Atticus & The Blade King: The Adventures Of The Majjai Six, #3

By M.K. Drake

With the Scrolls of the Pharaoh lost to the demons, it is a perilous time for the Realm of Earth. Atticus and the Majjai Six must find a way to defeat Razakel in case he finds a way to activate the Scrolls. So they search for a book to give them the answers they require. However, this book belongs to someone else, someone who has their own motives that benefit only her. 

Majjai kind are under another threat; a Sickness plagues those with Majjai powers. Only a mysterious being known as The Blade King can help restore the balance, but at a cost that may be a risk too far. 

Join our heroes as they encounter the guardian of Helheim, Hel herself, and her father, Loki, on their quest to save the Earth Realm. Journey with them as they encounter legends from Greek, Norse and Mayan mythology, as well as the Dark Majjai, in their mission to protect us from the Demon King, and bring balance back to all living things.

• Language: English
• Publisher: M.K. Drake
• Release date: Dec 23, 2018
• ISBN: 9781393157366

M.K. Drake

Born in Birmingham in the United Kingdom, but living most of his life in the town of Luton. A multi-cultural populace not too far from the capital, London. M.K. Drake grew up as a huge comic book fan. This has influenced his writing style greatly. A love of travel has taken M.K. Drake to many points around the globe, from the East in Singapore, all the way to the West in Seattle. He has a love of the Middle East and North Africa, which is noticeable in some of the locations chosen for his stories. As well as a great respect for the various mythologies that touch so many cultures  (his favourite most definitely being Norse), he also has a great passion about reflecting the diversity he sees every day, and believes strongly that these things that makes us so different, are what makes us all so amazing. Often asked what his motivations were to start writing, his simple reply, "For the love of telling stories. For the joy it brings young minds, creating worlds in their amazing and colourful imaginations. And most importantly, to inspire as many as possible to pick up a pen themselves." And that is probably all you need to know about M.K. Drake, apart from the only things he loves more than writing, are his wife and children. He often muses how some of his story ideas spark into life from the ones he tells his young ones while putting them to bed. One probably needs no greater seal of approval than that.

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Sparks of Hel

Atticus remembers some of the things he read about this river that he, Olof, and Khan find themselves upon. One of the scrolls from the Tomb of Kazmagus mentioned ‘whisperers,’ ghosts, that hissed the word ‘Gjöll’ near the gates of Helheim. It is the name of a river that connects the realm of Earth to the Norse realm of the dead, a realm which belongs to the goddess, Hel.

Olof has heard rumour of a waterway where this name is heard breathing over the lapping waves, and so the trio find themselves here, close to the banks of a large body of water in Norway, a place called Dyrdal.

On Ju Long’s advisement, they brought with them very warm clothes, even after Olof’s own assurances that the weather is mild this time of year. Atticus is especially glad they did so, for he finds the air chilling to the very bone, he remembers making a note to himself to never trust the judgement of warmth from a commander of ice.

The river itself refuses to freeze, even with the air trying to harden the surface with its arctic breath. The frost quickly gives way to the ever so slightly warmer water below, the flow of which breaks any attempt of the ice to form.

The small Pilothouse boat Olof acquired earlier in the day is basic, the motor whines with the stress of trying to navigate against the current, the complaint echoing against the trees of the thick forest that guards most of the banks along this vast river.

They’ve now been on this journey for a few hours, searching for a clue of where they need to head; Atticus wonders how much longer they will search. Olof, buddy, are you sure this is the right part of the river?

Khan sniggers under his breath. How can you doubt this great Norseman Atticus? You’ll anger him enough to turn his blonde hair brown!

Olof ignores his friends’ taunts, concentrating on the river ahead of him, casually flicking his thick, tightly wound, ponytailed hair in a manner forcing its movement to narrowly miss the other two.

Atticus steadies himself before turning to Khan, who is not a fan of this rough journey over the water, evidenced by his clinging to the wooden railings on the rear portside section of the boat. Did you see this note from Kazmagus to Elric?

