Urban Legends

by Kanius

"It's coming. It's here." Said the female Revenant. A man with no memories and a Shogi woman meet again. Thieves and Revenants cross paths. Fates intertwine when dark entities manipulate and tweak the timeline. Mysteries of the dark entities will be unraveled. [A Persona 5 and Code Vein crossover with Kakegurui and Nioh elements. A sequel to Ford1114's Persona Vein.]

20. Yggdrasil Dreamscape, Opening Acts

Chapter XX

Yggdrasil Dreamscape; Opening Acts of Wulf-Edda (Yggdrasil Dreamscape; ウルフ・エダのオープニング・アクト)

xxxxx

Hirahata Clinic/Shibuya, Tokyo (渋谷区, 東京)/January 17, 2020 (2020年1月17日)/(Reality: January 17, 2022)/10:26 PM (JST)

Half a month into 2020, the Thieves and Revenants enjoyed moderate life. There hasn't been any supernatural activity. Yami Matter activity has been nonexistent. Mido has yet to resurface.

The peacetime allowed for the birth of a new life.

Grasping his wife's right hand, Ren watched the sweaty Ann in the middle of labor. Taking deep breaths, Ann gnashed her teeth hard and let out a pained cry. The family doctor and two nurses gathered next to Ann. One nurse replaced a sweat-dampened towel covering Ann's forehead for another. The other nurse crouched in front of Ann, waiting to deliver the baby.

"Push, Mrs. Takamaki! Push harder!" The doctor encouraged Ann, who closed her eyes and clenched her teeth.

"Oh. Oh. OH GOD! MAKE IT STOP!" Ann let out a pained scream, which caused everyone but the doctor to cover their ears.

As he covered his ears, Ren lost grip of his wife's hands. Ann quickly snatched his hand and growled like a lioness.

"Don't you fucking dare, Ren! I need you to get me through this!" She yelled out as she felt another contraction, causing her to curse and wail out loud. "OH FUCK!" She suddenly lost control of her renewed strength, causing her to crush Ren's hand.

Feeling the bones in his fingers give an audible pop, Ren cringed and gritted his teeth. He hadn't anticipated and underestimated the strength of a woman in labor. He recalled this happening to his father when his mother gave birth to him. Now dealing with a woman in labor, he didn't envy his father for holding his mother's hand. He can imagine the pain etched on his father's face.

Staying strong for Ann, Ren took a deep breath and firmly grasped her hand.

The crouching nurse shouted. "I see a head! You're almost there!"

"I CAN FEEL IT! OH FUCK, JUST POP OUT ALREADY!"

As Ann gave another push, the child came halfway out.

The doctor verbally pushed for her. "You're almost there, Mrs. Takamaki!"

"I'm here, sweetie. You've got this!" Ren's verbal encouragement gave Ann the final push she needed.

"OH FUCK! IT'S COMING OUT! IT'S FINALLY COMING OUT!"

Then, a child's cries came out, causing Ann to let out deep relieved sigh. The back of her head plopped on a propped up pillow. The second nurse held a crying infant, covered in placenta gelatin. Using a towel, the other nurse helped wipe down the baby.

Relinquishing her hold of Ren's hand, Ann kissed his hand.

"Thanks, sweetie. I hope I didn't break anything." Ann apologetically said with a radiant smile smeared over her face.

Shaking his throbbing hand, Ren cringed and looked around for bandages. "Heh, no. You didn't break anything." Eyeing his beet red hand, he whimpered under his breath. After asking one of the nurses to bandage his hand, he glanced over to his wife being handled their son.

Holding their infant son, Ann's radiant smile didn't leave her. When she tapped the baby's nose, the newborn's cries ceased. Ren walked over by his wife's side and leaned over to get a closer view of the infant's face.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?" Ann asked him.

"Yeah, the most beautiful…" Ren said as a tear fell from the tear duct of his left eyelid. Ann noticed her husband's tear. "I'm so happy. I thought after all we went through…" He covered his eyes, trying to conceal his tears from his wife, who just smiled.

"Your daddy is being silly, isn't he?" Ann whispered to the infant, giggling incessantly. "C'mon, dad. Come closer." She invited Ren to lean closer.

As Ren came closer, he grasped the infant's tiny right hand. A proud smile adorned the Phantom Thief's face.

"Hey, how about we show the others?" Ann suggested.

Hearing this, Ren nodded. "Yeah, let's go and show them."

xxxxx

10:58 PM (JST)

With that, Ren walked out of the emergency ward with a nurse rolling Ann on a wheelchair. The Thieves and Revenants rose to meet them. They were audible awwws from the females. With a beaming smile on her face, Ann showed off her newborn.

"Oh my gosh! He's so cute!" Haru gleamed delightfully. She patted the newborn's pudgy face.

"He is adorable," Makoto smiled and rubbed the baby's left cheek.

"Remember, Mako-chan. We called babysitting privileges first," Haru reminded her with a wink.

"Yeah, I remember."

"Is there room for one more babysitter?" Louis chuckled as he stepped in between Makoto and Haru. He greeted the infant by shaking its finger.

"Congratulations, you two," Skyler acknowledged Ren and Ann as Hifumi and Io leaned over to greet the infant.

"He has your face, Ren," Hifumi blushed happily, caressing the infant's face.

"And he has your eyes, Lady Ann!" Morgana chimed in as Mia carried him over to meet the infant. He landed on Ann's lap to get a better look at the infant.

"Dudes, I'm so happy for you!" Ryuji hugged Ren and Ann, crying proudly for them. He looked down at the baby. "Hey, your uncle Ryuji is here!" A goofy grin smeared over the young man's face, trying to garner a reaction from the infant.

As Io lowered her face over the baby, the infant reached out to her to everyone's surprise. Io wasn't sure what to do, but Ann allowed her to touch her child. Gently smiling, Io grasped the infant's tiny hands, eliciting a baby giggle from the child.

"I think he likes you, Io," Skyler added, patting Io's back.

"He senses you have a good nature," Hifumi stated.

"Next to animals, I heard that human babies are the best judges of character. Based on his positive reaction, he really likes Io's presence," Yusuke explained.

"Can I hold him?" Futaba asked Ren.

"Sure. Hold on," Ren said as he asked Ann to give him their child. He then passed the child over to be held by Futaba, who rubbed his nose.

"Hi! I'm your aunt Futaba!" She made a silly face, eliciting a giggle from the infant.

Just then, Jack and Eva approached Ren and Ann. Eva carried with her a baby in her right arm.

"We wanted to come here to send our congratulations and see your newborn," Jack openly stated, shaking Ren's hand.

"Thanks."

Eva turned toward Futaba holding Ren and Ann's son. "He's a beautiful child, Ann."

Smiling, Ann concurred. "Yeah, same to yours. I'm glad you came."

"I wanted to. Since you and Ren came to see our newborn."

"Have you considered a name yet?" Skyler queried to Ren and Ann.

The couple exchanged smiles and nodded together. "Yeah."

As the conversation carried on, the doctor walked out of the emergency ward and approached Ann's side.

"Mrs. Takamaki, we'd like you to stay for overnight and perhaps the next few days so you can allow your body to recover."

"Yes, of course, thank you so much, doctor," Ann replied.

"And I'll be checking in on you both," Ren affirmed as he kissed Ann's hand and watched Futaba cradling their child. "This is one of the happiest days of my life."

"I'm glad we can make that happen. We deserve that much," she said, holding Ren's hand.

xxxxx

Skyler and Hifumi's Apartment/Hamamatsuchō (浜松町)/Minato, Tokyo (港区, 東京)/12:45 AM (JST)

Late that same evening, Skyler, Hifumi, and Io returned to their apartment. They planned another visit with Ren and Ann in the afternoon.

However, as soon as they slept, the couple heard a high-pitched scream from within the apartment. Awakened by the loud cry, Skyler and Hifumi stormed into the living room. They paused and saw Io sitting up with her golden eyes widened and her face covered with sweat.

"Are you ok, Io?!" Skyler asked as Hifumi rushed to embrace Io.

"It's ok! Did you have a bad dream?" Hifumi calmly patted Io, whose golden eyes dilated a bit. She heard the Persona Vein's heavy breathing soften. "Thank goodness. Just breath, ok?"

"It wasn't a dream."

This statement confused Skyler and Hifumi. They sat down next to Io and heard what she had to tell them.

"They were visions," Io revealed. "I met them in a dreamscape."

"Them who?" Hifumi queried to the pale-skinned Revenant.

"Anastasia and Nadia."

Upon hearing these specific names, the couple remembered the elven women they met two months ago in a similar dreamscape Io seemingly described.

"Are you serious? You saw them too?!" Skyler quickly grasped Io's shoulders.

"Yes, I did. They beckoned me to meet with them."

"They summoned for you? About what?" Hifumi asked, privy to know why the elven women wanted to talk to the Persona Vein.

With a soft smile on her face, Io put her hands on theirs. "Listen, this is going to sound outlandish."

"After all we've been through? And regained some of my memories, nothing surprises anymore."

"Then, Skyler, you and Hifumi must know I created Anatasia and Nadia."

"You did? But, why would they need to see their creator?" Hifumi asked.

"Because we've been preparing for a meeting with the Phantom Thieves and Vein Remnants," Io informed them. "The time has come for you all to meet Anastasia and Nadia in the dreamscape world." She then put two fingers firmly on Skyler and Hifumi's foreheads. "In a minute, we will fall asleep and we will be transported into the dreamscape. I've linked my mind with the others and very soon they'll meet with us."

"But, why were you screaming? You looked scared to death," Hifumi stated.

"I wasn't scared. My mind was in the process of assimilating new information I received from Anatasia and Nadia."

"Hold on. How long have you kept all this from us?" The Revenant asked the Persona Vein.

Closing her eyes, Io focused her energies and successfully forged a mental link with every Phantom Thief and Vein Remnant member. Before Io can answer Skyler, the Revenant and Hifumi became drowsy and collapsed on Io's bed.

"You'll know soon, Skyler Jones," Io genuinely smiled, folding her arms around Skyler and Hifumi. She closed her eyes and joined them in the dreamscape.

xxxxx

Mysterious Dreamscape

Upon opening his eyes, Skyler found himself in a blank white space, devoid of any color. It was as white as a blank canvas board. His senses recognized the space as he remembered being summoned here with Hifumi.

"This is…!" Sion turned over to his left side where he saw Hifumi beside him, but no Io to be sighted. "Hifumi, where's Io?"

"I don't know. She was with me here just a moment ago!"

They then heard a familiar group of voices interject and yell out in disarray.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Makoto was heard yelling out.

"Man, I was having a nice dream!" Ryuji shouted.

"One minute I'm resting in the hospital and now I'm here with you, guys?!" Ann cried out.

"Skyler, Hifumi! You're here, too?!" Louis called out to them.

As Skyler and Hifumi walked up to the Phantom Thieves and the Vein Remnants, they discussed why they've been transported in this mysterious space.

"Wait, you two have been here before?" Ren asked them.

"Yeah, we met two elven women. Seems Io created them with the sole purpose to bring us here."

Hifumi added. "Anastasia and Nadia said they wanted to tell us something months ago, but they vaguely told us we'd know in time."

Yakumo furrowed his brows. "Seems the time is now."

"I wonder. Would they know about Mido's current whereabouts?" Mia wondered.

"Maybe they have something on the Yami Matter?" Morgana added.

"If they have answers about Mido and the Yami Matter, they have some explaining," Jack firmly stated.

"And answers you shall get," the voice of Io interjected, causing the Thieves and Revenants to face the front where Io appeared with Anastasia and Nadia.

"Are these the same two elven women you mentioned to us now?" Louis whispered to Skyler, who nodded in response. "Interesting, their essence feel like Io."

"That makes sense since she apparently created these two," Haru said, eyeing Anastasia and Nadia.

"Damn, they're stacked, especially the light-skinned one," Futaba notably pointed out the elven women's large breasts, particularly Anastasia.

"Io!" Hifumi called out as she ran over to greet Io and the elven women. "We're here as you've asked us."

"Where have you brought us? This isn't any place I've seen before," Ren queried, scanning the unidentifiable environment surrounding them. To him and the other Thieves, it was refreshing from being in Mementos again. Unlike the hostile and dangerous world Mementos gave off, the vibe from this realm was calm and relaxing.

Responding with a smile, Anatasia addressed. "Welcome Phantom Thieves and Vein Remnants, we've been expecting you." She spoke in their Japanese language, which surprised them. She then turned toward the few English speakers, Skyler and Louis in particular, as she spoke in their tongue. "I hope we didn't trouble you."

"No, but I'm surprised Io created you two for the purpose of communicating with us," Skyler replied.

"So, it seems they can speak other languages quite fluently," Louis noted.

"Learning your languages took some time," Anastasia said.

"English in particular was a pain in the ass for me," quipped Nadia. "But, what can ya do?"

The Persona Vein then added with a demure look. "Learning a new language can be quite a challenge, but none as difficult as the language of the Æsir."

"Language of the Æsir?" Yusuke was confounded by Io's statement.

"Æsir is translated as a member of the pantheon from the old Norse mythology," Louis answered.

"Remember those Vamkyries we fought?" Skyler then brought their previous engagement with the vampiric maidens to their attention. "They're the warrior maidens and grim reapers from Norse Mythology."

"And some of my Personas are directly based off some of those figures," Ren pointed out. "Thor and Odin being among them."

"And then there's Loki," a voice from a newcomer chimed in, the tone giving off a calm and dignified tone.

Quick to recognize this voice, the Phantom Thieves instinctively turned toward a figure standing behind the elven women. The Vein Remnants and Hifumi were notably more confused. Ren's eyes narrowed as he quickly discerned the recognizable face and presence.

"Akechi…?"

When all Ren muttered was one name, the Thieves were on guard.

"Wait, you brought him here, too?!" Ann shouted Io and the elven women.

"We need everyone who's ever fought alongside the Phantom Thieves and this particular former member of yours had a Loki motif," Anastasia explained her reasoning.

"Please understand, Phantom Thieves," Io openly apologized to them. "If you wish, I can…"

"No," Ren's smile twisted into a mischievous grin. "This is fine. This just confirms Akechi is out there somewhere. Right?" He faced Akechi's way.

"Quite astute of you, Amamiya Ren. Whether I'm really just a cognition living freely in other realms or if I'm asleep along with the rest of you is up to your own perception. The human mind can create things they're not able to fully comprehend. Isn't that right, Phantom Thieves?" As he walked by the elven women, Akechi Goro appeared before everyone as if he were a living sentient individual.

The Thieves recognized the shaggy, chin-length brown hair and his red eyes. He appeared in a new set of clothing: a light gray coat with black buttons, a white shirt, blue jeans, and dark brown shoes. He wore the same passive look he usually wore when meeting the general public.

"You're looking well, Phantom Thieves," Akechi casually greeted them.

The calm atmosphere quickly escalated with tension. A few members of the Thieves were taken aback by his presence. A few of the Vein Remnants, particularly Mia and Yakumo, weren't thrilled to see him. Based on the Thieves' accounts, they've slighted him as a traitor to the team.

"His vibe feels different from the Akechi that fought alongside us against the Shadows and Maria," Morgana muttered. "I think we might be looking at Akechi's real cognition."

"But, how and why are you here?!" Ryuji remanded.

Makoto meticulously eyed Akechi. "So, if he's here, he has to be alive. The last Akechi we met was a mere cognition."

"Are you the real Goro Akechi?" Skyler asked the newcomer.

Akechi casually shrugged. "Who's to say?"

"I say you're full of shit," Yakumo scoffed as he vehemently glared at him.

"I don't care if Io brought you here, but I've heard all about you from Ren and the others," Mia snarled, her eyes glowed red along with Yakumo's. "You try anything low and dirty, and I'll not only carve out your heart, but I'll crush it!"

Jack added. "I wouldn't mind beating him senseless." He was then restrained by Eva.

"Please, not here and now, Jack," Eva pleaded to him to avoid any physical altercation .

Sensing the hostility from the Revenants, Akechi stepped away with hands flailing. "Wow, such belligerence from your vampire friends, Amamiya."

Ren folded his arms. "Can you really blame them? They take bonds and loyalty very seriously."

"Is that so? Well, how about I make a good first impression with you then?" Akechi openly stated, eliciting hostile responses, such as red glowing eye treatment and growls. "Oook, perhaps we need to work on that trust. Look, I don't know you, but you apparently know all about me thanks to Amamiya and his crew. So, let's try and work like professionals here."

Skyler stepped in and confronted Akechi. "It's not about being professional. It's all about trust and let's face it, you're walking on thin ice after the stunt you pulled on the Thieves." He then poked Akechi's chest. "And I'm giving you fair warning now. You better be on your best behavior."

Akechi chuckled nervously. "Yes, your friends have already made their point quite clear."

Hifumi walked over and slapped Akechi's face. "I'm sorry, but you asked for it."

"No…" Akechi rubbed his cheek, not about to throw a pity party and gain sympathy points from the Thieves and Revenants. "I did ask for that, Ms. Togo."

"Anyway, so you're here with us in this realm… whatever it is," Ren then turned to Io and the elven women. "Where have you brought us?"

Io logically answered. "Yggdrasil's realm."

"Yggdrasil? The Word Tree?" Louis queried to the pale-skinned Revenant.

"Indeed, and we're about to meet its surviving inhabitants."

"So, are you two based on natives of this Yggdrasil realm?" Jack asked the elven women.

"We're not natives, but Io created us based off Elven princesses. As far as we are concerned, we're merely constructs of Io. I was based off a Light Elf princess." Anastasia answered.

"I'm based on a Dark Elf princess if you already couldn't tell!" Nadia reminded them.

"Right, as if we didn't know that," Futaba rolled her eyes.

"So, are you going to take us to Yggdrasil now?" Makoto asked Io.

"Yes, now. Everyone stay close together." Io then closed her eyes as a white light formed and enveloped over her, which then filled out the entire space and transported everyone to another realm completely new to them.

xxxxx

Yggdrasil

When the group came to, they found themselves floating in a makeshift bubble created by Io. Upon opening their eyes, the Thieves and Revenants were mesmerized by the presence of Yggdrasil. Nothing they've seen matched its sheer size. Towering over Tokyo's tallest buildings, it stood an astounding 2,000 feet in height. Nearly its entire base and its branches was surrounded by walls of mist. These walls of mist were seemingly so thick no light could penetrate it. The surface of the World Tree was bioluminescent, creating an otherworldly atmosphere.

"Incredible, this is the World Tree?!" Yusuke was awestruck by the sheer magnificence of the Word Tree's divine stature.

"It's so beautiful," Haru whispered in awe.

"This is still just a dream, right?" Yakumo asked everyone.

"Yes, but what you see is the real Yggdrasil," Io informed the Thieves and Revenants.

"This is truly a sight to behold," Louis muttered, admiring the World Tree's beautiful view.

"And it's so huge! Like superduper huge!" Futaba raised her hands overhead, describing Yggdrasil's sheer size.

"Io, have you actually been here before?" Hifumi queried to the Persona Vein.

"Indeed, I have. In my sleep, I've been in contact with the sage and the natives of this realm," Io spoke up. "The natives of the World Tree are known as the Homo Yggr."

Ann curiously asked. "Homo Yggr?"

"The name translates to 'Terrible Man', but these people are anything but horrible," the pale-skinned Revenant clarified.

"They must've been labeled that due to the misconception of them being savages. It's no different from the natives of our world when European explorers interacted with them," Skyler explained the parallels between the Homo Yggr and Earth's native tribes.

"And you mentioned a sage? How long have you been in contact with this individual?" Ren asked Io.

"Quite recently. She reached out to me in my dreams and we've since communicated. I do apologize for keeping this a secret from everyone here. The sage requested I don't reveal the existence of this realm until the time was right." Io monologued as she admired Yggdrasil's presence. "And she taught me to create these two and learn the Language of the Æsir."

"So, that makes things easier when we communicate with these people," Skyler said. "Io, you're our official translator."

Nodding, Io smiled and tapped her head. "I've processed their entire language, culture, and history in my mind. You needn't worry about language barriers."

"Well, that's a relief!" Mia replied.

Morgana scanned the forest and spotted a creature that caught his eyes. A small red squirrel with a white cream underbelly climbed one of Yggdrasil's many branches. It has a body length of 19 to 23 cm. and a tail length of 15 to 20 cm. Turning its head, the squirrel's onyx eyes meet Morgana.

