The Serpent's Ring (Relics of Mysticus) (6 page)

Vor smiled and tilted her head, as if to examine Claire’s expression. “How extraordinary it is you would not accept my gift.”

“I don’t mean to offend you,” Claire started, but was cut off by Vor.

“I know. Remember, I know everything,” said Vor, gliding through the room. She reclined on an oversized red chair. “You have more need of it than I do; your task is too important. The locket will play an instrumental role in your success on this quest.”

“How so?” asked Evan, but Vor didn’t answer right away. She just stared off into space.

“Yes, the divining locket will play an important part … when you least expect it to,” said Vor with a smile. “Claire, remove it from your neck only at the appropriate moment. If it were to fall into the wrong hands … I dare not think it.”

“Thank you. How do I use it?” Claire asked.

“First, you must think about what you are about to ask. Be careful when you do this. The locket responds very specifically to questions. Ask your question aloud before opening it. Your answers will come to you through images reflected on the mirror inside. You may ask to see what is happening in the present or you may wish to inquire up to fifty-eight minutes into the future.”

“Why fifty-eight minutes?” Evan asked. “I mean, that’s a strange number.”

“I am Vor, goddess with all knowing power. I cannot allow a simple trinket to hold more power than I have. I should say fifty-eight minutes is very generous.”

“It’s perfect,” said Claire. “Thank you.”

“Refreshments are in order. I am certain you will find these to be a tasty treat,” said Dr. Irving, motioning toward the six tiers of strange-looking pastries. Arranged neatly on a platter were six glasses, all shaped like inverted pyramids. Each glass held precisely three round ice cubes.

“Professor, what are the red things in center of the ice cubes?” Evan asked.

“Those are razzleberries,” Dr. Irving responded and sat next to Vor.

“They are a delicacy. You will not find razzleberries like these outside Asgard,” interjected Vor, placing her hand tenderly on Dr. Irving’s leg. “I often wonder if they are not the real reason the professor stays.”

Dr. Irving laughed with her, all the while participating in some sort of nose kiss. Evan wondered if they had forgotten they had company.

“My goddess is quite the kidder,” said the professor, without removing his nose from hers.

“Dear, we mustn’t be rude,” said Vor.

“Quite right,” said Dr. Irving, and without looking away from his wife, he reached for a razzleberry-ice filled glass. From a rectangular pitcher, he poured clear, bubbling liquid into a glass. As the fluid streamed down into the first glass, it changed color. What was once clear was now pink. Dr. Irving handed the drink to Claire, who continued to stare at it.

“Ladies, first,” said the professor, as he reached for the second glass. He continued talking about a particular razzleberry patch, remarking how grand those razzleberries were. Evan tried to listen, but couldn’t take his eyes off the second glass. The fluid was turning red! The Professor handed it over to Vor.

“Razzleberry flavor for my sweet,” he said with a silly grin. Anxiously, Evan watched as Dr. Irving poured the third glass. The clear liquid turned orange. He handed it to Evan and then looked over at Dunkle. “I believe your favorite was mint julep.”

“You have quite a memory,” said Dunkle, and then he slurped down his green drink.

“Dr. Irving, what are you pouring into our glasses?” Evan asked. “I’ve never seen liquid change color like that.”

“And I doubt you shall, outside of Sagaas,” said Dr. Irving, pouring a red-orange fluid into the fifth glass and handing it to Barfel. “This drink is called Fizzy-Whizzle. Its sweetness comes from the nectar of a special flower, found only here in Asgard. A delightful side effect is in its ability to not only change color, but in how it alters its taste to suite each person’s preference.”

“Amazing,” Evan marveled. He then took a swig. “It tastes like orange soda!”

“Mine tastes like cotton candy,” exclaimed Claire.

“And I have always enjoyed the taste of grape,” said the professor, pouring a dark-purple fluid into his glass.

“Dear, we really must attend to business,” Vor reminded. She returned her attention to Evan and Claire. “It won’t take long for Aegir to figure out how to use the Serpent’s Ring,” Vor continued, but had already lost Evan’s attention.

