The Lord of Ragnarok

The Lord of Ragnarok

Mini- Chapter 3: Mistakes and Lovers

Village of Oppidum - Miia’s P.O.V.

Watching Darling I’m reminded of the reasons I love him. He’s carefully checking the crops of the local farmers, and I can see the tender care he has with each plant. He almost communes with them, and I know from experience that those tender hands treat everything he cares for much the same. I smile, knowing that he has every intention of finding the reason the crops are disappearing, but at the same time it’s almost as if he is reassuring the very plants that they are in good hands.

I watch him for a few more moments before I return to work on the arrows I’ve been making. The hobgoblins have been attempting to teach the villagers how to handle long bows, and as such, since I’m skilled at blacksmithing, they’ve asked me to make arrows for them. Most of the arrows have been simple things. There’s quite a bit of iron ore around here, and I’ve taken to using the forge that was in the village to melt it down, refine it, and pour it into molds for the arrow heads.

The problem is that the iron itself is pretty brittle. It works, but I have no doubts that one or two uses is all that we’ll get out of them before the heads snap. Still, it’s something I don’t mind doing, especially since Darling asked me, and also it’s allowed me a chance to look for the materials for a special arrow. I was surprised to find the materials, all of them, but there’s only been enough for two arrows. Both are black, as the deepest and darkest part of the night, and both weigh next to nothing. They’re strong, but it’s the special ability in both that makes them so special.

They’re dark tempest arrows. And because of that they can call on the very destructive power of a hurricane when fired. I’ve only ever had one, and I remember that I used it on a dragon for my Darling. It wasn’t a big dragon, and the dark tempest arrow made it more angry than anything else but it was enough to get its attention off of my darling, and that made it rush after me. I don’t know if these will be better or worse, but I know that they will make short work of Trolls and Orcs.

I look up again to see a confused look on my darling’s face, and finally I can’t help but slither over to where he is.

“Something wrong Darling?”

He looks at me, smiles, and then shrugs his shoulders, “All the plants seem to be able to tell me is that whatever is happening is going on under them. I’m wondering if it might be a rabbit burrow under the various gardens and fields. If that’s so then we could clear it out, and at the same time it would give the village some much needed meat. But the ground feels wrong for it to be that. It feels a little too warm,” he replied.

I looked at the ground, and then I touched it. The warmth is pleasant. It makes me yearn to just stretch out on it, and let the heat radiate up to every part of me, but at the same time I know that the villagers need this food. We need this food, and if we can’t grow it we will be in deep trouble come winter. I glance at my darling.

“Maybe we could see if there’s a cave somewhere nearby that could be the opening?” I asked.

He nodded, “I thought about that, but if its a burrow I doubt that either of us would be big enough to go into it,” he replied, “And if we just killed the rabbits, it might help the crops, but it would be wasting all of that potential food for the villagers.”

He had a point, but it didn’t feel like the heat that would come from rabbits, even a large group of them. It felt like something bigger. The warmth emitting from the ground was cause for concern, too.

“Miia?”

“Yes, Darling?”

“Could you take a quick scout around, check to see if there’s any rabbit warrens nearby? I don’t think it’s any adorable but voracious rodents, but it wouldn’t hurt to check.”

“Of course, Darling, but will you do in the meantime?”

“I have some ideas I want to try, mainly with the water. Aelo, where do you draw your water from?”

The half elf woman answered, “I have a well dug. My late wife and I dug it out when we first moved here.”

“Excellent! I have a jar I’m going to lend you. This jar has enchantments that will tell me if there’s any parasites, poisons, or other anomalies in your water. Could you fill it for me?”

“Of course,” Aelo replies, taking the jar and heading to her well.

“See?”

“I do, Darling. While you do that, I shall search the perimeter for rodents and other nuisances.”

“Please do,” my Darling says, and as I leave I see him return to a meditation pose. Quickly leaping the oaken fence of Aelo’s farm, I slither around it’s edge, looking for warrens and mole dens. My tongue and other senses tell me that there are a few dens nearby, but the creatures in them are staying clear. How curious… I don’t expend any arrows from my quiver, as all the animals seem deathly afraid of approaching the farm itself.

When I return, My Darling is inspecting his Analysis Jar, looking a little alarmed. As I approach, he looks up and gives me a wan smile.

“Anything for you to find?” He asks.

“Nothing,” I answer, “there are a few mole dens and a rabbit warren or two, but they are deathly afraid of encroaching. Why would that be?”

“I don’t know, but I have an idea. Okay, Aelo, what I’m going to do now is charm the water in my jar with a detection charm.”

“What will that do?” Aelo asks.

“It will tell me if there’s something below the surface of your farm. There’s a warmth that Miia and I can feel and- that is unusual.”

“Unusual?” Aelo ponders.

“Unless there is a hot spring below us,” I answer, “then any warmth that’s there could mean something more sinister.”

“Which is what we’re about to determine,” My Darling says, then spills the now charmed water on the ground. I watch as the water is absorbed into the ground. My Darling scrunches up his face in concentration but it isn’t long before his eyes shoot open in deepest alarm.

“We have trouble,” he begins, “part of what the plants have told me is that they’re getting destroyed from their roots up. And the detection charm tells me more and it's not good.”

Aelo then asks, “What is wrong?”

“Wyrms,” My Darling says, “your farm is infested with wyrms!”

I saw Aelo look at him disbelieving for a moment, and then the panic set in, “Wyrms, you mean Dragons?! Gods and goddesses, what can we do?!”

