#rikke ymir

[kathrynalicemc]

A/N: Sorry this is kinda late today! I was busy and totally forgot it was Valhalla Thursday 😂 IM SO EXCITED FOR THIS ONE!!! Here comes a big lore drop!

Characters: Dafne Arcano, Dayamanti Arcano, Dielle Arcano, Merla Varangr, Mjöll Ymir, and Rikke Ymir

Warnings: None

Song: The Lonely Mountain

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Chapter 5: The Gifted Three

“Hey, wake up,” Dafne whispered as she shook her sleeping companions. “C’mon. We are going to enter that mountain, no matter what. I don’t care what Rikke says.”

“Just give it up, Daf,” Dayamanti groaned and rolled over, pulling the furs back up.

“Fine. You can go home if you want. I didn’t want your help anyway. But I’m going,” she hissed quietly and then started to pack up her things as quietly as she could.

Dayamanti was quiet for a moment, but reluctantly got up too after seeing Dielle and Merla follow Dafne.

“Why must you two always be such a headache? Stubborn Arcano pride,” she muttered more to herself and unceremoniously started to shove her bedroll back into her bag.

A noise at the threshold to Rikke and Mjöll’s bedroom made the girls jump, thinking it was Rikke. Instead, they saw Mjöll tip toe out of the room and quietly latch the door behind her. She was already wearing full leather armor and a heavy cloak with a bag thrown over her shoulder.

“Oh good, you haven’t left yet. Please let me come with you! I haven’t seen anything but this damn cabin my entire life.”

“How’d you know we would go?” Dayamanti questioned.

“Nobody has ever shown up here. If you’ve come this far, I doubt my mother telling you ‘no’ would be enough to stop you.”

Dafne let out a soft chuckle, but then her smile faded. “Are you sure you can handle this? We could get killed.”

“Being trapped in one place your entire life has its advantages. I had to pass the time somehow, so I learned to fight. Also, I do have the Gift like you guys.”

“What is it! Can you show us?” Dielle excitedly whispered.

“I already have,” Mjöll lifted her head proudly. “I can control the wind and air. That storm you encountered was of my making. It keeps us hidden.”

“Not hidden enough, apparently,” Dayamanti scoffed.

“That’s because I let you in. Don’t tell my mom, but I was curious and wanted to meet you. I’ve never seen anyone else in my whole life.”

“That must be really lonely. I’m sorry, Mjöll,” Dielle approached and laid a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder.

“Thanks.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but we have to get moving. Rikke could wake up any second,” Dafne motioned and they rushed out into the midnight snow.

——

“It’s over here,” Mjöll waved from a ways ahead of the group, the snow around them gently glowing from the conjured orbs of light drifting in the air.

“For centuries, there has been a powerful illusion enchantment upon the mountainside to hide the door. Follow my steps and keep going.”

Mjöll continued walking straight towards the snowy cliffside. She was just about to hit it when Dafne blinked and she was gone. Dafne followed next, breathing deep as the ice and rock got closer and closer. The moment she expected to feel ice and snow meet her face, she instead felt a warm energy as she passed through it.

A laugh escaped her lips and joined the laughter of the other girls. They were now in a small cave with the biggest set of doors they had ever seen. Nearly 20 feet tall, the doors were carved out of solid stone. Upon it was a large tree, its branches and roots spreading out at the base and the top of the door. In the space between was three carvings of shields, each one displaying the family crest of the Gifted Three.

On the right was the Varangr crest that consisted of various runes around the outside with a large animal paw print right in the center. Dafne had seen this crest a few times in her life, but not very often.

The left side of the door had a crest that Dafne was very familiar with. As with the Varangr crest, it also had runes around the outside. Dafne read them again, as she did every time she saw it after learning to read Nordic runes. “The brave shall live forever in the halls of Valhalla.” In the center of their crest was a vegvisir, a symbol used for navigation which also meant guidance and protection. Her grandfather Alatar always used to tell her that Norse magic originated from runes. This was the Arcano family crest.

In the center of the door rested a crest that Dafne had never seen. She guessed that this was the crest of the Ymir family. It had, yet again, the same carved runes and decoration around the outside of the circular shield. The center of this crest contained a smaller version of the same tree that was carved upon the door it rested on.

To each side of the doors, the walls of the cave were decorated with elaborate carvings and runes. At a glance, most of the carvings depicted fierce Viking warriors and what she guessed to be the Valkyrie Guard.

Above the door were the biggest runes of all of the writing.