Dunkle and Barfel were far more amusing, as they attacked treats with a vengeance. Their movements were so fast, they were a blur. They stuffed their faces with rainbow-colored tarts. Crumbs flew everywhere, landing across the room on a shaggy, white rug. Evan was transfixed by the spectacle and had trouble looking away.

He reached forward and grabbed a round puffed pastry. Unlike the imps, he wasn’t going to gobble up the whole thing in one bite; he wanted to enjoy his food. After all, he wasn’t sure how long it would be before he could eat again. Besides, he felt manners were in order while in the company of a Norse goddess and an ancient professor.

“Excuse me,” Evan interrupted. “What is this called?”

“A Poppin-Droppin,” Vor said and continued with her tale.

With a strange name like Poppin-Droppin, Evan wasn’t sure what to expect. The soft pastry smelled like sweet-cream butter, so he knew it must be good. He shrugged his shoulders and bit it in half. To his delight, the Poppin-Droppin’s layers flaked apart, melting in his mouth. Its center was filled with whipped chocolate, delivering the most incredible sensation Evan had ever experienced. That was until the remaining bite in his hand sprouted out another pastry, and then another and another. Poppin-Droppins multiplied, popping out and dropping down so rapidly Evan couldn’t catch them. It didn’t take long for him to realize how the Poppin-Droppins came by their name.

Dunkle stopped devouring food long enough to say, “You must eat that particular pastry all in one bite; do not leave even a crumb. Otherwise, it will multiply and make a mess.”

Evan stuffed Poppin-Droppins in his mouth as quickly as he could. Dunkle and Barfel helped by rapidly shoveling in bouncing pastries. Thank goodness the professor and Vor were too busy talking with Claire to pay much attention to the spectacle.

Evan hoped Claire was listening to Vor’s advice closely, because at that moment, he was preoccupied.

Chapter Seven

POPPIN-DROPPIN AND TALKIN’

“I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY THE professor didn’t keep the Serpent’s Ring with him here if it was so important?” Claire asked.

“Long ago, it was decided that all of the great relics needed to be kept hidden and secret,” answered Dunkle, “away from the temptation of vengeful gods like Aegir and Ran. Besides, he did not leave the Serpent’s Ring unguarded. I have been watching over it since long before you were born.” He slunk down, rubbing his hands over his eyes. “Oh, I have lost the ring. What have I done? What have I done?”

This was an extremely awkward moment. Evan realized he should say something, but wasn’t sure what. A lump formed in his throat. If only he hadn’t been so curious about the professor’s secret lab.

Thank goodness, Dr. Irving cut through the tension. “Dunkle, do not blame yourself for what Aegir has done. Why, you watched over the Serpent’s Ring successfully for more than a thousand years.”

Evan practically dropped his Fizzy-Whizzle. “More than a thousand years? Dunkle, just how old are you?”

“Old. Very, very old,” said Dunkle. “And feeling more so every minute that passes without the Serpent’s Ring in my care.”

“How did you become the protector of the Serpent’s Ring in the first place?” Claire asked.

Everyone in the room looked over at Dunkle, who sparkled with recognition. He stepped into the center of the group and began his tale, “Even today, I vividly remember the peaceful years when all the gods were friends and all shared equally the gifts of wisdom and power derived from the Mysticus Orb.”

Evan didn’t want to interrupt but had to ask, “How long ago are we talking here?”

“Thousands of years have passed since the gods decided to divide the world into realms. You call it Pangaea, but we immortals refer to it as the Avarice Wars. I will never forget the very first time I peered down through the sky and saw the new markings of Terra. You see, in the chaos of the Avarice Wars, the gods tore the world apart, forming new land masses called continents, divided by great bodies of water called oceans.”

“But I thought land masses split apart because of shifting in the Earth’s tectonic plates,” said Claire.

“That is what the gods want for you to believe,” Dr. Irving chimed.

