Thoughts

Brett looked over at Levi. He hadn’t moved since Brett had run the wolf though. Levi was looking at Brett like he had never seen him before. His face was pale and his eyes were wide. His breaths came in pants and he was shaking slightly.

“Dude, are you okay?” Brett asked Levi. Brett felt the change. The slight green light was fading the smell of the forest was almost gone now. The fence that Brett had torn apart fell and crashed to the floor. There was yelling from the gym below. “This is no time to be in shock.” Brett said grabbing Levi and pulling him towards the narrow staircase. “We need to get out of here now.”

They meet Taylor coming up as they were halfway down. “What happened?” he asked animatedly. “One moment Sam is saying how you’re taking too long and then the next we hear a gigantic crash coming form up here.”

Brett was about to answer him when Levi beat him to it. “It was awesome!” Brett almost strangled him. “That other guy from the other school just came here to fight Brett. Brett just threw him down and then the guy just started going crazy and broke the fence then took off didn’t you see him go past you on your way up?”

Brett looked in shock at Levi. That was not what he had been expecting him to say. Levi was still white and shaky, but the light was coming back into his eyes and he was grinning excitedly.

“No I didn’t see him go past me.” Taylor said looking around him, and up and down the stairs. Looking to see if Camdon was still hiding somewhere in the shadows. “Figures, the guy looked like nothing but trouble. Well we better take off. Most of the guys are already gone, come on.”

They took of down the stairs clearing the last in one great leap and headed out the gym doors. The color was now back in Levi’s face and his eyes shown with excitement. Brett should have known better. Levi would never betray him. Levi had been the only one that he had told his experiences to. For some reason he had been certain that Levi would never betray him and tell anyone. Now he just had those thoughts and feelings confirmed to him.

They didn’t stop running until they were safely outside of the school. They stood for a moment panting Levi had his hands on his knees. Brett slapped him on the back. Levi wasn’t the best at running and sports. Finally Taylor stood up looking around.

“Well I think I’m gonna go look for the other guys and make sure they haven’t been caught. I’ll catch you latter at Practice k Brett.” Taylor said turning to go back into the building.

“Okay sees you at Practice.” Brett replayed watching Taylor disappear into the building. Levi and Brett just stood there in silence just looking at each other finally Levi broke it with a question.

“Sooo, what are you?” He asked

“What do you mean?”

“Well you threw a pony sized wolf around like it was a doll and then you riped a mettle poll out of the ground and used it like a spear. I know you’ve told me stories, but to be honest, I thought they were just stories. That was pretty weird and in your case superhuman and in its case not human at all.” Levi paused for a moment thinking and then almost yelled excitedly. “Dude are you a super hero?”

“Wait, what?” Brett said confused

“Have you ever been bitten by a radioactive spider?” Levi asked.

“No”

“Are you an alien from another world?”

“NO!”

“Just making sure, did you ever sign up for a top military experiment?”

“No.”

“Would you tell me if you had?”

“Yes.”

“Sweet, Are you a billionaire and were your parents killed in front of you.”

“Dude Levi you know my parents.”

“Did an alien come and give you a magic ring that you have to charge at night.”

“Dude no and what’s with the alien questions.”

“Just making sure. So that only leaves two possibilities. One you’re a mutant. And the other is that you’re a demigod.”

“Dude Levi you’re confusing me buddy.” Brett said his head starting to hurt.

“Well it is standard for superhero origins. If you’re not an alien, have no alien weapons, aren’t rich and haven’t had your parent killed in front of you, if you haven’t been exposed to anything then that leaves being a mutant and or demigod. Although we are gonna have to keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t turn into a werewolf.”

“A what. Dude Levi you know that sometimes you’re really out there.” Brett said incredulously.

“Come on Brett wasn’t that what Camdon was. He was a kid that turned into a wolf. I think that is the definition of a werewolf.”

“Look Levi I don’t even know what’s going on. I would love to know what’s going on but I don’t. So right now I just want to get my arm wrapped up. I’m surprised Taylor didn’t say anything about it.” Brett walked off starting to go back inside and turned around when he realized that Levi wasn’t following. Levi was staring down at the sidewalk lost in thought. “Dude are you coming?”

“Well I can’t help you with your arm.” Levi said. “But I might know where we can get some answers.” 

The Wolf

"Great, not again," Brett sighed and turned to see what it would be this time.

Camdon stood behind them, growling, eyes narrowed. His hair stood straight up on his head, and as they watched his eyes started glowing a dull red. Fangs like needles schiiiikked into place where normal human teeth should have been. Camdon's chest narrowed and bulged grotesquely, claws extended from fingers, and fur rippled across his skin.

"You should have said something before," Brett said, cracking his knuckles and settling into a more defensive posture. "We could have taken this outside." Brett glanced over his shoulder, where Levi was scrambling back out of the cage of sports equipment. "Stay back Levi."

"I got your back," Levi answered, completely ignoring his advice. He dragged a hockey stick out from the supply room, eyes shining with excitement.

"Dude, you can't handle this," Brett turned slightly, focusing his attention on Levi. In that moment the wolf-Camdon was rushing him.

Camdon was now a totally transformed monster. He ran on all fours, with great curving talons instead of nails. Saliva dripped from his toothy maw, and his pointed black ears were pressed tight to his skull.

Brett was ready. His pulse quickened in excitement. He dropped to the floor, letting Camdon sail over him. The monster just missed, and Brett caught at the back paws before it had time to react, yanking it forward. Heaving the wolf-like creature now bigger than a tiger, he smashed it into the ground, cracking the linoleum flooring.

It was back on its feet in a second, teeth firmly bared in Brett's direction. The beast now favored one front paw. Its hackles raised, the thing that had looked like a boy only minutes before cut loose with a shivery, hungry hum, like the grumble of a diesel truck on steroids. They circled each other slowly, each looking for an opening.

That's when Levi came up from behind and swatted the monster wolf over the head with the hockey stick. Probably not the smartest decision he'd made in his life.

Camdon howled and swiped at him, breaking the hockey stick in two. Levi stumbled away, a comic terror pasting his face.

Brett leaped forward as the beast sprang for Levi's throat, just barely managing to pull the creature off of the smaller teen. He strained to keep the thing contained, Levi yelling and screaming to get it off of him, muscles straining as it struggled forward.

The wolf thing turned, teeth snapping, and grazed Brett's arm. Its claws scraped gouges across his chest.

A moment later they were all tumbling, twisting, falling down onto a branch of the Tree.

That's how Brett always thought of the strange gold-green twilight of leaf-litter and rough bark. He'd been here several times before, always just before or during a fight with some kind of monster. What made this visit different is that this time someone else had come along as well.

A moment after Brett and the Camdon wolf, Levi hit the ground, groaning.

Brett barely had time to worry about that. Almost before he could get to his feet the wolf was on top of him, snapping, scraping, clawing. Its jaws slobbered and bent forward, snapping inches from Brett's face. It twisted and bit down, hard, on Brett's arm, shaking him.

Brett gritted his teeth to keep from howling. He felt wet warmth in his arm, but managed to block out most of the pain. Rage tinged the edges of his vision red, and a feeling of invincibility engulfed him. A second later he gripped the wolf-things throat, injuries forgotten, and roared at it. The thing yipped back. Yanking it off his arm, Brett surged to his feet and tossed the beast away, all in one motion.

It thudded into a tree and lay still for a moment, stunned. The monster tried to regain its feet, wobbling, and then fell down, whimpering.

Brett ran over to Levi. "Are you alright? What did you think you were doing?" He yelled.

Levi stood shakily on his feet. "I'm alright."

"You won't be," the monster snarled, the worlds strangely twisted from its unnatural lips. "I'm merely the first. Soon my brothers will come for you, and they will tell others. The spawn of the dead gods shall not live." The creature hacked blood.

Brett broke off a branch of the tree, body trembling with adrenaline. As the creature made one final, halfhearted rush in their direction, Brett speared it through the chest. It shuddered once, and lay still.

"You killed him," Levi whispered, shocked.

South Gym

They walked through the hall. Most of the guys talked about their fantasy football teams. They would then switch and talk about real football teams so much that Levi didn't know which was which. They also talked about cars and girls. Girls was the only one of their subjects that Levi would have felt comfortable talking with them about. Besides Brett, Levi didn't feel very comfortable with any of the other guys. They were all seniors and juniors, they were jocks as well. Not the type of guys Levi usually hanged out with. Although it seemed that they only associated with him when they wanted him to open up the gym for them. they all seemed pretty cool. except for Camdon. He followed them through the Halls like he was stalking them.

