Valkyrie Hunter
Chapter 40

We walked for a while passing the great computer looking exactly like it did the last time I was here. Each step I took made me feel stronger more alive. I began to see where we were going. This route led to the destroyed fake section. As I walked I was aware of my nakedness. I felt the smooth floor beneath my bare feet but come the other side of the wall the path was rougher and then the desert I wouldn’t last five minutes without clothing or footwear.

“Mouse?” I asked halting. “Have you got anything for me to wear?”

“Sorry I should have attended to it straight away I got lost in my own thoughts.”

“Anything I could help with?”

“It’s nice of you to ask but it’s my problem.”

“Ok Mouse about my clothes,”

“Of course I know you are uncomfortable like this?” She made a gesture.

I stifled a scream feeling something like thousands of spiders crawling up my skin. I looked down seeing I was fully clothed. I was wearing boots and jeans and a loose fitting blouse sans underwear. I counted myself lucky in that respect I was ready for the desert even if I wasn’t wearing underwear. Hopefully I’d not be too long out there. Ljufu had kept a watch on the ruins. It would be good to see her and with luck I’d be back on my way to Alfheimir where I had unfinished business. Dealing with the bitch that brought me to this point was my first port of call.

“Thanks,” I said to Mouse.

“As I’ve said I had things on my mind.”

“Look Mouse I’m alright with that.”

“Yes but I should have been looking after you. It’s inexcusable.”

“I said it was ok. Digger said you were keeping the First Ones busy.”

Mouse clasped my hands in hers as she regarded me carefully. “If the First Ones had their way you’d be dead.”

I winced at the bluntness of her statement. “I thought you said the First Ones don’t kill. They must really hate me then?”

Mouse looked alarmed, shocked by what I’d said. “No!” she said firmly. “They believe in human parlance that ‘let nature take its course.’”

“Which is why they let the Guardians slaughter you!” I felt my anger rise. The Keepers were the innocents here the Guardians exploited their pacifist nature. I still was unsure how or why the conflict started beside the knowledge the Keepers had been betrayed by their allies.

Mouse shook her head. “We died as a race because the First Ones had been misdirected. Before you say it the First Ones were tricked. It took them fifty millennia to realise what was going on.”

It sounded like a painful subject for her I wasn’t about to add to it.

“Sorry,” I said to her not knowing what else to say.

“Don’t be Gwen this was long before you were born, long before that.” Mouse spoke again her voice firmer. “The First Ones made up for it in building us a world.”

“How did they do that?” I felt I was on safer ground asking her that.

“Not a world as such but what they did is transform a barren world. Don’t ask me how it more complex than I could tell you.”

“Ok then I won’t.”

Mouse continued. “No I owe you an explanation. The world isn’t finished. It is remote and barren but the First Ones are transforming it for us. The house and its surroundings are a small portion of what they are doing. There is a balance they must maintain.”

I shivered at the thought of what these First Ones seem capable of. “How long will it take?” A stupid question I know I couldn’t think of anything better to say.

“About a century or two there are only two of them.”

“They made the T’Arni gift worlds?”

“There were more of them then. Most have gone to the Core.”

“From where no ships return,” I quoted the older T’Arni warning.

“Quite so,” Mouse replied sadly. “I didn’t want to tell you but the First Ones wanted to return us to our original form. We refused you are what made us we cannot and will not go against that.”

I didn’t know what to say. I should have realised this wasn’t their original form they had duplicated mine. “Come on,” I said abruptly. I wanted out.

“Sorry,” Mouse apologised.

“Don’t be I’ve forgotten about it.” I lied.

We walked on passing the computer and the lake that surrounded it. I guessed we were going to the dais on the other side of the wall. We walked past cabinets of glowing rods. Rods that had been inert the last time I did this walk. The wall loomed up ahead and try as I might I couldn’t see the hole in it. I followed Mouse as she walked directly to the wall as she did a door appeared.

“You filled in the hole?” I asked her.

“The computer repaired it once it was working properly.”

I took a look at the door realising why it was the odd shape it was. It also reminded me to ask Mouse why she was the only Keeper not sporting her wings it must be significant for her not to.

“Mouse I need to ask you something. I don’t want to sound insulting or insensitive but where are your wings?” I remembered she’d flashed them confronting the Guardians I couldn’t remember seeing her with them at the ranch house.

“Because of you and what you represent to us.”

“Sorry,” I apologised I seemed to be saying that word a lot lately.

“Don’t be and don’t think I’m being punished either. None of what I do is your fault.”

She might say that but I sure as well felt it was.

Mouse regarded me carefully. “I chose this form as a symbol of our thanks and our bond with you.” She hesitated. “The First Ones have prevented us from doing more to aid you.” She paused again. “I…we worry about you but admire you freedom.”

I snorted. “Freedom.” But Mouse was right I sighed. “I am sort of free but I have to stop the war on Alfheimir.” I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to do that.

“As much as it hurts us to see you hurt we can’t help you.”

“Just do what you can.” I didn’t have a plan anyway.

“I’ll try.”

Mouse took my hand and led me through the tunnel. We emerged into what I expected to see a broken and devastated version of the cavern. The first I noticed was that all the rusted mining equipment and tools were gone.

“They’re gone,” I stated.

“What is?” Mouse asked.

“The rotting equipment that was here.”

“Oh yes we cleaned up, better not point the way to the computer.”

“Ok.” Mouse was correct it would be like someone had put a huge neon sign up saying ‘Enter here!’

We walked on I lost in my thoughts and trying to gauge how long it would take me to get back to Alfheimir. I realised my feet was stirring up dust.

“I know you cleaned up the machinery but we are leaving a trail?”

“Look behind you.”

I looked there were no footprints except for the last couple of metres.

“You’re cleaning up as we go.” I felt relieved about that.

“Oh course Gwen. We must get going. Our time is limited.”

“Didn’t you say I needed more time.” At least I didn’t feel in pain. In fact looking at parts of me I could see there were no bruises or cuts.

“Digger would want to keep you safe but we can’t hide you from the First Ones that long. We’ve accelerated your healing as much as we can without undoing our hard work.”

I followed her still trying to untangle her words in my mind. Then we were on the dais before the false computer.

“Raise you hand and the panel will appear under it. You know what to do?” Mouse paused. “And Gwen?”

“Yes Mouse?” I wondered what she was going to say.

“Please try not to get hurt again. I can’t take it.”

“I’m sorry.” I raised my hand and a holographic panel formed under my hand I pressed it and my vision blurred.

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