Seven Times A Charm

The mountains grew larger with every mile.

Atreyu rode at the front of the small column, his eyes constantly moving across the rocky landscape.

Behind him came Mara and two Valkyrie scouts.

Loki rode near the rear, apparently unconcerned with the increasingly hostile terrain.

The rest of the Watch followed.

They had been traveling for three days.

Three days without encountering a single village.

Three days without seeing another traveler.

Three days without finding anything that explained who had sent the message.

Atreyu finally stopped.

Mara brought her horse alongside him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Then why stop?"

"Something feels wrong."

Mara looked around.

The mountains were silent.

No birds.

No insects.

Not even the wind.

Loki suddenly appeared beside them.

"You're right."

Atreyu frowned.

"You felt it too?"

"Yes."

"What?"

Loki looked toward the valley ahead.

"Magic."

Mara reached for her weapon.

"How strong?"

Loki's expression became serious.

"Old."

That was not the answer either of them wanted.

The Watch proceeded carefully.

They eventually found the first evidence.

A burned camp.

Atreyu dismounted.

"Someone was here."

Mara crouched beside the remains.

"Recently."

Loki examined the ashes.

"Not a normal fire."

Atreyu looked at him.

"Surtr?"

"Maybe."

Loki picked up a blackened piece of metal.

"It was forged."

"Weapon?"

"No."

He turned it over.

"Part of a wagon."

Atreyu frowned.

"Why would someone burn a wagon?"

"Because they didn't want us to know where it came from."

Mara pointed toward the ground.

"Tracks."

Everyone gathered around.

There were dozens of footprints.

Most were ordinary.

Some weren't.

Loki crouched.

"These are interesting."

Atreyu looked down.

"What?"

"Look at the depth."

The footprints were unusually deep.

"Heavy armor?"

"No."

Loki shook his head.

"Something heavy."

Mara looked toward the mountains.

"Fenrir?"

"Possibly."

Atreyu stood.

"Then we know we're close."

Loki smiled.

"No."

He pointed farther down the trail.

"We know they want us to think we're close."

Back in Concordia, Io was having an entirely different problem.

She couldn't reach her desk.

Not because it was too far away.

Because Lexander had moved it.

"Why is my desk over there?"

Lexander looked up.

"Because it's closer to the window."

"It was closer to the window before."

"Not enough."

Io stared at him.

"What does that mean?"

"It means you shouldn't have to walk as far."

"I walked three feet."

"Three feet too many."

Io crossed her arms.

"Lexander."

He smiled.

"Yes?"

"You are becoming ridiculous."

"Probably."

She tried not to laugh.

Then she noticed Lisbeth entering the room with a tray.

"No."

Lisbeth stopped.

"You don't even know what it is."

"Whatever it is, no."

"It's lunch."

"I ate."

"That was two hours ago."

"I'm not hungry."

Lisbeth set the tray down.

"You're eating."

Io looked at Lexander.

"Tell her."

Lexander nodded.

"She's right."

Io looked betrayed.

"You're both impossible."

A voice came from the doorway.

"I agree."

Thor entered.

Io looked hopeful.

"Finally."

Thor shook her head.

"She's right too."

Io groaned.

"This is a conspiracy."

Thor smiled.

"It's a very well-organized conspiracy."

Io's pregnancy had reached the point where almost everyone in the palace had developed a theory about what she needed.

Lisbeth believed she needed more food.

Lexander believed she needed more rest.

Thor believed she needed a permanent armed escort.

The healers believed she needed regular exercise.

The servants believed she needed comfortable chairs everywhere.

Io believed she needed all of them to leave her alone.

Nobody listened to her.

Especially Thor.

Thor had taken her role as protector so seriously that she now inspected anyone who came within ten feet of Io.

One morning, a palace gardener approached with flowers.

Thor stepped in front of him.

"Stop."

The gardener froze.

"I brought these for the queen."

Thor looked at the flowers.

"Why?"

"Because they're flowers."

"That's not an answer."

"They're from the eastern gardens."

Thor sniffed them suspiciously.

Io stared from her chair.

"Thor."

"What?"

"Let the man give me the flowers."

Thor looked at the gardener.

"You can approach."

The gardener slowly walked forward.

He handed Io the bouquet.

She smiled.

"Thank you."

The gardener hurried away.

Io looked at Thor.

"You realize you just interrogated a gardener."

"He could have been an assassin."

"He was seventy years old."

"A very experienced assassin."

Lisbeth covered her face.

"She's impossible."

Lysandra, meanwhile, was thriving at school.

Her first few weeks had passed quickly.

She had developed a particular interest in history and magical theory.

She was also discovering that being a princess didn't make her immune to homework.

Unfortunately.

She arrived at the palace one afternoon carrying a stack of books.

Lisbeth looked at her.

"How much homework?"

Lysandra sighed.

"Too much."

"That's what school is for."

"I know."

Thor looked at the books.

"Need help?"

Lysandra smiled.