            It was easy enough getting into the gym. Lynn Academy had three of them and Levi could pretty much get into any of them. He didn't know how to pick locks but he could get in with just a pen and a credit card. The biggest and nicest of the gyms was to the east and was reserved for Varsity events. The second largest gym was the North gym, and was the second largest gym used for school gatherings.

They headed to the South gym. It was the smallest of the gyms but held an advantage over the others, new equipment. The south gym held the room where all the new equipment was stored in. It was a strange room, Levi always thought of it like a birds nest. It was built into one of the walls over the rooms beneath. it was open to the gym but was about to levels up. the only way to get to it was a small staircase also built into the wall. This was the real reason that they all need Levi to help them.

Levi got the door open easily enough, and they all filed inside. He had found out how to get in here one day when he was looking for a place to play his music. Then Brett had showed up with some of the other football players and started to play basketball. Levi had never joined them, he had helped them get the Basketballs but he had never joined them. Levi wasnt that great at sports, not like Brett was. But most people weren't like Brett. Most people didn't have weird things happen to them all the time.

Most of the guys started rough housing and running around as soon as they were in the gym. Brett and Levi headed for the door set into one wall that lead up to the supply room and the basketballs that everyone wanted to play with. Levi was able to open the door and they headed up the narrow staircase.

“So, what brought up this basketball excursion?” Levi asked Brett as they headed up the dark passageway.

“Oh, you know. Didn’t like the way the conversation was going and decided to bail. “A couple of the other guys joined me and said they wanted to play basketball. And so thats how I ended up here.”

“Wow Brett. Thats so exciting I don’t know how you can handle your oh so popular and hard lifestyle.” Levi said sarcastically.

“Haha shut up man. You know I just love to play the game.” Brett said. “I could do without all the extra stuff.”

“Ha, ya, I know you Brett. You're just eating it up. Just admit that you like the attention. It will be easier when you do.”

“Ya sure Levi.” Brett said sarcastically, as they reached the top.

All the new equipment was behind a chain link fence that made a wall. They must not have had enough of the fencing because there was a little bit at the top that was just wood slats. Levi had loosened one up so that he could move it. When he did that there was just enough room for him to fit in. Thats why the jocks needed him. They were all to big to fit through the small whole.

“Okay.” Levi said. “I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

“Not if I eat you first.” said a cruel voice from behind them.

Levi

Brett went to find Levi, who of course was hanging out in the band room. He had out his guitar and seemed perfectly able to to ignore the three flautists in another corner, shrilly practicing their solo performance. Levi was totally engrossed in his music, head bent and shaggy hair obscuring his eyes.

"Dude, what are you playing?" Brett asked. Levi looked up, startled. Brett laughed. "You're so spacey, bro. I've been standing here, like, five minutes."

"Sorry," Levi placed his guitar back in the case and stacked it carefully in the back with the rest of the instruments. "Cliffs of Dover. Just kind of needed some music time. What's up?"

"A couple of the guys and I were thinking you could open the gym for us." Brett grinned.

"Again? Isn't this like the third time this week?" Levi made a huge sigh, pretending to be upset about it, but Brett knew his buddy was pleased to be asked for help.

"We've got to get in extra practice for Friday's game," Brett held up his hands. "We've been a little rusty on the last couple plays."

"You play basketball in the gym."

"Haven't you ever heard about that one dude that took ballet so that it could make him faster in football?" Brett threw his arm over Levi's shoulders as they left the squeaky flutes behind.

"Why don't you guys do ballet then?" Levi laughed.

Out in the hall Luke, Sam, Taylor, and two other guys that Levi didn't recognize were waiting. "Hey guys,"

Luke and Taylor were arguing about who got Andrew Luck for their fantasy football teams. "Dude, you got screwed on the draw. It happens, I got him fair and square." Luke crossed his arms.

"Payton Manning and Eli Manning are already taken by the red heads," Taylor listed on his fingers. "Brett's got Tom Brady is taken, Drew Breeze is taken. All I got left is Tony Romo. Switch me and I'll give you DeSean Jackson."

"What's up Levi?" Sam greeted him. He nodded to the two new guys, while Luke and Taylor continued arguing. "This is Camdon and Zhang from the game last week. They're hanging with us today."

Zhang smiled in greeting, but Camdon only bared his teeth. "So this is the guy? Let's get going," He said.

Brett had been feeling uneasy over Sam's friends... mostly Camdon. But Sam always tried to keep in touch with players from the other teams, and Zhang was pretty cool. Camdon just got on Brett's nerves with his gruff attitude and the weird way he stared at everyone like he wanted to murder them.

"No way," Luke wasn't budging. "Luck is mine. Better luck next season."

"Let's get going," Brett said, leading the way towards the gym. The older guys continued arguing as they wandered down the hall.

Brett

“Okay five hottest girls in school go.” Sadly this was a normal conversation around Brett. At least it was better than when they said what 5 girls do you want to bang in school. They had stopped doing that one around Brett when he started yelling at them for it.

“And this time no Clair, everyone knows she’s the hottest but she’s with David so none of us are going to get that one.” There was some laughing around the table, at Luke’s comment. Luke wasn’t always the instigator but he brought up the conversation about girls more often than anyone else.

The table consisted of your typical jock type. Athletic, big and burly. Most of them were seniors and juniors. There weren’t really any sophomores and Brett was the only freshman. 15 and already taller than most of the guys on the team, Brett had earned his right to sit at this table. He was there quarterback, and as of right now they were undefeated. Something unheard of for a new school like Lynn Academy. It was all thanks to players like Brett and others like Ben and Mark. Brett wouldn’t have even come here but Levi said he wanted to come for the music. So Brett had followed his best friend and became the quarterback, easily beating out the old one.

“Well, have you seen the librarian’s assistant, Emily?” Said one of the linebackers.

“When have you ever been in a library?” Someone else said bringing louds of laughter from the rest of the table. Even the guy who they were laughing at joined in.

“haha ya well she’s pretty Hot. I bet she would just go wild when…” The linebacker looked over at Brett and swallowed what he had been about to say. “Well she’s real hot.” This was meet by everyone pounding on the table showing there agreement.

“Dude my choice is…” Sam the cornerback said, quickly looking around, and after his next sentence it became apparent why. “Holly. Redheads are hot and she is smokin.” This was again meet by laughter and hearty pounding on the table. They would have never said that with Ben and Mark around. It just wasn’t a good idea to have your face reconstructed by the twins.

“Well if we are going for dangerous here why not…” again another quick look around. This time it was Taylor the wide receiver doing the talking. Good natured and always one for a laugh he had most of the guys attention waiting on his choice. “Autumn?” This brought on lots off table banging and some hollering and back slapping. “I know you would probably never be able to tell who was in charge of the relationship.” Taylor went on. “But if tall, brunette sexy amazon is on your list you won’t find any girl better then Autumn to fulfill your dreams.”

“Well if you’re gonna do Autumn you might as well include Tori.” Said someone else. “Heck there always together and if you get lucky you might get both. Although with Tori you’ll always need to check for a bucket of cold water.” More laughter and table slapping.

Brett sighed inwardly. Too bad the twins weren’t here. They at least had cool things to talk about. Especially Mark, if you could get him talking about circuit boards and stuff he could go on for hours. And even though Ben didn’t share is brother’s love for electronics and spent most of his time in shop class, don’t let that fool you. He had the mind of an engineer and had stumped countless people with the puzzles he made.

“What about you Brett?” Luke asked. “Who’s your pick?”

Crap Brett thought, I should’ve left when I had the chance. The whole table was now looking at him, smiling. They all knew who he liked. It was pretty obvious. It was also obvious that half of them liked her to. When she showed up it seemed like half the team came down with injuries. They just liked bringing this up to watch him squirm.

“Annnd that’s my queue to leave” Brett said grabbing his stuff. “See you guys at practice.” As he was leaving he could barely make out some of the conversation he was leaving.

“Dude his head over heels for her.”

“Ya but if he wants her he better get in line. He might be the QB but his still just a freshman.”

“Come on guys. You all know none of us stands a chance she doesn’t go for athletes and if any of us got with her we’d all beat the crap out of him.”

