Book 6 - Mystery of Shadow Mountain - Chapter 30: Need Pan, Can Travel

          Two vikings rush Annabeth and I from our respective directions, we both have the same idea as we duck, drive our right shoulder into the rushee, and with leverage, fling their bodies over us which also collided with the other then fell in between us.  Those two are dazed for the moment.

         Another viking rushes Annabeth but I have my own problem as one also rushing me.  He learns form the previous viking and eases up on me.  I hold my hands up ready for any attack.  Right jab… blocked.  Left jab… blocked.  Right jab… I grab a hold of his arm, pull him toward me for his momentum is coming this way, and land a right sucker punch to the guy’s stomach.  He is stunned bending over, I grab a nearby chair and break it across the viking’s back.  He then slumps to the floor.  I turn around to see Annabeth right leg swipe the viking she is viking.  He falls to the ground, hitting the back of his head.

         “Jarl, duck!” Annabeth exclaims.

         Forgetting for a moment I am still in a fight, I duck quickly as the draft of a broken tabletop piece flies overhead.  The viking sees I have dodged his move and reverses his swing.  Jumping back, I dodge; the viking relentlessly comes after me.  I retreat back to the east wall, jump on it, and then push off directly back at the viking shouldering rushing him with my right shoulder.  He tips over backwards and I fall on his chest.  Knocking the wind out of him, I stand up.  Checking to make sure no one is behind me, I now turn my attention to Annabeth.

         A viking has a hold of her neck, pulling her back, and a second viking coming at her!

         Annabeth is trying to use hands to pull the viking’s arm away from her.  I swiftly move to her, but… The viking pulling Annabeth back runs into a wall.  Immediately, Annabeth pushes back into the viking, lifting up her legs, and dig her feet into the chest of the viking coming at her.  He did not expect this, but as soon as he met de feet, his back met the floor.  Annabeth pushes off and the viking is launched off his feet, landing on the floor a couple feet away.  I have to somersault forward just to move out of the way of the body.  Annabeth proceeds to throw a right elbow jab into the guy’s gut.  Then, another elbow jab.  He lets her go and yelps in pain.  Annabeth takes a step back to swing both her arms back to her right and jumps into a flying kick to the left with her right foot.  The viking goes numb and slumps to the floor.

         I nod, impressed, then declare, “Lessons with my mom are finally paying dividends, huh?”

         Annabeth gives a chuckle as she starts running after the viking who game the signal to the other vikings to instigate a fight.  Reason why is he is now retreating out the door.  I then hear charging feet on the floor from the rear of the tavern.  Another viking starts running towards the front door after Annabeth and is about to go by the front counter until…

         BANG!

         The tavern keeper swings an iron skillet in his left hand and lands the hit square on the vikings face!  The viking freezes and his body is still standing.  The tavern keeper then walks in front of viking and blows on him.  The viking slowly falls backwards onto the floor in a crash.

         In awe I comment, “With the mighty back hand!”

         The tavern keeper turns back at me and yells, “Arragh!”

         Scrambling to my feet as the angry tavern keeper chases me.  I barge out the door, but instantly stop.

         The viking has a similar hold on Annabeth as the previous viking did, but this viking has a knife and is trying to run her through!  Annabeth is using all of her strength to keep his arm at bay!!

         Just as I start to run at them, I hear a deep voice next to me, “Hello.”

         I whirl around to see a mean looking viking in the act of throwing a right cross at me.

         In the same motion, the tavern keeper barges out, swinging his skillet to the right, and screams in a demanding tone, “Get out of my tavern!!”

         The tavern keeper inadvertently lands a second hit squarely on the viking trying to punch me.  This takes the keeper by surprise as he watches the viking he hit crumble to the ground.  This distracts the viking holding Annabeth long enough for her to jerk down on the guy’s right arm with the knife and she lifts up her right knee, sandwiching the viking’s arm between her arms and her knee.  The viking drops the knife.  Annabeth reaches high up on his arm, shoves her right hip into the viking’s side, and throws the viking up over her shoulder.

         While the viking is in mid-air, I ask the keeper, “May I?” as I reach for his frying pan.

         The keeper is left speechless but relinquishes the iron skillet and gives it to me.  I turn as the other viking is about to hit the ground.  In a single move, I toss Annabeth the pan end over end, with her right hand she catches the handle, and as the viking is about to get back on his feet from kneeling on his left leg, Annabeth swings with both hands on the frying pan and smacks the viking’s helmet with such force that it flies off and the viking is left knocked out cold.

         Annabeth proceeds to rest the pan on her left shoulder, still holding on to it with her left hand; I then ask her, “So… How have you been?”  I then then chuckle.

