.2

Dear readers, please make sure you've read part 1 first,, this will make absolutely no sense without having read part 1 as it does continue on from exactly where part 1 left off.

Also there's no sex in this one, enjoy.

As they rolled out of the driveway two conversations started up, one in the back between Hazel, Rose and Sara explaining exactly what was going on and one in the front between John and Heather.

"So exactly which way are we going now? This feels a bit weird to just be leaving like this, are you sure there's nothing more to it than this? Can we be sure the demon hasn't moved or isn't going to track us because we've started moving?"

"As far as I'm aware the demon doesn't appear to have moved at all, the best guess is that it's still somewhere in Windsor, ultimately we need to be heading to where the Valkyrie are waiting."

"Valkyrie? Seriously? What's going on here? I thought they were a myth?"

"And I'm sure a week ago you thought genies only existed in children's books," Heather retorted condescendingly, he'd noticed that tone before and couldn't help but wonder how arrogant she'd become over the centuries, if she was as old as she'd implied she'd no doubt seen the problems caused by human stupidity and the solutions that numerous people missed over the ages.

"Wait the Valkyrie are from Norse stories, the name djinn is middle eastern in origin, how are those two existing at the same time?"

"It's a long story however the basic problem most humans have is that they look at the wrong part of a story, the so called "myths" from various cultures are perfectly capable of existing in parallel, there's no conflict there, the conflict is between theories of their origins, i.e. the God or Gods that created them or whatever other celestial beings are accredited with their design and/ or creation."

John nodded.

Heather continued "Also the old Scandanavian trade routes ran along the European rivers and their goods were often sold to the ancient empires like the Hittites and the Egyptians, not to mention various middle eastern rulers using Vikings as mercenaries, there are plenty of plausible reasons as to why those two cultures could have interacted."

"Yeah, I'm aware of the old amber routes, so you're suggesting that's where the vessel came from?"

"It's a possibility, I'd have to look at the vessel to work out it's exact origin."

John made a mental note to try to keep Heather around when this was over, not only was she sexy she was also very knowledgeable about subjects by which he'd always been fascinated, he wasn't keen to lose such a repository of knowledge, not to mention a very pretty woman.

"OK, that makes sense, so are you able to give me anything on which God or Gods do or did exist?"

"Well this demon was originally imprisoned by Woden, and Thor was involved in it's building, Mjolnir is a magical hammer and thus it conveys certain magical properties to whatever it's forging, be it a prison cell, a sword or a monument."

"So the Norse Gods are real?"

"Were, if you remember your classical stories you'll recall that they all died at the battle of Ragnarok, although their magic is still in force in many places and various items of theirs are still to be found if you know where to look."

"OK, this is all very interesting but let's just focus on the task at hand for now, exactly where am I meant to be heading? North right?"

"Yes although not far, as far as I'm aware they're waiting in Slough forest national park, if you follow the road through the middle of it there's a turning off and a track into the woodland, they're waiting in one of the clearings."

"OK," John noted the route, their destination was only a few miles away, it was a large national park sandwiched between the outskirts of London and the various market towns and commuter towns to the west.

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Zarakynal knew exactly where to go now, he knew exactly where the trail was, he was following, soon he'd kill his prey, soon he'd be restored, soon he'd be unstoppable.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

The drive to Slough forest, was a short one, it was surprisingly deserted as they drove towards the middle of the forest and it wasn't long before they started passing various turnings, places where the forestry commission had created tracks so they could get into the denser areas of the woodland for monitoring the forest and generally keeping tabs on what was going on in the park.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

It was down one of these tracks, in a clearing where the valkyrie had stopped and here they waited, with the Einherjar they should be able to defeat the demon but it wouldn't be easy, something Heather hadn't told John and the genies was that he was essentially being used as bait. They didn't like using methods like that but they needed to tackle the demon as soon as possible before his power grew beyond their capacity to combat, so luring him in with the very prey they were meant to be protecting was the best way they could think of on such short notice.

