Chapter 9: War Will Come
Loki raised his hand, a ball of fire appearing in his palm. Michael moved to lunge forward, to protect Thor from the killing blow - but it was Odin who stepped between them. He said nothing as he considered both men, one dark, one fair, both with fury burning on their faces. Michael, breathing hard in anticipation of the violence that might yet break out, stayed back. Waiting. Watching.
Desi kept her hand on his shoulder, a more public display of her affection for him than she’d yet given. Until now she had chosen to keep their affection private, with very few aware of how they felt for one another - but he didn’t have time to consider this, he had to stay focused on the drama unfolding before him.
Beyond the trio, Mahria stood opposite him, her sword still in her hand, her posture ready for action. She met Michael’s eyes and gave a brief nod. They were ready. If needed, they would protect first Odin, then Thor. What a tragedy that the threat, the one they were protecting them from, was family, too.
All this passed in a moment of tense silence between Odin and his son and grandson, then the King of Asgard stepped forward to address his people. As he did so, three shadowy black figures appeared in the small open space before the stage, just shy of the crater Thor had left when he made his entrance.
Those nearest to the figures scrambled backward, screams quickly dying on their lips as they recognized who had come. In an instant, Michael understood. He stood straighter, kept his distance. The three women, cloaked in black from head to toe, were no threat to him or to his king, but their presence was unwelcome, nonetheless. However no one, not even Odin or Thor, could command them to go.
The Norns moved as one and turned their blackened eyes to face the people. They spoke as they always did - one voice blending into another and another, each speaking a word, not one with a voice of her own.
“War -”
“...will -”
“...come.”
Though each word was spoken by a single woman, it sounded exactly the same in each of their throats - as clear as a clarion bell but with edges that cut into your mind and made you cringe, made you wish for them to stop.
“All -”
“...will -”
“...fight.”
“None -”
“...will -”
“...be -”
“...spared.”
“Gird -”
“...your -”
“...loins,”
“for -”
“...once -”
“...you -”
“...are -”
“...divided -”
“...brother -”
“...against -”
“...brother -”
“...you -”
“...Asgardians -”
“...will -”
“...never -”
“...be -”
“...the -”
“...same.”
Now the three harbingers of the future turned and lifted their gazes up to the sky where Nidhogg still circled high, so high, in the sky. But Odin’s new pets had joined it, wheeling just overhead, their cries somehow muted, though Michael could dimly hear their voices.
“You have -”
“...overstepped, Odin -”
“...little fortune-teller,” the Norns said, their black gazes focusing now on Odin - who hadn’t moved, and didn’t flinch now as their bottomless gazes met his.
“Ragnarök -”
“...still -”
“...comes.”
“The future -”
“...has been -”
“...seen.” This last they all intoned together, and Michael shivered as the Norns’ power resonated through him.
Odin opened his mouth, possibly to respond, but the Norns disappeared in a gust of black shadow and suddenly the ravens’ cries were loud and raucous to Michael’s ears. As the shadow faded and the sunlight returned, Huninn and Muninn alighted on Odin’s shoulders. The people in the amphitheater remained crouched together, unaccustomed as they were to the birds and afraid of what meaning the Norns’ words had.
“Be at peace, my people,” Odin said, his voice as calm and commanding as ever. Some people near the front began to visibly relax, helping others up around them and retaking their seats. “Be not afraid.”
Though he loved his king, Michael felt the truth of the Norns’ predictions flowing through his veins and a great sense of foreboding settled heavily on his heart.
“I have always promised you a choice,” Odin continued. “I have always believed in your right to act for yourselves and to choose for yourself where your happiness best lays.” At this, Odin cast a glance over his shoulder - toward Michael and Desi who still stood close to him. A slight smile ghosted the god’s lips and Michael wondered if it meant what he hoped it did. Could Odin really know? And did he mean to say he approved?
Odin had long implied he thought Michael and Mahria should join together, but the two had never been anything but the best of friends. However, from the moment Michael had met Desi, he had known he was destined to love her and only her.
Had their long waiting finally come to an end? Could they truly have Odin’s blessing to be united as one?
“And so I offer you this choice now -” Odin said, dragging Michael back into the moment. “Do you choose the plan of free choice I offer you? Or do you choose the plan of sure Ascension my grandson, Loki, has proposed?”
Michael held his breath and Desi gripped his upper arm, as they waited for the voice of the people.
Silence greeted them.
A long silence that stretched out until Huninn and Muninn took the sky once more. As he lifted his gaze to follow the birds, Michael saw that Nidhogg flew much nearer now, almost hovering just beyond the partial roof of the amphitheater as if preparing to attack if need be.
In a moment, Odin’s birds returned. He bowed his head for a moment, and when he lifted it, two men broke free from the crowd, walking toward the stage.
“You are certain?” Odin asked the men.
One, a man Michael knew by reputation only, stepped forward. He was dark of hair and face, but his eyes sparked a bright green. They flashed now as he said, “We shall stand with you, Odin.”
Odin nodded gravely at the man, then slowly faced the other - Siroin, Michael’s friend. His face was almost as familiar to Michael’s as his own. He was Michael’s first lieutenant in Odin’s army, a fierce warrior with a keen mind. “And you?” Odin asked.
“We love you, All Father,” Siroin said. “But we fear we will fail you if we can no longer remember why we should choose to follow you. We look to the other worlds, and none are as beautiful and perfect as Asgard. None of these have risen to the level of perfection we enjoy here. How can we be certain we will succeed on Midgard, when so many other people have failed on theirs.” He’d spoken with his eyes cast down, as if unwilling to meet Odin’s gaze, but now he straightened and looked first to Loki, then to Odin. “We do not wish to risk our eternal souls, All Father. We wish to return or Ascend with certainty. We believe this is our right as your children. So we will stand with Loki, and give him our gratitude for offering such a plan.”
Odin bowed his head in acknowledgement, but it was a long moment before he spoke.
Finally he said softly to Siroin, “I understand, son. And I do not fault you for your logic.” Then more loudly, so all could hear, Odin said, “We are divided.” A cry went up among the people, echoed for miles all around them, and Michael’s heart sank. “We will meet on the mount tomorrow and let our blades decide the action we will take. So say you?”
“So say we all,” the people responded with various tones of agreement. For his part, Michael had only whispered the words, and he wasn’t sure he’d heard Desi’s voice at all.
He turned to her now, suddenly fearful of which side she would fight on. He took her hands in his, no longer caring who saw or what they might think. “Will you -”
She smiled warmly at him, though her deep brown eyes were filled with tears. “I will be at your side. Always.”
“And forever,” Michael responded as he lowered his forehead to hers.
In a moment he turned away from her, for there was a battle to prepare, and a future to fight for. Tomorrow, everything would change.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone