Chapter 94: A pun, you miss the joke

(Magnus POV)

"Freya?" Percy asked, "You are Blitzen's mom? But you look so much like-"

"Thanks dear but I'm not Aphrodite, I am Freya," Freya spoke with pride. I had no idea who Aphrodite was but Freya seemed to think it was a compliment. "I am the Norse Goddess of Love but also fertility, gold, Alf Seidr, war, and death."

"That's quite a list." Percy said, and I was amazed by the fact he spoke to Freya without flinching or screaming, which was something I wanted to do.

"Sorry," I said, "But you said you were Blitzen's mom?"

Yes, I had my priorities.

Blitzen kicked me in the shin. "Please don't." he said.

Freya continued smiling. "I suppose my son didn't tell you? He's quite modest. Blitzen dear, you look very nice, but could you straighten your collar?"

Blitzen did, muttering under his breath, "Been a little busy running for my life."

"And dear," Freya said, "are you sure about the waistcoat?"

"Yes, Mom," Blitz grumbled, "I'm sure about the waistcoat. Waistcoats are making a comeback."

"Well, I suppose you know best." Freya winked at me. "Blitzen is a genius with fabrics and fashion. The other dwarves don't appreciate his expertise, but I think it's marvelous. He wants to open his own –"

Percy coughed, "How lovely it is to see you two discussing. We got a Ragnarok to take care off."

Freya clapped her hands, "Yes. How amazing. The Greek who tries to stop Ragnarok, that's why the tree brought you here."

I frowned, "Excuse me, but what do you mean?"

One of her cats clawed at a Persian rug, ripping several thousand dollars of weaving into fluff. I tried not to imagine what the cat could do to me, suddenly Rebel jumped out of Percy's arm and began to help to rip the rug.

"Rebel!" Percy cried out but Freya didn't seem to mind. She just smiled at the three cats, ripping the rug together.

It seemed that Rebel liked Freya's cat.

"'So, Lady Freya," I said, "can you help us?"

"Of course!" Freya said, "But more important. Can you help me?"

"Oh, it's one of those quests." Percy muttered under his breath.

I frowned but Freya smiled, nonetheless. "Ah, don't do like that. Trust me, this time we can help each other out."

She turned to me, "Besides, Magnus still needs to learn how to wield the sword."

I skipped a beat, "Wield a sword?"

I guess I still didn't think of the Sword of Summer as mine. I pulled off the pendant, and the blade took shape in my hand. In Freya's presence, it was silent and still like it was playing dead. Maybe it was afraid of cats.

"I haven't had much time to use it," I said. "Just got it back from Ran."

"It's important you learn how to use it." Freya said.

"Actually," I said a bit shameful, "I haven't killed anything with it."

Percy chuckled, "Magnus that sword is not a regular sword."

Freya chuckled, "What Percy says is true. Killing is not one of the least of its powers. Your first task is to befriend the sword. Have you done this?"

I imagined the sword and me sitting side by side in a movie theater, a tub of popcorn between us. I imagined dragging the sword on a leash, taking it for a walk through the park. "How do I befriend a sword?"

"For starters, talk to it." Percy joked, though it did not sound like he was.

"Haha," I said, "Really fun."

"Percy wasn't joking." Freya said with a smile, damit does she ever stop smiling?

"Can't you keep it?"

"Oh, no," she said sadly.

"The sword is already in your hands, Magnus. You summoned it from the river. You have laid claim to it. The best we can hope for is that Sumarbrander, the Sword of Summer, will allow you to use it. Keeping it from Surt is your job now, as long as you manage to stay alive."

"I hate my job."

Blitz elbowed me. "Don't say that, kid. You'll offend the blade."

I looked down at the gleaming runes on the blade. "I'm sorry, long sharp piece of metal. Did that hurt your feelings? Also, if you allow people to wield you, why would you allow an evil fire giant to do so?"

"You're not helping your relationship with the sword." Percy noticed.

"Let's move on." I quickly said. I had no time for relation advice, especially if it was about me befriending a sword.

"You said you need us, mom." Blitzen said reluctantly.

"Exactly, darling. Your quest brought you here. Need speaks strongly when you travel the World Tree. After all, that's how my poor son found himself being a bond servant to Mimir."

"We're not having this discussion again," Blitz said. Freya turned over her lovely hands. "Fine. Moving along. As you well know, the dwarves created the rope Gleipnir, which bound Fenris Wolf …"

"They did?" Percy asked.

"They did," Blitzen said. "Everyone learns that nursery rhyme in kindergarten."

"You know, I don't want to know." Percy said with fear.

"The dwarves will be able to tell you more about how the rope was made and how it might be replaced."

"Yay!" Percy said.

I ignored Percy, "So, how do we actually tie him?"

Freya smiled, again. "The first time,It took three tries and much trickery. Poor Tyr lost his hand. But don't worry. The Wolf will never fall for the hand-in-the-mouth trick again. If it comes to that, you will have to find another way to bind him."

