Holding her sword and shield away from her body in a display of open disregard towards the Chief, the Warrioress gracefully stepped sideways circling him just out of reach. In a hollow yet seductive voice the Warrioress said, “It looks like this soft living here among fields, fruit trees and half naked foreigners has not weakened your body. Yet, I grow old waiting to feel the shock of sword and shield against me after giving fair challenge. I believe these black curs have softened your belly to that of a young girl!”
Without taking his eyes off the slowly circling Warrioress, the Chief carefully picked up his sword and shield. Looking to the Aesir’s freshly painted shield the Warrioress snarled, “What’s this? You’ve turned from the gods of your fathers to take up with impotent foreign gods?”
Upon the Chief’s shield was a green and brown rendition of the Mountain God’s awakened form. His sword now free of its sheath caused the reflected light to flash over the Warrioress. But to the Chief’s surprise, the reflected light struck only the ground behind her.
His eyes narrowing, the Chief growled once more, “If you are one of Loki’s lapdogs, take your foolishness elsewhere. The Mountain sleeps and a piss-ant like you wouldn’t last the time it would take for him to ram his cock up your ass!”
Grinning with malice reminiscent of a dried corpse the Warrioress retorted, “Now that’s more like the Aesir I know! Brutish, arrogant, rude. I will be happy to leave your shit-pile of a mountain only if you make me.” Flashing his own smile the Chief responded, “Whatever you are Valkyrie, Demon or Whore, you picked the right man to fuck with. For your sake, you better be female. After stomping your buxom backside into the dirt, I intend to put my hard morning cockerel to good use in it!
****
Wind, fear and a jarring bump greeted the boy as he made contact with the hardened silt worn smooth by uncounted years of controlled releases of seasonal floodwaters over the dam. Fortunately, the boy’s loin skirt was between his bare backside and the slick silt. Yet, the dizzying speed by which he slid down the natural flue threatened to slide it away from his unprotected cheeks!
With teeth clenched fast in a fearful grimace, the boy did his best to hold down the plainspun garment. Looking ahead, the black hole betwixt the stacked boulders where the girl disappeared loomed larger and larger as he also fought to keep his feet together. Desperately trying to be brave, the boy looked away from what would most likely be his death to see out over the rising boulders. From this height, the Valley spread out before him in the golden morning sun. Rich browns of turned earth in the fields blended with numerous shades of green and the colors of ripening vegetables and fruits. Just as fast, the vision was gone. The Boy plunged through the surprisingly large space between the boulders disappearing into a dark abyss.
No longer supported by the silt slide, the boy fell for a heart-stopping moment in total darkness. ‘This was it!’ thought the boy. At any instant, he would be dashed upon some unseen rock never to be found. With a bone numbing explosion of water, the boy crashed through the surface of a deep reservoir hidden beneath the great pile of boulders. Stunned, he drifted down into the dark until his feet gently found the bottom.
The sudden and eerie chill of the water snapped the boy back to his senses. He realized he must swim to the surface or drown. But where was the surface? The water was pitch dark and he could not see light from the opening! Despite his situation, the boy knew not to panic. He was the son of a coastal fisherman and deep diving was in his blood. As his father taught him, the boy placed his hands on his forehead palms down. Blowing out a small portion of his precious air, the rising bubbles let him know he was at least upright. Determined, the boy started kicking his way upwards towards the surface.
Beyond the doorway of her modest house sat a ghastly amorphous blob with hundreds of pearlescent tentacles all mottled in the colors of death. Not at all amused, the Priestess said with a flat tone, “What do you want here?” Realizing its appearance was not having the desired effect, the gelatinous entity suddenly appeared as a beautiful but strangely featured naked woman. Luminous green eyes were framed by a shock of red-brown hair and her athletically shaped body was covered in cloying wet mud.
“How’s this?” Still not amused the Priestess replied, “First you play to my ancient fears, then to my ancient jealousies? Again, what do you want?” Looking disappointed, the naked woman said, “I know we’ve never really been on good terms, but do you treat all your old acquaintances so coldly?” Stepping outside her doorframe, the Priestess sat the Great War Spear down on the stone entry block with a report which made the ground tremble.
The naked woman folded her arms over her chest making her breasts bunch upwards. “Fine. Be that way, don’t invite me in. See if I care.” Now seething the Priestess hissed, “As if I would willingly invite you into my home, let alone this land! State your business and leave....” Now with a raised mud encrusted eyebrow the naked woman interjected, “You obviously forget who you’re talking to!” At the naked woman’s words, the ground trembled once more. Now turning to face the Priestess the woman said, “If anyone should be annoyed, it’s me! How long did you really think you could keep this place from my notice? You even had the gall to try and bar me from your little ‘garden spot’.” “Obviously it wasn’t long enough!” snapped the Priestess.
Now the woman sighed and shook her head in disgust. “Honestly! You people get a little power, live for a while and then get notions you can keep me from my work. You and that damned red-eyed husband of yours have been a pain in my ass almost long enough for me to have noticed.”
