A tall man stood before her. His brows were knit together as he shouted to her. Freya looked around; they appeared to be in an abandoned warehouse of some kind. The man waved her to him, still shouting, but Freya could not make out what he was saying.

A large, dark shadow loomed over them, and the man’s gaze shifted upward in shock at the thing behind Freya. Freya turned around, finding herself in the presence of a very tall man. Taller than anyone she had ever seen. He was huge. A giant.

Gigante. 

Freya felt a firm hand on her wrist as the man pulled her away. Freya pushed herself, running faster and faster with the man through the dark warehouse. The thundering footsteps of the Gigante behind them seemed to get closer and closer. The two mortals pushed on, rounding a corner and finding themselves at a dead end. They turned to each other, then turned to the fast-approaching Gigante.

*****

Freya, wake up.

Freya bolted upright in her bed. It was a dream. Just a dream.

It was not a dream.

Freya’s eyes scanned the dim room. Outside, dawn was just breaking the horizon. That voice was not hers. Was she still dreaming?

You are awake, Master Freya.

She had to be still in the dream. Who was speaking to her? Was it that man? Who was he?

One of The Twelve. His name is Jerric.

Jerric? Who was answering her questions? What was happening? Freya began to panic. She searched her nightstand for the lamp and clicked it on. At the edge of the bed, the familiar bull stared at her, and she shrieked, immediately covering her mouth with her hand in an attempt to calm herself and not alert her neighbors. 

You seem frightened.

“What the fuck is happening? Who’s drugging me? This isn’t real.”

I kept watch while you slept. No one has harmed you.

“Oh my god,” she stuttered. “You’re talking to me. In my head. The bull is talking to me. The bull. Is talking. In my head.”

How else would we communicate? I do not have the same vocal abilities that you possess.

“Please wake up, Freya,” Freya mumbled to herself. “Wake up now.”

You are very much awake, Master Freya.

“Oh, God.”

Do you wish to speak with Hestia?

“No. No, no. No. I don’t need any more of this crazy shit. No Hestia.”

Jerric needs your help. He is calling you.

“Jerric? I don’t know who he is.”

He is one of The Twelve. You must reunite with them. You must find Jerric.

“I’m talking to a voice inside my head,” Freya muttered  “This is crazy, you know. I’m crazy. I’m talking to a damn bull.” She groaned and buried her face into a pillow. She looked up after a moment, but the bull was still there, peering back at her.

“Go away.”

The bull sighed. We must go to Jerric.

“We? What? No. I’m not going anywhere. You need to go now.”

We need to go.

“I’m calling animal control.”

Animal control?

“Yes. To take you away. That’s what they do to animals that don’t belong.”

But I am not an animal. I am a celestial being.

“Then go return to your celestial home.”

My job is to help you in your quest to defeat the Gigantes.

“There is no quest. You’re getting out of my apartment and going back where you belong.”

Jerric will die if we do not help him.

“I think Jerric’s got it all taken care of. Seems like a guy that knows what he’s doing.”

He cannot do it without you and the others. You must come together.

“Listen, bull. I’m not going anywhere and I’m certainly not fighting any of those giant things.”

The fate of this world lies in your hands.

“Your Greek gods are not real. This isn’t real.”

This is very real, and this world cannot continue without your help.

“You are a stubborn bull.”

You are a stubborn mortal.

“Okay, let’s say I believe this ridiculous mess. I don’t even know where Jerric is.”

New York.

“Okay, and how are we supposed to get there? I can’t exactly stick you in the back seat of my car.”

I can get there myself.

“Oh, great. Let me just grab some shit and we can be off.”

Okay.

Freya buried her face in her hands and groaned. “Ancient zodiac signs don’t know sarcasm. Of course.”

The bull cocked his head to the side. What can I say to convince you that this is your destiny?

Freya sighed. “You can’t. This is a dream. Things like this don’t happen.”

They do happen. This is real. And Jerric needs our help. See for yourself.

“I do have a free weekend,” Freya said to herself. “I could use some retail therapy. Good idea, bull. Mini road trip.”

You will go to Jerric?

“Nope. I’m going shopping. Nice chatting with ya, though.”

Freya dressed quickly in the bathroom, out of sight of the strange creature in her bedroom. Retail therapy was just what she needed. This was a dream, and it was telling her she needed a break from the stresses of her day-to-day life. She grabbed her purse and waved to the bull.

“Don’t wait up,” she called, closing and locking the front door. New York or bust.