Her Mythical Warriors (Book Two)

Darius, Malique, and Zelious groaned in displeasure; Julianne tried to hold back a chuckle, and Levi scowled at the blood and gore around them. Wolfric pulled Akira into his arms and held her. Nibbles sniffed Akira’s ankle, making her look down.

Akira frowned when she saw the blood on Nibble’s horn. “I guess Nibbles helped.”

Wolfric looked down at the Al-Mi’Raj and chuckled. “Did you think he would stay out of a fight that gave him lunch?”

Akira chuckled, “no, I guess not.”

“Which way, Princess?” Stella asked.

Akira looked at the troll and smiled. She and her brother were the only ones not complaining about staying in the realm.

Akira looked to the sky, then to the south, and pointed. “That way.”

“South it is,” Malique said.

“I hope we don’t come across anything worse than a giant troll,” Darius grumbled.

“Are you okay?” Zelious asked Akira as he moved to walk beside her.

She looked up at him and smiled. “I’m fine.”

Zelious nodded and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Good.”

They traveled south until Akira stopped and pointed west. They turned and continued their journey west.

~⚔~

“Holy fuck,” Darius said as they looked up at the enormous mountain in their path. “Can we go around it?”

Akira closed her eyes for a moment. She opened them and looked at her Pegasus. “No,” she whispered. “If we go around it, it will take days, and there is no path that leads to my warrior.”

Her warriors stared at her.

“When did searching for your warriors get that detailed?” Malique asked.

Akira shrugged. “He’s my last warrior. And this place is full of magic,” she said, looking around.

“She’s right. This realm has more power than mine,” Darius said.

“It’s almost as high in magic as the Fairy Realm,” Julianne said.

Leviasen nodded, “it is full of all kinds of magic.”

“I guess I can fly you to the top….” Darius started to say.

Akira shook her head. “It’s too high. We would pass out and die from lack of oxygen.”

“Holy fuck,” Darius cursed.

The group looked up and could not see the top of the mountain.

“Then how do we get to the other side?” Zelious asked.

“We go through it,” Akira stated.

“Through?” Wolfric asked.

Akira nodded.

“I’m on it!” Fin shouted as he headed for the mountain.

Akira grabbed his shirt, making him fall back.

“Not like that,” she hissed, trying not to laugh.

Fin pouted, and Akira let go of him.

“There is a cave in the center of the mountain. We must go through it,” Akira told them.

“How do you know all of this?” Jules asked.

Akira looked at her best friend. “I don’t know. I just do.”

“Okay, cave it is. But no one separates. This is going to be dangerous,” Wolfric said, looking from the mountain to the others surrounding him.

Akira nodded. “This realm doesn’t allow humans because they’re too weak to survive an hour here, let alone days.”

“Right,” Darius nodded.

“Not to mention they hate humans,” Malique grumbled.

Akira smiled and touched her vampire’s arm. He looked down at her and smiled.

“Good thing I’m not human, huh?”

He chuckled and pulled her into his arms.

“Let’s get this started,” Wolfric said, heading for the bottom of the mountain.

“There’s a path to the left,” Akira said.

Wolfric nodded and turned left.

Malique wrapped his arm around Akira’s shoulders, and the group followed Wolfric to the path.

~⚔~

“This mountain is fucking huge,” Darius cursed for the fifteenth time.

Akira chuckled against Malique.

“I wish you’d let me fly us to the cave,” Darius grumbled.

Akira tapped Darius on the back. Her warrior stopped and turned to her.

“It’s safer this way. We don’t know what’s waiting for us at the mouth of the cave.”

“She’s right,” Wolfric said, shouldering Darius, getting the Pegasus to start walking again.

Darius grumbled as he turned and continued up the mountain.

Akira sighed.

“Are you okay, little one?” Malique asked, looking down at her.

She looked up at him and nodded. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

Akira squealed as Malique lifted her into his arms. Her other warriors chuckled.

