The Mercenary's Valkyrie: Book One

Rift into Hells

Thunder raged the blackened skies above. I watched the heavens churn from the ragged hole in the chamber ceiling. Beams groaned in protest around me and I had to wonder if they would give way to more debris.

I heard the roar of energies colliding above. Flashes of white and darkness shot in quick flashes. Cries of blade on flesh, on bone sang amongst the chaos too. I could only guess at the rate men fell to the valkyrie's Valhalla made weapons.

I shifted my legs and felt the stabs of pain, my earlier wounds from those curved damandium blades mocked my own immortal energy. It had been spans just to suppress the pain. It would be many more before they would heal to an active level. That had now been set back again.
I drew in white light into my fists gritting my teeth as the agony swept in. Before I lost the will I punched both forward in force.

The heavy wooden debris shattered and exploded away from me. I dragged in a heavy breath and looked down at the bruising and blood that had cut them up. The mortal wounds already began sealing shut, at least there was that much—

Flames crashed down from the hole missing my head by mere inches. I rolled swiftly to the opposite side as more flames licked inwards and barrels fell from above.
I had to surface the ship before the immortals  sank the entire bloody thing.

A shout of pain escaped me when I tried to stand on my legs. I stumbled into a tipped wardrobe for support and cast my eyes around. Flames clawed the walls and closed quickly towards my exit. I bit into my tongue hard and summoned whatever I had to push myself towards it.

But the healing was undone. My legs wouldn't commit. The otherworldly damage was too much. I dropped to my knees in a mix of a shout and groan.

The smoke had began clinging to the air in dangerous levels and my window was running out to reach a chance to surface. I began to drag myself along the floor inch by inch.

But the flames were faster.
The wood of the ceiling collapsed before the open frame in sparks and coals. I almost laughed.

In fact I did. To die by fire in a hedonist psychopath's chamber is to be my end? I rolled onto my back and let a long breath leave me. I choked from the smoke that now invaded unhindered.

"I wish I could see you one last time." I spoke to the flames closing in inch my inch. Hungrily eying me in golden reds. "Wish I could witness the splendours of Valhalla that light your eyes so. And the many immortal wonders you would introduce me to." The fire spat in response, sending more bright fingers sweeping along the floor. I felt the heat escalate to my face.
I closed my eyes.

"I'll love you in the underworld as much as I would in Val—"
A crash louder than any before split the sound of the fire and the storm apart.

My body hit something cool and hard the same moment it was flown straight out of the hot smoking death bed. I coughed hard against it as salty pure air and winds hit me then—then that smell. Pine and jasmine and—

I turned my head to see the fully armoured Valkyrie in all her immortal glory. Her face was hidden behind the helmet I beheld that first time. Only a slit for her eyes and shimmering damandium covering all else but her golden braid and furred shoulders.

We dropped quickly. What I saw was but a blink. The moment my body softly touched the wood of the upper deck the immortal was gone.

I coughed again harder and took in gulps of the suddenly clean air. The skies raged above in high winds and bolts of white which cut downwards.

But the deck itself was utter war—rather the remains of one. Black furred men lay littered all over the deck, in the rafters and some just about hung off the sides. The ship bucked in the shifting waves and they rolled lifelessly by the dozen.