         She shakes her head and says, “I’ll tell you about it inside.”

         Annabeth waves her right hand to me to help her drag the viking inside.  We pile the dazed and knocked out vikings.  A few of them do wake up, but merely go back to the counter while the tavern keeper scolds them roughing up his tavern but still serves them.

         Over a couple of mugs of milk, Annabeth tells me all that she and her family has done.

         “The day we left Mystery, we got right on the trail.  Dagur had already had some leads and clues for us to track down.  To investigate that these were true or not took the next several weeks, but we traveled up and down the western portions of the Archipelago.  However, we did not spend all of our time on the go.  Dagur made it a point to stop at Berserker Island as much as possible because my people are rebuilding as Dagur is reforming.  Our people are getting stronger than they ever were before and learning what it means to love dragons and think of more than just themselves.  Actually, a lot of our people welcomed this change as they were thinking it was about time.  Getting used to dragons still is taking some getting used to, but more and more people are getting their own dragons to train especially the children and teens.”

         “It has been great to spend time with Heather and Dagur.  We have made a tight and strong bond with each other… Berserker style of course.  We wouldn’t want to have it any other way.  Dawn has been Dawn, no surprise there.  Dagur got a new dragon, a Triple Stryke, Sleuther.  Shattermaster is fine.  After the injuries he suffered while on a mission with Hiccup and the Dragon Riders, Shattermaster needed time to heal.  Although, it became apparent that he may not be the same battle dragon as he once was.  Sleuther is the ‘better dragon,’ quote-unquote, but Shattermaster is still Dagur’s first bond with a dragon, first true bond.  I think Dagur got jealous of Fawn, or at least Dawn would like to think so.  I believe there is something more to be said about Dawn and Dagur, but Dawn is still a difficult viking to judge.   I am doing as well as could be.  How are you doing?”

         Hesitating for a second, I let out a half sigh, half chuckle, “Well, things could be better.”

         Annabeth looks at me, putting her hands on her hips, and jokingly scolds me, “Jarl Brodd Mollerson.  I left you with a whole mystery to solve and all you have to show for it while I have been gone is nothing?”

         I shake my head as she says, “I’m just teasing, but still.”

         “I know,” I reply.  I then explain that after running into a mental wall with trying to figure out what the current clue meant, I went back to Berk, “On one hand, big mistake as they put me to work.  But it got my mind off the mystery as I was hoping to come back to it with a fresh perspective.  Long story short, when Hiccup and the Dragon Riders along with Dagur and Heather supported by the A-Team went to attack Viggo’s Project Shellfire.  Yours truly stayed behind to defend Berk with our friends that stayed on Berk.  My heart wanted to join the fight, especially when I heard Berserker Island was attacked, but Stoick was counting on me to hold Berk.  I wasn’t alone and was in training with the A-Team for many weeks, but I had to lead.”

         “I heard about Berserker Island,” Annabeth states as she slams her right fist down on the table.  “Dawn and I were out chasing a lead about our father and were away when it happened.  Neither of us knew until we got back as there was no way for Dagur to contact us.  Partly why recently we have spent more time on Berserker Island than we did in the beginning.”

         Taking a drink of milk, Annabeth tries to talk yet only a muffled sound is heard.

         “Mmm,” she swallows and puts her mug down.  “Oh, Jarl,” Annabeth says excitingly.  “I found something out that you will perk you up.”

         I guess, “You found a clue that will make perfect sense to have I couldn’t figure out for months now.”

         “Yes,” she answered.  “How’d you… Wait-.”

         I then interjected, “Ah, so that is how it feels like to solve a mystery.  It has been so long that I have forgotten,” I chuckle.  “That really was just a guess, but knowing you, you would find that clue.”

         “Well,” Annabeth goes on.  “I just loosened the jar lid for you.  Anyway, that clue we found on Aberdeen island… Not the whole clue.”

         “What?!” I say shocked.

         “While on tracking down leads about my father, one led me to Defenders of the Wing,” Annabeth relays.  “That in it of itself is a little odd, but what is even more strange is the fact that the Defenders have a deep history on the Legend of Shadow Mountain.  They have a lot more details than I could remember or jot down, but we will have to go there soon.  But what I do remember as it finally made sense.”

         As Annabeth went on, I am more interested and surprised, “Get this, the clue we found on Aberdeen island is the majority of the clue.  But because we found a table with the clue on the front of it, there was supposed to be a sitting on top of the table with the last part of the clue on it.”

         Annabeth reveals she actually has the key and gives it to me to read off.

