk continued, the words flowing as if to ease his own confusion. "Imagine the love they must have shared, brave and forbidden. But why the secrecy? Why must their love be hidden from all, even from the very gods?"

Eryk paused, his hand reaching out to touch the cold stone of the mountain as if grounding himself in reality. "Odin, the All-Father, must have seen their union as a threat or perhaps an imbalance. He cast spells, powerful and ancient, to ensure no one would know of their existence. Not just for fear, but perhaps out of a twisted sense of preservation for the cosmos."

Shadow nudged Eryk's hand with his nose, a gesture of solidarity. He smiled faintly, stroking his fur. "I wonder how they met. Was it by chance or by fate? Was it in a moment of peace or in the midst of chaos that their eyes met, seeing not just each other but something beyond?"

His heart ached with the questions, the desire to know his parents' story compelling him forward. "And now, here I am, climbing mountains and facing dangers, all to save my mother from a curse. A curse perhaps born from the very love that created me."

The wind howled, carrying with it the whispers of the mountain spirits, or so Eryk liked to believe. He looked at Shadow, whose eyes seemed to hold the wisdom of the ages. "What do you think, my friend? Was their love worth the cost? Is any love worth the trials it brings?"

Shadow's only response was a low, comforting growl, his warmth against his leg a constant reminder that some bonds defy even the gods' decrees. Eryk nodded, understanding that some questions might never have answers, but the journey itself was worth every step.

As they continued their climb, Eryk felt a renewed sense of purpose. His quest was not just about breaking a curse but uncovering the threads of fate that had woven his own existence.

Eryk and Shadow had ascended the mountain for hours, their muscles aching with each step against the steep incline. The air grew thinner, and the cold bit more fiercely as they climbed higher, but their spirits remained unyielding. They found solace in a small cave nestled in the cliffside, a temporary reprieve from the relentless wind.

Inside, Eryk gathered some dry twigs and branches, managing to light a fire whose warmth spread comfort through the cramped space. They ate in silence, the crackle of the fire and the howl of the wind outside their only companions. Shadow, ever the vigilant protector, lay close to Eryk, sharing the warmth.

The meal was simple—dried meat and hard bread—but it felt like a feast after the day's exertions. As they were finishing, an eerie silence fell over the mountain, as if the world itself held its breath. Then, from the vast sky above, a voice boomed, trembling through the earth and air. It was Odin's voice, deep and resonant, yet the words were indistinct, carried away by the winds.

Eryk's heart raced. Though the words were lost, the power and the presence of the Allfather's voice seemed to resonate directly with his soul. "It's about us," he murmured to Shadow, a sense of foreboding settling in his chest. "Or perhaps, about my mother."

Shadow's ears pricked up, and a low growl began to rumble in his throat. Eryk, alert now, scanned the darkness beyond the firelight, ready to invoke his magic at a moment's notice.

Then, from the shadows, a figure stumbled into the light. It was a young girl, perhaps no older than sixteen, with shimmering blonde hair and dark caramel eyes that seemed to hold entire galaxies. She was bruised, her clothes tattered, and her breath came in shallow gasps.

"Please," she whispered, her voice a mix of hope and despair, "help me."

Eryk, though cautious, felt his heart move with pity. He lowered his hands, the magic ready but not cast. "Who are you? What happened?"

The girl staggered closer, collapsing near the fire. "They... they chased me. I escaped, but I don't know for how long. My name is Ada," she said, her voice gaining strength as she felt the warmth of the fire.

"Ada?" Eryk echoed, the name stirring something deep within him, a connection he couldn't place.

Shadow, who had been growling, now approached her cautiously, sniffing her hand before allowing her to pet him, his growl subsiding into a soft whine.

Eryk offered her food and water, which she accepted with trembling hands. "Why are you running? Who's after you?"

Ada looked up, her eyes meeting Eryk's with an intensity that belied her youth. "It's complicated."

"It's not complicated." Eryk insists, his green eyes mirroring those of his fathers, unbeknownst to Ada.

"I stole bread I haven't eaten in days, I was just hungry." Ada admits.

Eryk watched Ada closely, her figure silhouetted against the flickering flames. His mother's words echoed in his mind, Never trust anyone. Yet here he was, offering hospitality to a stranger whose story was as thin as the fabric of her tattered dress.

"Why would they chase you just for stealing bread?" Eryk's voice was steady, probing, his eyes never leaving hers.

Ada paused, her fingers nervously playing with the edge of her makeshift bandage. "I'm not important, just a commoner," she replied, her voice steadier now, bolstered perhaps by the warmth or the company. "But sometimes, even small crimes can draw big attention if you're in the wrong place."

Eryk nodded, but his mind was racing. Her explanation was too simple, too convenient. "And where were you when you stole this bread?"

"In the market of Yorn," she said quickly, perhaps too quickly. "I was hungry, and I wasn't thinking straight."

Yorn was a city known for its harsh laws, yet something about her tale didn't fit. Eryk's instincts, honed by years of solitude and survival, were screaming at him. But there was Shadow, his loyal companion, who had warmed up to her almost instantly. Dogs had a sense for people, didn't they?

"Yorn is weeks away," Eryk remarked, watching for her reaction. "How did you end up here, in the middle of nowhere?"

"I've been running," Ada said, her eyes dropping to the fire. "I didn't know where else to go."

Eryk leaned back, pondering. His life had been solitary by choice, a loner by necessity, but there was a part of him, perhaps the part that remembered his mother's softer moments, that couldn't just leave her to the elements or her pursuers.

"Can I... can I stay with you, just for a while?" Ada asked, her voice barely above a whisper, vulnerable. "Until I figure out what to do next?"

He should say no. Every fiber of his being told him this was a mistake. Yet, there was something about Ada that intrigued him, a puzzle he felt compelled to solve. And Shadow, lying down beside her, seemed to have made his choice clear.

"Fine," Eryk said after a long pause, "but we do things my way. No secrets, no lies. If I find out you've deceived me, you're on your own."

Ada nodded, a slight smile breaking through her worried facade. "Thank you, You won't regret this."

But as he watched her settle down, wrapping herself in the blanket he offered, Eryk couldn't shake the feeling that he might indeed regret it. Trust was a luxury he couldn't afford, yet somehow, he had extended it, or at least the semblance of it, to Ada. As the fire died down to glowing embers, Eryk's mind was a whirl of doubts and questions, his gaze lost in the stars above, searching for answers in the vast, silent sky.