Khan shakes his head. No, I did not. All Elric told me was that it was received via a portal that woke him when it opened. Kazmagus literally threw it at his head while he was lying in bed, grinned, then closed the opening without a word.

You see. I still do not know about Kazmagus. He has totally cut us off when we need him more than ever. And then shows up with this stunt, Atticus joins Khan in holding on as a wave knocks into the boat violently, sending the bow upwards for a moment before crashing back down. Thanks Olof! I only just persuaded my lunch to stay put on the last wave.

Sorry my friends, Olof replies as he wrestles with the helm. I need to stay close to the banks, though the water here is much more active. If I suspect things to be true, then we are not far.

What things? asks Atticus, curious to find out what Olof knows.

A long time ago there was an accord. A deal between the Greek and Norse gods. The Greeks offered a guardian to protect the gateway to Helheim, if the Norse gods agreed to help them reverse death in Tartarus.

Khan strokes his chin, rustling his light beard. Reverse death? The Greek gods did not have control over their own domain of hell?

Not quite, Olof replies. Hades was quite protective over his province; Hel, on the other hand, is quite open to playing with the boundaries of life and death, as well as crossing souls between them... for a price.

Atticus holds his hand up, beckoning Olof to stop, he can hear a faint voice shouting out over the sounds of the river.

Olof! Over here! Can you hear us?

The trio in the boat look around towards the riverbank, trying to locate the source of the voices.

Olof smiles wryly. Alvaar! Kalle! I see you! One moment brothers!

Atticus peers through the mist generated by the waves crashing on the shore, forcing its path, and spots a small estuary hidden by the foliage. Just to the side of it stand Olof’s friends. They look not too dissimilar to their Norse warrior, with strong bearded appearances, long platinum blonde hair, and thick robes to keep them warm.

Olof expertly navigates the current to head into the estuary where Alvaar is waiting. Khan tosses over a thick piece of rope that is attached to the boat over to Alvaar, who dutifully ties the other end to the trunk of a large tree.

The boat is soon fully secured not far from the bank. Khan jumps off first, eager to find a solid footing of earth beneath him.

Kalle helps Atticus disembark as Olof jumps from the bow onto dry land. Welcome friends. Olof, we believe the entrance lies further up, your suspicions appear to be correct.

Atticus wraps himself tighter within his heavy robe, keen to get warmer. All Elric had told them was that they need to retrieve a book called ‘The Sparks of Hel’. The spelling of the word Hel was enough to scare Olof such that his skin turned more pale than it usually is. Atticus remembers Olof explaining how Hel is the custodian of Helheim, the Norse Underworld, their hell. So the trio were sent to speak to the goddess Hel herself.

Unfortunately, Atticus also remembers another reason why this could be even more dangerous than just a conversation with the keeper of Nordic hell. The guard of Helheim? Atticus asks. Did you find evidence of the guard?

Kalle turns his gaze to the young leader of the Majjai Six. Indeed, and it is not just any guard.

Olof finishes checking the boat is secure, giving the rope a final tug to ensure the knots are tight; he casts a gaze toward Kalle, who returns a nod informing him that his hypothesis was indeed correct. He stands and checks that Mjolnir is secure  in its hilt.

Yes, not just any guard, Kalle continues. You see Atticus, the deal was to provide a guardian of immense strength. A Minotaur reborn, stronger than the first, which was a hybrid child of trickery. This one was born of something much darker. A creation from the blood of the first Minotaur, infused with the blood of Asmodei.

Atticus keeps hearing the name of Asmodei, the demon king before Razakel, a foe that Kazmagus himself has fought in the past. It was thought that Razakel betrayed and killed his king, taking his master’s throne and escalating the war against the realm of Earth. Asmodei? he asks. Why would he offer his blood for something like this?

