Nigkala Tales Pt. 34: Life as a Valkyrie

"You share your thoughts with us. It is rare to find one like you. I claim you as my rider. The others have already seen you are worthy of us, but your ability to share, makes you able to do so much more as a rider. Come, we go to the gate of transition."

I spoke back, "Thank you. I did not know what to expect. I am called Ricci. By what name shall I call you?"

"I am known as the one who laughs and dances high in the sky."

"That is a very long name for me to use. May I call you Skydancer?"

"You may."

When we got to the gate, the keepers were in awe. One said, "Do you know who this is? He is one of the stallions of the herd."

"Yes, I know. His name is the one who laughs and dances high in the sky. He chooses to let me call him Skydancer."

"What? You spoke!"

They looked at each other, and an older one came forth and said, "You are indeed blessed. Many can sense their mount, and the mount can sense them. The few chosen by the most powerful, such as stallions, have heard words even. But a conversation. That has never happened in my lifetime."

I spent another month learning Skydancer's ways, and how to control him as a mount, and how to let him choose how to fly at my desire. He also liked that I could produce apples out of thin air.

Finally, Skydancer and I were equipped with our working enchantments. This consisted of protections for us both, as well as a special enchantment that let the rider astrally enter a battlefield to fetch a worthy soul. One aspect of the rite to become a Valkyrie was gaining Odin's power to see who in battle is worthy. It operated not just in war, but in other situations, like a building fire, or a ship sinking, where valor can occur before death. It seemed to be an extra layer to my sight. Others described it in other ways, but for me it was an extra layer.

I was soon going with my team when they went on duty. We would gather at the battle pylon. Whenever it glowed, the next available team launched and flew over it and disappeared. The first time it happened to me, I realized it was an invisible portal that led to the sky high above a battle. We would then fly down closer to the battle, and look for those who died in a valorous state. We would call to the commander, who would then send us. I realized this was the watching I sometimes felt over a battle.

My first mission, I activated the runes in the pommel, and suddenly I was in the battle next to the one I was aimed for. I reached out, and said the ritual phrases, "Hero, your time here is done. Come, take my hand, and I shall bring you to Valhalla." They could refuse, but such was exceedingly rare. This soul took my hand, and suddenly we were back on Skydancer. I sensed the soul seated behind me, with his arms about my waist.

When our commander deemed we had all we would be getting, she gave the command, and we flew up. When we were high enough, another portal swallowed us, and we emerged over Valhalla. There, we descended and landed near the main entrance. The soul would then dismount and head in, gaining substance as they neared the entrance. Lastly, we then flew over a particular pylon that corresponded to out base, and we appeared high in the sky back where we started.

We would then land in a field to let our mounts rest and recover. We also would care for them, to help them be ready for the next mission. When all were ready, we went back to the duty station, awaiting the next glow of the pylon. When we were relieved, we could return to our own pursuits. While we had twelve-hour shifts, much of the time was waiting. We worked four days a week, and an additional day, if there was a lot of fighting going on at the time. With many teams, the pylon was manned at all hours of all days. Those working nights might not go as often, but dealing with darkness was its own difficulty.

Soon, all this became routine. After a long day, several of us would head to the drinking hall to find entertainment for the night. Several might get laid, and it seemed I always did. If we had duty the next day, we left late, but if not, we left with a man to spend a night, sometimes. We all had a charm to prevent pregnancy, and were expected to wear it unless we had permission. It was easy enough, but it meant you would not be able to support your sisters in the field for a few years, so it was usually done only by those who had at least five years of service immediately beforehand.

When my interest and skill in rune magic was noted by the elders, they sent me to a rune master. I had already bargained for some lessons from the local mages, but apparently the rune masters only operated by word of mouth, and personal recommendation. They were amazed at how quickly I understood, and remarked on my skill in creating runes to enchant. Within a year, I was enchanting runes under their watchful eyes. Within two, I was enchanting some of the Valkyrie equipment.