         “Lest you be Berserk, take your best guess,” I read and the recite the whole clue with reading this part.  “So, you are crazy enough to pass the test.  Now you must head west to be my guest.  Because you have made it this far, nuts you must be to go to this nest.  Lest you be Berserk, take your best guess… Berserker Island!”

         Annabeth jumps in, “That’s not all.”

         I furrow my brow and ask in amazement, “There’s more?”

         “Yes,” Annabeth continues.  “To make this literally to the level of Dagur’s Berserker’ed-ness, a viking found this key and brought it to Harrek who brought it to Defenders of the Wing, who got lost and shipwrecked on the Defender’s island.  The Defenders informed Harrek of the knowledge they possessed of The Legend.  Guess who found this key and gave it to Harrek?”

         While Annabeth thought, I kept saying the clue over and over in my head and listened to her.

         When she asked me to guess, something dawned on me, “Your father.”

         “No, my-  Wait, how’d… Oh, never-,” Annabeth said initially surprised but understood as I leap in.  “I’m the Mystery Conqueror,” I say puffing out my chest, but then laugh.  “Just kidding.  And that wasn’t a wild guess either.  The first two-thirds of the clue suggest that whoever is writing the clues has outside knowledge of The Legend because why would he be addressing someone in the clues?  I always found that strange, especially since this guy has a sense of humor too.”

         “But why does the clue say, ‘Be my guest,’?  What does that mean… Unless…,” Annabeth stopped speaking as she realized something.  I realized something at the same time, “That your father is the one writing these clues and that is the reason why only a Berserker could solve this clue.  I just had another thought, could it be possible that all this time, your father, Osvald the Agreeable worked with Harrek, leaving all of these clues for his children to find?”

         Annabeth thought for a moment and then wondered out loud in a whisper, “Do think that is possible?”

         I shrug my shoulders, “We have seen, done, and experienced several improbable things, so who knows.  All I know now is that all of these clues are falling into place.  I am just trying to connect the dots but seems like none of them are dead ends as they lead to another dot.”

         We take a moment to rest and let all of this sink in.

         “But, what gets me,” I comment as we both lean back in our chairs.  “What does the viking, who is potentially your father, mean by ‘nest’?  How is Berserker Island a nest?  If it is, what is it a nest for?”

         Annabeth and I see the tavern keeper coming over.  We go quiet as to make sure we keep this between us for now.  He states he came over to bring us refills.  Then, he also extends his apologies for blaming Annabeth and I for the fight.  Though we contributed to breaking things, he now realizes that the other viking were to blame and we were just defending ourselves.  He welcomed us to come in anytime, but then he joked that he would keep his iron pan handy.  As he turns to go back, he mentions that he called for the authorities to come pick up our “friends.”

         “Annabeth?” I inquire.

         “Yes?” She responds.

         “When you were talking about how everyone was doing, before you got distracted with my amazing display of mystery solving skills from the Mystery Conqueror, when you said you were doing as well as could be, I was sensing a ‘but’ coming.  What’s wrong?” I ask.

         Sighing, Annabeth simply says, “You.”
         “Me?” I respond sarcastically with a surprised look.  “Well, fine then.”

         I start to get up but Annabeth with her right hand grabs my left wrist.  As I sit back down, Annabeth rolls her eyes.

         “That’s not what I meant, idiot,” Annabeth corrects.

         “I know,” I chuckle.

         Annabeth looks at me and says, “Yes, it is you.  But in all seriousness… I missed you.”

         Returning the sentiment, I reply, “The same day you left, I started missing you.  While I could still see you flying away, I missed you.  Asvord said I stood on that cliff for probably four hours staring off into the horizon.  Asvord also said I looked sadder than a Thorston in a pit with no boars to be seen.  I tried studying all or our notes, clues, and leads we have accumulated for the mystery.  All I got out of that is knowing basically everything by heart.  A day or two later, I said to myself, ‘If Annabeth was here now, she would tell me to get off my butt, stop being so sad, and start doing something.’  So, I did.  Got a lot of projects designed, completed, and prototyped from ideas I have had in the back of my head for quite some time.  But that only last a few weeks.  The rest you know.”
         Annabeth smiles at me, still holding on to my wrist but moves her hand to my hand and holds it, “I am glad you missed me, but I am glad you didn’t just sit around.  The mystery being stimmed didn’t help, but I know you would keep busy.  The fact is, I want to come back.”
         “But-,” I started but Annabeth butt in.  “No buts.  The four of us deliberated on what we should do and it was decided that Dawn and I would comeback to Mystery.”  Annabeth paused while taking a deep breath; I notice her eyes slightly getting glassy, “As much as I would love to find my true father -even after just speculating on his connection to The Legend- and ask him so many questions until he was blue in the face… I already have my family.”

