Nigkala Tales Pt. 34: Life as a Valkyrie

Nigkala Tales Pt. 34: Life as a Valkyrie

How did I get to be a viking?

I was expecting the kids to leave home soon after they reached their eighteenth birthday. In the intervening time, I had made some artifacts. One was a prototype magical battery that auto charges. I wanted to duplicate that aspect of Isis's ankh. Another artifact was a sand-pen. It looked like a giant pen, an inch in diameter, and ten inches long. The top twisted, and there were nine markings on ten clicks. The eight for sand painting, and one for pure sand, and the last for no sand. When you pressed the top in, colored sand came out the spout. I wound up giving that to Mato, so he would never run out again.

The last artifact was flat luggage. This was based on something Isis taught the kids about dimensional magic. It was complicated, and hard to pull off, let alone put in an item, but in the end, I had an inch thick hinged box that I could push things into. As something was pushed in, its thickness took less space in the box. While it had an area a little larger than a sheet of paper, it could hold over ten feet of material. The lid held two mechanical pencils, four containers of leads, two large erasers, and a pad of paper. Additionally, it was screened from magical detection, had an illusion of en empty box bottom when opened, and looked like a simple wood box to X-ray scanners and metal detectors. This allowed me to carry a lot more when I traveled, without having to worry about scanners, or needing more than a carry-on bag.

Our divine kids were in their senior year of high school. Each was making their plans for college. We had a big blowout at our place, and maybe fifty kids were there. Tammy had some of her catering staff over, with some large grills, and fancy food. Over a dozen parents were there, as well. We hung out near the food, and the living room. The rest of the main floor, and the lower floor was for the kids. A movie marathon was on in the theater, a DJ was in the gym, along with a snack bar. The backyard, in addition to the grills and pool, also had a volleyball net set up. I asked Mark, Angel, and Jewel to oversee the day, and I took the overnight shift. That way, those who wanted to party all night, could. There were also two rooms set up as sleeping areas.

The next day, was a cleanup day, but the four kids did the lion's share. We did find a fair amount of evidence of sexual activity in the maze, but none in the house. Once all was cleaned up, life returned to normal. The divine training still continued with visits to Death Valley at least one or two days a week. But rather than slow mini-dune buggies, we had dirt bikes set for sand travel. By this time, each of them was at least a black belt in the martial arts. They also knew how to use a number of weapons, old and new; including knives, guns, swords, bows, and more. Lastly, they learned to fight with and without magic. If they used their divine power, they would win, but only using magic, or only a little divine power, I would usually win due to experience and knowledge.

All that teaching also aided my own skill, since I now had partners I could battle spellsword style. I had a slight edge here, as I had learned to cast with virtual arms from my work playing Obsidian. At first, it was casting with the fake second arms, using the advanced controls for them. Later, I learned worked to cast without the prosthetic. I also paired them off against each other, so they could learn to fight different styles.

When they left for college, it was a lot quieter. I sent them each off with an enchanted pair of sunglasses. Isis had helped me create them. They appeared like regular sunglasses, but had the ability to change style, and also allowed targeted divination. Each parent had their own target for them. It essentially set the two sides to seem to be in the same room for conversation. We could see and hear each other. My idea was a variant of a phone, that allowed vision, and would work without being in a service area. With them heading off all over the world, it was simpler than travel. Finally, they came home after their first year. By this time, they were eighteen.

I had expected the other gods would want to have their second conference on the kids, but instead, Inanna just picked up the kids for god camp, as usual. When she brought them back, I asked, and she said that it would be next summer. Since I had not planned on having reliable access to the kids for the rest of the summer, I had to make some plans.

I spoke with Mark, Angel, Jewel, and Filipe, and we came to an agreement that I would teach them all about sex. Angel and Jewel would assist, and Mark and Filipe would help by being practice partners. Over the next few weeks, we taught them a lot. More about the practical side, and less about the biological side. No one was surprised that they had lost their virginity to each other years ago. Nor were we surprised the girls no longer wore underwear. What did surprise us was Darius, and his control. Long ago, I taught him to control his penises, so he could pee out only one penis. This let him appear like other boys at school. His applied his lessons, and now he could allow an erection in each penis independently. He could even come at different times, and usually did, when he had threesomes.

