Snippet #2255859

When he was sitting in his chair, alternating his gaze from Darkmare to Mya, Tekil felt cold. The room itself seemed to be freezing, what came as a surprise to the Dane, as he had become accustomed to low temperatures a long time ago, but he suspected it was the Grim Reaper’s gaze that made him feel so cold. There was something in his eyes that made them capable of freezing one’s very soul, redefining the word itself far beyond the petty measures of men.

The instructions were clear, and being assigned as the leader of the task force came as no surprise for Tekil. He was, if nothing else, the oldest and most experienced of the Reapers in the room. He had seen Julie, Chris and Silas as they evolved within the order, had accompanied their psyche’s development and therefore possessed great admiration for them. He had seen Julie’s psyche in action more than once, and her skill with it impressed the old Reaper every time. Chris’s psyche was a very useful one, and Tekil had come to rely on his ability more than he would like to admit. Finally, Silas, whose ability of being late was very consistent with his personality and not at all consistent with his violent psyche, which was, just because of that, a very powerful weapon. His team was flawless. A squad of powerful Reapers that Tekil could only hope to lead well in the mysterious mission they were headed.

For even with the Grim Reaper’s briefing, Tekil was still uneasy about the task. It’s true, Mya’s graphics were very efficient in showing that Lost activity had increased alarmingly, but that still did not explain why four of the most capable of the Reapers were necessary in this mission. Maybe precaution was the reason, but the order couldn’t spare this many agents every time there was an emergency. This thought sent a chill down Tekil’s spine. What if the spirits got so restless the Reapers couldn’t contain them? How would ordinary humans react to more and more mysterious accidents caused by the negligence of powerless Reapers that fail to be everywhere at once?

Tekil bowed in respect to the Grim Reaper, knowing he would appreciate the gesture, then left the room nodding for Chris and Julie to follow him. He was expecting Silas to arrive soon enough and join them in Warehouse 13, but he could not wait any longer. They had to departure as soon as possible.

The snow hadn’t ceased, and in the distance, the Dane heard a crow caw once. Definitely a bad omen, he thought.

Warehouse 13

Tekil did not know if it was the nightfall or the presence of spirits, but he certainly felt a bit colder when they arrived at the Industrial District.

At first glance, there was little of different to be seen. The streets seemed quiet, and the giant warehouses lied still, looking like colossal shadows in the sunset blurred by the clouds. But the signs of Lost soon started to appear. A group of people passed by them in utter terror, some screaming, some unable to speak, just running frightened. None of them could tell what they just saw, but a few of them were carrying sound and filming equipment. At first Tekil didn’t care, but then one of the frightened cameramen rushed by, and the Reaper caught a glance of the back of his shirt. It had the words “It Came From Beyond” in ridiculously large letters, and Tekil felt a grip in his heart. Was it possible that Quest was there, in Warehouse 13, filming an episode? It would be no coincidence. The Dane started walking faster unconsciously until he was running, his forty-year old lungs burning with the effort.

When he reached the front door of the Warehouse, his heart nearly stopped, and Tekil’s immediate thoughts were what a burden he would be if he died of a heart attack right there. Quest was there, of course, surrounded by angered spirits, some of them with the heaviest aura the old Reaper had ever seen. They weren’t just angry, they were furious. They were desperate, enraged, and violent. Tekil snapped out of his trance and started giving orders, trying to assume some authority in this desperate situation.

-Julie! Summon some orbs and draw the spirits away from Quest! – Tekil turned to Chris and Silas – Boys, when she does, dispatch them quickly and come back here to help us! Now go!

Tekil unsheathed Slagænde and activated his psyche like so many times before, feeling the strong steel of the blade freeze slowly, eager to strike into something and devour it with its endless cold.

He hoped Julie’s energy orbs would attract the minor spirits from Quest, but he could never expect the huge Lost that now leaned towards the Maori to be fooled by this trick. Tekil Thorkildson inhaled deeply, knowing his ancestors would be watching this fight from the Valhalla, and charged towards the monstrous beast, swinging Slagænde with precision.