บท 42: Fallen God of light
Thor groaned as he pulled himself to his feet, bruised but unbowed. The battlefield roared around him, chaos swirling as monsters clashed with heroes. He raised his hand to summon Mjölnir, but before it could reach him, something caught his eye—a small girl, smiling up at him sweetly.
Thor blinked, unsure of what to make of this. The girl was Sitonai, though Thor had no idea who she was.
"Child, this is no place for you, wait .." he said, his tone firm yet cautious. He had faced creatures and giants, but this girl radiated something more—*divine* power. "...you are a goddess too"
As he watched her, Sitonai just giggled, eyes twinkling. "I've never had little brothers before," she said, her voice filled with a mixture of wonder and amusement. "I think I should be a good big sister, don't you think little bro?"
Thor, still confused, furrowed his brow. "Little brothers? What madness do you speak of?" He shook his head, clearly unaccustomed to this kind of strange talk in the heat of battle. "Are you one of Ritsuka's companions?"
Sitonai nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! I came with my friends to help. You'll see—I'll protect my little brother and sisters."
Thor was utterly baffled, his instincts torn between humor and suspicion. The girl's innocence was disarming, but he could feel the divine power within her. This was no ordinary child.
Before Thor could respond, the ground trembled, and he caught sight of Rama and Sita, standing as he recovered from curse.
Behind them Three figures stood with determined resolve, their Lances gleaming under the fractured skies. Ortlinde, Hildr, and Thrúd-all valkyries, warriors of unmatched strength and grace-stood before the now-recovered Sigurd. Their gazes burned with a mix of vengeance and duty. Though Sigurd had cast off the last remnants of the curse that plagued him, he now faced the ire of these valiant sisters.
"We' II kill you later, Sigurd,'' Ortlinde declared, her voice unwavering. "For hurting our sister, we' Il murder you a second time, but First-" she glanced at the massive beast they all now faced "-we need to deal with that."
Hildr and Thrúd nodded in agreement, their stances tense but ready. Sigurd didn't flinch. Instead, he offered a small, resigned smile, bowing his head in acceptance of their verdict.
"I accept your judgment," Sigurd said softly. "But for now, let us fight side by side."
The valkyries briefly exchanged looks, then smiled as they turned to greet their sister. Brynhildr, her legendary beauty marred only by the burden of fate, smiled back at them, her heart lighter with their reunion.
As Sigurd and Brynhildr both recovered, now standing tall, their weapons ready. The air around them thrummed with the anticipation of the battle ahead. Everyone was ready for round two.
On the other side, Ritsuka Fujimaru stood alongside Oberon and Artoria Avalon. Their earlier emotional reunion had been brief but meaningful. Oberon's usually detached expression softened for just a moment as he observed the bond between Ritsuka and Artoria. But now, as they gathered their resolve, the time for emotion was over.
Artoria Lancer, standing with her imposing spear, glanced toward her allies, particularly Artoria Avalon and Ritsuka. A smile tugged at her lips. "It seems we now have the means to deal with curses," she said with confidence, her eyes twinkling. "That should make this fight easier."
They all turned their attention toward the cursed giant monster, a beast of unfathomable strength and rage, a terror that dwarfed even their combined might. The ground trembled under its sheer presence as it tore through the magical dragons Loki had created. The great serpentine creatures of magic fell like leaves before a storm, their forms disintegrating as the beast's claws rent them apart.
For a brief moment, the giant monster's gaze shifted, landing squarely on Ritsuka and Thor. Its eyes burned with recognition, as if it had found the one it sought, and then shifted toward Loki, who had been battling fiercely.
Loki, still weaving his chaotic magic, cursed under his breath as the monster's focus locked onto him. "Damn it!" he spat. "What is with this thing staring at me like I stole its treasure?"
The monster let out a bellowing roar, as though confirming Loki's accusation. The sound shook the heavens, and the ground beneath their feet cracked.
The monster, empowered by divine presences, let out a furious roar, its steps shattering the ground beneath it with terrifying force. But in the midst of its rampage, swarms of Oberon's insects descended, infiltrating its open mouth to Roar again.
Oberon sneered, hovering above the chaos, his eyes glinting with disdain. "Is this how you greet me, Ritsuka? Such a warm welcome," he mocked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Artoria Lancer shot him a glare, her spear poised, sharp as her rebuke.
"Stop your theatrics, Oberon. Avalon Artoria, tell us how to end this," she commanded, the battle raging around them.
Avalon Artoria, serene and steady, shook her head. "This curse cannot be killed. Its lifeline is tethered to Asgard somehow. As long as Asgard stands, the curse will not vanish. And it draws power from something far darker, still in control of this beast."
