"So, the little brat's got an Angra Armlet," Dino's monstrous bear form growled, unimpressed. He clicked his claws together, tiny ice shards scraping off as he did so. "Pity I've been training, Fenrir. I won't be as easy to defeat this time."
Ilma circled her prey with relentless energy, seeking any visible weakness. Rebecca scrambled behind Johan's massive bulk, not eager to become a hostage again.
"Does she not get tired?" Yareli grumbled to herself. Her voice lowered as she addressed her friends. "Aim for the wings. Their armor is actually pretty fragile."
"Huh?" This news surprised Johan. After handily defeating Selim, he'd believed the Valkyries unstoppable—possibly even more powerful than Fenrir. Had he misjudged their strength?
"I'll take on Dino. You fight Ilma. It's a better matchup for our side. Besides, it avoids being predictable. Careful with Ilma. She learns fast. Rebecca, where is Samuel? Is he okay?"
"He's doing okay. He's hiding." With a subtle movement of her eyes, Rebecca gestured toward a sports car a couple of meters away. "Keep them busy. I have an idea."
Their hasty planning was interrupted as Dino cleaved through the air, creating shards of ice that slashed toward them at frightening speed. Johan scrambled to safety, but Yareli's sword shattered them into sparking specks of ice in midair. Sensing Fenrir's vulnerability, the Valkyrie dove at her back with a spear.
Johan cursed, pain lancing through his chest as he took the blow intended for his friend. He endured the pain, ripping the weapon from the Valkyrie's hands and shattering it across his knee. Unimpressed, Ilma withdrew her sword, eager to cut down the interloper who dared to block her from her prey.
Johan hissed as he received a nasty slash across the chest. He slashed back with his meaty fist but struck only open air. They engaged, but it was hardly what you would call a fight. Ilma humiliated him at every turn, slipping through his attacks like he was a clumsy oaf. Her blade bit his flesh in every exchange, driven home with uncanny accuracy. Realizing how much the Valkyrie outclassed him in combat skills, Johan changed tactics, using his enormous size and bulk to his advantage to grapple the Valkyrie.
When his opponent realized his tactic, she took flight. But Johan's boar form possessed surprising speed, snatching the Valkyrie from the air. She squirmed in his hands, but his grip was iron-tight. Yareli wasn't wrong in her assessment of the Valkyrie's armor. The wings snapped like twigs, her armor shattering under Johan's considerable strength. But spears of ice crashed into his back, causing him to lose his grip on his captive. Ilma darted away before he could reestablish his grapple.
The Ymir thug gave Johan a mocking salute before dodging several bolts from Yareli's gun. A hiss of pain escaped Johan's maw as a sudden sword thrust drove him back. The Valkyrie's raw power was staggering, but it wasn't his immediate concern. Sparks crackled from his Angra Armlet, the device becoming uncomfortably warm. Johan figured only scant moments remained until his transformation failed, leaving an exhausted Yareli to face two dangerous opponents alone.
Despite their desperate situation, Johan's blood surged with excitement, pushing him to fight until he dropped dead. Time seemed to slow as he analyzed the battleground. Yareli's back was pressed against an expensive-looking car, Dino's claws raised to strike. Somehow, Johan knew his friend wouldn't be quick enough to avoid the attack. Ilma darted toward him, aiming to strike his blind spot. In a sudden moment of stunning clarity, Johan knew what he needed to do.
The Valkyrie's sword slipped past his fur as he dodged left. In the same motion, he grabbed the remains of a bumper from a car Ilma had totaled earlier. Time slowed again as he calculated his throw, vaguely noting Ilma's follow-up strike. But Johan ignored her, lining up his shot to hurl the projectile toward Dino's head. If his predictions proved accurate, the blow would knock the bear monster off balance, giving his ally the perfect opportunity for a retaliatory strike.
"Gah!" Dino staggered as the incoming car bumper smacked him in the snout, distracting him enough for Yareli to swoop around him. She switched her weapon into gun mode, blasting several bolts into his face. The expensive red sports car—costing at least half a million euros—crumpled as Dino flailed backward, attempting to guard his face with an arm. A kick drove him through a nearby pillar, concrete dust obscuring the monster as it shattered.
Despite this small victory, it was short-lived. Black, acrid smoke wafted from his Angra Armlet as Ilma slashed Johan across the chest. His transformation failed, and Johan momentarily stumbled, confused, unsure where he was. His breathing was labored, like the air was too thin for his lungs.
