Dark Passions at Death's Door

Prologue

"I'm three thousand and five years old, I've seen everythi– Kitty! What? No, silly demon, you have to go back there and confess you love her! That, or... oh, wait, Regin, not that one, I like that one's horns! So lickable! Ohhhh, too late, there's another radio eaten. *sigh* Gods dammit, Regin."

- Nїx the Ever-Knowing, a.k.a. Nucking Futs Nїx, Nїxie, Proto-Valkyrie, Soothsayer Without Equal, First Among Valkyries, Phenїx

"See you in Hell."

- Byron Dekker, Specialist, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 75th Rangers

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2,900 years ago...
Valhalla
Heaven Plane of the Norse
God Status: Active

Autumn enveloped Valhalla.

Trees flared with colors. Frost bit under her boots. Her breath steamed the air around her. For all that, she couldn't bother with its beauty. Phenїx Ever-Knowing was running with all her immortal might.

This was the day. They'd known for years. Nïx had vowed to the Lore she would be at her mother's side this day.

Her goddess mother had admonished her. One did not tempt the Fates with such a vow.

Yet Phenїx couldn't understand.

She was a soothsayer, able to predetermine the fates and decision trees that would lead to an outcome. Any outcome. Many, including her mothers and father, said she was to be without equal. Even the goddess Isis had said as much while visiting them once in a royal banquet. The queen had mentioned to Freya that Phenїx was destined for prominence.

But how could she be considered great if she couldn't foresee all?

As if they conspired against her, the fates among the mortal realm had taken a vicious turn. An army of humans returning from a campaign in the south discovered their homes under the rule of an immortal. A vampire of the Horde who'd lost his mind to the Thirst.

The vampire used his considerable physical might and wasted-but-still-potent intellect to gouge out an empire in the northern lands. What Phenїx knew would become the Nordic nations.

The mortal human army had gone to siege on the vampire's fortress. The vampire himself had hundreds of mortals and a small cavalcade of loyal immortals.

Shapeshifters, another weaker vampire held in his thrall, and a covey of evil witches who decreed themselves loyalists of the Overlady, whoever that was.

Despite their relative youth, the Valkyries had been called upon to aid the mortals.

It was her twelfth encounter with a Horde vampire. Some of her sisters bemoaned the fact that the vampires were as handsome as Loki. A pretty package with a dead animal inside, was what Furie had used to describe them.

Phenїx couldn't be bothered to worry about it. This thricedamned bloodsucker had died hard. He'd wasted her time. Her mother's time.

Her feet pounded over the bridges that interlinked the outlying village roads with the main city. Simple gold accoutrements adorned each. She passed through the blessed roads of the main dwellings. Then she began diving into the various thralls' dwellings. They hardly had time to shout at her. Her foresight allowed her to duck underneath horses, carriages, around and between crowds.

Phenїx felt unstoppable for a singular moment. I will make it!

Thor and Loki were outside at the double doors of her mama's dwelling for her. They slung the doors open swiftly. Phenїx gave them a quick wave of thanks, tears sparking her eyes. Both bowed their heads to her.