Reflection

It felt like he had been sinking through tar for days. The darkness around his body was tangible and sucking him in. With every moment he stayed in this world he could feel himself get drawn closer and closer to something. Inside the center of this world was a life-pulse. Something beyond human comprehension. It was pulsating in a unnatural shade of purple and exuded infinite warmth.

Could a human survive in this world? Where would that sticky horrifying mass take him? Until now he had kept his mouth and nose shut, somehow holding his breath for what felt like an eternity. He was afraid to inhale this corrupt mass. What would it do to him if he ingested it?

Even his eyes were closed, but there was no difference. He could still se the purple pulse through his closed eyelids. It was as if he perceived this realm not through his senses, but something much deeper.

'I want to get there.' He thought.

There was nothing else in this black world. The tantalizing warmth from the core was too mesmerizing. Instead of wriggling through this goo, he wanted to get to that place. Maybe salvation would finally find him there. His chest was responding to the call. The heat he felt with each pulse was starting to take form in his heart. Only a little more and they would be united. Just a tiny bit more and the link would be irreversible!

RRRRRRRIIIIINGGGG!

Shigechiyo's eyes flew open. The loud noise of the alarm to his right had torn him out of his dream world. His mind had turned so numb that he couldn't even tell where he was until he finally managed to crawl to the alarm and shut it down. The ringing didn't leave his ears for a while.

This was his room. His bed. His apartment.

Putting a sweaty palm against his face he tried to recollect how he got here. There was nothing in his mind. Only the ringing and the pulsing warmth. It was all focused on his chest.

Unable to bear the heat any longer he ripped open his shirt and glared at the source of the pain. His voice got stuck in his throat when he realized what had happened. It was unbelievable, unthinkable and terrifying. Maybe he was still dreaming.

Shige hastily closed his shirt and moved out of bed. Even though he felt nauseous, he still had the mind to dress himself and open the window to let in some fresh air. The last thing he remembered was the pain of getting impaled by that Servant. Everything afterwards was a blur. Someone must have carried him home and put him to bed. He noticed the ruined uniform in the corner of the room, folded together rather neatly.

She took care of him just like a mother…

She?

His eyes widened and he burst out of his room. The next moment he was sliding through the hallway and looking into every corner, every room. Not the bathroom, not the living room, not his room… Then she must have been in the kitchen!

Shige moved to the door and opened it in a rush. The sudden movement seemed to have surprised the woman inside and a plate fell to the ground, shattering apart into tiny pieces. She watched it with a regretful expression.

It didn't really matter to Shige. He was just so relieved, so glad to see Rider-san was alright! How could he even express this happiness? His body was numb, but he still almost went to hug her. Some inherent sense of shame managed to keep him in line. To think that he could actually even consider hugging a beautiful woman… That was so not like him.

"Good morning Shige." Rider took the broken pieces from the floor and gathered them in one hand. She was only using her left arm. Whenever she tried to pick up a piece with her right hand she dropped it again.

"W-wait let me help!" He knelt down and helped her pick up the shattered plate. During those motions he glanced at Rider-san from the corner of his eyes. She looked stern… And her right arm was shaking.

"I apologize for my clumsiness. It is dishonorable to ruin my Master's inheritance." Her apology was so genuine that it made him want to cry.

"These old things? I didn't inherit them or anything, I just bought them on some cheap sale." He calmed her worries. "That's odd though. Rider-san is usually so dexterous." He couldn't help but say it.

"It seems that my right arm is still afflicted by Berserker's curse." Rider explained while shakingly raising the arm in question.

"OH! S-sorry, that was insensitive of me." He averted his gaze and felt like punching himself. The fight this night had taken a toll on all of them. "Do you… do you think it will heal?"

"That blade severs the soul. Under normal circumstances my arm should have died that moment." She glared at the spot she was cut at. The white skin was unscathed and beautiful as ever. "The curse seems to be weakened due to circumstance."

"So you will be able to recover?"

"I believe so. After all since this morning I have been able to move it again, if only so much." She managed to open and close her hand with some effort. "Although this will not suffice to hold my lance."