"Huh?" Morgana blinked as the squirrel momentarily stared at him and quickly scurried up the branch.

"Mona? What are you looking at?" Ann blinked as she noticed the cat staring off into space.

"Nothing, Lady Ann. Just admiring the tree like y'all."

Just then, Makoto caught wind and pointed to a flock of birds in a variety colors of bluish green, red, and yellow. These multi-colored birds have long black and yellow tail feathers. Some have red headed crests. Others among the flock have duller green, gray, and blue feathers. The colors likely distinguished the sexes of the birds. They are small, roughing 60 to 80 cm. in body length.

"They're so pretty! I've never seen such birds!" Haru admired the flock flying over them.

"They look like sparrows," Makoto observed.

"Yes, they're called Nordic Spǫrr. Right now they are set to forage and mate," Io stated.

"It's mating season, eh?" Futaba smirked.

"They're also one of only a few birds in this realm to use tools and have been domesticated by the natives," Anastasia added.

"And they can utter words like the natives. Think of them as a cross between a sparrow and a parrot. Pretty neat, huh?" Nadia stated.

"They talk like parrots? Now this I've got to see," Ryuji grinned enthusiastically.

"Whoa, check out those big lizards! They look like dragons!" Futaba pointed to a group of 16-foot long greenish blue lizards resting on a cliff face situated near a cascading waterfall.

One of the lizards jumped off a ledge and seemingly dove into the water. Then, it opened its front limbs, exposing colored golden-scaled membranes, enabling it to glide through the air currents.

"They're like the flying lizards from our world," Akechi noted.

"These are Hræzla Lizards. While they are not true dragons, they're revered as spiritual animals by the Homo Yggr." Io revealed, showing them more of Yggdrasil's magnificent environment and biodiversity. "The fauna that you see here are called Fylgjur."

"And fauna would be?" Ryuji was confounded with Io's scientific word tongue.

"It's term biologists identify animals with," answered Louis.

"Oh, right. I knew that."

Morgana muttered sardonically. "Yeah, sure you did."

"The plant here is so beautiful. Some I've never even seen," Haru admired the variety of plant life, some were completely alien to her and the others. Some of which resembled glowing jellyfish as they floated through the alien forest as if they were swimming in an ocean. They also floated like they were dandelion seeds.

"Are we sure these are plants?" Mia wondered as one of those jellyfish-like seedlings floated passed her.

"That one is a plant, too, right?" Yakumo pointed to a massive 15 cm. high red jellyfish-like lifeform with vine-like stems firmly planted in the ground.

"Indeed, these are flora lifeforms. They are every bit as sentient as Yggdrasil," Io explained.

"Yggdrasil is a living lifeform then. This thing has to be ancient if it's grown this big!" Ann exclaimed.

"That's because it is. The World Tree is one of the oldest entities in this universe." Anastasia stated.

"And old enough to contain the Nine Realms!" Nadia added. "Pretty fucking neat, huh?"

"So, the Norse legends really do exist? Fascinating," Louis muttered.

As they bypassed the 150 meter tall redwood-like trees, they spotted tens of many long-tailed brown and gray-fur bodied monkeys. Their yellow eyes resembled those of lemurs and tarsiers. They have white undersides and dark brown tails. At lengths of 3'3 feet long, these native primates are seen eating fruits, seeds, insects, and eggs. They also shared the canopies with small 4 inch long, lime green tree frogs with red eyes and yellow webbed feet.

"There's monkeys in this world?" Haru queried, keenly watching the primates.

"Those are Hlaup Saimiri, a beneficial species among others that help spread the seeds of life wherever it forages," Io explained.

"So, they're like pollinators," Skyler said.

"And they also feed on and share the trees with other neighbors like the Trewą Frogs you see," Anastasia pointed to the native tree frogs.

"But, even the monkeys and frogs have to look out for predators," Nadia smirked as a bird swiftly dove in and snatched up one of the smaller monkeys.

"Damn! That thing came in fast!" Ryuji shouted.

"Was that a hawk?!" Futaba exclaimed.

"Indeed," Io answered as a brown and gray feathered hawk with a black and white spectacled underbelly flew off carrying a monkey. The 2'2 feet long bird of prey let out a high-pitched screech as the alarmed monkeys angrily howled. "The Veðrfölnir picks of anything it can find in the trees and is regarded as a sacred animal by the Homo Yggr."

"Wow, that bird came in so fast it scared me," Ann took a deep breath.

"That's nothing. You haven't seen anything yet," Nadia replied.

As the group bypassed through a canopy, a swarm of various insects came flying out. Among them were 6-inch long black and blue Rhinoceros beetles. In response to the immediate disturbance, the beetles' bodies exuded electrical sparks that blasted the bubble, but luckily the bubbles' defensive barrier protected the group from getting electrocuted by the beetle swarm.

"Holy…! Electric beetles?!" Morgana cried out.

"They're using my element, too!" Ryuji pointed out the electrical blasts hitting the protective bubble around them.

"This is the Donar Beetle. It's a beetle species unique throughout the Nine Realms," Io explained. "It is often regarded as the animal representative for the Thunder God Thor."

"And it's often utilized as a source of electricity for the Homo Yggr. The beetles have enough energy to light up an entire village," Anastasia plainly stated.

Besides the Donar Beetles, the group sighted yellow, black, and brown bodied bees. The 15mm-long bees also have black-striped abdomens.

"And those are the Honeydew bees," Anastasia shifted over to the bees. "They're the most crucial pollinators. Much like the honeybees of your world, they carry carry pollen from one flower to another. The Homo Yggr also depend on them for honey production."

"So like how we collect honey in our world," Ren stated.

"That is correct," Io nodded.

Just then, a swarm of bat-like creatures swooped in to catch and devour the insects. One such native bat that immediately caught the group's eye was a hybrid creature. From a glance, it looked like a cross between a bat and an owl. It has an auburn feathered body with a black and white spectacled chest and underside feathers. Tufts of gray fur-like filaments made up the sides of its head. More of such hybrids came flying out. Their orange eyes scanned and followed the flying insects.

"I see you've gotten a look at one of this realm's most unique fauna," Nadia said.

"What the heck is that thing?!" Mia pointed a hybrid.

"That's the Nathbakkæ," Nadia answered. "You thought every animal here bears resemblance to the fauna of your Earth? In your dreams! What do you get when you cross an owl with a bat? You get this thing."

"A hybrid of a bat and an owl? That makes it quite an efficient nocturnal predator," Yusuke observed.

"Ugh, I wouldn't want to wake up to that thing staring me dead in the eyes," Futaba shuddered.

As the bubble descended from the tree canopies, they headed straight into the nearest large body of water. Initially, the group worried they'd drown, but the bubble doubled like a submarine and pressed forward without issue. If the rainforest wasn't a sight to behold, Yggdrasil's underwater world provided another biodiverse world.

The group watched as schools of Yggdrasil fish swam passed them. There were various fishes of many shapes, sizes, and colors. One kind that got their attention was a swarm of bluish gray and neon green and red scaled fish. All of them have varying lengths between 7 to 12 inches long.

Upon seeing the fish swimming around, Morgana's eyes lit up. He licked face and smacked his mouth.

"Did I just die and go to heaven? Look at all these fish!" The cat meowed loudly.

"I sure could go for some fish or sushi now," Ryuji shared Morgana's sudden urge for fish.

"I'm sure you two would, but c'mon let's get our heads in the game here," Makoto advised them to inhibit their urges.

They were seen swimming and even diving out of the water like flying fish.

"Neat! There's flying fish here!" Futaba was taken in by the marine life.

"There exists over a hundred fish species in Yggdrasil, but only the Fliegend Fish group are capable of diving out of the water and capable of brief aerial flight," Io stated.

"Oh my god! Guys look at this!" Ann exclaimed as she pointed to a behemoth ten times larger than the bubble carrying them all.

"Yes, it's another sacred animal revered by the Homo Yggr," Anastasia said.

"It's a whale!" Makoto was taken aback by its immense size.

"Not just any whale. It's the Lyngbakr," Io said as the 82-feet long bluish gray whale swam passed by without concern. Its large brown eye scanned over the group, discerning them as non-threats. "This magnificent creature is equivalent to your world's largest living animal, the blue whale."

"I hope this big guy doesn't have a taste for us. 'Cause I don't like the look he's giving us," Yakumo remarked.

"You needn't worry. Like the blue whale, the Lyngbakr prefers plankton and krill," the Persona Vein reassured him and the others.

"Well, that's good, but I can't believe such big animals feed on the smallest prey items," Mia said.

"If this Yggdrasil's gentle giant, I'd hate to meet its largest feared predator," Hifumi commented.

As the Lyngbakr opened its mouth, its filtered baleen teeth absorbed the krill. Just then, a pack of sharks swam by the large whale and headed straight for the school of fish. They have varying lengths of 10-15 inches long.

"I knew there had to be sharks here! If there's whales, then sharks would be close by!" Ryuji exclaimed.

"But, I thought sharks were solitary predators?" Haru was bedazzled by these sharks' hunting strategy.

"There's quite a few sharks that hunt in groups in our world. They do so to herd and lure prey away." Akechi replied.

"Yes, and the Lightning Hákarl are pack predators and one of the few Yggdrasil shark species," Anastasia added to the discussion.

The steel blue-bodied, gray under bellied Lightning Hákarl did exactly how their Earth counterparts utilized their hunting strategies: herding away fish from the schools and killing them with lightning fast speeds. The waters became tainted with the blood of devoured fish.

"They're so freaking fast!" Futaba was mesmerized by the speed of which the sharks killed and devoured their prey.

"Have they been known to attack the natives?" Makoto asked the Elven ladies.

"You bet, but if anything their attacks on humans are as common as those from your world's great whites, makos, and tiger sharks," Nadia said. "But, the Lightning Hákarl are not stone cold killers. They attack if the natives encroach on their territory and mistake them as their prey items. But, when they attack, you better kiss it goodbye."

"The Lyngbakr don't have much to fear due to their gargantuan sizes," Anastasia said.

"Heh, and if you thought the Lyngbakr was big. Want to see one of Yggdrasil's largest ocean predators?" Nadia grinned evilly as the bubble transport descended further into the ocean's depths.

As the light from the surface faded, the ocean depths became disturbingly darker. The darkness augmented the quiet and creepy atmosphere. The group grew restless, waiting for whatever monstrosity waiting for them. No one said a word. Then, they heard a loud dent smack the back side of the bubble. Everyone turned as an over 10 foot long tentacle grabbed the back of the bubble transport.

"Don't tell. This world has their own giant squid?" Ryuji gulped as his face paled at the large tentacle.

"Ok, I think I've lost my appetite now!" Morgana yelled out.

"All it takes is you two getting scared at your wits to lose your appetite?!" Ann snapped at the two.

As the tentacle smacked the bubble, everyone inside shifted inside the bubble. When Io and the Elven princesses steered the bubble away, the space inside stabilized, allowing the passengers to freely stand. When a beam of light came out of the bubble, it cleared the darkness and revealed the face of their attacker: an over 60-foot long purplish red blob creature with ten 10-15 feet long tentacles. Blinded by the beams of light, its large golden yellow eyes shifted back. Then, its entire body gave off a bright translucent rainbow color, a threatening gesture to scare off the group.

"I don't know much about squids, but I think any animal that changes its colors in this manner means we better stay away," Ann said.

"You're right. Looks like the lights are bothering it," Louis observed.

"Can we get out of the ocean already?" Asked Mia.

"So, what do you call this giant?" Skyler asked the Elven ladies.

"The Hafgufa and their choice prey are fish. However, they'll attack anything that encroaches on its territory," Anastasia stated.

"It's getting royally pissed at us now. We better get the hell out of here!" Nadia exclaimed.

With that, Io steered the bubble transport from the ocean depths and headed straight up back to the surface. When the group grabbed a hold of something to cling to, the group shot out of the water and went through another remote area of a rainforest. As they bypassed another canopy, they saw a swarm of ants crawling on a tree. Several shrew-like animals grabbed and ate a few ants.

"Check it out. Those little guys are having themselves a feast!" Mia pointed to the beige and dark brown, white spectacled shrews eating a bunch of red and black ants. The shrews appeared roughly 60-90 cm in length and 20 cm in height. The ants are a 6-12 mm in length.

"They're so cute," Haru blushed at the shrews.

"The Ygg-Myrmex ants are a primary food source for many of the forest species, including the elusive Hlaup Shrew," Io stated.

"Hey, Morgana. Would you eat something like that?" Mia asked the cat.

"Nah, I'm pretty particular in what I eat, Lady Mia. You, Lady Ann, and Ren spoiled me rotten with all you give me."

The group observed a few of the shrews climb down the tree and land on the forest floor. The shrews are seen sharing the forest space with a group of rodents. These particular rodents have varying colored coats, between brown, beige with white undersides, and gray with yellow undersides. The rodents resembled Earth's hamsters, marmots, and lemmings.

"Oh my gosh, look at them! So cute!" Ann squeed at the sight of the forest creatures.

"I wouldn't mind taking one home. If that's ok with you, Mako-chan," Haru said, playfully teasing her girlfriend.

"As long as we both care for it," Makoto humored her.

"The Nagetiere are docile animals. So, they could be reasonably domesticated," Io said. "The natives have, so it shouldn't be hard."

Also sharing the space with the Nagetiere and the Hlaup Shrew are 40-50 cm long beige bodied, spectacled brown-feathered quails. Another set of these quails have dark brown and black feathers.

"Turkeys?" Yakumo asked in befuddlement.

"Not quite. These are the Meleagris Quail," Anastasia replied. "Though, they are often hunted and eaten like your world's turkeys. The Homo Yggr often have Meleagris Quail for feasts."

"And they're not the only ones who enjoy themselves a good quail meal," Nadia smirked.

Suddenly, an ambush predator popped out from a bush, startling half of the group watching. A ferocious roar came when a 6'4 foot long light brown and black badger-like beast emerged. It sported 10 inch saber-like teeth, giving it a Smilodon appearance. It lunged so quickly, the first victim it caught didn't see it coming. The victim was a Nagetiere, which upset most of the girls watching.

"No! Not that one!" Haru cried out.

"Why couldn't have gone after one of the quails?!" Ann whined.

"Oh god, it was just a big rat," Ren muttered.

"Mia, why aren't you bothered by it?" Futaba asked her.

"Why? It's survival of the fittest," Mia shrugged.

"Indeed, the Saber-toothed badger primarily hunt the Nagetiere, the quails, and the shrews," Io replied.

"Yes, I can see why it'd go after the rodents," Hifumi observed the badger stabbing its saber teeth into the rodent's neck, which sparked a few images of Skyler biting her neck. She clasped a hand on her neck.

"Are you ok, Hifumi?" Skyler asked his girlfriend.

"Just thinking of you, my love."

"But, the Saber-toothed badger is hardly the largest land predator," Anastaia said.

"What? There's things bigger than that thing?" Ryuji curiously wondered.

When Ann glanced over her shoulder, she spotted a web belonging to some species of spider. Then, upon seeing a 20 cm black and white striped spider, she shrieked.

"OH MY GOD! SPIDER!" Ann screamed as she tackled Ren into her arms. "GET IT AWAY!"

"Ok, you can let go!" Ren yelled and flailed his arms around as he tried to pry his wife off him.

"Where is it?" Makoto asked as she and Haru spotted the exact spider.

"Check out the spots of them. They look like eyes!" Futaba pointed to the spider's spectacled yellow dots on it solid black abdomen.

"Wow, such a fascinating looking design," Louis observed the colorful arachnid.

"Is this thing venomous?" Yakumo asked Io.

"Yes, the Locke Spider's venom is highly toxic to its prey. There aren't many Homo Yggr deaths from this spider's venom due to the anti-venom medicines they've concocted."

"But, as long as we're inside this bubble, you needn't worry about it biting anyone," Anastasia said.

"Hear that, Lady Ann? It'll be ok," Morgana tried calming her.

"That's beside the point! Get me away from it!" Ann cried out.

"Let's get moving before my eardrums explode!" Ryuji covered his ears.

"Yes, moving along," Io said as the bubble transport floated through the forest. They finally stumbled into an open plain with less dense forests.

Suddenly, they heard loud footsteps shake the ground. They quickly looked around to find whatever it was causing the loud footsteps.

"What the hell's making these sounds?!" Yakumo exclaimed.

"Surely nothing that could eat us?" Akechi wondered.

"Don't even try and scare us, man," Ryuji scoffed.

"Io, what kind of animal could be large enough to walk these lands?" Skyler queried to the pale-skinned Revenant.

"There," Io beckoned him and the others toward something straight out of a science fiction movie.

All eyes faced and became unglued at the sight of a 40-foot tall long-necked behemoth. However, as most expected a dinosaur, they instead saw a large tortoise with a long sauropod-like neck and tree trunks for legs. It has dark brown scales and lush green shells covered with the plants of its environment. Its shell made up most of its body with actual trees fully grown out the top of their shells. The giant tree tortoise is 63 feet in body length. Unlike a sauropod, it lacked a long tail.

The giant tree tortoise lumbered near a tall tree and munched on several branches full of lush leaves.

Hifumi gaped in disbelief. "Incredible!"

Ren added with bewilderment. "Is this Yggdrasil's giant tortoise?"

Io nodded. "This is the Irminsultoise, Yggdrasil's largest native land animal. They're also another sacred animal to the Homo Yggr. As you can surmise, trees grow out of its shell. That's because these giants have long life expectancies. Some are known to live up to 250-350 years."

"That long?!" Morgana was bedazzled.

"But, you've got nine lives. So, you'd be able to live for a long time," Mia remarked.

"I guess so?"

"Hey, I see those monkeys, sparrows, and tree frogs on the trees on its shell!" Haru pointed out.

"Fascinating, so the Irminsultoise can carry its own ecosystem on its back," Louis pointed out.

"That's why the Homo Yggr refer to them as 'walking forests'," Nadia said.

"And these giants in their adulthoods have no natural predators," Anastasia added. "The Homo Yggr don't even hunt it."

"That makes me wish humans were that respectful to the wildlife in our world," Makoto said.

More loud footsteps came. Three other adult Irminsultoises and a young one lumbered toward the one feeding. Loud and haunting bellows filled the landscape. The group were then moved away toward another spacious field with a variety of herds. The scene reminded the group of a scene straight out of a Serengeti, but much more greener and less drier.

The fauna that occupied the dense tropical grasslands consisted of native horses, large hairy oxen-like beasts, antelope-like grazers, golden wild boars, and wild horned goats.

"Look at all these animals! It's like a paradise!" Haru exclaimed.

"More like we stepped into a safari," Makoto added with her intrigue of the tropical grassland scenery.

The wild horses consisted of colored variations: some with light brown and beige skin. Others with gray, black, and white. There was a few fully brown and black ones. They came in various shapes and sizes based on their age and sex. All of them have the same dark brown manes and tails. The tallest of these wild horses stood up to 6'7 feet tall and grew up to 8'7 feet in length.

"These are the native horses of Yggdrasil: Vangr Hross." Io informed everyone.

"And they're one of the few native animals have been successfully domesticated," Anastasia stated. "Not much different than your world's horses."

Large 13-foot tall oxen with dark brown and black hairy coats grazed the grasslands alongside their Vangr Hross neighbors. The largest of these oxen have a body length up to 19 feet long.

"Get a load of these big oxen!" Futaba pointed to the oxen.

"Ah, yes. That's the Gefjun's Oxen, or Gefjun Bison. Whichever you prefer. The name Gefjun is derived from the Norse goddess of agriculture, fertility, and prosperity." Anastasia informed them.

"And those over there are the Heorot's Cervine," Nadia beckoned the Thieves and Revenants toward a herd of 6'5 foot tall bluish gray, black and white-striped deer. "So, they're the Yggdrasil equivalent of your world's antelope and deer."

Io motioned the group toward the golden boars. "And those are the Slíðrugtanni." She showed them the 4'1 foot tall golden boars grazing and forging.

"They have beautiful golden fur," Eva eyed the golden boars.

"Indeed, but Io, care to tell me why their coats are gold?" Jack turned to the Persona Vein, who gave a vague smile.

"Well, I do not have the answer to everything. Perhaps that's just the way their species are."

