ANOTHER YAHF

Celebwen Telcontar: No, Xander did not mean to dress up as Heinrich Himmler, but someone connected to the July 20th Plot to assassinate Hitler. What can I say, I recently saw Valkyrie and loved it.

Balrog: Well, what are you going to tell that rather angry reviewer?

Celebwen Telcontar: Just that. Xander did not intend to dress up as an active member of the Nazi party, but someone trying to bring it down and who found the atrocities that Himmler and the Reich producing was terrible.

Balrog: Well, hopefully this chapter will get them off of your back!

Celebwen Telcontar: Thanks, Balrog! Nothing in this story, save the storyline, the horse, and the name Ælfwine Ormur is mine. Please review, people!

CT

“Alexander Harris,” the woman said firmly, looking across the table at him. She was gorgeous, with her golden hair, piercing azure eyes, white toga-like gown, and her massive wings over her shoulders. Beside her was a white horse with a golden bridle and saddle, a spear in a socket on its side.

“Er… yes? Who are you and why am I here?” he asked.

“My name is Brunhilde, and I am a Valkyrie, a Chooser of the Slain you might say--”

“A what? You’re here to kill me, aren’t you?” Xander protested.

“No, I am not. You are here because you tried to become a person who held my name. You did not; your body is currently being occupied by Heinrich Himmler--”

“Himmler?! Hitler’s right hand man?! Are you crazy?! I would never play host to Himmler! Willow is my best friend, and she’s Jewish!!”

“Yes, I know you did not mean to play host to anyone, much less Himmler. However, Chaos rules this night, and you must know the full extent of your actions by morning. Listen closely now, Alexander. And do not forget; you will become who you are meant to be when you’re the one is many--”

“What the Hell do you mean by that?!” Xander yelped. He didn’t understand a thing that was going on.

“You will know when that is; and then I shall train you. It will be painful, but I know you can get through it, young Alexander--”

“Painful? What do you mean? How painful?”

“Quite painful; you may not be whole at the end of your training. I chose you for a reason. Eventually, you shall be one of my own, and shall dwell in Valhalla with the Gods, and you will need a new name Ælfwine Ormur means Elf-Friend Dragon, it would suit you later in your life. Ælfwine Ormur you shall be. Now attend, my child! Listen to what comes this night, and fight what shall be the repercussions! Hitler shall not arise again, do you hear me?”

“What sort of name is Ælfwine Ormur?!“

“Nordic, like our ancestors. Yes, you are Norse in heritage. Ælfwine Ormur suits you; it means Elf-Friend Dragon, as I told you before. I shall call you this evermore, Ælfwine Ormur. Ormur for the Dragon you shall be, and Ælfwine for the Elf-Friend you are. Ælfwine is the name of a great mariner who found his way to Valhalla.”

“Can I… not accept this… training?” Xander asked, not liking the thought one bit. He could live with being called “Ormur”, since it meant “Dragon.” Dragons were cool, he and Jesse had been playing Dungeons and Dragons for some time, and Dragon had been the name he had called his character.

“No, you sealed your fate as one of my own when you chose Himmler’s uniform as a Samhain costume--”

“Sow an? What’s that?”

“Not Sow an, Samhain. The night when the Veil between Abovehill and Underhill is thinnest. Halloween, as you say today. You became a Warrior when you befriended Elizabeth Summers, and your choosing of Himmler’s uniform made you one of my own, as you wished to be one who used my people’s name as a battle cry. For now, you shall know when people are going to die, that is all I can give you until you go through the training.”

“You… I’ll know when people are about to die? Will I know who it is?”

“Yes, and how. You will want to take them someplace; like I said, you will become one of my own, a male Valkyrie in your own right.”

“So, what, I’ll have a toga and wings?”

“Not necessarily. You can have a horse, and you will escort the good to Valhalla, unlike Valkyries, who escort the slain in battle to Valhalla.”

“Okay. Now, first and foremost, I have to get out of here and stop Himmler before he kills anyone.” With a smile, Brunhilde clapped once.

“Now, you are capable of being out of your body and corporeal at the same time as you are a proto-Valkyrie. Your horse will arrive any moment, and then it will be up to you to play the part of Herr von Stauffenberg and stop the terror before it starts. Now, remember, you are only a Valkyrie until the Chaos magyk is removed. Beowulf will stay here until you need him again.” She stopped speaking as a great white horse approached at a gallop, a gleaming golden spear in a socket in the saddle. Xander looked at it, confused, until Brunhilde told him how to get on. The horse snickered at him, but stood still. Then, Brunhilde slapped the stallion’s side, crying out: “Go! Ride, ride for death, Valkyrie Ælfwine Ormur! Ride for glory! Ride!” The stallion reared and bugled, coming down with a thunder of hooves, and took off like a bolt of lightning. Somehow, Xander had on a toga and a helmet on, and knew how to use his new spear. He let loose a ringing scream, and the stallion jumped into complete chaos.