"Rider-san…" Shige threw the broken plate into the trash and sighed. She had gotten hurt so badly in these harsh battles, but she was already thinking about the next fight. But even when her mind was on the next battle, she still had taken care of him and was even preparing breakfast on her own...

"Enough about me, how are you Shige? Is your body well? Do you feel any pain?" She flipped the conversation around and suddenly cornered him against the fridge, putting her healthy arm against it.

"W-w-wait a second Rider-san! You don't need to be so aggressive." He gulped and then wrung himself out of her overwhelming presence. "I'm feeling a bit exhausted, but it's not so bad."

"You will have to thank Koyuki for that then. She took care of you after you received that blow." Rider crossed her arms and looked at him with an unreadable expression.

"Koyuki- Oh yeah, how are the others?!" He couldn't believe that he had forgotten about them!

"Archer managed to come out nearly unharmed. He is impressive to a fault." She nodded approvingly. "Koyuki was not harmed either. Physically that is." Her expression switched to regret again.

"What do you mean?"

"It is not my place to speak of this. She may confide in you when we meet again." Rider deflected his question with such ominous words.

"Then… what about the people we wanted to protect?" He rubbed his arm uncomfortably.

Rider shook her head. No words were needed.

It left a bad aftertaste in his mouth.

"We managed to fight Berserker to a standstill, but perhaps we will not be so lucky next time. If he will appear again it might be in an even stronger manner."

"Are you saying we will lose?"

"Never." Rider's eyes suddenly turned determined. "If we meet him in battle, we might lose. If we admit defeat from the start, we have already lost."

Maybe this was part of what made Rider-san a hero. This unyielding fighting spirit. Perhaps it was her culture as well. Glory in death, fighting to the last breath and be proud about it. Shige once again realized that he knew so little about her.

"However, if we are not truthful to each other that will ascertain our defeat just as well." Suddenly Rider pulled Shige over and opened his shirt. He squirmed and his cheeks were completely flushed, but she didn't pay it any heed.

As his chest was bare before her eyes he felt so ashamed and inadequate that he wanted to jump into a hole and die.

"Why were you trying to hide this from me?" She asked him seriously.

"No! I didn't want to h-hide it! It's just that I…" He didn't want to acknowledge it. Saying that would probably have made him look even more pathetic.

"I did not hide my weakness from you." Rider looked him in the eyes with sympathy. "So please do the same for me."

It was too much. Her kindness made him unable to refuse. Finally he took a look at his chest again. There was something wrong about his body. The pendant that he had been wearing around his neck, that family heirloom, was… stuck inside his skin. It was not pressed against it or glued to it… it was fusing with his flesh.

The heat inside his chest must have come from there. It was stinging when he tried to touch the marble.

"You knew about it already?" He asked quietly.

"I was the one who undressed you." She said calmly. After seeing his embarrassed expression she added. "Naturally I would have noticed this pounding energy flowing through your body either way. It is as if you are pulsating with the will of the world."

"What does that mean?" Shige leaned against the wall and sank down.

"I hadn't been quite certain until this moment." Rider admitted and then sat down next to Shige on the kitchen floor. "That pendant is a relic. More specifically a piece of Yggdrasill."

"Yg-dra-what?" That word seemed vaguely familiar, most likely from video-games.

"The world tree, Yggdrasill. It encompasses all nine realms." Rider explained curtly.

That didn't help at all. World tree? Nine realms? This really sounded like an RPG now.

"Knowledge of this has been forgotten in your era it seems." Rider was not perturbed by this. "To simplify, your world is carried by Yggdrasill. Thus, Yggdrasill is what gives this world life."

"And this pendant… is a piece of that tree?" He tried to follow as best as he could.

"Indeed. A miniscule piece that has taken physical form in reality. This is not something a human should possess."

"It's been passed down in my family…"

"You did mention that it belonged to you grandfather." She nodded. "It seems that this piece is somehow still conceptually connected to Yggdrasill itself. That is why it is consistently drawing prana from it, which in turn is transferred to me through our contract."

