Chapter 21:
Legacy
They took Alcaia up on her offer and spent two more days with the hospitable Saenga, but the urgency of the arsenal under the sand had Miranda insisting they depart on the third morning.
Alcaia addressed them, while the entire village gathered to see them and the Amazons who would accompany them off.
“I bid you farewell dear friends. Myrina and her warriors will keep you safe, as will my daughter. She was right, I think, about one thing. The title of Valkyrja is not quite enough for you anymore, and so I have conferred with the other elders and we have a new name for you. You are our Valkyrja-datta , blessed and beloved!”
The Amazons surrounding them bowed their heads to him.
“Um, and what does that mean?”
Alcaia considered him for a moment.
“It means that we love you.” She said simply.
Once again the humble orphan found himself overwhelmed by the regard that the Amazons had for him and as he looked around, he realized that Alcaia wasn’t exaggerating.
Every Amazon in sight wore a warm smile for him, and every unbonded girl was blushing slightly and holding out their heartstone for him, their meaning clear, though fortunately it seemed he wouldn’t need to respond to the multitudinous offers.
Alcaia pulled him into a motherly hug, both arms wrapping over his shoulders and holding him close to her breasts.
“I meant what I said about wedding an Amazon, and I humbly ask that you consider my Escrya to wife. She is young, and in many ways she is reckless, but she is warm.” She murmured in his hair before leaning back and planting a kiss on his forehead; “But know that whatever you decide, the women of the Saenga will always love you.”
“Th-thank you.”
With their farewells said and accompanied now by several dozen eager Amazon warriors they set out into the forest.
It quickly became apparent that their guides knew the land far better than Nameless and the others as they traveled towards Bramblewood; they avoided dead ends and natural obstructions with ease and made excellent time back to civilization.
Though one thing they hadn’t counted on was the Amazon’s desire to make their trip as comfortable and easy as possible. When they had journeyed with Yana and her girls they had seen to their own meals and worked with them to set up their camps in the afternoons.
But the Saenga would have none of it, and on their first night three Amazons all but tackled Ophelia when she tried to start a fire, the Flutterby intending on preparing them dinner.
“You need not worry about such things! You are still our guests! Rest your beautiful wings and let us prepare something for you.”
Ophelia was more than a little put out.
“But… I like to cook!” She objected.
The three girls didn’t seem to hear her and set about rapidly preparing them dinner. At last she sighed and let it go.
Surprisingly Miranda took it all in stride, the independent woman never voicing any objections to the Amazons waiting on them hand and foot.
When Nameless drew her aside and asked about it she shook her head.
“Kid, I don’t think you yet fully appreciate what this all means. I have heard the telling of the fall of the Valkyrie more times than I can count from the Amazons while working with the Aegis, and that was before bonding with Kala! Their entire society has been in mourning for a thousand years. Look at how happy they are! They would gladly carry us on their backs for the rest of the journey if you suggested it.”
Nameless gave a weak laugh, nodding at Jezebel, who was currently clinging to one of the Amazons’ backs.
The frog noticed his attention and quirked her head.
“What?” She asked innocently.
Miranda chuckled with him.
“Well, carry the rest of us anyways.”
But her smile soon faded and her look turned serious.
“When we get out of the wilds, you need to be careful.”
“Why?”
“Because whether you like it or not, you have tremendous power now. And when word gets out, the movers and the shakers of the city-states will either want to befriend you to use that power, or they will consider you a threat, though I don’t think any of them would be stupid enough to try anything. The idea of every Amazon in the world descending on them should dissuade them from that!”
“Indeed!” Kala declared fiercely; “My people would leap at the chance to trample your enemies underfoot and grind them into dust!”
“But! I’m just… me! Sure I’m an Empath, and yeah I found Volka, but you all helped! In fact, you did way more than I did! I shouldn’t get all of the credit! This is getting a bit silly isn’t it?”
Miranda nodded.
“Maybe, but it is what it is. We’ll talk to the council, and to Sadie, they’ll no doubt have advice for you. But they’ll want to use you as well, albeit with the best intentions. For now though, let’s just allow these girls to take care of us, it costs us nothing and they very much want to do it.”
He sighed before nodding his agreement.
She wasn’t finished though.
“One other thing, heartstones are still a commodity, as unusual as that may seem to you since everyone seems to just want to throw theirs at you. They’re worth money, though by Aegis law the girl has to approve the sale. So don’t doubt for a second that those heartstones were offered in jest! I think you could easily gather up a vast fortune if you wanted to just start playing matchmaker for the Amazons.”
But Nameless was shaking his head.
“I don’t want that! I don’t want to be rich! I just want to go back to our cottage and live in peace!”
