Lif and Lifthrasir - Breath of Life - Book 2

Chapter Thirteen - What Lies Behind Smoke and Mirrors

Copyright Ⓒ 2018 by B. Bailey All Rights Reserved

Sera

"The fact that the Spear was moved means that the thief is familiar with the Academy. Only a Half Blood or someone with the blood of the Muighs' could have moved it without getting burned. They have to have a fire in the veins. Clearly, they knew how to navigate around the Guards. At best, we can say they have an informant on the inside assisting them. It is likely that the thief themselves is a Guard or a Half Blood who attended the Academy."

None of the other Gods or Jotuns can hold it? Only the Fire Jotuns. That's news to me.

"Well, there are fire elementals from Muspel who can hold it. They did help craft it," Unn explains thoughtfully, tapping his knee. "Although I doubt any are still alive. They're fairly rare since they fight each other so much. Most are in hiding from their own kind, keeping to their own domains."

"And you say that you and, as far as you know, the Guards, have gaps in your memory that cannot be recovered?"

"Yes."

Unn crosses his arms, a scowl cutting across his face. "There aren't many means to remove or prevent memories from Gods and powerful Half Bloods."

"Tyr suspects it was water from the river Lethe."

"That is a possibility but, the time to handle that much water, and getting the amount precise for over a dozen Guards...it is a stretch. And for Half Bloods...the effects on mortals is drastically different. That would require a highly skilled team."

"For that speed and efficiency...it might have been aerosolized, to control how much was consumed," Delaney states, her hands fluttering in the air. "Like that trick, we saw on the first battlefield. Remember? One of the Fire Elementals did that with water he had poisoned and, after all of the opponents fell, he used his power to burn off the remainder, swooping in and killing the fallen enemies."

"The first battlefield we stepped onto..." Xerxes breathes, his eyes clearing as he recalls the memory.

"Using fire to make the Lethe into steam, immobilizing opponents. That would have to be a fire elemental then. The Muighs' flames aren't hot enough to vaporize the waters of the Underworld," He turns to me, his attention perking at my confused expression. "Their flames are powerful but are held within the confines of their being. Elementals can summon the very essence of the energy and manipulate it. The Waters of the Underworld were made to be unhindered so nothing can destroy them. Altering the form is incredibly difficult. With the rivers cutting through Muspel, the water has to have a naturally high resistance otherwise half of that realm would have a fog that would brainwash the natives."

Really? The 12 rivers of the Underworld do pass through Nifleheim and Muspelheim, although I have never personally gotten close enough to inspect them.

"Yes, there was no mist around those shores. That Realm is dry and hot." Xerxes confirms with a stiff nod of his head.

"I don't think I ever saw that move but the once," Unn states, tapping his chin. "That was the only time I saw him on the battlefield. He preferred to leave the fighting to his allies and Thor. Thor loves to have the first spot on a battlefield."

"Loki just doesn't like to fight unless he has an assured victory. That river move kept his wife safe. That's the only reason he went out."

"Loki?" I ask, not sure I heard her correctly. "No, he's a God. Not an Elemental."

"No, Loki is a Fire Elemental, not a God. He parades himself around as a God for the fun of it after he joined Aesir, who saved his homeland from the A-muigh, who at that time were trying to take over. We helped save his wife and he's been our trusted ally ever since. A troublesome, annoying ally but an ally nonetheless."