Bonds of the Fallen

Bat’s fingers stumbled over the laces of her boots as her gaze swept across the training room, a dark and harsh room compared to the verdant forests she had grown accustomed to. Painted in shades of obsidian, the room appeared to swallow the light, the solitary torch flickering in the corner casting sinister shadows that danced upon the walls.

She managed to secure her boots and turned to Ace, a formidable silhouette etched by the torch’s glow. His sinewy muscles flexed and rippled as he limbered up for the training session ahead.

“You’re ogling.” A playful grin danced upon his lips as he selected a hefty axe from the weapons rack, the metal gleaming ominously as he expertly twirled it. “Any weapon catch your fancy?”

“I spent the night with Val.” The words escaped Bat’s lips before she could clamp them shut. Her eyes widened in horror, her breath hitching in her throat as a hot wave of embarrassment crashed over her. She hastily averted her gaze, her cheeks blazing as she felt the weight of Ace’s scrutinizing eyes upon her.

“That wasn’t quite the preference I was inquiring about.” The axe was returned to its place with a measured movement. Ace’s gaze lingered on Bat, searching, probing, before returning to the weapons rack. Leaning against it, his jaw worked as he visibly reined in his emotions. “Seems rather unfair, expecting me to vie with him when you share a sire bond.”

A flash of irritation ignited within Bat, her eyes narrowing into slits as she squared off with Ace, frustration and anger vying for dominance. “I can make my own decisions, irrespective of any bond.”

“Perhaps.” Ace’s movements were languid as he crossed his arms over his chest, an unreadable expression on his face as he cocked an eyebrow at Bat, a half-smirk playing on his lips. His biceps bulged as he shifted his weight, the torchlight casting his form in sharp relief.

“I belong to no one.” The declaration was resolute, Bat’s chin lifting in defiance as she sought to affirm her independence. As the words left her lips, a subtle tremor of uncertainty betrayed her, as if she desired to convince Ace and herself that she was the master of her destiny. Her frustration simmered, her cheeks flushing with an escalating sense of helplessness.

The shadows within Ace’s eyes deepened, the darkness seeming to spread as he unfolded his arms, stalking towards her. “You are your own person, that’s true. But your life is intricately intertwined with Val’s, mine, and whatever destiny has in store for us.” His voice dropped to a husky whisper as he closed the distance between them, their proximity charged with an electric tension. “You can pretend all you want, but I see how you gaze at him, how your hands seek each other out, and how his touch sets your skin aflame.” His face was inches from hers as he spoke, his voice transforming into a menacing growl. “And I also see how you look at me and reach out for me. Touch me.” His finger grazed her jaw, sending a shiver down her spine. “You can’t deny the inferno that rages between us, Bat. It’s been smoldering there since our paths first crossed. We can look the other way, but it won’t extinguish itself. We need to confront it, no matter the consequences.”

He visibly deflated as he stepped back, his hands resting gently on her arms. “I shouldn’t have laid that on you. I apologize,” he murmured, leaning in so their foreheads touched. “I won’t lie, I’m envious, but that doesn’t mean I’m harboring any resentment.” A beat passed before he straightened, breaking contact. “We should focus on the training.”

Bat took a deep breath, turning to the weapons rack, her eyes sweeping over the collection of deadly tools. She wrapped her fingers around the hilt of a war hammer, the weight of it familiar and comforting in her grasp.

“An excellent selection,” Ace nodded, his eyes gleaming. “The beak of the crow is designed to puncture. This model has also been adapted to slice and free itself if lodged in an opponent. The flat end, on the other hand, is meant to deliver crushing blows.” He demonstrated the war hammer becoming an extension of his arm as he maneuvered it with practiced ease. The muscles in his arms rippled beneath the fabric of his shirt as he adjusted the weapon’s position in her hand. “This one is expertly crafted from lightweight materials, perfectly balanced to maximize speed and power.”

Bat stepped towards the center of the room, her pulse thrumming in her ears as Ace joined her, their combined energy filling the space.

“Position yourself for combat,” he commanded, his voice wrapping around her like a shroud.

With deliberate slowness, she widened her stance, her shoulders set as she bent slightly at the waist. Her hands held the war hammer aloft before her. Ace commenced his examination, his eyes raking over her form as he circled her like a predator. A surge of energy crackled through Bat’s veins as Ace’s fingers traced a path down her arm.

“This isn’t a club meant for baseball,” he murmured, his breath caressing the shell of her ear.

She felt the fine hairs on her neck stand on end as his fingers danced down the length of her leg. Her mind screamed at her to maintain her stance, but his proximity made concentrating nearly impossible. When he lowered himself to adjust the position of her feet, her heartbeat picked up speed, thudding loudly in her ears. His gaze met hers, and the smile on his lips sent waves of heat rushing through her. Her face warmed, and she drowned in the ocean of attraction steadily rising between them. It was a Herculean effort to pull herself together with him standing so close.

Straightening, Ace placed a shield in her left hand, giving her an anchor in the storm he’d stirred within her.

“That’s better,” he approved with a nod. “Now, try to hit me.”

“But you’re unarmed.”

He threw back his head and laughed, the sound echoing off the walls. “Trust me, I won’t be needing one.”

