The Heavens
Eden
Mountain Biome
"Ha….Ha…" Odin uttered, trying to regain composure. Slowly, he floated down and landed on the crater's edge. "Finally. Obstinate brat."
Oh, the irony! The high Tenor yelled. Tiny Gollnir's special trick was used on his own friend by his student's successor! It's…so funny! The cruel twisting of cherished knowledge to satisfy a bruised ego!
For someone spouting that he will make the truth known, you spent more time trying to put down a threat to your ego. The hoarse Bass said. You use my name to carry out such pettiness. Embarrassing.
"Do you all ever stop talking?!" Odin yelled.
We never did until you started screwing everything up. The Basso spoke. Now you have Satan intoxicated over irony and Chaos planning how to use your body for future experiments.
"Irrelevant prattling," Odin retorted. "Once Ragnarok ends, I can—"
Something rustled in the woods behind him. Moving fast, he spun and aimed Gram.
"Come out, or I will crush you."
Slowly, something stirred from behind the bushes and trees and made its way to him.
Nay, someone.
Odin's fury vanished instantly when he saw him. He recognized the bandana and robes. The greying wild hair and wrinkling skin. He forgot he'd walked around the village, even with a cane. He still had that sharp look in his eyes.
Odin, for the first time in a long time, turned back into Velk.
The older man held his hands up, one still grasping his cane.
"…Sorry. Didn't mean to spook ya!" Feldis. "I guess my time is up?"
Gram fell from Odin's grip, and he dropped to his knees.
"F…Feldis?" He whispered.
"Huh? You know me?"
______________________
"Well…Guess this is it then," Siegfried said, floating in that vast, empty darkness.
Please do not be so blasé, Sieg! Metatron yelled. Odin is out there tearing Creation apart! Hilde-everyone we care about is at his mercy!
"Do you know a way out of here?"
…
"Panicking right now is pointless. What we need to do is think, right?"
Metatron sighed. Damn you, Sieg. That is a good point.
"I have those sometimes!" Siegfried slowly turned on his side. "So how does Gleipnir work exactly?"
Gleipnir is a two-fold technique. First, it opens a rift to outside Creation, where time does not flow, and space does not expand.
"And then it puts people in there?"
Precisely. The rift compresses in on itself, creating a stasis that holds its contents in a fixed point of stagnated time and space.
"…I don't know what that means, but it sounds incredible!"
Ha! Sorry. I get worked up when I get to teach. I- he paused.
"…You okay? I mean, other than our current issue."
I…forgot how much I loved teaching.
"No one's saying you can't when we get back."
If we get back.
"No. When! Keep going!"
…Please try to follow a little then. This 'frozen space/time' locks in place, and cannot be undone except by the power that holds it…from the outside.
"Is that why Odin, or the other Odin, needed me as the vessel?" Siegfried sheathed Balmung and stretched out.
Precisely. You are an anomaly no one expected. One reason we were so sure Gleipnir would work was that you would need one God with all four of Yggdrasil's Runes. And those Runes are so rare, because Yggdrasil started their…genocide…by killing all the Gods they made first. Their Runes should NOT exist amongst the Heavens.
"But here we are."
Yes. Here we are.
"So…if I have all four Runes, is that what made me a God?"
It is not impossible, but I did not have enough time to research you. I feared doing so would put you on Odin's notice, since Týr and Baldr were your friends.
Siegfried breathed deeply. "So you knew."
…Shortly after Hilde introduced you, I discovered the truth. I am sorry I hid it from you. Had you known, maybe you would have steered clear of Asgard.
"No point in worrying about that, but it does give me an idea."
Pray tell what?
______________________
"It's…it's you," Odin whispered. "You're…Feldis?
"I…am?" He answered. "You're not one of the Primordial Gods, are you? Gollnir showed me what they looked like."
"No!" Odin yelled in a panic. "I'm not! I was fighting one of them earlier! I…I had to use Gleipnir to put him away!"
Feldis squinted. "But only a Primordial God could use that technique. I know, because-"
"Gollnir was your teacher!" Odin yelled.
What are you doing? Satan asked. Where is our Lord of Madness and Rage?
"He taught you all how to hide from the Primordial Gods! He gave you his tools! Even the protective charm, Gungnir!"
Feldis lowered his arms. "How do you know that?"
Odin rose and removed Egil. "Feldis…please believe me…I'm begging you…please believe me when I say I'm…I'm…" His blackened eyes slowly teared up. "I…followed you around the village…I brought you mead on days you couldn't get out of bed…then there were days you never got up…"
He lowered his head.