“You should be used to that by now, Akira,” Wolfric said, grinning at her.

Akira smiled at her Wolf Warrior. He’s right; she should be used to this by now. But they still startle her when they pick her up like this.

“Rest,” Malique whispered into her ear.

Akira sighed and closed her eyes. She needed this.

~⚔~

Akira felt her warriors’ and friends’ fear and curiosity flow through her body as she woke from her nap in her Vampire Warrior’s arms.

“Will they let us pass?” Julianne whispered.

“I’ve only met one before, and he was a prick,” Wolfric grumbled.

“What’s going on?” Akira whispered to Malique.

Malique smiled down at her, “they’re debating if we go in swords blazing or peacefully.”

Akira turned her head to where the others were looking and blinked. Standing outside the cave entrance were three… Dwarves?

Holy shit. She’s never met a dwarf before. Excitement erupted through her body. She wiggled in her vampire’s arms until he set her on her feet.

“No swords blazing—unless they attack first,” Akira said.

Her warriors grunted.

“Then you stand behind us,” Wolfric said, watching her.

She looked at him, her left eyebrow raised.

He smirked, “either swords blazing—our you behind us.”

Akira sighed in defeat. “Fine,” she grumbled.

Akira watched her four warriors surround her. She chuckled when Levi shoved Jules behind him.

“I’m a warrior, too,” Julianne hissed.

Leviasen grinned at her. “I know. I thought you’d like to stay with your best friend. Didn’t you say you felt like her bodyguard?” He winked at her, then turned to follow Akira’s warriors up the path toward the mouth of the cave where the dwarves stood guard.

Jules grumbled as she fell into step next to Akira.

“My bodyguard, huh?” Akira chuckled.

Jules rolled her eyes and let out a puff of air.

Stella walked on the other side of Akira and grinned up at them. “Bodyguard sounds like a good title for me, too.”

Akira looked down at the troll warrior and grinned. “What does that make me?”

“The princess,” Stella said, puffing out her chest.

Akira and Jules chuckled.

It didn’t take them long to get to the mouth of the cave.

“Halt!” a dwarf demanded when Akira’s group was spotted.

“We request permission to travel through the mountain,” Levi said, stepping forward.

The dwarf looked him up and down and scoffed. “Haven’t seen me a fairy in a millennium.”

Leviasen smiled, “my friends and I need to get to the other side of this here mountain.” He nodded to the cave behind the dwarf.

The dwarf looked behind Levi and scoffed. “No humans allowed beyond this point. It is too dangerous.”

Akira grumbled while her two friends giggled.

“There are no humans in our group,” Levi assured the dwarf.

Two more dwarves joined the first dwarf.

“I am Fringheigh, captain of the mountain dwarves,” the dwarf with silver armor announced.

Wolfric took a step forward and announced, “I am Wolfric, leader of my Psychi’s warriors.”

The dwarves looked Wolfric up and down.

“I do not sense a Havent nearby,” the captain said.

Wolfric and his fellow warriors moved aside so the dwarves could see Akira and her “bodyguards.”

“Troll, welcome.” Fringheigh gave Stella a slight bow. He looked at Julianne and grinned. “Another fairy.” When the dwarf saw Akira, he let out a growl. “Human.”

Wolfric moved to stand between the dwarf and Akira.

Akira frowned. The dwarves don’t recognize her. She’d hoped they would be powerful enough to see that she was not a human. Humans aren’t powerful enough to see her—not even the most powerful ones, like the council in her hometown.

“You must take her away from here. She may not pass!” the captain shouted.

“She isn’t human,” Julianne grumbled. She’d seen the look on Akira’s face. Jules had hoped the dwarves would see past the mask the Gods placed over her friend.

“She may be small like the fairies, but she is human,” Fringheigh grouched.

“You talk about the fairies’ height, yet you are shorter and stockier than they are,” Darius said.