Shige understood that part at least. They had already determined that this pendant kept Rider-san in the current world, because Shige was no magus. So it was providing her with prana directly from the world tree.

"It was fate that brought us together. There are not many Servants who would have been able to access that power." She muttered with a melancholy look.

"I'm glad that I inherited this then." Shige said with a sheepish smile.

"It turns out to be a blessing and a curse." Rider put a hand to his chest suddenly. "Can you feel it Shige? The seed has sprouted."

His eyes widened. Suddenly the stinging pain in his chest returned without warning. He coughed and started shaking. Why? Why? Why did it suddenly start wriggling… squirming… burning?!

"The more you tap into the power of Yggdrasill, the more your existence will meld with it." Rider's eyes turned silver and she spoke with cold clarity. "The seed will sprout and grow inside your body. Eventually it will completely overtake you and once it reaches your heart…"

Her pause made him shiver in agony.

"…you will die."

The small wooden marble had seeded inside him… it was growing its roots in his soul and mind. Unstoppable growth, creating branches inside his organs and then bursting out of his limbs. A fleshy seedbed that would be torn open by the growth of another world!

His breathing was shallow and his sight blurry. The vision he just had… felt so real. So painful. So… so…

"C-can it be removed?"

"It is dangerous. The seed is already linked with your body. Should we tear it out or burn it away, it might damage you physically and spiritually."

Her warnings over the last few days all made sense now. She had been afraid something like this might happen. Even so, she had put her trust in him and allowed him to carry the pendant with him. She had given him a choice. Respected his determination and will.

"Those are the consequences of your choices." Rider put her hands on his shoulders and pulled him closer until he could see nothing but her eyes. "As a fellow warrior and comrade in arms I will never reprimand you for your choices. What you did that night was brave and you have my respect. I am in your debt." Those serious words seeped into his mind, but then her eyes turned into their sapphire blue color again. "But… as your Servant… I cannot approve. That was a foolish thing to do Master. I am your shield."

It was unbelievable. Rider's voice was… shaking. Her eyes were filled with deep sadness. Only now did he realize that it wasn't him that had been hit by that strike yesterday. Even if he had taken the physical brunt, Rider-san… she had been hurt the most.

"I'm sorry." He lowered his head deeply. "But I think so highly of you… I can't let you die before you reach your dream." Those were his honest thoughts.

"Misguided veneration." Rider muttered.

"What?"

"Shige, you are still a young man. Do not throw your life away for someone who is already lost." She rose up and put the weak hand on the food she had prepared.

He wanted to refute her words. To stand next to her and embrace that vulnerable woman who cared more for his well-being than her dreams. Why could he not stand beside her? It felt like the distance between them had only been growing instead of closing.

Shige had eaten the breakfast she prepared on his own. It was hard to talk after that exchange. Even so, the food was delicious.

The reason Shige had set his alarm this late was because of the class trip. It seemed he had only slept about three hours since Rider had brought him home, but there was still plenty of time until he had to reach the bus. Aside from the occasional pulsing in his chest, his body felt completely fine. This must have been thanks to Koyuki's treatment and also the pendant's effects.

If he was honest, there was no reason to go to school right now. He wouldn't meet Koyuki anyway, because the first years didn't go on the trip. What else was there for him to do? His life had been in mortal danger several times by now, so what did he care about something banal like school?

He looked at his Smartphone. 23 messages.

"Give it up already mom." He grumbled and put the phone away. If he stayed at home today he would feel awkward with Rider-san and doing nothing would make his thoughts go in circles. It was better to just play the good student.

"You are heading out, Shige?" Rider awaited him in the entrance way.

"Yeah. Wouldn't want to be scolded for tardiness." He said with a wry smile.

"And you do not wish me to accompany you?"

He opened his mouth, but then closed it again. Somehow he felt really guilty right now. He couldn't even look her in the eyes. Not that he had ever been good at that.