"Over here. We have the Læraðr's Capra," Anastasia pointed to wild goats grazing and walking on the grassy plains. Their fur are faded brown and tan. Their horns are recurved much like an ibex.

"Are these primarily the central herbivores colonizing these plains?" Louis asked Io.

"There are others, but these are examples we'll show you."

Nadia shrugged. "And when there's herbivores, the predators are sure to be close by. Why don't we just show you an example of one?"

The Elven princesses and Io showed the group a massive dark brown bear sitting on the foot of a hill looking down at the native herbivores grazing and drinking from waterholes. The bear brown was joined by an auburn-furred and a black-furred variants. Standing up, the dark brown bear stood up to 6'5 feet tall.

"Well, those bears sure don't seem to be in the mood to hunt," Mia observed.

"Bears generally are omnivores. Seems these otherworldly bears are no different from our own," Akechi inferred based on the bears' lack of interest in hunting the herbivores.

"He's right. These Grizzly Bjǫrn will eat plants, fruits, and honey made from the Honeydew bees. They're also opportunistic hunters. They have many options to choose from." Io informed them of the Grizzly Bjǫrn's adaptive nature.

"However, there are hunters who primarily require meat to survive," Anastasia said as a pack of gray, dark brown, and black wolf-like beasts stalked the grasslands, eyeing their potential prey items gazing. These pack hunters stood 3'5 feet tall and have 6'5 feet body lengths. "Take for example these pack hunters, the Eitr Wargs."

"They're the equivalent of your world's wolves and hyenas," Io stated. "However, there's a feature unique to the Eitr Warg that sets it apart from these Earth beasts: venomous fangs."

"So, on top of being pack hunters, they inject venom into their prey with venomous bites? Quite the deadly combination," Louis added.

"Indeed. It sounds like something seen in Komodo dragons. Their bite is potent enough to take down water buffalo." Makoto said.

"Then, a pack of them should easily take down one of those oxen," Haru stated. "Am I right?"

"That sounds about right," nodded Ren.

"On top of pack hunters, we also have solitary hunters," Io then motioned the group toward two large tiger-like beasts sitting near a herd of Gefjun Oxen and Vangr Hross. When sitting up, the tigers stood 8 feet tall and have body lengths up to 12 feet. They have features seen in modern day Earth tigers: light orange fur with black stripes & white furred under bellies, snouts, and paws. However, the tiger standing on the left of its apparent mate has tufts of a mane like a lion.

"What have we here? Ligers?" Skyler queried to Io and the Elven princesses.

"Heck yeah. You guys have tigers… or, ligers I think?" Ryuji gleamed happily over the magnificent beasts.

"Well, one of them has a mane. That could make it a liger, or perhaps a tigon?" Yusuke noted the fur tufts around the male's neck.

"So, do we have another hybrid here?" Hifumi asked Io.

"Perhaps, but this is the most feared beast of the land: the Kuningaz tigris. They're also viewed as sacred animals by the Homo Yggr." Io said.

"And unlike your world's lions with their bullshit tagline, these feline apex predators are the kings of the jungle!" Nadia laughed heartily.

"And as apex predators, they have many prey items to choose from. From the smaller Slíðrugtanni and Læraðr's Capra to prey as large as young Irminsultoises." Anastasia verified the tigris' main diet.

"So, just about any herbivore we've seen now?" Yakumo said.

"They've also been domesticated by some Homo Yggr tribes as hunting partners," Io informed them.

"Who'd be crazy enough to tame these big cats?!" Ryuji exclaimed.

"It probably has to take time and patience," Louis said.

"Oh, but I imagine they were raised when they were cubs!" Haru said. "Imagine how adorable they are as cubs."

Just then, the two Kuningaz tigris growled toward the opposite direction, as if something disturbed them. The other herbivores also sensed the approach of larger apex predator.

"What's bothering them?" Ann asked the Elven princesses and Io.

"Another predator?" Haru worryingly noticed the herbivores' wariness.

"The tigers seem a little spooked, too," Morgana observed the tigris pair.

"Surely, it can't be because of these guys there?" Futaba pointed to a pair of 8-foot tall, 5'10 foot long bipedal birds with massive hooked beaks used for shearing flesh. The base of their bodies are covered in gray and pinkish feathers. They have black tail feathers and sharp claws at the tips of their flightless wings. On top of their heads are red, yellow, blue, and pink feathers. Their red eyes scanned the foot of the hills behind them as massive figure appeared before them.

"Those are the Vangr Terrorbeak. As intimidating as their names are, they are merely the apex avian hunters," Io informed them.

"Yeah, I mean they're territorial birds and can run up to 50 miles per hour, but they're hardly the top predators of the land," Nadia said.

"They're also known to hunt solitarily and in packs," Anatasia added with a sigh. "But, there's one predator that's above even them."

"I mean, what is the top predator of the land?" Yakumo queried.

The Elven princesses and Io beckoned the group toward the large shadow that roared behind the Vangr Terrorbeak, scaring the large flightless birds off. Everyone watched as the shadow came closer, revealing itself for all to see. The group almost couldn't believe the feared predator they were looking at.

"No freaking way…" Ryuji muttered in disbelief.

"How?!" Futaba gaped, her mouth nearly dropping.

"So, a Yggdrasil dinosaur," Skyler gritted as a 20-foot tall tyrannosaur-like dinosaur emerged. Steel blue scales covered most of its body. It has the head & body structure and two claws on each hand akin to a Tyrannosaurus rex. It has a light gray feathered fur coat over its back like a Yutyrannus. It has a dark red and yellow head crest shaped like a Cryolophosaurus. As it rushed into the plains, the group got a better view of its 42 foot long body's length.

"Not just any dinosaur. This is the Scandic rex," Anastasia revealed.

"You'll have to explain how a dinosaur is even here," Jack said. "In our world, non-avian dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago."

"It should be no surprise. The other Nine Realms are parallel to our Earth," Io referenced. "Yggdrasil is no different and has animals that are equivalent to Earth's native fauna. Yggdrasil and the other realms would have their own dinosaurs. In regards to Yggdrasil's realm, there was no catastrophe similar to the K-T event that wiped out Earth's dinosaurs. Yggdrasil's dinosaurs continued their reign for a few million years until climates grew colder and entered an Ice Age period, driving most of Yggdrasil's dinosaurs to extinction. With most of the niches left open, mammals and birds took over the lands. However, a few dinosaurs, including the Scandic rex, survived."

"This is the apex predator of the land and one the Homo Yggr fear most. They avoid contact with this beast at all costs," Anastasia said as the Scandic rex's roars scared off all of the herbivores. Even the other predators ran away.

The Scandic rex charged at a Gefjun Oxen. The large oxen stood its ground and attacked the dinosaur with its horns. The Yggdrasil theropod swung its tail, knocking the Gefjun Oxen on its left side. When the beast tried getting up, the Scandic rex planted its left leg on top of the beast's head and bit down on its neck, inflicting a crushing bite that ruptured its windpipe and delivered the killing blow. Upon killing its choice prey item, the Scandic rex gave a victory roar.

Gazing from afar, a purple 24 foot long snake crawled away, making off with a Heorot's Cervine it had killed with its venomous bite.

"Unbelievable," Skyler muttered in awe over the Scandic rex's victory kill.

"So, what's that snake we just saw?" Ren asked, pointing to the large snake preparing to swallow the deer whole.

"That's the Hlaup Hooded Viper. Outside the World Snake, it is among the most feared serpents," Anastasia said. "The young will feed on animals as small as the shrews, but the adults. As you can see, this Heorot's Cervine wasn't so lucky."

"Homo Yggr have had life or death experiences with this venomous serpent. Some died from the potent venom from these serpents," Io informed the Thieves and Revenants.

"Am I glad we've protected inside this bubble," Ann sighed with relief.

"Well, we could go out there and interact with the wild life?" Akechi suggested, prompting Mia to cover his mouth.

"Yeah, we're doing no such thing. You keep quiet," Mia hissed at him.

"But, we'd happily dump you out," Yakumo threatened.

Just then, the Scandic rex's meal was interrupted when the two Kuningaz tigris confronted and roared at the dinosaur. The Scandic rex instinctively protected its kill and snapped its jaws at the tigris duo.

"No offense, but those tigers aren't taking that dino's kill," Futaba remarked.

"You'd be surprised just how desperate the hungry can get," Yusuke said

"These two animals compete for the same prey items, especially the oxen," Io stated. "As main rivals, they fight over the rightful title as king of the jungle."

"So, like the rivalry between the tiger and the dragon in Chinese legend," Skyler observed the tigris and Scandic rex stand-off. "Only this is the Norse version of it."

"But, surely dragons exist in the Nine Realms?" Hifumi turned to Io.

"We shall see. Why don't we meet the natives?" Io suggested as the bubble transport teleported them to another location.

xxxxx

Yggdrasil/Homo Yggr settlement

Upon arriving outside a village, the group saw the huts, tents, and shrines set up in one location. There are infrastructures, including settlements within trees. The native Homo Yggr are seen wearing animal hides, leaf wear, and some sporting armor fashioned from the metals borrowed from Asgardians. The Homo Yggr resembled natives from the Americas. Their characteristic dark skin complexion consisted of a mixed variety of copper red to dark brown. Despite their varying complexion, the natives appeared to be a homogeneous society.

"And I take it these are the Homo Yggr people," Louis keenly observed the natives' activities.

"Indeed, these are the natives of the land. The men are referred to as Lífþrasir and the women are called Líf." Io said. "Here, we will meet with their mediator, the one who I forged a mental link with."

"Right, so where is the mediator?" Skyler queried to her.

"We will meet with her soon."

"These clans people didn't start their civilization in Yggdrasil's realm. In fact, they're far from the natives of this realm. They were the original inhabitants of Asgard," Anastasia said.

"Yeah until that tyrannical and petty Odin drove them out," Nadia scoffed, conveying her disdain for the aforementioned Asgardian king.

Upon hearing this, Skyler frowned. "This Odin's a tyrant?"

Louis turned to Skyler. "The gods in Norse Mythology were described to be inherently flawed, peevish, and some even quite petty to hilarious degrees. I'm not surprised Odin's a tyrannical king."

"I recall reading some historical books and documents while I was in America," Skyler delved into their discussion. "This sounds parallel to the European explorers arriving in the New World and driving the Native Americans out of their native lands. The Europeans and later Americans claimed nearly every piece of land that the natives once called home, shrinking them to reservations."

"That's exactly what happened with the Homo Yggr people," Anastasia interjected, supplementing their discussion. "Social-class and racist conflicts escalated between Asgard's Æsir upper class and the natives' lower class. Enacting his tyrannical power, Odin banished all of the natives to Yggdrasil where they've since settled, populated, and bonded with the World Tree's natural spirits. The few natives grew from a handful to large populations that established supplementary and eventually permanent housing. They've established various networks living within Yggdrasil's realm as you can see here. This is the Homo Yggr capital and here their mediator, Lady Sága resides."

"You want to talk about a complete blowhard? The Allfather was the one who classified them as Homo Yggr to begin with," Nadia then asserted. "However, much to his surprise, this became an identity the natives embraced both as a blessing and a curse. More so a blessing because the natives embraced nature and fit in quite nicely into Yggdrasil. The curse comes more from the fact the 'Yggr' part of the name meaning 'terrible' and the fact Odin gave them a demeaning name."

Io then interjected. "That's why Lady Sága, who was one of those survivors banished to Yggdrasil, took on the role as mediator and bonded with her native people. Taking a pledge to seek fair justice, she spoke on behalf of her people and personally communicated with the Æsir upper class, including Odin." With a snap of her fingers, the bubble transport they've been riding on disappeared.

The Thieves, the Revenants, and the Elven princesses arrived in the center of the Homo Yggr settlement. A few Homo Yggr guards, armed with spears, swords, and shields, quickly stormed to confront them.

"Looks like they weren't expecting our company," Jack grunted as he and the others prepared to fight.

"Io, doesn't this Lady Sága already know we're here to see her?" Queried Ren.

"Yes, she should know I'd bring you all here."

"These guards sure didn't get the message clear." Skyler's eyes turned red as a Homo Yggr threatened him with a spear. "Don't mess with me!" As he prepared to attack, Hifumi urged him to stop.

"Guards, stand down!" A woman harshly called out, causing the guards to withdraw.

"Well, that was a close one," Makoto muttered, getting out from her fighting stance.

"That voice. Surely that has to be the mediator?" Eva said.

"Seems we're about to find out," Ren said as he and the others faced the direction where a woman accompanied by a chief followed her.

"Greetings. We hast been expecting thee all," a woman addressed in a sagely tone.

"This is?" Skyler asked Io.

"This is Lady Sága, the Homo Yggr's librarian, historical record keeper, and central protector of Yggdrasil," the Persona Vein introduced him, the Thieves, and the other Revenants to the Homo Yggr woman.

When everyone faced the approaching mediator, they saw Sága, an age old Homo Yggr who despite her long lifespan managed to retain most of her youthful appearance. Standing 5'8 feet tall, the Homo Yggr woman has a copper brown complexion. Sága has long, back length midnight blue hair and dim gray eyes. The natural dimness in her eyes matched her somber and depressed mood. She wore a dark gray gown with Læraðr's Capra fur pelt covering her shoulders and going down her backside. Her legs and feet were inside black heeled ankle-length shoes. She also wore an ornately-designed necklace, golden earrings, and a headband with tufts of feathers on the sides. She had a pouch on a strap belt worn around her waist. In her right hand, Sága held a magical wooden staff forged from Yggdrasil's roots and bark.

"On behalf of myself the chief, we humbly apologize for not letting the guards know about thy arrival," Sága stated. Her stern expression softened when she turned toward Io, who translated on her behalf to the group. "Yes, Miss Io. I am glad thou hast brought thy friends here to discuss matters about Asgard's history."

"No, thank you," Io bowed as she turned to address the Thieves and the Revenants. "It's thanks to Lady Sága I've accumulated the wealth of knowledge about Yggdrasil, Asgard, and the Nine Realms."

"I was hesitant to incorporate the entire histories into Miss Io's mind. I feared her mind wouldst not be able to handle it," Sága stated. "But, Miss Io reassured me she wouldst."

"That's our Io," Hifumi smiled proudly, resting her hands on Io's shoulders.

"I took the endeavor for the team and risked my own sake to know all of this realm's history," Io stated, a smile adorning her soft and pale features.

"You're truly amazing, Io," Skyler chuckled.

Sága motioned over to the chief, a fair-skinned man with wavy neck-length dark brown hair and light brown eyes. He wore silver body armor and boots. He is standing 5'9 feet tall. "Harald, these guests are with me. I hast already arranged to meet with them today, chief. Tell thy men from the Úlfhéðnar Clan may return to their posts."

"As thou request, milady," Harald honored the sage's request.

"But, thou can accompany me with the guests, Harald."

"Yes, as thy wish."

"Harald? Mother? Is everything ok?" A voice belonging to a youthful woman came out behind them.

"Skuld? Yes, we art fine. Our guests hast arrived," Sága addressed her daughter, who came out tree infrastructure. "Everyone this is my daughter and one of the three Norns."

The group turned to face a young woman with a light brown skin complexion with some copper tone. She has long, shoulder-length black hair and purple eyes. She wore a dark blue sleeveless top, knee-length white dress, and yellow slip-on shoes. In respect to her father, she previously removed her ragged black cloak and hood to show her face. She was shorter than her mother, standing 5'5 feet tall.

"Harald, art these the guests?" Skuld approached her husband, who took her hands lovingly and kissed her.

"Yes, they art the ones as thy mother sayeth."

Upon hearing this good news, Skuld gave a courteous bow to the guests. "Good day to thee all." She then motioned over to Harald. "And I am sure thou all hast met my husband Harald, the chief of the Úlfhéðnar Clan."

"It's an honor to meet you all," Ren, Skyler, and Hifumi kindly addressed the Homo Yggr.

"I see, thou hast brought elves from Alfheim?" Harald noticed Anastasia and Nadia.

"No, I'm afraid we're not from Alfheim," Anastasia humbly said.

"We aren't even natives from any part of the Nine Realms," Nadia scoffed as she pointed to Io. "All you need to know is she made us."

"Made thee? From what? Magic?" Skuld was confounded by this revelation.

"It matters not. We hast a meeting to attend to, do we?" Sága cleared her throat, garnering the group's attention. "Come this way. Before thy learn about the cause of Asgard's fall and the entity responsible for it, we must learn of our universe's beginnings." She escorted them toward towering infrastructure. With a wave of her staff, Sága beckoned its magic. "Gambanteinn, grant me and my guests entry into the sacred rooms."

With that, the security doors opened upon Sága's clearance where she, Harald, and Skuld escorted the Thieves, the Revenants, and the Elven princesses.

xxxxx

Yggdrasil/Sökkvabekkr

With a wave from her staff, lights came on and unveiled a subterranean cavern full of lakes. The tranquil setting gave a relaxing vibe for those who've entered. The Thieves, the Revenants, and the Elven princesses watched Sága walk into the lake.

"What do you call this place?" Hifumi queried to the mediator.

"This is Sökkvabekkr. It is where I meditate and decompress after taking arduous tasks." She then raised Gambanteinn overhead, producing a light that spread over the cavern. Then, a saddened look etched on her face. "And it was here where Odin and I once merrily drank to discuss and vent on personal matters."

"Does the name Sökkvabekkr have any meaning?" Ann asked.

"It translates to sunken bank," Louis said. "Based in Norse Mythology, the goddess Sága resides in this place."

"That is correct. Thou hast quite a wealth of knowledge regarding Æsir culture and history."

"Your stories have been passed down as legendary tales and folklore in our world," Skyler replied.

"Though how faithful we've told your stories, your mileage may vary," Ren stated.

"Of course, I dost not expect thee to know about our entire culture and history, especially my people's."

"We know all about how your people had to suffer and be forced to move here," Yakumo said.

Sága gripped her staff tightly, concealing the bridled emotions she's kept locked away. She then faced Skuld and Harald's way. "Yes, our entire culture hast endured the best and darkest historical moments. The tragedies we hast endured made us stronger and we survived up until the end times."

"End times?" Mia picked up on the mediator's vague words.

"She must mean Ragnarök," answered Louis.

"Yes, but another force was responsible for the demise of Asgard and the other Realms," Sága said. "But, before I tell thee about the event that sealed our fates, thou must know about the beginnings." As the light pushed back the darkness that shrouded the cavern, the group saw ancient cave paintings covering the interior.

The group was awestruck by the elaborately drawn cave paintings. Various drawings of people, animals, places, and events described the history of the Homo Yggr clans.

"Amazing!" Yusuke exclaimed as the artist in him was enamored by the interior wall designs.

"You must be on cloud nine, Inari," Futaba grinned.

The artist showed her around to observe the cave paintings. "Futaba, this is more than just art. This is recorded history. This is what they call Parietal art."

"Yes, Parietal art that tells the entire history of your people, Yggdrasil, and the Nine Realm. Are we correct to assume?" Skyler asked the Homo Yggr mediator.

Nodding, Sága plainly answered with a smile. "Correct, thou art looking at the entire Nine Realms' recorded history throughout time and many generations." She then pointed toward paintings depicting fully nude men battling otherworldly monsters. "This depicts the beginnings of our universe."

"That seems to describe a war between gods and monsters," Louis observed the paintings.

"Who are these figures?" Haru asked the Revenant.

"I can't say, but I'd like to think Odin was among these men."

"Once again, correct. Thou art an astute young man," Sága was impressed with Louis' knowledge on the Norse legends.

"I'm quite curious to learn of your cosmology," Louis addressed the mediator.

Sága smiled and faced the cave paintings. She beckoned Yusuke and Futaba back as she placed a hand over the painting with the men and the monsters. "In the beginning, the cosmos was created from an explosion and from the beginning existed monsters. These monsters wielded untold strength and created worlds from voids. Among these monsters were the ancient Jötnar. The most feared of them all was Ymir. Ymir was a creator of life. The parasites that feed on his body became the Dwarves."

