Author's Notes : And we're back! And as a gift, I'm bringing you 4 chapters this week!
Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Scott Fellman.
Freya POV.
I looked through my Divine Mirror at my entire old familia gathered once again inside the Sessrúmnir, the great hall normally used as a dining room, one of the few places within Folkvangr where all familia members could comfortably fit.
It was time to end this. I undid my divine mirror, grabbed my robe, and began walking through the halls of Folkvangr, perhaps one of the last times I would do so for a long time. Despite the feeling of sadness, I couldn't help but smile slightly. Freedom. That was what I felt now.
Despite heading to the great hall where my children were waiting, where I would tell them again that the dissolution of the familia was a complete fact, where I knew I would break the hearts of more than one of them, I couldn't help but feel happy about my newfound freedom as a smile adorned my face.
So, even knowing what was about to happen, my steps were light as I walked to the great hall. Even before entering, I could already hear the great commotion, the shouts from inside, accusations made from one member to another, and I couldn't help but shake my head.
My familia was never the most united; in fact, it was possibly the least united in all of Orario—well, maybe second only to the Soma familia. I sighed inwardly. I knew that most of them only came together because they craved my love for themselves, incapable of cooperating, constantly competing, yet still completely loyal to me.
That competition was something I had encouraged myself to do. That competition had strengthened them; the fights within Folkvangr had made them strong. My beloved Einherjar were much stronger than any other adventurer of the same level from other familias, and I was proud of them.
But when it came to teamwork? My familia certainly wasn't great; if it weren't for their need to obey me and Hedin's constant planning, most of the dungeon raids would surely have failed.
I smiled one last time as I listened to my children's voices, taking a few seconds to enjoy them before forcefully opening the door wide.
The loud noise silenced all the commotion. I began to walk as my familia members cleared a path for me. Halfway there, I let my robe fall to free my body. I didn't hide from them; I simply continued walking with my chin held high and with the confidence I had mastered millennia ago.
I walked until I reached a small platform that was already set up. I could see Ottar and Horn standing on either side, along with the rest of my executives nearby. Their faces were full of emotion. I smiled gently at them, but I didn't stop.
I walked to the platform, climbed the small steps, and stood above my entire familia, who were staring at me. I smiled once more and began to speak.
"Thank you all for gathering one last time." I said softly, but my voice echoed throughout the great hall. "To all of you who weren't present last time, to all of you who don't truly believe my words or wish they were false, I will tell you no, from this moment forward, the Freya Familia is completely dissolved." I said firmly.
And then the commotion started once more. I just smiled at the shouts and let them express themselves for a few seconds before raising my hand to silence them once again. They all obeyed and closed their mouths tightly.
"You all served me with loyalty and obedience, and I will be forever grateful and proud of you. You are all my dear children, but the decision has been made. There is nothing left to discuss; the Freya familia will be dissolved."
"And in honor of that loyalty, everyone will receive generous compensation. Folkvanger will be open for another three months. You can stay and live here during that time without any payment while you adjust, but after that, the mansion will completely close its doors."
"And finally, I will make sure that everyone is placed in a familia that suits each of you. If you have any preferences, don't hesitate to tell me, and I will take care of it. You have one day to decide."
"And that's it. With that, I'll take my leave. I'll be leaving Orario in a few days. I'll pray for your safety," I said with a small smile. Everyone fell silent. I could see the incredulous faces, the ones distorted with sadness, and even the frowns and expressions of anger. I took them all in and memorized them, but my resolve didn't waver in the slightest.
"And that's it? You just decide to dissolve the familia overnight and say that's all there is to it?" without any explanation? Without telling us why or where you're going? Or even asking us if we would follow you?" Allen asked, sounding completely furious. I smiled lovingly at him.
"My dear Allen," I said with a smile before sighing. "It's no secret that I've been searching for my beloved, my destined one... my Odr, for more years than any of you can imagine."
"And I found her." I said easily, which seemed to surprise everyone. "I found my Odr, but she's not an adventurer, she's not from Orario, she's from a very distant place. She'll leave, and I'll follow her; it's as simple as that." I said with a bright smile.
"You... found it?" I heard Horn murmur in surprise.
"That's not Hestia's son, is it? " Hedin asked with a sneer. I shook my head.
"No, not at all, it's someone else." I simply said.
"So someone comes along, you declare your love, she accepts, and now you're going to leave? Are you going to abandon us? " Allen asked, sounding hurt. I looked at him affectionately.
