"I, too, will accompany you, Gerard," he said. "I owe you a favor that must be paid."
"The company of such great warriors," said Gerard, "does me honor."
In the library Thor took out the great map of Asgard and laid it on the map table, holding it down with the table's weights. Gerard extended his hand and another map appeared in shimmering light, over it.
"Midgard!" said Thor.
The map of Midgard slowly turned until certain areas of two maps matched. Gerard studied it for several minutes, then pointed. "Those golden lines," he said, "are rivers in Asgard, but in Midgard they are flows of psychokenetic energy. See here in this northern region? This river stops completely, while these three increase. What I seek is there."
"That is Hela's domain," said Thor. "Before we pass over it, we will have to journey to her palace to seek her permission! She will undoubtedly grant it, but may require us to stay a couple of days."
"I do not have that much time!" said Gerard. "Odin wishes me to stay one more day. That means I will have already lost two before our journey begins. No. Muhammed cannot go to the mountain, the mountain must come to Muhammed!"
"What do you mean?" asked Balder.
"You will see," said Gerard. "You will see! For now let us go to our rooms. I am expecting guests!"
Gerard reached his room and removed his armor, layig out clean clothes from his pack for morning, putting the dirty ones back in. When he took them out again, they would be clean. He sat down on the furs that were to be his bed, only in his loin cloth. The flutter of wings made him look up and Odin's two ravens Hugin and Munin flew in through the window. As they turned and made to land on the floor, Gerard extended his hand and a glow appeared around both. It quickly became a bright light that grew and took on a different shape than the birds. When it faded out, two birds did not stand on the floor, but two beautiful, black skinned maidens! They looked at each other in disbelief, then turned towards Gerard. Speaking in perfect unison they said,
"Odin bade us keep you company, but he did not say that you would return us to our true form. How long will we be thus?"
"'Til the coming of light," said Gerard, "when I draw again my power, that power which makes you human will disappear, and you will again be ravens."
"How did you know," the maidens asked, "that we were in reality human?"
"Your auras," said Gerard, "are not right for ravens. And a raven has no intelligence. So therefore you could not fly the world and bring back your reports to Odin. No, Odin's two ravens had to be humans transmuted into the raven form. Now, tell me your tale, for my curiosity burns like a raging fire!"
"Some time before the great battle that destroyed them on Earth, our travelling clan visited Odin's real palace, pretending to be noble princes from a far away land. We accepted Odin's offer of hospitality, and while he and his noble children slept, we robbed them and fled. However, we did not know we were dealing with those who were greater than men, and they overtook us, and would have put our whole clan to death, had we not fallen before Odin and offered ourselves. We told him that he might, with our consent, put us to death in any way he wished if he would just let our family go after he took back his treasure. Now, Odin admired our courage, and released our families but before he did so, before their very eyes he turned us into ravens, saying from that day forth we would serve him always, in that form, being his eyes and ears going to and fro. We served him faithfully, even joining him in battle when he died. We thought here we would be women again, but Odin's power still bound us until you broke it but moments ago. We are quite pleased, and more than willing to show our gratitude!"
"All well and good," Gerard said, "but I was only able to change you because I had Odin's consent. But there is something I must tell you now. Odin no longer holds you in the raven form, not by force. The greatest power of all keeps you Odin's servants. You love Odin, you love him so much you would not shame him by changing back to your true forms against his will. Odin knows you could do so whenever you wish, but it brings him great joy that you would not defy his authority."
The two women looked at each other. "You are truly wise," they said, "and always have the courage to speak. Truly, we would never try to break Odin's will. He is like our father and we would in no way, deny his authority. Now, sister, let us put out the lights! The moon gives enough light here, for what we have in mind!"
Each went to two wall torches. Putting them out, they returned to Gerard.
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