The last thing he heard was laughter as he left the lunchroom was the sound of their laughter and the beat of their hands on the table.

Waiting in the Car

Hod, Claire, and David walked out of the caves together. The bright lights of Lion's Gate Bridge and the city, the sound of the cars rushing past, and the cool running water were so clean after that dark place. They wandered back to David's car, where they finally got some decent reception. David stepped out for a moment and made a call to Mr. Lords.

When he got back, Claire and Hod were snuggled together in the back seat. They'd pulled out one of the emergency blankets. Hod seemed at ease, finally, the near permanent crease in his brow smoothed, the tightness around his mouth loosed in sleep. His head was on Claire's, her head on his shoulder. She was quietly fiddling with the lapels on his jacket.

"You're dad's already on his way, with James and Alvarado and the others. They'll be here in a half hour," David said quietly. "You guys doing okay?"

"Yeah," Claire said quietly, "I'm fine. Hod's asleep."

"I am not," Hod said, smiling. "I just like it here." He hugged Claire to him, and she snuggled closer. "What did you tell Mr. Lord?"

"Nothing much. Just that we found his daughter. Apparently he noticed something strange with Sherrie, and when they started going through old security footage they noticed Claire and Sheila in multiple places at the same time. By that time we were already underground, so we didn't get any of their messages." David settled into the driver's seat. "Guys, what are we going to do? We've never told anyone about the weird stuff before. Now suddenly Claire's whole family knows. More than my own mom and dad, definitely more than yours, Hod."

"David, stop being silly. Claire was kidnapped, we all almost died. I think worrying about that right now's a little insensitive," Hod said irritably.

"I'm fine, Hod," Claire said firmly. She paused. "Stuff like this has happened to you guys before, huh?"

David nodded. "Yeah."

Hod grimaced. "A lot." He hesitated. "And we're not the only ones."

"What?" Now it was David's turn to be surprised. "Who?"

"I'm not sure but... I think maybe Autumn. Maybe Brett, that new quarterback. A few others I'm even less sure of," Hod said, thinking out loud. "And... I think Claire has as well." The last was a slight question.

"A few times, I thought I've felt some things. I always called it luck," Claire admitted uncomfortably. "But I think I've always been subconsciously aware of the odd weirdness cropping up. Nothing like this. This was..." She shuddered. "I'm going to want counseling for sure." She got a puzzled look on her face. "But how I'm going to explain this, I have no idea."

"You can't," Hod said quietly. "My mom's a psychiatrist, and she never understood my 'psychotic episodes' as she called them. Tried to put me on Seroquel. The only person who really understood was David, and that's because the same kinds of things were happening with him."

"So you guys are like superheroes?" Claire asked. "David's impossible," she checked out his face and amended, "really hard to hurt."

"And my insufferable charm," David said, grinning. "Not even the hag could resist falling for my good looks," he stated, almost bitterly.

"And Hod, I'm guessing, can do something with ice," Claire continued.

Hod nodded. "And a few other things," he admitted. "It's not just what we can do, though," Hod continued seriously. "It's like their's another world behind this one, and we catch hints of it. Sometimes we notice things looking back from the other side."

Claire clutched his hoodie in her hand, then sat up. "Okay. We'll keep this mostly to ourselves. I'm pretty good at keeping secrets. So's my dad. It's kind of his job." She looked at David in the eyes, holding Hod's hands in her own. Hod sat up, looking in her direction. "I'm pretty sure I can convince him this was a mostly normal kidnapping, and that you guys saved me. The caves will take some explaining, and the doubles in the security footage, but I'm sure we can come up with something."

"Thanks," David sighed. "I guess all we have to do is wait."

Claire leaned close to Hod's ear, speaking so softly that even in the close confines of the car David wouldn't hear. "Thanks for coming to my rescue, Hod."

In the darkness, Hod smiled.

Rags

David was glowing! He was literally glowing. Clair walked beside him in the now illuminated passageway. It was hard for her to believe everything that had happened. if she hadn't been able to hear taste and touch everything she might not have believed it had happened at all. She gripped the nail and stayed close to David. Haf’gifr could be hiding anywhere.

As they walked in silence other things entered Clair’s mind. Things that didn't quit make since. David getting thrown incredibly hard into the wall and getting right back up. The hags claws that had so easily gone into Clair’s shield sliding across David’s skin barley scratching it. The way that David’s touch had just melted the Hags drug effects away. She understood none of it, and it frightened her.

They walked further and Clair put her hands to her arms. It felt like winters bone cold chill was coming from the direction that they were heading. They turned a corner and entered a large cavern and suddenly it was winter. Everything glittered, covered in a layer of ice. It all had an eire beauty about it.

There was a hep of rags by them. Clair gasped as they moved slightly. It wasn't rags it was Hod. Both Clair and David rushed to his side turning him over. He was covered in blood. His sweater and cloths now just ribbons of cloth. He felt colder then the room around them.

“Hod? Hod are you okay?” David and Clair said at the same time. His eyes didn’t open and his breath was so shallow. Clair eyes started to tear up. She couldn’t help it. Hod looked so torn up, he didn't even feel alive, and she had been so terrible to him lately. She pulled Hod onto her lap and then really did start crying.

“Cant you do anything for him?” Clair said through her tears turning to David.

“I’ll try.” David said taking Hods hand and closed his eyes in concentration.

“I’m so sorry Hod.” Clair started to say. Crying and holding his head. “Its was me Hod. I’m Elizabeth. I’m so so sorry that I ran out on you. I didn’t mean to I wanted to tell you for this whole time but I didn’t know how. Don’t die Hod. Don’t die hear not now.”

A hand brushed across her face wiping away a tear. Clair stared down at Hod. His eyes were still clossed but his face now held a smile.

“It is you.” He whispered.

Warning: Scary

The hag grabbed David's sword in her hand has he swung it down, jerking him off his feet and throwing him to the wall. He hit with a loud thwak! and groaned as he slumped to the floor.

"I will find her and kill her, little boy," The hag purred. "Her fate was sealed the moment I learned she was close to you." Stalking over, she grabbed David by his jacket, long raspy talons tearing through the fleece and polyester. "I wanted to save you, perhaps. You are so beautiful, like Freyr. But I need your heart's blood to bridge this world to the next."

David grasped at the ground for something, anything he could use against the hag. he gripped coins and balled them into his fists, punching her reptilian skin. Laughing, she flung him across the cavern to smash against the other wall.

David staggered to his feet, but she was already on top of him again, inhumanely fast, monstrously strong. She lifted him into the air with one clawed hand. She drew the other back, but before she could plunge it into his chest to pull out his beating heart, a broken broom-handle sprouted from her chest. The hag gasped and dropped David to the ground, whirling in an instant on the girl behind her.

"Leave David alone!" Claire screamed. She held the other half of the splintered broom in her hand like a sword, raising a shield in front of her. The hag swiped, and Claire just barely managed to get out of the way of the terrible talons, stumbling in her rush. The claws scraped the edge of the shield, tearing through jagged scratches.

"Your death I will make sweet," gasped the troll-wife, gurgling blood from her mouth as she yanked the makeshift stake out of her back and cast it across the room. "Sweet and long and painful."

David gasped for breath on hands and knees. Surging to his feet, he grabbed the first object that came to hand--a rusted nail the size of a railroad spike--and rushed forward. The hag turned as he approached, claws glinting in the strange green light. David raised the giant nail in front of him, parrying the awful talons.

In his hand was no longer a nail, but a sword, plain, with a dark leather handle and chunky pommel. David swung like a man possessed, putting all his rage, terror, and desperation into it. The hag's arm skittered through the air to splat against the wall. A moment later David struck her in the chest, the blade somehow cutting deep. Claire joined from the other side, raising the broken broom in both hands and burying it into the monster.

Shock glazed the hag's face. She shivered, a huge motion that knocked Claire to the ground and jerked the sword from David's hands. Her remaining arm seized at David, slicing his coat to ribbons and scraping across his skin with her talons, but then she fell back. Her body rapidly shifted from Claire to Sheila to others, a dozen faces of beautiful women David didn't recognize. She curled around the sword, gave one final gasp, and lay still. Her body calcified until a statue of a one-armed woman lay in front of them.

"The other one said that metal doesn't work on trolls," Claire said, breathing heavily. "How'd you do that?"

