When Darkness Falls - LOKI - Book One (Editing)

2. Neophyte ✓

     Athelia had missed dinner again. She sat at the desk in the corner of her chambers, reading through the files she had been given to choose from. She shook her head in annoyance. Recruits had become less and less appealing. There were over a hundred thousand warriors on this planet, all with superhuman strength, but she was brought six, and only two seemed as if they would survive the first day. 

     Athelia rubbed her tired eyes and stood. Her chambers were the place she could use her magic freely without grievance from her father, and a small smile played upon her reddened lips as she looked down. Her beaten training armor slowly faded away, replaced by a thick robe to relax in while she awaited her bath to warm. She ran her fingers over the rough fabric and found her way to the balcony once again, hoping she could find peace in the quiet.

     She pulled at the taught braids on her head, letting her long white locks fall to her back. Her knees came to her chest as she lounged back into the small chaise, and she took a deep breath, letting her frustrations fade. She smiled as she saw a star peek through the dense fog that choked around her, and for a moment, Athelia found herself wanting to call for her father as she had when she was little. It had been so long since she had seen the night sky and so desperately wanted to share it with someone.

     Her smile faded as an unusual ruckus swept through the stronghold. It was unlike the high-pitched squealing of the maidens carrying across the sea. Warriors were a rowdy bunch, but here, once the sky fell dark - quiet always followed.

     It was clear that something wasn't right.

     Her door pushed open, and she turned to see a hooded figure barreling towards her on the open balcony. She stood quickly, her hands coming together as Eiri's cold hilt filled the void between her fingers. The blade, half her size, flourished in front of her as she stepped forward, and her battle wear quickly covered every inch of her body.

     Her boots nearly broke the stone beneath her feet as she jumped forward, but she lowered the blade quickly as she realized the intruder was not an intruder at all. 

     "Dolcia?" She slid her sword into its sheath. "It's past curfew. What are you doing here?"

     Athelia looked over her dear friend as the older woman took a moment to collect her thoughts. Her dark eyes bounced around the room as if the woman was assessing surrounding threats, and once she realized they were alone, she dropped the hood of her cloak and sheathed her sword. Something had the woman startled.

    Before either could speak, the thick grey curtains that draped around her dimly lit room began to flutter in a wild breeze. A mechanical hum blew in from the balcony, and she gripped the hilt of her sword tightly again and approached.

     The star that she had just been gazing upon had begun to descend, and it was then that she had realized it had not been a star at all. It was a ship and not a familiar one. 

     "Athelia get away from the doorway," Dolcia insisted.

     Athelia watched in confusion as the woman began to raid her cupboards. Dolcia's dark curls bounced as she began shoving random objects into a barren trunk, ignoring the pleas from the young woman who wanted to know what was going on.

     "We don't have time Athelia," she snapped. "Pack your things. We have to leave."

     "Leave?" Athelia questioned. "Why? What is happening?" She continued to beg Dolcia for answers, but she was ignored until Athelia reached out and grabbed hold of Dolcia's arm, startling her for just a moment. "What is happening?"

     Dolcia's dark eyes narrowed, and she pulled her toned arm out of Athelia's grip.

     "Are we under attack?" She followed Dolcia towards her bed as she locked up the small trunk. "Dolcia, answer me."

     The woman huffed in frustration as she watched Athelia's pale blue eyes fade to the opaque white she had grown weary of. "You cannot use your tricks on me, Athelia," she warned her, gripping at the stone around her neck. It was the one thing that could keep Athelia from invading her mind, but it was also the one thing that filled Athelia's mind with doubt. "You must have trust. Without it, you will not survive this. Do you understand me?"

     "Survive what?"

     Athelia's head snapped towards the door as footstep approached. She placed her finger against her lips as both women drew their swords and took the position. Fearless and frazzled, Athelia pulled open the door. Her sword coming down in front of the intruder, stopping them in their tracks. 

      "Dear God's," Dolcia groaned as she lowered the blade away from the familiar neophyte. Athelia reached forward and removed the hood, sighing heavily when she met the familiar blue eyes and the dark black smudges that covered them. 

     "Freya," Athelia snapped. "You should be with your commander." 

     Freya ran her fingers over the long braid in her hair and shook her head at her mentor. She knew it was wrong to disobey her future Queen, but she had made a vow, much like the other Neophytes, to keep Athelia and the kingdom safe at all costs.

    "There's an Asgardian ship in the yard," Freya informed her, causing the pit in Athelia's stomach to grow. "It is my duty to protect -" 

     Athelia cut her off. "Asgardian? Are you certain?" Freya nodded. 

     Instead of reprimanding the girl for breaking protocol as she had wanted to, Athelia ran back to the balcony and watched as the short golden staircase extended slowly from the ship that landed in the courtyard. Her thick lips parted as a low growl escaped between them, and without hesitation, she ran back into the room, her pale blue eyes frosting over yet again as she stormed toward the young neophyte. 

    "What else did you see?" 

     "Athelia, don't!"

     Dolcia couldn't stop her, and Athelia all but lunged towards the young neophyte and gripped her forehead. Her eyes fluttered behind her dark veined lids as she sifted through the last bit of Freya's day, but there was nothing questionable other than Freya refusing to follow in line with the other neophytes as they prepared for whatever was happening around them.

     Athelia's eyes shot open as Dolcia gripped her arm tightly, forcing her to let go of the girl. Freya inhaled sharply and stumbled backward, never having fully experienced the painful extent of Athelia's true powers.

     "You could have killed her," Dolcia snapped, but it fell on deaf ears. "Athelia, we need to leave." 

     "By landing a ship on our planet, Asgard has broken the treaty," Athelia shouted back at her, more frustrated at the situation than with Dolcia for wanting to run. "If you for a second think I am going to run away from this fight, then you have clearly underestimated what I'm capable of."

     Dolcia shook her head, taking her plump bottom lip between her teeth as she seethed. "The Asgardians are not here to invade us, Athelia."

     "Then why are they here?" 

     "To save your life." 

EDITED. 6/28/21 ✓