Olof follows Alvar and Kalle through the foliage up alongside the estuary, beckoning Atticus and Khan to bring up the rear.

"It’s not fully clear why. There are rumours amongst Norse scholars that Asmodei was a ruler not just of his domain, but that he commanded respect from the likes of the dark gods of other beliefs. A request, or a promise may have persuaded him to lend his essence to the creation. Hel herself can be quite persuasive and manipulative. If we manage to get to her, we can ask, but we must be wary. Some say Hel was a little smitten with Asmodei, too, but I doubt it would be a good idea to venture towards that topic straight away."

Atticus takes the middle ground behind the Norse Majjai in front of him, and Khan behind. He notices the foliage begin to darken as they venture deeper, away from their secured boat. Instinctively he reaches to adjust his spectacles without realising that he does not actually need them anymore. Joyce has improved the mastery of her powers even more, to the point of being able to heal his vision, although it only worked once. Ju Long had quipped that it was simply luck that it worked, but Atticus feels differently. Ever since Kazmagus hinted that his origins were not that of normal means, Atticus has wondered where he came from. He does not know the answers, but is certain the only reason Joyce was able to heal him is down to his abnormality.

Atticus is so lost in thought that he does not notice his right leg become entwined in some undergrowth until he is tumbling over. He tries to grab the trunk of a tree next to him but misses.

Khan is quick to act and catches Atticus before he can do much damage to himself. Careful brother, we need you to fight against the demons, not the forest.

Atticus pats himself down and nods appreciatively towards Khan, one who he has formed a close kinship with. A lot of Atticus’s combat training is with Khan now. Mage Callan has been quite busy on another task, and has left tuition of all things combat to Khan and Ju Long. Atticus has tried to ask about the mission, but is not told much by any of the professors or Elric. He senses a distrust, a purposeful withholding of information pertinent to his own investigation to his origins. He has noticed the conversations ending abruptly when he walks into rooms, gaps on the shelves where scrolls used to sit in the Tomb of Kazmagus. And no answers. Atticus clenches his sword as his frustrations increase with each thought. The Sword of Ages has been a welcome companion for him. Its hilt is cold to the touch, heavily influenced by the ambient temperature around them, but he still finds warm comfort with it being by his side.

Atticus continues to follow Olof and the other Norse Majjai, careful not to entangle his feet again he pays more attention to the ground. The frost scrunches at each step, it is almost comforting. He quickens his pace after looking ahead, spotting Olof and the others in the distance. He glances behind him to ensure Khan is still close behind, and catches a glimpse of his friend keeping pace, clearly distracted by a thought Atticus is far too knowing of.

You should just tell her you know.

Khan looks at Atticus with a raised eyebrow. What on earth do you mean? he replies with a slight quiver in his voice.

Tell Safaya, you like her. It’s obvious to all of us, but you never want to take the step, He knows Safaya feels strongly towards Khan, and is positive his friend feels the same way.

Khan smiles. My brother, this is not of your concern. But I will answer you. he increases his speed to keep up and beckons Atticus to move forward too, so they do not lose sight of the Norse Majjai ahead. My duty is to protect the princess; my honour, and my promise to the League of Aria forbids anything else.

But, the League is no longer a factor. Safaya knows you are the guardian, and surely she can overrule her own brother’s orders. He died a long, long time ago. The need for her protection, from her sister, is not necessary anymore. It was Attossa right? That was her sister’s name?

Khan sighs. The League is far from over. The orders still exist, the rules still exist. And yes, her name was Attossa. But there is more to her than even Safaya is aware; only her brother knows, and a few of the older League members.

Atticus pauses for a moment, pushing a branch in front of him out of his path before continuing. Something was odd about what Khan just said. It takes him a few seconds before it finally clicks, before it makes sense... "Knows? Surely, you meant knew? Atticus turns to look Khan in the eye. He’s still alive isn’t he? King Ismail? He lives! But how?"