With a wave of her staff, the artistic depictions of Ymir fleshed out his true appearance to everyone. Her staff forged a visual image of what would be a cosmic horror entity. The gigantic Ymir's body covered the vastness of space. The cosmic being had alice blue eyes and azure white long, dirty curly and shaggy hair, giving the group the impression he never bathed. To further prove this, many grotesque maggot-like creatures, roughly the size of an average human male, popped of its hair and body. The ancient Jötunn was fully nude. He was depicted as a hermaphroditic being with feminine breasts & large masculine testicles and a penis. For many in the group, this was not an ideal visual sight they wanted.

"I understand all of thee art not used to seeing this," Sága apologized.

"No, it's fine. Some of us are not even bothered," Skyler responded to her apologetic tone.

"We've seen worse," Louis stated.

"We're not one to judge. We're just surprised is all," Ren added.

"As an artist myself, I don't pass harsh judgment on anything besides my own work," Yusuke said.

"Yeah, but just admit. That's a huge fucking dick!" Nadia shouted.

"You're the only one saying that, Nadia," Anastasia shook her head.

The Homo Yggr mediator continued while Io helped translate for her. "Ymir's true form was the size of the universe. His whole body created the cosmos. His flesh created thy world known as Midgard along with the other Realms and Yggdrasil. Did thou know Odin's own throne, Hliðskjálf, was made from a piece of flesh from Ymir's penis?"

"What?!" Ann was flabbergasted to hear. "I… I don't think I needed to know that."

Makoto hid her disgust behind a cough. "Well, you learn something every day!"

Hifumi watched Io actually translate the last part. "Are you ok, Io?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" The Persona Vein replied nonchalantly.

With her staff, Sága produced a visual aid of Ymir drinking from a golden brown cow. The cow's black eyes widened when Ymir sucked the teats of its udder.

"Upon drinking the primordial milk from Auðumbla, Ymir then licked the salty rime rocks, revealing Búri, the grandfather of the Æsir race, and three divine brothers."

The next visual depiction showed three nude men opposing Ymir and his followers. Among them was a burly built man with shoulder-length, lion-colored hair and blue eyes.

"Who is that?" Jack asked the mediator.

"This is Odin in his youth."

"No way! That's the old guy with the eyepatch?!" Futaba screamed, her mouth nearly dropped.

"Wow, he's quite attractive, isn't he?" Haru remarked.

Louis scoffed. "Yes, but he does eventually gains a beard, loses an eye, and becomes a grouchy old man."

For a moment, Sága's cheeks blushed. "Yes, young Odin was quite the handsome man then. Sadly, I was not born then to see his youthful days." She quickly became enamored seeing young Odin. Turning her head, she noticed Skuld sighing and nodding dismissively.

"Oh mother…" Skuld muttered.

"Hey, can you get your head in the game, lady?" Nadia crossed her arms.

Clearing her throat, Sága resumed her lecture. "Yes, anyway, Odin in his youth fought Ymir ages ago. The man was accompanied by his brothers."

On the right from Odin was a burly built young man with shoulder-length, russet-colored hair and blue eyes.

"This is Vili."

On the left from Odin is a moderately built man with shoulder-length, taupe-colored hair and blue eyes.

"And this is Vé. Standing united, Odin, Vili, and Vé battled Ymir and his forces across the cosmic war. The war waged for an undetermined time, but it was drawn out across the universe. In the end, Odin and his brothers defeated Ymir and his followers. Ymir's body was destroyed and his parts were split, leading to the birth of Yggdrasil and the Nine Realms." The next visual image displayed Ymir's body parts creating the worlds and the World Tree.

"And that's the creation of the Norse cosmology. Well, who'd thought that'd get vividly detailed," Louis remarked.

"Well, I hope to never see a dick that big again or so help me," Nadia grumbled.

"Hey, there's aspects of mythologies can be pretty messed up," Skyler said. "So, I doubt we've seen the last of some very bizarre stuff."

"Well, I never saw any of that coming!" Ann exclaimed.

"Relax. Looks like we're in for a very long history lesson," Ren calmed his wife down.

Sága then turned toward the wall painting depicting the Homo Yggr history and culture. "I'm sure Io hath already given you a brief history of our people?" She glanced over to Io, who nodded and translated for the mediator. "I see. Then, I shalt make this quick. The Homo Yggr culture began on Asgard. We were the original Æsir before Odin and the higher class arrived and took our home from us." Her staff produced visual images of the Native Æsir's prosperous civilization rise and downfall. "We enjoyed prosperity for eons, but our paradise swiftly ended when Odin's campaign to take Asgard became realized."

Another visual image showed the natives being killed in war and others evicted from their homeland. A young Sága was shown being dragged away by Asgardian soldiers and placed in transports to be relocated to Yggdrasil.

"I was a child when Odin claimed our land," the sage muttered with sadness and subdued anger in her tone. "For sometime, I hated Odin and his subjects for separating me from my family. That was the last time I remember seeing my mother and father. Emotional wounds art hard to heal. However, with time, I used that hatred I hadst and used it to better myself. I educated myself on civics and gained a wealth of knowledge on politics. I became Yggdrasil's head mediator and pushed to reform our civilization on our new land. I convinced my people to connect with the nature of Yggdrasil's realm. Rather than go into a senseless war against Asgard, which wouldst hast cost thousands of lives, I proposed to act as mediator between our people and the upper class Æsir. Though Odin labeled us as Homo Yggr, it didst not deter my people and I. We embraced the given name as a blessing and a curse."

Another visual image presented Sága negotiating with an older Odin, now sporting a beard and an eyepatch. After a seemingly long debate, the two settled with a handshake.

"I was able to forge a peaceful alliance between Asgard and my people. Though some of my own still resent him for the horrible treatment of their predecessors, I chose to use that hatred to become an ambassador for peace."

With her staff, the Homo Yggr woman presented a visual image of herself and her family, including three men and several daughters.

"It was because of this peace I hadst several husbands and produced daughters, including Skuld," Sága said, facing Skuld's direction. "Didst thou know Skuld's father was an Asgardian? His name was Baldr."

The mention of Baldr's name brought a genuine smile to Skuld's face.

"So, Homo Yggr and Asgardians fell in love and had kids?" Ann was taken in by the mediator's story.

"Why yes, though there were still hostile race relations, there were plenty of Asgardian men and Homo Yggr women, and vice versa that produced hybrid race offspring," Anastasia pointed out.

"Yes, I am half-Homo Yggr and half-Asgardian," Skuld verified her heritage. "But, as thou can see, I take after my mother."

"Those Homo Yggr genes must be pretty strong," Louis realized.

"Just wait until thou meet our children," Harald addressed the group while holding Skuld's hand.

"Wait, you two have kids?!" Mia spat out.

"Why yes! Three of them!" Skuld quickly and proudly proclaimed.

"Geez, you and your husband got really busy, didn't y'all?" Futaba said with a sly grin on her face.

"They're my beloved grandchildren," Sága smiled as she waved her staff, producing visual images from another cave painting. This one showed two nude fair-skinned humans. "Dost thou want to know about these two?"

"And who are they?" Ren asked, eyeing a young man with a maize-colored, unkempt short hair and dark spring green eyes and a young woman with a rufous-colored, long back-length hair and spring green eyes.

"Thou art looking at the first Midgardians of this universe. The man was named Ask. The woman was named Embla. Both were created by the gods." Sága verified.

"So, we're looking at the Norse versions of Adam and Eve," Makoto plainly stated.

"Well, they're nude just like Adam and Eve," Haru added. "I take it there was no deceiver to trick the woman?"

Skuld interjected. "No, Odin and his brothers gave them the essentials to life. One gave them the breath of life. One gave them intelligence and the ability to walk. The third gave them the senses, such as speech, hearing, and sight. Afterwards, the three gods gave them names and clothing."

"And after that?" Hifumi asked.

"Nothing else. They went on to become the progenitors of the entire human race and shaped their world of Midgard," Sága stated, scanning the Thieves and Revenants. "All of you wouldst hast been their descendants if thy lived in this universe." She then approached another cave painting depicting some few figures, including a man wielding a magic hammer, a man with an armored vest, a third man with a fiendish grin, and an older man with a white beard.

"Dost thou recognize these individuals?" Sága asked the group.

"Hell yeah! The guy with the hammer is Thor!" Ryuji pointed to the hammer wielder.

"The guy with the white beard and eyepatch is obviously Odin," Louis stated.

"And who'd forget the creep with the sneaky grin? That's so Loki!" Futaba identified the trickster.

"But, I can't seem to identify the man with the armored vest," Jack eyed the fourth individual.

"That wouldst be Thor's brother, Víðarr," Sága revealed the god's name.

"You mean Thor's brother is someone else in the mythology?!" Ryuji exclaimed. "Dude, that's crazy!"

"The Marvel versions aren't the accurate versions. They're merely pop culture adaptations of the legends." Louis sighed.

"If you want to know the real stuff, well we're getting the information here," Skyler said.

Futaba patted Ryuji's shoulder. "It's ok, my dude. Some of us didn't know either."

"Did you know, Futaba?" Yusuke inquired, eliciting an eye roll from the otaku.

"Duh. Of course, I did, Inari."

Turning away from the four figureheads, a group of women garbed in armor and wings appeared. The sage's staff produced a visual scene of the Valkyries starting with seven of them.

"Asgard was famous for its renowned warriors. Some included the Valkyries, the female figures tasked with determining who live or die in battles. There were three generations that served under Odin: the First Generation hailed during Asgard's golden period. They consisted of Frigg, Sváfa, Freyja, Hel, Vör, Skaði, and Jörð."

Five more appeared after them.

"The Second Generation art often hailed as Odin's best. They art known as the Valkyrie Fimm. They consisted of Sigrdrífa, Reginleif, Skalmöld, Herfjötur, and Róta."

Nine more appeared after the Valkyrie Fimm.

"And these art the Third Generation, the last ones to serve under Lord Odin before the end times. Quite possibly the most highfalutin, pettiest, and arrogant bunch. They consisted of Brynhildr, Sigrún, Eir, Thrúd, Göndul, Skögul, Mist, Ölrún, and Geirdriful. Outside of Sigrún, Eir, and Thrúd, the others have tainted with the malignant and detestable characters thou will ever find in Valkyries." Gripping her staff tightly, her teeth gnashed when Göndul and Skögul appeared on the visual screen. "But, none art more detestable than these two highfalutin cretins! I loathe no other Asgardian than these two for their blatant lack of respect for those they deem 'beneath them'. They even hast the nerve to disrespect Baldr during his own funeral!" Slamming her staff down, the sage unleashed furious sparks that startled the group.

Haru muttered quietly to Makoto. "I didn't think she'd harbor this much anger. You'd think it'd be toward Odin."

Makoto nodded. "But, remember she mentioned those two Valkyries disrespecting her husband at his own funeral. I can't say I blame her."

Ryuji shook his head. "Damn, that scared me!"

Io approached and comforted the sage. "It'll be ok."

"But, you guys do realize those nine are the same Valkyries we fought back home, right?!" Morgana reminded them.

"Yeah, we know," Ren replied. "And they're probably wherever Mido are if they are on the same page."

"But, how are they supposed to be alive? Aren't they supposed to be like these three? Spirits in some dreamscape?" Yakumo wondered.

"Those nine were no spirits. I can tell you that," Morgana affirmed his statement.

"Because the nine thou fought art mere vessels for someone aligned with thy enemy," Sága openly confirmed, drawing confusion from the Thieves and the Revenants.

"What do you mean they're vessels? Is someone controlling them?" Skyler questioned the Homo Yggr woman.

"The perpetrator in question is the one responsible for unleashing the anomalous force that eradicated our physical universe," Sága vaguely stated.

"This individual used the Yami Matter to destroy your world then?" Hifumi asked.

"Yes, and the culprit controlling the nine Vamkyries is aligned with your enemy Mido," Anastasia replied.

"Sága, you certainly must know the identity behind this culprit," Ren demanded from the mediator.

Nodding, Sága complied. "And answers thou shalt receive, but not here. Thou all must witness the sequential events leading to Ragnarök." With a wave of her staff, Sága showed the last few paintings, including cave paintings of two large wolves and a fiery war depicting a forthcoming apocalyptic event. "And here art the pair of evil wolves who my people consider demons of their own right. Sköll and Hati hast been called the harbingers of Ragnarök and they brought great calamity to our homeland during the final moments."

Skuld sighed. "And they brought with them a primordial entity that tried to poison and destroy Yggdrasil."

Harald added. "We all fought to the bitter end, but…"

Sága interjected. "We can stop there, Harald. We shouldst just show how the events happened."

With a wave of her staff, Sága teleported herself, the Thieves, the Revenants, the Elven princesses, Skuld, and Harald into another vicinity.

xxxxx

Yggdrasil/Urðarbrunnr

Upon arriving in a spacious room with a giant well, Sága escorted her family and the guests to meet with seven individuals awaiting them.

"Everyone, our guests hast arrived," Sága summoned for the seven individuals. "Let us start with my other two daughters. Thou hast met my daughter born from Baldr and I's love. Urðr, come forth."

Heeding her mother's request, a woman walked away from her husband. Standing 5'8 feet tall, Urðr was a unique woman based on her outward facial and skin appearance as if coming from a 'far east' land from Midgard. She had a mix of a slightly tan and white complexion, granting her a uniquely exotic appearance. She has long back-length cyan hair and yellow eyes. She wore an attractive long sleeveless cerulean dress and white slip-on shoes. She also wore a clear veil adorning her shoulders and neck coupled with a golden head piece with a blue gem, golden oval-shaped earrings, and a golden necklace.

"This is my daughter born from my love with Mímir," Sága clarified, reminding the group about the other daughters and family members from the visions.

"Greetings, guests," Urðr politely addressed the Thieves and the Revenants. She turned toward her husband, a fair-skinned man but with messy short blond hair and blue eyes. He wore his lavender body armor and armored boots. "And this is my husband Haakon."

"Yes, didst thou learn a great wealth of information about my wife's cultural history?" Haakon asked the guests.

"And lastly, this is my daughter born from my love with Bragi. Verðandi, wouldst thou come forth?"

"Of course," Verðandi responded to her mother's wish. Standing 5'7 feet tall, Verðandi was very much like Urðr in regards to her fantastical beauty not commonly found in and near Asgard. Her facial and skin appearance was not much different. Verðandi has neck-length red hair and blue eyes. She wore a light sleeveless purple dress and black slip-on shoes. A black feathered veil was worn over her shoulders and neck. She wore a golden forehead headpiece with a purple gem centered, golden oval-shaped earrings, and a golden necklace. "I am Verðandi and this is my husband Eric."

Another fair-skinned man with rigid short black hair and reddish brown eyes walked next to his alluring wife. He was garbed in blue body armor and armored boots.

"It is good to meet thee all," Eric welcomed the guests.

Haru clasped her hands. "Wow, they're so beautiful."

Ann concurred. "Yeah, they have the exotic beauty going for them. They have the looks to be great models."

"The three of us make up the Norns," Skuld said as she stood next to Urðr and Verðandi.

"Ah, so that makes you three witches," Akechi spoke up.

"That's not a very nice thing to say," Eva disproved his seemingly rude comment.

"Well, thou art technically right. We art like witches." Urðr earnestly replied.

"We hast cast plenty of curses on people we dost not like! Mostly as practical jokes though," Verðandi lightly snickered.

Skuld sighed in exasperation. "Sisters, we dost not use our spells to play games with people!"

The other Norns apologized. "We art sorry, Skuld."

"Mother! Father! Grandmother!" Three children's voices called out from behind the Thieves and the Revenants.

Three children ran passed the group as they nearly knocked Ryuji over.

"Yo! Hey, watch where you're going!" Ryuji shouted.

Sighing, Skuld approached the three children. "Now, Blue, Fang, and Cheza, what did I tell thee three about running around inside?"

The eldest of the three, Fang, scoffed, addressing the woman in a teenage male tone. He appeared roughly 14-15. "I was trying to get these two to stop running, mother! But, they wouldst not listen to me!"

Standing 5'5 feet tall, Fang is a teen male boy with a light coffee complexion. He has a hairstyle that could be shoulder-length but also back-length. His hair is dark brown with indigo streaks. His choice wardrobe consisted of a long-sleeved beige shirt, black pants, and brown moccasin-like footwear. Adorning his neck is a necklace full of saber-toothed badger and Eitri Warg teeth. The boy's most distinguishing features are his heterochromic eyes; his left eye is yellow and right eye is red.

"I wanted to look at his Hrotti, but he wouldst not let me!" Blue cried out.

At 5'3 feet in height, Blue is a prepubescent male child with a similar complexion like his older brother. He has an unkempt, neck-length black hair with light blue streaks. His choice of clothing is a light blue shirt, cargo-style beige pants, and red shoes. The necklace adorning his neck collar is full of Eitri Warg teeth. Like his brother, Blue has heterochromic eyes; his left eye is brown and his right eye is green.

Fang angrily retorted to his younger brother. "Thou already hast Ridill! Why dost thou need my Hrotti? Only a great future warrior like me can use it since the great Sigurd once hadst it!"

At 5'1 feet in height, Cheza is a girl with shoulder-length white hair with midnight blue streaks. Her choice of clothing is a sleeveless violet dress and white moccasin-style shoes. A flower halo adorned her head coupled with a white lily on the left side of her hair. She also has on a necklace full of seashells. Like her brothers, Cheza has heterochromic eyes; her left eye is silver and her right eye is purple.

"Can thou two stop arguing?!" Cheza scolded her brothers, waving what appeared to be a wand made from the same roots and bark from Yggdrasil as her grandmother's staff. "My Liten-Gambanteinn puts thy weapons to shame!"

Suddenly Fang produced a spark of icy electricity in his right hand.

"Thou want to go, Blue?!"

Blue quickly responded with two fireballs in his hands. "I am ready! Let's go!"

Cheza pleaded. "Stop!"

Skuld quickly got between Fang and Blue. "That's enough! Thou two made thy point! But no fighting on sacred grounds!"

Upon realizing where they were at, the brothers humbly apologized.

"Sayeth thy sorry to your grandmother," Skuld scolded her sons.

Fang and Blue faced Sága, bowing their heads apologetically. "We art sorry, grandmother."

Sága nodded. "Thou art forgiven."

"Mother, grandmother! I really did try to stop them from fighting!" Cheza spoke up, grabbing Skuld and Sága's hands.

"We know, my love," Skuld smiled as she hugged her daughter.

"Fang, thou art usually the calmest and wisest," Sága addressed her eldest grandson. "Remember thou must be responsible. Thou art the one Cheza must look to."

"Yes, of course, grandmother."

"And me?" Blue whined to Sága.

"And thou be on thy best behavior and protect Cheza, too."

"Yes, grandmother. Sorry."

Upon seeing Skuld and Harald's children, the Thieves and the Revenants weren't surprised a sibling rivalry between the three.

"Ren, let's hope our kid is more like that little girl," Ann whispered to Ren.

"Or, like the eldest son," Ren muttered.

"Doesn't seeing them remind you of any of your childhoods?" Yakumo asked the others.

"No way. Nicola and I hardly fought," Mia rebuked.

"And I was always a polite girl growing up. Sis treated me with nothing but kindness growing up." Makoto added.

Ryuji grinned. "Heh, before she grew up and became quite a hardass, huh?"

"She was only do it for my own good and to make sure I kept my heads out of the clouds."

Haru sighed. "I couldn't relate. I never had a sibling to grow up with."

Yusuke nodded. "Indeed, I believe most of us here are only children in our families."

Futaba grinned and elbowed Ren's side. "Well, we're kinda siblings, aren't we?"

Ren replied with his Joker-like grin. "I suppose we are and Boss was our best dad."

Jack observed Blue vying for his family's attention. "That boy sure is starved for attention. Must suck to be the middle child."

"That Cheza girl is so adorable," Eva remarked, watching the little girl beaming happily toward the guests. She gave one of the brightest and wholesome smiles a child could ever give.

"Sorry for that. Children can be a handful," Skuld apologized to the guests.

"No problem, but just how do you manage with three kids?! I barely just gave birth to a son!" Ann said.

"Oh, thou hadst a child, miss? Congratulations," Skuld smiled to Ann.

"And I gave birth to a boy, too," Eva interjected.

"My advice as a mother is to love thy children unconditionally and ensure they get the best love a mother can give them," the Norn advised Ann and Eva.

Ann and Eva genuinely responded. "Right! We will!"

"Thou all talk very strange," Fang picked up on the group's modern Earth language. "What is 'you'?