"Wait, Tyr sacrificed his hand?" Percy asked. "How was the wolf so stupid?"

Freya shrugged, "Personally I think it was his hubris. He thought there was no way we could chain him, so he accepted the challenge."

"One puts his hand in the wolf's mouth and another one is allowed to try to chain him." Blitzen said with a bored tone, probably because he knew the kindergarten rhyme.

"Freya, could you please tell us where the wolf is?" Percy asked, giving her his best smile.

"Oh, dear. I know where he is but not how to get to him." Freya said and shot an apologetic smile.

"So what's about this island? Is it magical? Like Delos?"

Frey shook her head, "On Lyngvi – the Isle of Heather." The goddess tapped her chin. "Let's see, today is Thor's Day the sixteenth."

"You mean Thursday?" I asked.

"That's what I said. The island will rise on the full moon six days from now, on the twenty-second, which is Woden's Day."

"Wednesday." Percy corrected her.

" I guess that's enough time for you to do something for me?" She said and shot Percy a demanding look.

Percy frowned, "But you just said we had a deadline."

"Unfortunately, the island's location shifts every year as the branches of Yggdrasil sway in the winds of the void. The dwarves should be able to help you locate it. It's only accessible on the full moon so until then..."

"That's makes no sense. Why trap him on an island where you can only check on him once a year?" Percy argued.

Freya shrugged, "I have no idea what Mimir was thinking when he made those rules."

"Such an airhead." Percy said.

Freya chuckled, "Anyway. Blitzen knows a dwarf who can get you a replacement for Gleipnir."

"Wait, you can't be serious." Blitzen suddenly said. "He hates me."

Freya waved aside his objection. "Oh, he can't possibly. Not after all this time."

"So we better get going then." I said, not wanting to do Freya's side quest but Freya shook her head, like it was the saddest thing in the world to see us leave.

"No, there's something else you need to retrieve."

I frowned, "What?"

Freya leaned closer to us, "Okay, what I'm about to tell you is completely secret and of the record."

"What is it?" Percy asked, a bit excited.

"The Dwarf who has the replacement for Gleipnir also has a weapon."

"A weapon?" I asked a bit skeptical.

Freya nodded, "Yes a weapon, a spear."

"A spear?" Blitzen asked, "What's so special about a spear."

Freya's eyes turned really dark for a moment, "It's a replacement for Gungnir."

"Gungnir?" Blitzen said, then his eyes widened, "Gods almighty."

Freya nodded, though I detected a small satisfied smile on face.

"Wait, what is a Gungnir?" I asked.

"It's Odin's magical spear."

"So?" Percy asked.

"It's Odin's most powerful weapon!" Blitzen said, "When Ragnarok arrives, he will use the spear to take down Fenrir."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "So what is so special about this spear?"

"It never misses it mark." Freya said, "Gungnir is no ordinary spear. It was created by the dwarves, the most skilled smiths in the cosmos. It's a spear that never misses it mark."

"How is that possible?"

Freya's gazed at the distance, "I don't know. Just know that it killed a lot of us, Vanir Gods."

Then she turned to Percy, "Unfortunately," she said it without a flint of remorse, "It's been missing."

Percy chuckled, "No way!"

Freya nodded, "It is."

"This is lit, the never missing spear is missing!" Percy laughed and almost fell to the floor, "Nyx is gonna love this one."

"Not so loud kid!" Blitzen said with fear in his eyes. "If Odin's enemies know it's been missing."

"It would really look bad." Freya agreed, "So that's why Odin needs a replacement, so people won't notice it's been missing."

"How did it end up lost in the first place?" Percy asked after he had recovered. He wiped a tear out of his eyes and tried to look serious.

Freya shrugged, "Heck I don't know nor do I care. Odin ordered a dwarf to make a replacement. Odin himself can't retrieve it without enemies noticing, so he gave me orders to retrieve it."

Freya glanced at Percy, "And that's where you come in place. You can retrieve it for me."

"With all respect," Percy sad, "But wouldn't it be better if you retrieve it. You know, safety and security."

Freya shook her head, "No, Percy, I can't just go shopping in Nidavellir. You know what happened when I bought Brisingamen from the dwarves. Do you want that to happen again?"

"Nope, do I want to know it?"

But it didn't matter, Freya told him anyway. "Every time I go to Nidavellir, I get myself in 's not my fault! The dwarves know my weakness for beautiful jewellery. Believe me, it's much better that I send you."

"Can't you shape shift?" Percy wondered.

Freya frowned, "Why'd you think I can shape shift?"

I guess it was something the Greeks could do. Percy looked very disappointed.

"So, who's the dwarf who has the weapon?" I asked.

"The same dwarf who wants Blitzen dead." Freya said without any worries. "So, better keep going. Goodbye, Magnus and Blitzen."

She smiled at Percy, "And goodbye Percy."

The floor opened beneath us, and we fell into darkness.

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So, the stakes are higher. I decided to give Freya another personality/story arc. In the normal Magnus Chase books she's like a shallow person but I thought, hey. Lets make her more interesting.

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