"Yes," I said, completely honest. "But make no mistake, she rejected me—twice," I added playfully. That seemed to surprise them even more.
"Who is that ignorant fool who rejected you, Freya-sama? Why would you follow her if she were foolish enough to reject you? " Hedin asked again, and I just chuckled slightly.
"And why wouldn't I?" I asked playfully. "You who love me so loyally, you who would follow me to the ends of the world if I asked, why wouldn't I, the very goddess of love, do the same? Even if she rejects me a third or fourth time, or a dozen or hundreds of times, I won't give up." I said with a huge, expectant smile, thinking of Serena. I saw all my children fall silent.
"So... is this really the end? You said it, we would follow you, any of us would, why do you have to break up the familia? " Alfrigg asked, and I nodded.
"I know you would, but you can't," I said with a smile. "I'm well aware that you would come if I asked you, but I'm already being selfish enough. The place where my Odr lives is very far from here, far from the dungeon. Your place, the place where each of you will shine brightest, is here in Orario," I said honestly.
"And is it necessary to dissolve the familia? Can't you just come back every few months and update our falnas?" Berling asked. I shook my head.
"You can't follow me where I'm going, and besides, I don't want you tied to me, not when I don't know if I'll return to Orario before you all die." I told them honestly. "I'll make sure you're well taken care of, but I won't be here anymore." I told them honestly.
"Is she a goddess, like you? Are you going back... going back to heaven? " Hedin asked tensely, which seemed to alarm more than one person. I chuckled.
"Hedin, always so clever, it's... similar. There's... so much more to this world than mortals know. There's so much I can't tell you, unfortunately." I said with an apologetic smile. Everyone fell silent. I smiled one last time and let my charm envelop all my children, except my executives. "Now, go, my children. Think about which Familia you want to join and forget about me," I ordered them.
I could see how the charm influenced each of them. I smiled sadly as I watched them leave, compelled by my charm. This was for the best, but it didn't make it any less painful.
"You used your charm on them." Hedin accused, frowning. I nodded.
"I did." I said, without needing to lie. I looked at the others. Ottar and Horn were still by my side, and in front of me were Allen, my vice-captain, Hogni, Hedin, the Gulliver brothers, and Heith. They all had sad, almost defeated expressions, as if they were waiting for me to do the same to them. I couldn't help but chuckle. "Don't worry, I won't use my charm on you," I said playfully.
"But you'll still leave us," Allen accused with a grimace. "And you don't seem to care much, Ottar. You've been silent this whole time," Allen growled. Ottar just closed his eyes.
"That... this result surprising you only tells me that you didn't understand Freya-sama as much as you should have. She's like the wind; she doesn't belong to any of us, and she's certainly not someone we could chain up. It was only a matter of time before she found her sky. We can only be happy that she has found what she has searched for so long." Ottar said without a hint of hesitation, and I smiled brightly at that.
"Your words make me so happy, Ottar," I said honestly. I heard Allen click his tongue and look away. I chuckled softly. "Even so, my dear children, you mustn't worry, this won't be the last time we see each other," I said cheerfully. That seemed to surprise everyone, and a look of hope appeared on all of their faces, and even Ottar's, though it might not seem so. Despite his words, my dear child was still sad about my leaving.
"But, you just-"
"That was for the other members." I interrupted one of the Gulliver brothers. "I have...permission to tell only you where my destination is, and only you. I trust you; I know you will be loyal enough not to mention anything I tell you." I said, becoming serious.
"""Yes, Freya-sama!""" they all said at the same time, straightening up. I laughed slightly.
"Alright, then tell me, what do you know about the structure of this world?" I asked playfully. That made everyone frown.
"There is the lower world, where we mortals live, and then the upper world, heaven, where the gods live," Hedin replied immediately. I smiled mysteriously.
"And what if I told you there's a third realm?" I asked playfully, and complete shock appeared on his face. "As Hedin already said, there's Tenkai, the world of the gods, heaven, the upper world, then there's Genkai, the realm of mortals, the lower world, but there's something further down, something called Meikai, better known as the Underworld," I said solemnly.
I had spoken at length with Sera about what I could tell my dear executives, and she had allowed me to use the same backstory I had used with Loki and her familia. And that was exactly what I was doing. I saw my children repeating the word "Underworld" between their lips.