"Well, we could say the same about your manner of speech," Louis said. "Thou is actually an old English way of saying 'you'."

"Art thou serious?!" Blue cried out.

Anastasia addressed the three children. "Why yes, me and Nadia are capable of speaking their language."

Nadia interjected. "Try this. Are you serious?"

Blue blinked in confusion and nodded. "Art-Are… thou-you… Are… you… serious?" He quickly repeated what he said. "Are you serious?! Hey, I said it!"

"Are you serious?" Fang repeated Blue. "Hmm, that dost not sound too different."

Louis smiled. "Ok, try saying doesn't instead of dost not."

Fang repeated. "Dos...Doesn't? Hey, that wasn't hard."

"Well, modern English can get rather complicated for foreigners, but you guys should have it down," Skyler stated.

"Are you serious? Doesn't! Yay, I said it!" Cheza cheered. "Did thou hear me, father and mother?"

Harald patted Cheza's head. "Indeed, thou art a fast learner, Cheza."

Slamming her staff, Sága garnered everyone's attention. "I believe it is time for us to watch the events of Asgard leading to the end and for thou to see who stole the bodies of the nine Valkyries." She motioned her daughters to cast a spell over the well.

Heeding their mother's request, the Norns cast a magical spell that forged a visual image of Asgard from the past. Sága conjured chairs for the Thieves, the Revenants, the Elven princesses, and the others to occupy.

"Oh, sweet! It's like we're about to watch a movie!" Ryuji giddily shouted.

"Except this movie is playing out real events. So, don't get too excited," Morgana said. "Things could get ugly."

Ann turned to Skuld. "Is it ok for your daughter to watch this?"

Skuld nodded. "Cheza knows what happened, but if she gets scared I'll send her away."

Io sat next to Hifumi and Skyler.

"Skyler, Hifumi, what you're about to witness is what truly happened," the Persona Vein forewarned them. "And remember, these realms existed in an entirely separate universe from our own."

"So, like that Crimson dimension I entered to save Ren and his friends," Hifumi said.

"Yes."

"What's the name of this dimension we're in?" curiously asked Makoto.

"Wulf-Edda," answered the pale-skinned Revenant.

"Alright, I'm ready to get this started," Skyler said.

"We're all ready, Lady Sága," the Phantom Thief leader addressed the Homo Yggr woman.

With that, Sága beckoned the Norns to cast a spell to run the visual screen like a movie.

xxxxx

A long time ago, in an age long since forgotten, there existed a once grandiose and eloquent kingdom that prided itself in its prominence and long standing dominance. It was one of many known realms called the Níu Heimar (the Nine Realms/Homeworlds). This once acclaimed realm was known as Asgard, the home of the Æsir. Famed legendary figures and warriors once resided in this sanctuary. Modern stories often depicted the figureheads of this realm to be heroic and prideful, but in truth and as the original mythology depicted them, Asgard had a dark history rooted built on blood.

This wasn't just the story of Asgard, its people, and the Nine Realms.

This is the tale of the Wulf-Edda world.

xxxxx

Asgard was once known for its radiance, brilliance, and powerful during its golden years. As time passed, its former brilliance has since deteriorated. Its ruler, King Odin, maintained his throne with an iron fist with little to no opposition. Those who opposed his authority were personally dealt with.

For millennia, Odin was a powerful king who ruled over a prosperous dominion. Nowadays, Odin became more tyrannical and dismissive to anything that ran against his stagnant views. Odin's demeanor had changed as he's gotten older. His rule was marred with his own pettiness. Stagnation turned a once beautiful kingdom into a decadent one. Asgard became sickly and decayed as time went on.

Despite the worsening conditions, the petty Allfather was set in his ways. Gone were the Golden Years when the First and Second Generation Valkyries proudly soared the blue skies. Gone were the days when Asgard's people could proudly called themselves the 'best of the Nine Realms'. Nowadays, all that remained was an Asgard under grayer skies and a shell of its former self. The current Third Generation Valkyries lacked the idealism their predecessors had.

On the other hand, despite having fallen into decadence, Asgard's society still maintained its grandiloquent lifestyle, especially Odin's subjects such as Thor, Víðarr, Loki, Brynhildr, and the Third Generation Valkyries.

Even during these decaying times, Asgard still faced adversaries from the other realms that tried to topple its sovereignty. Outside threats include the Jötnar, the Dwarves, and even the Elves. The Asgardian forces have often been rallied to ward off these external threats. Leading the Asgardian forces were Thor and Víðarr.

xxxxx

Dimension: Wulf-Edda/Asgard

In their attempt to raid the city, a wave of Jötnar and Dwarves stormed toward Asgard. With news spreading that Asgard's once prominent status decaying, the other realm denizens decided now was the time to make their move and tear the city's foundations with repeated attacks. So far, their strategy seemed to work.

But, not today.

A powerful bolt of lightning clapped in front of the Jötnar and Dwarven armies. Half were blasted away and another quarter of them were wiped out. The forces ceased their attacks as they looked up at a figure standing on top of a giant block of castle debris. This figure carried with him a hammer glowing with lightning. Next to him was another male figure.

"No! These two were not supposed to be here!" A Dwarf gaped in aghast at the two Asgardian figures.

"Thou pay for slaying our kin, Thor and Víðarr!" A Mountain Jötunn snarled furiously.

Thor emerged brandishing his majestic hammer Mjölnir. He was a burly-sized man, 6'4 tall, with long, straight shoulder-length red hair with braided knots in the back. He wore a silver body armor with dark gray lower body armor. A dark blue cape fluttered behind him while the winds blew against him. A horned helmet with small feathered wings adorned his head. His blue eyes fiercely gazed at the invaders that dared enter Asgard.

"Thou hast no business here, outsiders. Show respect for Allfather and Asgard!" Thor bellowed, madly swinging Mjölnir around. He rushed at the Jötnar and Dwarven forces.

Try as they might, they were quickly blasted and blown to bits by Thor's powerful hammer.

"Come now, Thor. Dost not hog the glory to thyself," Víðarr spoke out. He was a slightly shorter man, 6'3. He had short, neck length dark blue hair and brown eyes. He wore an upper body sleeveless black armor, silver wrist gauntlets, and dark green armored leg wear. His accessories included a heavy weighted silver waist belt and thick brown boots.

"Why dost not thee step in then?" Thor walked aside, letting Víðarr pass by.

"My pleasure," Víðarr charged into some Dwarves and pummeled them with lightning fast punches. Each punch connected and made their heads explode in gory fashion. He turned as a Frost Jötunn rushed him for a sneak attack. Víðarr casually sidestepped the icy beast and handed a chop to its back, breaking its entire back in two. He then finished it off by punching his fist through its head, ripping out chunks of its brain and watching it drop dead.

"Thou hast to be messy? Víðarr, thou will never be worthy to wield Mjölnir."

"I hast no need for thy toy, Thor. I can handle these abominations with my own hands."

"That is enough childish playing!" The booming voice belonging to an ancient man yelled out.

Suddenly, everyone became alarmed when a beam of gold and white light crashed into the earth. A loud boom occupied the impact of the beam, causing the invaders to back off. Their faces contorted with trepidation.

Thor and Víðarr saw the aged but divine Asgardian king emerge. He had the outward appearance of a man who's lived to see many conflicts shed with blood and ruled his dominion for countless millennia. He was a tall figure, 6'2 feet, garbed in polished silver armor with white loincloth, and a sky blue cape. He wore a helmet with the horns of a Gefjun bison. His left eye, long since removed, was covered with a dark gray and ivory eyepatch. He had long, shaggy shoulder length white hair, still noticeable under the helmet. His thick beard matched the white of his hair. The Asgardian king's blue eyes scanned the Dwarves, the Frost Jötnar, and the Mountain Jötnar.

"And now Odin?!" A Frost Jötunn screamed with fright.

With a loud snarl, Odin conjured his mighty spear, Gungnir, and slammed it to the ground. From his spear, the Asgardian king unleashed a powerful wave that cleansed the entire area of the invaders in one blow. Removing his spear, Odin spat on the burned remains of the invaders.

Víðarr clapped. "Well done, father, but Thor and I were…"

As he whipped around, Odin shot a piercing gaze at his two sons. "Thou were too busy playing with them instead of simply finishing them off!" He gritted his teeth hard while angrily chastising his sons.

"Father, listen…" Before Thor could finish, Odin hit him with a glare, quickly silencing the god of thunder.

"Thou wonder why I hast retained the throne for so long? Because neither are ready. Thou are still children and not yet ready to take on the responsibilities required to be king!" The Allfather shook his head and sighed with a tone of frustration. "Tell the armies to clean this area up of these carcasses. After that, meet me in my chamber."

Thor and Víðarr both bowed to him. "Yes, father."

xxxxx

Asgard/Valaskjálf

Shortly after, Thor and Víðarr met with Allfather in his royal chamber. Allfather glared at them in his golden throne, Hliðskjálf. He had Gungnir situated next to the left side to his throne.

Standing to Odin's left is a tall, slender man, appearing 5'11, garbed in black body armor and a purple and yellow cape. He wore a golden helmet with horns. He had green eyes and neck length dark red hair just like Thor's. He had a dark red mustache.

"Oh, what hast thou done this time, Thor and Víðarr?" The tall, slender man addressed the brothers.

"I will handle them, Loki," Odin insisted.

"As thou wish, brother," Loki bowed and stepped aside to give Odin room.

"Thor and Víðarr, thou need to get more serious in these critical times. Asgard is being attacked by various forces from the Nine Realms." Odin lectured his sons.

"As thou sayeth, father, but Víðarr and I shouldst continue to lead the forces against the outsiders from Jötunheim and Svartalfheim."

"Thor is right, father. These Jötnar and Dwarven armies art just the first wave. Even Elves from Alfheim art directly attacking us!"

Odin shouted. "No! Thou two hadst thy chance. Thou shalt will be given assistance and they will make sure thou art kept in line."

"Who would thou need to summon to help us?" Thor queried to Allfather.

"Heimdallr, let them in now." Odin then glanced over to a tall russet-skinned man, standing 6'3, garbed in golden upper body armor, silver wrist gauntlets, gray loincloth over his legs and thigh length golden armored boots. His known features are his golden eyes and long tyrian purple hair.

"Yes, Allfather," Heimdallr obediently answered and opened the chamber doors.

Everyone in chamber the quarters heard the sound of clicking footsteps. As the footsteps came closer, the clicking became louder and the clattering of armor was heard. A heeled foot was seen tapping the floor.

Thor gaped in shock. "Them? Thou summoned them, father?"

Nine armored women entered Odin's quarters and confronted the Allfather's sons.

"So, he hath summoned the Valkyries," Víðarr muttered.

"Well played. This was quite unexpected, brother," Loki smirked, twirling the left side of his mustache.

"There was no other choice," Odin firmly stated. His right eye suspiciously glancing over to one Valkyrie of the nine. "I almost hate thyself having to summon thee, Brynhildr."

The nine Valkyries turned around and faced Odin. All but one bowed to the Allfather and showed him their allegiance. The only one not bowing was Brynhildr, the leader of the Valkyries. In contrast to the men in the room, the fair-skinned young woman was much shorter, standing 5'7. She had black hair in a shoulder length hairstyle coupled with longer strands braided in the back hair center. Her most notable features are her golden eyes. She was garbed in her Valkyrie wardrobe: dark gray full-bodied armor, sans the arms, with golden chainmail underneath, dark gray knee length armored boots, and a silver helmet with white wings.

"Old man, why hast thee called for the Valkyries? To babysit thy stupid sons?!" Brynhildr shouted in a crude and loud tone.

Odin gritted his teeth while maintaining his composure in Brynhildr's presence. "Remember to know thy place."

Brynhildr scoffed. "Whatever. I, Brynhildr the Blood Valkyrie, am here." She forcefully said.

The next Valkyrie rose. She also had fair skin with tinges of red on her flesh, especially around her cheeks. She had neck length blonde hair put into a small ponytail. Her notable features are her bronze eyes. She was the exact height as Brynhildr. Her Valkyrie outfit consisted of moderate layered brown and silver armor, sans the legs; she also wore a light brown loincloth with beige leggings underneath and dark brown knee length boots. She had on elaborate metal embellishments on her upper body armor and boots.

"Please pardon my leader's crude mouth, Allfather," the blonde-haired Valkyrie offered an apology. "I, Sigrún the Radiance Valkyrie, am here to serve thee."

Brynhildr rolled her eyes. "Thou dost not need to apologize for me, Sigrún."

"What? Of course, I do!"

The third Valkyrie stood up. Standing 5'9, she was taller than Brynhildr and Sigrún. Her complexion was slightly paler than the other two, but not so much that it was sickly or snow pale. She had long, straight back length argent-colored hair. She had silver eyes. Her Valkyrie wardrobe comprised silver upper body armor, including elbow length silver armored gloves, coupled with a long white battle dress. She wore silver knee length boots. She wore a silver helmet with silver wings.

"Lord Odin, thou looking well. I, Eir the Healing Valkyrie, look forward to serve thee," Eir bowed to the Allfather.

The Asgardian king nodded as his face briefly conveyed sadness when looking at Eir.

Eir then turned her sights to Víðarr and nodded shamefully. "Oh, what hast thee done, Víðarr? That Allfather hath to summon for me and my colleagues?"

"Brother and I went into war without a proper strategy." Víðarr modestly replied to Eir, who pinched his left cheek.

"Thou shouldst know better, Víðarr. Don't worry we shalt work together."

The next Valkyrie stood. At 5'10, she was one of the tallest of the nine. She was fair-skinned. Her shoulder length hair is a very distinctive strawberry blonde and had assorted braids in the front and back. Her eyes are green. She wore a full-bodied orange and white battle armor, sans the forearms, and golden armored wrist gauntlets. She wore white knee length boots with yellow trim. She wore a white helmet with golden wings. She wore a white cape that had orange trim.

"I, Thrúd the Storm Valkyrie, come as thee requested, Allfather," the tall blonde Valkyrie properly addressed him in a slightly deep tone. She then shifted toward Thor. "Hello, father. Hast thy and uncle been causing problems for grandfather again?"

"Well, I hadst hope thou never find out. Víðarr and I were fighting hard. And then thy grandfather came in and wiped out the invaders."

Thrúd sighed. "So, thou two played around with thy opponents again instead of finishing them off?"

"Yes…"

"Thou know mother will not be pleased to hear this," Thrúd replied.

"I know."

Then, Thrúd walked up and pulled Thor into a tight embrace, surprising even him with her strength. "Nonetheless, it is good to see thee again, father!" Her voice became higher-pitched when her jubilant personality surfaced.

"And thou hast gotten so strong, Thrúd! Sif wouldst be proud!" Thor managed to squeeze out two sentences before Thrúd almost crushed him.

"So sorry, father," Thrúd set Thor down. "I hast gone through intense training during my time as a Valkyrie."

"Yes, I can see that."

The next Valkyrie rose. This Valkyrie stood out as exotic-looking compared to the first ones. She had a light brown complexion. Standing 6'0, she was also undoubtedly the tallest of the Valkyries. Her red hair is a tomboyish short, nearing neck lengths. She had red eyes. Her Valkyrie armor is a revealing ash gray battle armor attire, which showed enough of her skin, including impressive six-pack abdominals built like steel. Adorning her right shoulder is a piece of burgundy sole shoulder armor. She also wore black spiked wrist gauntlets and an ash gray helmet fashioned like a facial mask. Her footwear were burgundy gladiator-styled armored sandals. Her appearance exuded a rare masculine beauty, which made her stand out among her Valkyrie peers.

"I, Göndul the Masculine Valkyrie, am ready to fight for thee, Allfather," the tall, brown-skinned woman addressed in a very deep tone. She sounded almost masculine as her title suggested.

"Likewise," the next Valkyrie chimed in. Göndul turned to see a russet-skinned Valkyrie standing opposite from her.

At 5'10, this Valkyrie neared Göndul's height and was equal to Thrúd. Her lavender hair stood out among her Valkyrie peers. She had her long back length hair styled in princess curls, giving herself a regal appearance. She had baby blue eyes. She wore purple lip gloss. Her Valkyrie attire comprised of a moderate layered azure armor, sans the forearms and legs, coupled with a white gown underneath the armor. She had on a turquoise battle dress and knee length azure boots. Her helmet was azure and fashioned like a crown with turquoise wings on the sides. In contrast to Göndul, this Valkyrie had a royal and feminine appearance as if she had come from another land far away.

"I, Skögul the Feminine Valkyrie, whose beauty surpasses Freyja hast returned to serve thee, Allfather," the lip gloss-wearing, russet-skinned woman respectfully bowed to Odin. Her tone exuded royalty and haughtiness.

"Yes, thou hast remained inseparable despite the rising conflicts," Odin noticed Göndul and Skögul holding hands.

"Of course," the two Valkyries responded in unison.

Skögul turned to notice Heimdallr. "Oh, I barely noticed thee, father. How is my modest-looking sister, Geirskögul, doing these days?"

"Thou look more beautiful than before, Skögul. Geirskögul will be happy to see thee."

"Yes, yes, as thou sayeth. I am sure she misses me, but I rather not be put off by her mediocrity." Skögul turned her back to Heimdallr and twirled a princess curl with her finger. "Not when I can spend time with my beautiful Göndul." She walked over and threw her arms over the tall masculine woman.

Having witnessed this, some of the others in the chamber were put off by Skögul's arrogant behavior and shoddy treatment of her family.

Víðarr whispered to Eir. "Dost not tell me thou hast to put up with their haughty behavior?"

Eir nodded. "As beautiful as their relationship is, these two still hast not changed their haughty and petty behaviors."

Thrúd scoffed. "And that is what turns me off about them. They treat the rest of us like rubbish."

Sigrún added her displeasure of the two. "Yes, and I wish those two would stop calling me a Gulon. Such a demeaning name."

Brynhildr added. "As much as I abhor them, their strengths hast won us battles."

The next Valkyrie rose. In contrast to Thrúd and the lesbian couple, this one was a munchkin in comparison. She stood a modest 5'3. She had light fair skin. Her jade hair was straight and shoulder length and currently worn in a ponytail. Her eyes are amber. Her Valkyrie garb comprised of a moderate green layered armor with a silver chainmail undergarment. She wore knee length violet battle dress and ankle length green boots. Her battle helmet was fashioned like a crown and lacked wings.

"Lord Odin… I, Mist the Shroud Valkyrie, humbly serve thee," the young Valkyrie meekly addressed him out of respect and fear.

"What art thee so afraid of, Mist? He is a mere old man past his prime. Go ahead and tell him how thee really feel!" Brynhildr rolled her eyes.

Mist walked away, not giving Brynhildr a glance. "Please dost not talk down to Allfather like that."

"Why not? Fukka him. He needs me more than I need him! When his sons cause problems, he calls for me to straighten things out!"

Mist sighed. "Just stop giving him problems. He might finally be beyond the breaking point."

"Like I need a flat-chested brat to tell me that."

Hearing this, Mist's face contorted with annoyance and her cheeks blushed from embarrassment. In fact, Mist was already covering her chest despite them already covered under armor.

The last two Valkyries bowed before Odin.

On the left is a fair-skinned woman with neck length auburn hair and vermilion eyes. She wore a black cloak often worn by rangers and utilized for stealth missions. Under the cloak, she wore very light red armor with black chainmail underneath, a red battle dress with black leggings, and shin length brown boots.

"I, Ölrún the Huntress Valkyrie, am present and accounted for."

On the right is a beige-skinned woman with shoulder-length wavy navy blue hair and cream eyes. She wore revealing cyan battle armor coupled with a see through white veil that covered some sections of her body. She also has on a short cyan battle dress and shin length silver armored sandals.

"And I, Geirdriful the Thread Valkyrie, am ready to fight for thee, Allfather."

With all nine Valkyries present, Odin got up from his throne and raised a hand.

"My Valkyries, I bequeath thee to take my sons and Loki into battle."

Hearing this, Loki turned to his brother. "Pardon? Thou send me into battle?"

"It is time to pull thy weight around here, Loki. Unless thou hast any objections?" Odin replied in an angered tone.

"N-No, of course not, brother."

"Sending us out already? Art there more invaders?" Eir asked the Allfather.

"No, worse," Odin answered.

With that, they heard thunderous explosions emanate outside. Then, the explosions were accompanied by an unearthly series of monstrous roars.

