Chapter 14: “You can do better than that.”

Dandi huffed, her hands on her hips as Zayne struggled to stand. She had pushed all the air out of his lungs flinging him backward, while Einar whittled a stick to nothing, and Munnin mocked him from a high branch.

Since being here, he had learned a few things that he had few limitations, being half norn and seior.

Dandi had explained that his only restraint was what fell into the hands of fate. Meaning he couldn’t drastically alter anything. He couldn’t go backward or forwards into time or stop time itself. He couldn’t reverse death or completely alter reality. It was as if fate was a pond full of vibrant fish, he couldn’t add or take away water, but he could change the temperature, color, and current. He couldn’t change the fact it was a pond or had fish, but he could persuade the fish to gather one way or another. But couldn’t change the fact they were fish. The fates were what controlled the beasts of the old world. Norns worked for the fates, created to do what they could not, to Zayne’s understanding they were not tangible, just the judge juror, and executioner to keep things level on earth.

“Again,” Dandi said barely moving her wrist, Zayne flexed and tried to build his barrier before being flown backward. Her energy was like ice, making his muscles bunch painfully, punching the ground Zayne ground his teeth.

“Baby boy has such a temper” Munnin crooned laughing as Zayne stood only to be pushed back again.

“Fuck this!” Zayne spit a burst of energy escaping him, he tried to pull back, but Dandi just brushed it away with ease.

“You are always so in your head.” she laughed pulling her hair off her neck.

“Cause he’s a bitch,” Munnin called

“Come on then!” Zayne called up at him raising his arms, “You talk a lot of shit for someone who is always up in the fucking tree!” Munnin grinned at this, dropping down effortlessly.

Dandi sighed and waved them off, joining Einar on the ground gesturing for them to continue, “Go ahead, you need to burn some physical energy. Your morning runs aren’t doing enough.” Laying back she rested her head in Einar’s lap, while he continued to whittle a new stick.

Zayne stared at them for a moment only to be blindsided by Munnin’s fist colliding with his eye. Zayne immediately went to his fighting stance dodging the second blow bouncing slightly as he kicked at Munnin’s ribs.

The man took the hit to grab his leg, swinging Zayne into a nearby tree. Zayne groaned rolling out of the way before Munnin stomped down on his face, grinning wildly down at him.

Getting to his feet quickly Zayne and him went back and forth exchanging hits before Zayne headbutted Munnin hard enough between the eyes, the glint of fun left the man’s face.

Zayne did not have the super strength to pick the man up and swing him, but he did suddenly feel synchronized energy around him, pressing in on his skin. Rather than it swarming in different choruses, he found what he wanted. Heat.

Focusing his breathing, exhaling the air turning hot, the plants around them steaming as the moisture evaporated off the thick leaves. Moss browned drying, Munnin instantly sweating, panting slightly as he dodged Zayne’s blows, finally landing one on his cheek. They stumbled back from each other panting Munnin glared at his burned knuckles, Zayne stared incredulously as Munnin’s eyes turned fully black, his form twisting until he was now a black raven. Zayne shouted covering his eyes as his sharp talons went for them. Switching from man to bird, punches, and kicks, talons, and beak pounding on Zayne’s forearms making it almost impossible to see to defend himself.

“Enough!” Zayne put his hands out the raven cawing loudly feathers flying in all directions, the bird disappearing in the brush.

Dandi stood waving her arm, Munnin’s body appearing, she laughed as he panted, small burns covering his arms.

Einar stood too circling Zayne, an expression of curiosity on his face. Zayne watching him, breathless, feeling fatigued now, “You’ve been trained, yeah?” He said in his strange accent, Zayne nodded following as the man circled closer and closer.

“Go easy on him,” Dandi said her back to them as she helped Munnin up, the man spitting blood, “Little bitch,” he spits his tooth next.

Zayne wondered why Dandi would tell him to go easy on Einar, he had no intention of fighting the man, but soon realized she was talking to Einar.

He made a slight movement as if to attack, so Zayne went to the counter, only to realize he had anticipated it.

Zayne looked around as rain began to fall, sizzling on the trees, steam raising, it cooled the air quickly, wind whipping around them. Einar landed a blow square to Zayne’s chest, he felt his solar plexus crack but the force couldn’t knock him back faster than the man grabbing his throat. He seemed to grow in size, holding Zayne like a rag doll, every kick he tried was easily deferred as if the man knew exactly what he was going to do. Zayne gasped for air, looking into the man’s dark brown eyes, he looked back at him with keen interest. As if he was waiting for Zayne to surprise him, when Zayne’s vision began to go black, he dropped him. His expression bored. “Munnin is easy to beat. Don’t get a big head from it.” Einar said walking away from him, the rain slowly dying down. Zayne gasped for breath rolling to his back, seeing stars, writhing as the pain from his chest leaked everywhere.

“I wasn’t,” he tried to gasp, but the words wouldn’t come out.

Dandi stood over him with her hands on her hips a small smile on her face, “Munnin is his best friend. Doesn’t like it when the shit gets kicked out of him.” She twitched her finger and the pain disappeared with his next breath. The rain stopped and the forest around them returned to its previous tranquil state. Lacing her fingers behind her head she sighed closing her eyes, “Back to the drawing board then.”

“Runes?” Zayne sighed watching Einar pull out bottles of ink, a small hammer, and a sharp object. He rubbed his bare scalp, not used to his hair being so short. They had shaved it his first night there, talking about hair being the extension of the body, like an antenna. For him to have it so long was too much stimulation with him being so new to his abilities.

Now he was being made to lay down on the table without his shirt, while Einar tapped markings into his skin slowly.

“They are an old method. I don’t really know what abilities you have honestly. But my brother, your father, had to have them. Control was never his strong suit. And today what you did with the heat? Was his signature thing.” Dandi worked on his other arm while Munnin peeled an orange at his head, watching him with a muted expression. Zayne respected that the man did not avoid him, it had been a good fight, and he suddenly wasn’t so annoyed to be in his presence.

If it had been hand to hand no abilities were used, Zayne would have lost. And Zayne had told Munnin that when he shook his hand earlier that day. Munnin has not spoken since just watched Zayne closely as if trying to figure him out.

He laid there for what seemed like hours, unable to move, if he did, they would both simultaneously grip him tight and jab harder. His back and head ached, his stomach growled, and his patience grew thin.

“What are they even for, how do they help.” He asked unable to mask his frustration. Munnin’s voice carried down from the loft, “Rune’s hold power. They are symbols that can only be made by people who can transfer their power into items. The rune is like a container.”

“Correct,” Einar said working on the back of Zayne’s hand,

“Why so many?” Zayne glanced down at Dandi who worked at his forearm, her work slower than Einar’s. The symbols were beautiful, he couldn’t deny that, but he wasn’t sure how he felt about their permanence.

“Looks badass,” Dandi said simply, making Zayne go to sit up, but Einar held firm to his arm giving him a sideways warning glance.

“She does your right hand, your dominant hand, focus, clarity, foresight. Things you could do if you would just pay attention. It is her specialty. Your left hand, your weakest limb, strength, control, precision, and most importantly patience.” Einar tapped as he spoke, his words quiet as he focused on his task.

“Your specialties?” Zayne said looking down at the man's quick but detailed lines.

“Goes without saying,” Dandi said with a small smile, “It seems like a silly concept, but runes do hold power, and these will help. We’ve been at this for months Zayne.” She dipped her tip in ink going back to it, “Nothing else was working.”

Zayne turned and looked at the ceiling silently agreeing with her.