Her smile turned a bit sad.
“Kid, in a very short time, you will be as well known as the Aegis herself. I’m sorry, but we won’t be able to keep this under wraps like we could the whole Empath thing. The Amazons need- no, they deserve to know about Volka. Word will spread, hell I imagine Alcaia is already sending out messengers to the other tribes!”
Nameless felt his stomach drop a bit, the image of a horde of Amazons descending on his home just to thank him was a little overwhelming and he was starting to feel queasy at the thought of drowning in a sea of heartstones.
Later that evening, while the Amazons talked around their fires he all but fled to their tent, the weight of everything crushing him.
I’m just a dumb orphan! I’m not special, not really…
Milly found him lying on his back on his bedroll, desperately trying to reconcile himself to his new reality. She didn’t say anything, just lay down next to him and pulled him over and into her arms.
They lay like that for some time, until finally she spoke into the air of the tent.
“Better?”
He was laying mostly on top of her now, his head nestled against her warm breasts while she ran her fingers through his hair. He pressed his face deep into her flesh, his cheek smooshing against her and forcing his lips to purse as he responded.
“Not really. I’m sorry baby, but I’m kind of losing it over here.”
His voice was shaking.
She mooed softly and ran her tongue through his hair slowly, hugging him even closer.
“Why?”
He sat up, meeting her eyes with an aghast expression.
“Why?! They’re treating me like some kind of… of hero or something!”
She smiled at him, her warm blue eyes asking nothing of him.
“Silly Master, you were a hero long before we got to this point. Or have you forgotten?”
She bit her lip as she pressed her thumb against the scar on his chin.
“But-!” He tried, but she shifted her fingers over his lips and shushed him.
“You are my hero, and Erica’s, and Ophelia’s-” She pulled him back down to lie against her; “And Nina’s and Volka’s. Is it so bad to be a hero to the Amazons as well?”
As he considered her words he saw Ophelia settle against Milly’s side, then Erica and Nina settle opposite her, their eyes all tracking his.
“But I don’t know how I’m supposed to act around them…” He sighed.
“You aren’t supposed to act at all dearheart. They love you because of what you did, and because of who you are. Just keep being you. Be the man who we all fell in love with.”
Sounder advice I could not have given myself.
Volka’s voice echoed in his head and by the startled looks on the faces of all of the girls, in their heads as well.
They leapt up and surrounded the shield at the foot of the bedroll, Nameless picking it up once again.
“Volka! You’re awake?”
Truly Husband, I was not asleep, exactly. I was… dormant, but aware. I have gleaned a great deal since you brought me out of the darkness. And I am much aggrieved by the pain that the loss of my sisters has caused to our friends, the Amazons.
“So are you… all better now?” Erica looked around, unsure where to direct her voice.
In a manner of speaking, sweet Erica. My power is not limitless and recent events have caused me to exhaust much of it. But now that I am with our husband his strength flows into me through our bond and is gradually restoring me.
Nameless lifted the sparkling shield, his eyes locked on the heartstone at its center.
“But how ? How was any of this possible? How were we able to form the bond from so far away? And why-”
Nina cuffed the back of his head lightly, dazing him.
“How about letting her answer one?”
There is much to speak of, but one thing I must know myself. Does the Aegis still stand?
Ophelia spoke first.
“Of course! For a thousand years now!”
Volka gave a mental sigh of relief that they all felt.
That is heartening to hear. And peace, truly, is there peace?
“Yeah, I mean, there are still some shitty people out there that cause trouble, but no like, big wars or anything.” Erica answered.
Bittersweet happiness flooded Nameless’s breast before Volka’s voice sounded in their minds again.
Then my sisters did not die in vain.
None of them knew exactly what to say to that.
“Volka, are you, are you going to be okay?” He offered.
I am. My sisters of old are gone, but I have new sisters now. And though I have met you all in our husband’s thoughts and in our journey together, I still would like to get to know you better.
“That goes for us as well dearheart.” Ophelia smiled; “But I think we all would still like to know the answers to our master’s questions.”
Indeed, well then allow me to explain. I believe that the Amazon- Escrya?- told you that we Valkyrie are spirit as well as flesh. Well, my spirit sought yours out when you were trying to save Nina, as your sacrifice that day was a veritable beacon for my soul. And when I found you in her mind, you were so desperate and so selfless that I could not help but love you. It is not physical contact that is required for the bond to form, but spiritual. It is just that to most creatures their physical and spiritual selves are one and the same.
“But not for Empaths and Valkyrie?”
You speak truth, gentle Milly. I could never have struck a bond with an ordinary human across such a vast distance, which would be why I have spent the last thousand years alone.