"No, but that is…" Before Thor could finish, Brynhildr interjected.

"Yes, the Great Drekar are here! Let us fight and slay them once and for all!" Brynhildr yelled out. Her lust for a bloody war exuded from the maniacal grin she now wore.

"Then, go and end them now!" Odin bellowed out his command.

"Yes, here we come, thee three behemoths! " Brynhildr laughed maniacally. "Thou days of rampage and bloodshed are over!"

xxxxx

The Third Generation Valkyries are an interesting assembly of nine. Despite being an effective team, their personalities gelled as well as water and oil. With the exceptions of Sigrún, Eir, and Thrúd; the other Valkyries were a mix of bloodlust (Brynhildr), narcissism (Göndul and Skögul), grandiloquent pettiness, insecurity (Mist), and even hints of racism (namely Göndul and Skögul's treatment of Sigrún). How these Valkyries have managed to maintain a stabilized unit has been nothing short of a miracle, but Brynhildr, Sigrún, and Eir have managed to keep them together. Arguably, Sigrún is the heart of the team that keeps them together.

In comparison, their predecessors fought together harmoniously and enjoyed healthier companionships. The first two generations lived and defended Asgard during its Golden Age. Unlike the Third Generation, the First and Second Generations fought a common foe: Grímhildr the Unmoralisch. When Grímhildr was finally slain, there was much to celebrate, but it was a sign that Asgard's Golden Age was over. After the Second Generation went their separate ways, Asgard fell into decadence.

The First Generation comprised of Frigg the White Valkyrie, Sváfa the Light Valkyrie, Freyja the Love Valkyrie, Hel the Underworld Valkyrie, Skaði the Frost Valkyrie, Vör the Beast-tamer Valkyrie, and Jörð the Earthshaker Valkyrie.

Starting with the First Generation, Frigg led her Valkyries to not only send the Einherjar to Valhalla, but participated in various conflicts, especially a series of battles against Grímhildr and her forces.

As Grímhildr's armies increased, Frigg and her maidens couldn't win alone. They required new Valkyries to help them. This is where the Second Generation came into play.

The Second Generation comprised of Sigrdrífa the Blade Valkyrie, Reginleif the Shield Valkyrie, Róta the Sleet Valkyrie, Herfjötur the Blacksmith Valkyrie, and Skalmöld the Trapmaker Valkyrie. They were also known as the Valkyrie Fimm.

These five young maidens were recruited based on their skills and elemental attributes. Unlike their predecessors and especially their successors, these five maidens were idealistic and progressive-minded individuals. They weren't tainted by the cynicism and pettiness that had taken over Asgard.

To combat the Valkyrie Fimm, Grímhildr summoned her Völva Fimm, a group of five witches, to contend with them. She also acquired the services of Andvari.

In the final battle against Grímhildr, the First Generation and the Valkyrie Fimm fought with every ounce of strength they could give. As the Valkyrie Fimm destroyed the Völva Fimm, Frigg and Sigrdrífa fought Grímhildr. When Grímhildr went for a killing blow to Sigrdrífa, Frigg threw herself in front of Grímhildr's intended attack and sacrificed herself. As Frigg died in her arms, Sigrdrífa dealt a critical blow to Grímhildr and with Odin's aid vanquished the Unmoralisch. Sváfa, too, lost her life in the battle.

Shortly after, Asgard paid their respects to the fallen, including Frigg and Sváfa. The First Generation Valkyries lost two of their own. With Grímhildr slain, the Valkyrie Frimm decided to retire, settle down, and go their separate ways. Sigrdrífa worked closely with Odin for a time, even as much as allowing her to classify the World Tree as the Tenth Realm and renaming the Níu Heimar (the Nine Realms/Homeworlds) to the Tíu Heimar (the Ten Realms/Homeworlds). The natives of the World Tree, the Homo Yggr, were pleased with Sigrdrífa's decision to grant them equal sovereignty in relation to the other Nine Realms.

Unfortunately, the passing of Frigg weighed heavily on Odin's heart. It was one of the factors that changed his outlook on life, causing him to become more dismissive, petulant, and tyrannical in his ways. This led stagnation for Asgard. He couldn't make peace with his wife's death. Seeing the writing on the wall, Sigrdrífa was unable to placate her king. His mental condition worsened with age. Arguments between them became more frequent. She peacefully resigned from being Odin's advisor and she gave him some parting words.

"For thy sake and the future of Asgard, please allow someone who can progress and restore this kingdom out of the decadence it will eventually fall into."

Upon reflecting Sigrdrífa's parting words, Odin took her advice to heart, but his unwillingness to pass his seat to a suitable successor showed how far out of touch he had become.

The former Valkyrie Frimm not only moved on, but they each found love interests and birthed children. Five of these children would later become half of the Third Generation Valkyrie. Sigrdrífa married a king named Buðli as they birthed Brynhildr. Reginleif married Högne and they birthed Sigrún. Róta married Alf and they birthed Mist. Herfjötur married Kjárr and they birthed Ölrún. Skalmöld married Hermóðr and they birthed Geirdriful.

Of these five, Sigrdrífa died as a result of childbirth. The news had struck Odin with grief. He had lost someone he considered a friend. Despite their disagreements, he had been respectful and forgiving of Sigrdrífa. Likewise, she never showed him contempt. As the last light in his life died, so too did Odin's compassion. He shifted his anger toward the one responsible for Sigrdrífa's passing: Brynhildr.

Before her passing, Sigrdrífa married Buðli, a king who had been a bloodlusted warrior in his youth. This was a trait that passed over to Brynhildr. In addition, prior to her untimely death, Sigrdrífa's Valkyrie powers passed over to Brynhildr. Between becoming a Valkyrie and inheriting her father's crude bloodlust, Brynhildr became too violent and dangerous to contain. Her bloodlusted behavior scared off any potential suitors. One day after violently attacking and killing a castle servant, she was handed off to Odin to facilitate her rage. Hesitant to take in the temperamental adolescent, Odin vowed not to be as forgiving and observed her training.

Once she became the leader of the Third Generation Valkyries, Brynhildr's arrogance knew no limits, causing a heated rivalry between her and Odin. Bynhildr enjoyed antagonizing him every chance she got. Because of this, Odin refused to acknowledge Brynhildr as Sigrdrífa's daughter, but instead a monster with no moral conscience.

Although, this wasn't quite true as Brynhildr found some companionship with Sigrún, seemingly reigniting a friendship their mothers had. Odin would then confirm Sigrún is Sváfa's reincarnation.

Additionally, before Brynhildr joined Asgard, Eir came to Odin to become a Valkyrie. The Allfather immediately recognized her to be Frigg's reincarnation, but kept that revelation to himself. He granted Eir permission to train and later recruit the Third Generation Valkyries. And once acknowledging that his reincarnated wife came to him, he accepted they couldn't be together and encouraged his son, Víðarr, to get engaged with Eir and keep her in good company in his place.

Through three Valkyrie Generations, Asgard had seen the heights of its Golden Years and later succumbed to a great decline leading to its current stagnant period.

However, a great change was forthcoming.

xxxxx

Asgard

Like a natural disaster hitting an unsuspecting civilization, the Great Drekar struck with an unbridled force. If the invading forces hadn't brought enough destruction, then three unearthly behemoths will certainly carve a path of devastation to Asgard.

The ungodly roars of the three monsters shook the foundations of their surroundings. Rooftops were blown off. Homes were crushed and left in ruins. Flames spewing forth from the gullets of these beasts burned homes and facilities to the ground. Sections of the cityscape started to resemble a hellscape. Asgardian civilians fled, but a countless number were killed during the Great Drekar's assault.

The timing of their attack was suspicious as they came not long after the invaders assaulted Asgard. These were the thoughts running through the Valkyries, Thor, Víðarr, and Loki's heads.

When they arrived, they sighted the three abominations ravaging the Asgardian city.

"So, the Great Drekar hast decided to follow suit and attack us during our down period," Víðarr muttered. Seeing the destruction left in the wake of their attack incited him with fury.

"Zmey Snakô, Rüstung Wyrm, and Gehörnt Wivern," Loki referred to the Great Drekar's names with familiarity. "Thou hast gotten bigger the last I saw thee! Such growing boys! Thy father wouldst be proud of thee!"

Thor turned to Loki. "Yes, the World Snake is thy son. And these wouldst be thy grandchildren."

"Correct, and they art being naughty grandchildren."

Brynhildr scowled. "How about we go down and punish them by carving out their flesh while they still breath?!" She took out her blood-stained broadsword that hadn't been polished after the last victim she brutally killed.

"Yes, I must concur with Brynhildr. Let us hurry and slay these beasts before they bring more destruction to Asgard," Eir said, readying her staff for battle.

When the sound of thunder clapped, Thor raised his hand. A bolt of lightning blasted his hand as Mjölnir produced within his grasp. He pointed Mjölnir forward and took off flying into the cityscape. The Valkyries, Víðarr, and Loki followed.

xxxxx

The first of the Great Drekar, Zmey Snakô, casually crawled through scores of homes. Zmey was covered in Chartreuse Green with purple stripes. Zmey stood 115 feet in height and had a 253 feet length. He possessed no arms and legs, but had wing-like fins. However, even with these fins, Zmey was incapable of flight. The behemoth had three heads with three straight floral white horns on each side of his heads, totalling six on each head and totalling eighteen for all three heads. He lacked any spikes on his back for defense. All three heads had the same snake-like appearance. Yes, snake-like rather than draconian. The amber eyes on all three heads resembled serpents. When all three mouths opened, Zmey bared his snake fangs while lacking carnivorous teeth and a long forked tongue. Zmey's roars sounded like a cross between a hissing snake's vocals and a screeching bellow.

"That is quite enough, Zmey!" Loki called out, drawing the three-headed Dreki.

Hearing his grandfather's call, Zmey turned his attention toward the party of Brynhildr, Skögul, Mist, and Loki. The three-headed Dreki towered over the Asgardians and bared all three sets of his snake fangs, hissing loudly.

"Thy grandson hast no manners, Loki," Skögul remarked, put off by Zmey's approach.

"Indeed, he can be very moody. I wouldst not apologize for his behavior since he picked up his father's bad habits."

Brandishing her broadsword, Brynhildr snarled. "Enough of this! Let us skewer this, bikkje!"

"Hold on!" Loki insisted as he confronted Zmey. "Zmey, listen to me. This is thy grandfather speaking! Will thou and thy brothers kindly leave? Thou hadst enough fun. Why hast thee come to destroy Asgard?"

Zmey responded by shooting his middle head past Loki and straight for Brynhildr. The Blood Valkyrie quickly responded by slicing the side of Zmey's middle head. Her broadsword carved through his cheek and drew first blood.

"Drats," Loki muttered.

"Heheheh, yes! WE WILL CARVE AT THEE! AND BATH IN THY BLOOD!" Brynhildr bellowed happily with a maniacal grin on her bloodily drenched face.

"Ugh, so unsanitary, Brynhildr," Skögul sighed as Zmey quickly advanced on them. Zmey's left head snapped forward and tried ensnaring the Feminine Valkyrie. She quickly responded by summoning bubbles from her hands, surrounding herself and her allies for defense. Making good use of her Aqua Protection, Skögul deflected Zmey's head attack like a barrier. "Quickly, Brynhildr, Loki, and Mist, my Aqua Protection defense spell will not last!"

Mist flew into the air and summoned her two seax. She tossed both at the eyes of the left head. One managed to pierce the left eye, but Zmey turned his head to protect his right eye. The left head snapped up to engulf the Shroud Valkyrie. Unable to react in time, Mist became petrified. Brynhildr intercepted Zmey's left head and shoved her broadsword through the beast's throat. Driving the blade deeper, a rain of blood poured over Brynhildr, causing Mist to get squeamish.

"What the Hel art thou doing?! Thou hast to fight like thy life depends on it!" Brynhildr chastised the Shroud Valkyrie.

"B-But, I hast never fought behemoths such as these!" Mist cried out.

"Consider today to be thy lucky day! Now help me or cower in fear like a fukka coward!"

Watching Brynhildr tearing open the throat flap of Zmey's left head, Mist trembled in fear. When recollecting herself, Mist clenched her fists. She opened her hands and conjured a jade green cloud that spread over Zmey's left head. Zmey's left head got caught by Mist's Njörðr's Tempest. Brynhildr watched the young Valkyrie immobilize the creature's perception. Brynhildr and Mist beckoned to each other to attack, which they did. The Blood and Shroud Valkyries hastily struck Zmey's left head. Mist reproduced another seax and threw it at his right eye. Brynhildr quickly brought down her broadsword over the left head and beheaded it. The headless stump gushed out blood and collapsed while violently convulsing.

"See?! I knew thou hadst some fight in thee!" Brynhildr's bloodied face grinned.

"I suppose I do…" Mist sighed, seemingly overcoming her fears.

"A little help!" Loki called out as he cast a projection of himself to confuse Zmey's right head, but the Dreki's perception figured out his grandfather's scent. The right head snapped at Loki, but the trickster sidestepped the beast's fangs and tossed a knife imbued with orange light. The magic-infused knife exploded like a grenade and knocked the right head back. "Don't test thy grandfather, Zmey!"

As the right head raised its half-burned face, Skögul readied magic circles shaped like whirlpools. The Dreki's right head snapped at the Feminine Valkyrie, but Skögul defended against his fang attack with her magic circles. She hovered into the air and lured the right head away from the middle head. The right head cautiously followed Skögul and waited for her to drop her defenses. Realizing repeating the same tactics won't work, the Feminine Valkyrie opted to go on the offense. She powered down her bubbles and beckoned the right head to attack. Not one to turn down an invite to strike, the right head shot at Skögul. She quickly flew to the left side, but the right head curled around and opened his mouth to swallow her.

Skögul smiled frigidly and raised both hands, magically amassing a globe of water above her. She then caused the globe to explode and summoned a tidal wave. Her Waves of Rán collided with the right head and knocked it down. She didn't stop there as she blew a freezing breath. Having drenched the right head, Skögul used her Breath of the Sea to freeze the right head into solid ice. She swiftly flew down and kicked the frozen head, shattering it and the Dreki's right head into pieces.

"Two heads down, one left to go," Skögul observed Brynhildr, Mist, and Loki fighting off Zmey's middle head. "Perhaps I shouldst lend them support?" She twirled one of her princess curls and scoffed in a haughty manner. "No, I rather not get drenched in foul Dreki blood."

Shoving her broadsword into Zmey's forehead, Brynhildr opened up a big wound. The middle head swung his head back, taking Brynhildr with him. He shook Brynhildr around, but the Blood Valkyrie held on. Mist summoned her Celadon Wind, a wind-like mist, that struck the middle head. The magic from this mist paralyzed Zmey's middle head.

"Nicely done, Mist!" Loki cheered her. "Zmey, art thou going to surrender now?! Because I rather not see thee die here!"

Zmey screeched loudly as if rebuking toward the trickster. Loki shook his head.

"Then, thou leave me no choice, Zmey," Loki took out a dagger to kill the Dreki with.

However, Brynhildr had other ideas as her eyes glowed red. She invoked her Rage of the Valkyrie and shoved her broadsword through Zmey's middle head. She then turned her sword upward and hacked half of its face off. She rolled out and was covered in Zmey's blood.

"How uncouth thou art, Brynhildr," Skögul made a disgusted look. "How can thou stand drenching thyself in blood like a savage beast?"

Ignoring Skögul's disparaging remark, Brynhildr wiped the Dreki's blood from her face.

"Yes, well it hadst to be done," Loki sighed as he stared over Zmey's corpse.

"Hey," Brynhildr addressed Mist, who turned to face her. "Thou art not the spineless coward I thought thee art."

Mist responded, turning away ever slightly. "I am no coward."

Brynhildr spat on the ground. "Anyway, I am ready for more! Art the others done yet?!"

The group heard the bellows of the other two Great Drekar emanating from far-off opposite directions.

xxxxx

The second Dreki, Rüstung Wyrm, was caught in a heated battle to the death with Sigrún, Thrúd, Geirdriful, and Thor. This Dreki had a Cardinal red scaly body. The Dreki had a Davy's gray armor plating and body design akin to an Ankylosaurus. His head and face had onyx horns, including two horns on the crown of his head and a third on his nose like a Diabloceratops. Upon the frill he had were a pair of very long bony horns. He had a ceratopsian beak with sharp teeth. He had yellow eyes. This armored four-legged wingless dragon was 123 feet tall and had a body length at 153 feet.

When Wyrm shook off his four opponents, he let out a deep and ambiently deep bellows. As Thor flew at the horned Dreki, Wyrm made a defensive stance and snorted, deeply roaring. Wyrm charged and collided with Thor. Thor grabbed Wyrm's left front horn and pummeled him with several blows with Mjölnir. Dazed from Thor's hammer blows, Wyrm walked right into Thrúd's battle axe. The Storm Valkyrie's battle axe chopped off the left horn.

"Come at me, ya big bruiser baby!" Thrúd beckoned Wyrm to charge at her.

Wyrm invited himself into attacking Thor's daughter. Thor amassed a lightning bolt from Mjölnir and blasted the side of Wyrm's body. However, Wyrm used his back armor to stop Thor's blast. Thrúd tossed her battle axe at Wyrm, who smacked it away with his other horn. Wyrm continued charging at the strawberry blonde-haired warrior. Thrúd quickly soared into the air and magically recalled the battle axe to her hand.

"Thrúd, keep thy distance until I gave thee some of Mjölnir's power!" Thor called to his daughter, who nodded and stayed stationary in mid-air.

Sigrún and Geirdriful provided distraction for the horned Dreki. Sigrún had her spear and shield ready. Wyrm charged her way ready to stampede over her. The shieldmaiden quickly swerved away and flew into the air. She struck Wyrm's neck with her spear, inflicting a damaging wound. The Radiance Valkyrie then unleashed a flash of radiant light, blinding Wyrm's optical senses. Having used her Sváfa's Radiance, Sigrún allowed for the others to get their hits in.

Geirdriful produced her flail, which she used to sprout threads from the spikes. She swung her flail around, which extended the threads. From these threads, the spikes pierced into Wyrm's unguarded legs. She then ensnared two of Wyrm's legs: the front left and rear right. She manipulated the strings cutting abilities and sliced off Wyrm's front left, causing the Dreki to collapse at the front.

"Nicely done, Geirdriful!" Sigrún happily cheered her colleague.

Geirdriful paid little mind to the Radiance Valkyrie. The Thread Valkyrie aimed to twisted off Wyrm's rear right leg, but the Dreki got up and started spinning around. Geirdriful found herself being spun around and tossed a few hundred feet away.

"Geirdriful!" Sigrún cried out.

Thor dove in fast enough to catch the Thread Valkyrie.

"I got thee, maiden."

"Thank thee, Thor," the Thread Valkyrie replied.

"This Dreki's been wounded, but we must finish him," Thor then raised his hammer and a lightning bolt struck the ground near Zmey, knocking the beast over on its body. He produced yet another lightning bolt. "Daughter, art thou ready?!"

"Charge me up!" Thrúd called out.

With that, Thor tossed the lightning he amassed from Mjölnir at Thrúd. The Storm Valkyrie used her own body and battle axe like a lightning rod. Upon absorbing Mjölnir's power, Thrúd became imbued in an electrical aura. She swooped down and swung her battle axe, sending a devastating lightning ball that struck the Dreki's unprotected underbelly. After unleashing Ber-serkr Ball, the Storm Valkyrie quickly swooped down and blasted a hole through Wyrm's chest with a massive lightning bolt. Thrúd's Mjölnir's Strike seemingly finished Wyrm off.

"Well done, my daughter!" Thor proudly cheered on Thrúd.

"Thrúd! Behind thee!" Sigrún called out as Wyrm got up blinded with fury.

The horned Dreki charged toward Thrúd. Thor and Geirdriful flew over to stop Wyrm, but Sigrún stepped in Thrúd's path and invoked her innate ability to briefly enhance her speed. She grabbed Thrúd and pulled her away from Wyrm's path. Sigrún made use of Will of Hundingsbane, which she learned to make up for her lack of elemental-based abilities.