Arnvir had sent a couple of riders to the edge of the forest to watch for the car and shadow them until they were with the main party, Frieda had been sent along with Brynhild, they were both experienced, they were more than capable of holding off the demon should they encounter it, at least long enough for the rest of the unit to join them.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

It would seem odd to many people that the djinn had to travel to earth in their ethereal forms rather than simply magicking themselves into John's life in an instant, why should such powerful creatures in their raw and unchained forms had to somehow have to play by the laws of the universe? But there was something else going on, there was a spell in place preventing their ease of movement.

Under normal circumstances one of the elder djinn would have simply appeared to John, come to him, him for his part in the creation of a new life but this option didn't seem available, they couldn't understand why.

So they had to travel by a different method, instead they (in their unreal forms) did something akin to swimming but in the gaps between worlds and universes, from the starting point of the universe, the source of it all, they swam in the great tides of space, of course they could cross vast distances in a very short space of time, such was their power and they were naturally adept at moving in places where humans could only dream.

The sort of space that existed here was warped and twisted, it didn't operate like space nor like a sea, more a strange amalgamation of the two, roiling tides of colourful unreality moved in strange patterns, meanders of stars and light and celestial bodies were the navigational systems of all the great beings who dwelt here and moved through it, this was not a place where humans could exist, nor should they try, for to look upon it with the naked eye was to instantly send oneself insane, things existed here that shouldn't, souls were set aflame, power was created but also life was destroyed, the place was immaterial and reality all in one.

So this was the way they had to travel, it was why so many of them were coming, that something was preventing them from moving with their normal ease was indicative of something malevolent working in the background.

But their journey was nearing it's end, they were closing fast on Earth and soon they'd be able to reveal themselves to this human, and to offer him their reward.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Heather indicated the turning up ahead, it was a left turning onto a barely recognizable dirt track, had Heather not pointed it out John could well have missed it altogether.

He slowed, getting ready to turn, he started to turn the wheel, it was halfway through the turn that they were hit.

Something hit them hard, the car rolled, going over and onto it's roof, rolling over again, back onto it's wheels and finally it rolled onto it's side and came to rest in the ditch beside the road, the chassis was buckled, the driver side door was caved in, the windscreen was shattered and the front axle had broken at the left hand end, the front left wheel was hanging onto the car by a couple of very loose screws.

And all this happened to a Landrover, he'd bought the car in this exact spec because it was the same spec as used by the British army, it was tough, he'd driven it off road and through some tough terrain and it had always come through intact, whatever had hit them had done so with such force as to total one of the toughest vehicles John had ever driven.

Inside there were screams, shouts, people were scared, no-one had seen the giant beast charging at them from the right, not the genies, nor Heather and certainly not the two relatively normal humans in the car.

As they regained their senses they realized that the drivers door was jammed and the passenger door was against the ground, they had to get out fast and their weren't many options, trying the right hand passenger door that was jammed also, they had to come up with something.

With John a little dazed and Heather confused, Rose and Hazel took the initiative, Hazel crawled back and managed to open the back door, she reached back and nudged Sara's shoulder, she was still sat there in panic, but as the hand grabbed her shoulder she managed to unbuckle her seat belt and followed Hazel, crawling out the back door.

Rose managed to crawl between the two front seats and kick out the shattered windscreen, as John regained his sense he realized what she was trying to achieve and added his strength to the effort, within a few seconds they'd managed to get the glass out of it's frame, then Rose reached forward to push John out but he stopped her.

He was her first concern, in truth he was her only concern in situations like this, not only was she duty bound to protect him but she loved him too much to put anyone else, including herself before him, but he reached over and pushed Heather out of the car first, before Rose could protest, then he reached back and pulled Rose forward, as she slid between the front seats and into the front passenger seat she looked at him as they both tried to get the other to leave the car first.

