Treachery : book 2 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Present time: Vanaheim

High up on one of the castles crumbling towers stood Sophia, she gazed out of the window, looking but not seeing the construction below. The giants worked hard and fast, their skills were truly great and restoration of the castle was progressing fast. Already the castle had a complete wall with new reinforced gates, they were still rough and ready, awaiting more refinement. The courtyard was cleared and the uneven paving slabs were being re-laid and levelled. Sophia sighed and looked at the bare areas of earth the giants were leaving in between the paving stones. Even if the castle was restored to its former glory, it would still be in the middle of a barren world where nothing grows. It didn't matter which way she looked, everything was dead and bare, no traces of any living plant life, not even a stray blade of grass.

"What troubles you my child?"

Sophia jumped out of her skin and screamed as she almost toppled out of the window. She hadn't heard the witch approach. Clinging to the wall Sophia turned and glared back at Gullveig. The witch had an amused look on her young face. The very first witch of the nine worlds was thousands of years old and yet she remained looking like a young Asian woman barely out of her teens. She could speak with the authority of someone of her true age or she could be as playful as the young person she appeared to be. Her dark eyes were glittering with mischief. The simple white dress she wore seemed to glow with a heavenly light that illuminated the ruined room.

Sophia wore a dress almost identical to the witches but it didn't have that glow, she idly plucked at her dress, wondering how Gullveig made her shine and spoke more to herself than the witch.

"I miss living things. I miss trees, plants" gesturing out the window she said "I miss flowers, nothing grows in this hell!"

A deep look of concern flashed over Gullveig's face, all the playfulness evaporated. Out of all the things she had expected Sophia to say or be struggling with. Plant life didn't make the list.

"My child, we are the most powerful coven ever to exist in the history of the universe. When you are well again, we will have the power to bring life back to this world"

A deep shudder ran through Sophia's body, it was a trait she had developed recently and even the most powerful witch in the universe hadn't yet found a cure for it. Without answering Sophia turned back and stared out the window. She muttered to herself about green leaves and daisies.

"How are you feeling child? You are looking much better today"

Sophia flexed her bony, claw-like hand and continued to stare out the window, another shudder shook her body as she said

"Not even one blade of nice green grass"

Gullveig scowled at Sophia's back. The truth was that she didn't look in the slightest bit better. She was skeletal thin, her skin hung loosely from her bones, her hair was falling out in clumps. She still wasn't eating, even though the Furies had brought real food supplies with them, Sophia didn't trust that it wasn't actually rat. What concerned Gullveig the most however was that Sophia's mind seemed to be deteriorating more and more, she was getting worse every day.

Gullveig had spent long hours arguing with her sister, over the state of Sophia. Hella believed the girl was a lost cause and she just be put out of her misery. A typical response from the former ruler of the underworld. Still Gullveig refused to give up, they needed the power that Sophia possessed deep inside.

"Come with me child, let us take a walk"

Gullveig held out her hand and Sophia took it like a small child taking her mother's hand. The first witch of the nine worlds led the way through the ruined halls of Gladsheim and brought them out into the newly refurbished courtyard. She stopped at one of the bare garden patches and knelt, indicating for Sophia to do the same. Sophia did so and watched although she didn't really seem to be seeing anything. Gullveig placed her hands on the bare dirt and concentrated. She really didn't want to waste her time and magic in this way. She was meant to be conserving both for the great ritual that Loki was planning. Still without Sophia's power, it would be a waste of time. Digging her fingers into the soil, Gullveig let her senses flow down into the earth, feeling all the roots and dormant seeds that lay buried. She sent her magic down into them. Within moments, fresh green shoots started to raise from the earth.

Sophia gasped in shock and wonder then she began to cackle like a loon. Within a couple of minutes there was no trace of bare earth to be seen, a beautiful and exotic flower garden was in its place. Sophia smiled and clapped her hands in delight. There were so many colours, flowers of pinks, blues, yellows, reds, whites. Even the foliage was countless different shades of green. Here in the middle of a desolate world now stood a mini garden of Eden. Gullveig knelt back and brushed the soil off her hands, she watched Sophia closely as she gently bent down and plucked a bright yellow flower. She looked at it in total wonder and then sniffed at it, she prodded it like she was testing if it was actually there. Finally Sophia raised her head to the sky and let out a blood curdling scream.

Hella had been quietly stalking through the ruins behind her sister witches, she had come to a stop and was leaning against an old statue of a topless nymph with her arms folded. She was constantly amazed by her sister's endless powers and knowledge of all things. Hella had once been half living, half corpse but thanks to the witches power she now looked like a beautiful young woman with milky white skin and long raven hair, all traces of her rotten corpse side completely gone.

Now Gullveig was at it again, creating a beautiful garden out of nothing but bare earth in a couple of minutes. If she did something like that in Midgard, all the mortals would declare her god and creator of the world.

Hella winced and covered her ears as Sophia's scream rolled through the courtyard. Even some of the giants stopped what they were doing and covered their ears as well. The cry was totally inhumane and only further proved Hella's point that Sophia had gone insane. Gullveig turned and looked at her sister. Had she known all along that Hella was standing there? They both traded a knowing look and a deep sadness and regret filled Gullveig's eyes. They both knew that Sophia was a lost cause.