I also began experimenting with air runes, that is, using my finger to write the runes in the air. This required me to expend some magic as I wrote, just to hold the rune together, but because it was my mind that painted the magic as my finger moved, the air runes were written cleaner than what my finger traced. One day I was caught, and instead of getting a lecture about the dangers, and stupidity, I got a discourse on air magic. That's when I learned that air runes were a rather advanced form, that usually took years to learn from a master. That I had discovered it, and got as far as I had, showed I was gifted. One of the first lessons I had was that the use of a finger to draw was not needed. It was a good aid, but with enough practice, I would not need it. This also meant I could draw faster than my finger.

It was in the third year, I was called for guardian duty. That is a duty to defend an important warrior or diplomat, and only given when the divination was dire and the mission considered essential. I was given a horse to ride, and I was to stay by his side whenever he was potentially in danger. The warrior I was guarding was named Gunnvaldr Emeraldsoul. By now, I was aware of sufficient gossip to know who he was, and the likely nature of his mission. Even so, I was briefed on it, and then introduced to him. He knew what a Valkyrie guardian meant.

As we traveled to where he needed to be, I got to know a few of his men. I also learned how he liked to command. I always stood at his back, or rode at his side, silent and deadly, and others knew it. Yet, when we relaxed at night, surrounded with his men, I could relax, and be more approachable. In the several battles we had, I was fighting beside him, but the enchantments I had, disguised me to the enemy, so they only saw a woman warrior. But even as I fought, I kept an eye on him, and would occasionally strike his opponent. While not much help, it often would save him a nasty injury, or other trouble. Then came the battle foreseen.

I quickly realized the one facing Captain Emeraldsoul was too much for him. So as soon as I saw him falter, I stepped in and took his place, driving his opponent back. The man I faced was a bear of a man. I was taller, but not by much. He was probably twice as heavy as me, and also fairly skilled. Even as I fought, I felt Captain Emeraldsoul's life fading, so I had to do something. I wanted to heal him, but the one before me gave me no chance. I was getting desperate, when suddenly I felt myself casting, but with a pair of arms I didn't have. Behind me, I felt him stabilize. He was still in great danger, but no longer of dying, while I took on this guy. Two minutes later, I finally took him down. Before another could take up the fight with me, I turned around, and cast a spell, opening a portal beneath us. My other hand had grabbed him, and pulled him up at the same time.

We came up well back from the front, and I closed the portal before another could cross. Once assured we weren't going to be attacked, I started casting healing spells on him to help him recover. When I had done all I could, he was awake, and anxious to return to the battle, but I said he was too hurt to return. He didn't like that, and tried to evade me, but I would not allow him. Eventually, he settled down, and took up command from the rear, directing his troops.

When the battle was over, we had won, and I had seen several of my sisters collecting souls. He saw his own medic, and learned that he would be out of battle, for at least a week as he recovered. As many others could use rest and healing, we stayed nearby for two days before continuing on. When we were half-a-day away from the city we were going to, several days had passed, but he had us set up camp so he could heal completely, before entering the city.

Of course, the city knew why he was there, and how strong our people were, so they trembled a bit awaiting him. When he did enter, they showed a lot of deference, but I was skeptical. I felt this would be the time for a secret attack, and two days later, I was proved right. I was asleep just outside his bedroom in the dead of night, when I woke up, alarmed for some reason. I went in to his room to check on him, when I realized someone had just entered his room from a secret passage way. I swiftly attacked and subdued him, and only after he was secured, did I make a light.

Captain Emeraldsoul and I both realized one of the powers behind the throne of the city sent him. He interrogated him, and when he was satisfied, he returned to sleep leaving me to watch the prisoner. I knocked him out, then summoned the predator in wolf form to see where he came from, and soon it learned some of the secret passages to this place. It returned and said he came from a room thick with the scent of secrecy, and also one other. When the captain woke, I reassured him that Smoke belonged to me and that he had learned who sent the assassin.

I carried the assassin, still knocked out, over my shoulder, and we went to the ruler and confronted him. I presented the assassin, and woke him, but Smoke did not scent the other, so I insisted the ruler summon the other powerful ones. It took nearly twenty minutes for them all to come, but I learned as soon as he came in, who had sent the assassin. Or rather, who was married to the one. I told him to send for his wife. Scared, he did, and Smoke confirmed it was she.

