The Charge of Odin

The Charge of Odin

"You understand don't you?"

"I've always know you would ask me too, I am ready. You know I will carry out my task, for you always."

"You have come far my young warrior; go now in the knowledge that Odin guides your hand."

The dim morning light trickles in the window, as my eyes open. Sharp pain and my eyes begin to adjust. Remembering myself I begin to shake off the sensations of stiffness and fatigue that plague my joints and muscles. As I pull off my covers and slowly walk to my dresser the thoughts ring through my head.

"Go now in the knowledge that Odin guides your hand."

My mind snaps to attention, my mission rings fresh within the garrison of my mind. In a fury I pull of my boxers, and hastily dress myself for school. As I go to run out of my bedroom I stop, and turn around slowly. I walk over to my desk, a small vial, with a cork stopper in it sits on the desk's surface. I reach out and hold the vial lovingly in my right hand; a light green colored mixture floats within the glass vial. I gently put the vial in a small pocket of my messenger bag, before slinging it over my shoulder. I turn once more to my bedroom door, down the stairs, and into the front entrance. I open my bag to make sure everything is in order, pulling the zipper closed I grab my coat, and head for the door.

"Where are you going so early?"

My Mother's voice rings out, cutting through my deep inner shroud of determination. My voice still rough with sleep crackles out.

"I have to meet a teacher early for help; chem.'s really hard this semester."

Walking over to my Mother I give her a little kiss on the cheek; ill see you when you get home from work, bye.

Have a good day."

I push open the door and begin to riffle through my bag, finding my MP3 player I unwind the cord, pop the earphones in, and turn on my favorite artist of late. Soft lyrics and gentle tones coat my mind, reflecting my personal desires. I walk to the bus stop, less then a block out of my complex. The road is thick with compacted snow; winter has yet to yield to spring. My thoughts remain icy as I try to retain focus, my goal is more important then the seasons, then anything mortal eyes can see. I round a corner, the ground and sky open up in the form of a large field. My pupils shrink as the thin morning light turns the snow to a flare of white. Through the blaze of the morning light, a single black raven stands beside my bus stop. I call out to the raven, neither caring nor aware if there are other people around me.

"I have not forgotten; tell your Master his charge carries forth his name and his might."

The raven gave a slight cock of its head, before taking flight, disappearing into the low, gray cloud cover. I cross the street to my stop in front of the field. My light green hoodie flutters in a slight breeze. I take a deep breath in; the breeze carries icy winds, and a sense of hope that fills me. I see down the street the metal beast roar towards me, its waste polluting the winds of salvation.



The doors to my school open and I remove my hood, school policy. What a shame though, the largest threat comes bearing no hood, a smile, and a tiny vial of green liquid. I walk quickly through the empty halls; few people are here this early. My locker opens and a quick exchange of materials leaves my bag entirely empty, with the exception of a small vial. The lock clicks close and I turn away from the metal lockers, to a long hallway. My nerves begin to burn, my senses begin to flare awake as my body prepares for my task.

"Everyday like clockwork..."

Words spoken in a hushed tongue creep from my mouth, down the hall way three boys walk into the school weight room. I quicken in my pace, trying to retain composer and focus all the while. As I round the gentle turn around the weight room I take a casual glance into the room. The three young men were stretching, preparing for their morning run around the school halls. I walked over to a stairwell and waited on the insides of the doors. After several moments quite talk could be heard, a moment after that three sets of feet were slapping the ground and fading quickly as the boys headed off. I opened the door to the stairwell, and made a straight line for the weight room. As I passed over the threshold the scent of sweat and the rubber of the mats hit my nose. I walk over to a small bench, tucked away in the corner. Three water bottles sit looking forlorn. I gingerly uncap two, having spent days in the weight room myself; I knew his two friends drank from the red and blue bottle, while he drank from the black bottle. I remove the vial from a pocket in my messenger bag, placing half of the vial in both the red and blue water bottle; I tuck the vial in my bag, and return the lids to the bottles. I take a quick walk out of the room, and back into the stair well. As the door to the stair well closes the sound of foot falls grows near, and within a moment the three of them come running by, heading into the room for a quick drink.




I sit quietly, knowing in moments my time will come. My fingers begin to shake, my hearing sharpens and color seems to grow more vivid as I prepare for the fight. Voices ring out, a panicked sound coats the voice of my true target, as a small clamor tells me his friends have fallen.