David looked down at the sword in his hand. "I don't think this is a regular sword," he said inanely. In a moment it shrunk back to a large nail. "Let's go find Hod."

Claire nodded, pausing only to grab another of the nails from the cave floor. In a moment they broke into a jog, back the way David had come, his skin glowing strongly, lighting the way.

Freeze

Hod was picked up and thrown across the room. He was able to twist in the air so that his feet hit the cavern wall first but that didn’t stop him falling flat on his face afterward. Gravity can be mean like that sometimes.

Okay so the thing had to have some kind of healing ability. Maybe it was like Wolverines, and had that healing type of ability. Hod didn’t just stay to the classics. Although he did prefer the classics over more contemporary pieces. Besides they don’t really make comics for the blind. Time to find out how much of a healing ability this thing had.

Hod ran. It wasn’t his favorite thing to do. It made the map in his head go bleary and he lost focus. He heard the troll come at him, good. The troll swiped at his head, Hod blocked it with his arm but not completely. He redirected the troll’s momentum and sent it stumbling past him. This should be the spot. Hod quickly did a sweep with his foot and hand. The arm that Hod had broken off was gone. The troll must have taken it and reattached it during their fight. That was good to know. This would have been tough if the thing could regrow limbs.

The thing swiped at Hod again. This time Hod ducked under the intended blow. He caught the things arm and thrust upward with his other hand into the things armpit. Hod heard a pop the troll cried out in pain and Hod smiled. The move didn’t come without consequences as the trolls other arm knocked him back.

Hod started to count. One, two, three… he went in again. Attacking the troll with everything that he had. 17, 18, 19… Hod dodged kicked and twisted trying to stay out of the trolls reach and give it punishment at the same time. 29,30,31… the troll swung at Hod with the arm that he had just dislocated a moment before. So it took the troll only 30 seconds to heal. No wonder everything that Hod had done had been for naught.

It seemed that the only thing that seemed to work on the beast was when Hod had frozen and knocked its arm off. But that in itself held dangers as well. Freezing something took energy out of Hod. Freezing something quickly took more energy. Being able to freeze something in seconds took more still. How was he going to beat this monster if he couldn’t kill it after freezing it? Would he only be able to freeze it so far and then lay on the ground helpless as the thing ate him. His thoughts were interrupted as the troll started to laugh and then speak.

“Mother says I need to hurry. She already have the Gold one ina cage. Say I can eat the not-Hod all I want.” The thing lunged forward screaming as it went. “Come here not-Hod. I eat you now.”

Hod stood in shock. David was in trouble now along with Clair. This was no time to be thinking. Hod widened his stance, he breathed on his hands to the point where they were almost frozen. Time to put everything that he had into an attack and pray that it worked. Pray that he would be able to help David and Clair after he was done.

Hod meet the oncoming trolls attack with one of his own. He needed to make every freezing hit count. Finally the moment came and everything seemed to line up perfectly. First the Right arm, Hod thrust, freezing the arm, and then thrust again breaking the trolls arm clean off. Hod could feel the energy going flowing out of him.

I cant let it the thing heal, Hod thought desperately. I have to end it all in 30 seconds. Not letting the troll have any time Hod pressed the attack. Now strike and strike again. The left arm hit the cavern floor.

The troll screamed in pain and rage. Hod put both hands on its chest bringing his leg into play he tripped the troll and the both crashed to the cavern floor. Freeze Hod thought desperately, Freeze! The troll screamed and tried to break, Hod held his grip. Soon the struggles slowed and then stopped all together. With on last surge of strength Hod broke the ice-block beneath him into a thousand pieces. 

Hod sat back breathing heavy and started to count. He went all the way to 60 this time but he couldn't hear anything he was all alone. slowly Hod got to his feet. Time to go help David and Clair. He made it two steps before falling flat on his face completely exhausted. The last thought Hod could remember was that he sure wished that he could hear Clair one more time.

Anne

Despite the situation, David found himself oddly thinking of Doctor Doofenshmirtz from Disney Channel. "Ha ha, you're trapped!" he would shout, and then proceed to explain his grandiose schemes of world conquest. There was definitely a certain similarity around the nose and eye area. But he wasn't a secret agent animal, and the hag was quite a bit scarier.

"The rest of the monkey scum that pollute this planet will soon be wasted, the world wiped clean of your filth," She leered, leaning in close. Her long-taloned finger reached into the cage, and David quickly swiped at it with the sword in his hand, but it just scraped by as if he'd tried to slice a stone. "Feisty, aren't you my precious? But the earth will not harm her children." She waved her arm in demonstration. "Don't worry, I won't kill you. Not yet anyways. You're so pretty that I might keep you for my personal collection." Her claws slide across the bars with a soft rasping sound.

"Where's Claire?" David growled.

"Your little friend? She's safe for the moment. My son loves his playthings," The hag gestured to the rest of the room, where the animals in their softly rotating cages watched with avid eyes. "He tries to take care of them, but his methods are rather... crude. When they are no longer pleasing, he consumes them with great gusto. I imagine that will be her fate, if I do not decide to destroy her first." The hag's eyes glinted. "Do you wish to see her? She's here, right now. You passed her not moments ago." The creature stalked over to the wall of statues and grabbed the one of Claire. She carried it... her easily over one shoulder and settled it carefully in front of David's prison, so that they could face each other.

David saw with horror that the eyes of the statue tracked his face, and the mouth closed, almost imperceptibly, inch by slow inch. David reached out of the cage, just barely brushing her hand. The fingers twitched.

"What did you do to her?" David shouted.

"I should think that was obvious," the hag purred, mockingly holding Claire's shoulders. The hag grinned, mouthfuls of sharp teeth like pins poking out of her mouth. She walked away slowly, "I suppose my son has taken care of the blind one by now. He should be coming back with the boy's mangled remains in his teeth at any moment." She pulled aside some chests that David hadn't noticed before, revealing a small parlor complete with couch and big-screen TV. She plopped herself in front of it, changing the channel until she found Chucky.

"You don't know Hod," David growled.

"On the contrary, my precious, I did." The troll-wife said, her voice like acid. "One of the most repugnant of the gods. The only thing he and your friend have in common is their blindness to the obvious."

David reached again towards the statue that Claire was, again holding her hand. Maybe he imagined it, but the hand seemed to move a slightly more quickly as it folded around his own.

David remembered the funeral, and the rain, and Hod's wet face, set like stone. He wouldn't use an umbrella. Everyone said it wasn't David's fault, but he knew. David knew how everyone looked at him. He had liked it, liked playing with their emotions. He'd liked the power it gave him, to get anyone to do whatever he wanted, just by asking. Just because he had a pretty face. He had thought that everyone loving him was only right. Of course he was the center of the universe.

So when Hod had said he liked someone, David had gotten a little jealous. Anne was one of the few people besides David that paid any attention to Hod. She was kind to him, opening doors, telling him when he was about to run into something or where he could sit in class. Hod was David's friend; they knew each other's secrets, how Hod brought the cold with him, how David could literally charm birds from the trees.

So David charmed Anne. He played with her emotions and then, when he was sure that she was in love with him, David broke her heart in the cruelest way possible. He let Anne find him kissing another girl; then he told her that he was just playing with her, and nobody could really like her.

Anne was found hanging from her closet at week later. Hod never blamed David out loud, but they stopped being friends for almost a year after that. Even then, it took the divorce of Hod's parents and a couple big fights before they could hang out again on a semi-normal basis.

From then on, David was terrified of what he could do; what he could make others do. He swore he would never let it happen again, to anyone else. Definitely not now, when finally Hod had found a girl he really liked.

Holding Claire's stone hand, he whispered to her. "It's going to be alright," he said. "We're going to get you out of this." He tried to put as much confidence in his voice as he could.

The stone seemed to warm in his hand, and the eyes seemed to almost flutter. A moan escaped her lips. Excited, David, concentrated harder, willing Claire to melt from the stone. She developed some color in her cheeks, her hair, her fingers. The rough surface softened, and pores appeared. David glanced nervously at the corner with the TV, but the hag seemed not to notice anything. She was completely engrossed in shears and blood and evil toys.

Claire's chest moved, up and down, and she gasped. The troll-wife glanced over irritably. "Keep it down, my sweet," she glowered. "Mother is watching the television."