"Natsu-san will be suspicious if I bring my 'aunt' to the trip… if something happens I will call you." He raised his hand with the two remaining Command Seals and closed one eye as he smiled weakly.

"…" Rider watched him for much longer than he was comfortable with, but then she relented. Her trust in him was unbroken, despite his terrible behavior.

"I will be back in the evening. Heading out now…" He put on his shoes and left through the apartment door.

"Safe travels." Rider called out after him.

He couldn't help but feel some bliss hearing that. This was something he could never have had before he met Rider-san.

Shige reached the school just in time to hop on the bus with the crowd from the second years. He had barely managed to take a look at the students inside the classrooms. From the windows he couldn't even tell which class was which. One of the downsides of never having any interest in anything at school.

Hopefully Koyuki was sitting somewhere in there and having a normal day. She was the type to blame herself for everything, so he was pretty worried.

With such heavy feelings he was riding the bus all the way Matsumae's biggest museum, the 'International Heritage Museum'. Just as Tateyama-sensei had promised, they had really made this last minute decision reality. Of course none of his classmates were particularly stoked to come here. Others were probably going to somewhere interesting like tour around the stadium.

Shige could feel the boredom overwhelm him just looking at the entrance to the museum. What a drag. Maybe awkwardly sitting at home would have been better after all.

He was pushed out of the door by the flood of students and barely managed to keep his bag from falling off. It was very hectic for a few moments, but then they spread out evenly.

"Yaaaawn, who cares about this shitty museum? They don't even have dinosaur bones." Keiji exclaimed with dark shadows under his eyes. The spiky-haired idiot had somehow managed to arrive tired on a day where he could sleep longer?

"You've been too excited to sleep, right?" Ren grinned.

"W-what the hell?! 'course not! Take that back!" He tried to hit Ren's arm, but the shaved boy managed to dodge just at the last second. Keiji's sluggish movements were too predictable.

"You two are energetic no matter where you go." Amane smirked and then noticed Shige. "Sano-kun, you look a little under the weather as well. Did you have trouble sleeping?"

"Er… not really." He scratched his cheek and smiled dryly. He had barely slept at all, but it was not for such a light-hearted reason as Keiji's. Not that he could announce that openly.

"All students form a line and gather in front of the entrance! We are now going inside. Do not cause the staff any trouble and don't touch anything. Did you hear me Nakamura-kun?"

"Why're you singling me out Natsunoe!?"

"That's sensei to you!"

The class laughed at the typical antics, but Shige felt distracted. Natsu-san was here in her role as homeroom teacher while Tateyama-sensei was already inside, preparing the tour. The banner above the entrance said 'Norse culture exhibition'. He finally remembered where he had heard about Yggdrasill before. It was during Tateyama-sensei's lecture last week!

That's right. This museum was exhibiting stuff about Norse culture and religion. Maybe even stuff about Valkyries? His eyes widened in excitement. This was an opportunity to learn more about Rider-san's origins. If he could just understand her a little better, they might find a way to get closer.

Suddenly motivated, Shige pushed himself through the crowd to cut in line. He ignored the complaints and moaning and got the first spot in line. From out of nowhere Amane suddenly slipped next to him. Each row had two people, so that made sense, but still. What was his deal?

"I'm actually really interested in museums Sano-kun." The lanky guy had noticed Shige's suspicious look and then adjusted the sling around his arm.

"What about Keiji and Ren?"

"They are a little too rowdy for this kind of place. I won't be able to enjoy the exhibits if they keep attracting the security guards. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not really." Shige put his hands into his pockets and shrugged. He couldn't stand Amane for some reason, but he did understand wanting to get away from those human shaped whirlwinds.

Soon they were let inside and then left to roam the place either on their own or follow the main tour group. The class split almost evenly and Shige decided to move out on his own. He wasn't really interested in anything outside the Norse exhibit.

"Oh my, are you looking for something specific, Sano-kun?"

Shit, he had forgotten about Amane. He could have just slipped away by himself instead of sticking to him…

"I want to see the new exhibition." He replied vaguely.