"Smoke, here, has discovered who sent the assassin. You, madam, are the one who sent him. Explain it to Captain Gunnvaldr Emeraldsoul."

She tried to deny it, so I said, "Shall I have Smoke bite off a foot to get you to talk?" At that, Smoke looked her in the eye, and made lip smacking sounds. This frightened her so badly, she confessed.

In the end, she was placed in jail, and the discussions resumed. While the outcome wasn't quite what he wanted, he felt it was good enough, and so we left. Later, after returning, I was thanked by Odin, himself.

It was in my tenth year that things began to change. I was on soul collection duty when the soul I had collected commented on my lack of memory. Quite often, the soul would ask about me, and when they learned I didn't know where I came from, they would usually drop it. This time, it was different.

"You have no idea where you are from?"

"None. Some years back, I lost my memory. I know I was a warrior, and swiftly learned I had other skills, including magic, but of my past, it has been a blank. Not even the diviners have been able to pierce it."

"Then pray to Odin, and ask him to send his ravens to aid you."

"Huh? Why the ravens, and not Odin?"

"I am sure he could help, but the ravens are the masters of the mind, of thought and memory."

"How do you know this?"

"I am not only a warrior, but also a shaman who worships Odin. I learned from my uncle, who also was one, and my son shall be one in my place."

"I shall heed your advice."

When I next had a few days off, I sought out a senior priest of Odin, and found one at the high court of the city. I explained my memory loss, and the suggestion I had been given. I then asked his counsel. The first month, I made frequent trips to a shrine of Odin and said prayers and left offerings. Soon, these trips became a weekly habit on my off days, where I would spend an hour or two meditating after giving my offering and prayers.

It was in my meditations, that I started to get brief flashes of memory, but it was so out of context, I did not understand it. Sometimes on soul-collecting duty, a raven would fly through my astral form. I soon learned that meant I would have a dream that night with a memory.

These memories confused me, as it seemed I had many lives. In some, I had four arms, in others I was an anthropomorphic cat, an elf, a witch, and even a demon. At least the witch made sense, as I have magic, but the rest confused me. The only thing they had in common was a propensity for sex and many were excellent fighters. I also had memories of being a shaman to different gods.

It was nearly a year later, when a dream memory surfaced that removed much of the confusion. It was of me being worked on with makeup and other things to transform me from my most common appearance into the four-armed being. The surrounding imagery was that of a performance, and I realized that I was not the four armed creature, but rather I was an actor who played such a creature. When I thought back to what I said to Thor about needing more than just voice and appearance to imitate, I realized that was theater knowledge. Somehow, in my past, I was a thespian. Over the next few months, I saw imagery of being transformed into each of the other forms.

I felt as though something was building up within me, as the ravens visiting my astral form were becoming more frequent, and the dreams contained longer fragments of memory. Then one day, as I was meditating at the shrine, a pair of ravens landed on my shoulders, and I felt magic enter my mind. I then began to have visions of my life that contained days at a time. These visions came one after another, out of order, but seemed to intensify. Yet, each vision lasted but a moment, and came faster and faster. They ceased when I had an epiphany and my memory was restored.

I opened my eyes, and the ravens left my shoulders, and landed a short distance away on another man. My eyes opened further when I realized who it was.

I bowed my head, and said, "Allfather, thank you for your mercy. I now know who I was and am."

"I know some of it, as Huginn and Muninn have told me of you. They tell me that your mind is quite strong, and also heavily protected. It was only by joining with your innermost mind that they were able to bring forth the restoration of your memory. Even so, much happened while they were elsewhere. Once the flood of memories started, they retreated, as your mind's own defenses started to push them out. They might have tried to stay, but we feel that one's mind is a sacred place, not to be invaded, nor should any do what was done to you. Tell me, do you remember who did this to you?"

