Lightning Strikers: The Freeze Fall Part 2

Part 2: Challenging the Worthy

There was an awful amount of damage down to the city from last night. Someone had taken the hammer and ravaged the town, striking fear among citizens. The authorities could not capture the one responsible who had escaped after warning everyone to leave while they still could or tragedy will follow. Whether that was a threat from him or not, who knows for sure?
Vic and Crow were checking out all of the damage done last night.
"This town is like a magnet for disaster," Crow thought.
"Yeah, I know. What could've happened here?" Vic wondered.
The two noticed the news on television in an electronics store telling about the break-in into the Harry Ransom Center and that the hammer had been taken.
"That hammer we saw yesterday's been taken," said Vic.
"But by who?" Crow wondered.
"I'll bet you anything it has to do with the destruction to the city," Vic thought.
"You think the two and two go together?" Crow asked.
"Wouldn't you agree?" Vic persuaded.
Vic just could be onto something. They decided to get to the bottom of this and prevent it from happening again.
"I think we'll have to come back later. We'll stake out the city and wait for whoever is responsible to return," Crow suggested.
"Good idea," Vic agreed.
The two Forever Heroes will return tonight and hope to catch the one behind this mess.

Isaiah was making more snowcones and experimenting with different flavors. Strange flavors one would not even want to try at all.
"Here comes another one," he said preparing one.
That was when Gloria arrived.
"What's up little man?" Gloria asked.
Then she noticed how he had grown.
"Or not as little anymore," she withdrew.
"Glad you're here. Try this," Isaiah said offering the snowcone.
"What did you do to it?" she asked suspiciously.
"I made it myself and I need your opinion. Try it," Isaiah answered.
Gloria sampled the snowcone and gagged in disgust.
"Bleh! What is this?" Gloria gagged.
"Honey Barbecue flavor. Don't you like it?" Isaiah replied.
"Sorry but not really," Gloria answered.
"Man. I guess I'll just have to keep trying," Isaiah sighed.
I came walking in with my head lowered nervously, hoping Isaiah and Gloria wouldn't see me.
"There's my tio," said Isaiah.
"There are you, Rod. Where were you?" Gloria asked.
"Yeah. Where were you?" Isaiah asked.
I picked my head up and looked at the two of them blankly and awkwardly for a brief moment.
"Have you heard about that commotion that went on last night in town?" Gloria asked.
"Who me?" I asked. Then I answered, "I haven't heard anything."
I then walked away. Gloria was a little suspicious.
"Has Rod been around today?" Gloria asked Isaiah.
"He's been gone all day. And all last night too," Isaiah answered.
"Last night?" Gloria exclaimed.
I quietly went upstairs with my jacket closed tightly as if I was hiding something in it. I was feeling a little uneasy at the time.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country out at sea, there was a thick, cloudy, frosty fog. There appeared to be icebergs forming on the surface and blue fluid energy flowing through the fog. Just then, something emerged breaking out through the ice and rose to the surface, it's fists full of blue fluid and flowing down it's body. The fluid energy spiraled around this figure who finally emerged from the fog, revealing itself.
"At last, after three millennia I've awakened!" the Frost Elf Ymundra announced.