"What a coincidence. I've seen the rest of the museum many times already, so that would be the most interesting course of action. Let me accompany you please."

"Sure…" Amane came here often, huh?

They walked into another hall and reached the Norse section. This part of the museum always changed every year or so for a new theme. They had imported some interesting stuff from other museums all over the country. Perhaps even all over the world, considering the Norse relics and items displayed here.

"Hm." Shige looked at an old looking wooden shield. It looked impressive and all, but…

"There is some info on the plate to the right." Amane pointed him to the info board.

"I knew that." Shige coughed and read the text. Apparently it was a shield found in a Scandinavian fishing village up in Norway. When Shige thought of Norse culture and stuff like that it was usually Vikings with cool horned helmets and big boats to pillage and loot cities. It was interesting for sure, but not very mythological.

They continued along the path through the exhibition and reached some more interesting murals. He squinted his eyes and finally recognized something. Those marks carved into the metal… they reminded him of the runes on Rider-san's armor and shield!

"Runes, eh? I'm not too familiar with those, but Celtic mythology is supposedly very sparse."

"Why's that?"

"Their myths and history were delivered mostly orally I believe. And once Christianity spread they managed to destroy everything they found disagreeable." Amane explained with one arm on his hip and a thoughtful expression.

"Very good Amane-kun, but not entirely true." They both froze up when they heard a familiar voice. A certain bespectacled teacher had decided to suddenly ambush them!

"T-Tateyama-sensei?" Shige swallowed. They weren't doing anything wrong, but a teacher sneaking up on students was never a good sign.

"No need to fret young Sano, I have nothing but admiration for students that want to educate themselves!" He made a jovial gesture and adjusted his glasses.

"What happened to you Sensei?" Shige creased his brows.

"Oh, this?" Tateyama pointed at his forehead. He had a big band-aid on it. About the size his own hand. "That's a secret I'm afraid." He said with a dark expression. Somehow his grey eyes below the glasses seemed to be filled with killing intent!

"…" Shige and Amane looked at each other and then put on their serious faces.

"Juuuust kidding!" Suddenly Tateyama burst out with a big grin. "It's rather embarrassing, although not for me."

"Is… that so?" Shige felt like he was playing with fire here.

"Let me tell you a little secret then, because you are such fine students." It was so incredibly obvious that he just wanted to talk about it. "You wouldn't believe it when you see her, but Natsunoe-sensei is actually incredibly clumsy."

"Natsu-san?" That was a name he hadn't expected to hear.

"Yes yes, our rising star in the teacher's lounge herself." Tateyama subconsciously peeled on the band-aid. "You see, I was preparing my material for the museum trip when she suddenly came in with the big rolled up country map."

"She hit you?"

"Not at all. I took it from her to help her out. It was really quite heavy. I'm surprised how muscular Natsunoe-sensei is."

She did work out in her spare time. Not that Shige could tell anyone about that.

"Then how did you get hurt?" Amane questioned.

"I'm getting to it. So in return for my help she offered to prepare some tea for me."

"Her killer tea!?" Shige gasped involuntarily.

"Hm?" Tateyama blinked in confusion. "Is it that good? Sadly we didn't get to enjoy it. She ran out of tea leaves so she tried to grab the pot from above the shelf."

He didn't know how lucky he was. The history teacher had escaped death only by a small miracle. Natsu-san's tea was deadlier than aqua regia.

"And then it fell on your head?" Amane concluded.

"Of course not, her tiny arms didn't even reach." Tateyama shook his head. "I offered to get a chair, but she told me that there was no point in repaying me by getting more help from me."

She was a stubborn one; that much was always obvious. Shige smiled wryly.

"We realized that the bus had already arrived so we had to hurry outside. We moved down the stairs really fast, but then I realized I forgot my materials that I had so carefully prepared."

"And then you tripped over her feet and hurt yourself!" Shige and Amane pointed at his head simultaneously.

"You sure love interrupting your teacher." He looked at them disappointedly. "What actually happened is that when I went back up the stairs I realized the truth. Which is that Natsunoe-sensei…"

They hung on his lips.