"John this is what we're meant to do, now get out of the car, the sooner you're out the sooner you can run, the more time you spend her the less your chances of survival," Rose was insistent, but John was equally so.

"Not a chance, I couldn't live knowing I put myself before the women I love, I am not moving from this car until you get the fuck out of here."

"LISTEN TO ME, you have to get out and run, Hazel and I are able to protect you but you have to work with us."

He didn't like the idea of leaving them behind, he didn't really think about his next action he just grabbed her by the waist and bundled her out the car before she could protest, she was kicking and yelling at him for this but she went out quickly and he followed directly behind, as he was halfway out he heard an almighty roar, blood curdling and feral.

Looking to his right he saw a great beast rising up above him, it looked like it had charged on all fours but was capable of moving on two legs as well, huge horns like those of a buffalo but vastly more pronounced stuck out in a wide halo from it's head, and another like a rhino's horn from the extended snout, the snout was connected to an equally elongated jawline and the maw was filled with vicious canine teeth. The thing's skin had a scaly, slick texture and it's breath reeked of death, there was no other way to describe the stench, it's front legs had huge claws, opposable and dexterous similar to a human hand but sharp, black and terrible. It's hind legs were coiled, shaped similar to a leopard, but muscular like the legs of a bull, ending in great paws, it's tail was sharp and pointed, the way one might imagine the devil's and it was prehensile, along the beast's back was a line of spines.

John froze as his eyes met the huge black pits, eight of them, the eyes bored into his mind, or tried to, he felt something pushing against his mentality, something trying to invade his conscious thought, but he wouldn't allow it, spurring himself into action he crawled the rest of the way out of the car but he didn't get beyond the bonnet.

A great arm swung down and knocked the landrover flying, John had been clinging to the bonnet but had launched himself off at the last second, landing a few metres away (the new strength in his new muscular legs really showing for the first time), he rolled as his momentum carried him forward further.

The women were standing watching, the genie's started forwards to intervene, hoping to do their duty but Valkyrie were quicker. Two great horses thundered past the group of ladies and one rider instantly hurled her spear into the monster's side, it was a split second decision but they had to get its attention and draw it away from John.

The spear punctured the demon's flank as it was going for John, he managed to duck out the way but now there was a demon between him and the rest of the group, but the Valkyrie were quick and got busy harassing the demon, using hit-and-run blows to keep it distracted.

As the demon spun on it's haunches John noticed the riders, he also noticed the long spear stuck in it's side, the wound wasn't causing it any real issues at all, he then saw between it's legs the cloud of dust being kicked up as another column of warriors charged, he stood fast, he realized that if he could keep the demon focussed on him for the next ten seconds the Valkyrie would have the benefit of surprise and an opening to the back of the beast, that had to count for something.

Across the road the genies made another attempt to get to their master but again a column of riders got in their way, they had to move in another way, Hazel started to move around the outside of the fight, the melee was erupting in the middle of the road but she had to get to John.

Rose was thinking of something far more direct, a magical burst of speed to dive between the demons legs, primarily because she could see what John was doing and Hazel from her perspective had horses in the way.

As the Valkyrie were charging out of the woods John ran at the beast, ducking a swing and jinking to avoid a downward blow, ending up inside the demon's reach, well inside, he dived for the spear in the beast's side and managed to grab the haft.

The demon flinched as the pointed tip was twisted and wrenched from his side, he turned and swung wildly at the puny human who had the audacity to challenge him, his big eyes followed the insolent wretch as it dodged back, towards the side of the road.

The two initial Valkyrie, Frieda and Brynhild were still coming in quickly to slash at the beast before retreating but they saw what John was planning. As the rest of their party came thundering out of the woodland four threw spears that penetrated the beast's back, but it's body and musculature was so thick and brawny that the spear tips, two and half feet long didn't penetrate any major organs, even when embedded deep.