Our advice for the second year of college was for them to seek out knowledge related to their unique powers. I explained that having such knowledge meant more efficient magic, as well as more creative and subtle magic. It also meant you could do more about the edges because you could finesse it with your detailed knowledge. To show this, I explained how I studied weather to help with the power I got from An. I also encouraged them to be well involved socially. I knew their grades would be near the top, as they had been all their lives, but I told them that it was the social interactions that would make them welcome in any crowd. Sports is a good mixer, but so are clubs and associations.

Quite often, when they contacted us to chat, they told us of their sex lives, and the sexual antics of their friends. I suspect our being priestesses of Inanna made them more comfortable talking about sex. None of us worried if they were naked when the sunglasses were in use. And everyone was quite active sexually, yet none seemed to be all that romantically interested in their classmates. Layla and Darius decided to get into sports, and Inanna said such often happened to young gods. Cleopatra and Mona went for more cerebral pursuits.

While they were gone, Isis continued exploring the preset form of the cult of Isis. She even joined a local chapter, and subtly changed things to be more in line with what she is. One change was a more open acceptance of sexuality. While still limited to your mate, it was more open to showing off your body. Osiris spent a lot of time at a local agricultural school to learn the local plants and animals, so he could advise about them. Last year was mostly observations, but this year, he was proposing small changes at first, and as they continued to prove out, he made larger suggestions, and gained some rep at the school. He also would swim in the nude if it was just family about.

My own task was to secure the valley again for next summer, as that was when the gods were to meet. By this time, I had learned to magically create many materials. A big one I had worked on was fiberglass. This time, the tents would be flexible, and have curtains of fiberglass cloth. I also learned to make colored glass at will, but needed to cast while summoning the sand. And perhaps the greatest improvement, was wireless electricity. I created a magical extension cord where the two halves could be up to a mile apart. The last thing I bought was a heavy-duty generator that was silent, and could be buried except for a small stack for the air, fuel, and electrical connections. I buried one near the Pocket Industry, and fueled it up. The connections went to some breaker panels in a shed, one panel for each tent.

When it was time to set everything up, there was one more tent than last time. Each tent was made of fiberglass, and had everything they had before, as well as a refrigerator, a freezer, air conditioning, and fans. The Sumerian tent was next to my little tent, and on the other side was a tent for the kids. The others were up for grabs as before, and so was the furniture. I also cast a grand illusion, so that anyone outside the area, would only see the Pocket Industry. This included satellite scans. It also seemed to be a local rise in the sand level, like what hid Jiao-long's home.

Most of the contingents came at the appointed time. All the big ones from before did, but the miscellaneous crowd was a lot larger, so I made some a pair of tents outside the main ring. Angel and Jewel escorted all the current watchers here. Mark did a lot of food delivery and dish return, Filipe was in charge of food ordering. As before, Inanna was in charge of the meeting, while An was in charge of the Sumerian contingent. They even had two more priestesses of Inanna and one priest of An helping out.

Inanna called the meeting to order, and according to a schedule worked out ahead of time, the reports of the children's growth came first. While I thought I knew all that happened with them for the first few years, and most of the rest, it was surprising what I didn't see, and even more surprising what they saw in our children. They even described what god camp truly was, but my limited human ability to understand meant I only got an idea of the complex things that occurred there. I did learn that it also included a lot of ethics, morals, and learning their desires. As they got older, it was clear they faced harder problems at god camp. It took nearly three days to cover the twenty years of their life.

The next step was a general discussion to their fate. Early on, Aja asked me, "Becky Sue Tate. Your children are of age to choose for themselves. Do you surrender your role as protector?"