“Dunkle, why did the gods go to war against each other?” Evan asked.

Dunkle sighed. “As I said, there was a time when the gods were united and shared a common purpose. There was only one realm, one religion, and one Mysticus Orb. That was until Alamaz, the immortal human, became more and more jealous of the gods’ powers. Through a devious plan, Alamaz used clever lies and flattery to set the gods against each other. Then, when the heavens were in chaos, he tried to steal the Mysticus for himself.

“Thankfully, a little band of creatures was able to stop Alamaz just in time. Now, he is locked away in the Dungeon of Dreadful Dreams, forever more to be guarded by his own worst nightmares.

“The gods realized nothing like this could ever happen again, but they argued about what to do with the Mysticus Orb—where to hide it, who should watch over it. Finally, the golden and mysterious Orb did something unexpected. It rose up, spun around and around, faster and faster. It floated higher and higher, until suddenly it froze. With a blinding flash of light, it crashed thunderously down, splitting into multiple golden spheres. Each sphere rolled toward a different god or goddess and then floated upward. The small globes formed into their own unique design: a golden staff, a band in the shape of a serpent biting its own tail, a totem, and so on.

“Each relic still held the essence of the Mysticus Orb, but each contained its own unique set of powers. The Mysticus had demonstrated its greatness and wisdom, as only it could.

“I recall that all of the gods in attendance stood for a very long time in complete silence. Until at last, a soft voice came from under a beard resembling twilight, both lavender and midnight blue, ‘The relics must be kept as far from us as possible, until we are sure we have learned from our mistakes, repaired the damage we have done, and accepted the responsibility for our actions.’

“For the first time in many moons, the gods agreed. And so they assigned honorary guardians, each as unique and diverse as the relics themselves, custody over each of the relics, and they were hidden around the globe.

“There was much healing to be done both in the heavens and on Terra. As a constant reminder, above the entrance to the Celestial Atrium, the gods inscribed:

Let there come a day, when there is peace among all nations, when every god and every man is grateful for his own gifts, and rejoices equally in the gifts of others. Then, and only then, may the pieces of the Mysticus Orb once more be joined together for the benefit of all.

“I shall never forget those words,” Dunkle said and sighed. “Now, after thousands of years, I have failed in my duty.”

“Nonsense! You have done a marvelous job watching over the Serpent’s Ring, and now you shall retrieve it from Aegir,” said Dr. Irving. “Besides, the Mysticus Orb would have been stolen by Alamaz had you not led your little band of heroes to save it.”

Dunkle wrapped his hands around his shoulders and hugged himself, as he shed a tear.

“So, you saved the Mysticus Orb from Alamaz?” Evan asked excitedly. “I’d like to hear about how you did that.”

“I will share that particular story with you another day,” said Dunkle. “I am afraid we are running short on time.”

“Wait a minute. Dr. Irving, how did you end up with the Serpent’s Ring?” Claire asked.

“That is a very long but interesting story,” began Dr. Irving. “After graduating from the university, with a doctorate in botany, I was eager to study the flora of Norway. As soon as I was able, I traveled there. I spent weeks hiking in the fields, mountains, meadows, and fjords of western Norway. Then, one fateful day, as I was sketching a newly discovered specimen into my journal, I heard a terrible blood-curdling scream. It was followed by a waft of the most unusual and rather unpleasant odor. I was glued to the spot, when out from a nearby patch of trees emerged the most pitiful little creature I had ever seen. It was obvious it had been seriously injured; he could barely limp to my feet, and when he did, he collapsed completely.

“At the time, I was unaware he came from another realm. Naturally, I assumed he was a specimen of some unknown origin. I believed I had stumbled upon the discovery of the century, and Dunkle allowed me to remain naive in my assumptions.

“I nursed Dunkle back to health as best I could. But it became obvious, that although the external wounds seemed to be healing, my patient was getting weaker by the day. Then Dunkle gave me the surprise of my life. Here I thought I was taking care of a poor defenseless creature, when all of a sudden, he began to speak!