Vic and Crow were talking about their stake out tonight to catch the one who stole the hammer and possibly caused the destruction last night.
"The break-in occured around 9:00 in the evening. So we'll go there a little earlier and catch that guy," Vic suggested.
"Sounds about right," Crow agreed.
She was also thinking about something else.
"What's up?" Vic asked.
"I'd like to know how that hammer was stolen. It couldn't even be lifted. Not even by you," said Crow.
"I'm aware of that. But I probably loosened it up enough for someone to remove it," said Vic.
Crow just glared at him.
"Hey, what kind of human can measure up to me?" Vic stated.
"Whoever removed that hammer and caused so much damage must be pretty strong. We have no idea what we could be up against," Crow thought.
"Maybe not. But we can't let them run wild again," said Vic.
Gloria came over to the two, having overheard them.
"Let what run wild?" Gloria asked.
"Whatever attacked the city last night," Crow answered.
"We're staking out downtown tonight in case they come back," said Vic.
"Would you like me to come along?" Gloria offered.
"No thanks. I think we can handle it," said Crow.
"Well alright," said Gloria.
She was about to leave but then turned back to them.
"Hey, do you guys know where Rod was all day and last night?" she asked.
"We haven't seen him all day today," Vic replied.
"He was gone last night?" Crow asked.
"Isaiah said he was," said Gloria.
Isaiah came over with another snowcone.
"Isaiah said what?" Isaiah asked.
"That your uncle was gone last night," said Crow.
"Oh yeah. He was just watching his movies and when I went to offer him another snowcone, he disappeared," said Isaiah.
"Probably because he didn't want to try your snowcones. Bleh!" Gloria remarked.
"I haven't seen him all day today either," Isaiah added.
Then he saw walking over to the group.
"But there he is now," Isaiah pointed out.
"I just got back from the movie set and boy..." I started.
"Are you crazy?" Crow interrupted.
"That's not how the joke goes," said Vic.
"What's the matter?" I asked.
"Why did you just disappear and left Isaiah all alone last night?" Crow asked.
I just looked at her blankly like how I looked at Isaiah and Gloria earlier. After a moment I finally said,
"Isaiah's old enough to look after himself."
"Maybe not with all that went on last night," said Crow.
"Yeah. Did you hear about all the chaos downtown? Someone stole the hammer from the Center and the city was attacked. We think whoever stole the hammer was responsible. Seems a little suspicious that both of those things just happened to occur at the same time," Vic explained.
"I don't think I've heard about that," I said.
"How can you not? All of Austin knows about it," said Gloria.
"I told you, I've been down at the sets," I said.
"Well Vic and I are going to see what's going on tonight. We're going to stake out downtown and see if whoever did all this will come back," said Crow.
"You want to come along? This sounds like a job for the Mighty Lightning," Vic offered.
"I don't think the Mighty's going to be there," I replied.
"If you say so," said Vic.
"You still haven't answered my question. Where did you disappear to last night?" Crow reiterated.
For some reason I had no idea how I was supposed to answer that. Just then Isaiah's snowcone was starting to melt.
"Hey, my snowcone's melting. I need someone to try it before it's all gone," he said.
"I'd like to sobrino but I'm need back on the set. I'll catch up to you guys later," I said taking my leave.
"There he goes again," said Crow.
Isaiah held his snowcone to Vic.
"Here Vic, you try it," he offered.
"You scraped the ice off the side of the freezer, didn't you?" Vic asked suspiciously.

Ymundra has reawakened and he was ready to resume where he left off 3000 years ago.
"The Soul Crusader of Goltenhiem is no more and the spell has been broken. Though Goltenhiem itself is no more, I can instead freeze over this world. And without that Soul Crusader to interfere and with the Fyl's everlasting vitality in my grasp, this world is as good as mine," Ymundra declared.
He struck his trident into the ground and released fluid energy from it which absorbed into the ground.
"My Frost Elves, I command you! Arise!" Ymundra shouted.
The Fyl's energy caused the ground to freeze over and the Frost Elves rose out in their undead forms and were ready to obey Ymundra's every command.
"My cold-blooded friends, Goltenhiem is no more. We shall freeze the Earth and bring our eternal ice age here instead. Come now. We must summon the most frigid of coldness so that the Frost Elves will reign supreme!" Ymundra instructed.
Obeying Ymundra's orders, the Frost Elves blew the most frigid of wind from their mouths, combined with Ymundra's Fyl power, in order to change the weather and transform the Earth into one giant ice land. It won't be long until this weather spreads and everything is frozen forever. Now that the hammer has been lifted, the spell has been broken and Ymundra can now resume his initial plans.