"Are you okay?" Yareli jumped to his side, holding him steady before the Jotnar collapsed.
"I'm not sure." Johan took a steadying breath and regained his bearings. What was that? How had he done that? Somehow, he'd predicted the future like some damn clairvoyant.
"Impressive, but now it's two against one," Dino said, regaining his feet. "Still interested in futilely facing us?"
In response, Yareli inserted her key into her gun. "Grave bolter."
The Ymir thug howled as a storm of energy slammed into his chest. Ilma leaped aside, just avoiding getting crushed by her ally.
Yareli grunted. "He talks too much."
"Okay, but don't accidentally crush Samuel." Johan gave Rebecca a pensive look. But the hacker girl was busy on her phone, texting something from her hiding spot.
Johan winced when Yareli's blade caught the Valkyrie leader's leaping slash, the impact almost deafening him. The two squared off, matching blow for blow. He scrambled away to avoid getting trampled. He studied the two combatants with fascination. Ilma's fighting style was painfully straightforward, always searching for the most direct path to defeat her opponent. Yareli was everywhere, yet nowhere—her movements unpredictable, driven by the primal need to emerge victorious. Her weapon seemed to blur as it continually shifted forms.
Yet, Fenrir couldn't tackle both foes in her current state, her movements clumsy to Johan's eyes. She did her best, but the pair quickly overpowered her. His friend grunted as a two-pronged attack drove her to her knees, claws and blade striking from opposite sides.
"We can't win like this." Johan wondered if he should retry his armlet again, despite the risks. Before he could try, Rebecca smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. Had she completed whatever she'd planned?
"Move left," Johan whispered when he read Rebecca's frantic hand gesture.
"Huh?" Yareli said, confused, but did as instructed.
"Now!" Rebecca yelled into her phone. Johan winced when a bright light suddenly drove toward them. Wheels squealed as a fancy-looking car screeched to a halt in front of them. The door slammed open, almost smacking Johan's face.
"Get in!" Samuel said from the driver's seat. His dark face was pale, blood staining his coat. But he stood strong, refusing to fail his friends.
Without a word, Yareli hurled Johan into the vehicle. The injured Jotnar howled in pain as Johan collided with him, but didn't complain. After an embarrassed apology, Johan righted himself and removed himself from his injured friend. Rebecca tore open the back door, sitting gingerly in the passenger seat.
"You aren't going anywhere." Ilma rushed forward, her blade hurling toward one of the vehicle's wheels. But she jerked back as Yareli peppered her with bolts.
"Go! Go! Go!" Rebecca gestured wildly. Samuel slammed the controls to start the auto-drive. With a graceful leap, Yareli landed through the open door, continuing to harass their attackers to dissuade them from following.
Despite the energy bolts zipping past her head, Ilma continued her dogged pursuit, refusing to give up her quarry. The ground thundered as Dino joined his compatriot, dropping to all fours to run them down. But a carefully aimed bolt to a leg threw him off course, hurling him into a nearby van. With their car's speed, they quickly lost sight of him. Only Ilma refused to surrender the chase, despite several of Fenrir's bolts tearing pieces from her armor.
"Look out!" A Ymir goon guarding the car park's entrance jumped away as the high-speed vehicle careened toward him. One smashed toll barrier later, and they were on the Bifrost streets.
"Aren't these auto-drive systems designed so they can't run people down or smash through obstacles?" Johan asked.
"I had Samuel disable the safety systems," Rebecca replied smugly. "I thought it might come in handy."
"She still isn't giving up?" Yareli said, still firing on the pursuing Valkyrie from the open door.
They were gaining ground on Ilma. It wouldn't be long until even her remarkable suit's capabilities couldn't catch up to them. With a sudden, jerky turn, they entered traffic, a highway leading to outer Bifrost. Johan made a strangled cry of surprise as the Valkyrie leaped into the air in one final desperate attempt not to lose her prey. She landed on the roof, her hands scrambling to gain purchase. But the hold wasn't strong enough, and Ilma slipped off.
Johan winced as another vehicle collided into her, nearly flipping over. Another car jerked as the auto-drive systems kicked in to avoid a collision with the crashed vehicle. Other cars screeched to a halt, causing a massive traffic jam.
"It's like she doesn't value her own life!" Something about the Valkyrie's attitude disturbed him at a fundamental level. Wasn't life about surviving?