Khan stops in his tracks. Atticus watches as he looks firmly towards him. He can sense the tension within his friend and the thought process in Khan’s mind, trying to work out a way to take back the words, or formulate a reason to justify them. It doesn’t take too long for the cold realisation to hit. Atticus just waits for Khan to speak.

She must not know Atticus. I swore an oath not to reveal his existence to anyone else but Elric.

Atticus is shocked, another secret known to Elric, hidden from him. How does Elric know?

Khan smiles, almost appearing relieved of the burden now that this secret is shared. It was Elric that managed to give the King the ability to survive this long. After it was discovered he survived the assault by Attossa and her mercenaries. Elric used some of his own blood to formulate a potion.

Another realisation then quickly dawns upon Atticus. But that would mean...

Yes, when the Orb of Time was destroyed, then so was this gift. King Ismail grows weaker. He said there would be a time that I will have to tell Safaya, but only I will know when that will be. I fear he means it to be after his passing, Khan grabs Atticus by the shoulders and scowls fearsomely. Now swear to me brother. Swear to me that you will keep this with you.

Atticus stands affirm and replies resolutely. I swear. Your secret is safe with me, He smiles towards his friend as his grip lessens. You can still tell her you like her though, But before he can get the same reply he was expecting, Atticus hears a loud booming Nordic voice shout out.

Atticus! Khan! Hurry! We have found the entrance! Olof is waving furiously at them, trying to ensure they catch a glimpse through the foliage of the forest.

Atticus and Khan hasten their pace and rush towards their fellow Majjai.

Atticus breathes heavily before asking. Where is the entrance?

Olof waits a few seconds so that his friends catch their breath quickly. Well, it is more like a massive door, adorned with the head of a large bull, he turns and moves a handful of branches to reveal what he means.

Atticus stands in awe, for whatever this doorway was made for, it certainly is not small. The doors almost reach the tops of the trees surrounding them, and a head of a horned bull is carved out of the rock of the hillside they have approached. And where do you think this will take us?

Olof’s tone lowers in demeanour, for he knows that this situation is far from safe, or funny. He turns his gaze to Atticus and Khan. Be ready my friends, for we are about to enter the doorway to Helheim.

The Majjai Journals:

They all suspect more of my feelings, it’s hard not to be enamoured by my Princess.

Trying to keep the secret of her brother still being alive tears me apart more and more each day. I see the sadness in her eyes every time she pauses for thought.

She puts on such a strong façade, but she is so broken inside, I want to fix her, help her heal. But, what will she think of me, keeping this truth of her brother from her...  Will she accept I did so out of honour, out of a promise. Would it take her pain away? Or would she be more angered at all the years lost?

It’s my gift to be able to read situations and probabilities to the nth degree, but with her, I am blind.

Maybe I should request to be taken away as her protector, this would give me the avenue to tell her how I feel; but could I entrust the role to anyone else? If something were to happen to her while she was under the guardianship of another, I would never forgive myself. I would rather die than risk that.

She mentions her destined realm much, keeps hinting at needing a King by her side when she takes rule. I’m not worthy of the title of King, I’m a soldier, my job is to protect, I know nothing else.

Besides, Atticus needs me now more than ever. Maybe it could be a consideration after we defeat Razakel and his threat, but until then, the Chosen One needs me.

I’ve grown quite fond of Atticus; he is brother to me in all but blood, he has saved me many times on the battlefield now, as have I for him. There is a bond there, he would make a fine member of the League. He has also helped me get used to things in the outside world.

All I’ve known are the ways of the Majjai, and the ways of the League of Aria. I have led a life sheltered from anything away from them. Atticus has been my shepherd, my guide. And by being so, he has helped me achieve even more balance. This world is so diverse, it is so beautiful, it deserves saving. I am honoured to be there doing it.

Now, I must rest, tomorrow we journey to Scandinavian Lands to seek the doorway to Helheim. Never a moment that is dull. And long may that be case.