David covered his mouth with his other hand, coughing, but after the first breath, Claire seemed to be doing better. Her fingers twitched.

"We're going to get you out," David whispered confidently, "Once you get free, hide. You won't have to wait long."

Claire shook her head almost imperceptibly. She jerked her head back to the witch. Slowly her lips formed the words. "Tell me when she's not looking."

David nodded. "She's watching TV."

Claire dropped to a crouch and turned back. Rifling in her pocket, she pulled out a pin, and fiddled with the lock. In a moment it was opened. "Come on."

"No," David whispered back, "It'll squeak. Get away, hide, get some weapons or something to protect yourself. I'll wait, and then before she starts looking for you I'll distract her. It's your best chance."

Indecision warred on Claire's face. "Thanks," she said.

"Thank Hod," David said. "I don't know how he did it, but he found you."

A moment later Claire was gone, and not a minute to soon. The hag looked backwards, irritated, a retort on her lips. "I said be SILENT! Wait, where'd the--?" She streaked across the room, clawing at the spot where Claire had been moments before. "WHERE IS SHE???" She screeched, glaring at David.

"She got away," David said grimly.

The witch turned around, screaming "I'll KILL her!" pawing through piles of treasure. David slammed the door of the cage open before she could get to far in her search.

"First," David said smiling, "You'll have to get through me." He raised his sword and charged.

Can't Die

                “What did you do?” the troll screamed in agony. “What did you do to Haf’gifr?”

                The monster started to thrash around wildly. Hod heard a whistling noise and raised his arm in time to block the trolls attack. Yet again Hod misjudged the strength of the beast and was thrown across the cavern floor. Quickly he scrambled to his feet and immediately had to throw himself to the side to avoid being trampled to death by the troll.

                Hod had a moments desperate thought. I can’t let it get to the door and get David and Clair. Hod climbed to his feet and tried to reorient himself. This was always the longest and most dangerous part of his skill. He moved trying to find the place he thought the tunnel would be in. Hod tripped over a raise in the ground and went headfirst into the dirt.

                He heard the footsteps of the troll and twisted around. This time he was wasn’t fast enough and a webbed foot pinned him to the earth. Taloned toes went through his cloths and pierced the flesh on Hods chest. He could feel his shirt becoming wet with his blood. The reeking stink got closer and Hod put a hand up to the things chest. Remembering David’s warning about avoiding the things face. He heard its mouth snap open and closed.  The troll must have been closer than Hod thought because a tooth or horn scratched the side of Hod’s cheek.

                In desperation Hod brought his foot up. He hooked it under the monsters only arm and heaved. The troll left Hod’s chest and crashed into something. Hod didn’t want to think what. According to David there was only really one thing for the monster to crash into. Hod got up and put a hand to his chest. He had to stop the bleeding, he concentrated and iced his wounds. Scrambling he found his way to the doorway and took position in front of it again.

                “The Pretty told me your secret.” The troll rasped. “You not the real Hod. He dead. Along with his brother. You a not-Hod, you is a fake. I will eat you. And when she get ugly I eat her.”

                Even with only one arm the thing was fast and deadly. The main problem was the creature’s strength. Hod knew he himself was strong. Stronger then he should be. The only person he knew that came close was Autumn. Even still, he couldn’t stop all the trolls’ wild swinging of his arm. But Hod refused to be moved from the tunnel opening.

Hod was lucky that he was still wearing his hoddie. It now hung on him in tatters. It wasn’t the best armor, but at least it had stopped the troll’s attacks from being as bad as they could have been. Hod now had long scratches on his chest to accompany the puncture wounds. He also had cuts up and down his arms.

                The creature wasn’t even slowing down. Hod was sure that he was giving as good as he got. He was sure that by now the thing should have multiple broken ribs a broken leg and its arm should be broken. Hod couldn’t understand why the creature was still able to move everything. Hod had heard the bones crack and break. He needed to end this, needed to go help David and Clair. Hod blocked an incoming swing. He twisted and round house kicked the thing in the chest. Hod put all his strength into it, he could feel the troll’s chest cave in giving way to his foot.

                The Toll flew back, crashing into rock this time and just lay there. Hod put his hands on his legs and tried to calm down his breathing. The troll wasn’t dead. Hod could still hear it breathing. Breaths that came in ragged and slow, rattling the things throat. It sounded like it was dying. It should be dying from everything Hod had done to it. Hod turned to go and help David but stopped as the thing spoke.

                “Stupid fleshling” Hod heard the thing move. It sounded like it was getting to eats feet. “You can’t beat me! Mother made me immortal. Can’t die. Always keep coming.”

                The creature rushed at him and Hod blocked its first attack. This time he was able to match the creature strength for strength. Hod felt like something was wrong. The monster moved slightly and Hod heard something coming. Letting go of the creatures arm with one hand Hod was barely in time to stop his own death. Somehow the troll had regained its other arm.

It's a Trap!

David crept forward. It got lighter and lighter in the cave, until he was in a well-lit spacious cavern. Dark corners meandered off, and David kept checking them reflexively. He still couldn't see the monster.

"David, help me!" He heard a cry. David crept cautiously inside.

The cavern was about half the size of a football field, and to one side he could see wavelets crashing in a small pool. The whole area smelled strongly of fish and salt. Hanging from the ceiling were cages of animals: a badger, a deer, a fox, an owl, and others. They looked at him with solemn, desperate eyes, eerily silent. Treasure was scattered throughout the room in mounds, like pictures of a dragon's cave. Glowing fungi seemed to caste a spotlight on the mounds of gold and silver coins, goblets, and jewels. Crowns and even a few weapons lay scattered about. A few statues stood in the corners.

Far to the back of the cavern was a larger cage hanging low to the floor. Inside a familiar face with mascara-stained cheeks looked at him hopefully. "Hurry," Claire said, "The hag just left. She said she was getting a trap ready for you. Where's Hod?"

David advanced slowly, aware of the water, pointing a stick he'd grabbed out in front of him like a sword. Halfway through the room he paused to grab a sword he'd noticed earlier. Some nails scattered on the floor might be used to pick the lock, and he grabbed a shield as well.

"Come on!" Claire whispered everything, but in the silent cavern her voice echoed strangely. "She could be back any minute."

"When we started tracking you down," David said in a friendly voice, "We discovered that their were at least two creatures working together. A big troll-thing and a shape shifter. Hod's taking care of the troll, but we have no idea where the shape shifter went. I'm just trying to be cautious, Claire. How do I know you're not the shape shifter again?"

"Because I'd tell you." Claire said desperately, "I saw the troll and the hag. The troll was horrible, he tried to give me rotten fish. He kept talking about eating me. And the hag... I saw her change into my step mom Sheila. I saw her change into me." Claire's voice grew quiet. "I suppose it makes sense not to trust me. You're probably the hag anyways, just in another form. She said you and Hod would come for me." Her eyes widened, "I'm not going to fall for it! You've made your point, now leave me alone!" She pulled a knife from her pocket. "Don't come any closer," Claire warned, her voice shaking, eyes wide.

David kept advancing slowly, keeping his voice low. "I'll tell you something only you and I know, so that you know it's me. Then you tell me something else that only you and I know. That way we'll both know we're the real deal." David kept looking up, to where the animals followed him with their eyes. It was nerve wracking. "Remember last summer, when we had a pool party at your dad's house? And you told me about Freckles? Your cat died, and you had a funeral for him."

"I remember," Claire said, standing up from her defensive crouch. "I don't think I told you how we did it? We put him in one of Sheila's jewelry boxes, and set it up in a tree, where Freckles could be with the birds. He loved chasing birds."

"Exactly," David said. He was almost to her cage. "And last month, just before school started, and I told you I was nervous. Why?"

"Because you weren't sure you'd do a good job as student body president," Claire answered. "You were worried because you think people like you more for your looks than for what you can do."

David reached the cage, fiddling desperately with the lock. He couldn't figure out how to get it open, "I wish your dad were here," David muttered. "He could unlock things in all kinds of crazy ways."

"I think I saw the key over their somewhere," Claire whispered. "Hurry! I don't know when she'll be back, it sounded like she was going to be gone for just a second." Claire pointed to the wall where a couple of statues stood.