Bat surged towards Ace, her war hammer arcing gracefully through the air above her head. With ease, Ace parried her strike, fluidly sidestepping her following swing. Bat’s warrior instincts kicked in; she pivoted on her heel, expertly reclaiming her balance, and attacked anew, using her shield to knock Ace off his feet. He staggered but seamlessly recovered, deflecting her ensuing strike with a well-timed parry. They danced around each other, a lethal ballet of anticipation and precision, each waiting for the other to reveal a chink in their armor.

Ace exploded into motion, his hand a blur as he lunged forward. Before Bat could react, her war hammer was sent spiraling across the room, dislodged from her grip by a seemingly simple flick of Ace’s wrist. She stood there, momentarily suspended in disbelief, as Ace retrieved her weapon and handed it back to her.

“Again,” he commanded his tone a mix of tranquility and authority. “Concentrate on your footwork this time.”

Drawing a fortifying breath, Bat hurled herself at him once more, her every movement demonstrating the attention she was now devoted to her footwork. She executed a feint to the left, then delivered a strike to the right, catching Ace unprepared and landing a glancing blow on his forearm.

“Well done,” he praised, a nod of approval accompanying his words. “Once more.”

As she swung with all her might, Ace effortlessly blocked her shield strike, capturing it in his grasp and wrenching it from her hands. Bat stumbled but swiftly recovered her balance.

“Too predictable,” he chastised, circling her like a shark closing in on its prey. “You must learn to cloak your intentions.”

Bat digested his words, her determination solidifying like tempered steel. She attempted a feint, brandishing her war hammer in a threatening arc before pivoting and attacking with her shield instead. This time, she caught Ace entirely off guard, the shield’s edge connecting solidly with his chest. He staggered, teetering on the brink of falling before regaining his balance.

“Well played,” Ace congratulated her, a grin lighting up his face and pride glinting in his eyes. “It appears you’re finally getting the hang of this.”

A wave of satisfaction and adrenaline swelled within Bat, washing over her like a tsunami. For the next several hours, they sparred relentlessly, Ace meticulously refining her technique and honing her form until she was a force to be reckoned with.

After the demanding session, both Bat and Ace slumped to the floor, their bodies slick with sweat, breaths coming in ragged gasps. Bat’s eyes wandered to Ace as she tried to catch her breath. She observed his broad shoulders and the defined muscles that had moved with such power and precision during their spar, feeling a coil of tension winding up between them. It was like an invisible thread tethered her to him, beckoning her to bridge the gap between them. She let out a laugh of exasperation, thinking she must be losing her mind.

Ace quickly stood, extending a hand to help her up. As their palms met, a sizzle of electricity raced up her arm, setting every nerve-ending alight. She glanced his way and caught him looking at her, his gaze an intoxicating mix of admiration and desire.

“You held your own today,” he complimented, swiping at the beads of sweat on his forehead.

“It was strange. I felt like I’ve done this before, fought before.” She hesitated, marveling at the revelation. “It was as if my body was one step ahead of my mind, knew what to do without me even thinking about it.”

At that moment, Velika entered the room, her face illuminated by the tablet’s light in her grasp. Velika knitted her brows together in contemplation as she approached Bat and Ace.

“You might be onto something,” she began, her voice a low, contemplative rumble. “Lyell and I have been digging into the archives. There are scant references to the Norns, even less so about Skuld. What few records we did unearth speak of her riding into battle alongside the Valkyries themselves.”

A laugh bubbled up from Ace, the sound rich and hearty. “Maybe you’ll prove to be our secret weapon after all,” he quipped, giving Bat a good-natured pat. She responded with a mock punch to his chest, but Velika was unyielding in her seriousness.

“Furthermore,” Velika went on, the gravity returning to her tone, “our search for information on the Hand of Tyr turned up empty. There are no known references to it in any records.”

Velika sighed, the weight of their predicament evident in the set of her shoulders as she lowered the tablet to her side. “Lyell’s taken it upon himself to seek out Moja. She might have the answers we’re looking for.”

“Have you heard anything about my mother?” Bat asked, her voice tinged with worry.

“She is being held in our home realm for her safety,” Velika replied. “They have detained her as she continues to speak out about the New God and the upcoming war. She might be onto something. Our intel indicates that their followers are mobilizing for something big. The gods have instructed us not to engage with them but to ready ourselves for a potential battle.”

“But why would there be a war in the first place? I don’t get it,” Bat pressed, confusion etching her features.

Ace leaned back, his eyes clouding over with thought. “Odin has always had a penchant for battle,” he explained. “And he’s the one who created the Vampir.”

Velika nodded in agreement, taking a seat on the floor beside them. “Exactly. Odin crafted both the Valkyrie and the Vampir to be his servants.”

Ace picked up the thread of the conversation. “That servitude is extreme in the first Vampir that were created. Those turned afterward don’t feel the pull quite as much.”

“Like Val,” Bat concluded, a flicker of realization dawning in her eyes.

Ace fell silent, a contemplative look crossing his face. Velika glanced between the two of them before speaking up. “Val was the very first Vampir that Odin brought into existence. The urge to obey and remain loyal to him is deeply ingrained. We had held out hope that…”

Her voice trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging in the air. Bat leaned forward, eager for her to continue. “Hoped what?”

“We had hoped that when Val turned another, that bond would act as a counterbalance, loosening the chains that bind him to Odin, even if just by a little,” Velika explained, her eyes dropping to the tablet in her hands.

Bat reached out, placing a comforting hand on Velika’s knee. “It’s alright,” she assured her. “I promise I’ll do whatever I can to help.”