"…forgot to button her shirt right, so I could see through the opening in her blouse."

"Eh?"

"What?"

"As expected of such a young careless thing, she immediately overreacted and hit me with the full force of her muscle-bound arm." He stretched his arms to the side as if he had taken a hit for the team.

"So rather than Natsunoe-sensei being clumsy…" Amane began.

"…you just sexually harassed her." Shige facepalmed.

"E-excuse me? It was beyond my control. I simply noticed an opening I shouldn't have. Just because I saw her blue brassiere-"

"Whatever are you discussing with those students right now Ta-te-ya-ma-sensei?" The sweetest voice on Earth settled right in-between them. Like the angel of death, someone was suddenly moving out from behind Tateyama's back. Had she been there the entire time? What an assassin like skill to blend into the background.

"Eeek! N-Natsunoe-san!" Tateyama shrieked and rapidly adjusted his glasses that were sliding down from the sudden sweat. "W-we were just discussing the exhibition! Right boys?!"

"How odd. I seem to have heard my name somewhere in there." She was spinning her curly chestnut hair around her finger cutely. She only did that when she was furious!

"C-completely out of question. Sano-kun was asking me about the origin of Celtic runes in the middle ages and I simply had to… ehm… Think of an excuse." He got quieter and quieter, before suddenly grabbing Shige by the arm and pulling him along with him. "I will show you a very interesting part of the exhibit Sano-kun!"

"Okay." Shige was all too happy to get away from Natsu-san even if staying next to her target would mean he could end up as collateral damage later. "Amane, stay with Natsu-sa-… noe-sensei! We aren't allowed to run around on our own." He shouted after his partner. That should delay the deathbringer somewhat, because of her sense of duty.

Somehow they ended up on the second floor and were not followed by a berserk Natsu-san. School trips were somehow more exhilarating than he remembered. While taking a breath and wiping his sweat, Shige looked up and saw a huge rug hung out in the middle of the room. Some fine pictograms had been stitched into it. No, on closer inspection that was probably an artistic depiction of something.

A dozen knights with swords on the back of horses flying across mountain and down below were hundreds of small soldiers in a skirmish. It looked almost like a children's drawing, except stitched into fabric.

"So you are truly interested in Norse mythology Sano-kun?" Tateyama was standing upright without any sweat on his face. He was much fitter than he looked.

"A bit, I guess." It would be too uncharacteristic for him to be enthusiastic now.

"I like it when someone shows initiative. It makes me feel like I succeeded as a mentor." Tateyama smiled warmly.

"You know a lot about foreign history, sir?"

"You could say so. Is there anything in particular that fascinates you?" He was in a good mood for sure.

"Uh… well I think I want to know more about Valkyries."

"Aha, those choosers of the slain. The wish-fulfillers." Tateyama looked at the carpet in front of them with a distant expression. "Do you know why they are called this?"

"It's something about the afterlife, right?"

"Yes, as so often with religion, the afterlife is the most important part. Norse mythology is heavily based around the cycle of death and rebirth, but for us mortals there is only one place that is truly desirable. The halls of Valhalla."

"Valhalla." He repeated the word. He had heard of it before as well. Probably even in Tateyama's class.

"It's a hall were the worthiest of warriors go after death to enjoy the festivities and merriment of the realm of the gods until the end of the world. Those worthy men will then fight at the day of Ragnarok in the greatest of all battles. Such a splendidly simple idea of happiness."

"Do the Valkyries also go to Valhalla?"

"Yes. They serve the food and mead in the halls and enjoy the merrymaking as well. However they have a more important role." He raised a finger and pointed at the scene in front of them. "As you can see the heavy battles and wars of the mortal world attract the vigilant eyes of the warrior maidens. They descent unto a battlefield, according to some myths sometimes to join in, but most of the time simply to search for worthy warriors in the embrace of death. They even decided who gets to live and who would die."

"What makes a warrior worthy?" Shige wondered.