"I wish I knew," Yareli said, entering the car proper and closing the door. She pulled her key free, dismissing her Fenrir armor. "You did good, Johan. I couldn't have done it without you."
"Yeah! That was awesome!" Rebecca grinned ear to ear. "Once we get your Angra Armlet fixed, Ymir won't stand a chance."
"Our little boy is growing up," Samuel said, wiping away a fake tear.
"Oh, shut up. What about you?" Johan glanced at his friend's wounds. "You need a hospital right away!"
"Already on it," Rebecca said. "Once we ditch the car, I know a back-alley clinic that can help us."
"Um." Yareli didn't sound too pleased about that piece of news.
"Oh, it's fine." Rebecca waved a dismissive hand. "He's cool as long as you can pay."
"Sure." While Yareli didn't seem convinced, she wouldn't argue. They couldn't risk going to a real hospital. Still, the prospect of sending his best friend to such a shady place didn't thrill Johan, either.
Johan released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, relieved they'd survived that horrible place. It had been a bigger adventure than he'd expected. Still, they'd given Ymir another black eye and learned some intel. It was somewhat of a victory.
---
"Hello, everyone! I'm glad you're having me!" Reine said, grinning her biggest, warmest smile.
"Yeah, hi," the gathered Valkyries said with little enthusiasm.
"I'm happy to train with you guys," Reine said, trying to push past the awkward mood in the gym. "The publicity will do wonders for the Valkyrie program. I heard how easily you beat those hooligans who stole Ymir tech. Is there nothing you guys can't defeat?"
"Yeah, sure," Pihu replied. "That's certainly true."
None of her fellow Valkyries showed much interest in engaging their special guest, leaving her their sole spokesperson. After the beating they'd received from their fight with Fenrir, no one was interested in pampering a spoiled princess.
Ilma, in particular, seemed on edge. She'd prefer roaming the streets of Bifrost hunting for Ymir's enemies than helping in some publicity stunt. Her defeat to Fenrir had rattled their usually stoic leader.
"Just engage her. It isn't like she's permanently becoming a member," Pihu thought. Besides, she figured the Ymir idol was a nice girl once you got to know her. At least Reine had shown that she took this exercise seriously—not arriving wearing make-up or having cameras hovering around her. She seemed ready for a serious workout.
"Do you have any martial arts training?" Pihu asked.
"I took some self-defense classes when I started working as an idol, but otherwise, not really," Reine replied, embarrassed.
Wonderful. It didn't enthuse Pihu that they'd need to train the girl from scratch. Her studies kept her a busy girl. She had a ten-page report due next Friday.
"It's fine," Abbey said, warming up to the idol. The awkwardness of the situation had struck Reine hard, and the taller girl couldn't maintain her cold exterior any longer. "A fresh start is good. She doesn't have any foolish preconceptions."
"Like unpressed dough?" Pihu asked, raising an eyebrow.
Abbey gave an enthusiastic nod. "Exactly."
"Reine is a person," Ilma said, like she was starting something obvious.
"She's new, untrained, ready to be molded into something different," Pihu said.
"Oh." Ilma nodded her head in understanding.
"Did she not understand the metaphor?" Reine gave a conspiratorial whisper out of Ilma's hearing range. "It wasn't complicated."
"Ilma is very literal-minded. She basically takes everything at face value," Pihu whispered. It led to some interesting encounters. "When Abigail got the flu once, Ilma overheard that laughter is the best medicine. She spent the entire night with several joke books, awkwardly trying to tell jokes to make her feel better."
"I remember that" Abbey rubbed her temple, her lip raised in wry amusement. "I couldn't get any sleep. She probably made my sickness worse!"
"No way!" Reine exclaimed in amazement. The two Valkyries and the idol broke into uproarious laughter.
Ilma blinked. "What's funny?"
"Forget it." Pihu wiped away a tear from her eye. The laughter had disturbed the awkward tension, and the Valkyries warmed to the newcomer.
"Come, let's start some basic exercises." Abbey pushed Reine toward the training mat.
With such a dazzling smile, it wasn't surprising the president chose the girl as Ymir's spokesperson. There was something just likable about her. Her presence soothed the Valkyries' earlier frustration at losing to Fenrir.