"Do you know anything about ancient magical theory?"

Thor paused.

"No."

"Then probably not."

Thor nodded.

"Fair."

Lysandra dropped the books onto a table.

"We're studying the old gods."

Thor became more interested.

"Which ones?"

"All of them."

"That's dangerous."

Lysandra looked up.

"Why?"

Thor glanced toward Lexander.

"Because some of them are still alive."

Lysandra smiled.

"I've noticed."

Thor smiled back.

"Fair."

Lysandra had begun spending time with students from all three kingdoms.

The experience was changing her.

She was discovering that many of the differences between the kingdoms were much smaller than the nobles claimed.

A farmer's daughter from Io's kingdom had the same complaints about homework.

A boy from Lexander's kingdom loved the same stories.

A nobleman's son was terrible at mathematics.

A blacksmith's daughter was the best student in magical theory.

The more Lysandra learned, the more she understood why Concordia was built.

The kingdoms were different.

But their people weren't nearly as different as their rulers had imagined.

One afternoon, her history professor asked the class a question.

"What makes a kingdom?"

Several students answered.

"A king."

"An army."

"Land."

"Tradition."

The professor shook his head.

"All useful answers."

Then he looked toward Lysandra.

"What do you think?"

She hesitated.

Then answered.

"People."

The professor smiled.

"Explain."

"A kingdom can lose its king."

"It can lose land."

"It can lose an army."

"But if its people remain..."

She looked around the classroom.

"...the kingdom can survive."

The professor nodded.

"Exactly."

Lysandra smiled.

She hadn't realized until that moment how much she believed it.

In the council chambers, Lexander and Io were having a less philosophical but equally important discussion.

Representatives from both kingdoms sat around a long table.

The question was simple.

What would unification actually mean?

One lord spoke first.

"Will the existing royal titles disappear?"

Lexander answered.

"Not necessarily."

Another asked:

"What about taxation?"

Io responded.

"A unified system will be established gradually."

"What about our armies?"

"Combined command."

"Trade?"

"One internal market."

"Local laws?"

"Many will remain."

"What about inheritance?"

The room became quiet.

Lexander looked at Io.

Then back at the council.

"Our children will inherit the united kingdom."

One noble frowned.

"Both of them?"

"If the people accept the union."

"And if they don't?"

Io answered.

"Then our kingdoms remain separate."

That surprised several people.

Lexander continued.

"We aren't forcing this."

"We are asking whether the people believe the future is better served by unity."

One of the older nobles leaned forward.

"And what happens if one kingdom eventually dominates the other?"

Io answered immediately.

"Then we have failed."

The room went silent.

She continued.

"Concord was never supposed to make one kingdom larger than the other."

"It was supposed to make both stronger together."

Lexander nodded.

"We are building institutions that prevent either side from simply taking control."

That statement began another hour of discussion.

It wasn't easy.

It wasn't quick.

But it was honest.

And slowly, the factions began finding common ground.

The Watch's investigation was proving much harder.

Atreyu stood before an enormous stone door.

It was carved directly into the mountainside.

Mara ran her fingers over the symbols.

"This is ancient."

Loki smiled.

"Very."

"Can you read it?"

"Some of it."

"Some?"

"Ancient languages aren't exactly my specialty."

Atreyu looked at him.

"You've lived for thousands of years."

"That doesn't mean I attended every class."

Mara laughed.

Loki pointed toward the inscription.

"This part says the door was built to contain something."

Atreyu frowned.

"Something?"

"Yes."

"What?"

Loki's smile disappeared.

"I don't know."

Mara looked at the door.

"Can we open it?"

"Probably."

Atreyu looked at him.

"Probably?"

"I said probably."

"What happens if we open it?"

Loki shrugged.

"Something might come out."

Atreyu sighed.

"You're remarkably reassuring."

"I try."

They opened the door.

Nothing happened.

At first.

The chamber beyond was enormous.

Ancient statues lined the walls.

Some depicted gods.

Others depicted monsters.

In the center stood a circular stone platform.

Loki approached it.

His expression changed.

Atreyu noticed.

"What?"

Loki pointed.

There was a symbol carved into the platform.

The same black circle.

The same vertical line.

The same symbol found on the spy's message.

Mara stepped forward.

"This is the Keeper's mark."

"Yes."

Atreyu looked around.

"Then this is one of its temples."

Loki shook his head.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because this place predates the Keeper."

Atreyu stared at him.

"How?"

Loki crouched beside the inscription.

"Because I know who built it."

Mara's expression hardened.

"Who?"

Loki looked up.

"The old gods."

A sound echoed through the chamber.

Something moved in the darkness.

Atreyu immediately drew his sword.

Mara drew hers.

The Valkyries prepared their weapons.

Loki stood.

"Everyone stay together."

A growl echoed.

Low.

Deep.

Then came another.

Closer.

Mara whispered.

"Fenrir?"

Loki shook his head.

"No."

The growl came again.

Loki's eyes widened.

"Run."