I stood and addressed them, saying, "I shall be their mother until the end of time, and will desire to protect them. However, as you say, it is time for them to be on their own. I will no longer be the unswerving protector I have been, but now I shall be one willing to aid and advise them. I hope to be a friend and ally. I speak for the rest of us mortal parents in saying we all feel this way."

"If they ask, would you fight us, knowing it to be futile?"

"I might, but I would be far more inclined to seek a solution that did not need fighting."

"Powers, she is a true mother. The time of protection is over, and the time of their being on their own has come, yet she still feels the pull of the mother." She then looked at the other four parents, and asked, "Do you feel this pull, as well?"

Startled, it took a few moments, but then Filipe stood and walked to my side, and said, "I feel the pull of the father." He then bowed, and returned to his seat. Mark, Angel, and Jewel had similar statements, given in the same manner.

Aja spoke, "It is clear their parents provided good role models. Her insistence at having the watchers participate has also proved a sound desire, as it let us help shape the children. I say they should live."

That was the last Aja asked any of us mortals. Sometimes one or more of us were asked questions, and the kids also had their share of questions. When An spoke, all he said was, "I have spent enough time with them to be satisfied with their development. Likewise, Inanna is also satisfied with their development. We say they should live, and would be happy to accept them into our tent."

An was one of several to speak and offer a home for the children. But it was the Celestial Emperor, who spoke last, and startled everyone. He spoke by way of Lord Monkey, who stood at his side. "We, too, are satisfied with their development, but feel they need continued guidance. Two decades is far too short a time to develop a divine personality. A century may not be enough. We agree they need continued guidance from senior deities. Our realm is diverse, and well suited to finding a good match for a mentor, we must recall these children are no longer under someone else's command, and have their own opinions."

Monkey then said, "Cleopatra, Layla, Darius, and Mona. Please stand forth and declare to all your thoughts."

As they stood, I could tell there was a sudden discussion going on telepathically. A few moments later, they stood as one, and went out a little from their tent. Cleopatra took a step forward, and said, "I am Cleopatra. Eldest by seconds. In this, I speak for us all. We see the wisdom of continuing our training within a pantheon. However, the one we would desire has not yet spoken." She then stepped back.

This elicited several gasps, generally among the lesser divinities. Lord Monkey waited a moment, before a brief word from the Celestial Emperor caused him to speak. "There are no other pantheons represented here. Are you sure there is one who can speak?"

Suddenly, the front wall of their tent parted, and out came Isis and Osiris. Osiris had removed his disguise, and was dressed as a pharaoh. Isis was levitating a foot off the ground, with feathers on full display. I could tell she was also levitating Osiris beside her. There was absolute silence, as everyone was in shock at seeing these two living and not dead. It only lasted a minute, before chaos erupted.

Inanna let it go for a few minutes, and then called the assembly to order by having An create a series of lightning bolts that hit the center of the area. The bright flash and loud thunder got everyone's attention, and he stopped after the fourth.

"Powers, I can attest that this Isis, at least, is the true Isis of old, and that she did not die. Becky Sue woke her from her eternal sleep accidentally, and I almost lost my priestess. But Isis was alone, and returned to sleep, but in such a way, I thought she died, again. Later, I learned she lived, for Becky Sue found her hiding place. Again, an accident. In yet another accident, Becky Sue discovered the final missing piece of Osiris, and my three ladies got pregnant. Given what I see now, I think Becky Sue hid some things from me."

Isis spoke, "Indeed she did, but on my request. She learned she was carrying twin gods, and feared her limited form, as a human, was not up to the task of raising gods. She came to me, woke me, and asked for my help. For years I lived within her, seeing what she saw, experiencing what she experienced. When it was time to train or discipline the kids, I led, but through her, so it would be in modern terms."

She paused for a few moments, then continued, "When she came to me, she offered the last of my mate. I knew then that I could return him to life, but I would need my own body. This one was found, and I have remade it into my new body. My own great work began. It took years to complete, but when our children were ten, my plan was put in action. As you see, my mate is now with me, alive."

