Xellie’s father was an almost terrifying authority figure in the family home. He didn’t shout, but his voice boomed around the tiled villa when reprimanding his children.

She’d been sitting outside his study for a while, for what felt like an eternity to a child. The sun beaming through the windows slipped away and darkness fell and still, she waited.

Accustomed to her father ensuring she went to bed, she waited and waited until her eyelids began to droop.

Xellie pushed the door open, her father lay on the floor, blood winding its way between the tiles across the room.

“Papa! Wake up!” she exclaimed, dropping to her knees, looking for the wound intending to press down as she had learned. Her hands went straight through his chest and onto the cold floor. Her hands were too big to cover this wound, so she lay across his chest waiting for help to arrive.

“Where’s mama?” Niko stood ashen-faced at the doorway, daring not to enter the room. “Did you do this?”

“He won’t wake up.” Xellie looked up at her brother from her father’s chest, her pyjamas and hair soaked in blood.

“I... I... I don’t .... He’s not... going to...” Niko stuttered, running out of the room. “MAMA! WHERE ARE YOU?” MAMAAAAAAA!”

Xellie climbed off her father and wandered into the hallway, rubbing her eyes. Tracking bloodied footprints to the villa entrance, she pushed a small footstool toward the door. She stood on the stool on her tiptoes to unbolt the door.

“Stop,” Niko said, wrapping her in his arms from behind and lifting her off the stool. “What are we going to do?”

-------

Xellie sat bolt upright in shock. These were memories she couldn’t recall having before. She didn’t consider not remembering losing her parents unusual as she had been a young child.

In confusion, she looked around her surroundings. She was now in a bed, in what seemed to be a luxurious hotel room. Raye sat nearby on a small armchair, sipping a glass of wine looking on in concern.

“How do you feel?” Raye asked.

“F...fine.” Xellie gingerly touched her head to check her injuries. She wasn’t injured, but her hair was also silky smooth and soft.

She turned her face up toward the ceiling. “Niko must have remembered everything...”

“He did,” Raye replied, setting her glass down and sitting on the side of the bed. “Niko was consumed by fear, then rage. Those emotions powered his training.

“And where are we? There was nowhere for miles...”

“I wouldn’t trust your judgement after a smack on the head as hard as you took,” Raye said, giving the slightest shrug. “Who knows what you imagined.”

“I’ve taken enough knocks to know the diff...” Xellie stopped to listen. She could hear the faintest of voices speaking an unknown language, sounding far away and next to her.

“You’re... hearing something?” Raye asked looking perturbed, leaning forward to get out of her seat.

“You don’t hear it?” Xellie pushed the shutters open, looking out at the setting sun, then opened the door and looked into the hallway. Nothing was giving her any clues about the source of the voices.

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” Raye told her, waving at the door wanting it closed.

Xellie rolled her eyes and slammed the door shut. Folding her arms and glaring at Raye, she asked,

“Are you going to explain where you were all this time then? Are you even alive? Did some demon conjure you up?”

It was Raye’s turn to roll her eyes. She sipped from her wine glass and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall.

“Don’t ignore me!” Xellie banged her fist on the wooden door for attention.

Raye snapped her eyes open and turned to look out of the window as her raven companion flew in.

“You need a break.” Said the raven with a melodious female voice.

Xellie opened her eyes wide at the talking raven, taking a step back and knocking in to the door. A speaking bird?

The raven hovered in place for a few seconds, then grew in size, transforming into a curvaceous, pale-skinned woman, with a mischievous smile.

“Raye, go. I’ll babysit.” She said, giving Raye a tap on the shoulder.

Completely disregarding Xellie watching on in open-mouthed awe, Raye gave the woman a hug. Then she sat on the window ledge, dropping out of it.

Left alone with only the blue-haired woman, Xellie looked around the room for her sword. Raye must have left it behind. There was only one logical explanation for this creature shifting forms with a ridiculous amount of sex appeal in human form.

“What did you do to my mother’s soul? What are kind of demon are you?!” Xellie leaned forward aggressively. “Explain yourself.”

“I’m Vella.” Replied the raven woman, wagging a finger. “If you must know... we are the ones who take the right men to heaven.”

Looking at Vella’s tiny, low-cut dress with its short skirt under her dark armour, Xellie was unsure if she meant that in a literal or figurative sense. But she didn’t want to ask so Xellie shrugged her shoulders slightly.

