The Mergence: Book 1

We Need To Move

I was on solid ground but beneath me was simply a dark abyss, my body shakes but I felt forced to take a step. I leaned forward and fell but my foot stopped me, standing on the invisible ground, although the feeling of falling still took over me and my hands automatically rose to cover my face, when I saw them however I noticed they were covered in blood. I released a cry and stumbled backwards, falling onto the floor.
It felt damp, and cold. I could almost sense the feeling of death upon the floor. I could hear whispered around me coming from all directions, I couldn't however make out the voices.
I stood up and began running. I ran in any direction that seemed away from the whispers but no matter where I went they were there, then I could finally understand one of them "come home dear" it said, it took me a while to figure out the voice but then I recognised it, it was my mothers or rather the one that Layla said wanted to kill me.
I felt drawn to the voice and began heading towards it, stumbling over something as I walked "that's it son" my father said, once I got close enough I tried to reach out for them however once my hand got close enough my parents faces changed, they went from normal to monstrous. Their jaws unhinged lik snakes and they grew taller, however their legs began to fade as they hovered in place. I turned to run and stumbled over again however this time I landed on the ground and I was met with mountains of skulls.
My eyes shot open even wider than they already were if that was possible and I scrambled to my feet trying to evade the two phantom, I dodged one of them but the other grabbed me and flew me high up, high enough for the skulls to vanish from my vision. It grabbed my shoulders and stared at me, it's mouth unhinged to reveal several layers of teeth and I began to feel lightheaded and something was being sucked from me into the phantom, then a familiar streak of lightning past though the sky and I saw Odin once again this time his staff glowed yellow. He aimed it towards the phantom and fired what looked to be dust, it past straight through me and obliterated the phantom, but then I fell back to the ground however just before I hit it I woke up.

I was back in my bed, I looked around my room. It was just as I left it, the small shrine, the faint carvings and my door locked shut.

I left my hut and immediately saw Wulf sitting on his hut, right at the top, I waved at him and he smiled back at me, jumping off his hit and landing directly infront of me
"Have we got a shower of any sorts here?" I asked sheepishly
Wulf let out a small giggle "there's a stream a bit past the end of the path, there's a water bucket there and a tree that's been hollowed out" I nodded and followed his directions, I quickly found the tree with the bucket resting against it. If I was still sleepy the cold water definitely kicked me out of it as I washed it down my back. It felt nice, I hadn't had a shower in what felt like weeks and I was covered in dirt and much, I must've smelt awful.
I didn't take too much time in the tree but whilst I was in there I thought about my dream. If Odin hadn't have came would I have actually been taken there. Or was it just that, a dream.

Once I finished in the tree I headed back to camp, Layla and Wulf were talking by the campfire and sitting next to each other making some food. I felt a little twitch in my hand as I watched the two shoulder to shoulder but I looked past it.

"Hey guys, what're you talking about?" I asked taking a seat on the opposite side of the fire, before anyone answered Layla pushed a makeshift bowl towards me "eat" she said, within the bowl was some kind of meat with a small amount of roasted plants. If I'm honest it looked quite nice but the taste was less than desirable.

"I think we need to leave camp, if they found us once they'll find us again" Layla stared sternly
"I'm with you but we don't know anywhere safe. If could be days before we find another good spot" Wulf added
"Yes, but we can't send out a scout, we don't have enough people to guard the camp properly let alone a scouting mission" Layla thought aloud.
"I think we should go, we can always put a big tent up for a night if we need to rest, and we could spend one more day here collecting food for the journey" I added. They both looked at each other then towards me
"That seems to be the most optimal plan" Layla said. Her hands rested on her chin in a thinking motion
"I'm with you buddy" Wulf agreed standing up and walking to me to pat me on the back.

Wulf walked over to Codrin's hut to tell him the plan, meanwhile Layla came closer to me "what happened?" She asked. My eyes became wide "wh-what do you mean?" I stuttered
"Your mind seems distant... and I could sense you stirring in your sleep" she whispered but in a comforting way
"I-I had a bad dream is all" I replied, my face heated up learning that she could sense me in the night, whether it was controllable or not it still creeped me out slightly
"What happened?" She asked again "you can tell me Noah" she placed a hand on mine and I melted as she said my name
"I saw my parents... the ones you said want to kill me, and you're right. They turned into these- these things!" I shouted, remembering the events of my dream set of a trigger I didn't realise I had.
"They're called spirits" Layla relied after a minute or two of silence, "they're devious, they can change their appearance and sneak through the night with ease, they're what ghosts were designed after"
I watched as her expressions fell, she looked as if she herself was remembering something from the past. I decided not to pry and instead told her about the rest of my dream.

"So Odin came to protect you?" She asked, I nodded
"Is something wrong?" I asked, my free hand moved to her shoulder in a quick moment of confidence. She looked at me and her eyes went from something like fear to almost soft and calm "no, I'm fine just- just a bad memory" she smiled meekly. "Well I'm here if you need me" I reminded

Codrin walked up to us "I'd recommend leaving the camp borders" he smiled, we did as he said and I was confused to see us all just staring at camp
"What are we doing?" I asked after a few moments of silence
"Just wait" Layla smiled as Wulf stepped forward.
He mumbled some chant and the entire camp lifted of the ground and in a bright blue light which forced me to close my eyes. When I opened them again the camp was gone, and in Wulf's hand there was a bright blue cube "here in my hand I hold... the camp of lonely gods" he joked
"We are not calling our camp that" Codrin argued
"What would you suggest your majesty" Wulf teased stepping closer to Codrin.
Codrin thought for a second "well, since we're all from different mythologies how about... the Mergence?" We all seemed to agree on the idea although Wulf was a little disheartened he still enjoyed it.

Then we set off to find a new camp, a safe camp. No matter how long it took.