ᛏᚼᛁ ᚴᚱᛅᛏ ᚢᛁᛋᛅᚱᛏ ᚴᛁᛏᛁ ᚬᚠ ᚢᛅᛚᚼᛅᛚᛚᛅ

“The Great Wizard City of Valhalla,” Dafne translated instantly, a shiver going up her spine as she finally said those words out loud.

Dafne started to move, as if her feet had a mind of their own. She stood in front of the massive doors, her hand instinctively reaching up to touch the Arcano crest. The stone beneath her hand was freezing, but she didn’t mind. All she could think of was Iolanthe. She too once stood at these doors. How could she witness something like this and not tell her family about it? Even with her promise not to publish her research, she never even told her family the truth about it. A piece of their history has been missing for centuries. It was time they reclaimed it.

“So, how do you expect us to open it?” Dayamanti sighed. “If our ancestor couldn’t manage it with all her magic, I doubt you could.”

Dafne turned around with a scowl, her mouth opening to tell off her sister but closing when she saw Rikke standing in the entrance holding up a lantern.

“Step away from the door,” Rikke demanded with a hiss. “I did not give you permission to see it. I granted you shelter, but you have broken that trust. You need to leave. Now.”

“You have no right to forbid us from it. It’s our birthright too!” shouted Dayamanti.

“I have sacrificed my whole life to remain here to guard it. Just as my mother did, and her mother before her, and countless more of my ancestors going back centuries! I have the only claim!”

“I don’t want that life, mother!” Mjöll suddenly shouted back. “We are the only ones left. Even father left us. It’s not worth it! I want to see the world!”

Rikke turned to Mjöll, the anger upon her face changed to shock as a silence stretched on. Dayamanti slowly reached towards the hilt of her greatsword.

“How long is this going to go on, Rikke,” Dafne called out. “Eventually, whether it be days, months, or years, your line will end here. Mjöll will not stay.”

“Will you take my own daughter from me?!” Rikke hissed back indignantly in response, anger returning to her face.

“Whether I go or not will be my choice. But if you make them leave now, I’m going with them. You can’t keep me here!”

“Mjöll, we cannot let them unseal it and release the-“

“-the evil within,” Dayamanti mocked. “Yes, we get it.”

“Your family's sense of honor and duty has curdled into cowardice,” Dayamanti’s grip tightened on the sword's hilt. “We can do this the easy way, or you can die here doing your duty.”

Rikke’s eyes darted around, inspecting each one of them as if sizing up their skill and willingness to fight.

“Please, mother!” Mjöll pleaded. “..don’t make me fight you,” she whispered with tears in her eyes. Dirt started to kick up and swirl at Mjölls feet as her eyes flashed with gold light.

“We can do this,” Dafne breathed. “It’s time for your family to be free.”

Tension filled the uneasy silence as it stretched on. The lantern light flickered upon the walls, sending shadows of Valkyries and swords dancing across the cave. Dafne’s heartbeat hammered in her chest, but she stood her ground. Keeping her gaze locked upon Rikke, she tried to keep her expression confident and not let the fear show.

Rikke’s eyes passed over each girl. She took in the white hair of Dayamanti, Dafne, and Dielle. Her eyes just barely noticed the edge of Merla’s birthmark on her chest peeking out from her furs. Lastly, she turned to her own daughter who’s eyes glowed with the golden color of the sun. It was at that moment that she truly realized that the Gifted Three had finally converged again for the first time in centuries.

“She never would have been able to open it anyway, even if Ran told her how,” Rikke relented with a quiet whisper, the tension in her body melting away.

“Iolanthe?” Dafne probed and Rikke nodded.

“This secret has been passed down through the generations. It’s true, even I have had the temptation to open the city cross my mind more than once.”

Rikke turned to Dayamanti, “What you mistaken for cowardice is simply the inability. At one point in my youth I might have done it myself, as I’m sure countless Ymir ancestors before me would have too. If I wasn’t lacking the missing pieces, of course.”

“What are the missing pieces?” Dafne inquired.

“You are,” Rikke answered with a stare that sent shivers down Dafnes spine. The stare then shifted and landed on Merla and then Mjöll. “All of you.”

Seeing their confusion, Rikke sighed deeply before starting her story.

“Ever since that day the city was lost, the Three broke their familial bonds and scattered. A great argument started between them, as each family blamed the others for what had happened. For you see, rumors had started to spread beforehand about unrest among some of the male members of each family. They believed it was unfair that only the women could inherit the Gift.”