David hurried over, pausing to look for a moment. Their was a statue of Claire with terrified eyes, and one of Sheila, and one of Peter... and one of himself. The eyes of the Claire-statue almost seemed to watch him, and for a moment David wondered if the hag could make herself look like a statue. The keys were in the statue of Sheila's hand. David reached out and grabbed them, shuddering as a low moan seemed to come from nearby. He whirled, sword up.

"Hurry, David! I think that's her!" Claire whispered.

David almost ran back to her cage, jamming the key in the lock and turning. The cage door slid open, and Claire fell on him slightly.

"Sorry," Claire said. "I haven't eaten in a while. I guess I'm a little weak."

David tried to lift her up, twisting around to get to her side. He adjusted the sword so that it was in his other hand. "That's alright, I'll help you."

Suddenly he was thrust into the cage and the door was slammed shut. He heard laughter, starting lower than any human voice could reach and ricocheting higher until it culminated in a shriek.

"I've got you!" The Claire outside snarled fiercely, showing way too many pointy teeth. Slowly she began to change, growing taller, thinner, greener, scalier. Her blonde hair sunk down into a matted brown heap around triangular ears, and fangs jutted randomly like splinters from her mouth.

The Dark

            Hod took several deep breaths to calm himself down. He then used several meditative and concentration techniques to further calm himself and to become in tuned with his surroundings. Slowly he got back on his feet and put a hand on David’s shoulder.

            “Can you see it?” Hod asked. He had no doubt that it was the creature that he had fought.

            “No. It’s staying in the shadows.” David answered.

            “Okay let’s see if we can draw it out.” Hod said and then in a louder voice. “Where is the girl? What have you done with Clair?”

            “I knew you’s came for my pretty. But you can’t have her, she’s mine. I keep her forever and ever and she will stay pretty. If she don’t, well then I eats her.” The monsters voice kept circling the two boys. The thing continued to talk. “Mother will have your hearts. It’s the power she needs. Power to open your world to us. And then my brothers and sisters will feast on all your flesh. Then I will have all the pretties I want. Then I might not need your Clair thing. Maybe then I eat her two.”

            The troll giggled after this and kept circling the boys. Hod supposed that he was looking for an opening. He could hear David grip his bat. David still hadn’t given him the signal so he still didn’t know where the beast was either. But the more the thing talked the more Hod was able to map out the room.

            Hod had never really thought of it as a super power. Not like how he could make things freeze. He had only been working on it for the last couple of years. The only one he had told was his sparring partner Autumn, and she said she had never heard of someone that could do it as well as Hod. It was a type of echo location. Hod would just listen and pay attention to his surroundings. Everything made a noise when hit by sound. Hod would just gather it all up and use it to make a map. Almost the same way I bat did.

            Suddenly a scream echoed around the chamber they were in. it reverberated of the walls and sliced there soul. Hod and David tensed at the same time. It sounded like Clair.

            “Hod it came form that opening over there. But as soon as we go through it that thing will attack us.” Hod felt the need to go. The need to just run and find her, he almost did. But this was a game and if you didn’t play this one right everyone would die. Hod took a couple of deep breaths and then had to pull his heart out of his stomach.

            “David you go. Find her and save her.” Hod said. It was one of the heardest decisions he had ever made. Not being the one to go after Clair. But hear in the dark he had the best chance against the beast.

“Hod I can’t leave you. Remember we are in this together” David said.

            “We are, and together is how we will win this.” Hod said. “Trust me David. Walk slowly to the entrance and then go. But remember don’t trust your eyes.”

            “But Hod I cant leave you how will you be able to see…’

            “David, if you don’t go right now I swear that if we both live through this I will beat the crap out of you!”

            “Fine!” David finally agreed. “But you better be right about this. Your step mom will kill me if I don’t bring you home.” With that David was off. Hod followed close behind until he was at the entrance to the tunnel. Hod stopped letting David go on by himself and turned and waited.

            Hod knew it was Dark. He couldn’t say how he knew. He could tell the deference really. But dark just had a feel to it. Almost like the feel of water. For some reason the darker it was the more at home Hod felt. The more relaxed he was. The more it felt like he could see. He stod there waiting for the moment he knew would come.

            “Stupid fleshling.” The troll said. Circling, getting closer. “The Gold one gone, your eyes is now gone. What you do now?” the thing moved softly across the floor coming closer now Hod could smell it again. His map got clearer. Now Hod could feel the things breath. “I will eat you. Suck the marrow from your bones. Give your head to my pretty.” It was so close now Hod could feel the moisture from its breath. “You lost, you cannot see. Its dark and I see you.”

            Hod spun for leverage. He didn’t have to touch the thing to know where it was now. Like he had to in the woods. He grabbed the clawed hand that was coming for his head. Thrusting his fist, as hard as he could, into the things shoulder. If Hod concentrated he could freeze a cup of water in less than a second. Hod was concentrating really hard now. Quickly he struck again and the monster screamed in pain. Hod let the monsters now useless arm drop to the ground.

            “My name is Hod, and darkness is my Home.”

Stonewort

"Now my dear," said the shapeshifting thing, mincing as she stepped, "I think it's time for you to take a nap."

Suddenly she was at Claire's side, pinching her nose and holding her head back until she'd gagged down a rotten concoction that smelled of mildew and tasted like chalk. Claire tried to resist, tried to kick and punch the thing that looked exactly like her, down to the chips in her fingernail polish, but it was to strong. A sudden pain arced through her body and she writhed on the floor, screaming for a few moments. She subsided into wracking sobs, and lie on the floor. A numbness welled up from her belly and began to take over her entire body. Claire panicked, trying to yell, trying to move, but a drowsiness had overcome her entire body.

The creature picked her up and steadied her on her feet, posing her like a mannequin. "Stonewort takes a few moments to work, deary, let me help you up." Still chuckling to herself, she explained in a conversational tone. "Changes flesh to stone for nine hours. This was how we got you here, you know. Wonderful stuff. Of course you need to be careful not to break anything," the creature said, popping one of Claire's fingers into place with a loud crack. "Oh my, I'm so sorry. Wouldn't want you losing a finger, after all."

It picked Claire up, swinging her over its shoulder, sauntering to a corner of the cave near the chests, away from the light. "I gave you a smaller dose this time. It'll wear off within the hour. By then that lovely boy and his friend will be mine." It spat out the last syllable. Taking Claire off of its shoulder, it gestured back to the rest of the cave. "There, you see, a great view for the entire proceedings. Wouldn't want you to get broken, hehehe. But I can't trust you to scream convincingly at the right moments."

The not-Claire began rummaging around the room, placing chests of treasure in one corner, piling up the useless weapons in another, clearing space on the floor. She revealed a simple pattern on the ground once it was cleared of debris, long lines racing each other from one side of the room to the other.

Claire's eyes were heavy-open, as if she couldn't close them, but she could still move them. Breathing came painful and slow, taking minutes to inhale and exhale. Still, she managed to form words through shear desperation. "Why ...... are.......you......do...ing.....this?"

"Oh my, she spoke?" The creature laughed in malicious delight. "I like this so much better. So near movement, and so far away! How it must ache to watch your friends trying so desperately to save you, only to have their corpses mangled by my son and their skins saved for my collection." She posed dramatically, one arm flung up, another over her eyes. "Oh no! Don't! Please! I can't bear it!"

Her chest heaved and its eyes flashed as she purred, "I will break you. You and all of the miserable vermin that have overrun this world. It should be ours by right. Built on the body of our great ancestors. You filthy creatures have no more right to life here than the cattle you slaughter. Flesh puppets are what you are. Toys. The gods have had their fun with you, and now it's our turn."The creature continued arranging the cave to her liking, talking mostly to herself as she continued, the habit of one often alone. "But they are selfish. Until I can break the brambles separating your world and mine, we are forced to slip through the cracks and hope they do not sense us. But your in your friends veins is the blood of the All-Father, diluted though it may be by generations of mortal kin. I smelt it the first time I saw him, the glorious one. The dark one has it too. The blood of the All-Father will break the floodgates, and my sisters and our children will finally be free to take this world that rightfully belongs to us."

Peter

Clair had to be okay. Hod wouldn’t allow it to be anything else.

The tunnel led deep into the earth. Hod could tell because the temperature would keep on dropping. Hod could tell when they would walk through lager areas. Their footsteps had a different sound. Also in some of the passageways and caverns Hod could hear the distinct sound of water.

“Hod, do you think this is a trap?” David whispered. “I mean that thing just ran right past us. I don’t think animals lead predators to their home.”