Abd Al-Hakim Khan

Chapter 2

Minotaur

Atticus and Khan wait patiently as the others search for a way to open the doors. They have each tried various spells and abilities but to no avail.

Khan grows a little restless and decides to go for a walk.

Atticus watches as his friend moves away. He is concerned, he knows Khan better than the others and his torment over Safaya is telling. His gaze is distracted from his friend for a moment as another barrage of ice blasts strike the massive doorway. But again, to no affect. The ice simply shatters and tinkles down to the hardening moss beneath it.

Atticus rubs his arms through his thick robe, trying to warm himself as the wind sends in another icy chill. He can feel his cheeks turning slightly blue as the air grows tired of fighting the cold. Growing weary of the futile attempts at opening the entrance, he decides to ask the obvious.

Have you guys just tried knocking? You know, it must be there for a reason? Atticus says, and points up high towards the large circular iron clanger.

Olof looks towards his fellow Norsemen who both shrug, also wondering why they didn’t even think of that.

Khan returns and almost chuckles when he spots Olof slip very ungracefully onto the ground at his first attempt at reaching to knock the door. Understanding what his friends are trying to do, he leaps high into the air, and grabs the giant clanger, swinging it away from the door, then throwing it back with immense force, all the while using his momentum to somersault backwards safely to the ground as the noise from iron crashing against iron echoes ferociously through the woodland.

Silence blankets the air after the final echo fades away. It is made more noticeable by the sudden stop of all noises from the native creatures of the forest. The birds that brave the cold of these Nordic lands no longer sing, there is not even a rustle through the undergrowth from the hardiest of insects. It is as if the forest itself waits expectantly.

It is not kept waiting long; the doors begin to creak open, then abruptly blast forward as the air held behind the entrance rushes outwards, eager to mingle with its free counterpart on the other side.

Atticus holds his nose as the stench bellows from the newly revealed cavern. Ugh, that is revolting, it smells like... like...

Death, Olof interjects. What would you expect a doorway to the underworld to smell like?

Kalle laughs loudly, triggering the others to chuckle as they all slap Atticus on the back on their way into the cave.

Atticus follows sheepishly, slowly becoming accustomed to the vile smell invading his nostrils. He looks ahead as Alvar ignites a fireball to light their path. The blue hue reflects against the damp, shiny walls. The air inside is in stark contrast to the outside: musky, stale, but also much warmer. Likewise, the ground is soft to walk on and is much more forgiving without the cold that travelled through his footwear and into his bones.

Looking up and around the cave he recognises much of the design, or at least its similarities to something he has seen before. Guys, don’t you think this place looks like a Majjai transport tunnel? Like the ones we used to get to the Bhandari Clan last year?

Khan follows Atticus’s gaze, peering carefully at the surface walls, then he places a hand on part of it and clears away some of the soft moss that has covered the interior of the tunnel. Indeed Atticus, you could be right. But it doesn’t look like it has been used for quite some time. Even longer than the others.

Atticus looks towards Olof, to try and ascertain if he has any thoughts as to why the entrance to Helheim would be fashioned from a Majjai construct.

The Norseman senses the question. It’s an interesting conundrum, he says as he reaches out to clear more of the moss from the walls. Many tunnels were disbanded, especially as their need lessened over time. I also doubt the doorway to Helheim was always here. Hel adores her privacy, so this could be a misdirection, fooling those who are less knowledgeable. Regardless, this is something we can solve later if needed. We need to keep moving.

Atticus nods in agreement, and begins to walk forward, then he spies Khan’s hand move upwards signalling everyone to be silent.

Shhh, Khan whispers. we are being hunted.

Atticus waves his hand in a circular motion indicating for the Majjai to form a protective circle. They move forward slowly, taking turns to lead the way as their formation turns, ensuring that they have eyes all around them. Atticus breathes slightly easier, and moves his glance upwards to check the upper walls, but is too late.