"The underworld is the realm of devils. Not many mortals, or even gods, know of its existence. It's a huge secret, and for good reason. Devils are... the complete opposite of gods. Their... energy is unholy, different, the very opposite of the gods' divine energy. Long ago, they were also cruel and evil as well. And I'm not just saying that; they fed on human souls to grow stronger."
"Even though things have changed and adapted in recent centuries, there are still major exceptions." I began to explain slowly.
"Miach's daughter." Ottar interjected, his eyes gleaming with understanding. "You've called her an abomination and other derogatory names ever since you saw her. I've never understood why. I couldn't see what you saw, and it wasn't my place to understand. I trusted in the judgment of my goddess. But if these 'devils' are the very opposite of the gods, then…" Ottar said slowly. I chuckled softly.
"Very well, my dear Ottar, and yes, Miach's daughter, Bellatrix Prince, is a devil." I confirmed cheerfully.
"But... she doesn't look like a devil." Heith interjected cautiously; I raised an eyebrow.
"And gods look human, devils too, that's just how it is." I said, shrugging. "You wouldn't notice the difference even if they were right next to you, unless they used their demonic power." I said easily.
"So... Miach's daughter is your..." Hogin tried to say timidly. I shook my head.
"No, she's not Miach's daughter. Devils are allowed to come from the underworld, but not to interfere with mortals. Someone found out that Bellatrix was causing some trouble and came to check that everything was in order."
"That... person is the one I consider my Odr, yes, she is a devil, and yes, I will go to the underworld in a few days." I Announce.
"I don't mean to contradict you, Freya-sama, but didn't you just say that devils are... evil, for lack of a better word?" Hedin asked, frowning. I shook my head.
"The old devils? Sure, but the new generation? Those born under the new administration and the new devil's leaders? Then not entirely. They're just another race, different from humans and gods, yes, or any race you know, but they're still people; they can be as good as they are bad." I replied, and Hedin grimaced.
"Will we... be able to go to the underworld?" Horn asked, frowning.
"Yes, but not today," I said immediately. "You'll be able to see and interact with the devils, you'll meet... my Odr, but in due time," I said honestly, and I could see everyone sigh with relief.
" And yet, we can't follow you? I am your assistant, Freya-sama. I will be by your side, no matter what world you are in." Horn said fervently, almost desperately. I hesitated momentarily.
"I'm sorry, the underworld is no place for humans, and even if I wanted to, I'd have to convince other people, and possibly only one is the limit. I can't choose between any of you," I said with a smile.
"Ottar." They all said at the same time, even Horn, without even hesitating. I looked at them and laughed while shaking my head.
"I'm glad you're concerned. Don't worry about my safety; I'll be completely safe. My Odr isn't weak, and besides, in the Underworld, I don't have to keep my Arcanum sealed, so no one can harm me," I said playfully.
"Then Horn," Ottar said, looking intently at me. "She'll be able to help you with all your daily needs, and we'd all be more comfortable if you had someone by your side." Ottar said without hesitation. Horn straightened up with poise and looked at me seriously. I glanced at the others before smiling and shaking my head.
"I'll think about it and discuss it further. I can't promise anything; this is beyond my control," I said honestly. Everyone nodded without hesitation, though they seemed calmer now. "Now, even if we continue to see each other, as I said, everyone will receive compensation, including you," I said, pulling a small bag from my hip and opening it. Bracelets and rings appeared inside.
I started taking them out and distributing them. Two for each person.
"These are medallions, ignore the name, what makes them special is that they are made with a metal impossible to obtain in the lower world, and which would even be difficult to obtain in Heaven."
"They can store your stats for long periods of time. While you store attributes, you will be weaker and slower, but in return, all the attributes you store can be used at a later time."
"They can store half your strength for days, and then you will be half again as strong for the same amount of time; you can even push it and double, triple, or multiply your attributes even further for shorter amounts of time."
"Needless to say, these are very special items." I said seriously, everyone looked shocked as I handed out the rings. "Each ring can only store one attribute."
"For Ottar, it will be the storage of strength and weight; for Allen, physical and mental speed; for the brothers Gulliver and Hogni, strength and speed. Experiment with them; I know you will be able to use them correctly."
" Now, for Hedin and Heith, I regret to inform you that there is no way to store magic because of how medallions work, which is why yours are special. For Hedin, one of the rings allows you to double all your stats for a short period of time, including your magic. Unfortunately, it's not something that can be regulated, but it remains constant."