The weather was still very warm back home. Isaiah was still testing out new snowcone flavors. He had just finished making a new one and suffered a brain freeze.
"Oh, awesome. Just what I wanted. A brain freeze," he cried in pain.
While he was busy with that, I was trying to sneak by him with my jacket wrapped up in my arms as if something was in it and I didn't want to show it.
"Isaiah, is anyone here?" I asked him.
"Just me. Vic and Crow already went downtown," he replied.
"Gloria?"
"She's not here either."
I looked down at my jacket and then back at Isaiah.
"That's good," I said.
Isaiah noticed that I was beginning to sweat a bit.
"You don't look too good, tio. Want a snowcone to cool you off?" Isaiah offered.
"No. I don't want a snowcone," I denied.
"You're sweating a lot," said Isaiah.
"It was just... really hot out."
"Too hot to wear your jacket?"
"Uh, yeah... how did you know?"
Secretly I was feeling a little nervous. As if I was expecting something terrible. But I didn't want to let Isaiah know. Or let anyone know just what is really up with me. The evening was approaching and I was becoming even more shaken up.
"Uh, I'm going out for a little air, Isaiah," I said.
"You just got back," he said.
"I just really need to get out," I said.
With that, I left with my jacket and whatever was wrapped inside it. Isaiah didn't have a clue what was wrong with me.
"Ah, the fresh air might do him some good," he thought.
He then added some pickle juice to his newly prepared snowcone.
"I know I got the right flavor this time," he said.

Vic and Crow had reached downtown and were waiting to catch whoever took the hammer and damaged the city last night.
"Bleh! I'll never try another one of Isaiah's maple syrup snowcones again," Vic said in disgust.
He contacted Crow through his V-ersatyl.
"Crow, I'm downtown," he said.
"I know that, Vic. I'm looking right at you," Crow responded.
She was right behind him around the corner.
"I'll patrol the north side of downtown for whoever we're looking for and you take the south," Crow instructed.
"Who died and made you boss? I'll patrol the south and you patrol the north," Vic argued.
"Well alright then!" Crow replied. Though she did indeed know that Vic just agreed exactly to what she said.
The two split up and patrolled the city for any sign of the felon. He just had to return to the scene of the crime, after all. And they weren't going to let him get away like last time.

The night had approached and I was still out, tightly holding my jacket close. I was still a little shaken up and was becoming even worse every passing second. After a couple more steps I dropped my jacket, which made a thud hitting the ground, and fell to my hands and knees. I was breathing repeatedly and looking at my jacket which was exposing some kind of strap attached to the handle of something. I closed my eyes tightly and tried to look away as if I was trying to fight this feeling inside of me. Something was most definitely wrong with me.

Things appeared to be just fine on both the north and south sides of downtown with no sign of any suspicious activity. Vic was patrolling from a ground level while Crow was looking around from on top of the buildings.
"So far so good. Nothing bad over here. How about you?" Vic contacted Crow through his V-ersatyl.
"It's all clear over here. Hey, that rhymes," said Crow.
"Thanks, Mother Goose. Just to be safe, maybe we ought to stick around a little longer," Vic suggested.
"We can do that," Crow agreed.
The two Forever Heroes continued with their duties. Over on the north, Crow still didn't come across anything suspicious.
"Maybe he's not going to return to the scene of the crime," she thought.
But just then, in the distance, a huge energy wave pushed several cars and caused a great disturbance. Things weren't so safe anymore.
"Or maybe he will," Crow said withdrawing her previous statement.
She called up Vic.
"Vic!" she called.
"I heard it. I'm on my way," Vic replied.
It was time to do something about this destructive thief.