“So, the Arcanos and the Varangrs disappeared into Norway to find their own separate destinies. The Ymirs stayed and vowed to guard the city forever, for we knew the truth. It was a Ymir who performed the ritual. My ancestors felt that it was our duty to keep the evil contained so we could pay for the sins of our family. All those people were lost because of one of us.”

“What does that have to do with us specifically?” Dayamanti scowled.

“It is actually fortunate that Iolanthe completed her expedition, even if it didn’t reward her and her team with the knowledge they sought. A man on the team named Elidon Greyloc would end up returning to the mountain alone some months later, for he had fallen in love with my ancestor Ran, and her with him. He is the reason my daughter and I exist today, for without him Ran wouldn’t have had kids.”

“Many puzzle pieces had to fall in just the right ways to get us here today. The feud between the Arcanos and the Varangrs had to end and the Ymir line had to survive. For only the blood of the Three together can open the door,” Rikke finished with a glance to the three crests on the door behind them.

“What do we have to do?” the words barely a whisper as they left Dafne.

“Simply make a cut on your hand and place it upon your respective family crest.”

“Well there is only one Varangr and one Ymir here. But who will do the Arcano one?” Mjöll inquired out loud.

“Daf, you should do it,” Dielle suddenly spoke up. “It means the most to you, so you should have the honor.“

“Alright, if you are sure,” Dafne replied with a glance to Dayamanti who gave a nod of encouragement.

“You can come with us, you know,” Dafne suddenly turned back to Rikke.

“I’m sorry, but I think my youthful vigor days are behind me. Truth be told, I cannot say for certain what exactly you will find in there. But please, make sure my daughter comes back safe,” she finished, her hand resting on Dafne’s shoulder.

“I promise.”

With a deep breath, the three of them made a small cut on their palm and walked up to the door. Glancing at each other, they nodded and placed their hands upon their own family crest at the same time.

A few seconds passed and Dafne felt the stone beneath her hand steadily grow warmer. A burst of light lit up the small cave as a brilliant white energy gathered at the base of the tree's roots. The group watched in astonishment as it climbed up the roots and then converged at the trunk. Within seconds, the light then split off again, following the branches upwards.

The moment the light touched the top of the door, a deep resonant clunk echoed out from within. The large stone doors shuttered, dirt and dust falling off and swirling in the air. With the sound of loud scraping of stone and the rush of stale air, they slowly opened inwards to reveal an inky black void of darkness.

For the first time in over a thousand years, the Valkyries returned home just as the sun started to rise over the horizon.

[kathrynalicemc]

A/N: Behold! The next chapter finally after like 3 months oops. There shouldn’t be any more hiatuses until the end of the series as it should end before summer break ends. Unsure if I’ll do weekly or every second week. Also this is a fun date because June 1st was the day Iolanthe left to go on her expedition! This one is short but the next chapters in succession are JUICY!

Warnings: None

Characters: Dafne Arcano, Iolanthe Arcano, Elidon Greyloc, Eli Cairncross @cursebreakerfarrier, Rex Brokenshire, Asa Brokenshire, Zelda Cairncross, Leo Cairncross, Agnes Malinda, and Irene Quinn @gaygryffindorgal

Song: All is Found - Frozen

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Chapter 4: The Expedition of 1928

Dafne laid with her back up against the log wall in a pile of furs and blankets. They had been given a place to sleep on the floor near the fire and the rest of her group laid beside her as they tried to sleep.

Dafne, however, couldn’t sleep. Stubbornness and rage quietly boiled within her. There was no way she was going to let Rikke stop them after they’ve come so far.

Additionally, one thing still troubled her. The lack of information in Iolanthes journal made no sense. She absentmindedly flipped through the pages of the journal as the firelight flickered across the room.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. Producing her wand from her bag, she gently tapped it against the pages.

“Revelio”

Starting from the tip of her wand and spreading outwards, black elegant writing faded into existence. It had no chronologically dated heading and was less formal than the earlier entries.

Dafne gasped softly and then smiled. Of course something as simple as a revelio charm was all that was hiding the rest of the journal. With a family like theirs, not many people would think of using magic. The Arcanos tended to be more viking than wizard nowadays.

If you are reading this, I hope these words have been found by someone worthy to continue my journey. The truth about the Expedition of 1928 is that we did find the Lost City of Valhalla. However, on the first day of our arrival we were met with a small cabin upon the mountainside. The only inhabitant was a woman who introduced herself as Ran Ymir.