"And the second ring, something that will be of enormous use to you, has magic embedded in it; it's called Kokonoe. Once the chant is recited and the magic invoked, the next spell you recite will be cast up to 9 times for the cost of a single cast."
"And for Heith, two of these to double your stats, so you could potentially quadruple your total stats." I explained cheerfully before turning to Horn. "And these, my dear Horn, are two matching rings. You have to use them together for them to work."
"One of them will allow you to store your health; it will make you weaker and sicker while you store it, but when you use it, you will be able to heal the most lethal wounds as long as you are not dead."
"And the second ring contains a vast amount of stored 'health'; you'd need months of continuous use to even deplete all that's stored," I told Horn as I handed her the two rings. Horn gazed at the rings in wonder. Everyone stared at their gifts in amazement, as if they couldn't believe what they held in their hands.
"These... these objects are true miracles," Hedin finally said, looking incredulously at his set of two rings, almost reverently.
"My Odr created them, and she agreed to give them to you," I boasted happily. Hodin looked at me in surprise. "Someday you'll be able to speak with her, don't worry."
"I am eternally grateful, my goddess," Ottar said hoarsely as he put on the bracelets without hesitation. That woke all the Edmas.
"""Thank you Freya-sama!""" they said instantly.
"I will take great care of your gifts, Freya-sama," Horn said, kneeling.
"There's no need to worry," I said easily. "The rings are enchanted with something stronger than Durandal, so they're practically unbreakable. And once placed on your person, no one but you can remove them, so don't worry about losing them." They all clutched their gifts even tighter.
"It's an honor, Freya-sama," Hedin said forcefully. I nodded.
"And finally, to wrap up the news. I recommend that you join, or at least get closer to, the Loki familia." I said seriously. "Even though devils no longer consume souls, they still make contracts with mortals in exchange for various things, riches, or favors. My Odr has a contract with Loki and her executives. They also know about the underworld and devils. They too received these medallions, so you can train with them and learn their tricks."
"But most importantly, there's someone there who knows how to contact my Odr, even if she's in the underworld. They'll be able to reach me through her without any problem," I finished. Everyone immediately frowned.
"Freya-sama... is it really necessary to erase your Falna from us? We can be just ourselves, we don't need constant updates, we can pretend we have another god's Falna, even while keeping yours." Horn said, biting her lip. I smiled gently.
"I am truly so happy about your devotion, but you deserve better than an absent goddess. For the rest of Orario, I will be leaving the city and not returning. I will not be able to be with you publicly or celebrate your achievements as you deserve. I will be aware of your growth, but it will no longer be under my watch." I told them sadly, and more than one of them clenched their teeth tightly.
"It's not fair," Allen said shakily. I nodded.
"It isn't, but it is what it is," I said gently. "Loki will take care of you properly. I'll make sure she knows that even with her falnas, you are still my children. If necessary, I'll even let you live here permanently in Folkvangr if you so choose."
"But it's all I can do for you," I said softly. No one spoke. I sighed once more, approached Allen, and gently kissed his forehead before moving on to Hedin, Hogni, Heith, the Gulliver brothers, and finally, Horn and Ottar. I kissed their foreheads gently. They all looked shocked, frozen in place. "I'll be watching you, my children. I'm sorry I can no longer be your goddess because of my selfishness," I said finally before turning and starting to walk toward the exit.
Ignore the exclamations; luckily, no one tried to follow me, as if rooted to the spot. I simply continued walking through Folkvangr until I reached the library. I looked around and walked into the room, my fingers tracing the lines between the books. I still had to meet with Uranus, but that could wait.
I had learned a lot about the different worlds that existed outside of our own, thanks to Serena, but most importantly, I had learned that the gods of our world lacked power; many of the incredible feats that were talked about in different versions of our world were not things that we had done or were capable of doing.
Freya, the various Freyas, were known as goddesses of love, beauty, war, fertility, death, gold, and seiðr (magic). Whereas I was only a goddess of beauty and love, just two domains out of all those embodied by the other Freyas. I only had my charm and a few tricks, even with my Arcanum unleashed, while the various Freyas were capable of so much more, so very much more.
My Odr will grow, she will grow far beyond what I can comprehend right now. But I won't be left behind; I will move forward with her, by her side, and I will begin now. Let's see if any of those other domains are latent within me, and if not, a little effort won't hurt anyone, not even me.