Both Forever Heroes arrived at the scene to confront this person they've been waiting for.
"So where is he? Or she?" Vic wondered.
"She? How do you know it could be a girl?" Crow said confused.
"Do you remember how destructive your sister gets when I turn her down?" Vic replied.
A dark figure leaped forward from the distance over to Vic and Crow. e landed with a smash of his hammer upon the ground, which made the ground shake a bit.
"He's here," said Vic.
The two got ready to meet this person face-to-face. The figure's glowing patterns on his body were the only thing visible in the darkness.
"Come out and show yourself, fiend!" Crow ordered.
"Fiend? Is that what you call your ally?" the figure asked in a dark, gruff voice.
"What do you mean "ally?"" Crow said in confusion.
"Have we met?" Vic asked.
The figure came out of the darkness and made himself visible. This came as quite a surprise for both Vic and Crow.
"Can it really be?" Crow gasped.
"I don't believe it!" Vic gasped equally shocked.
"ROD?!" both exclaimed.
The figure was in fact me but with a dramatic cosmetic change in my overall appearance. I possessed the glowing patterns on my body which resembled the engraved patterns on the hammer. My body a bit more physically structured and my jacket was only half it's usual length with slight tears at the edges. My hands were wrapped in black bandages and my hair had blue highlights and my eyes were blue as well. And of course, the hammer that was previously on display at the Harry Ransom Center was held firmly in my hand by my side.
"What do you think you're doing here, Rod?" Vic asked.
"You stole the hammer?" Crow questioned.
"Stole? I only took what is mine by right," I replied.
"What are you talking about?" Crow asked.
"And what's wrong with your voice? You got something in your throat?" Vic wondered.
"Have are how you speak, comrade. Friend or not, no one insults the Worthy," I stated.
"The Worthy? Is that supposed to be you?" Vic asked.
"Of the three people here, who is holding the hammer that could not be lifted by the powerless humans and even yourself?" I said.
"Rod, that hammer doesn't belong to you. You have to return it and stop this nonsense," said Crow.
"What are you doing terrorizing the town anyway?" Vic asked.
I turned away.
"I warned the humans. I told them that if they valued their lives then they would evacuate this place immediately. Yet they stay and refuse to heed my warning," I answered.
"Warning them of what?" Crow asked.
"Tragedy will follow if they choose not to listen. If they will not leave then I will force them to do so," I stated.
"What tragedy? You're not threatening these innocent people, are you?" Vic asked.
"I wasn't originally. But as of right now, yes I am. If they refuse to take my advice, then they won't be spared. Therefore I'll make them leave this place," I promised.
"You're our friend, Rod. And we know you very well. You would never come to this. You would never threaten innocent people or ever steal," Crow lectured.
"You absent-minded fools! Are you not aware of the catastrophe that will follow? The humans will leave one way or another. And you will help me in forcing them to leave. Your leader commands it!" I ordered.
"Sorry, Rod. But that's not our style. Crow and I are Forever Heroes. We fight for the defense of everyone not to hurt them," said Vic.
"And we don't allow anyone to bring any harm to those we fight for. No matter who they are," said Crow.
"Now you refuse to obey? You will assist me in frightening the humans away!" I demanded.
"Never, Rod!" both said together.
"So be it. The humans will leave this area and I will see to it that they do. Nothing will prevent me from doing that. Not even you, my friends," I promised.
"Rod has lost his mind," said Crow.
"We're sorry Rod. But we can't put the people in danger. Friend or foe, we can't let you fulfill your intention," said Vic.
"You challenge me? You challenge the Worthy?" I asked.
I lifted my hammer up.
"You will regret your foolishness. But if that's what you wish then come at me. And I will show you why I possess the title of the Worthy," I stated.
As much as Vic and Crow did not want to fight me, they just couldn't let me go about my ways. They had to stand and fight and hopefully talk or force some sense into me one way or another.

The struggle began with Vic and Crow preparing their first moves. But the patterns on my body launched powerful pulses of energy at them which knocked them back far. I spun my hammer around from it's strap and flew toward them with it. Vic turned his V-ersatyl into a shield and protected himself from the impact. He threw me off and turned his V-ersatyl into a machine gun and opened fire at me. My jacket extended into a cape and I used it to protect myself. While Vic was keeping me occupied, Crow came down from above with a powerful kick to my face which knocked me away. I got up and wiped a smudge off my face.
"You know, I thought you'd hit harder," I mocked.
Crow came at me with a flurry of punches and kicks which I was fighting off with my hammer. I was just about to swing it at her until she created a force field which pushed me back.
"Sorry, Rod," she apologized.
"So am I," said Vic.
Vic fought me off with a sword attempting to knock the hammer out of my hand but I held onto it very firm. I threw the hammer at him which flew into into his chest and made him fall over with the hammer sitting on his chest. Vic was completely unable to get up as if the hammer's weight was too much. He tried to lift it off but he couldn't even budge it.
"Only the Worthy can lift the Hammer of Caer," I stated.
And then Crow wrapped a lasso around me and slammed me overhead, angering me. I held out my hand and the hammer flew back to me and off of Vic's chest, allowing him to rise up again. I slammed the hammer on the ground with great force that made cracks in the ground that released blue light energy upon Vic and Crow. The two fell to their knees and were amazed with this new power I possessed.
"What power. Where does he get it?" Crow wondered.
"It has to be that hammer. If he can lift it, then it probably gave him all of that power. It's no wonder how he caused so much damage last night," Vic thought.
"Stop right now, Rod! Listen to reason!" Crow begged.
"If only had listened first," I said.
I raised my hammer about to attack again until a long snake-like tail coiled around me, stopping me.
"Gloria!" said Vic.
Gloria arrived to help stop this madness and had her snake tail wrapped tightly around me to keep me from escaping. I let out a loud bellow and unleashed energy from my body's patterns which managed to set me free from Gloria's grip.
"Darn it!" Gloria groaned.
"Gloria? You're challenging me too?" I asked.
"Sorry Rod. But you really have to stop right now before things get any worse," she said.
"Things will only get worse if you three continue to stand in my way. I have a job to do and will fulfill it. It's my destiny," I said.
"There's no getting through to him. This is so unlike Rod," Crow thought.
"I'll bet you his attitude is caused by that hammer. That must be what's making him act this way," Vic guessed.
"So it's probably controlling him?" Gloria wondered.
"Enough talk. Are we going to finish this fight or not?" I said.
The fight continued, this time with Gloria joining Vic and Crow's side. The three really wanted to stop me before I got too far out of hand.