         Annabeth took her left hand and grabbed my right hand from the table to bring it to her right hand.  She squeezed tightly as she said the end of her previous statement.

         Annabeth and I look into each other’s eyes.  We start to lean forward as…

         “Your friends are waking up,” the tavern keeper alerts us.

         She and I both stop merely a few inches from each other.  We both smile and then do it anyway.

         We kiss.

         We did not hold it as long as I would have wanted, but Annabeth stopped and whispered to me, “Rude interruption, but Duty calls.  Why wake-up at a time like this?”

         I retort, “You didn’t hit him hard enough.”

         “Oh,” Annabeth then jabs me in the left side with her right fist.  “You weren’t quick enough.”

         Now, I roll my eyes but I also smile.

         It does make sense to get over to the viking who started the fight before he tries to make a getaway, but I and for sure Annabeth wanted a few more seconds.

         The viking grunts and stands up as I address him, “What are you doing starting fights and messing up this tavern for?!  What have we done to you?”

         Shaking his head, taking his helmet off, and rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand, he replies, “Look, kid.  I was just doing what I was paid to do.  To honest, I haven’t gotten paid enough.”

         Annabeth smacks her right fist into her left hand, “We can give some extra payment for your troubles.”

         “No, no,” the viking immediately put up and started waving his hands.  “I got plenty paid off from you two.  I was talking about the viking who hired me.”

         Giving a suggestion, I say, “And because the tavern keeper has already called the trade commission who send viable ‘customers’ to the Outcasts for the extended stay accommodations and you said it yourself you haven’t gotten paid enough, who hired you?”

         “Some woman with red hair,” the viking replied.  Instantly, Annabeth and I knew who he is talking about.

         Annabeth questioned, “Besides trying to kill us, what were hired to do?”

         “Kill you?” the viking said.  “That was my idea, but I only thought of it until I thought of how good of a fighter the both of you were.  Then it morphed into defending myself… I don’t know.  Everything’s a bit cloudy at the moment.”

         I declared, “You’ll have plenty of time to rest on Outcast Island… Depending on what kind of mood Alvin is in.”

         “If I tell you more, will you put a good word in for me,” the viking almost pleaded.

         Hesitant as to why he would say this, I begrudgingly say, “Sure.”

         “This red-haired woman,” the viking reveals.  “Told me to make sure Savage did what he was told to do.”

         Annabeth and I say in unison, “Savage?”

         “The woman said some of the Dragon Riders may recognize the name,” he goes on.  “But Savage is supposed to stage a coup on Berserker Island to capture it for the woman and then send messengers back to her island for her to stage an invasion.”

         Out of the corner of my right eye, I see both of Annabeth’s fist clinch tightly.  Shooting a glance at her face, it looks like Annabeth is doing everything she can not to burst out in anger right now.  Annabeth then turns around and runs out the entrance to the tavern.  I have a feeling I know what she is doing, so I let her go.

         “Will you put the word in for me when the Outcasts get here?” the viking concluded.

         “You can tell them yourself that you helped me in my current mystery,” I state.  “When I call for them?”

         “Call for them?” the viking repeated.  “But you-  You set me up!”

         I nod, “Yeah, but I only gave you the way that the authorities take care of scum like you.  The suggestion led you to the wrong conclusion.  Can I help it that you did that?”

         The viking backed down, although then demanded, “You said that you would put a good word in for me.  I helped you!  If I tell them, they won’t believe me!”
         “Hold on,” I put up my hands.  “No need to get all riled.  Keeper?”

         “Yep?” the tavern keeper responds.

         “Make sure when the Outcast reps get here that this one guy helped me.  Because the rest were too ‘tired’ to help or are still sleeping, this one guy gets the good word,” my statement makes the viking that did help with the information feel a little better about his situation.  Turning my attention back to the keeper, I question, “Do you think you and the trade commission can handle these goons?”

         The keeper grabs something under his counter and plops his iron skillet on the countertop; he then picks it up with his right hand and then taps the pan onto his left hand, “I can take care of them.  Unless they want me to take care of them now, they will help me clean up this mess.”

         With my right hand, I give a friendly salute to the keeper as he starts to make the goons get to work.  I rush out the door to find Annabeth doing exactly what I thought she would do.

         “You ready?” Annabeth’s says from the back of Anora.

         “You bet,” I answer as I run to the back of my dragon, jump up over Fredrick, and land on my saddle.

         Both dragons launch into the air.