Xander hung on for dear life as his horse dodged around a panicking woman running down the street trailed by miniature demons. Then, Xander saw his own body in a black suit, a Nazi symbol on his arm. He screamed in exuberance, the horse crying along with him. A gunshot rang out, but the horse dodged it expertly. Xander snatched up his spear, and rode the magnificent horse directly at Himmler. The Nazi tried to get out of the way, but the leaf-shaped blade caught the man full in the chest. Himmler vanished in a puff of sulfuric-smelling smoke, leaving Xander’s spear pointed at a black haired girl with Willow’s face who fainted. Xander put away his spear, and the stallion reared and bolted, leaping over multiple things. With a grunt of effort, Xander held on and realized that the stallion was headed towards the rough part of town.

“Hey! Horse!” he cried. “Slow down, we need to go to Giles! We need to tell him what’s going on!” The stallion snorted and turned, kicking a demon in the face as he did so. He then sprinted off towards the school, making better time than many cars.

Rupert Giles, Watcher, struggled with the card catalogue system. He personally preferred the hands-on method to Jenny’s electronic catalogue, but he would do this for Jenny.

He was in the “H”’s when the door was opened by Xander, in a ridiculous toga with a white horse trailing him.

“Xander?!” Giles cried in shock. Blood was dripping off of a spear Xander held, smoking on the floor. “Pick that thing up right now! What’s going on?!”

“That’s what I’d like to know. We all bought costumes at a new place, called Ethan’s, and then they came to life. The costumes, that is. I was Himmler, until I found myself in a place with some winged chick telling me several things about some Vacuuma place, called me Ormur or something, and gave me the horse. I killed Himmler, and came here as fast as I could.”

“Vaccuma place?” Giles inquired, polishing his glasses. “Do you mean Valhalla? Ælfwine Ormur was a male Valkyrie, the only one in recorded mythology. And you mentioned a costume shop?”

“Ethan’s. Weird, with a guy who looked a bit like you’d be buds or something.”

“Ethan’s?” Giles asked with an unusual urgency. “Take me there. That’s probably a very fast horse; you look like a male Valkyrie, and the horse is probably faster than any car. You look ridiculous, by the way. And I’ll tell you more when we get back.” Giles was already out of the library and sprinting down the hallway when Xander swung onto his horse’s back and held out an arm to the lean Watcher, who vaulted on behind him.

Ethan Rayne laughed at the utter mayhem he was creating. It was beautiful! And he was certain that Himmler was having a great deal of fun as well in that stupid boy’s body! With a chuckle, he watched the proceedings. All he needed now was a bag of popcorn.

Suddenly, his door was blasted open. A great white stallion stood there, what looked like a short-haired male Valkyrie on his back. Then, Ethan felt a great shock go through him as someone’s boot impacted his kidney. He was down, and suddenly he saw a spear point in his face.

“Tell us how to reverse the spell, Ethan,” a familiar voice snarled.

“There is no way, Ripper,” Ethan replied with a chuckle. The spear point pricked his face, and he felt blood trickle down his neck.

“Tell us, or you die,” the male Valkyrie hissed. The horse growled.

“You cannot reverse the spell.” Ripper’s boot once again impacted his kidney, then shattered his ankle. The spear point pressed against somewhere quite a bit lower than Ethan’s face.

“The statue! Destroy the bust of Janus!” Ethan sobbed in fear and pain. The stallion leapt over the two of them, and a crash was heard from inside his workroom. Then, a boy exited, without the armor or anything to tell anyone he was a Valkyrie in male form. Ripper smiled and patted Ethan’s face.

“I knew you’d tell us with the right persuesion. Come on, Xander. Much to do.” The two of them left the shop, leaving Ethan to deal alone with his cut cheek, bruised kidney, cracked spine, soiled trousers and shattered ankle.

“Ouch,” Xander moaned. “I’ve never ridden before, and now…”

“I understand. It was like that for me when I first hunted. I had been on horses, but not that fast or jumping like that. Good job, Xander. Thank you.”

“I… I guess my name is now Ormur. Maybe.”

“When you get your horse and go to Valhalla,” Giles corrected.

Xander probed his memories of that night, trying to figure out what had happened. Then, he came upon some weird memories. His father wasn’t a schoolteacher! And he… Did he know German? He knew the names and ranks of every major Nazi, and also what Hitler’s favorite composer was (Wagner) and who Hitler looked up to (Fredrick the Great). He knew several things to do with genetics, and multiple ancient and dead languages, not to mention chickens! With a groan, Xander felt his head start pounding. He had the memories of Heinrich Himmler. What else could go wrong?

Celebwen Telcontar: I just had to add that last bit! Poor Xander!

Balrog: At least he’s not a Nazi.

Celebwen Telcontar: That’s right. Now, what shall we do for the fourth chapter? Please review, people!

CT

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