Obviously, this woman is all that is left of the mysterious missing third family that originated with the Arcano and Varangr families. She explained to us that her duty was to guard the city and never unseal it. This, of course, led to a very big argument with both parties. Ran was very insistent and refused us at every turn. However, she did relent and allowed us to explore and record everything about the front gates.

If only everyone could see what we did. History about centuries past was right before our eyes! All I could think about was how I touched carvings that were once carved and touched by someone else who lived in ages past. Oh the stories they could tell!

We spent the next week studying the ruins carved around the sealed door. Eli, Rex, Asa, Zelda, and Leo particularly enjoyed themselves as they translated runes (with my help of course) and recorded sketches in their own journals.

Irene and Agnes had their sights set elsewhere, however. They took it upon themselves to continue the fight with Ran. Being an investigator and a journalist, they used all their wiles and charm to try to persuade her. When that failed, they started to return to arguments and shouting, which I then had to smooth over.

As for myself, I spent the week trying every enchantment and counter charm I could think of to try to break the seal on the door myself. When all of them inevitably failed, I even resorted to spell creation and experimentation. I’ve had my fair experience in spell crafting. It can often turn dangerous for those who don’t know what they are doing. I threw everything I had at it and it still wouldn’t budge. What I wouldn’t give to meet these ancient viking wizards who could conjure up such magic powerful enough to defeat me, the youngest Magiens Mester in history. Even Elidon, my Second in Command, couldn’t affect it with his magic. Although, I suspect his heart wasn’t in it as I noticed he was quite taken by Ran. She too also must have felt the same as I often caught her looking his way. Our failure just drives me more to want to enter the city. Imagine the knowledge we could gain if only we could access their library.

Eventually, we reached a point that we could no longer gain any more useful information from the front gates or from Ran Ymir. With a sad heart, I decided to call it. I am regretful that I couldn’t give my team any more secrets to explore and uncover, as I promised them.

Before we left, Ran pulled me aside and pleaded with me to promise to not reveal this discovery to the public. Everything we wrote about had to be hidden and put away, never to see the light of day. I argued against it, but ultimately we didn’t find anything of worth. Failing in finding a mythical city would sound better than finding it and failing to open a simple door. Thus, I forbade the entire team from publishing anything we had found. Agnes and Irene argued heavily against this, but eventually agreed that our discovery was sparse anyway. I felt bad about dragging my team across Norway for a month and having them return with nothing so I paid them all double of what was promised.

And so, the Expedition of 1928 concluded. We boarded the Empyrean and took off once again into the sky and returned home. I have no doubt that I will think about that city for the rest of my life. I will never stop experimenting with counterspells so that one day I can return and reclaim what was once ours.

I now speak directly to whomever reads this journal. If you have the drive to seek out this journal and the city, I wish you luck. I doubt that I will be living, but I hope that I am. I hope to see the day that someone can take up my legacy and succeed where I did not. Our ancestors are smiling down at us and their stories deserve to be told.

Yours in time,

Iolanthe Arcano, Magiens Mester

Her elegant looping signature marked the end of the message. Dafne trailed her finger along the long written ink stained page that held her signature. She had never met her great great grandmother Iolanthe, although she was alive briefly when Dafne herself was just a baby. It occurred to her then that her uncle Kaari must have known her, and maybe even heard some of her stories. Passing stories down from ancestor to ancestor was a beloved practice of her family.

Flipping through the rest of the pages, she frantically searched for anything else from Iolanthe that could help her. There were no more words, however the rest of the journal was filled with rough sketches of carvings, translations of runes, and magical alchemical formulas of spell creation.

Dafne looked up from her journal and stared into the dancing flames within the hearth across the room and wondered what stories she would eventually tell her descendants.

[kathrynalicemc]

A/N: Even more new ocs! Ive been waiting like a year to finally introduce this plot twist!! Also sorry this is a day late, I totally forgot!! Reminder again that next chapter will be in 2 weeks

Warnings: None for now?

Characters: Dafne Arcano, Dayamanti Arcano, Dielle Arcano, Merla Varangr, Rikke Ymir, and Mjöll Ymir

Song: Show Yourself from Frozen

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Chapter 3: Whispers on the Wind

“Do you even know how to wield that thing?” The voice of Dayamanti pierced the air, loud enough to be heard over the crashing of ice and waves against the hull.

Dafne followed Dayamanti’s gaze to the greatsword tucked into her bag.

