~Hidden Realms~ AGENT SALEM

Chapter 8: Alone

"Ace... I think it's time I tell you something about your father... A long time ago there was an Olympic swimmer from Midgard named Rory Finley. One day, she went for a swim in Loch Nevis and was swept out with the current, so strong that she couldn't swim against it and when the current settled she found herself in Jotunheim. Rory was lured into a cave by a creature who said she could have food and shelter, and she stayed there for quite some time. Soon enough Rory found out that she was pregnant with that creature's child, and she found out about the creature's plan."

"Wait, there aren't any Kelpies in Jotunheim."

"I didn't say that the creature was a Kelpie. The creature was going to have a child and train it to become a perfect soldier to kill gods and take down worlds, and that Rory was just going to have the child and then be killed. I received a prayer from Rory asking for protection for her child, so Frigg and I helped speed up her pregnancy, once she had her baby I tried to get her and the baby to safety. Though, after giving birth and travelling through the Bifrost she was very weak and your father had noticed her missing and sent his oldest daughter to come and retrieve you and your mother. I tried to protect your mother, Ace, I truly did but she just succumbed to her injuries on the beach. I promised her that I would protect you and I intend to keep that promise until the day I die." Freya finished, tears in all of our eyes.

"Freya... who is my father?" Ace said, slowly.

"Ace, your father is Aegir... Ace... you are half-giant." Freya lowered her head to look at the ground, not wanting to meet Ace's eyes. Everyone just sat there in silence trying to figure what to do with this new information.

"I need some fresh air," Ace said as he stood and raced out the front door leaving everyone in the living room still stunned.

Little did we know Ace Finley was going to go missing.

---

"So, I guess this is goodbye." Mika whispered in my ear as we hugged. Today was the day that Connor, Mika, and Freya were leaving to go back to Vanaheim. I was crying softly and so was she.

"We'll see each other again, hopefully." I told her as we pulled away. Mika just nodded and walked back over to Connor and Freya, who was about to call the Bifrost. Connnor was giving Mika a small side hug to try and comfort her tears. Freya was just starting to say the name Heimdall when I finally decided to swallow my fear and be reckless.

"Wait!" I screamed over the collecting thunder above. I ran over to Mika and gave her a little peck on the lips. "Come back to me. Make sure of it."

The rainbow bridge came down and I jumped away just in time to see her shocked face go up into the atmosphere. I wiped my face of my tears and turned to start my trek back to my apartment.

---

I grabbed my key and unlocked the door to my apartment, though surprisingly the door was already unlocked. In fact, the door was open just a crack. I pushed open the door and went inside. "Mom! Dad! I'm home!" I called into the apartment.

No response. I tried again.

"Mom! Dad! You here?!"

Still silence.

I grabbed a dagger from my boot and started to walk around the apartment starting with the kitchen and living room then I went upstairs to the bedrooms. My room was exactly as I left it, organized chaos and all. Same with my parents room, except for a piece of paper on their bed.

I picked up the paper and in my mother's frantic hand-writing it says, 'Giants'.

Great. Can my day get any worse.