章節 62: Prelude
A/N: Pat-reon: HelloDarkness07.
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Once dinner was over, I went back to my room, and waited. We had our alloy, Dargonite. Well, a sample of it, at least.
I should be able to use my Cosmic Energy to make more of it, but as mother said, the metal won't work for anyone else, other than me.
Oh, the Adamantine that I gave to Hephaestus was kinda useless for him too, but he's the expert in Adamantine, and it's a given that he can remove the taint of my own energy.
Unfortunately, I am not experienced enough in metal working to do the same. Which leaves me with one option. An Alchemical Ritual.
But that's for another day, and still a few years away, at least. I still have to get perfect at making weapons from Uru, which I wasn't yet, then gain a mastery in making Adamantine weapons, and then learn to enchant the weapons. After that, came the long drawn out process of learning to craft Dargonite weapons, while expecting failures aplenty.
So, yeah, a pretty long way to go still. I will practice, until the day comes. For now, I'll see to my guest.
With a knock on my open door, Chhaya gains my attention, and walks through, closing it behind her. Without a word, she sits in front of me, on my comfortable sofa, and raises an eyebrow.
Staring at her for a while, I let out a sigh. I say, "You know, when I was on Terra, working on the Camp for Manu, mother and I had a talk."
"Oh? What did she say?" Chhaya asks, leaning back and crossing her legs.
Leaning back myself, I plop my legs up on the foot stool, and say, "Yeah, we spoke a lot. She called me stupid, said some stuff, and then asked me to live for myself. Not important right now."
"Right." Chhaya says, smiling in amusement. "Then what is important right now?"
Looking at Chhaya's eyes, I say, "I thought.. a lot. Well, I've been thinking for these last 5 years, ever since I came here, debating with myself, what I should do. And I thought about what I actually want, what you want."
"What I want?" Chhaya asks, and I see her straighten up, realizing what the topic is.
Nodding, I say, "I want a child. Ever since I saw the childbirth of a mortal, I've wanted one for myself. But, I was also afraid.."
"Of what?"
I sigh, and explain, "There are numerous threats in this Universe alone, Chhaya, that can defeat us, kill us. Even with my formidable Celestial powers, I wouldn't be able to defeat them yet. And so, I was afraid of bringing a child into a Universe, where I cannot protect them from every threat there is."
Chhaya listens closely, snorts, and then asks, "But you are not afraid now? Something's changed?"
"Yes." I say, nodding in response. "Mother's advice, my own musings, and seeing Manasi interact with everyone changed my mind. I want a child now, and even if I am not strong enough to protect them, I will not fail to do so."
As Chhaya gets her hopes up, I raise my hand, and interrupt her. I say, "But, I am not going to settle down, not yet. I cannot guarantee that in the far future, when I do wish to marry, it will be with you. Do you still wish to carry my child?"
Scoffing, Chhaya stands up, and without a by-your-leave, she drops down on my legs, her two knees on either side of me. Putting her arms around my shoulder, while my hands join around her hips, she looks right in my eyes, and kisses my lips. I kiss her back, fiercely.
After a minute or so, she stops kissing, and touches her forehead to mine. She says, "I still want a child, Theos. And there's no one else in this entire Universe, that I'd rather allow to father it. Threats, or no threats. You're the only person that's allowed to father my child. Even if that child is out of wedlock, and you marry someone else, I would like it if you gave me a child."
Smiling at Chhaya, I pull her back towards me and into a kiss. I love her, Chhaya I mean. But it isn't a romantic love yet. Maybe I will develop feelings for her, maybe not.
But that does not stop us from raising a child together, whenever that happens.
~~~
In a neighbouring galaxy, Universally known as the Vialactea Galaxy, there is a planet, called Terra. The planet, unlike most others out there, is home to not one, but hundreds of Pantheons of Gods, each of which reside in unique Pocket Dimensions.
In one such Pocket Dimension, more accurately, a cluster of 9 Pocket Dimensions, ruled by the Aesir Gods, the last 5000 years had not gone well, at all.
Everything was going well, 5000 years ago, not perfect, but well enough. But then, the Celtic Thief had to go and kill Baldur, the God of the Sun. Odin was angry, oh so angry at the loss of his son, that he almost declared war on Otherworld.
War would have happened, if the Celtics hadn't surrendered the body of the thief, Cuchulain, and his soul, which they had demanded from the Sorcerer Supreme. Odin raised Cuchulain from the dead, with his granddaughter's help(more like bargained her to do so), and then cursed him.
For the last 5000 years, Cuchulain was subjected to a punishment. He was bound to a rock, with a highly poisonous snake tied above him, as an eternal punishment.
The Dwarven chains made sure that Cuchulain never got loose, no matter how hard he thrashed, how much he tried to use magic. And no matter how much he healed, the Poison would once again hurt him, giving an eternal torture for the killer of the God of Sun. And he was still there. He would be there, and would only die when Baldur comes back from Valhalla. Which won't happen until the final battles.
