DRAGON LONGZE ENCOUNTERS FREYA (BY BOST, 2026 - PART 5)

Jedrick and his guard, despite the length of time and the grueling trek they had spent searching in the depths of the forest, had failed to see any sign of Freya; meanwhile, to his deep consternation Jedrick had realized that they both at present had inadvertently and utterly lost their bearing. Thus, for a while now, mindful of the predatory beasts, both brandishing their swords, had advanced with vigilant caution, hoping to retrace their steps back to the edge of the forest and be freed from this dire predicament. Instead, with each step they took, without knowing it, they had delved in deeper and got lost in the darkest parts of the forest. Their circumstance growing dire by each passing moment, at one point they had found themselves surrounded by armed bandits.

01- JEDRICK BIJARKE CAPTURED BY BANDITS (7)JP

Obviously, Jedrick and his guard had fought dauntlessly, boldly even; however, they were outmatched both in numbers and competence.  For these were no ordinary bandits, they had clearly supernatural legerdemain (adroitness, skill) and they fought with unusual deftness (dexterity, precision). Jedrick and the guard did not stand a chance in besting (suppressing) them and before long, they were utterly defeated.

The ensnared (captured, trapped) Jedrick and the guard, were bound with ropes and then roughly carted away (lugged, carried off) to the bandit’s lair to, later that afternoon be thrown at the feet of their chief now seated in his impressive chair (on a dais), to await judgement.

02- JEDRICK TAKEN PRISONER (1)JP

What Jedrik and the guard did not know however, was that these bandits were all demons in human form and that their chief was non other than the trickster Panther demon, Sedit who now called himself Loki.

Demon Sedit, having utterly decimated (destroyed) the last place in bloody carnage and reduced all to ash, however, still ardently being pursued, had temporarily taken refuge in this dark forest.  

03- DEVIL PANTHER  SEDIT(16)

Chancing on the bandits in his pseudo human form as a helpless and lost merchant, he had allowed them to take him to their lair (den), then once there, he had absorbed (eaten) their souls but kept their mortal physical forms; thus enslaved, Sedit utilized these now demon bandits in human shells (appearances), to meet his varied needs.

Sedit (Loki) had chosen to for a brief time, linger in this forsaken forest, finding much to satisfy his hankering for carnage (slaughter), and wanting to have some respite from his ardent pursuers, as well have, bit of fun.

After Jedrick and the guard had been captured and dumped into the holding cell of this pit of evil, the guard, without delay was assimilated by the Demon Chief; however, Loki found himself rather intrigued with the arcane (esoteric, obstruse) malevolent aura which had surrounded Jedrick.  Wishing to learn more of it, Loki for the time being had opted not to absorb (eat) Jedrick’s soul, therefore, allowing him still to maintain his human foibles and be the source of his amusement. Furthermore, in his pseudo role as the ruling human Chieftain, Loki, after he had questioned Jedrick at length, and finding there much to engross (hold, engage) him, he then recruited Jedrick on the spot, as his second in command.

04- JEDRICK RECRUITED AS SECOND IN COMMAND (3)JP

 ~

 

Given that since time immemorial, there’d been an eternal struggle between forces of good and evil; however, Heaven had always protected and guided the good and pure souls- by quirk of fate, Freya had taken a different path from Jedrick’s and thus escaped, albeit temporarily, the Demon Sedit (Loki).

Meantime, unaware of the existing varied perils in these woodlands Freya, had resiliently and in safety, had persisted with her arduous trek, traversing over the uneven ground, in search of her father or that stranger; though, now as the rain fell more heavily, the ancient trees towering to great heights, functioned as an umbrella and, shielded her from the worst of the downpours.

Gradually the ground of her lonely trail, being soddened (saturated) by deluge runoffs from the sides, it turned into sucking mud; therefore, she stumbled occasionally, her foot sliding over the moss-covered rocks or boulders partially imbedded in that narrow goas’ paths, scraping her knees, calves or shins.

Freya stopped now and then to catch her breath and wring her sleeves, which were by then weighed her down being wet with rain as well as her tears. So absorbed was Freya in the thought of finding her father, or the stranger, that she hardly noticed that there was an ethereal(otherworldly) silence in the woods and there was a total absence of predatory animals or insects and that the air was totally stilled. Outside of this protective bubble, she noted that the storm now gave signs of lifting... Then, abruptly, it had altogether ceased, the clouds cleared and the silvery moon shone brightly in the sky. The change in the atmosphere (weather) at last roused Freya to look about her, and she saw that the path up ahead appeared clear of debris and furthermore, was illuminated by the moonlight.

05- DRAGON LONGZE ON NIGHT RECONNAISANCE

Subsequently, she had walked, endlessly, her trail (route) strangely still illuminated by the obliging rays of the full moon, when she suddenly spotted at distance ahead, a single white ray of light that glowed through the dense trees and the nocturnal gloom. Where such light existed, there had to be a dwelling of a sort. And surely, they must have encountered (had a brush with) her father and therefore know of his present whereabouts; thus, the kernel of hope sprung anew in her heart, she eagerly hastened her steps as best as she was able, towards the light and the presumed dwelling.

Soon as the odd, fenced cabin positioned in the shadow of a group of pines, fully visible now came into view, her heart palpitated with wild enthusiasm and hope; because, from within the structure, emanated just then the akin enchanting melody from a flute.

Freya hastened her steps to open the latch of the wooden gate of the encircling fence that was fallen in about two places and needed repair; then, she unwaveringly stepped inside the fenced garden that was overgrown with weeds. The full moon once more peeking from the clouds, its silvery rays just then had made everything visible; she noted how the weed that grew all over the garden and between the flagstones of a winding path, was quite undisturbed, as if no one had trod (trespassed over) it for a long while.  The posts which supported the inner moon-gate had two menacing gargoyles posted (perched) on top; they had suddenly, just then, swayed a trivial fraction in the wind, making the gargoyles appear as though both were alive.

06- GARGOYLES

Freya halting for a moment, exhaled a deep, slow breath from her lungs, then stoically brushed aside the fretfulness that the gargoyles were watching, judging, and assessing her measure; undeterred, she thenceforth quickly bypassed the moon-gate, swiftly climbed the four steps of the porch and then, knocked on the heavy wooden door.

The melody emanating from the cabin had ceased instantly, though, response was slow in coming; for not until she had knocked and called out twice did, she hear any stirring within. Afterwards someone had answered in a subdued voice, and then the nob turned, and the door opened ajar (about an inch).

A beautiful handsome young face of about twenty, with chiseled aristocratic features, peered out from the opening; at first, he did not speak, however, and his keen silvery, light- blue eyes for a spell (moment or two) registering shock and awe, he scrutinized her.

Freya’s breath had caught the very moment her eyes had fallen on his strikingly handsome face; but more than that, her heart skipped a beat, knowing for certain now- though at present, he was clad in a different, plain attire- that he was the very one, that had prior manifested at the edge of the forest.  This young man had the same long, pale white, blond hair, loosely draping (cascading) over his shoulders and reaching his waist; but what struck her most, seeing him up close, was his almost luminescent, alabaster, flawless, unusually pale (whitish, pastel), porcelain skin and those intense, brilliant silver light blue eyes, which shone like the stars and now, they were keenly (acutely) affixed on her, as though trying to decipher if in fact she was real.

07- DRAGON LONGZE (37)

The young man’s initial reaction of being startled thereafter had given way to surreptitious elation (euphoria, excitement); contrasting with his outward composed demeanor, he was inwardly in fact, thrilled by this most unexpected encounter and his eyes which were presently holding Freya’s gaze, conveyed a gentle, yet deeply awe-struck curiosity.

Then momentarily however, a fleeting dark shadow passed over his face, so slight that Freya had entirely missed it; nevertheless, he had quickly dismissed it, choosing instead to revel in this unexpected gift; or was this simply, another (imparted) test, from his ever-vigilant guardian Asmund?

No sooner had this query crossed Longze’s mind that, his keen senses had detected just then a slight chuckle from somewhere beyond, but this too was swiftly brushed aside, deciding not to dwell on it.

Meanwhile he had continued to in silence, astutely register (commit), every minute detail of her features, to his lasting memory.

08- FREYA SEEN THROUGH LONGZE'S EYES

Freya on her part, was so taken by the young man’s handsome, noble bearing, that for a long while meeting those memorizing pupils with akin intense zeal, she had held his gaze, as she concurrently (at the same time) cogitated: This very night she had followed an unusual compulsion, acted recklessly, ventured out in the rain, and entered the forest at dusk. Had she not ventured out and taken all these heedless, rash chances; she would not have encountered this enchanting being.

Subsequently, with furrowed brow, she strove to understand (to analyse) this inexplicable, precipitous feeling, that had tinted her cheeks with crimson hue, making her thus, even lovelier to look at.  Besides, she hardly knew him, they were two virtual strangers having only met short time ago, and, by sheer coincidence. Was she alone in this, being so affected? An unusual compulsion pushed her to learn, whether he felt the same?

In fact, both had been inwardly querying if the other akin had been struck with this intense feeling, that the felt attraction was mutual?

Earlier that day, he had noted her presence from afar but never dared to be at this proximity, yet here she was standing inches from him; moreover, he had noted complete lack (absence) of fear in her. Longze felt silly, remembering just then, that he was after all, in human form.

 

 (END OF PART 5)

 

  

Characters: ,  Dragon Longze, Elof Bijarke, son Jedrik, Jedrik’s trump card, trusted and esteemed (valued) friend Haldor Yon, from prominent aristocratic family, and a valued elite guard, serving under Elof Bijarke.  Halder Yon’s secret intimate partner Archilles Elof.  Hans Aquila, wife, Nora, Alec and Freya, guardian Asmund, the trickster demon incarnate, the ersatz (artificial) black panther Sedit, bandit Chief Loki, Immortal warrior Erland, Mayor Gudmund Kirk’s youngest, his still unmarried son Hagen, his wife Selma, his two other sons, the ranchers, named, Agil and Corey Kirk, Olga, Heavenly Emperor’s niece, one selected to be Longze’s future mate)