Feldis walked over and looked him in the eyes.
"By All…Velk?"
"I'm sorry…I led them back here…I tried to prove they were gone…and they followed me back here…and…and…"
He crumbled.
Disgusting brat. Ymir spoke.
Feldis knelt. "What are you talking about?! Velk, what's going on?!"
Is this what you wanted?! Chaos yelled. To see him again?!
"The Primordials destroyed everything! They wiped it all away! It's my fault, Feldis, but I am going to fix it!"
"Fix it?! Velk, if you're right, then we're gone! There's no fixing this!"
"I HAVE TO FIX IT! I CAN'T LET EVERYTHING GO ON LIKE YOU ALL NEVER EXISTED! THOSE BASTARDS SLAUGHTERED YOU ALL IN THE NAME OF A LIE! AND I REFUSE TO LET IT CONTINUE!
"Velk…" Feldis gripped his shoulders. "I'm gone."
Odin closed his eyes. "I…don't want you to be…. please…"
A familiar hand tussled his long, unkempt hair. "I don't think we have a say anymore."
Odin looked up to meet his eyes.
"Though…I will admit, I'm sad to see you like this. If I'm here, that means you've done something dangerous."
"…"
"Velk, what have you done?"
______________________
"If I have all four Runes, can't I do that, too? Something like Gleipnir?"
…Actually…maybe? Metatron answered.
"Really?!"
It is a stretch, but there are some limits. When we made Gleipnir, Gollnir and I designed it to hold Yggdrasil and their seven followers. We could not sync it with all eleven Runes, but the four were strong enough; the other seven were irrelevant. If those seven were any stronger, they would have overloaded Gleipnir's output and canceled it out—a high-risk, high-reward situation.
"Uh…" Siegfried scratched his head.
We have to generate a level of power equal to Yggdrasil's maximum output, Gleipnir's limits, plus enough power to cancel it out. For a normal God to even try to equal the output of ONE member…
Siegfried popped his neck, then his fingers.
"I'm not a normal God. Let's give it a shot.
______________________
"I…I found Gollnir's book," Odin admitted. "I read it, and found…" He looked back at Egil and Gram. "Yggdrasil's four treasures."
Feldis rose and stepped back, his eyes wide with shock. "You…did what?!"
"I searched for the Primordial Vessel, and found him. I ensured there was an event that would generate enough Water of Life to activate it."
Feldis' jaw dropped. "…Another Ragnarok?! VELK! You're trying to free Yggdrasil?!"
"The destruction of this world is preferable to living in it."
"This world was what Gollnir gave his life to protect! He knew the knowledge was important! He didn't care if he lived! He knew future generations had to be prepared to fight against Yggdrasil and keep their seal from breaking! And you're…you're trying to bring them back?!"
"You don't understand, Feldis!"
No, he does. Chaos said. Gollnir's boys and girls were too damn smart for their own good, like their teacher. Bastard outshone me there.
"Do you know what it's like to live in a world that spat in your face while trying to warn them about Yggdrasil?! About what happened to you?! No one believed me! That accursed spell the Primordial Gods used to rewrite history erased us! Erase you and everyone!"
"That's not an excuse for genocide!"
"This is not genocide! This is Justice!"
Odin rose to his feet. Gram and Egil flew to his hands. Slowly, Odin placed Egil back on his head.
"I…will rewrite this world. I will bring our people back, and keep the lies from killing them again. I will never allow what happened ever to happen again."
Feldis felt his heart break as tears grew.
"By doing it so catastrophically, there won't be anything left."
______________________
Siegfried, are you sure? Metatron asked.
"Positive…just not sure I understand how."
Yggdrasil's Four Runes carry their power. But the Vessel does not necessarily carry Runes equal in power. We need to magnify them and then supplement them with another.
"I imagine…yours?"
Through the Volund.
Siegfried drew Balmung and took it in both hands.
I will use the remaining pieces of the Cube to empower the Runes while funneling all my power directly into you.
"How much will this hurt?"
If we are lucky, only enough to make you 'wish' you were dead, and not actually kill you.
Siegfried chuckled. "Since when were you funny?!"
I have always been funny!
"Well, I have something funny to say."
Say it.
"It's more…embarrassing."
…
"I promised Týr I'd convince Hilde to name our first kid after him."
…Not me?
Balmung Excelsis started glowing; its cyan light was the sole source in that vast darkness.
"We could name the second one after you!"
Please do not. That poor child would suffer!
"Ha! Ah! I got one more."
Metatron sighed. Say it.