Everyone stared at him.

"Why?"

"Because that's a dragon."

A massive shape emerged from the darkness.

It wasn't Fenrir.

It wasn't Jormungandr.

It wasn't Surtr.

It was something else.

Something ancient.

Something that had been sleeping beneath the mountain for centuries.

Atreyu stared.

"Why would Surtr have a dragon?"

Loki's expression was grim.

"He doesn't."

The creature opened its eyes.

"They're probably guarding something."

Back in Concord, Io suddenly stopped walking.

Lexander immediately turned.

"What?"

She placed a hand against her stomach.

"Nothing."

Thor was beside her instantly.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Lisbeth appeared.

"What happened?"

Io smiled.

"The babies."

Lexander approached.

"What are they doing?"

Io laughed.

"Apparently they're fighting."

Thor looked concerned.

"Fighting?"

"Moving."

"They're moving?"

"Yes."

Thor placed a hand carefully against Io's stomach.

A moment passed.

Her eyes widened.

"I felt that."

Lisbeth smiled.

"So did I."

Lexander laughed.

"Both of them?"

Io nodded.

"Both."

Thor grinned.

"Strong."

Io smiled.

"Definitely."

Then something unusual happened.

The light surrounding Io appeared again.

Only for a second.

Silver and gold.

The same strange radiance that had appeared during the attack.

Lexander's smile disappeared.

"Loki said the Keeper is afraid of them."

Io nodded.

"And now we know why."

Thor looked at her.

"Do we?"

Io shook her head.

"No."

She looked down.

"But I think we're going to find out."

That night, the Watch sent its first report.

The message arrived shortly before midnight.

Lexander read it.

Then read it again.

Io watched him.

"What does it say?"

Lexander looked up.

"The Watch found an ancient temple."

"Surtr?"

"Possibly connected to him."

"Did they find him?"

"No."

Io relaxed slightly.

"What else?"

Lexander hesitated.

"They found something else."

"What?"

"A creature."

"How dangerous?"

He looked at her.

"Loki didn't specify."

Io frowned.

"That's not reassuring."

"No."

Lexander folded the report.

"But there's something more."

"What?"

"The temple predates Surtr."

Io became quiet.

"Then what does that mean?"

Lexander looked toward the window.

"I don't know."

Far away, inside the ancient temple, Loki stood before the sleeping creature.

Its enormous eyes watched him.

It did not attack.

Instead, it spoke.

The sound was not a growl.

It was a voice.

Ancient.

Deep.

Tired.

"The children."

Loki froze.

Atreyu looked at him.

"What did it say?"

Loki didn't answer.

The creature repeated itself.

"The children of two kingdoms."

Mara stepped forward.

"How does it know?"

The dragon's eyes shifted toward Loki.

"The cycle has changed."

Loki's face went pale.

"What cycle?"

The creature closed its eyes.

"The one the fire fears."

Atreyu's grip tightened around his sword.

"Surtr."

The dragon opened its eyes again.

"Yes."

Loki stepped closer.

"Tell us what he wants."

The creature's gaze turned toward the distant surface.

"He wants the children never to see the new age."

Loki swallowed.

"Why?"

The dragon was silent for several moments.

Then it answered.

"Because they are not meant to inherit the old world."

Mara frowned.

"Then what are they meant to inherit?"

The dragon looked directly at Loki.

"The new one."

The chamber trembled.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

The dragon rose.

The Watch prepared for battle.

But instead of attacking, the creature moved toward the stone wall.

It placed one enormous claw against it.

The wall opened.

Behind it was a passage leading deeper into the mountain.

Atreyu stared.

"Where does that go?"

The dragon answered.

"To the first fire."

Loki's expression hardened.

"Surtr."

The dragon shook its head.

"Before Surtr."

And somewhere in the darkness beyond the passage, something began to glow.

Not red.

Not orange.

Not black.

Silver.

The same color as the light that had surrounded Io.

Loki stared.

Then whispered:

"Now I really wish we'd brought more people."

Atreyu looked at him.

"You said twenty would be better."

"I was right."

Mara sighed.

"We're never letting you forget that."

Behind them, the dragon lowered its head.

"Come."

The Watch followed.

And far away in Concord, two unborn children moved simultaneously.

Io gasped.

Lexander caught her.

"What happened?"

She looked at him.

Then smiled.

"Nothing."

She placed his hand against her stomach.

"They're awake."

Two kicks answered him.

Lexander laughed softly.

"Hello, you two."

Io leaned against him.

Outside, the final buildings of Concord were being completed.

The city that had begun as an idea was almost ready to become a kingdom.

Lysandra was discovering her place in its schools.

The factions were slowly learning to see one another as partners.

The Watch had begun uncovering secrets older than Surtr himself.

And deep beneath the mountains, something had just told them that the children of Lexander and Io were connected to a change in the world that even the ancient gods feared.

The old age was ending.

The new one was coming.

And nobody yet knew what the birth of two children would mean for either.

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