Loki's Child (In Editing)

Chapter 19

Loki shoots out an icicle at Kari, and she aims her stream of fire out at it, melting it to water at her feet. Loki doesn't give her time to attack as he shoots three more sharp icicles, which Kari uses some wind to knock them to the side, and water to blast away.

Loki works with his daughter on magic for hours, until Kari is physically and mentally drained.

Loki has her work on more attacking spells than defensive ones, which is a little tricky. She's been working with water, fire, and air more often, since they seem to be the only elements that help her when battling Loki's ice.

When Loki works Kari on defensive, the three elements also go rather well. They're nonverbal spells, making it easy to think, memorize, and perform. The five spells she uses the most often anymore with her father, are fire, water, wind, telekinesis, and invisibility.

"I believe that is enough for today." Loki decides, looking at his now tired daughter. Kari rolls her eyes. "You think?" She retorts, scoffing not slightly. "Do you wish to keep going?" The sorcerer challenges, raising an eyebrow. "No, no! I am fine." Kari rushes out quickly, and Loki chuckles.

"Good. Now come, you need food to replenish your energy." The Asgardian Prince states, and the two walk to the dining hall. Kari eats quickly, but engages in conversation with Lady Sif, the Warriors Three, and her uncle Thor. They talk about preparations for upcoming war, and battle strategies.

Kari surprises all of them by suggesting a few strategies herself, and one of them sounds rather good. "When did you learn battle strategies? I never taught you those." Loki almost accuses. "I have secrets, Loki, just as you do. Besides, I grew up around kids who constantly fought over the smallest things. I observed, and eventually started strategizing myself. Although I only picked fights that were worth my time, unlike most." Kari states.

"Well, I do wish you would tell me this." Loki says. "You never asked." Kari shrugs, grinning mischievously. The god of mischief rolls his eyes, a small smile on his face. "So, these Hefna. What's the best way to kill them, their greatest weakness?" Kari questions.

"Asgardian blades will easily end the lives of the foreign warriors, although it does not matter what weapon you choose to kill them with, as long as it's Asgardian made." Fandral supplies. "Okay. So any weapons work. What is the strategy of the Hefna? I noticed they used staffs often, but some knives and spears too. They stabbed and swung the weapon, and the moves were choppy and jerky." Kari mentions.

"Indeed. The staff and spear are the most common weapons used by Hefna, but the are knives used by them as well. Their moves are stiff and tight, jerkily stabbing and thrusting the weapons into their opponents." Sif states. "Do we know their numbers versus ours?" Thor goes to answer the young teen, but Loki beats him.

"You need not concern yourself with the tactics of war. You will not even participate in it." "What?! Why not?" Kari demands. "You are too young, and too inexperienced. They will kill you or kidnap you." Loki says, and his tone is one she has heard from Maggie. It's the ever so classic do-not-argue tone.

"Alright." The small sorceress mutters dejectedly. "Good." Loki nods, satisfied, and goes back to talking with his brother and company. Kari finishes eating, and finds herself heading outside to the training grounds. She grips her dagger tightly, for it is strapped to her waist, and finds a good dummy to practice on.

The child beats up the mannequin. Kari finds herself stabbing and slashing and punching and kicking her anger away. "Too young." She mumbles as she slices the arm. "Inexperienced." She grits out as she stabs the side. "Risks of death." Her voice is raising slowly, and she slashes the leg. "Not good enough." Kari now is speaking at a little louder than normal level, not yet shouting, but on the verge of it.

"Useless!" The young teen shouts the word, and decapitates the training dummy. She knows her father only told her the first three, but he might as well have called her the last two. So she was young and inexperienced, who cares? Kari refuses to sit and wait while innocent people with families go out to protect citizens of their land.

Besides, the Hefna are after her. It is somewhat her fight.

Kari is breathing a little heavy, her anger never ceasing. She goes to take another hit at the dummy, but a hand grabs her wrist. "If that was an enemy, it would be dead. Calm down." Kari turns to see Calder, the boy she fought days earlier. "I am perfectly calm." The Asgardian girl lies. Calder simply raises an eyebrow at her statement, not even believing it is worth a protest.

Kari sighs. "Fine." She relents, forcing herself to slow her breathing. "What is it that has you troubled?" Calder asks, leaning against a pillar. "My father does not think that I should fight in the upcoming war. He believes I am too young and inexperienced, but these creatures are after me. It is my fight, in a sense. Besides, many others are sacrificing their lives, and they have families to care for." Kari replies, and she realizes it feels good to just talk, even if it is with a boy she met only a few days ago.

"I know how you feel. My father also refuses to let me fight in the upcoming war. He believes I am too young, and fears what will happen if I go out and get hurt. His words anger me just as your father's words have clearly angered you. But when I think from his point of view, I understand. He fears for my health more than anyone else's on Asgard, except maybe my mother and brother." At Kari's expression, Calder chuckles. "Yes, I have a brother." 

"Besides, the soldiers may have families to care for, but you are the heir to the throne. One day you'll have to care for an entire kingdom, and that's a price your father is not willing to pay." Calder says, and Kari considers his words.

"You are a very wise warrior Calder." Kari comments. "Thank you." The Asgardian boy smiles. "Would you like to spar?" The sorceress asks, and she sees Calder glance at the skewered mannequin. Then, he smiles broadly and nods.

Kari smiles back, and then Calder is on her, his sword near her throat, but the girl easily ducks and moves to the side. The two battle easily, their moves each as fierce and wild as their spirits. The fight is dance-like, gracefully swinging and stabbing, yet cautious as to not impale each other for real.

It is quite obvious that even though they were enemies earlier that week, they are now friends. Finally, Kari wins. She manages to disarm Calder and aim her blade at his heart.

"Well done, Kari." Lady Sif enters, and Kari is surprised she did not see the warrior earlier. "Thank you, Lady Sif." Kari lowers her weapon and beams. "Although, if Calder took one step backwards, he could have easily ducked, retrieved his sword, and gone back to brawling with you." Lady Sif points out.

"I was actually planning on him trying that. Although one hand was on my weapon, the other was prepared to telekinetically jerk his sword away, and I would have had him on the ground with the blade by his back." Kari replies, and to prove her point, she jerks her right wrist to the side, and Calder's sword goes skittering a foot away.

"I see your father has taught you well." Sif notes. "Yes, although I still have much to learn." Kari admits. Calder retrieves his sword and sheathes it, and Kari does the same with her knife. "I must take my leave now, but I shall see you two children around." Sif states, and walks away.

"That was fun." Kari says when the Asgardian woman exits. "Yes, it was. You truly are a fantastic fighter. Did you not arrive to Asgard only months ago?" "I did, but it was many months ago. I have practiced fighting relentlessly since I arrived." The daughter of mischief states.

"I only train for a week each month, and must concentrate on my studies. Perhaps I should train  more often then." Calder gives a half smile. "Perhaps you should." Kari smiles back.

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Fun Fact: I was originally going to make Calder and Kari enemies, like a Draco-Harry type thing, but decided against it because Kari has no friends in Asgard.