"Loki. But not the one here now. Somehow, perhaps a thousand years in the future, he finds a way to bring me here, now, in a plan against Thor. While I do not know what that plan was, I am fairly sure it was thwarted."

"How can you know?"

"I do not know, but even right after I arrived without memory, I knew things, including what was right and wrong. Though I was essentially a mercenary, in that battle, once I realized Thor was against me, I realized I was in the wrong, and stopped my fighting. Two others stopped as well, when I told them we were in the wrong. That is why I think he was thwarted."

"Indeed. As thoroughly as your memory was altered, there is no way he could have expected that."

"I have known he has been involved for years, for I recognized his voice when I encountered him here. In my past, I am a thespian who portrays others. When I portray a real person, I know how to imitate not just the voice and looks, but also the many subtle mannerisms. I saw the mannerisms of his future self in the present one, so I knew it was the same person. I, however, only learned today of the time differential."

"So then, who were you?"

"I am Becky Sue Tate, thespian, shaman to several gods, mage, and more. I am married and have a number of children, including two divine children. I am also Ricci Olafdottir, Valkyrie, and your servant."

"Ricci is a construct created by Loki."

"I understand, but having lived as her, I have become her. It is known that sometimes thespians will get so into a part, they think they are the one they pretend to be. That is close to what happened, but instead, I was enchanted to be Ricci. That enchantment has been broken, but I now have over a decade of memories as her. It is our memories that define us, and what I have is far more than a mere part. I have a full life, with sisters I love, and friends at many of the drinking halls."

"What will you do? You have a life now and in the future."

"I have a greater understanding of magic than most. I have also been to the past twice before. I do not know how to travel into the past, but traveling into the future can be as simple as being in stasis until the right time. Controlling stasis, however, will be far harder. I intend to search for a way into the future that will allow me to finely control when I re-enter normal time. I would appreciate your blessing on my endeavor."

"I shall consider it. Your service so far has exceeded expectations, so I am inclined to give my blessings, but I need to seek the seers to help divine my path. I may even talk to Loki."

"I doubt Loki of the present will know anything, and the one of the future will doubtless try to avoid notice and has likely already returned."

"Yes. That is so, and another thing I must contemplate. Go then, and seek out your answers, even as I seek mine." He turned and walked away into a crowd, and I quickly lost sight of him.

The first thing I did was to seek an informal meeting with the elders. Two agreed to meet with me, and I told them of the return of my memory. They wanted to know all about my past. I told them that much must remain hidden still, for I was from the future, and brought here against my will by a god. I would not tell them who, only that I intended to seek a way back. When I also told them that my name was not Ricci, they wanted to know even more. I declined to tell them, and instead said as long as I serve them, I shall be Ricci. Lastly, I said that before I did more than research, I would speak with them.

The meeting finished, and they still had many questions about the past I now remembered, and more about how I could find a way back. I was concerned about causing problems with the time stream. I knew it acted to preserve itself, but not completely. I didn't want to cause problems for the future or for myself.

I felt it would take far more power than I had, so I used my memories of the prototype magic battery to create one that was robust and powerful, but that would be keyed somehow to me. I did not have access to Everest's magic, but I could create a little of Inanna's power by having sex. I could also gain a little of Isis's through her tattoo, as it generated a small amount each day. I had all of Aja's magic, as it was knowledge and not power. I was able to access An's magic a little, if I supplied it with Inanna's power, since they were partners, so I could generate a little lightning or wind, and it also explained how I took Mjolnir's bolts so easily. The oddity was the power of Death Valley, which I had in full. It was limited in what it could do, but it was inherent in my very being. Finally, I was a mage, and my own magic renewed itself with sleep.

To begin my research, I studied the runes I enchant. I meditated, and brought forth my knowledge from both Inanna and Isis. I imagined various changes in how I created the magic, and soon my runes became stronger, more robust, and longer lasting. I knew that Isis's tattoo had held the power of a goddess, but I didn't want to look at it too closely, as I might get lost, or worse, since I was out of place, lost temporally. Runes, however, were known to hold power, and I understood them. Next was to research materials.