The battle went on with both sides about evenly matched. Vic, Crow, and Gloria were able to keep up with and match my newly found power but it was still not going to be an easy task.
"V-igor!" Vic hollered.
This gave him increased strength and defense which made him harder for me to keep up with. I was swinging my hammer every which way to attack him but he managed to either dodge me or fight the hammer off with his V-ersatyl. He transformed it into a plasma cannon.
"Behold my v-alience," he said.
He blasted a large plasma beam from his cannon that damaged me tremendously.
"You're going to pay for that, Amunon," I assured.
I raised my hammer up high and enlarged making it five times as big. Despite the increase in size, I was still able to hold it like it was weightless. The size of the hammer left Vic, Crow, and Gloria astonished.
"Aye dios, he's got a big hammer," said Gloria.
"That's what she said," Vic remarked.
"Shut up, Vic," the girls snapped.
I swung the giant hammer at the trio, smashing them aside through the wall of a building. The hammer returned to normal size and I banged my fist on my chest, proud of my power.
"No one can defeat the Worthy!" I proclaimed.
The trio got their feet a little banged up from that attack.
"Rod's definitely not going to give up so easily," said Gloria.
"Then neither will we. We have to do something about him. He's our friend," said Crow.
The trio returned to the fight. Crow twirled her arm in a circle and made a green flaming ring and fired it at me. I avoided it by jumping through the loop and was just about to swing my hammer at her until Gloria intercepted by smashing into me with her Bomb Shell attack.
"A shell game," Vic punned.
I hit a wall extra hard from the attack and Gloria was spinning right at me again. He lifted my hammer and gathered as much power into it. Just as Gloria was about to spin into me again, one powerful swing of my hammer shattered the turtle shell shield around her and batted her away. Her suit deflated and she fell to her knees.
"I can't believe he did that," said Gloria.
"Enough's enough, Rod!" said Vic.
"Have at you, Amunon," I mocked.
"V-irtue!" Vic shouted preparing his most powerful attack.
His V-ersatyl became a sword and he dashed at me at great speed, performing one slash, came back, and performed another making a V-shape which exploded on me. That attack really damaged me and made me mad. I threw my hammer at the trio which Vic and Crow avoided and Gloria bounced back by inflating her suit. The hammer flew back at me and right into my face which hurt terribly.
"Oh no!" Crow cried.
Gloria deflated.
"Sorry about that, Rod," she apologized.
"Are you okay?" Vic asked.
I struggled to get to my my feet, my hand covering my face from the pain. Now more furious than ever, I was ready to pay them back in spades for that. However, before I was just about to, the air suddenly began to become cooler.
"Huh?" said Crow.
My eyes widened and I looked around frantically. The warm summer wind was fading and a cooler breeze was coming in.
"Is it getting cooler?" Gloria wondered.
"That makes no sense. This side of the planet doesn't receive cold fronts during this time of the year," said Vic.
I scowled and groaned in anger over this turn of events. I turned to the trio very upset.
"Fools! Curse your interference! Now it's too late!" I snarled.
"Too late for what?" Crow asked.
"Tragedy approaches. This planet may never be the same again," I said.
At that moment, I felt a sudden jolt inside of me that caused me to drop to my knees.
"Rod!" the trio cried.
I dropped my hammer and the patterns on my body began to fade. I reverted back to my usual self, a little beaten up from our fight and out of energy.
"Hey! He's back to normal," said Gloria.
The three hurried to my side.
"Are you okay, Rod?" Crow asked.
I was still a little exhausted after all of that as well as little shaken.
"Are you feeling like your old self again?" Vic asked to ensure I was fine.
I felt like my old self again, no longer under the influence of the hammer. I still had all of my memories of what I was doing and felt terrible fighting my friends.
"I'm sorry, my friends," I apologized.
"He's back," said Vic.
The trio sighed with relief that the whole thing was over now. But I knew this wouldn't last long as I was certain I would do this again the next night. I looked at the hammer and felt that this thing was going to be nothing but trouble for me. But just why am I in possession of it exactly? What makes me capable of lifting it while everyone else can't? What a mysterious weapon this hammer was. A mysterious weapon I didn't think I wanted to hold onto any longer.