But it got the beast's attention, as it swung around it swept an arm down, the huge clawed fist clobbering one rider, she fell from her horse, the horse was gutted and bleeding to death in the middle of the road but surprisingly the rider was able to stand, she'd lost her spear and went for her sword, slashing as the great arm came down again but this time she wasn't quick enough, the Valkyrie's body was hurled against a tree, her sword dropped at the feet of the demon and those within earshot heard the unmistakeable cracking of numerous bones, her body slumped to the ground broken.

As the beast swung again John saw what else was coming out of the forest, it was almost as big as the beast, it charged with contemptuous ease from the treeline, howling and bellowing in response to the growls and roars emanating from the demon.

Between the demon and the other big thing he saw Rose appear, jinking and dodging between horses, ducking to grab the sword from the felled Valkyrie, and rolling between the beast's legs, slashing at it's ankles.

The beast growled and tried to reach between his legs to grab the genie but she moved too fast, ducking forwards and coming out beside John. She tried to bundle him towards the treeline but he refused to retreat, instead as the beast swung for him again he ducked and thrust the spear into it's hand, pushing it deep. Before he could withdraw the hand was pulled back, he gripped the shaft tighter as the great maw of the beast opened and he was lifted off the ground but as he was looking into the abyss of the demon's open jaws the great einherjar cannoned into the beast from behind, using it's immense weight to throw the demon off balance and causing it to turn abruptly.

The movement flicking John off with far less power than he'd expected and he dropped to the floor, picking up bruises and scrapes but ultimately intact. He was quick to roll onto his front and stand but now he was almost at the centre of the melee, horses were charging around him, some trying to push him away from the beast, the two immense creatures in front of him began a brutal duel, there was nothing graceful about this.

The einherjar was swinging with it's great axes but the demon was moving with surprising agility, something that looks the way this thing did simply should not be able to move like that, the laws of physics shouldn't allow that sort of movement, but it managed, ducking low and launching itself into the einherjar's midriff, taking the great warrior to the ground and flattening two Valkyrie who weren't fast enough to get out of the way. The pair tumbled and rolled, brawling, it looked like a two men beating the crap out of each other outside a pub, except on an epic scale.

John watched as the einherjar struggled, but the demon had fought tactically, by launching itself at the einherjar it had gotten inside the warrior's arc, essentially nullifying the axes, the beast was simply too close for the einherjar to get a meaningful swing at it, instead it had to drop the immense axes and grab the demon in a headlock and wrench it around.

Rolling on top the einherjar managed to slam the demon's head into the ground as a small group of Valkyrie charged past and slashed at the exposed portions of the demon but the beast wasn't concerned with these pinpricks. It managed to kick out, it's immense legs pushing the einherjar off it momentarily, as the beast went to get up the einherjar grabbed it by it's leg and swung it around, hurling, spinning through the air the monster landed heavily thirty metres away, colliding with the remains of the smashed landrover.

As the beast moved to right itself the full complement of Valkyrie charged, spears levelled, but the beast had it's own response to this, moving to all fours and bellowing it began it's own charge, like some monstrous parody of a rhino's charge, but faster, the front half dozen Valkyrie met it head on, they were tossed aside, the beast swung it's head knocking riders flying and goring the beautiful warriors with it's immense horns.

The rest of the column split and flanked it, those that could taking slashing blows but this didn't distract it, it's dark eyes were levelled on the einherjar, it realized that was where the power lay in this defence, it had to take out the einherjar to win.

The great warrior braced himself ready for the impact, he'd didn't have time to retrieve his axes.

As the beast was charging Rose and John had been joined by Hazel and the two genies were desperately trying to get John to run but he refused to move.

The column of Valkyrie had wheeled around now and were coming back in the wake of the beast, the front rider the raven haired Frieda.

John watched as the rider appeared to be lining up to combine her attack with the einherjar's, but no plan survives contact with the enemy.