I opened my eyes but I was surrounded by nothing but blackness. I could feel a cold breeze crawl up my back, I was floating. Still laying as if my back was riding the air. But then a streak of lightning coursed through the sky and the invisible ground shook. Suddenly a falling sensation overtook my body and I shot towards a dirty brown floor that had a chunk taken out forcing me into a ditch.
I hit the ground with a large thud but I didn't feel any pain, my hands patted around my body then held my head, as if I was checking I was still intact.
A lightning bolt sparked once again, this time in its place there was a large brooding man, his eyes glowed blue, scratch that...eye. In his right hand he held a staff and on his shoulders each sat a raven.
"YOU" his voice echoed and boomed shaking the ground once more "YOU WILL BE OUR CHAMPION" the voice roared once more. He was too far away for me to make out to many important details but I could tell he looked old, he wore what looked to be damaged battle armour with a tunic replacing his lower half, he looked powerful. I'd be scared if I wasn't simply confused.
I tried to respond but another lightning bolt ripped open the sky and I shot up, my eyes opened once more but this time I was in the woods, the same woods Layla and Wulf had brought me too.
I remember after a long period of walking we decided to take refuge in a large oak tree, I looked down the branches and saw Layla setting up some sort of trap with wire and netting, and just above her was Wulf jumping from branch to branch peering over the trees every once in a while.
Layla looked up from what she was doing and saw me "good you're awake" she smiled and I almost felt calm again
As she continued to study me her expression changed, it became stone and serious "what's wrong?" She asked
I waved my hands infront of me "nothing, nothing I just had a weird dream that's all" that seemed to spark something in Layla, as she shouted Wulf down and slowly climbed towards me
"Dreams are never not important in our kind of lives, they tell the stories we can't see" Wulf spoke, he sounded almost wise of not for his stupidly childish demeanour
"What happened Noah" Layla smiled, her eyes softened as she placed a hand on mine. For a split second I stared into her eyes, they were a deep brown, deep enough for me to sink into, to get lost only I would never want to be found. Suddenly I felt butterflies in my stomach and my face heat up.
Once I got a hold of myself I told them both about the dream, I tried to describe it in as much detail as possible but most of the memory was still a bit fuzzy.
Layla placed her hand on her chin and began to think "that gives us a few options" Layla spoke
"Yeah but there's so many lightning gods" Wulf added, looking equally puzzled
"What are you guys talking about?" I asked, my eyes darting from one to the other
"When you have your first few dreams, it always tells you who you're parents are, and they tell you what you're purpose is, apparently you're going to be a champion... good for you" Layla smiled although she let out a soft sigh and her face gloomed ever so slightly
Wulf noticed but tried to say nothing and instead began asking me questions "did he have a hammer?" To which I replied "no just a staff" Wulf began thinking again "ok... did he look to be controlling the lightning?" He asked, I tried to think back to my dream but it was still hazy "I guess so I couldn't really tell" I shrugged
Suddenly Wulf grabbed my shoulders and stared into my eyes "did he have any pets or animals of any kind?" He shook. I snapped my fingers "YES! He had two birds" I smiled as if I finally helped, it appeared I did as I heard Layla say behind Wulf "Odin"
We both averted our gaze to look at her "you're father is Odin of the Norse Gods" she repeated.
I looked at her bewildered, being told I'm the son of gods with adoptive parents was one thing but being told I was the son of the all father was a completely different story. I felt sick to my stomach and I was sure my face was going green.
"Here take this" Wulf smiled handing me a leaf of some sort, I reached for it slowly but Wulf reassured "it has healing properties trust me" he smiled
Finally taking the leaf and eating it I realised he was right. My head felt much clearer and the nausea was gone
"Wow" i gaped
"Good stuff right" Wulf giggled "its a mixture of any tree and an ancient ritual, the gods bless the leaf so it can heal the wounded" he added
I looked at Layla and she still looked down, ever since she mentioned me being a champion she looked almost out of it"Layla are you ok?" I said before even thinking about it
She snapped her head up and her eyes darted away "we need to find the others, I know there's more of us at that school, there were so many rooms in that place" she said convincingly
"Layla we can't... we barely made it out, they had us captured, they could have done anything" Wulf replied, he looked scared. Petrified even, I never noticed his small stubble he had just underneath his chin, and his pupils were small, almost invisible surrounded by the sea blue colour of his iris.
"We have to, I know there's at least one more... I could sense it" Layla deadpanned
"Layla I know I can't stop you. But I'm not going" Wulf said sternly "if you must then do it, make sure you survive... I'll make this camp a little sturdier for when you return ok?" Wulf said, he lifted a hand to touch Layla's cheek, she batted it away softly and nodded
"You coming with me son of Odin" she winked and my heart skipped a beat so without thinking I nodded.
She grabbed my hand and we began walking,
At little down the line a few minutes later she hasn't let go, I tightened my fingers around hers out of instinct and this seemed to snap her out of whatever trance she was in and let go of my hand which upset me a little
"Sorry, you- you don't have to come with me, it's dangerous" she sniffled, her eyes facing forward
"Which is exactly why I should come, if you get chased by one of those guys again I could be your decoy" I laughed she seemed to giggle slightly
"We've gotta keep you alive champion, and we'll find out what you can do" she turned and smiled, her eyes seemed puffy and slightly red
"What does that mean... and why do you seem so upset about that?" I asked, gulping as the question left my lips
"My- my brother was meant to be a champion" she spoke, her voice sounded shaky. She stopped walking and held her arm "he was supposed to help the gods come to light once again and defeat those- those MONSTERS" she screamed "but-" she choked and so I grabbed her and pulled her in for a hug.
Under better circumstances and feel like I was the luckiest guy in the world but right now I was just a friend.
I noticed she was slightly shorter than me, just so I could see slightly over the top of her head. She huffed me back and spoke into my shoulder where her head rest "they took his essence, his power. He's gone now, gone for good" she cried, I could feel the dampness in my clothes
I broke the hug and looked at her eyes, lifting her chin so we shared eye contact "I'll make sure we get revenge for your brother, I swear on everything" I half smiled
She returned the gesture, "thank you Noah. Thank you so much"
"Come on let's get that student" I smiled as we began walking back towards the school, the fear building up in my stomach but I had to push it back down,
For Layla.
YOU ARE READING
The Mergence: Book 1
FantasyThe gods have always been around, each one from each mythology. They just chose their time. Some gods had children with those of another realm. And they live in the modern world, unknown to them the trouble they're in and the power they hold.