Ymundra's weather was beginning to spread across the country. It was already overpowering the warm summer weather and things were getting rather chilly. Very unusual weather to occur during the summer.
"Yes, my frozen friends. Soon the entire planet of Earth will be consumed by our frigid weather and we can freeze it over just as we froze Goltenhiem. Here, the Frost Elves will strive and survive while the humans freeze and die," Ymundra proclaimed.
The weather was still just a tad chilly but soon it will become colder. And who knew exactly how soon that will come?

I arrived back home and Vic, Crow, and Gloria were there with me.
"Alright, Rod. You have to tell us. Why did you take the hammer?" Vic asked.
"Why did you threaten all those innocent people?" Crow asked.
"What made you want to fight us? That was not like you at all back there," said Gloria.
I felt as though I really should fill them in on the whole truth. As unbelievable as it might sound. I could hardly believe it myself.
"I really have no idea how to explain this whole thing. It's very confusing. I hardly even know the purpose behind it," I said.
"Just explain it as best as you can," said Crow.
"I can try. You see guys, it's like this..." I started.
I filled them in on everything that had been going on with me since yesterday. How I could hear a mysterious voice calling me at the Harry Ransom Center just when we were leaving and how I could still hear it from my own home. That I couldn't resist it and had to follow it. Next thing I knew, I was breaking into the Center and took the hammer they were displaying. And once I lifted it, I felt a sudden change within. Like something was overtaking me but I still had some control. I still had all of my memories but felt rather violent. This hammer had to have some sort of spell or something over me that was making me feel that way. The power I was feeling from it felt incredible and I was able to control it and wield the hammer. As if it was natural to me. After my assault last night, I reverted back to normal but was still able to hold the hammer, yet didn't transform. And since the hammer had been reported stolen, I couldn't just go and return it without being accused of stealing it. So I kept it hidden and denied knowing anything about what on yesterday night and where I had been the whole time. And tonight, I felt that power coming over me again, lifted the hammer, and transformed again. And here we are now.
"That's really the best I can explain it," I finished.
"That's very strange," Crow thought.
Vic tried lifting the hammer again and couldn't. I lifted it myself with ease.
"Even stranger that you seemed to be the only one who can lift that hammer. Now I know for a fact you're not stronger than me," said Vic.
"I don't know how I'm able to. But it feels so light in my hands. Almost weightless," I said.
"You say you heard a voice calling you and that's what made you break into the Center and take the hammer?" Gloria asked.
"That's the best I remember it," I answered.
Crow was thinking very hard on this.
"Vic might actually be onto something. Maybe this hammer was what was calling you and is what makes you become violent," Crow thought.
"I'm holding it right now and I don't feel violent," I said.
"That transformation must be triggered some way," said Vic.
"You know, if this hammer is what's making you act this way, then maybe you should return it," Gloria suggested.
"I can't do that. If I take it back, I could be arrested for stealing it. Which I pretty much actually did," I refused.
"Not only that but you might also be considered too dangerous and be hunted down by everyone in Austin. That will really suck," said Vic.
"Thanks for not making me feel any relief, Vic," I sarcastically thanked him.
"Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. But really, this hammer could be too dangerous for you to keep around," said Vic.
"Vic's right. If you won't return it then you have to get rid it," Crow suggested.
"Otherwise we'll be fighting each other every single night. I have another city to protect elsewhere," said Gloria.
"And we've got galaxies to save," said Crow.
The three did have a very valid point. I can't return it to the Center but if I keep it around, I will have to go through this every night of my life.
"You're right. We have to ditch it," I agreed.