Angered that his daughter was nearly crushed, Thor swung Mjölnir and cracked the Dreki's beak. Thrúd then joined in with her father as they crossed their weapons together. Father and daughter finished off Wyrm with double the Mjölnir's Strike. The charged lightning blast collided and punched a hole through Wyrm's head. Wyrm finally collapsed and died in a heap of his own blood.

"Great Odin, am glad thou art ok, my daughter!"

"Yes, but thou shouldst thank Sigrún, father," Thrúd motioned over to the Radiance Valkyrie. "She saved my life and I am indebted to her."

Thor nodded to Sigrún. "Thank thee."

Sigrún smiled. "Of course."

xxxxx

The third Dreki, Gehörnt Wivern, was fiercely engaging Eir, Göndul, Ölrún, and Víðarr in a survival battle. Unlike the other two Great Drekar, Wivern was an aerial beast like a pterosaur. He soared high above his four adversaries. This Dreki had a Spanish gray scaly body with a Glaucous underbelly. His eyes are red. He has a single long crest on the back of his head and a moderate length neck. He has a beak filled with sharp teeth. As he landed massive heap of debris, the Dreki postured himself upright with a height of 106 feet tall and a 140 inch length. His wingspan was 220 inches.

"So, any ideas, maidens?" Víðarr queried to the three Valkyries.

"I suggest we clip his wings and keep the fight ground based," Eir stated.

"Let me take out his wings," Ölrún offered as she took out four runic arrows.

Flapping his wings, Wivern let out high-pitched bellows as a defensive call. The power from his wing flaps sent the four flying back. Wivern stopped flapping his wings and flew into the air. The sound of his flight was akin to an air jet. He generated a sonic boom that wiped out houses in his path.

Víðarr stood up and growled. "This beast toys with us! Let us finish this, maidens!"

Eir readied her staff. Göndul put on fighting gloves. Ölrún armed a bow with a runic arrow. Víðarr took on a battle stance with energy flowing through his body.

"Here he comes back around!" Göndul directed the party's gaze to Wivern swerving around and preparing for a divebomb.

As Wivern dove to grab one of them, the four warriors moved away. Eir fired an ethereal beam from her staff, which caused a tree to pop out from the ground. It only briefly held Wivern back as the Dreki crashed through it. Gliding backward and luring Wivern toward her, Eir continued conjuring giant tree stems to slow down Wivern. Upon slowing the Dreki, Eir's staff fired a beam into Wivern's chest. Wivern let out a pained bellow and lunged for the Healing Valkyrie. Eir conjured a magic shield to hold Wivern back.

"Eir!" Víðarr yelled as he sprinted steadfast across several rooftops. Using his own running momentum, Víðarr jumped and launched himself onto Wivern. He then unleashed a flurry of fast punches, unleashing enough force to tear through the skin of Wivern's left wing.

Wivern screeched and turned his sights on Víðarr, who punched the behemoth's leg. While this didn't have anywhere near the potency to break the Dreki's leg, it momentarily paralyzed it and made Wivern a sitting Wivern.

"I hast stunned him. Go for it, Göndul!" Víðarr shouted.

Suddenly, the earth started to shake around Wivern. The Dreki saw Göndul planting her feet to the ground and creating the earthquakes by manipulating the earth. She executed Jörð's Earthshaker, a technique passed to her by Jörð the Earthshaker Valkyrie from the First Generation. With some hand motions, the Masculine Valkyrie gathered rubble. She amassed this rubble into three giant boulders.

She jumped up and kicked the first boulder, which collided with Wivern. She kicked and battered him with the second bouder. For good measure, she landed a powerful roundhouse kick and sent the third boulder into Wivern's head. This managed to daze the Dreki, allowing Ölrún to spring out of nowhere and fire a flurry of arrows. Her Agilaz's Volley quickly exploded with flames and pierced all over Wivern's body. Flames spread all over and burned Wivern's chest. However, the Huntress Valkyrie wasn't done yet as she fired one specialized arrow imbued with immense magical properties. She aimed for Wivern's other wing, but the Dreki's paralyzed leg was able to move.

Wivern flapped his one good wing and knocked Ölrún back. Göndul managed to earthbend a rock barrier, protecting her from Wivern's wing attack.

Víðarr called Eir to fly him over Wivern. As the Healing Valkyrie swooped in and carried him over Wivern, Víðarr let go and dropped on the Dreki's back. He climbed up on Wivern's left side and dug his fingers into the Dreki's good wing side. He located and tampered with the Dreki's pressure points, paralyzing the ability to move his wing.

"That shouldst do it!" Víðarr yelled as Wivern turned his head and snapped at him. His beak managed to stab Víðarr's left eg.

"Víðarr!" Eir wailed as she blasted Wivern's face with a beam from her staff. She quickly collected Víðarr.

"Thou art finished now!" Göndul fiercely yelled. She dashed forward at quick speeds and unloaded a barrage of punches. Her gloved fists' hardened like steel as her blows became faster and devastating. She then hit and broke off the Wivern's bottom jaw beak with a kick from a backflip. She then landed a roundhouse kick to the side of Wivern's head.

After pummeling Wivern with her Rocky Beat Rush, Ölrún fired her specialized arrow, Crippling Shot, as it pierced through Wivern's chest. It did more than just cripple the Dreki, but destroyed his heart. Blood exploded from Wivern's chest. He collapsed and fell dead.

"And it is done," the Huntress Valkyrie said, kneeling down to catch her breath.

Eir set Víðarr down and started healing him.

"It will be ok, Víðarr. Just stay still," Eir kindly said as her healing closed the wound on Víðarr's leg. "Dost not worry. I shalt heal the rest of thee." She then felt Víðarr hold her hand.

"Thank thee, Eir. Thou come through for me when I need it most."

The Healing Valkyrie genuinely smiled to him. "Thou need not thank me."

Göndul placed a foot on Wivern's head. "So, what shalt we do now? The Great Drekar art no more."

Eir sighed. "Well, I know Loki is not happy with this."

Víðarr added. "He knew there was no choice. They hadst to be put down for attacking Asgard."

Just then, the other parties arrived to meet with Víðarr's group.

"These sections of Asgard hast been ravaged, but fortunately most of the citizens fled," Thor reported. "Sadly the same can not be said for the ones lost."

Brynhildr licked her lips. "Can we just devour them? I am hungry!"

Loki became appalled by this. "What?! Art thou mad?! They may be monsters, but they art my grandchildren! Someone talk some sense into her…!"

Thrúd raised a hand. "Sounds like a good idea. Father, we shouldst make a feast out of them!"

Thor laughed. "Now, that is the spirit! Let us invite Asgardians and Einherjar to join us for a celebratory feast in Valhalla!"

Brynhildr declared. "I shalt devour the three-headed one!"

Göndul shrugged. "Eat Dreki meat? I thinkest not."

As half of the group were in merry spirits over the big feast, a few, namely Eir, Víðarr, Göndul, and Skögul, were not thrilled with devouring tainted Dreki flesh. Loki hysterically sobbed as he placed his hand on Wivern's carcass.

"Forgive me, my grandchildren. I vow to not eat thy flesh!"

Brynhildr slapped Loki's back. "Come on, quit crying and be fukka merry!"

"Leave me alone!"

xxxxx

Asgard/Valhalla

After the battle with the Great Drekar, the Asgardians and the Einherjar had a celebration party and feast in the majestic halls of Valhalla. They kicked off their celebratory feast by devouring Sæhrímnir, a large boar that's killed nearly every night for the Æsir and Einherjar alike. Andhrímnir, the humble and loyal chef for the Æsir and Einherjar, killed the boar and fed it to them. He also produced the Æsir's mead from the milk of Læraðr's Capra. The remains of the Great Drekar were cooked and placed next to Sæhrímnir along with other food and drinks.

"Thou hast done well to slay the Great Drekar and provide their meat for us to feast on!" The Allfather hailed and praised the efforts of his subjects.

"Now let us drink, feast and be merry!" An overly enthused Thor declared, lifting a mug full of mead. He sat beside his two goats: Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr. The two goats had matching white fur with peach and beige spectacled markings. They have yellow eyes. They stood 3'2 in height and 5'7 in length. Also sitting beside the Thunder God was his horse Gullfaxi, a peach-furred equine with bronze eyes and a golden mane. The horse was a decent 6'5 in height and 8'5 in length.

As the goats bleated to the Thunder God, Thor openly grinned and patted their sides.

"Hahah, not to worry, Magni and Móði. Thou shalt not go without fulfilling thy purpose," Thor eyed his goats hungrily. Then, he lifted his hammer, bashing them both in their skulls with it. After killing the goats, he had them cooked by Andhrímnir. The cook returned with goat meat for Thor, who then disgustingly devoured the two goats. He grinded off the meat from the ribs of the goats. As he ate merrily, his lips were covered with sickly meat bits and blood.

The putrid smell of the Drekar meat bothered the trickster, who eyed his colleagues eating his grandsons. He pivoted over to Thor and sighed in disgust.

"Thor, thou realize thee eating thy two sons?" Loki reminded the hungry Thunder God, who responded with a hearty laugh.

"Yes, but not to worry, they will be revived good as new after this feast is done."

Loki mumbled. "I can only imagine how poor Magni and Móði feels after being devoured by their own father."

Just then, Brynhildr shoved some of Wivern's meat in the trickster's face.

"Hey, Loki! Shut up and fukka eat!"

"Ah! Dost not tell me that is…!" Loki quickly flinched and beckoned her away.

"Yeah, one of thy grandsons."

"No, I refuse!" Loki refused to accept Brynhildr's offer.

"Hn, thy fukka loss then! More for me!" Brynhildr then ravenously bit into the burned meat of the slain Dreki and devoured him like a hungry beast. As she bit off fleshy chunks from the Dreki's bone, the Blood Valkyrie's face was soaked in meat juice and slob.

Most of the other Asgardian and Einherjar present showed lack of table manners. Not only were their manners appalling, but they made complete slobs out of themselves. They consumed the meat like pigs and drank the mead until the wells were dry. Out of the few that maintained their table manners include Víðarr, Eir, Göndul, and Skögul. The latter two lesbians refused to be seen devouring tainted meat like the Dreki in front of their peers, instead choosing to eat other food beautifully.

By devouring the Great Drekar, the Asgardians and Einherjar are eating the World Snake's children, which perturbed Loki.

"Consider this retribution for the World Snake making a pay out of thee!" Thor boasted, throwing a piece of Wivern's leg bone away. "Jörmungandr makes a fool of me, I slay one of his own kin!"

Upon hearing this, Loki grumbled. "...and thou celebrate killing his children and my grandchildren. Hast thee no shame?"

"None whatsoever, Loki!" Thor declared.

Thrúd hollered and raised a piece of Wyrm's ribs. "Well said, father! They attacked Asgard with no provocation!"

Brynhildr added. "Fukka yeah! We showed them!"

Víðarr sighed as he ate some bread. "Thou shouldst show manners. Thou hast make thyselves eat like slobs?"

Eir concurred with Víðarr's sentiments. "Even I am losing my appetite."

A few others, while not quite possessing the horrid table manners, simply nimbled their shares of Dreki and boar meat. Mist was one who kept to herself and meekly ate her fill. The other Valkyries like Sigrún, Geirdriful, and Ölrún ate normally while not completely making slobs out of themselves.

Odin, not one to turn down a big feast, sloppily devour huge slabs of Dreki and boar meat. Even his white beard became stained with brown from the animal meat juice and blood. After downing several cups of mead, he reached over for a third helping of Dreki meat, but someone grabbed the piece of meat before he could claim it. He raised his eye level to Brynhildr, who tore the meat away from his grasp.

"Heh, hands off my helping, ya fukken old man! I saw it first!" Brynhildr openly chided Odin. She then taunted him by hanging the piece of meat in front of him. He glared angrily at the Blood Valkyrie and watched her ravenously devour what could've been his meal.

What could've ended up a tense moment was alleviated when Einherjar played relaxing music. The sound of horns, harmonicas, and accordions played merry themes for the Asgardians and Einherjar to dance to. Some started to get up and dance to their heart's content. Odin watched some of his subjects indulge in dancing. Víðarr invited Eir to the dance area. Likewise, Göndul and Skögul gyrated their bodies against the other as other songs were played to their suit musical tastes.

"Hey, wouldst thou care for a dance?" Thrúd offered a hand to Mist, who was taken aback by her colleague's dance offer.

"Oh… sure," Mist meekly nodded and took Thrúd's hand.

The same thing happened when Ölrún offered to dance with Geirdriful. Watching nearly all of her Valkyrie cohorts on the dance floor, Brynhildr had an idea and turned to Sigrún. Sigrún had gotten up to get another glass of mead. She got up and followed her.

Following the jovial and celebratory ceremonies, a hedonistic vibe filled the atmosphere.

Having danced to their heart's content, Víðarr and Eir lovingly held each other. They stared into their eyes and kissed. The lovers walked away from the Valhalla halls. When he carried Eir in his arms, the Healing Valkyrie had an arm around him and locked lips with him.

Göndul and Skögul decided to take their love making approach to their own seclusion. Skögul suggested to her lover to use her Selkie Shrine, which Göndul agreed to. As the two prepared to make their leave, they bumped into Freyja, who had just gotten another cup of mead.

Freyja quickly turned and scoffed. "Oh, it is thee two." She didn't pay them much mind. Freyja the Love Valkyrie was known for her indomitable beauty, which she considered unmatched by any, including her late-sister Frigg. Being one of the First Generation Valkyries, she has since retired from active duty and enjoys self-indulgence in her own secluded temple. She even kept half of the Einherjar to indulge in happy sex with.

The love goddess's presence was exuded by her long back length honey blonde-haired, brown eyes, and her rosy cheeks. The back of her hair had braided knots. Hanging beside the sides of her face are two long braided bangs. She wore a white and gold gown with elaborate designs, including a golden Yggdrasil design embroidered on the gown's center area. Freyja stood an average 5'7 feet tall. She was also barefooted.

"Hey, who dost thou thinkest thee art?!" Göndul snarled as she grabbed Freyja's shoulder and turned her around. "Thou not show us proper respect?"

Freyja scoffed in a haughty manner. "Respect for who? Thou two highfalutin brutish boars?!"

Taking this verbal jab as an insult to her beauty, Skögul walked over and pushed Freyja back. "Who art thou calling us brutish boars? When our beauty far surpasses thine?" She got right into Freyja's face.

As the lesbian Valkyries confronted Freyja, Mist approached to get a cup of mead for herself. She heard the two verbally insult Freyja and joined in.

"Thy beauty days art behind thee, old hag! My feminine beauty far surpasses thine, Love Valkyrie!" Skögul insulted Freyja.

Covering her cheeks, Freyja was not one to hear anyone insult her beauty. When she tried to attack Skögul, Göndul interceded and pushed her back. Freyja then bumped into Mist, who pushed her away.

"Thou still going about thy beauty, Auntie Freyja? Dost thou not get tired of hearing thyself talk?" Mist chimed in, adding her own disparaging remarks at the Love Valkyrie's expense.

"Mist, thou art being a brat to me?! Dost thou want me to tell thy mother, Róta, thou disrespect thy auntie?!" Freyja conveyed an ugly pettiness toward Mist's snide remarks. She then turned to the lesbians. "And I am appalled thou art even half-Vanir. My beauty shouldst hast greatly surpassed thy mediocre appearances!"

Göndul added with an arrogant smirk. "And thou art too old and fragile to try fighting any of us. Myself, my lover, and the pint-sized brat with a flat chest can beat thee in a fight nowadays, old woman."

"Yes indeed…!" Then Mist just realized the Masculine Valkyrie insulted her breast size. "Hey!" Her face reddened as she insecurely covered her chest area. It became painfully clear where Mist got her brattiness and insecure pettiness from.

Twirling a princess curl in her finger, Skögul gave a haughty chortle. "Hahah, yes the brat here can best thee nowadays, but I suppose relaxing in thy secluded temple for so long hath softened thy image that thy powers hast diminished." She got around behind Freyja and whispered in her ear. "Oh, art those wrinkles I see on thee, thy washed up hag?" She licked her glossy lips while saying this disparaging remark.

That disparaging remark was more than enough to set off Freyja's fury like an erupting volcano. Freyja screamed with loud rage that Asgard's halls shook. Her rosy cheeks turned blood red to match the red that covered her face.

"THOU THREE ART GOING TO BURN IN HEL FOR DISRESPECTING MY DIVINE BEAUTY!" Freyja roared as her eyes burned with fury. As she screamed with fury, her voice cracked and deepened as if she had somehow been possessed by a being from Hel's Helheim realm. "BECAUSE I WILL HAPPILY SEND THEE THREE TO MEET WITH MY OLD FRIEND HEL RIGHT NOW! SHE WILL GLADLY TORTURE THEE THREE FOR ETERNITY!"

Göndul, Skögul, and Mist quickly backed away, but it was Mist who scurried away faster than the eye could see. Thor, Loki, and Heimdallr intervened to pull Freyja apart from the lesbian Valkyries, who backed away both chortling. Heimdallr pivoted to his daughter, Skögul, who walked away laughing with her masculine lover.

"LET ME AT THOSE TWO BEASTS! I WILL FLAY THEM DOWN TO THEIR BONES!"

Another individual joined in to help restrain Freyja. It was Thor's wife, Sif, who had long back length golden hair with a bun at the top of her head. Her eyes are hazel. She wore a revealing purple gown with a golden buckle fastened around the waist that held a strap on her right shoulder and leaving her left shoulder bare. She was 5'9 feet tall, giving her two inches height leverage over Freyja, but even she couldn't resist the Love Valkyrie's furious strength overpower her.

Thor tried to console her. "EASY FREYJA! THEY ART RUDE…!" However, he got slapped hard by Freyja.

"DOST NOT THINK I HAST FORGOTTEN THEE DISGUISED AS ME, THOR!"

Hearing this, Loki and a few others broke out into laughter as they recalled Thor disguising himself as Freyja in Jötunheim. As Freyja continued screaming, her necklace, Brísingamen, broke off from her neck. Thor recognized this being the device that allowed him to take on Freyja's appearance. Odin paid little mind to all this ruckus and finished his last mead for the evening.

xxxxx

Asgard/Brynhildr and Sigrún's Quarters

As tension with Freyja cooled, many of the Asgardians and Einherjar left Valhalla in droves, leaving a mess for Andhrímnir to clean up.

In order to relieve from today's battles and having another typical confrontation with Odin, Brynhildr searched for Sigrún. As she arrived near her private quarters, she heard someone walking by and slipped behind a door. She saw Sigrún walking by without a care. Then, a perverted thought crossed the Blood Valkyrie's mind.

"Brynhildr? Art thou there?" Sigrún queried for a response. Nothing. She asked again and poked her head inside her friend's private quarters. She shrugged and turned away.

Suddenly, a hand clamped over Sigrún's mouth as she was pulled into the quarters. Sigrún struggled to break loose, but she saw who it was holding her. It was Brynhildr, who leaned over and smelled Sigrún's neck.

"Where art thou going? I was here waiting for thee, Sigrún," Brynhildr kissed and licked the meek Sigrún's face.

"Br-Brynhildr, I didst not realize thee be here."

The Blood Valkyrie wore a devilish grin and turned Sigrún around. The Valkyries stared into each other's eyes. Brynhildr's eyes diverted from her friend's face down to her waist. Much to Sigrún's surprise, Brynhildr aggressively forced herself onto the Radiance Valkyrie. She pressed and rubbed her crotch against Sigrún's.

"Brynhildr…" Sigrún gasped as she seemed to struggle, but Brynhildr refused to let go. "Not now. Please."

"Come. Thou know thee wants to," the Blood Valkyrie teased her. "Why even bother coming into our private quarters?"

Hearing this, Sigrún realized she had been caught red handed. A sneaky grin adorned the Radiance Valkyrie's face. Sigrún leaned over threw her arms over Brynhildr's shoulders. She leaned in for a kiss, giving her full consent to the Blood Valkyrie. She willingly offered to let Brynhildr grope her in any fashion she pleases.

Brynhildr licked and sucked on Sigrún's neck. Sigrún jumped up, folding her legs around Brynhildr's waist. They fell on top of their bed. Sigrún sat on top of Brynhildr and undid her upper body armor, revealing her well-endowed breasts. Mesmerized by the Radiance Valkyrie's bouncy breasts, Brynhildr caressed her friend's breasts. Sigrún threw her head back and panted sensually. Brynhildr unbuckled Sigrún's light brown loincloth, revealing rose embroidered panties. Brynhildr slipped her fingers inside Sigrún and fingered her with pleasure. Sigrún felt the Blood Valkyrie thrusting her finger inside her clitoris. Sigrún gave an erotic moan and spilled juices from her groin, wetting her panties. Some juices spilled over Brynhildr's face and mouth.

