Chapter 2: Son of the Valkyries.

Gil led the way upstairs and didn't stop until he got inside. He wasn't angry but they knew that something was wrong.

"Sit down please, this might take a while."

When the door was closed and both of them were seated he continued.

"First of all let me say that I'm not mad at either of you. A bit disappointed but not angry. Now if what I'm going to say is supposed to be a secret I understand. The only person that I discussed this with is Rob. We don't keep secrets from each other. I have two questions for you.

"When where you going to tell me about the bond?"

"I thought you knew about it, you have all of these gifts, can't you tell when your linked to someone?"

Gil had to think about that one, it had been almost twenty years between Sarajevo and Gettysburg. There hadn't been a day in all of that time that he hadn't thought about her in some form or fashion. Gil's mind raced he'd seen her before that.

"I've never had a day in the last two decades that I haven't thought about you, but I've known of you longer than that. You where at my dad's memorial service when I was eight. You held my hand when mom went to receive his flag."

Tears started as he remembered that day. He didn't cry, dad wanted him to be brave, he was always telling him that. That was one of the things that impressed the soldiers there. The other was when he saluted when taps was played.

Both women cried with him as he went around the table, they just hung on to each other for a moment. As he wiped his eyes and sniffed. He wasn't finished he had even seen pictures of her in the house.

"I've seen pictures of both of you from the 1860's my dad was a military history buff. He was writing a book about our families military history. I was doing research at Gettysburg when you found me. You called me a sneak. What about you playing we don't know each other but card." He laughed the two women joined him after they kissed.

"I'm sorry about your father Gil, he stepped on a mine there was nothing left of him to save. I've watched you grow. I was a friend to your mother, she knew that Sif had sent me. She was so proud of you. I couldn't let you die in that cesspool of an alley in the same way he did. That's why I couldn't let you do anything with this plan of yours. That's why I asked for time because I knew you would think of something else."

"You know me better than I do sometimes." He admitted then he turned to Sif. "You two have been with me this entire time. I do have a question how old are you guys anyway, not that it matters."

The two women exchanged glances then got puzzled looks.

"You know we've never actually tried to figure that out. Tell you what, if we live through this. We'll all go back to Galveston to figure it out."

"Sounds like a date, now I have to live through this. I'd hate to stand up borh of you, that might make you mad, the last man that did that almost got his head handed to him."

"Speaking of Loki, I do have another plan, it still involves Ashe impersonating Malice but this time no poison, but this is what we're going to do."

Gil whispered to both of them, as he did so their grins got wider. By the time he was finished both were laughing.

" I can't wait," Sif said delighted, "Loki's going to get a taste of his own medicine. It's high time for it too but what if Ashe doesn't want to play along? We can't force her to do this."

" Are you kidding she's an assassin. One of their primary skills is impersonation to get close to their target. I've done similar things myself to blend in, for reconnaissance on the target to learn their habits etcetera. She'll jump at the chance to pay Malice back in a big way."

"One of the things that this depends on is whether or not Loki has ever seen her and Malice together Is he able to tell the difference? The other thing I thought about beside killing me he's looking for something else. Why was he in the Hall in the first place, there are a lot of deadly potential in that room."

"So what is he after is a weapon of some sort?" Mist asked impressed more than ever with how Gil's mind worked.

"This plan is worthy of Loki himself, no offense intended. Ashe is going to love it. Let's go find her and ask."

Gil considered Mist's question for a moment as he wondered about what might be there.

"One thing we must do is take an inventory of that room. There could be a nuclear weapon in there for all we know. Thats why we need to know his plans. If it's something like that he'll head straight for it. We'll start after we talk to Ashe."

With that the trio went down to the main levels of the fortress turned a corner and came to a stair going down. Gil looked down, the stair seemed endless. He was more than a bit claustrophobic.

"She's down there, where in hell are we going Mist?"