Thor and Loki exchanged wary glances. Sitonai, her icy calm unshaken, readied her divine energy. Rama and Sigurd tightened their grips on their weapons, while Brynhildr stood beside Sigurd, they don't understand what type of monster is this.
Loki sneered, though unease flickered in his eyes. "So, we have to destroy Asgard? Convenient."
Ritsuka, calm amidst the growing tension, spoke. "We still have someone who can change the course of this battle." His voice was steady, confident.
A massive shadow fell over the battlefield, and every warrior—Thor, Loki, and even the divine spirits—felt a sudden, primal chill. Loki's usual bravado vanished, replaced by a rare flicker of fear as he recognized the presence emerging from Ritsuka's shadow.
The Old Man of the Mountain, towering and ancient, stepped forth, his presence commanding, as if death itself had taken form.
"Thou hast played long enough with this cursed servant of the beast," the Old Man said, his voice deep and resounding. "Now, it is time for thee to be judged."
The air grew heavier, the ground seemingly bowing under the weight of his words, as he prepared to strike.
Ritsuka stood calmly, his eyes trained on the cursed giant monster that loomed in the distance, tearing through Loki's dragons with ease. With a small smile, he turned his head to the side. "Grandpa, think you could insert the concept of death into that thing and weaken its curse connection?"
His eyes, usually hidden behind the veil of mystery, began to glow with an ethereal flame as he stared at the monster. His expression darkened, sensing that this was no ordinary cursed beast. It was far worse.
Loki, who had been focused on his own battle, overheard the conversation and stopped mid-cast. His eyes widened in shock. Wait… Grandfather? Is that the real relationship between them? Ritsuka Fujimaru and the Old Man of the Mountain?!
Loki glanced nervously between Ritsuka and King Hassan, feeling a wave of dread wash over him. *Note to self,* Loki thought, *Never mess with Ritsuka Fujimaru, mortal or not.* He quickly refocused, redirecting his magic and dragons against the cursed monster. He wasn't about to let that thing win this fight, even with the looming realization of Ritsuka's lineage.
King Hassan's voice broke through the tension like a gust of wind. "I can do that," he said, his voice low and commanding. "But know this—this creature, this cursed servant of a cursed god—it deserves an honorable death. If you are to fight it, fight with all your strength. Give it thy death it seeks."
His words were met with silence. The notion of granting an honorable death to such a monstrous being seemed absurd to some of the warriors, but there was something in King Hassan's tone that none of them could question. Though they didn't fully understand why he would make such a request, the confidence in their ability to take down the monster was more than enough for them to comply.
Ritsuka gave a soft smile, the weight of the situation bearing down on him. "We'll give it the battle it deserves," he replied firmly. He turned to the others, his eyes flashing with determination. "I'll help by using my domain, but I need some time to set up my incomplete domain and trap that monster." He paused, a glint of humor in his eyes. "Good thing I didn't use this attack earlier, or the thing would've teleported."
Artoria Avalon, watching him from nearby, raised an eyebrow, her usual composure slipping into a rare tone of surprise. "When did you learn that?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Ritsuka chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Picked up a few tricks from an old man I met in this world." He winked playfully at her. "I'm more powerful now, but I still have a long way to go before I can reach your level."
Artoria Avalon's cheeks turned a light shade of pink, her usual calm demeanor faltering just slightly. She was caught off guard, but quickly regained her composure.
Oberon, who had been listening, rolled his eyes with a mock sigh. "If you have time to flirt, you have time to start your plan already, Guda."
Ritsuka laughed, feeling the warmth of his companions even in the midst of this tense moment. But the seriousness of the battle ahead quickly sobered him.
Just then, Sitonai, her innocent yet determined eyes shining, stepped forward. She bowed her head slightly toward King Hassan. "Thank you," she said quietly, her voice full of respect. "Thank you for giving this cursed creature an honorable death." She turned to Ritsuka, her resolve clear. "I'll buy you time. Don't worry, Master."
Ritsuka hesitated, his protective instincts flaring. "Sitonai, wait—"
But her gaze, full of sincerity and determination, stopped him in his tracks. There was no doubt in her eyes. She was ready to fight, ready to protect him. Ritsuka swallowed the words he was about to say and nodded. "Be careful."
The battlefield fell into an eerie silence as Sitonai moved with unyielding determination. To everyone's shock, she alone marched straight toward the cursed monster, her eyes resolute, her pace unwavering. Loki, who had been standing close, whipped around in panic.