“I'm pretty sure this is a trap as well David. The way that thing moved was premeditation. Almost like a human. We both know it’s a trap but there is nothing we can do about that. Sometime the trap needs to be sprung so that you can spring one of your own. Our you will just sit back and watch as nothing happens and those you love die because of it.”

“Hod...” David began carefully. “I don’t want Clair to be dead. I want to save her. If we can save her we will. Hod we're in this together, I'm not going anywhere.”

“I know David. Neither am I. I won’t leave here without Clair.”

“I know Hod. Neither will I.”

They walked a little further in silence. The only sound that accompanied them was the dank drip of water and the echo of their shoes. Hod could barely believe something like this existed. It had to cover the whole Stanley Park.

Hod could tell the oppressive atmosphere of the caves was getting to them. David’s breaths were too fast. Hod was keeping his muscles too tight. There fear of an attack was getting to both of them. They started to jump at their own echoes.

They turned another corner and Hod could tell that they had walked into a large cavern. Hod could feel David tense next to him. Hod couldn’t tell why. None of his senses told him anyone else was around.

“Do you see something?” Hod whispered at David.

“Hod its its its...” that’s as far as David got. Hod could hear him turn around and start retching.

“David what’s wrong? David, what’s going on?” Hod inquired. David couldn't answer him. He was too busy trying to catch his breath. It seemed he couldn’t keep his stomach still and started to dry heave.

Hod turned to help David and his cane hit flesh. Hod spun around ready for an attack but none came. He still couldn't sense or hear anyone around him. Slowly he inched forward ready for anything. The sensation of skin on skin startled Hod and he jumped. He stretched out his hand again and now he could clearly feel it. A man stood in front of him. He had stitches running the length of his body. He was hard and had no cloths. He was also as cold as the cavern floor.

“Hod don’t.” David crocked from behind him but it was too late.

Hod threw himself away from the body and landed on his hands and knees. He tried to throw up. Nothing came out. He just knelt there heaving. David eventually came over to help him. It felt like he was on the cavern floor for hours.

“Hod? Hod, are you okay?” David asked compassionately. All Hod could do was shake his head. After a moment he was able to speak again.

“I'm all right now David.” Hod said. He didn't want to but he had to ask. “Who is it?”

“It’s...” there was hesitation in David’s voice. “It’s Peter from school. He graduated last year.” David had to swallow and take a couple of deep breaths before going on. “Hod it looks like someone had him stuffed. And Hod, He's not the only one. There's others.”

“Hahahahaha.” A throaty voice laughed in the distance. “Found mothers collection you have. She will takes your heart. Then add your skins to her collection she will.”

Sees not with the eyes

"You alright?" Hod asked.

"I'm fine. That tree was mostly rotted through or something, I don't hurt that bad or anything." David brushed himself off, grimacing at the mangled bat still in his hands. "Looks like I'm going to need another one of these things." He settled it on his shoulder, saying, "Come on, we got to hurry. It took off into the woods. I think if we follow it, we'll find Claire."

David kept a hand on Hod's shoulder as they hurried up the path. It always amazed him how much Hod could actually tell about his environment. Hod had studied several forms of martial arts throughout the years, and he always excelled, somehow beating sighted opponents on a regular basis. At the same time, things that didn't make too much noise, like trees and chairs and curbs, could catch him completely by surprise. David still wasn't sure what exactly his buddy could sense, but it was definitely most people noticed with their eyes open.

The path was lit slightly, and David noticed without surprise he was glowing again, this time enough so that he didn't miss his flashlight. And Hod was cold to the touch, like he always was when he got upset.

The woods were eerily silent, without owls or little skitters, without the throbbing of frogs or the dull thrum of insects. Even the cars passing above them seemed to be on a distant plane of existence.

The path the big troll-thing took led up onto a little rise before curving sharply. A tree had fallen over, gouging a great hole in the earth where its roots splayed into the air. Rootlets clogged the hole, but David noticed.... "Hey Hod, I think their's a path underneath this tree."

"That's probably the entrance to the lair. Clair is inside."

"Hod, you don't know-"

"David, I can tell. I'm sure of it." Hod's voice was firm, unyielding. "She's alive, and we're going to save her."

David was quiet a moment. "How can you tell?" he asked softly. "Hod, we've had a lot of strange stuff happen over the years. Full on X-files. But that thing, Hod. I'm going to have nightmares about it for months. It had more teeth than a chainsaw, and these weird eyes, and the way it moved- Hod, I don't think something like that keeps prisoners."

"Love sees not with the eyes, but with the mind. Therefore is winged cupid painted blind," Hod answered. He smiled. "One of my favorite quotes from Shakespeare. I just know. Now lets get into that cave and kick some troll butts."

"You think their might be more than one?"

"Of course. You don't think something like what we fought could be subtle enough to make itself look like Clair, do you?"

They entered the darkness.

Fleshlings

Stupid, dumb, weak, fleshlings. Hag’gifr stared up at the two humans on his beach. The dark on was staring into the water with funny eyes. It was the gold one, the gold one is the one that mother wants. The gold one was stupidly looking at the ground. He was going to suck the marrow out of their bones. Haf’gifr giggled, letting a couple of bubbles escape his mouth. The giggle turned to a snarl, how he hated these humans. How easy they were to lie to, how easy they believed.

He was old enough to remember the time of the Gods. He remembered the fire burn his skin. He could remember the god nails cutting his flesh. The troll smiled, they had come to take his pretty’s then and he had killed them all. His pretty’s hadn’t been so pretty then so he had to eat them. Slowly, there screams were pretty too.

Now fresh ones had come to take his new pretty away. The dark one and the gold one. The gold one has to be saved. Mother said he was the key. The key to bring his brothers and sisters through the hedge. Mother had tried with others, but none of their hearts had the power she needed. She only needed his beating heart, maybe mother wouldn’t mind if he had one bight. They had their backs to him. The thing erupted from the water, a smile splitting its face and showing the multitude of teeth within. He almost reached them and still they hadn’t turned around. He reached out his claws ready to rip off the dark one’s head and throw the gold one to the ground. His mouth opened wider, already savoring the sweet flesh. Where did the dark one go?

All the warning Haf’gifr had was the touch of cold and then a hammer crushed his side and sent a bolt of cold and pain through his middle. There was another hammer blow of ice and pain hit him. Haf’gifr picked himself up from the water’s edge. The dark one was staring off to the side of him and jumping on his toes. Slight shivers of fear ran through the troll. The dark one’s eyes glowed. Breathing hurt.

“It man shaped. Seven feet tall. Ten feet in front of you. Stay away from the head.” The Gold one said. Haf’gifr looked over at the gold one. What was it doing? The dark one came at him. Haf’gifr snarled, he was going to enjoy eating this one. He extended his talons ready to take the dark one’s head off.

“Duck!” the gold one yelled. Suddenly the dark one wasn’t there again. There was the pain of cold and Haf’gifr looked down his arm to where the dark one had a hold of it. The dark one spun and its other hand went into Haf’gifr’s shoulder and he felt the cold hammer again. There was a crack, Haf’gifr roared in pain and threw the dark thing away. It landed lightly and turned to face him. This dark thing was dangerous. Haf’gifr needed to be careful. His hands felt like hammers. Snarling he pulled his shoulder and put it back into place. He could feel his mother’s magic healing his sides and starting to take effect on his wounded shoulder.

The troll looked over at the gold one. He was dangerous too. He was the dark one’s eyes. Haf’gifr smiled, time to blind the dark one.

“It’s coming at me, Ho….” Too late for the dark one and the gold. Haf’gifr backhanded the gold one. It flew twenty paces and hit a tree. The gold one’s body crumpled and fell the to ground. The tree broke and crashed behind him. Hag’gifr lopped over and smelled the body. It still breathed, the heart still beat, it still had its skin. Mother will still be happy. Mother can still add the gold one to her collection and still have its heart. There was a breaking branch and Haf’gifr jumped away, still it was a little too late as the dark ones leg caught the trolls tail and sent him spinning.

“David! David, are you alright!? David, are you hurt!? Where are you!?” the dark one had his hands in the air and was looking around violently. Haf’gifr smiled, this would be fun. Just like the time he told the one pretty she could leave and then found and ate her. Haf’gifr stalked the dark one slowly. It kept calling to the gold one and spinning around. Haf’gifr swung at its head meaning to take it right off with his claws. Somehow the human got hits hand up in time and stopped his death. But Haf’gifr was to strong and sent the week fleshling to the water’s edge. Somehow the dark one was able to land on its knees. It was again calling for the gold one. The sound hurt the troll’s ears, he snarled. He was going to make it stop.

He stalked over to the thing still on its knees. It was going to eat it this time. Haf’gifr tensed his muscles ready to leap and then… his world was pain. Haf’gifr ran, he ran to escape the pain. He ran into the water and turned snarling. The gold one was standing over the dark one protectively. He was holding a wooden club and was staring at the troll while he helped the dark one to his feet. How was the gold one moving, why did it have a wood thing? This was a cheater fleshling. It was going to eat both the dark one and the cheater fleshling. Slowly so that they felt much pain and Haf’gifr could hear there screams.

Suddenly a new pain filled his mind. This time the pain was as familiar as his own skin. It was mother. She wanted them now, and Haf’gifr could eat what was left. Bring them into the caves she said. We’ll kill them there she said. In the dark, in the maze. Haf’gifr smiled. This was still fun. He could still taste there flesh. Haf’gifr lopped out of the water and past the dumb fleshlings. Time to take them to the entrance. Time to take them into the ground.

On the edge

David and Hod stood looking over the edge of Lion's Gate. It was getting late, and a wind had picked up, breathing the first gusts of winter. Or maybe that was Hod.

"It looks like the signal should be right here, but I don't think-" David gestured helplessly. Cars zoomed past them, but although Claire's signal was strong, it didn't look like she was anywhere nearby. "We should be right on top of her."

"Maybe we are," Hod answered. He pointed down, to where the struts entered the water, the dying light casting it into shadow. "She might be down there."

"Do you think she was... thrown over?" David asked quietly.

"No. I would know if she was dead," said Hod, sounding certain. "But how do we get down there?"

"I think I saw a road that leads down," David answered, and they walked back to the car. The blue lights of the bridge winked on. They hurried, hands in their pockets, and got into the car.

Soon they got to the edge of the water. The wide, sandy banks of the river stretched in front of them, and they wandered a bit. The cars were a distant sound, the lapping of the water much closer, and strange sounds emanated from the nearby woods. It was rapidly getting much to dark for David to see anything, but Hod picked his way around fallen rotting trees and dead fish with effortless ease. David retrieved a flashlight from his trunk, scanning the ground for anything that could give them a lead, hoping that Hod was right and Claire was okay. But it seemed like they were looking for a body.

"I think we're close, David. Do you see any tracks?" Hod asked quietly, stopping near the waters edge.

"I... wait. Yes. But, they look like animal tracks almost." David scanned the ground, to where a long set of prints dragged from the woods to the waters edge before disappearing into the swirling depths.

"Paw prints?"

"No. They look more like... I actually have no idea," David said, puzzled. He knelt down and touched his hand to one of the prints. It was wide and splayed and looked like a monkey footprint, if monkeys walked on two legs and had long talons that dug deep grooves into the sand. If monkeys had webbed feet. If monkeys had feet twice the size of David's hand. "Hod, it looks like Bigfoot had a baby with the thing from the black lagoon. These can't be real."

Hod stood near the edge of the water, peering into the icy depths of the river. "It's real, and it's down there. I think it's waiting to ambush us. Stand up slowly."

David stood slowly, hand gripping the bat. Nonchalantly he edged closer to Hod. "What do we do?"

Hod smiled. "That thing, whatever it may be, is going to lead us to Claire." He dropped his voice. "Do you trust me, David?"

"Of course."

"Okay then. Turn your back to the water on my count, and get ready. Whatever it is, I don't think it wants to sell us cookies."

David turned, eyes straining to see in the darkness, breath coming shallowly. Hod turned as well. David could tell he was trying to look calm, but sweat beaded his forehead, and his pale eyes seemed almost to glow in the moonlight. Frost crackled in the wrinkles of his hoodie.

A moment later, something surged out of the water, snarling with glee.

Sheila

            She quickly discovered… no way out. Except for the watery doorway the troll seemed to use there wasn’t any exit that Clair felt comfortable taking. She had pretty much seen all there was to the room from her cage. So the only thing left was to look in things. The cupboards only held the cooking gear, the food Haf’gifr stole and other odds and ends. So that only left the chests, stacked haphazardly, in the middle of the room.

            The first two held nothing but gold, jewels and other assorted treasure. The third, to Clair vast relief and then utter disappointment, held a variety of weapons. Swords, knifes, some guns, and even a small cannon with gilded inscriptions. But according to the troll it was all useless, most of it looked useless anyway especially the couple of large nails at the bottom. All the guns were dirty and had rust on them. Most of the swords and knifes were in the same condition. Some of the swords she couldn’t even look at because the sheaths were glued with rust to the sword. Not that it mattered; she didn’t know how to use one anyway. So instead she chose a small jewel incrusted dagger. It seemed a little pretentious to be picking it. But she told herself. It was the only weapon completely free of rust and grime. Also it was small enough to keep hidden and long enough to use.

            The forth chest was full of old books and manuscripts. Clair picked up a large parchment on the top of the pile and opened it. On it was drawn a large tree. In the center of the tree was Earth. It looked like a satellite image of Earth at least. On the branches and roots of the tree there were more planets. They were all connected to each other through the giant tree. And under the planets was a type of writing that Clair couldn’t read. But it looked like everything was labeled. Around Earth there looked like a circle of brambles. At the top of the tree there was an eagle at the bottom was a fierce looking dragon.

            “Well, you’re more resourceful than the others.”

            Clair nearly jumped out of her own skin. She actually did end up jumping into the chest and falling over. She quickly got to her feet and looked at where the voice had come from.

            “Shelia? What are you doing here?” Clair nearly screamed. Shelia gave Clair a wicked smile. She bent down and picked up the paper Clair had been looking at. For a brief moment a scowl crossed her face but was replaced by a deeper even crueler smile then the one she had given Clair.

            “What? Can I not check up on my daughter?” She gave a high picked laugh. She scowled again and suddenly she was in front of Clair. Her hand was over Clair’s throat and her finger nails dug into the sides of her neck. “How your face sickens me.” Shelia growled.

            Clair couldn’t believe it she barely saw Shelia move. Why was she doing this? She had never had a bad relationship with Shelia. Quit the opposite. The weren’t the best of friends, and Clair had never thought of her as a mother. But they would go shopping together and go to the spa sometimes. Why was she doing this? Clair couldn’t speak. It was getting hard to breath.

            “If he could only see how pathetic and week you are now.” Shelia picked Clair up by the neck with one hand and threw her across the room. Clair flew into the rotten catch and sat there whizzing trying to catch her breath. “He doesn’t even want you. It would have been sooo much easier if he had.”

            She seemed to see Clair for the first time then, trying to catch her breath on the couch. Crooning, she swayingly walked over to Clair bent down and ran the back of her hand down Clair’s face. Her finger nails didn’t look sharp but they felt like knifepoints against her skin. She could feel the trickle of blood from where they had punctured her neck.

            “Oh sweetheart, did I hurt you?” Shelia hissed.

            “Why are you doing this?” Clair finally choked out. Shelia straightened and laughed.

            “I needed power. My son wanted a new pretty, and you went to his school.” Shelia smiled down at her. “I need power to break through that accursed barrier. Power his heart shall supply. Then I shall have plenty of power more than enough to do what needs to be down. But he is much too pretty to waist don’t you think? So I’ll just have to add him to my collection. The blind ones carcass on the other hand can go to my son, Haf’gifr loves eating the leftovers.”

            “He’s your son!?” Clair said incredibly. “What does Hod have to do with this?” This caused Shelia to laugh again.

            “Why, he’s on his way to rescue you. Along with the one I need. I’m almost glad my original plan didn’t work. This is so much better. Can you believe that he loves you? He was practically foaming at the mouth to rescue you.” Shelia chuckled, a deeper then Clair had ever heard her make. “Or maybe I should just hold up a sword and have him kill himself by walking into it.” She laughed hysterically. “Or maybe you should be the one holding the sword.”

            Slowly Shelia’s features melted away. Black strait hair was replaced with wavy gold locks. Green eyes turned to Blue, dark tanned skin lightened until it looked as if Clair was looking in a mirror.