"Remember when you first met her she told you about light hurting her people. The same applies to Ashe. When she got here she was barely alive and blinded by the exposure to light. She lives down there to minimize the exposure."

"Wait a minute, i remember your reaction to Orinalds workshop. You are afraid of enclosed spaces." The Valkyrie observed finally. Both Mist and Sif took his hands leading him down to depths below.

As they descended he wasn't anxious but he was irritated.

Woman do the world a favor buy some sunscreen.

They got down the first two flights the area of the stairwell was large. They still went down for at least ten minutes until the stair ended in a large cavern. At the other end sat Ashe, working with an object on a table. When they approached Gil saw that she was etching complex line drawing on one of the replicas of his Browning Hi Power.

Gil had to just stare at it, if was covered in a twisty three dimensional swirl, part letter, part pattern. With card that said simply: To Gil Swanson, Thank you for showing us how to be humans again.

Then the lights came up from Mist's raised right fist. Gil was so surprised that he thought he was going to keel over.

From Sif ; "Your name's has been entered on the roll of the Valkyries. What say ye, Yay or nay?"

Gil just stood with the gun his limp hand. "Really guys, me?"

Mist winked at him as she blew him a kiss. Then she repeated: "Yay or nay"

Gil looked around raised his right hand in a fist slowly into the air in respect to their traditional salute and said.

"Yay babies."

And the room went wild literally. There was a golden flash of power that was the essence of all of them. He felt a wave of warmth, it felt like he was floating . When he came to all of Valkyries were dead silent.

" Now what?"

"Come with us, you need to see this ." from Mist and Sif,

They bought Gil to a still underground lake with mirrored surface like glass.

"Look down love."

In the mirror he saw his face with flowing tawny hair and deep gray eye's complete with the elegantly pointed ears.

This had to be without a doubt one of the most amazing transformations he had ever seen. He remembered the old story about the ugly duckling turning into a beautiful swan.

"That's you, happy birthday!"

The gathered Valkyries gave an undulating cry that everything within a hundred miles had to have heard, all the way to Ghost Mountain. Malice turned looking towards Rihmsjalier for the first time in a very long time she knew fear.

The Son of the Valkyries is that fool mortal, No!

" Be welcome Son of the Valkyries. Your the one prophecy said that shall bring the Dark Queens fall "

Then he was pounced on by Mist, Freya, Sif, and Senna.

" Now that's what I call a oh wow moment." Gil said when he was finally able to breathe he felt like he was at a frat party.

"You were so surprised." From Morant who was making a goofy face.

" Will I ever get any respect you from Staff Sergeant Morant? "

" No sir, it keeps you humble. "

Then they hugged.

"Those were the first sentences we said to each other over twenty years ago." Gil explained as he put his arm over his oldest friend's shoulders.

"And he still needs me."

Mead was brought as it turned into a real party. Robin came up and gave him hug as he did so his eyes changed from the grey to sky blue. Gil knelt down as he gave the boy a butterscotch.

"Do you know what you can do for me Robin?"

In response the boy shook his head.

"I want you to remember something for me. Lock it in your heart and never let it go."

"Ok."

"Be careful of what you say and do in life, you never know who's watching."

"Amen brother." Mist said with a grin. "You remembered that after all this time?"

"It sounded like good advice to me, considering it led me to this moment. Kicking and screaming at times.

" Like the time when I was ten when you walked into that Baptist church in the I'm the spectre of death outfit. I thought the preacher was going to faint when you let him see you. I was telling mom in a whisper "that ladies" here. I didn't know what was going on with mom but she wasn't having any part of Mist that day."

"That Lady?" Sif chortled.

"Hey I was nine or ten tops. Mist showed up then the entire congregation just evaporated. They couldn't get of there fast enough. It's kind of dicomsertimg to have an angel of death enter then sit down in a pew. When your nine or ten that was amazing. A church was cleared by one person.

It was jam packed too in the middle of the summer. You know how the summers get in Galveston Rob."

When his partner nodded he pointed at Mist.

