Fan Fiction ❯ Isolde and Loki ❯ Temple ( Chapter 1 )

Isolde picked up her long sword and turned to her companion, the white dragon peered at her with his golden eyes. “I know Loki…we’re almost ready to go.” He growled softly and settled into his former position. She grinned, only he would be unperturbed with her and her way of breaking camp. The golden haired warrior laid her sword against the rocky wall, it gleamed brightly in the sun from it’s polishing last night.

Grunting, she belted on the heavy scabbard and shield that had her family’s crest on it. The polished metal blinded her briefly as she looked nostalgically at the two dragons curled around the moon, one of black and one of red on a field of dark blue. It had been almost a year since she had last seen the green hills and stone grey mountains of her homeland. Wiping away a silent tear, she stared into the wind and unwrapped her brown cloak from around her body.

Loki growled at his mistress again, he was getting hungry and his patience was wearing thin. The wind pulled at him on this high cliff, and the herd of mountain goats below were looking quite tasty. Their mission had taken them two years and six months so far, he was quite anxious to find this mysterious Magi. He nudged Isolde in the small of her back, Hurry up Iso…we don’t want to miss the rendezvous. If we do, it’ll take weeks to get another meeting set up.

“I know, I know…” Sighing, Isolde put the saddle on Loki’s back and tightened the straps, “Let’s get your stomach settled and full before we’re late.” Grabbing her sword she sheathed it and straddled her loving friend. “Find your breakfast, and lets get there well before the appointed time.” Loki grinned, his face more sinister than before, with multitudes of golden teeth showing. He crouched low, gathering his strength into his legs, pushing off from the already fragile ledge, it collapsed a second later.

The first few moments of flight were jerky, as Loki struggled to gain height. When he had reached a thermal, he glided contently while selecting his target below. Isolde sat up and tucked her cloak in so it wouldn’t create resistance and noise later. Once the goats became alerted to his presence, they would flee and make it that much harder for him. She felt his shoulders bunch and knew he was going to dive in on his target. She laid flat on his back, just as he folded his wings tightly to his body and dove towards the rocky cliff side.

A great old ram was his target, and he was a plump one at that. But Loki always chose those whom had lived their lives and fulfilled their duty. There was another ram, but he was young and untried. Hopefully, he’d learn everything soon, or else the herd was in trouble. Just before Loki grabbed his prey, he snapped open his wings and began flapping hurriedly. Isolde was jolted in her seat as he collided with the ram and pressed down upon Loki’s back. He flew to a spot nearby and began wolfing down his food.

The herd, of course, had dispersed and were glaring at the two from their various perches and clumping. The warrior sat up and dug in her pack, after a minute she pulled out a loaf of bread and a skin of water. She tore off a chunk and munched on it, eating it silently with her companion. “So, which direction did the markings tell us to go again?”

Loki sighed, sounding irritated, The markings told us to go towards the rising sun, and we should reach a great golden temple honoring the god Serkaroth. We are to wait there for a guide who will appear at the sun’s zenith and stay until an hour has passed. He will lead us to the Magi‘s guardian, who will test us to see if we are worthy of his audience.

“Must he test us? We should have already proven ourselves worthy, after fighting all those stupid Mericos to even get to his Secretary!” Isolde pounded her fist into the saddle, “Anyways, let’s get to that temple.” Loki grunted in reply and began flapping his small yet strong wings, trying to get off the ground.

Once in the air, the mountains gave way to green pastures and golden fields. Tiny dots below depicted people and animals, while the slightly larger ones were buildings. The wind that morning was warm, but that was only because they were on a thermal. If they weren’t it would have been as cold as the cliff side had been earlier. Mountains soon came again, snow capped and sheer faced. And nestled in the midst of four peaks, was a temple that shown brightly in the morning sun. Loki made lazy circles above it, going lower and lower. He landed next to it, in a small green area that was fenced in. It looked like it was a corral for sheep that were currently out with their shepherd. Thank goodness for that…otherwise Loki might have had them for a snack, thought Isolde.

Hey…I heard that… Loki retorted. Isolde laughed and climbed down. It’s before noon, so maybe we should ask the monks of the temple for some sustenance.

“Good idea…but then again, I’m not hungry.”

YOU’RE NOT HUNGRY? WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT YOU? I WANT SOME FOOD! Loki ranted jokingly in her head.

“That must have been a tough old ram for you to still be hungry! And we’ve been riding on thermals all morning!” Isolde punched Loki on the shoulder lovingly and hopped over the fence. “I’ll be right back, and I’ll ask them if they can spare some meat for you.” She heard Loki purr softly behind her and laughed again.

She climbed up the temple’s stairs and paused before the doorway. “Lo, I am Isolde of Icarrie, and a warrior of Serkaroth. Might I enter His mighty temple and ask His holy servants if I might have some un-needed meat for my dragon-friend, Loki, also warrior of Serkaroth?” From inside the temple she heard three bells chime, then a strong voice came from within.

“Why have you two travelers, from such a far land, come to this temple of Serkaroth, hidden in the mountains?”

“We are meeting with a guide who serves a Magi of Serkaroth. We were to meet here at the sun‘s zenith, and have arrived an hour before the appointed time. We wish to strengthen ourselves for our journey still ahead.”

“You may enter, Isolde of Icarrie, warrior of Serkaroth. And we shall give your dragon-friend Loki, warrior of Serkaroth, meat upon which to strengthen himself.” Isolde bowed low and entered the temple. She was greeted by three monks wearing robes of dark green. The one in the center had an image of the sun imprinted on his bald forehead. He was the head monk, and the only one able to speak for all of them. Serkaroth’s order was one mostly of silence, only his few head monks were allowed to speak with the Light.

“Come child, you must be weary and wish to cleanse yourself from the dust of the road. We will show you to the baths.”

Isolde bowed again, “Thank you, Sun of Light. A bath would be most welcome, though I have a question.”

“Yes, child?”

“Has the guide of which I spoke arrived yet? Or is he or she yet traveling?”

The monk turned to his left, and that monk held a crystal. Peering into it, the monk raised two fingers. “She is traveling still, but she shall arrive well before the sun‘s zenith.” replied the head monk.

“Thank you.” Isolde bowed to the head monk first, and then to the seer monk. The head monk then gestured to the monk on his right, who led Isolde to the baths.