The door is not yet closed leading to the stairwell as I enter the weigh room. Justin kneeling beside one of his fallen friends, calling his name and gently tapping his face.

"Wake up Coen! Wake up!"

"He can't here you..."

Justin looks up, to see me standing at the doors entrance. I close the door behind me as I enter.

"I don't have time for you fairy boy..."

My eyes gain a sparkle of cunning, and a smile crosses my lips.

"You better make some..."

Justin looks up to see me advancing towards him, his expression turns to fear as he realizes.

"You did this?!?"

"A gentle sedative, nothing more."

I look at him in the eyes, my mind racing with all the times he had hurt me, the words spoken, the names he called me. His hate reflected in the way he flaunted his hetero, male superiority. I would show him what it meant to be a man.

"You and I have old business to settle, what was it again? Fairy boy? Little faggot bitch? Well this little faggot won't take it anymore.

Justin was the typical player, focused on a good looking body and getting all the girls. He was 5 foot 8, but his ego more then made up for any height limitations. Arrogance and the essential essence of total asshole seeped out of his every pore. My foe, and my bully, neither after today.

Justin stood up and walked around his fallen comrades.

"What are you going to do about it, I'm not the slightest bit sleepy, forget to spike mine?"

I smiled again,

"Not at all, I wanted you alert for the fight. Come Justin, come and teach this faggot a lesson."

Justin smiled slightly; it faded to a grimace as his fist came flying at me. What a shame, he doesn't know I've taken Karate, a request from Odin. A quick block throws his punch away from my body, into empty space. A quick punch from my left arm brings a crack as his ribs give way under my strength. Justin staggers back, cradling his ribs. His teeth grind together through the pain, and his eyes fall once again on me, they brim with fury. I stand hands at my sides...

"Come fiend of my life, teach me my lesion..."

His voice rings out in a roar, his fist trying this to hit me in the stomach. I block with my right, grab his wrist, and pull him forward as I kick with my right. Another crack rights out, followed by a roar of pain. Justin falls to the ground his knee bent at a unnatural level. Justin, now on his knees barely has time to see my own knee burying into his face. Another loud pop, I assume his nose. Justin falls on his side to the rubber matted floor. Moaning in what I assume must be extreme pain. I feel my blood turn to energy, my mind and body become one, my fist are simply thoughts now. I step over him, kneeling with his body between my legs.

"This is what it feels like..."

I think to myself,

"This is what it feels like to have a God within you."

Rolling Justin on his back, I look upon his broken body. I was right in my assumption, his nose was turned far to right, a thick stream of blood flowed down, staining his white shirt. What a shame I had to destroy such a pretty face. I lean in next to Justin's left ear, putting my own next to his quivering mouth. I hear with a great rush of excitement his feeble moans, and weak cries. I whisper softly into his ear.

"Fear not my friend; I can call you friend can't I? You will not die needlessly, you my friend will save the world from Ragnorok, and your sacrifice will save so many."

Pulling away from his ear, Justin's eyes follow me straightening up again. I feel my body sync up with his, with Odin himself. My voice take on a duel tone, one my own, the voice of an Old man, staff in hand.

"For Odin, and for all!"

My fist travels faster then my mind can comprehend, and a final crack rings out in the quite air. Justin's neck snaps to one side, his eyes grow dull, another soul to Valhala.

I feel Odin withdraw, the ecstasy fade.

"My charge you must leave, remember the plan..."

"Yes..."

I stand up and walk to the door, opening and closing it as quickly as possible. I run over to the stairwell doors, and disappear within.



"I'm afraid I was on the other side of the school, I saw the three of them run by... but nothing more. I'm sorry I can't help more."

"You've been very helpful, thank you young man."

Our school constable walks away, a gentle sigh of relief escapes my lips. Looking down at my shoe, I notice a tiny spot of blood. A quick lick of my finger and the still wet blood whips away. What a shame I had to break such a pretty individual. The thought goes through my head without my full attention.

"You understand don't you?"

"I've always know you would ask me too, after all, we stopped Ragnorok... didn't we?"

"Yes my charge, your sacrifice has carried the true depth of your devotion to us; we have stopped the Great War."

"I am glad, but I have one question."

"Yes Derrick?"




"What's next?..."