There was a man at their head, tall and dark and proud looking. I couldn't have said what it was exactly about him that suggested that he was greater then the others around him, maybe it was the way that he carried himself. What ever sixth sense had suggested that he was greater then the others around him also told me that he was dangerous. I've known a lot of dangerous guys but never one that made the hairs on my arms stand up like this guy. It was even worse when I realized his eyes were right on me.
“Now what would your name be?” he asked me. He wasn't actually speaking in English, but it wasn't the language the other men around him were speaking either. It was speech that went straight to my head and I could understand every word that was said even though the words weren't any language I think have ever been spoken on earth.
“Richard Holmes,” I stammered.
“Not the man I thought,” said the man and even though his voice was in my head he sounded puzzled. I suddenly realized the mistake I had made out of habit, I had gotten so used to calling myself Richard Holmes that I said it automatically. This was not a man to be vain around, this was a man you should tell the truth to.
“I'm sorry, I accidentally told you my business name,” I admitted. Business name being the name I had went by for the last few years. I didn't want my family bothered by any of the people I associated with on day to day basis these days. “My real name is Lif,” I admitted. I could see the man's face clear.
“So your the man, I thought I recognized you. Nothing I do will change that, you can't change fate. You might as well come with us then.” I looked at the group and found myself very unwilling to go with them but even less willing to tell this dangerous man no. I joined by his side, thought I found that even though I was about his hight I was forced take two steps for every one of his.
“Can I ask your name, sir?” I asked, meekness itself.
“I am Loki, the trickster, enemy of the gods, thief of the apples,” Loki looked at me, expecting a reaction clearly, but I had no idea what kind of reaction.
“Enemy to the Gods, like the Devil?” I asked, filled with curiosity but also terrified that I was going to offend. To my relief he burst into laughter.
“Little did they think, Odin and the As that the day that I was no longer worshiped, so too would they be forgotten. How easy it must be for you humans to forget things that matter so much.” He probably saw the blank look in my eyes even thought I was trying to look smart and well informed and not like I had no clue what was going on. Then again since he was speaking in my head maybe he could read my mind, I never did know for sure. “This is the end of the world,” Loki explained, waving his hand at all the destruction we were passing through. I had hardly noticed it, I was so wrapped up in Loki's presence, he was like that, he made you forget that there was anyone but him present.
“I thought it was,” I said, and I was shocked how matter of fact my own voice sounded. Around me I could still hear the screams and the shouts of the citizens as our procession passed through, but they now seemed to belong to a whole different world. I realized that I was no longer a part of the world the other people were in, I had become a part of a procession as much as the other men with me. Now that I was looking closer it wasn't just men even, there were women as well, and in the distance I could see a very gaunt woman who was half flesh and half bone, towering above the back of our host. She had the same feel of Loki, in that there was something of authority around her, but she didn't have his feel of danger. I was so busy looking at the group behind us that I took a couple of steps forward after Loki had stopped. He was looking into the crowd of people who were shoving and trampling each other to get out of our way. All but one girl who looked boldly at us without moving or paying any attention to the people around her.
To be continued...
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