Paternus: War of Gods (The Paternus Trilogy Book 3) by Dyrk Ashton

Author:Dyrk Ashton [Ashton, Dyrk]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Paternus Books Media
Published: 2020-06-22T22:00:00+00:00

On the patio above the broad valley where the ogres camp, Fi and Freyja sit across from each other at a narrow table, watching the various forces and Firstborn training. Fi half-consciously takes a drink of fruit juice from a crystal glass while observing the Aesir, including Pruor and the other Valkyries, go through an elaborate series of forms with swords and shields. All of them wear beat-up training armor. Their eyes are closed yet they move in perfect unison. Stepping, spinning, swinging and thrusting their swords.

Freyja stuffs leaf-wrapped delicacies in her mouth, speaking around them as she chews. “That is not an established kata they are performing.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re taking turns leading in free-forms, each following the primary.”

“But it’s so perfect.”

“In this, and in battle, the Aesir are perfect. And still, as you see, only ten survive. War is more difficult and unpredictable than anything you can imagine. Nothing goes as planned. All you can do is prepare yourself as much as possible and fight with everything you have got.”

“Like you’re preparing me.”

Freyja takes a sip of wine and regards her. “Fighting like this involves killing. Quite a lot of it.”

Fi looks back out at the valley. “I killed a soldier in Scotland. He was about to shoot Edgar and I just... did it.”

“How did it feel?”

“I didn’t feel anything at first. But afterward, and now... I don’t know.”

“To kill as an automatic response when a loved one or yourself are in imminent danger is one thing. To wade into the field of battle with murder as your sole intent, your purpose being to approach another living person, split their flesh and spill their blood, taking from them everything they are and will ever be, is quite another.”

Fi says, “I don’t want to kill.” She thinks about Zeke, Edgar, and Mrs. Mirskaya. “But I will.”

Freyja’s mouth curves in a sad smile, then gestures toward the Aesir. “That is the difference between you and them. They enjoy it.

It’s all they know.”

Part of Fi wants to fight for her friends, her family and those she loves. Another part of her shudders at the thought of purposefully stabbing someone or hacking off their arm. Or having that done to her. Another larger part is pretty sure there will come a time when she doesn’t have a choice, no matter how much the others try to protect her, and that time will come much sooner than any of them would like to admit.

That night Fi and Zeke are brought together to attend a special lesson arranged by Freyja and delivered by The Prathamaja Nandana. Peter also listens in, as do some of the other Deva. All gather around a firepit in the city’s grand plaza.

What Pratha teaches them is heady stuff. Fi and Zeke have difficulty comprehending much of it. Most of the time they stay silent and try to follow along, but when they do ask questions, Pratha is surprisingly tolerant.

She speaks of the true nature of the cosmos, at least

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