"Did you know? I used to say, 'With any sword, I can cut anything.'" Siegfried asked, gently smiling and raising Balmung.
That is an absurd statement... but if it is you, I can believe there is some truth to it.
"Force the Runes, Sir. I'm ready."
On it now.
Deep within his soul, Siegfried felt four…forces traveling to its deepest depths.
In his mind, a red glowing pyramid appeared.
The Tetrahedron of Fire. Metatron's voice said, echoing. The light that sparks warmth and energy. Stability. Heaven.
A black cube appeared next to it.
The Hexahedron of Earth. The shape that all life fills. Structure. Earth.
A white diamond appeared alongside its kin.
The Octahedron of Air. The connection between all life. Integration. Void.
Last, a green die appeared.
The Icosahedron of Water. The potential for growth and change. Transformation. Hell.
The Four Shapes.
The Four Runes.
The Four Realms.
And Mine…He Who Heard The First Words…'Build…and Love…'
This power…
Siegfried felt a wave of heat slowly flow from his heart.
Is yours.
______________________
"Velk…Where're you going?!" Feldis yelled.
"I am going to ensure this world spreads beyond Eden. To every corner of Creation, and once I do, then I will return."
"I am begging you now, please don't do this! I am not here! We are not here, but you are! There's still so much you can do!"
Odin stopped and turned around. He could see the fear in his guardian's eyes. Fear had only one answer.
And it would break his heart.
"I don't care anymore. I have a family, Feldis. Wives and concubines. Sons and daughters. None of them matter. None of them could replace you. Even if you're not real…"
Please don't say it, Velk.
He appeared right in front of Feldis and hugged him.
"You still matter more than them."
______________________
An ocean of power surged from Siegfried, freezing him in place—every millimeter of his being burned as if he stood next to the sun.
He felt the air in his lungs evaporate.
Four titanic wings erupted from his back. Each one surged with one of the four shapes, trying to make sense of what they were supposed to be.
Balmung's cyan blade erupted into a torrent of flames. Only its hilt and guard remained.
SIEG! Metatron roared. HOOOOOOLD OOOOOON!
Siegfried…did not hear him. He could not feel his sword in his hands. His senses vanished under that power's weight.
Where Siegfried started and that monstrous power ended…no one could know. Not even Metatron.
In that blinding ocean of power and light, Siegfried was lost.
His grip on the sword loosened.
NOOOOOO! SIEG!
______________________
"Sieg…" Brünhilde said, sitting on that bench outside the chapel. "I have something I need to confess…"
"You don't have to," He said.
"I do. Sieg…you know I'm not really part of the Norse Pantheon. That my Dad has Angels in a lot of Pantheons?"
"Yeah?"
Her hand tightened on his. "We're…spies. Every Pantheon we're in feeds information back to the choir. To ensure no dangers could affect Creation."
"Oh…so…what does that mean?"
"I gave my family information about Odin, his family, Loki, everything. I've done everything to follow our mission."
Siegfried sat up as Brünhilde looked him in the eyes.
"And I was part of it. I know, Hilde."
"Your background was a mystery, and so Dad told me to try and meet you. I didn't plan to meet you and…love you as I do."
"And we're here now."
"Yeah, but I don't mind how this unfolded." She took his hand in both of hers. "But…I felt I caused your imprisonment. I could've stopped Loki and turned him down properly. Maybe never gave Odin a reason to be suspicious."
"I doubt it."
Her eyes widened.
"We can't control everything, Hilde. Your Dad's bad about it, like you."
"But…"
"Through all this, never once did I blame you or him."
Siegfried pulled her in and rested his head on hers.
"All that mattered to me was getting back here. Somehow, someway. And now I am, and don't care about anything else."
"Why?"
He took her hand again, and gently gripped it.
"Because this matters more than anything."
______________________
His grip snapped back on the handle.
The energy spouts snapped into four sharp wings.
The flaming blade immediately froze into a single double-edged shape.
The heat vanished as the ocean swirled back into Siegfried's body.
He raised it high.
I'm coming home, Hilde. He thought.
He swung.
The swing echoed in the vast darkness.
He raised it and swung again.
It echoed again.
He raised it and swung again.
It echoed…then a crack followed.
He kept swinging; each one echoed like a metronome, in perfect time with the one before and after. That tiny crack he heard slowly grew. Bit by bit. Slash by slash.
Nothing could stop him.
As he raised his sword once more, something flowed through his body. Not power, or pain. Something that crept along his soul, and his body slowly moved in sync with it.
Metatron stayed silent as he watched this sensation take hold of him. He knew what happened, but in that empty world he thought it impossible.