" No air conditioning, black in July. She wasn't even sweating, but that preacher was."

Everyone at this time was laughing so hard they were crying. Gil kissed both women.

"You called me a troublemaker, your just as bad, mischievous, oh my god."

"He was a mean spirited old sod." Mist replied as she laughed. "You were nine, he told you that you were going to hell. He meant it too, I could see the hurt in your eyes. So I decided he needed to learn a lesson."

"Do you know that old man's son is the preacher in the same church, He's even worse than his father. When we go back to Galveston let's all go give him a "lesson" . I want you to come too Sif."

"All three of you? He's going to have a coronary." Rob chuckled as he squeezed Senna and Kara.

"I said all, that means you guys too."

As Gil said that another trio approached with two boxes. Alara, Alura with Orinald trailing behind. Gil just knelt down and kissed the Queens and the Princesses hands. Alura blushed like a sunset, as he rose to his feet.

"What's all this mother more gifts from you?" He said with a gentle smile as Alara gave him the first box.

"Open it my son." She replied her eyes glistening with tears.

When Gil opened the box inside was a long sword made like the ones that the Valkyries wore. The blade glimmering as it was covered in the same swirling pattern as the replica Browning as he put the weapon in its holster.

The sword came with a scabbard and the rig that was made to wear the sword down his back. As Alara helped him into the sword rig, Gil rested his hands on the swords pommel.

When she was done, the newly minted Valkyrie brought the sword up between his closed eyes. Then he raised it high as all the Valkyries responded with their swords raised, the cavern ringing with their warcry.

*Malice, I'm coming for you.* He sent toward Ghost Mountain. His own mindvoice was hard as the steel he held in his fist.

In the bowels of the mountain Malice heard those words. They caused her to cower hissing in rage. Loki had failed to kill this man, now it was too late.

Back in Rihmsjalier Orinald presented his box.

"I told you so laddie. Be careful what you wish for, destiny has a way of granting wishes."

Gil opened the last box, inside was another replica FAL. Covered in the same eye wrenching pattern.

"I know that this pattern isn't only decorative. What does it do?"

"Try it out laddie, the weapons yours."

As Gil raised it to his shoulder the assault rifle flashed over with a violet pulse. Gil aimed at an empty space of rock wall, clicked the safety off and squeezed the trigger. Instead of a round the rifle emitted a brilliant pulse of directed energy that left the weapon, slamming into the far wall with the impact of an artillery shell. It left a smoking crater. Then the violet glow on the weapon came back.

"It fires bullets too when you don't want to be flashy." Orinald added as he grinned.

Gil enveloped the gruff dwarf in a hug. The dwarf was surprised as he patted Gil on the back.

"Your welcome laddie."

"Flashy the man said. All the weapons do it too, this has to be the best birthday party I've every had thanks you guys."

" The gifts are not done brother." said a voice.

It belonged to Tomoe as she and Ashe approached with a circlet fashioned like the one of the First Sword of Almaren . In addition on each side were the ceremonial wings of the Valkyries. Gil knelt down then Tomoe placed the circlet on his head as the violet glow enveloped him. For the first time he felt complete.

The cheering and the war crIes were deafening as Mist and Sif both took a hand then raised all of them.

*Is this what glory feels like?* Gil asked the women on either side of him.

*I don't know about glory, it's definitely love.* Mist said to him He could hear the pride in her voice.

"Wow, I can actually say my brother is a Valkyrie." Alura chimed in as she gave Gil a hug. He kissed her on the lips and she twined her fingers in his hair. The kiss seemed to go on and on. Everyone was whistling.

Then her mother took her turn.

"Let's show Alura how it's done." Alara said as she pushed Gil backward to a wall and kept him there. It went on for at least two minutes, there was nothing motherly about it.

Mist and Sif were just standing behind them laughing with the rest.

" Should we rescue him? " From Mist.

" We can't let her have all the fun." Sif replied, as she approached them

They took over after tapping Alara on the shoulder as if cutting in at a dance while the rest of them cheered.

"If I knew this was the prize I would have prepared a speech." Gil teased, after they stopped to let him catch his breath.

" The prize is tonight if we survive the party." Sif said as they escorted Gil back to the waiting throng of Valkyries. Mist and Sif picked him carried him back upstairs on their shoulders where there was a feast prepared in the courtyard, as before there was a bonfire.

" The calm before the storm." Gil mused to Sif and Mist.

"There was no other choice for us. The entire Valkyrie council voted on your enrollment. That has never happened before. We were convinced you were the one after your magical powers manifested themselves. The vote for you was unanimous that never happened before either. We made sure that you were safe no matter what, it would kill us both to lose you."

Gil had no answer for that, their love for him was written on both Sif and Mist's faces.

"What's all this prophecy business about?"

"Three centuries ago just before Ashe joined us, Hilda had a dream that our ancient enemy had returned, that a man would be the key to ending her.

We searched for you since that day. When I found you at eight your aura convinced me that you were the one. Between Sif and I we guarded and guided you."

"Malice was looking for me even then I take it."

"Yes but we hid you so well even her spies couldn't find you. We have one more surprise for you."

"What, an atomic whoopee cushion?" He deadpanned. While they laughed Mist motioned behind her.

"Your real mother, Brunhilde of the Valkyrie."

Out of the darkness a woman stepped forward. Tawny haired like Gil she walked up to him as he looked in stunned disbelief. The music stopped and nothing seemed to matter anymore when the two of them embraced.

"Momma? Why didn't you tell me?" He asked in tears.

"Because it was safer for you not to know. When I volunteered to become mortal I knew that Malice would be watching for the signs of you. You achieved this on your own, it was better that way. There are no doubts as amongst my sisters that you are the one."

"It one thing to prophesies something, it another to see it fulfilled." Came a new voice. It was Hilda looking at the two of them fondly.

"Malice's fall, but first we need to neutralize the threat that Loki represents. Eliminating Malice is not going to help if Loki manages to destroy us."

All four Valkyries nodded, understanding Gil's thought process.

"The original plan is still the best let's do the inventory, where's Ashe?"

"Right here brother, I know what your going to ask. We're connected now since your one of us. What one knows we all know and the answer is yes. You risked your life to come here. How can I do anything less? Besides as you said it sounds like fun."

With that said she kissed him, a glow surrounded them like the two fields meshing.

Gil looked around at the sparkles in the field.

"I can see the attraction that Mist and Sif share."

"Corrupting my son are you?" His mother said to the pair. Gil came back to the Valkyrie and the Goddess.

"No mom, the corruption was achieved all by myself." He joked with an arm about all of both of them.

Brunhilde chucked as she joined the trio. "He has so much of his father in him. Their two peas in the pod."

Senna, Rob, Jack, Kara, Freya and Jasmine walked up and Jack presented him with a jar of freshly made moonshine. Brunhilde took the mason jar taking a drink first. Gils mother made a face, then looked at Jack.

"By Odin's remaining eye Jack, what did you make this out of, some dead goblins toe nail clippings?"

Jack shrugged as he answered, "I make it out of what I can scrounge lady, it gets better with age like yourself."

"Mom, did I really need that image in my head?" Then he got a whiff of the homebrew.

"Wow, Jack how old is it?" Then he took a drink, it tasted like he was drinking napalm. It probably could be used as a molotov cocktail all it needed was a rag.

"Ohh, a couple of hours. Congratulations son on becoming a Valkyrie." Jack replied as they embraced.

"Thanks for your help Jack. We still have work to do."

Gil turned southwest looking towards Ghost Mountain.

"It all comes back to her doesn't it son, she's made the night full of fear." Brunhilde asked as she looked in the same direction.

"Yes it does, but not for much longer. The final battle Is coming, she has much to answer for, she is covered with blood."