The Mercenary's Valkyrie: Book One

Mortal No More

"Slip into dream, my seeker. Infiltrate her mind, lead her to me."

The body complied. The body sank into slumber. Received a hand on the head, dark energy rushing the mind.

Voyeur once more watching. Watching as reality turned to the tinted realm of dream. Of lies and deceit. Storms churned. The wrongness apparent even in the false realm. Fires burned in rivers past tall rocks. The dream was not at peace.

The body subconscious fought on. 

"Tayah." Voice. Softness. Light in the dark. "My mortal."

Another comes forth, at haste with bright star-like eyes and golden hair. The attire of a warrior. Furred and shimmering. The face of beauty beholds the trapped body.

Brows drawing together. "Tayah, are you with me?" It continued.

A sharp kick nudged the body into response. To deceive and to follow command. The face moved into a smile, into relief. "Thank gods, it is good to hear your voice." The words came through lips on command, from another.

The Valkyrie remained watching. Watching closely. Like the voyeur like the vessel. Missing nothing, taking in all. Calculated, she is smart, too much so––

"Have you come closer to finding us?" It spoke from another.

The face of the Valkyrie betrayed nothing. "I was waiting on your information. Did you find the answers I need." She spoke with words so particular, with expectation of an exact answer.

Oh, so clever is the fellow voyeur. How no emotion betrays the golden face and the answer will speak loudly.

The mouth opened from another to reply smoothly. "Yes my immortal, we head on a North West course from Zanos. It has been three spans of travel and the winds remain steady. We must be halfway to Uccelon shores with good winds."

The face of the golden one nodded as if this was exactly the expected answer. "You were correct to take my word not to rely on the stars." The wise one replied with a soft smile and no hint of any other game. She played so well. Only a fellow voyeur would know truly. Or another reason to the knowing... a past––

"Yes, I made sure to track the sun and winds. Now you must hurry, I fear she is using the relic to draw more power. Even her crew are being used." The vessel responded.

The Valkyrie paused the assessment. Watching, scanning the face of the vessel that should be familiar. She suddenly pressed her forehead to the head of the body.

"I will do whatever it takes." She spoke more to herself than to the body. "I will rid the realm so completely of her and I will not stop, to make you safe again, Tayah." The promise, was not just a promise but a vow. Her silver eyes burned bright but stared at the cracked stone with burning fires beneath.

The eyes showed rage. A rage unseen by the body but known by the watcher. Endless, eternal and consuming. This being seemed more. So much more than a descendant of Odin... 

"Nothing. Will hold me from you. I will find you again mortal." The immortal finished the vows and slowly raised the golden head. A kiss was passed like a whisper to the body. But it was not for the body... it was not for the vessel or the one that controlled. Those endless, wise eyes saw through to another.

A momentary beat hit me––the watcher, no I or being. There is only a watcher, a brief flicker already forgotten. 

The body was dragged from the false realm, into the reality of mortality once more.