“Not really. I was never interested in uncle Kaari’s combat training. However, I thought it would be better suited in your hands.”

Dayamanti blinked hard in surprise, “Me? I do have a sword, may I remind you. I made it myself.”

“Well, Dielle has her bow. So if you want the sword, it’s yours. Nobody else could wield it.”

Hesitantly, Dayamanti wandered over and carefully withdrew the blade. It was a two handed greatsword. The hilt was wrapped in old leather and dried blood was caked on the tip of the blade. She entered her stance and gave it a few twirls in the air, the steel ringing out as it cut through the freezing air.

“Where did you even get this? It looks ancient. Not bad though,” Dayamanti remarked.

“It once belonged to one of our ancestors. I think her name was Unni.”

“You robbed her grave?” she questioned with a tone of surprise, a small smile curling up, “I didn’t know you had it in you, Daf.”

Dafne didn’t answer, instead she just stared at the blood belonging to her on the blade. Her thoughts wandered back to that day in the catacombs.

“Hah! Sigur, look at this!” Rond boasted as he swished the sword around in the air, albeit rather clumsily.

“Will you put that thing down? You are going to kill somebody with that thing!” Sigur whined as she got out of the way.

He ignored her plea and instead replied, “Your family is hardcore, Arcano. I wonder what happened to you?”

“Drop it, now. That belongs to my ancestor. You have no right to wield it!” Dafne fired back, now stepping towards the boy in rage.

“Hmm...nah. I think I’ll hold on to this. Why should it lay down here for eternity? Besides, you are too weak to wield it yourself. How does it feel being the disgrace of the family?”

The last thing to cross her mind was the feeling of cold steel against her face and the rush of hot blood.

“What about you, Merla?” Dielle asked with a smile.

“I have Egyja, of course,” Merla replied, stroking the feathers under her beak as she perched on the side of the ship.

“That bird can fight?” Dayamanti scoffed.

“Mainly I just use her to scout ahead during hunts with my family. They are the ones that actually kill the animals. However, Egyja can be a distraction.”

“You came willing to fight a city of the dead with a bird?” Dayamanti shot back.

“There is more to a fight than just power. When you are out in the wilderness, sometimes stealth is better. In extreme cases, the best course of action is to stay out of danger completely,” Merla narrowed her eyes angrily.

“Alright you two, we are nearly there,” Dafne interrupted with a glance towards the growing Norwegian shore ahead of them.

Dayamanti and Merla exchanged glares.

“Fine. But don’t expect us to worry about you. We will have enough trouble keeping ourselves alive.”

“Fine by me. I don’t need your protection.”

——

A few hours later they had started their journey on land. It would take them a few days on foot so they made sure to bring enough supplies to camp, including their tent. The days passed quietly, an uneasy silence growing between the two parties. Merla maintained a distance as the three sisters spent the time talking.

They were nearing their destination when thick clouds started to billow and grow on the horizon. Within a few hours, gentle snowfall gradually started to build until it came down in thick sheets. Their vision was all but obscured and the wind bit at their faces. The four of them produced some rope from their bags and tied themselves together on a long leash in an effort to not lose each other in the storm. The snow was almost up to their knees by the time the group started to protest.

“Hey Daf! I think we should stop and find shelter!” Dayamanti hollered over the raging snow.

“Please, Dafne! We will freeze to death soon!” Echoed Dielle.

“She’s right. Just look at Merla!” yelled Dayamanti.

Dielle had her arm wrapped around Merla’s shoulder in an effort to guide her. Egyja was perched on her shoulder, her feathers being ruffled by the intense wind. Her claws were buried deep within Merla’s fur coat, a protest against the wind.

“It must be nightfall by now! C’mon Daf!”

Dafne barely looked back, however. Instead, her head was tilted upwards and her hood was pulled down.

“Do you guys hear that?” she practically whispered, the words being swallowed by the storm.

“What did you say?!”

“CAN YOU HEAR THAT?” she yelled.

“HEAR WHAT?”

“I DON’T HEAR ANYTHING!”

“...It almost sounds like voices,” Dafne murmured quietly, mostly to herself.

She kept walking for a while, following the voices and ignoring the pleas behind her.

“Hello?” Dafne tentatively called out.

“HELLO?! IS ANYONE THERE?” she called out again, louder this time.

A strong gust suddenly blew and nearly ripped her fur cloak away from her. Stumbling, Dafne fell over, her knees and hands plunging into the deep bitter cold snow. Her Gift allowed her to have resistance to the cold, but even now she had to admit she was freezing. She could only imagine what the others were feeling.