Osiris then spoke, "Isis and I rule our pantheon, and none of the others remain. We have looked. But now we have children, and our pantheon has a future. The children are our family, and we will defend our right to have them be with us, at least until they have shown a true longing to leave."

There was silence, then Aja spoke, "Cleopatra. Do you choose to be part of the Egyptian pantheon?"

She spoke, "Yes."

Aja waited a moment, then repeated the question to the other three. All agreed. "Powers, we came to decide their fate. It seems that it is not our call, today. The restoration of the Egyptian pantheon is a great shock, but any decision about that will need years of discussion, at the least. In the meantime, I am satisfied with the children's choice."

The next voice to speak was unexpected, especially as it came from the lesser tent. A rumble sounded, as a rock formation moved forward. Then came a gravelly voice, that I recognized as Everest, spoke, "I have heard nothing here against their choice, and much spoken about love and caring for those close. I, too, am satisfied." Then it stepped back with a rumble.

The shock didn't last as long, perhaps due to there being so many in rapid succession. Soon others spoke, and only three minor powers said anything against. Finally, Inanna spoke, "This council has come to a general consensus. They shall be part of the Egyptian pantheon, and that pantheon shall be considered active." She paused a minute to let that sink in, then said, "This council is now dismissed."

Unlike last time, there were three more days of socializing, with many meeting the children for the first time. Likewise, many spoke with Isis and Osiris. The current watchers took the time to pack, and left with their contingent. Each dropped off keys, and a letter or gift expressing their thanks. Jiao-long complimented me on my cover illusion.

On the third day, I was approached by one of the Norse contingent. "Hello, Becky Sue. Tales of your skill at battle have been noted by a certain someone. He would like you to join him on a minor campaign, so that you can show just how skilled you are."

"That sounds interesting. When, and how long would it last? If long, I would need to make arrangements here first."

"We could leave your place a week from today, and I would be surprised if it lasted more than two weeks."

"That sounds short enough. Tell me more about it."

"Well, there will be a bit of travel, but I can get you a horse. Also, you can't look too modern. This particular group likes to operate in very traditional equipment, so no guns or the like."

"I've encountered those who like to re-enact battles. What period do they use?"

"Somewhere about a thousand years ago. You don't have to be perfect, as you are obviously foreign, and would have equipment from foreign parts. But don't be too unique, as it would break the reality."

"I think I have a suitable outfit. A few minor adjustments, and proper equipment, and I'll be good to go."

"In that case, I'll see you in a week."

We took two days to unwind from all the stress. I planned what to bring for my trip, and discussed it with Filipe, Isis, and Osiris. We also talked about converting the watcher's place back into a home for Isis and Osiris. Likewise, they could have the vehicles that were left to me. They accepted, and soon a contractor was remodeling the interior, and would be done in a few months.

The next few days I packed, and discussed my upcoming adventure with our families. I chose to take the predator talisman, so I could have a mount, an attack companion, a scout, and an internal warrior at need. I was equipped with several weapons, including the great sword Inanna gave to me. My custom recurved bow had a two-hundred-fifty-pound draw, almost double other such bows. I had a quiver that held the longer arrows I used. I also had a large supply of obsidian and steel arrowheads. Two daggers hung from my belt, and I had several more in my pack. My armor was a duplicate of the armor I wore as Obsidian, but with only two arms, and I had chainmail to wear over it when needed. I also brought the flat box, as I could bring a lot more stuff in it. In addition to my emergency kit of a burn phone, cash in several common denominations, and a fair stock of precious gems, it had a fair number of outfits for many occasions. Since I might be roughing it, I had a large tent, a sturdy cot, and an extra large sleeping bag. Lastly, I had a round viking shield slung on my back.

The Norseman picked me up in an SUV, and we drove to the mountains. "There is a magical pathway here to another range near which the warriors are. Come follow me."

"Lead on."

He led the way, and made a number of path changes that could not be seen even a few feet away. As we walked, I sensed we were going through some form of extended portal, and I picked up some odd psychic and magical influences. When they stopped, I realized we were far away, as the sun was almost setting.