"Indeed what might that special quality be? It's a mystery to us humans. Being valiant in battle and slaying many foes might have been a requirement. In the end only the Valkyries knew who and why they chose." Tateyama shrugged.

Shige looked at the small figures of the Valkyries on top of their fantastical winged horses. Rider-san always used those special eyes to tell a person's character or whether they lied. The first night they met she had judged him and decided that fighting by his side was fine. Did that truly mean he was worthy of Valhalla? Him of all people? He couldn't help but think that her meaning had been different.

"Uh, sensei, I don't know where I picked it up, but I thought Valkyries were supposed to have wings." He rubbed his thumbs together in embarrassment.

"Valkyries were often associated with birds, like ravens and swans, perhaps that's why. It wouldn't be uncommon to mistake Valkyries for angels from Judeo-Christian mythology. I have seen such depictions as well. In a sense they did fulfill similar roles, as messengers for the gods. But they are much more and much less at the same time."

"What does that mean?"

"The records of the skalds have a tendency to contradict or divulge from each other. Valkyries sometimes were seen as heroes and protectors of the world, just as they were Odin's and Freyja's choosers of the slain. Some of them are indeed divine, as their gods' messengers, while others were simply human with special gifts and powers."

"Human?" Shige looked up to Tateyama intrigued.

"Mhm. Did you ever hear of Brynhildr?"

"No." He could barely even understand the name! How did Tateyama manage to say it so fluently?

"As so often with myths, there are many version of her tale. In Norse mythology she was known as Brynhhildr, while in the Germanic version of the story she was known as Brunhild." He tapped his fingers against his crossed arms and seemed to fall into a short reverie. "In the Norse version she was indeed a Valkyrie, but in the Germanic counterpart she was simply a woman with great power. In both stories however her strength came from her purity."

"Purity?" Shige found it hard to follow.

"Her virginity to be frank. As long as she stayed a pure maiden, she was unbeatable by common men. Many competed with her in combat and trials, for the sake of getting her hand in marriage and gaining her riches and land. No mortal man had managed to bed her of course."

Shige felt his head heat up a little. Mythology was strange.

"That is until the famous hero Sigurd, or Siegfried appeared. The stories do change drastically from here. You were interested in human-like Valkyries, correct?"

Shige nodded.

"Queen Brunhild was a proud woman, confident in her ability. But she was also true to her oath. Should she ever be bested in combat she would give herself to the man who could defeat her. Siegfried was a man she acknowledged, but he did not wish to marry her. Instead he came to her lands with King Gunther of Burgundy, the brother of the woman he loved. To gain Gunther's favor Siegfried was convinced by a man named Hagen to help the king make Brunhild his wife. They tricked her into thinking Gunther was the one who bested her, even though Siegfried was the one who beat her at every turn."

"Wasn't Siegfried a hero? That's pretty evil."

"It was not very noble of him, but Gunther had no chance without his support. To get the king's blessings to marry Kriemhild, he would resort even to this. In the end Siegfried used a cape of invisibility to wrestle Brunhild down in her bed and then switched with Gunther during the nightly battle. Brunhild lost her purity and thus her powers."

"How cruel."

"She accepted her fate, thinking it was Gunther's genuine superiority that led to this. She married him and became a queen of Burgundy." Tateyama wiped his glasses on his sweater.

Maybe it didn't sound so bad in the end, but Shige still felt sorry for her. She was lied to be someone she trusted and lost her powers to someone unworthy.

"That is not the worst of it of course. The legend continues farther on a tragic path where she is ultimately responsible for the death of Siegfried and turns to the fire when her husband dies in a fight with the Huns."

"Are all Valkyries' legends so tragic?" He couldn't stop himself from feeling depressed now.

"Sadly most of them are. Heroes tend to find a cruel fate." Tateyama nodded lightly.

"So many of them were heroes."

"Yes and even more were married to heroes or appeared as their lovers."

"Really? Humans and Valkyries could be lovers?" This made his ear perk up.

"More often than not I would say." Tateyama laughed. "But the tragedy that befalls heroes often affects their loved ones as well."