“That sounds… just awful!” Nameless shuddered at the idea of being trapped in the dark for so long.
Perhaps. But I endured because I must, and now here we are! I told you it was good to be held again, but that was an understatement. You holding me in your arms like this is… the most joyous experience of my long life.
Her mental voice was thick with emotion and Nameless felt himself tearing up at the palpable sense of elation that came from her heart at her words.
“Yeah, I get that.” Nina nodded.
“Okay, but how did you end up in that vault thingy?” Milly inquired.
Volka sighed mentally.
A question I have asked myself countless times throughout the centuries, believe me.
Nameless had a sudden thought.
“Volka, can you um, talk like this to anyone?”
I can, and I agree with your thoughts on this. The Amazons have waited long enough.
Nameless nodded and together with the other girls he carried Volka out to meet Myrina, Escrya and their sisters.
“She has recovered her strength?” Escrya could barely contain the eagerness in her voice as he purposefully strode towards her.
Nameless opened his mouth to respond but Volka beat him to it.
I have indeed Escrya, daughter of Alcaia.
Even with the gravity of the situation Nameless had to bite his cheek not to laugh at the pole-axed expression on Escrya’s face.
“Wh-what!?”
Forgive me. We have not been properly introduced. I am Volka Gundrsdotter, Lightbringer of the Fourth Host.
Escrya’s eyes were still absurdly wide as she stared at the golden heartstone in the center of the shield. She swallowed nervously before she was finally able to speak.
“W-well met Volka, daughter of Gundr. You cannot know the honour and joy that I feel to hear your voice this day!”
The other Amazons had gathered around them at that point and by their expressions Nameless knew that they could all hear Volka as well.
“What’s a Lightbringer?” He asked no one in particular.
“The fastest flyers of the Valkyrie, they led the charge into battle.” Escrya answered immediately.
Indeed, you are well taught. It was our duty to guide our blades into the hearts of our enemy, though in our last battle I fear that duty brought us to ruin.
Miranda gave a grim nod, her and her girls having joined the wide-eyed Amazons surrounding him.
“Yes, but I’m sure that the descendents of the monster girls you saved that night would be pretty grateful.”
Nameless sensed a hint of puzzlement from Volka
Monster girls? What monster… ah, I see. It would seem that the truth of that terrible night has never come to light.
The gathered crowd shared confused glances at her words.
“What do you mean?” He tilted the shield up a bit so he could look at the heartstone directly, uncomfortable with talking to thin air.
There were no monster girls in that village other than us.
Gasps of shock came from the gathered warriors.
“But… the stories!” Kala gasped.
Her gaze shot to Escrya for a moment, seeking the teller’s wisdom, but it was clear that Escrya was just as confused.
Volka gave another mental sigh, an odd sensation that Nameless doubted he would ever get used to.
I am afraid that my sisters and I kept a secret from your ancestors and all of the other tribes. And that secret brought about our ruin. We were called to battle that night not to protect monsters, but to protect humans.
The continually stunned expressions on the faces of the Amazons would have been amusing to Nameless if he didn’t have one to match.
“Okay… um, what?” Jan asked.
Not all humans fought for the Divine Republic, for if they did then our peoples would have died out long ago, as we would never take mates who were not willing.
“But why weren’t there any other monster girls in the village?” Myrina asked.
Nameless felt a wave of regret that was not his own at the Amazon’s words.
Because we never told anyone that it existed, at least, not until we found out that the Empire knew of it. I can see that you are owed an explanation, and so I shall provide it.
Volka took a few moments to collect her thoughts as the gathered crowd waited with what little patience they could muster.
You no doubt know that the Empire would torture and abuse their slaves in order to create Tenebrae to unleash upon the battlefield, and that it fell upon the Valkyrie to save them from the darkness of man.
In point of fact, Nameless did not know any of that, though most of the others certainly did.
“Indeed, I have told of this many times, as it was told to me.”
For years the Valkyrie had been dealing with the Tenebrae problem, but our numbers dwindled and so we sought another solution. In secret, we took aside a number of brave men and women, volunteers all, and we exposed them to the divine essence in our souls in an attempt to impart unto them our gift of empathy.
All around wide-eyed women were staring at Nameless, whose own mouth was hanging agape in surprise.
In short, the village my sisters all died to protect held the future of peace between man and monster. It held the first few generations of Empaths and their families. We had succeeded beyond our wildest expectations. A single Empath, bolstered by the will of a Valkyrie, could save dozens of girls, whereas before it would take several Valkyrie working together to save but one. Humans better understood the nuances of the turbulent emotions in the hearts of the Tenebrae. And after all, it was humans who created the darkness, so it stood to reason that they would be the best choice for cleansing it.