"Hey fool, stop idiot!" Loki yelled, his voice laced with desperation. But she had already passed through him, undeterred by his warning.
The cursed giant, which had been ruthlessly tearing through everything in its path, halted as soon as it laid eyes on Sitonai. Its monstrous hand raised high to strike her down but faltered mid-air. The creature's body trembled violently, and with a pained roar, it fell to its knees before her. Blood-like tears streamed from its eyes as it gazed at her, filled with sorrow and regret.
In a voice that was barely recognizable, the monster managed to utter, "I'm… sorry," its tone broken and mournful, like a lament from a lost soul.
The scene brought tears to Sitonai's eyes. She had seen something in the monster—no, someone. When she summon to Ritsuka, she met Sitonai of this world. As memories of the Sitonai of this world surged into her mind, she understood. The kind brother who had loved her once, now twisted into this monstrous form because of Asgard's sins from this world sitonai memeroies. He had been cursed, turned into this abomination because of the gods' cruelty.
"Brother…" Sitonai whispered, her tears falling freely as the weight of his fate crushed her heart.
But before anyone could react, Ritsuka Fujimaru made his move. The dark flames of a phoenix erupted around him as his incomplete Anti-World Domain expanded, covering a massive ten-kilometer radius. The flames burned against the sky, warping the very light of the sun, making it impossible for sunlight to pierce through. The domain was unnatural, like a blackened void that fought against the natural order.
Within this domain, Ritsuka's presence exerted a powerful influence over the physical world. The cursed monster felt the domain's effects immediately, its body quivering under the weight of its powers being stripped away. Its skills were locked, unable to teleport or escape as it had before. Every servant on the battlefield could feel their strength surging within the domain, their attacks now hitting with greater force than before.
"This is it," Ritsuka murmured to himself, focusing all his energy into maintaining the domain. "This is where we turn the tide."
Sitonai stood before her brother, her hands trembling. The memories of his kindness, of their bond, flashed before her eyes. He had been a good person once—before Asgard's cruelty transformed him into this wretched creature.
Her voice cracked as she called out to him again, "Brother… I'm so sorry this happened to you."
And then, without warning, King Hassan appeared, his presence like a looming shadow of death. In one swift motion, he drove his sword into the cursed monster's chest. The moment his blade pierced the creature's body, the concept of death itself was inserted into the monster, weakening the curse that had bound it for so long.
The cursed monster roared in agony, writhing as the curse began to unravel. King Hassan's voice was as unshakable as stone as he looked at the others. "Thy is free, and thou should free him of pain," he declared solemnly.
The monster, in its desperation, tried once again to teleport away, but Ritsuka's domain prevented it from escaping. There would be no running this time.
"Now!" Ritsuka shouted. "It's time to end this!"
Thor, Rama, Sigurd, and the Valkyries all surged forward, weapons raised, ready to strike down the cursed creature. But before they launched their attack, Ritsuka turned to Artoria Lancer and Artoria Avalon, the resolve in his eyes sharp as steel.
"Artoria, use your third skill on me and Lancer," he instructed with precision. "I'll supply the magical power you need to charge your Noble Phantasms."
Artoria Avalon, still blushing slightly from Ritsuka's earlier words, nodded. With a swift movement, she activated her third skill, transferring her strength to both Ritsuka and Artoria Lancer. The air around them crackled with energy as their combined magical power began to build.
Ritsuka poured his own magic into both Artorias, enhancing their strength even further. The battlefield began to tremble under the sheer force of the energy being gathered, and the cursed monster, though weakened, sensed the impending destruction coming its way.
With their Noble Phantasms charging, the battle was about to reach its climactic finale. Ritsuka's voice rang out across the battlefield, sharp and decisive. "Artoria, use your Noble Phantasm! Both of you—now!"
Artoria Avalon and Artoria Lancer exchanged glances, understanding the gravity of the moment. With a shared nod, they raised their weapons, their legendary strength surging to the surface. Artoria Avalon's magic gleamed with radiant power as she summoned the full force of her Avalon-imbued Noble phantasm, while Artoria Lancer called upon the sacred light of Rhongomyniad, the spear of the tower.
"Rhongomyniad!" Artoria Lancer declared, her voice resonating with ancient authority, as the blinding lance of light shot forth, aimed directly at the cursed monster.
At the same time, Ritsuka cast his dark phoenix flames, channeling them into the attack, dark fire entwining with the light of Rhongomyniad in a breathtaking display of power. The contrast was staggering—light and dark, creation and destruction, working together in harmony.