My darling looked at her, “I can deal with it. It will take a bit, and I have to travel to reclaim something, but it should make short work of the wyrms,” he looked at me, “Miia, do you feel up to revisiting our old home?”

I nodded, “Of course darling, I’ll get my bow ready.”

As I began to gather my things I saw Luzon Tuk near us. His long bow was in his hand, and he had a quiver full of the arrows I had made. Granted, Gudjag was just as skilled as I was, perhaps more, when it came to blacksmithing, but I knew how to perfectly balance the arrows so there would be minimal dipping as they flew. He nodded toward us, “do you need another hand? I am certain that one of us could be spared if you needed help in traveling and retrieving an item,” he said.

I looked to my Darling as he looked at the village, at the great wall Luzon Tuk and the other goblins had helped the villagers build, and then he shook his head.

“No, the village needs you, and the others, here to help in the protection more. Besides, if it is just Miia and I we can move quickly and quietly.”

He nodded, and I felt relieved. It wasn’t that the help would not be nice, but I wanted to spend time with Darling alone. I finished gathering my bow, my arrows, and a small collection of potions that my darling had made, especially healing potions, and I slithered toward him.

“Ready?” he asked.

I nodded, “I am, oh Darling, do you know what day it is?”

He looked a little confused, “Uh, I know we’ve been here for a while. I’m not sure how long exactly, but a while,” he said.

I grinned, “Happy Valentine’s Day darling,” I practically sang.

His eyes widened, and then he smiled, “Well, I suppose this adventure could double as a date. It’s a shame that it leads somewhere less than pleasant…” he began before I kissed him and stopped him.

“Enough of that. I’m with you, and we have each other. It is a good day, a wonderful one, and I believe that as long as we are together it’s a perfect one.”

He smiled, and I felt my heart soar. We began the trek from the village, and though there was dangers, I was prepared, he was prepared, and we had time to be together.

Temple of Celestia - Sixth Floor - Spa

Twilight’s P.O.V.

I moaned as the steam filled the room. Across from me Rainbow leaned back spread legged, her towel open, and a soft snore erupted from her. The entire day was given to us to enjoy, and our husband Lord Mannulus, insisted that we use the spa, relax, and that we would celebrate Hearts and Hooves together properly. I saw Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy talking, and I could hear Fluttershy asking about the Chaos Spirit that resided inside of Pinkie.

I’d only seen Discord released one, and that was more than enough for me. He somehow managed to bypass every spell, every trap, and those same gifts were given to Pinkie as well. I knew that Fluttershy was interested in the Chaos Spirit, but I wasn’t sure why she was. Still, I let the steam relieve the tension in my wings and back. I looked toward Luna who was attempting to sit without leaning from side to side. Lord Mannulus had welcomed her fully into the herd, and part of that had been buggering her backside.

I will say that she took to it every bit as well as Solar Flare, although Solar seemed to have far less trouble sitting properly. I couldn’t be sure, but if I was to guess Solar had practiced some. If that was the case then it would explain how she was truly able to enjoy without the faint pain and burning sensation afterward. Still, it was nice to relax, and even nicer to see my friends, and herdmates in some cases, being able to be themselves without worry.

Temple of Celestia - Sixth floor Spa - Men’s Side

Umbra’s P.O.V.

I studied my lord Mannulus as he allowed Aloe to work the knots out of his back. I myself had enjoyed a deep tissue massage, and was currently relaxing in a hot tub. I could see Hephaestus, and out of all of us he seemed the most reluctant to relax. He was powerful, to be honest, and his body every bit as scarred as Lord Mannulus’ own body, but he seemed unable to truly allow himself a single moment of enjoyment.

“Lord, wouldn’t I serve best by upgrading the sword you brought me?”

I could see Lord Mannulus look toward him, “Hephaestus, that is something that can be done tomorrow. Today I want you to relax. From what Umbra told me you’ve helped our current guest find her place here.”

I knew he spoke of Oriaos. The soft tan Equis mare did clean up quite nicely. I did manage to heal most of her injuries, but her eyes were beyond my help. Hephaestus had came to the rescue, so to speak, by crafting her a set of artificial magical eyes from gems. Like Lord Mannulus’ own eyes they glowed a soft green, and she exclaimed that she could see people’s souls. I assumed she meant their auras.

“I did Lord, though there is a few things she needs,” he replied.

Lord Mannulus actually smiled at him, something I wasn’t sure was a good or bad thing.

“Then I do have a task for you. Retrieve Oriaos, take her into the village, and from there into Flumen Subjicite. Be certain to purchase her the various things she will need for here. One of which is a proper set of armor. She wishes to be a guard, I will not begrudge her that desire.”

“My Lord, I could craft her armor better than some lowly mortal blacksmith,” he replied.

“I know, and I am not saying you are unable to do so, but she may see a design that catches her eye. Allow her to choose, and if you choose to make her a suit yoursel, then you will simply have the design she prefers. She will also need fresh changes of clothes, and from what I’ve learned from my wives, you will will want to obtain some soaps and sundries for her,” Lord Mannulus replied.

Finally after a moment I spoke up, “Take this time to truly get to know her Hephaestus. She is new to our home, but she has taken up a keen interest in you. Such a thing should not be brushed away so quickly.”

He nodded, “very well, it feels off to spend time in such a way, but there is a pleasant aspect to it. I do find her company enjoyable.”