---
"I think my bruises have bruises!" the idol toweled the sweat from her head. Despite the intense workout, Reine was in excellent spirits. She winced as she lowered herself onto a nearby bench. Pihu was glad their newest member was taking to the training so well. Behind the pretty smile, the girl had a fire within her.
"That's impossible. We only did some light training. It didn't cause you any serious injuries," Ilma replied. "Also, bruises don't have blood vessels. What you propose is impossible."
"Right. Um, I meant to say that was a tough workout," Reine said, giving an awkward smile.
"Tomorrow will be tougher," Ilma replied. "Being a Valkyrie is a serious commitment."
"Unfortunately, it means training daily until you throw up." Abbey gave the idol a sympathetic smile. "It will get easier once your body gets stronger."
"Is this a publicity stunt or military camp?" Reine grumbled to herself.
"Sorry about that, but the Valkyrie system takes a serious toll on its user," Pihu replied sympathetically. "It's for your own safety."
While not pleased, Reine nodded before laughing to herself. "I suppose I asked for this."
The Valkyries gave nods of respect that the idol wasn't backing off after facing such difficult early trials. They headed toward the shower room to get cleaned off. The facility wasn't as fancy as the Valkyrie training facility in Ilma's father's lab. The lab, however, needed to remain top secret. Besides, it was under repair after all the damage Fenrir had caused.
"How did you get involved in this Valkyrie business, anyway?" Reine said, trying to remove her training clothes with her tired muscles.
"My father created the project. I was an excellent candidate to spearhead it," Ilma replied.
"Okay, but couldn't you have done something else?" Reine eyed the Valkyrie leader with curiosity.
"She's a daddy's girl," Pihu said with a slight smile.
"It's an important project." Ilma blinked.
Pihu shook her head, amused. "I joined about a year and a half ago because the money was good. I'm saving up for my master's."
"In what?" Reine asked, intrigued.
"You'd think it's stupid."
"Tell me!" Reine said, tugging at Pihu's arm.
"Astrophysics. I want to become an astronaut someday," Pihu replied, looking away in embarrassment.
"Really?" Reine's eyes widened in amazement.
"Thanks to Ymir, technology has been growing at an incredible rate," Pihu said. "Space travel is still in its infancy. I want to become a pioneer in that field. Shame it requires so many years of schooling and a master's degree. Much too difficult for some poor girl from Pune. But my school record impressed Dr. Halvorsen personally, so they gave me a chance."
"I'm here through Dr. Halvorsen too," Abigail said. "I fought on a mixed martial arts circuit for several years. Won myself a few championships. I'd still be there, but Dr. Halvorsen persuaded me to join the Valkyrie program. It sounded like an intriguing opportunity."
"And there are only the three of you? Are there any other branches?" Reine asked.
"Besides you? None," Pihu replied. "It's still a new program. The technology is still very experimental." The armor fascinated her. Its possible applications were mind-boggling. She had several intensive conversations with Dr. Halvorsen about its potential use as a spacesuit. While not space-worthy yet, they could resist solar winds.
"There is Mallory, but she passed away," Abbey said, her tone becoming somber.
"What happened?" Reine's voice caught in her throat, her smile faltering. It seemed she wanted to say more, but stopped herself.
"It happened before I joined the program," Abbey said, continuing her story. "There's a reason we're having you train so hard before wearing the Valkyrie armor. Mallory was working with the prototype, but she got careless. It accidentally damaged her internal organs."
"Yeah, I was there when it happened." Ilma looked down, her usually expressionless face somber. "She died before we got her to a hospital."
"But don't worry! We'll be careful with you!" Pihu said quickly to calm the disturbed idol. No one deserved to die for some stupid publicity stunt. "And the armor is much safer now. Dr. Halvorsen and I have been working hard to fix those problems."
"It's fine. I trust you guys," Reine said after a moment of silence. Pihu noticed the tension in her face, like she was biting back her tongue. But it vanished, replaced with her trademark smile. "I'm hungry. How about we get something?"
"That's good. I'm starving!" Abbey said. "Let's hit the cafeteria. The food is decent. I'm afraid you'll need to follow a specialized diet, too."
"It's fine. I kinda figured," Reine replied without much enthusiasm.
After switching to casual clothes, they left the gym in good spirits. Pihu was glad the other girls were getting along with their newest unofficial member. They promised to go out drinking later that night. While a little naughty and against the rules, they deserved it. Hopefully, Fenrir wouldn't pop her head up again and ruin their night out.