Her mental tone turned somber.
But alas the Empire discovered our secret, and sought to end the threat, which is why they sent so many against us that night. In their minds the men and women who had volunteered to be the first Empaths were traitors to their own kind, abominations tainted by the magic of the enemy. The Empaths were the last and best hope that we had for peace and so my sisters and I had no choice but to throw everything that we had into their defense. We saved as many as we could, punching through the enemy line and buying them enough time to flee into the night before turning to hold back the wrath of the Empire.
Nameless shuddered; while Volka spoke he experienced a flash of terrible violence in his mind, the briefest of memories of the desperate battle that she and her sisters had fought so long ago.
All so that his ancestors could live.
“Volka I’m-”
Do not! My love, do not seek forgiveness for something that happened centuries before you were born!
Her voice was passionate in his mind but quickly turned conciliatory.
Forgive me, but my sisters gave their lives willingly… just as my mother gave her life willingly, and I must ask that you not disregard that.
He felt her grief, undiminished by time, though it was held in check by her iron-clad will. For the briefest of moments an image of a beautiful woman flashed into his mind, her rich blonde hair in twin plaits down the sides of her smiling face and a winged helm atop her head.
“Was that… Volka, was that your mother?”
She was quiet for a long moment and when she at last broke the silence her voice, though still aggrieved, was also incredibly proud.
Yes, that was Gundr Ranveigsdotter. She was Dominar of the Third Host once upon a time, but with so few of their numbers remaining they were folded into the Fourth and she gave her position to my own Dominar, Astrid, in order to fly beside me. We flew together that night for the first time in many years and together we witnessed the fall of the Valkyrie. Even as the enemy was defeated she died in my arms.
The Amazons bowed their heads at the Valkyrie’s grief.
“Then let us drink to your mother, daughter of Gundr. And remember her for her courage and her sacrifice.” Myrina offered.
She and a number of others were uncorking familiar looking bottles and Nameless had to fight hard to suppress a shudder as he recognized the Amazon brandy for what it was.
Volka’s mood improved dramatically at his reaction, her amusement plain.
Do not drink if it would make you ill, my mother would be the first to tell you so!
But Nameless reached out and took a bottle from a surprised Escrya and without hesitation he took a good swig, even managing to swallow the burning liquid without coughing.
“To Gundr.” He wheezed out as he held the bottle aloft in a toast afterwards.
The Amazons mirrored his pose, though they drank far more deeply than he had and with less ill effects.
Volka’s mild amusement had turned to true mirth at his expense.
I think perhaps Nina and Miranda are right. You are kind of an idiot! But… thank you.
“I don’t understand, if there was an entire village of Empaths, how come there are so few now?” Milly asked.
“Maybe the gift doesn’t breed through all of the time, or maybe there are a whole wack of them out there and they just haven’t touched any heartstones yet?” Miranda suggested.
As you say, the gift only breeds through about one third of the time, which is why the village had many ordinary humans in it, ungifted children of Empath parents. But still this is troubling. There should be many Empaths by now… And this makes the presence of the Saenga warriors all the more welcome. Thank you, sisters, for helping us to protect our husband.
Nameless wanted to object, he didn’t like the thought of being protected.
“If you say one word of protest I will stand you on your head.” Nina said from beside him.
She had relieved one of the Amazons of her bottle and was drinking deeply; the Gigas was quite comfortable with a ring of Amazon spears protecting him while he slept.
He let out the breath he had drawn in to voice his objections, deciding that he didn’t want to be stood on his head.
“So, now what?” Erica asked.
Miranda yawned and stretched.
“Now I am going to bed, we still have a long ways to go before we make it back to civilization. If you can call Bramblewood civilized.”
A wise course, though I can see that Escrya and her sisters have many questions yet. Husband, if you would permit me to stay with them, I have no need of rest this night.
Nameless blinked at the looks on the Amazons’ faces. He didn’t know that the warrior women could make puppy-dog eyes…
“Of course! You don’t need my permission for that!”
Ah, but I do, for you see, you alone are able to wield me, so wherever you set me is where I must remain until you come for me.
He was so not comfortable with that.
“Okay, well, where would you like to- um… sit?”
At her request he positioned her against a moss-covered log, with the Amazons swearing many oaths of gratitude.
The last thing he saw before ducking back into their tent was a crowd of eager warriors seating themselves around the fire-lit shield, like children waiting for an elder to tell them a story.
And indeed, at nearly eleven hundred years old, Volka was about as ‘eld’ as one could get.