The three dwarves pulled out their battle axes. The four warriors moved to surround Akira.

The dwarves laughed.

“We may be shorter than the fairies, but we were built for battle,” the captain said.

“They won’t attack us unless we attack them,” Jules assured the others.

“We ask that you turn the way you came and quickly get the human out of this realm,” Fringheigh warned.

Wolfric took a step away from the others. “We need to pass through your mountain.”

The dwarves laughed.

“This mountain is not ours. It is a dangerous place. We are here to keep idiots like you from passing.”

Wolfric glared at the dwarf captain.

Akira pushed past the others and looked straight at the captain. He and his fellow dwarves were shorter than her, but not by much—like Jules and Stella.

“Please, Captain. Please let us pass. My fifth warrior is beyond this mountain, and this is the only way to get to him,” Akira begged, using her sweetest voice possible.

She wanted to gag for begging, but she didn’t want to fight the dwarves. They were only doing their jobs. Not their fault that only her warriors can feel her power.

The dwarves stared at her, then broke into laughter.

“We are not easily fooled,” Captain Fringheigh said.

Akira rolled her eyes. “I am not trying to fool you. I speak the truth….” Akira stopped talking as a memory flashed through her mind.

‘If you come across dwarves, be sure to show them your sword.’

Brynhildr’s voice echoed through her mind. Damn, she’d almost forgotten about that.

Akira reached behind her and pulled out her sword. The dwarves jumped into attack mode, their battle axes at the ready. Wolfric and her warriors growled as they pulled out their swords.

Akira rolled her eyes. Everyone jumps to do battle too quickly.

The dwarves took a step toward them. Akira could feel her warriors stepping forward behind her.

“Enough!” Akira shouted.

Her warriors froze in place, not able to move. The dwarves stopped and stared at Akira and her warriors.

Akira smiled at the dwarves. “As I said. I am here to find my fifth warrior. I only took out my sword to show you I mean you no harm and only wish to pass.”

Fringheigh snorted, “pulling your sword forward shows battle, not peace.”

Akira smiled, “look how I hold my sword, Captain. I only wish to show you, not fight you.”

Captain Fringheigh looked at the sword in Akira’s hands. It was splayed across her palms, a sign of peace, not war. He nodded to the other two dwarves to put their axes away.

Akira heard her warriors mumbling behind her. She stepped toward the dwarves and rolled her eyes when her warriors started shouting at her.

Akira turned her head and hissed, “quiet.”

The four warriors stared at her. She smirked at them, then turned back to the Dwarf Captain.

“Please. I was told to show this if I came across dwarves.”

Fringheigh stepped toward her. Akira could feel the tension of her warriors and friends behind her.

Fringheigh took the sword from her and examined it. When his eyes widened, she knew he spotted something only a dwarf would recognize. He fell to his knee and held the sword out to her, palms up, sword across his palms.

“Princess,” Fringheigh whispered.

The other two dwarves fell to their knees and bowed to Akira.

Akira felt uncomfortable. She didn’t expect this. And why does everyone keep calling her princess? She’s not a princess. Akira tentatively took her sword back and nodded to the dwarves. The three dwarves stood.

“By the power of dwarves everywhere, we grant you passage,” Captain Fringheigh said, bowing to them as he backed away to let Akira and her party pass.

“Okay, that was creepy,” Jules said as she took hold of Akira’s arm and pulled her toward the cave entrance.

“See, I told you, you’re the princess,” Stella chuckled as she caught up to Akira and Jules.

Akira could sense her warriors following behind her. They were shocked and unhappy. She hoped they didn’t get bitchy with her.

“By the power of dwarves everywhere?” Darius asked as their party continued through the cave, away from the entrance and the dwarves.

Everyone chuckled.

Akira shook her head as a memory flashed through her mind.

“By the power of Grayskull, I have the power!” Akira shouted, holding her sword above her head.

Everyone broke into fits of hysterical laughter, making Akira grin.