Here. Siegfried thought, placing his foot.
Here. He raised Balmung Excelsis just a little more to the right than before.
Here. He shifted his hips.
Now. He swung down.
Light erupted from high above and down the path of his slash. Cracks spread out from the slash and the darkness crumbled around them.
______________________
Odin heard something crack behind him. He loosened his hug and turned, trying to find the source.
He heard it again, and something welled in his stomach.
Then again, this time louder.
"What is this?" He whispered. "Feldis, get back."
Feldis took a few steps back as the cracking continued.
Odin took his stance, waiting.
Looks like you're finally back to normal, brat. Odin said. Done acting like a weakling?
Of course he's not. Satan retorted. He replicated Gleipnir ALONE and still thinks something will happen. Abs-
A massive cyan light slashed through the world in front of them.
-surd?!
The world expanded and collapsed on itself, and Siegfried popped into existence.
Not even Gleipnir?! Chaos yelled. INCONCEIVABLE!
Odin snarled. "When will you learn…everything you try is futile, Siegfried?!"
Siegfried's eyes went wild. "When will you learn: The only reason you left that throne room alive back then was that you held Hilde hostage?!"
Odin swung his arm.
"Not again…Not ever again…" Siegfried breathed deeply.
He felt the sensation and followed it devotedly.
He raised Balmung high.
Be with me, Týr.
"1… 2…"
He swung slowly down, following the flow. The tip of the blade stopped just before it could touch the soil.
Dread smashed into Odin. By pure instinct, he willed Brisingamen ahead in a layered formation, one layer of shards after another in a ten-fold shield. Each shard vibrated with Egil's power to absorb any power that collided with it.
Each shield lined up perfectly to block the attack. A shield capable of absorbing any attack and leaving Siegfried open to attack.
Each shield, and every shard that made them up, split clean in two.
Odin, behind that incredible defense, split in two as a cut went straight down from his crown through his left eye and down his torso.
Egil shattered off his head, crumbling to dust.
Oh Lord of Madness and Rage! You held it all in your hands and SQUANDERED IT!
Each shard of each shield split clean in two and shattered into dust.
You proved us right, you fool! And look what it GOT UUUUUUUUUS!
The decimated forest vanished behind Odin as a chasm opened beneath him. The clouds above them split perfectly in twain.
Everything in the path of Siegfried's swing was gone.
Draupnir's spectral arms shot and pushed the two halves back together. We need to—
I will protect her.
Siegfried brought Balmung Excelsis to the side. "1… 2…" He gently swung to the left, following that sensation once more.
Draupnir and its spectral arms split in half as Odin's body split from the sternum down.
This...this can't be happening! DAMN YOU, VEEEEEEELLK!
Chaos vanished.
The rings crumbled to dust. Blood poured from Odin's mouth as his upper half fell back. He raised Gram high.
"I…will not…let this world of lies continue!" He roared.
Siegfried raised his sword one last time and stepped forward. For you, Hilde, so that we can wake up from this nightmare. "1… 2…" He swung down one last time.
As energy welled from Gram's wicked edge, the essence of swordsmanship, nay, the will of the one who stood against the oncoming storm, cleaved through it and Odin's arm, splitting them down the middle.
We were beaten…again! WELL DONE, SIEGFRIED! When we are truly freed, WE WILL SETTLE THIS ONCE AND FOR AAAAAAALL!
Odin's fingers fell from his slashed hand as Gram split in two and exploded, and he fell to the ground with a wet thud and clang. He convulsed, gasping for air.
Siegfried fell to the ground, and Metatron was flung from his body. Four glowing shards flew out of Siegfried's body back into Metatron's.
"Sieg!" Metatron yelled, breathing heavily. "Are…are you here?!"
"Yeaaaaah…but I hurt something fierce!" He answered. "I don't…think I can move…"
"NOOOOO!"
Both struggled to turn, looking towards Feldis as he ran to Odin.
"Velk! Velk!" He knelt next to his ward.
"F…Feld…is…" He uttered. Cracks grew from his wounds and spread.
"We can fix this! It's not impossible! We need Gungnir!"
"Gung…nir?"
"Yes!" Tears fell as Feldis tried in vain to do something. "Where is it?!"
"I…I had it…" He reached up to his collarbone with the remains of his hand. "But I lost it…too…"
"Velk! Velk!"
"I…lost…everything again…"
"VELK!"
"I'm…sorry…"
He shattered, and Velk, Metatron, and Siegfried watched the shards vanish in the wind, feeling the enormous shadow of the Allfather…fade away, with Velk in tow.