We all decided to lose the hammer and went to the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge to get rid of it. It was still a little chilly out and Vic, Crow, and Gloria were shivering. Especially Vic since his chest is exposed.
"We could sure use Sarah right now," said Gloria.
Vic sneezed from the cold and I held out a sack with the hammer inside.
"Is everything clear?" I asked.
We all made sure no one was around to see what we were doing.
"All clear," said Crow.
I reached into the sack and took out the hammer.
"You have been nothing but trouble since I took you. But none of that's ever going to happen again," I told the hammer.
It wasn't like it could hear me but this thing called out to me so it probably hear too. I held the hammer over the side of the bridge and dropped it into Lady Bird Lake. There it will reside at the bottom and no one will know it's down there. It won't be returning to the Harry Ransom Center but it's for the best that thing never appears again. I was very relieved to finally get rid of it.
"There. Now maybe things will quiet down," I sighed with relief.
"G-g-great. Can we g-g-go now?" Vic said with his teeth chattering.
We all turned away and left the hammer behind. Isaiah was with us and had another snowcone with him.
"Got another one," he said.
"Why would you eat one of those if it's already cold out?" Crow asked.
"I'm not going to eat it. You are," Isaiah replied holding it to Crow.
"Me?" Crow asked.
"You're the only one left to give their opinion. I want you to try this new flavor," Isaiah said.
Crow reluctantly took the snowcone and tasted it.
"Eww! Oh my gosh! Bleh! That is awful!" Crow gagged.
"Well so much for vinegar flavor," Isaiah sighed disappointed.
"Vinegar?!" Crow cried.
Vic laughed at Crow's misfortune which made her smush the snowcone into his face.
"Cold!" Vic cried.
With the hammer lost, I can probably relax. If that hammer was the cause of this mess then no further harm can come out of it.
"It's a relief to finally get rid of that hammer," I said.
"One thing I still don't get," said Gloria.
"What's that?" I asked.
"What's with this sudden change of weather?" Gloria wondered.
Indeed, just where did this dramatic change in the season come from? That truly was a mystery. But there is one person who knows the reason behind it.

Ymundra was standing on top of a large iceberg with his ice trident in his hand and the Fyl's fluid energy pouring from his body. As he stood there, he suddenly sensed something from far away. Something he hadn't sensed in 3000 years before his long slumber.
"The Soul Crusader... he lives on. In spirit," said Ymundra.
He could sense it all the way from where he was. The spirit of Nerkoth, the one responsible for casting him into 3,000 years of slumber.
"He has found a host. One he wishes will defeat me now that I've awakened. I should say not," said Ymundra.
The Fyl flowed all around him. He was ready to go find this host the spirit of his adversary has found and prove that he could not be defeated at all. Not as long as he has the Fyl, the source of his infinite vitality and eternal life. The Frost Elves were ready to follow him.
"He believes this human has what it takes to defeat me? We shall see about that. As long as Ymundra possesses the Fyl, Ymundra can never be defeated. Never!" Ymundra declared.
He and the Frost Elves decided to find this host his adversary has found. And where was that exactly? Austin, Texas itself.

The hammer lied deep at the bottom of Lady Bird Lake where nobody knows it currently resides except for my friends and I. The outlines of the engravings were glowing again and the enchantment appeared once again on the hammer's handle. Nerkoth's very own voice spoke the words of the enchantment "Should one hold this hammer, if he be strong, truthful, and worthy will wield the Hammer of Caer."

Perhaps there may have been some meaning to all the things the hammer has caused. And this may not be the last we will see of it after all.

To be continued...