Following Akyo's successful tests, he and Tachi had parted ways, the god of wind telling him to relax before the afternoon meeting.
He took the opportunity to go recharge at the waterfall he visited every morning, then he went back to eat.
He was walking through the corridors toward the meeting room, deep in thought. 'How many gods are in Asgard? Are they all as strong as Loki?'
He wasn't really watching where he was going, lost in his thoughts. He didn't notice someone standing in front of him and bumped into them. "Damn, sorry!"
"Don't worry, it's my fault. I couldn't see in front of me with everything I was carrying," the man replied, bending down to pick up the many sheets and books that had fallen.
"Let me help you," Akyo said as he crouched down as well. He quickly looked at the man he had bumped into. "Wait, Mister Gellahan?"
Gellahan looked up and smiled. "Well, if it isn't you! I heard this morning that you were back. What wonderful news!"
They both stood up and shook hands.
"Thank you. So I see you chose to stay here. Are you enjoying it?"
"Are you kidding? It's a dream come true. I've been spending my days in the archives learning incredible things," he said excitedly. "I have to admit, I feel a bit guilty for not making much effort to meet everyone, but with all these things to learn, I just can't stop."
Akyo smiled. 'I've never seen someone so happy to suddenly get a new life. It's even more surprising coming from a public figure.' He bent down, picked up the last book on the floor, and handed it to Gellahan.
"Here. I won't keep you any longer. I'm glad to have seen you."
The historian took the book and placed it on the pile he was carrying. "No problem. Glad to see you too!"
They smiled at each other and went their separate ways. But after a few steps, 'Wait.'
Akyo turned around and called out, "Mister Gellahan!"
The man turned back. "Yes?"
"Listen, I'm going to a meeting with all the other divinities present here. We're setting up our plan to save Soren. Would you like to attend? There will be information no human possesses. You could—"
Gellahan hurried back to him and answered briefly, "I'm coming. Thank you."
They then walked together to their destination.
Sōsuke was waiting in front of the door and looked surprised to see Gellahan. "Spencer?" he said happily. "You're coming with us?"
"Yes, Akyo offered to let me attend," he explained.
"Are there already people inside?" Akyo asked.
"Yeah, but some are still missing, I think," Sōsuke replied.
Akyo sighed. "Good. I hate being the last to arrive." He gently opened the door to avoid sending it flying and killing whoever might be behind it.
Gellahan and Sōsuke followed.
Daylight streamed through the many windows lining the wall. Several people were already present.
"Akyo!"
Ana was there too, sitting on a stool to the left of the entrance beside Nicolo. Akyo walked toward her. "Slept well?" he asked with a smile.
"Don't act like you don't know," Nicolo laughed. "You went to see Tachi this morning? What did he want?"
"I won't go into details, but we discovered I unlocked an aspect of my powers," he said briefly.
"No way! Really?" Nicolo exclaimed. "That's amazing news!"
—---------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Gellahan and Sōsuke had gone to sit at the end of the rectangular table in the center of the room. About ten chairs were placed on each side, all empty except one, where a red-haired young man sat, looking thoughtful.
Sōsuke seemed worried. Spencer noticed. "Something wrong?"
The blond looked around, searching for something. "Isn't Sigurd here?"
"You really thought I wouldn't come?" a deep voice said behind them.
A tall brown-haired man wearing fur and a long black coat placed his hand on Sōsuke's shoulder. He turned around. "Sigurd!"
The man sat down beside him.
"Where did you come from?" Sōsuke asked, even though he already knew the answer.
"From your shadow," the tall man replied.
Sōsuke turned to Gellahan, stars in his eyes. "Did you hear that? He came out of my shadow! That's crazy, right?" He turned back to Sigurd. "How do you navigate so well in the shadows?! And wait, did you shave your beard?"
"I already told you, I was originally a blind god. I don't need sight to navigate. And yes, I shaved. I don't like fighting with a long beard, but this isn't the time to talk about that." He lifted his eyes toward Gellahan. "Tell me, we've never met, have we? Wouldn't you happen to be the 'kind historian' the dwarf keeps talking about?"
Gellahan heard Sigurd speaking but wasn't truly listening. He was lost. Lost in his gaze.
His eyes were intense, extremely clear, similar to those of a blind person, but at their center, where the iris should be, thin black filaments of smoke seemed to drift and move.
Sōsuke snapped him out of his trance by shouting,
"Yes, that's him!"
Gellahan rubbed his eyes. 'This man's gaze is terrifying…' He replied to Sigurd, careful not to look him directly in the eyes. "Hello, my name is Spencer Gellahan. A pleasure. I'm finally meeting the great Sigurd Sōsuke constantly talks about!"
Sigurd smiled. "Do my eyes disturb you? I see you avoiding eye contact."
Gellahan felt slightly embarrassed. "No, no, sorry. I don't want to seem impolite. It's just that—"
Sigurd laughed. "Don't worry. It's normal. Humans always react that way at first. I can close them if you want. It's the same for me."
He closed both eyes, which only made Gellahan even more uncomfortable.
"No, no, I assure you, it's not a problem!"
Sigurd reopened them. "As you wish." He rested his head on his hand.
'Does he see the same way with his eyes open or closed? Or is he blind?' Gellahan wondered. "Excuse me, I understood that you are not human. Without meaning to be indiscreet, what are you?"
"What am I? A god. Like most here," he explained.
Gellahan had spent so much time in the archives that he had forgotten something very important: aside from Sōsuke, every divine being here was a god, including Akyo.
'I still don't know his divine identity.' He thought looking at the young man.
He turned his head back to Sigurd, "Excuse me, but I honestly have no idea what your divine identities are," he said.
The tall brunet laughed."Sōsuke didn't tell you? You probably know me under the name Hodr."
'Ho— HODR?!' Gellahan screamed in his head. His body stopped responding. His jaw hung open in shock at what he had just heard.
His mind, however, was boiling.
'I am talking to a god, a NORDIC god, and it's HODR?! He says it so casually, like it's nothing. He's the blind—'
Sigurd and Sōsuke stared at Gellahan.
"What's wrong with him?" Sigurd asked.
—---------------------------------------------
At that very moment, Tachi entered the room, followed by two people.
"Sorry for being late."
Akyo turned around when they came in but couldn't believe his eyes. "Who are these monsters?" he muttered.
The first was a massive man with blue hair and glowing tattoos. He was followed by a pale-skinned woman roughly the same size.
'They're giants. They're even taller than Sigurd…'
Nicolo noticed Akyo's shocked expression. "That's Njord and Skadi. I was shocked the first time I saw them too."
Tachi greeted no one and immediately went to close the window shutters, plunging the room into darkness.
Njord and Skadi sat down across from the red-haired boy. Ana stood up. She and Nicolo walked toward the large white wall facing the table. Akyo went to sit across from Gellahan, Sigurd, and Sōsuke.
He quietly greeted Sigurd and noticed Gellahan malfunctioning beside him, but didn't pay much attention. Nicolo had just turned on the projector, which displayed on the white wall:
Rescue Operation: Jormungandr