“Please,” she pleaded quietly to the sky, “Help us.”

Dafne blinked the snow out of her eyes and watched as suddenly the sky changed. Little by little, the snow relented and the clouds started to part, revealing an inky black sky pierced by the brilliant blue and green colors of the Aurora Borealis. Under it rose the sharp peaks of a mountain range.

With a gasp, Dafne realized it was identical to the one in her dream. She had found it.

A second later, she noticed what was directly in front of her. A couple feet away stood a small cabin. A flickering warm glow poured from the windows, coating the surrounding snow in golden light like honey.

With a glance backwards at the others, the four girls approached the door and knocked.

Moments later, the door opened and a rush of warmth blanketed them, revealing an older woman who was smiling gently with one golden eye.

——

“Who are you? What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?” Dafne questioned once they were safely inside the cabin.

Firelight flickered against the wood log walls and cast shadows around the darkened room. The four of them stood next to the fireplace, shivering slightly as the snow upon their cloaks began to melt in the heat.

“I could say the same to you,” the golden eyed woman mused from her position at the table.

Also seated at the table was a girl around their age. She had fiery ginger hair that hung down to her waist. One of her eyes was gold also. Unlike the other woman, the girl was smiling brightly and studying each of them in rapture.

“My name is Dafne Arcano. These are my sisters Dayamanti and Dielle. This is Merla Varangr,” she replied, gesturing to each in turn.

The woman’s face seemed to react at the mention of their names.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Rikke Ymir and this is my daughter, Mjöll.”

“Where do you guys live?” Mjöll suddenly spoke up.

“Uh, well we are from a place called Skalafell and Merla is from Svalbard,” Dafne answered.

“Is that in Norway?” she asked again and then before Dafne could answer she spoke again, “How far away? How did you guys get here?”

“Mjöll, that’s enough,” her mother Rikke interrupted.

“I’m sure our guests are tired from their long journey. They don’t want to be interrogated with questions. In fact, I believe they might have some questions of their own.”

The girls exchanged glances at each other and then stared at Dafne expectantly.

“Am I right in assuming this mountain is home to the Lost City of Valhalla?” Dafne stepped forward, her gaze serious.

Rikke returned the gaze for a few seconds. Only the crackling of the fire could be heard in the silence. Then, with a heavy sigh, Rikke got up and crossed over the small room to the kitchen. A few seconds later she returned, placing tankards onto the table that steamed gently.

“Why don’t you four sit down?”

Hesitating for a moment, the girls approached the table and sat down, instantly sipping the hot liquid in an effort to warm up. Dafne, however, remained standing with her arms crossed.

“I know who you are,” Rikke said quietly, “The Arcanos and Varangrs are two of the Gifted Three families who once lived in the city.”

“Yes, and the third family is suspected to be extinct. But I guess we know that to be wrong now,” Dafne answered, her eyes narrowing.

“You’re clever. Yes, the Ymir family is the third.”

“You’re guarding the city. What for? The stories all say it was sealed up magically by the remaining Valkyries.”

“We aren’t keeping things inside. We are keeping them out. As I suspect you would like to enter the city.”

“Yes, we do-”

“I cannot allow you to unseal it.”

“Why?”

“I apologize but you cannot seriously believe that four young girls can defeat the evil within.”

“Five. I’ll go with them!” Mjöll interrupted.

“No. It is out of the question. We’ve talked about this, Mjöll.”

“But mother-“

“I said no,” Rikke hissed.

The crackling silence returned as the six of them glanced around at each other, daring someone to break the tension.

“You aren’t the first to ask this of us, you know,” Rikke finally spoke.

“You’re talking about my great grandma Iolanthe, aren’t you.”

“I never met her, but the story has been passed down to me. In 1928, Iolanthe Arcano arrived at the mountain with an expedition team. They claimed to want to study the city and reclaim lost knowledge. My ancestor Ran told them the same thing I’ll tell you. We cannot risk unsealing the city and releasing the evil within.”

“So, your entire family has been living in solitude away from the world for centuries? All to keep people from trying to destroy this evil forever?”

“Yes.”

“Coward,” Dayamanti muttered into her cup.

“You’ve really never seen the outside world?” Dielle asked with a frown, “Either of you?”

“I have indulged you long enough. That is all I have to say. You are welcome to stay the night, but I expect you to leave in the morning,” Rikke suddenly stood up, her hands resting on the table.