The attack is swift and in moments, it is over.

ATTICUS TWITCHES HIS nostrils, the smell of burning wood fills his nose as he breathes in and the charred air forces his eyes to open. He squints as he looks towards the fire in the middle of the room they are now in. It is a large chamber, only faintly lit by the flame. Above the flame is a makeshift spit, the handle to spin the rotisserie is set incredibly high, so much so that Atticus has to almost crick his neck upwards to see the top of it, scraping the rear of his head against the wooden pole he is tied to. It is then he gets a glimpse of their captor.

The Minotaur stands at least eighteen feet tall, much larger than Atticus imagined it would be. Its muscular frame glistens against the orange hue of the fire as a strange-coloured liquid drips from its giant horns. The beast’s back is turned away from the Majjai as it prepares what looks like knives and makeshift food preparatory tools. It then dawns upon Atticus what the Minotaur intends to do with them.

Psst!

Atticus hears the call to his left, he turns his head to spy Alvaar trying to get his attention without alerting the monstrous Greek beast.

Atticus, he whispers. Can you break free? Your sword, where is it?

The young Majjai looks around and spots his sword in a pile with the other’s weapons. Closing his eyes to concentrate, he uses his telekinesis powers to slowly wriggle the sword free from its scabbard, careful not to alert the Minotaur, who is still attending to his tools and sharpening his large knives.

The Sword of Ages floats silently towards its master as Atticus guides it skilfully behind him, straining to direct the blade to cut through the rope tying him to the wooden post. The act does not take long, and he grabs the hilt of his sword and quickly cuts through the bindings around his legs.

Atticus then moves swiftly and silently towards the other Majjai, freeing them from their bonds.

Good work Atticus, Khan says softly, now, we must strategize some form of plan to tackle this beast.

Alvaar nods. There is a weakness, he surmises as the group huddles in the shadows, casting fleeting glances behind them to ensure their newfound freedom has not been detected. The eyesight of the original Minotaur was poor. I propose we blind the beast with light and then take it down.

Atticus nods. Sounds like a plan, Khan. How do you think we should attack after we blind it?

Khan strokes his goatee beard delicately. Well, we do still have the element of surprise...

As Khan’s sentence trails off, the group hears a series of heavy breaths above them, followed by a loud snort.

Scatter! shouts Atticus, using his telekinesis to push the Majjai outwards, narrowly missing the first attack from the Minotaur.

The power of the beast is immense, sending a massive shockwave through the ground, knocking the Majjai back to the floor.

Olof fires sheets of ice towards the monster’s hooved feet, causing it to lose its footing and falling into a heap.

The Majjai reform quickly and throw fireballs and ice attacks towards the Minotaur while it is grounded, causing a large swell of dust and smoke to fill the chamber.

Atticus beckons them all to stop, thinking that nothing short of Razakel could take such a barrage. The Majjai stay their ground, patiently waiting for the chamber to clear. But their feelings of victory are quickly hollowed, as a guttural laugh begins to emanate from the centre of the room. It gets louder as the giant minotaur climbs to its feet, its bull-like head protruding high above the cloud of dust. The beast storms forward, its horns pointing down and low as it charges on all fours towards Khan, who is impaled and sent hurtling hard into the chamber’s wall.

No! screams Atticus, sending a massive fireball to unbalance the beast.

Olof follows up the attack, attempting to wound the half man, half bull monster with spears of ice. He throws a glance to Kalle to aid Khan.

Atticus throws another large, but much brighter, fireball towards the head of their foe, blinding it momentarily and using the distraction to cover his follow up attack. With a mighty swing, he uses the Sword of Ages to slice off part of the Minotaur’s left horn.

The beast screams in pain, holding onto the remainder of the protruding bone. The wound spouts a strange, pungent liquid all over the chamber floor, which hisses and spits as it hits the ground. With a final roar the Minotaur runs from the chamber, its screams slowly echoing away in the distance.