“Don’t pout.” Vella sounded amused. “If the wind changes direction your face may get stuck like that.”

“Valkyries.” Xellie said to herself as she finished piecing together everything that she had seen and heard since Raye showed up. “That’s what they are.”

“Ding!” Vella announced. “You catch on fast for a human who is mostly illiterate.”

“I am not illiterate.” Xellie retorted.

“You may as well be.”

“Whatever.”

Sat on the floor by the door, watching Vella entertain herself with a newspaper, Xellie noted that Vella looked friendly, yet mischievous. She wasn’t particularly tall, had a round face, small nose and big blue-green eyes. Her lips were permanently curled into a smile. Quite unlike the tall, thin Raye with her hawk-like stern expression and deep blue eyes.

The land was full of myths and tales that people shared, Valkyries were merely one of them. They were generally not welcome creatures. Legend stated that they would appear before men before a tragedy. Not that many believed in them. A few towns and cities would be extra superstitious, but for most, Valkyries were a children's tale.

“So....” Xellie began. “If you’re real and here, did I die?”

“Not yet.”

“So... that means I will...”

Vella put the newspaper down and shrugged.

“Of course, you will... someday. Want to be more specific?”

“Well I meant more immediately... you know ... with you guys being a bad omen and all...”

“Oh, that’s nonsense.” Vella laughed. “I must say that I have no interest in your life, or soul, or you in general. In fact! I don’t like you.”

“Then why are you even here?” Xellie answered back, feeling a little intimidated by Vella’s admission. This wasn’t someone she could fight, unlike a demon.

“Raye values you. Personally, I think you’re a waste of her time....” Vella dropped her smile and glared at Xellie, continuing to speak in a low venomous tone. “She is taking a huge risk by allowing you to live. See that you don’t cause her to regret it.”

“I don’t know what is expected of me.”

“Nothing,” Vella replied, returning to her mischievous smirk. “Everyone expects you to be a waste of time. When you figure out that you’re going to be a huge disappointment to Raye, do her a favour and end yourself.”

Brutal words Xellie thought, glancing nervously at the window. She hoped Raye would return soon.

To Xellie’s relief, Raye flew in through the window only a few minutes later, landing next to Vella. Raye was in her white armour and gave herself a shake, causing the armour to melt and reform into her dress. Her wings disappeared into the air as if she was shaking off dust. In her hair, a golden hairpiece sporting three black feathers remained.

“You needed that,” Vella remarked.

Raye nodded curtly.

“You should go.”

“Goodnight. Good luck.” Vella yawned before vanishing in a flash of light.

“Don’t mind her,” Raye said, sitting down on the floor next to Xellie. “She’s just under a little stress currently.”

“You need to start explaining!” Xellie exclaimed, turning to face Raye. “Now!”

“Alright.” Raye drew a deep breath to compose herself. “Yes, we are, as the humans call us, Valkyries. We quite often spend our time among humans observing, sometimes nudging them into action. Usually, though we prefer to not interfere too much... it allows us to judge them for what they really are. There are many different things that can happen to the souls of the deceased and we are here to be certain that the right ones go to the right places. There has been less call for us as years have passed and well, the demons take and corrupt the souls of humans, endangering the future of all mankind, so it is in everyone’s interest now that the humans rise up and stand against the demons also.... As you are currently human, I can’t give you details of what lies beyond mortal life, so, please don’t ask.”

“... So I’m going to be one of you?” Xellie asked hesitantly.

“Don’t be so presumptuous.” Raye snapped.

“Do you judge a soul on its activities through life or at the time of death?”

“I’m not telling you that,” Raye said with a wry smile. “You’ll have to find out.”

“Must be hard watching everyone, all day, every day...”

“Hrmm?” Raye raised an eyebrow at this comment. She knew it was an attempt to get an answer to the previous question. “Of course not one of us can be in every place all the time. That is why we speak with the birds.” She brushed her hair aside and tapped her feathered hair piece gently. “This helps to communicate as needed. One feather for the birds, one for other valkyries and one for my partner.”

“Vella, right?”

“Yes.”

Raye seemed to be growing tired of the barrage of questions, yet Xellie could think of many more. She decided on one last question for now.

“Do you enjoy it?”

“... excuse me?” Raye sounded genuinely confused.

“Your job... are you happy?”

Raye closed her eyes and gave a small sigh.

“Such a human concept. Perhaps you could hold off on the interrogations for now and sleep instead?”