Alas, despite Odin's thirst for vengeance being satisfied, Baldur's death still had consequences. As he was the God of Sun, Baldur's death meant that Asgard began to get colder. The difference wasn't much, in the beginning, but now, 5000 years later, the cold was almost unbearable for the average Asgardians.
The temperature was closer to that of Jotunheim, than of the previous Asgard, such was the difference now. The only ones resistant to the temperature change, were the higher tier Gods, and the Witches.
And it wasn't just Asgard, that faced these conditions either. Vanaheim, Alfheim, Nidavellir, and even Swartalfheim was just as cold as Asgard was. Niflheim, Muspelheim, Jotunheim, and Midgard, were the only one's that remained largely unaffected.
Niflheim and Jotunheim were already colder, while Surtur's presence saved Muspelheim from the fate. As for Midgard, the presence of other Pantheons was what saved it, or so Odin believed.
For these 5000 years, thankfully the only major sign of Ragnarok was the Fimbulwinter. But this one sign had far reaching consequences.
The food was going scarce. Already many trolls, giants, and even Dark Elves, had begun to attack Nidavellir, or Alfheim for their crops, which Asgard would defend them from. Thor, Tyr, Lady Sif, the Warriors Three, and even Loki, who was now out of his punishment, would be sent with an army, whenever Heimdall detected such an attack.
Odin himself, meanwhile, commissioned quite a few farms to be grown on Midgard, so that the Eternal Realm doesn't go hungry.
But even with all the precautions, even with the entire army of the Einherjar backed by the Odinsons, there were still countless skirmishes that decreased the population of the nine realms to it's half.
The only saving grace, was that Loki wasn't showing any signs of betraying Asgard. Sure, his daughter Hela was waiting for an opportunity to attack Asgard, and he was ready for her. But not Loki.
But, Odin knew, that Ragnarok was inevitable. And he was getting weaker by the day. He could already feel the various armies of the Dark Elves, Jotnars, and even the Rock Trolls, getting ready for a war.
A war against Asgard. Muspelheim, Swartalfheim, Jotunheim, all of them against Asgard, and if she had her way, Niflheim will join them too.
But that wasn't what worried Odin, no. Odin knew, that his armies, and his sons, were enough to defeat any enemy that comes to fight. No, what worried Odin, was the most recent dream he had.
In that dream, Odin was floating in a pitch black space, not able to see anything beyond his own body. But then, light slowly returned to his eyes, and he saw them. The Gods above Gods. From the moment he had heard the tales from his father, Odin had hated them just as much as he feared them.
There were 5 of them in front of him, and were huge, all of them towering over the size of the Sky Gods, and probably just as strong. Odin had tried talking to them, to ask why they had brought him here, but they did not pay him any mind. They just spoke amongst themselves, while looking into the void.
Slowly, by listening to their talks, he had come to realize that he was experiencing a vision, which was weird in and of itself. He knew what his Prophetic visions looked like, and this was not that.
So, knowing that these visions did not come from the Yggdrasil, nor did they come from the Norns, Odin paid more attention to the Gods above Gods, and realized something.
For the first time in his very long life, his hate against someone was entirely justified.
Those who sit above in shadows, as the tales called them, were using the Norns, and manipulating events to cause Ragnarok. Everything, from the death of his beloved son Baldur, to the attacks by Ulik the troll. Everything.
Loki had somehow changed his mind, when he was on Midgard, and refused to kill Baldur. And wasn't that nice, to confirm that the Gods above Gods have no pull on what the Aesir do on Midgard.
And, so the Gods above Gods had to manipulate Baldur to go to a place, which was guaranteed to cause his death. They sent Baldur to Midgard, to the exact place where Cuchulain was looking for weapons to steal, and he died, beginning the process of Ragnarok.
And when he learned that Ragnarok is what keeps them alive? Ragnarok is the event, that has been happening for over a Billion years, and these.. Monsters, were feeding off it's energy?
When Odin woke up that morning, he resolved to find a way to kill them, and to stop Ragnarok. Originally, he was just waiting to get this over with, knowing that the Gods will be reborn again when some of the Gods survive and become the new Odin.
He couldn't defeat the Gods above Gods, not even with the entire Aesir army at his back. But he could try, even if it caused his death.
And so, he called for a meeting with a few select Aesir. Hodr the Blind God, Thor the Thunder God, and Loki the God of Chaos. Along with them, were Tyr the God of War, Frigga AllMother, and Heimdall.
And all of them were waiting for him to say anything, to begin the War Council.
Banging Gungnir on the floor, Odin uses the knowledge of the Runes, to make sure that no one other than those already within the Council Chambers will be able to eavesdrop on the conversation.
Heimdall is dazed a bit, by not being able to see outside the room anymore, but he braces himself within a few seconds.
Looking all of them over, he says, "I had a vision yesterday, just before I got out of Odinsleep."