On the other side of the battlefield, Loki and Oberon were hard at work. The two masters of deception and trickery kept the cursed monster distracted, drawing its attention away from Ritsuka's final attack. The monster's focus wavered, giving Rama, Sita, Sigurd, Brynhildr, and the Valkyries the perfect opportunity to strike. With precision and grace, they cut through the cursed tentacles that flailed wildly from the monster's body, severing its ability to regenerate and weakening it further.
But the monster, sensing its imminent defeat, let out a feral roar and opened its massive, grotesque mouth. Dark energy began to gather within it, forming into a massive ball of cursed power. It was ready to fire a devastating curse in a last-ditch effort to survive. The orb of curses shot forward, heading directly toward Artoria Lancer's attack.
The two forces collided in a terrifying explosion of energy. The cursed ball met Rhongomyniad head-on, dark and light clashing violently, sending shockwaves across the battlefield. But Artoria Lancer's attack was stronger—imbued with Ritsuka's power, it cut through the curse, the pillar of light piercing straight through the monster.
A massive beam of light shot up from the battlefield, visible even from space. It consumed the monster, tearing its body apart.
Ritsuka felt the monster's strength ebbing as the light of Rhongomyniad overwhelmed it. He stopped his domain, sensing that the end was near. The dark phoenix flames he had conjured faded, but not before they left their mark—burning the ground around them, leaving the earth scorched and smoldering.
The battlefield quieted as the towering monster, beaten and broken, collapsed with a thunderous crash. Half of its grotesque body was torn away, and as it hit the ground, it began to dissolve, its form disintegrating slowly into the air. But something about its fading presence still held the attention of everyone around it.
Loki, ever one to seize a moment, smirked mockingly at the creature. "Not so terrifying now, are you? I'd say that's a rather humiliating way to go."
The monster did not respond. It simply stared at them all with hollow, piercing eyes, as if something deeper lay beneath its monstrous form.
Sitonai stomped her foot in anger. "Shut up, brother!" she snapped, glaring at Loki.
Loki turned, startled. "Brother?" he echoed, bewildered by her outburst. This girl, barely the height of his waist, had just called him brother. For a moment, he was caught off guard. Then it hit him—*another sibling*? Like Brynhildr, a sister from a different world? The realization amused him, but her anger confused him further. Why was she mad at him?
Before anyone could speak further, the sky shimmered, and the ethereal light of the Bifrost opened up, bathing the battlefield in its otherworldly glow. The swirling light solidified, and a figure stepped forth—a woman of immense grace and sorrow. It was **Frigga**, queen of Asgard.
Thor and Loki both stiffened, but it was the monster who reacted most intensely. The creature's gaze snapped to her, and for the first time, something resembling emotion flickered in its eyes. Its lips moved, trembling as it spoke a single, hoarse word: "Mother…"
The shock rippled through the crowd. Thor and Loki were struck silent, the gravity of the situation dawning on them as they are so confused right now. Neither of them could comprehend what they were hearing.
Frigga knelt beside Sitonai, her heart heavy with sorrow, her hands trembling as she reached out toward the fading creature. "My son…Baldur," she whispered, her voice cracking with grief.
Gasps of recognition filled the air, but none were louder than the shocked breaths of Thor and Loki. Baldur? Their brother—the god of light and joy, lost to myth and legend—was the very creature they had been fighting. The truth hit them like a hammer, and for a moment, the entire battlefield seemed to freeze.
Sitonai, her earlier anger melting away, stood beside Frigga. Even though she didn't fully understand the familial ties, the weight of the moment pressed on her heart as she had memories of this world. Her divine instincts told her this was a tragedy far greater than any she had known.
The Valkyries—Ortlinde, Hildr, Thrúd, and Brynhildr—were the first to understand. They lowered their lances, their hearts aching for the fallen warrior. In Norse mythology, the bravest of warriors who fell in battle were welcomed into Valhalla, and Baldur had earned that honor.
The Valkyries raised their weapons to the sky, their lances glowing with a soft, white light as they honored their fallen brother. Their voices rang out in unison, filled with pride and sorrow.
"For Asgaaaaard!" they shouted, their battle cry piercing through the heavy silence.
As the golden light of Valhalla began to envelop Baldur, his body shimmered and dissolved into the air, his final words echoing across the battlefield. "For Asgard," he whispered, his voice a final salute to his home, his family, and his honor.
And with that, Baldur disappeared, his soul finally at peace.
The battlefield remained eerily quiet, everyone frozen in their emotions, struggling to grasp the weight of what had just happened. Thor stood in stunned silence, unable to process it fully, while Loki, ever the trickster, was lost for words.
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