Closing the door behind her the Priestess responded with a snip, “Bend over. I’ll help you with that pain.” The naked woman laughed outright, her hollow voice gave her mirth a sinister chill. “Ah, that’s what I find most pleasing about you! Your lack of respect is refreshing. Even so very long ago no matter how many times I came for you, I let you be after you spit in my eye. Well, as for what I want and why I’m here is simple. You have some things which belong to me and I have come to claim them.”
****
Having left his horse at the base of the Mountain, the Valley Knight sprinted up the path leading to the camp where the Aesir Chief trained those who would be the Mountain God’s guardians. It wasn’t long before the Knight heard the clash and clatter of armed combat ringing through the tropical forest. Gone were the sounds of birds, insects and other native animal life. but what remained was an all too familiar and unwelcome presence.
Once the Knight neared the camp’s clearing, he veered off the path and into the underbrush. The closer he drew to the battle, the more familiar the presence became. Though his pate was shaved clean for the hot summer months, the Knight felt as if his hair was standing on end. It was definitely the Chief engaged in battle, but who he fought became clear as the Knight’s eyes fell upon the scene.
The Chief bellowed in that strange guttural tongue of his and the Knight picked up a few of choice phrases the former seafarer commonly used. The man had reason to swear, for he fought with one of the Valley Knight’s greatest adversaries! Standing two heads taller than the Chief wielding a great scimitar and bearing a hammered iron shield with a faded gray death’s head symbol was a near jet-black warrior.
His shaven pate shined with sweat as did his naked to the waist sculpted body. Powerful arms covered in golden bands wielded the implements of combat with frightening ease. The warrior’s broad muscular legs flowed with the rustle of voluminous crimson silk pants while his large feet clad in shining black boots, firmly held the ground like temple columns. Despite the warrior’s great size, he moved with the grace of a palace acrobat!
No matter which way he maneuvered, feinted or attacked the false Valkyrie countered it all! Only the Chief’s long experience and the recent honing of his skills teaching the youth’s had kept him alive so far. Equally, exasperating was the Warrioress’ ability to turn a defense in to an attack and vice versa! The Chief could no longer afford to think about what he was doing. There was only time to act and react in this deadly game.
True Shield Maiden of Odin or not, the Warrioress was masterfully versed in the art of combat. Suddenly instead of a hard block with her broad sword as the Chief took advantage of her open guard, his sword was guided gently away causing him to be over extended!
With his body rotating to reveal his unprotected back, the abrupt realization sent a shockwave through his mind forcing him to react on pure instinct. Using the momentum of his falling body, the Chief threw himself into a mid-air pivot bringing his iron-bound wooden shield to bear in a mighty arc. Smashing down hard with nearly the full weight of his body behind it, a great report and shower of shattered wood burst between the combatants.
The Valley Knight shook his fist in approval as the Chief fell hard to the ground after blocking what would have been a killing blow from the Warrior’s shield edge. His arm numbed from the prodigious blow, the Chief rolled away to gain distance from his most formidable foe in memory. The Warrioress' bright blue eyes looked upon the winded Aesirean Warrior and gave obvious indication of being quite pleased.
“Ah, now that’s much better! But according to the laws of the Aesir in order to properly continue this duel, you must have a shield. You seem to be fresh out. Unless you have another ready, you are honor bound to yield this contest and submit to the will of the victor. Perhaps there is someone nearby who could come to your aid?”
The Valley Knight was somehow not surprised when his former adversary looked directly to the undergrowth where he lay hidden. “Have you come to take this man’s place or to merely watch him die?”
The Knight stepped from his concealment and said, “I will do neither.” Coming to a halt beside the Chief the Knight asked, “Are you in need of a shield friend?” Shaking the numbness from his arm, the Chief replied, “If you be in the mood to lend me one, I would be indebted.”
The Knight removed the hammered iron shield from his arm and handed it to his neighbor and ally. “It is not what you are used to, but it will not break.” Fitting the iron shield to his arm, the Chief tested its weight. It was a good deal lighter than the shield’s he’d been used to and far more flexible. The natural balance made it feel more like an extension of his arm than just a defensive device.
“Oh I like this! Picking up his broad sword the Chief said, “Thanks for the loan. I shall give it back to you shortly.” Without looking at the taller man the Knight replied, “Know you this Chief, whomever it is you think you’re fighting, you’re wrong.”
Not long ago the Chief would have been annoyed by so cryptic a warning. Between nagging instincts and his experiences living in the Valley these past months, the Aesir Chief knew all too well gods and their minions walked among men in this fertile land. Now some being from beyond the mortal world wished to test his mettle and by Odin’s good eye, a test she would have!
Stepping forward in the tradition of the Aesir people, the Aesir Chief slapped his sword flatside against the iron shield signaling willingness to continue the duel. The ring of iron on iron brought to him a pleasant sound only warriors could appreciate.
“Come daughter of a thousand fathers. It has been a fine morning’s exercise so far. Now let’s see if there is woman’s hair beneath that skirt or a girl’s bald peach!” The Warrioress smiled as she once more held out her arms wide in defiance and snarled, “There is only one way for you to find out Aesir....”
© 2011 H. Wolfgang Porter. All Rights Reserved.
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