"What is it father?" Thor asks, sounding grave for once, while Frigga looks on in concern. The other Gods simply exchange a few looks.
Odin then recites everything he had learned about Those Who Sit Above In Shadows, the Gods above Gods, and then snarls, "This has already happened for a billion years. We live, we die, and the energy of the Ragnarok feeds their bellies. I say, it stops now! The next Asgard that appears, I will NOT allow it to be a puppet to some Gods who think themselves above us!"
For a few seconds, there is silence all around, everyone thinking on the revelations.
How does it feel, one might wonder, to learn that your entire existence was planned by some higher being? To be played as toys, and then killed and consumed? Just to be reborn again, to start anew.
As expected, the Gods around the table were all sombre, and for once, not even Loki cracked a joke. He was simply humming a tune, clicking his fingers on the table.
Frigga finally asks, "I don't think Asgard is currently strong enough to defeat them, my love. And we have to find them first, to even harm them. So.. what can we do?"
Seeing the confused and wary looks all around, he turns to Thor, and says, "Thor, my son. I think it is time that you visit Nornheim."
Thor looks even more confused, and glances at Loki, to see if he has any clue. Loki just shakes his head, so he asks, "As you command, father. But may I ask, why?"
Nodding, Odin explains, "I sacrificed my left eye to the Well of Mimir, and hanged myself on the Yggdrasil for 9 days, and 9 nights. In return, I gained the knowledge of the Runes, and Prophetic visions. I was already old when I did it, so my benefits weren't as much as you'd expect of the Yggdrasil."
He smiles a bit morbidly, and says, "You are my son, and the son of Jord. You are already strong enough to be King, and so, I think that the benefits you gain from Yggdrasil will be vastly more than the ones I did."
Thor frowns, putting his hand on his hammer for comfort, and says, "I.. understand, father. I will leave for the Well as soon as we're done here."
Nodding, Odin turns to Heimdall, and says, "Heimdall, the Norns are conspiring against the Realms. I need you to find out where they are getting their orders from. If need be, you have permission to access the Odinforce."
"Bu-but.. My King!" Heimdall yells, honestly surprised. Even with all his experience looking for tells, Heimdall never saw this coming. He tries to advice against it, kneels down, and says, "My King, you need Odinforce far more than I do! Please, rescind the permission!"
Before Odin can say anything, Loki starts chuckling, gaining the ire of everyone around. He says, "Oh? Don't you know, Heimdall? Odin is prepared to die before the War even begins. He aims to make us all more powerful, and then, have us kill the Gods above Gods. Isn't that right, Odin?"
Seeing the mischief in Loki's eyes at having figured Odin all out, Odin sighs, and says, "Yes. I am not young anymore, as much as I'd like to deny it. Fenrir? Hah, I won't survive against the dog Garm, as I am now. So, yes. I aim to strengthen you all, to make sure the Gods die."
"We won't succeed." Frigga warns.
Snorting, Hodr says, "Not with that attitude, we won't, mother. What have we to lose? We are all going to die soon anyway, except maybe Thor here. Why not try to take those ugly bastards down with us."
"You don't know they're ugly." Loki says, smiling at Hodr's proclamation.
Hodr scoffs at Loki, and says, "I'm blind. I don't know you're ugly either, but I will still call you that. I just don't understand why I'm here."
Smiling at the banter between brothers, although they were not as close as Thor and Loki used to be, Odin says, "You might be a blind God, Hodr. But you're still an Odinson, and the God of Winter. And who better than the God of Winter, to fight the Fire Demons of Muspelheim."
The Gods around the table nod, accepting the reasoning. As the meeting comes to an end their, with Odin dropping a few more orders for Tyr and Loki, Odin disables the protection spell.
The Gods, including his sons, start leaving the room, leaving behind just Frigga and Odin. Frigga opens her mouth to say something, when she spies Loki standing at the door to the Council room.
She asks, "What is it, my son?"
Loki freezes at the term, but for barely a second. He brandishes his hand, waving it, and says, "Ah.. nothing much. I just felt like I had a way."
"What will this way lead to?" Odin asks, looking curious despite himself. He might not love Loki the way he does Thor, but he did raise him.
Loki smirks, and says, "Well, I had a way to gain a powerful ally. You know, the reason I am not tied to that rock right now, nor am I against Asgard in this War."
Odin frowns, feeling tired again. His old age was really catching up to him. He stares at Loki, and sternly orders, "Speak clearly, Loki! Who is this ally?"
"Theos Jordson." Loki says, grinning gleefully. "The God of Nature, who at a young age of 200, managed to trap me, and hide from Heimdall's gaze. I just thought, who better to sneak into the Realm of the Gods above Gods, than the one being who managed to hide from you, Father?"
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A/N: Ragnarok begins! I'm still researching the events, so expect a delay in these chapters.
And yes, as you might have guessed, Theos won't have his Weapons in time for Ragnarok. Too bad, he's already strong now.
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