"W-what kind of Valkyries fell in love with humans?" He wondered.

"On the spot I can only remember a handful. For example there was Sigrún, wife of Helgi Hundingsbane."

Another couple of impossible names.

"How did they fall in love?"

"The details are vague, but Helgi was a renowned hero and warrior. At just 15 he had slain Hunding, king of the Saxons, hence the hero name. It seems Sigrún had fallen for him while watching his deeds. She visited him on his flagship and kissed him right away. They fell deeply in love on the spot."

"Sounds like a fairy-tale love story."

"Doesn't it? But their union was not easy to achieve. Sigrún's father was opposed to the marriage, so Helgi had to slay him and all of his sons. He only spared one boy, Dagr, who swore fealty to him."

"Wasn't Sig… Sig... Wasn't she sad that he killed her family?"

"Stubborn men can seem irredeemable sometimes. Love knows no blood relation. Sigrún was a Valkyrie who valued strength and greatness, both of which her father was lacking. His sons were all violent and cruel too. She was quite happy that her younger brother was spared though, I believe."

"So then they got married?"

"That they did. They had many children who set out into the world. They didn't ever return, becoming heroes somewhere far away. For them that was nothing bad though, they had each other. It was a wonderful love that could have lasted forever."

"But that didn't happen…"

"Right. Dagr was compelled by the old customs to avenge his fallen brothers. For that purpose he made a sacrifice to Odin, the Allfather himself. The wise god gave him a mighty spear that Dagr used to kill his brother in law."

"Her own brother killed her husband?!" It was unbearably sad.

"Helgi's kindness was his undoing. Dagr then returned to his sister to tell her about his deed. After all he only avenged their family."

"I can't believe it…"

"Sigrún was furious and cursed her brother with all her power." Tateyama's glasses reflected the headlights and hid his expression. "The spear that Odin gave to him was the catalyst. The moment he touched it, he was cursed forever. She cursed him to live in the forest and dirt, living of nothing but carrion. If he entered a ship, no wind would come for its sails. No horse would carry him. Any weapon he wields would only hurt himself." He recited all the dark curses she threw upon her brother with a deep voice.

"She didn't kill him?"

"No. It's unclear whether she still held a shred of love for her brother or if she just thought this punishment was worse. He would certainly never come to Valhalla like that."

"But then… she was all alone." Shige looked down to his feet.

"Yes. Her love dead, her family dead, her children far away and betrayed by Odin himself. She was lonely." Tateyama took a breath. "But she still waited for Helgi's return."

"Huh? Why?!"

"Haha. Who knows? Her wish actually came true. Helgi returned just once, because of all the tears she shed over his grave. They spent one last night together and then he had to return to Valhalla for good."

"…"

"She could never forget him. Even after that last night she kept waiting for him until she eventually died of sadness."

"….dammit." Shige balled his fist. "Is that what she got for doing her best and just wanting to be with the one she loves?"

"Norse mythology is all about death and rebirth. It is said that both Helgi and Sigrún were reincarnated as lovers once again. So it's not all bad."

"Did they remember each other?" He looked up hopefully, but Tateyama shook his head. Then to Shige that was the same as completely different people.

"It's only a legend. It may not have gone quite like this. The more we tell a story the further it is altered." He finished his musings and returned to going over the rune tablets in the corner. "Oho, they even have these runes here. Fascinating!"

Shige was deep in thought. Valkyries seemed to attract tragedy. Rider-san always seemed to hide a deep sadness. He felt like he now understood Valkyries a bit better, but it only made it harder to bring up her past. What kind of life did she live? Was she also reborn over and over again, unable to remember those lives?

If she was summoned to this era with the knowledge of all the myths around the world, then perhaps she also knew about the fate of her reincarnations. Maybe she knew the pain Brynhildr and Sigrún felt. He had seen her as nothing but divine, but it couldn't have been further from the truth. Valkyries were more like humans than he thought. Their lives, love and wishes were all so very, very human.

He really was a fool.