"Sorry, Brynhildr… I didst not mean…"

Brynhildr licked her friend's juices. "No, we will keep going. I am going to pleasure thee all night." She then took off her own armor and clothing, leaving only her chainmail on. She slipped off the chainmail covering her upper body, showing off her slightly smaller breasts, which were half the size that Sigrún had.

"I will not leave thee disappointed."

"Let me fukka thee good." Brynhildr got on top of Sigrún and kissed her, slipping a tongue inside her mouth. Brynhildr grabbed the back of Sigrún's buttocks and leaned against her. The two Valkyries continued their love making fest for the rest of the night.

xxxxx

Asgard/Landvidi

In Víðarr's quarters that's decorated with beautiful greenwood, Víðarr and Eir passionately kissed one another. Eir leaned over, putting her arms over Víðarr's shoulders. She had her hands on his face and leaned in for a deeper kiss. Víðarr helped undo her upper body armor, revealing her moderate-sized breasts. She took Víðarr's right hand and placed it over her left breast. Víðarr grasped it gently, eliciting a smile and making her moan ever softly.

"My body is thine for the taking, Víðarr," Eir offered herself to him.

"I love thee, Eir," Víðarr leaned over to kiss the Healing Valkyrie.

As they locked lips, Eir undid his pants and reached down to grab his hardening penis. She looked down smiling as she gave him a hand job. Víðarr gritted and groaned. After a few thrusts, Víðarr ejaculated on Eir's divine body. Víðarr then fell on Eir, pushing her on his bed. He took off her long battle dress and undid her white panties shaped like a butterfly's wings. He mounted Eir and slowly shoved his penis inside the Healing Valkyrie. He then thrust inside her several times. Eir gripped the sheets of the bed and let out loud erotic moans. As he continued shoving his penis through her clitoris, Eir wet herself as juices spilled and wet the bed sheets. Víðarr leaned over and licked her nipples, making her shiver with delight.

"And I love thee, too, Víðarr," Eir replied as she and Víðarr continued their erotic evening.

xxxxx

Asgard/Selkie Shrine

Göndul and Skögul entered an ancient Egyptianesque temple with statues and decorums with visages of seals. The entire shrine was a rather elaborate shrine dedicated to seals.

Skögul slowly walked over to a bed covered with glittery gold. A golden seal statue was situated on the opposite left from her bed. Having gotten out of her battle armor, Skögul wore a see through white gown, revealing her exotic and soft, glossy russet-skinned body. She also wore an Egyptian-styled headpiece which was glimmering with gold. She grabbed a cup of red wine and drank some.

"Well, what art thou waiting for, my love?" Skögul teased, opening up her grown to flash her nude body to Göndul. "It is just us. No one less beautiful can see us now."

Hearing this, Göndul shared a sensual smile. She took off her ash gray battle armor, her sole burgundy shoulder armor, and her facial mask. Outside of her gladiator-styled armor sandals, the Masculine Valkyrie was buck naked. She flexed her muscular body and showed off her impressive six-pack abdominal muscles, all crafted through rigorous physical training and a healthy diet. She gained this magnificent body all to impress her lover.

The vain lovers approached each other and held each other's hands lovingly. They leaned over and kissed. The Feminine Valkyrie invited her masculine lover to her bed. Göndul took off Skögul's gown and kissed her neck. Skögul folded her legs around Göndul's waist.

"We showed that fool Freyja our beauty will never be surpassed. Dost thou think, my love?" Skögul asked in a collective and arrogant manner.

Göndul smirked smugly. "Fukka that bikkje. We art all that matters, Skögul." She grasped Skögul's left breast and kissed her.

The two narcissistic lovers continued their erotic pleasures through the rest of the evening.

xxxxx

Asgard/Mist's Quarters

Elsewhere, Mist wandered around toward her quarters. As she reached the area near her quarters, she saw Thrúd standing outside the door as if she waited for her. Thrúd tossed a coin in the air and caught it with one hand. She kept doing this, distracting Mist.

"What art thou doing here, Thrúd? Um, art thou not able to sleep?" The Shroud Valkyrie meekly queried to her.

"Heh, no I hast not," Thrúd turned around and smirked to Mist. "I was waiting for thee."

"I see," Mist walked over and grasped her hands. "Thou hast been such a good friend. Thou art unlike those two narcissistic cretins."

"Hey, never lump me in with those two. I dost care for thee. We art friends, right?"

Hearing this, Mist warmed up to Thrúd's kind words. She opened the door and invited the Storm Valkyrie into her quarters. Thrúd walked in and sat on a chair.

"Mist, didst I ever tell thee about Alvíss?"

"I thinkest so, but I dost not remember."

The Storm Valkyrie sighed. "He was a dwarf my father tried to entice me to marry. Things didst not turn out like arranged because my father didst not like our match."

Mist listened. "I see. And what happened?"

"Father devised a plan to test Alvíss's wisdom and this is due to his small height. Alvíss agreed to father's test and those lasted until dawn. Well, since the test lasted into the morning…"

Mist rolled her eyes. "He turned to stone?"

"Yes, because he was a dwarf! Father fooled him well and he spared me marrying that dwarf," Thrúd got up as she walked up to Mist, who meekly looked away and blushed. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing," Mist's cheeks reddened. She took a deep breath and slowly disrobed her upper body. She sneaked a peek at her small breasts, which she covered up again.

Thrúd chuckled. "What is wrong? It is ok to show them. I will not tease thee." She leaned over and kissed Mist's cheek. "I promise."

After that kiss, Mist gained some confidence and took off her upper body armor. She only had on chainmail armor that covered her flat chest. She then took off her chainmail armor, revealing a green bra that covered her flat chest. However, despite being small, her breasts were noticeable lumps. Thrúd assisted in disrobing Mist's bra. Thrúd cupped Mist's chest and kissed her neck. Mist kissed Thrúd's lips. Entranced by Mist's flat-chested breasts, the Storm Valkyrie started licking and sucking her friend's nipples. Blushing, Mist felt turned on by her friend's sensual and gentle touch.

As Thrúd continued caressing her, Mist felt most of her insecurities being lifted out of her body. It was like a heavy burden being taken out of her. She needed it. Mist then wrapped her arms over Thrúd's neck and gave her a deep passionate kiss. They lip and tongue locked with each other. Thrúd leaned her hands behind Mist's ponytail and loosened the hair band, letting her friend's hair loose. Mist smiled and made out with Thrúd. Thrúd held her right hand on Mist's back while her left slid down the Shroud Valkyrie's battle dress and caressed Mist's petite butt.

"Thou hast such a cute and firm butt, Mist," Thrúd whispered in her friend's ear, who smiled and undid Thrúd's ponytail, loosening her long strawberry blonde hair.

Thrúd and Mist got on the latter's bed as they made out.

xxxxx

Asgard/Garden

Ölrún and Geirdriful sat together and gazed at a rich elaborately decorated garden. They held each other's hands as they enjoyed the nightly breeze. However, they didn't just come out to enjoy the peaceful evening environment. They had their futures already set in mind.

"Ölrún, I know we art in a relationship, but I thinkest...:"

"Yes, Geirdriful?"

The Thread Valkyrie genuinely smiled to her friend. "We shouldst find a husband for us."

The Huntress Valkyrie mulled over this. "I see. So, thou hast decided who it will be?"

"Yes. Remember Egil?"

Upon hearing this, Ölrún smiled as she seemingly approved of the choice.

xxxxx

Asgard/Brynhildr and Sigrún's Quarters

Brynhildr and Sigrún finished their all-nighter love fest. They lied opposite from each other in bed. Some ambitious thoughts crossed in Brynhildr's mind.

"Sigrún."

"Yes, Brynhildr?"

"I am finally going to put my plan into motion."

Sigrún glanced over to the Blood Valkyrie. "And that is?"

A sadistic grin formed on Brynhildr's face. "The time I finally oust that petty old fukka and take the throne for thyself and bring a new order to Asgard."

Hearing this, Sigrún was apprehensive. "That is bold, but how will thee succeed? Allfather is all powerful."

"He hath grown tired from age and stress. Eventually, he shalt fall. So, why not strike now and spill his blood? Neither of his sons will take the throne. It shouldst be I, Brynhildr, to take my place as the powerful Allmother." Brynhildr raised a hand and clenched it tightly. "I foresee great changes and the old timer's fukka time in the sun will be long done!"

xxxxx

Dimension: PV-18/Yggdrasil/Urðarbrunnr

Placing the visual on a brief reprieve, Sága faced the guests, who were a mix of bewildered and aghast over what they seen. Most wouldn't believe they were watching real life events play out as they truly happened in Wulf-Edda's Norse world.

"Tell us what thou all think so far?" Harald asked the Thieves and Revenants.

"One question! Are the words 'fukka' and 'bikkje' what I think they are?" Futaba asked the Homo Yggr and Asgardians in the room. "The way Brynhildr and some of them were saying those words gave me the impression they're curse words."

Yusuke sighed. "If you're looking for an answer, yes, it's what you think."

Io nodded. "Yes, in the modern English language, they mean the derogatory words 'fuck' and 'bitch'. Though, the latter identifies the female sex of a canine."

Futaba snapped her fingers. "I knew it! I didn't even need to know an old language to know that!"

Hifumi turned to Io. "And for my sake, I hope you don't use those words often."

Skyler shrugged. "I don't have any problems."

"But, can you imagine our pure Io talking like Brynhildr?"

Skyler and Hifumi both nodded as Io looked at them dumbfoundedly.

"Well, I mean we got to see Thor, Loki, Odin, and Thor's brother who I never heard about until now," Ryuji said.

Morgana chuckled. "You were still expecting Loki to be Thor's brother, weren't you?"

"Not anymore after what I heard."

"As much as I love seeing badass warrior women, half of those Valkyries came off as asshoes," Louis confessed his disappointment. "Even worse that they're the same Valkyries we fought."

"I still can't believe it's them," Makoto frowned.

"Asgard has seen better days, hasn't it?" Yakumo pointed out Asgard's apparent fall into debauchery.

"Well, I would think every kingdom in human history went through such golden and decadence periods," Yusuke elaborated.

"True, but you'd think gods with their longer lifespans would use that time to maintain their own properties?" Ann pointed out.

"That's just it. They probably didn't care. You saw how arrogant they came off," Haru said. "Especially those two Valkyries that me and Mako-chan fought."

"Göndul and Skögul, and believe me we hast not gotten to the worst parts involving those two imbeciles," Skuld said with anger in her tone.

"We shalt get to them again. Believe me thou hast not seen anything yet," Sága forewarned the guests.

"Well, so far, their arrogant demeanor don't paint a good impression of them so far," Makoto openly stated her stance on them. "But, I did notice those two didn't come off as team players with their own colleagues."

"Yet, the ones we faced had no qualms with working as a unit," Haru realized.

"Yes, because the entity that possessed them and the other Valkyries are acting singularly minded," Anastasia stated.

"Kind of like a hive mind mentality. Whereas in these scenes from the past, there seemed to be less camaraderie with these Valkyries," Skyler said.

"Certainly some of them showed us their own self interests if that Brynhildr was anything to go by," Hifumi added, illustrating the Blood Valkyrie's intent to forcefully take Odin's throne.

"Geez, speaking of Brynhildr, she was definitely a penchant for violence and blood, wasn't she?" Morgana said, describing Brynhildr's violent and bloodlusted personality.

"Her attitude sure reminded me of that Spartan guy. Kratos? Yeah, that's the one! From the God of War games! Dudes, don't tell me she actually went through with killing Odin?" Ryuji said, glancing toward everyone, but getting no immediate responses.

Ann sighed. "How the hell are we supposed to know? Not all of us play those types of games."

"She and Odin certainly aren't fond of each other, but I wonder what spurred their initial conflicts?" Louis deduced the reasoning behind Brynhildr's madness.

"Man, forget that! Oh my god, did you see those battles?! I knew there had to be dragons in this world!" Futaba exuberantly cried out.

"Even though they didn't look like your traditional-looking medieval dragons," Jack pointed out. "Now, I can see how that one Valkyrie I fought gave my Successor of the Drake form so much trouble."

Eva nodded. "These maidens have been trained to fight such creatures."

"Yeah, but dudes, don't you find it fucked up those Dreki whatever are Loki's grandsons? Who're the freaking parents?!" Ryuji found his mind being overclocked while trying to figure out the Great Drekar origins.

Yusuke plainly put it. "Don't try to think about it too much."

Jack chuckled. "Just know if you're delving into ancient mythologies, there's a ton of fucked up shit that'll have you questioning for days."

Ren added. "We shouldn't surprised those Vamkyries gave us issues. If Skyler and I hadn't figured out that ring Brynhildr wore was their power source, I don't think we'd be here talking about them."

"Speaking of that ring, I wonder if we'll see it in these flashbacks?" Skyler speculated, eliciting worrisome glances from the sage, the Norns, and the three husbands.

"Can we talk about how overall arrogant, petty, and peevish some of them seemed to be?" Mia pointed out their characteristic flaws.

"Yes, that was how the higher classes generally often behaved," Skuld stated. "Our people while prideful as warriors, we maintained and embraced humility."

"These Asgardians just love petty quarrels and my god, their table manners are appalling," Haru conveyed her disgust of their lack of self respect.

"Well, most of them anyway," Ann added. "I saw some in there as disgusted as we were."

"If anything, it illustrated to us what medieval life may have been like without the monsters, sorcery, and stuff," Ren stated.

"Watching all that did remind me of scenes straight out of that Game of Thrones show," Akechi pointed out. "Have any of you seen that series?"

There was a show of hands from half of the Thieves and the Revenants.

"Yeah, I watched some of that show, but kinda lost track after a while," Yakumo said. "Emily had to catch me up on some parts."

"I enjoyed watching that show for a while when I could watch it," Haru replied.

"I watched up until the last couple of seasons, but I'd need to catch up. My studies took priority over most of my leisure activities," Louis said.

"Pftt, man. I saw the whole show," Futaba boasted. "Even that last season. Man, talk about a cold ending."

"Uh, I think you mean cool, Futaba?" Yusuke tried correcting her.

"No, I know what I said, Inari. It was a cold ending. The very opposite of cool and not because it snowed a lot in that show."

Eavesdropping on their conversation, Urðr curiously interjected. "What is this Game of Thrones thou art discussing?"

Verðandi rolled her eyes. "Just leave them alone, Urðr. It dost not concern us."

"But, I am curious."

"Perhaps it is some tale from their world."

Ann spoke up. "Can I say I wasn't expecting that much sex in there?"

Ryuji chuckled. "Yeah, I damn! They really got busy during those times."

Makoto scoffed. "Like human nature isn't any different in modern times?"

Skuld turned to Harald. "Well, that is nothing compared to what Harald and I do when no one is looking."

Fang shrugged. "And that wouldst explain how me, Blue, and Cheza were born."

Shaking her head, Mia remarked. "I don't know how you could do all that without protection."

Louis added. "Because either they didn't believe in it or stuff like condoms didn't exist yet."

Sága nodded. "I couldst hast used magic to ensure I never hadst children after mating with with my husbands, but I chose to bear their children." She turned to Skuld, Urðr, and Verðandi. "I wouldst not trade these three for my own selfish desires."

Harald grasped Skuld's hand. "And if Lady Sága hadst not given birth to these three, I wouldst not met my wife here, whom I rescued from a Hlaup Hooded Viper."

Skuld genuinely smiled to her husband. "I foolishly ventured off after an argument with my mother. Then, that serpent ambushed me when I hadst my guard down. I wouldst hast died from its poison if you hadst not saved me, Harald."

"Thou leaving from a fallout with thy mother led us being together, my love," Harald said, kissing Skuld's lips.

"Thank thee. And our love produced us three beautiful children."

After listening to their parent's story, Fang, Blue, and Cheza warmly smiled.

Waving her staff, Sága prepared to continue playing out the events on the visual screen.

"Shalt we continue, everyone?" The sage scanned the crowd, who eagerly quieted down. "And to answer thy concerns about that ring. Well, why dost not see for thyself?"

xxxxx

Dimension: Wulf-Edda/Asgard/Valaskjálf

Not too soon, the Allfather called for a summoning with a few of his subjects. Among them were Thor, Víðarr, and Brynhildr. They discussed about a civil war taking place on Midgard. Odin has professed to having some personal stakes in this war between Kings Agnar and Hjálmgunnar.

"Father, perhaps I shouldst go down? Hast thou decided which king we align with?" Víðarr queried to the quiet Allfather, who sat mulling over his decision. He noted two black ravens sitting on the arms of Odin's throne. These were Odin's ravens Huginn and Muninn. Huginn let out a caw sound as he opened up his roughly 115 to 150 cm wings.

"Please, name the king thou hast chosen," Thor tried to get an answer from the old king. He eyed his father's two wolves, Geri and Freki. They had yellowish to almost silvery gray fur with slightly reddish limbs and black speckling on their tails and shoulders. White fur covered their throat, abdomen, and facial markings. The wolves were 3'2 feet in height and 5'7 feet in length.

Also sitting near Odin's throne was a beautiful black horse with hazel eyes, and a yellow tail and mane. This horse was the famed eight-legged horse named Sleipnir. Sleipnir stood at an impressive 6'4 feet in height and 8'4 feet in length.

Just then, Odin bolted up from his throne and broke his silence. "I hast decided the king we will aid in this war!" As he slammed Gungnir down, the Allfather brought order and silence to his throne room. Even to the point of silencing Sleipnir, Geri & Freki, and Huginn & Muninn. His eyes, piercing like daggers, scanned his two sons and the Valkyrie before him. He saw his sons kneel to him, but Brynhildr remained standing, once again exhibiting her rebellious nature. With a conniving smirk on his face, the Allfather pointed to Brynhildr. "Thou hast chosen thee, Brynhildr. Thou shalt be the one to deliver the message and decide my king."

Upon hearing this, Brynhildr responded with a haughty scoff. "Me? Thou choose me to be thy canine to pick thy king?"

"Who else? Consider this thy test to prove if thy worthy. Thou need to develop thy diplomatic skills. Let us see if thou art worthy of such a task."

"Thou send Brynhildr, father?! With all due respect, she…" Víðarr was silenced with a piercing glare from Odin. He kept his mouth shut to not incur the Allfather's wrath.

"He is making a mistake," Thor muttered under his breath.

"Well, Brynhildr? What dost thou sayeth? Will thou do it?" Odin asked the Blood Valkyrie.

Taking a moment to think this over, Brynhildr already had her plans for a hostile takeover in the back of her mind. However, now wasn't the time to spring that plan into motion. Instead, she chose to continue to play along.

"Yes, I accept thy assignment, old man," Brynhildr snidely remarked. "Who knows? Maybe I will do a better job negotiating with those weak and fragile Midgardians?" She crossed an arm over her chest. "And I shalt do this for me. Not to appease thou old man."

In the face of these derogatory remarks, Odin tried his best to conceal the anger that's been building inside of him whenever Brynhildr is in his presence.

"Hast I struck a nerve in thee, fukka old timer?"

With his anger ever increasing, Odin gripped his spear.

"Which king hast thee chosen?"

Thor and Víðarr quietly and apprehensively watched Brynhildr. Neither had anywhere near the gull to speak rudely toward their own father, but the Blood Valkyrie has shown no regard for authority, especially not Odin's.

"Go and help my favored king, the tried but true King Hjálmgunnar. Together with him thou shalt decide the fate of this war." the Allfather commanded the Blood Valkyrie.

Holding back her irritation with Odin's predictable choice, Brynhildr said nothing. Instead, she took a deep inhale and cursed to herself.

"Oh fukka Hel."

xxxxx

Midgard/Fields

In the middle of an open meadow, two warring kingdom armies stood opposite from the other. The army on the right side carrying royal blue flags with white roses are King Hjálmgunnar's. On the left, King Agnar's army held red flags and crests with three golden lions on them.

Facing his opposition with green eyes was King Hjálmgunnar, a tall king standing at 5'11 feet. He has antique white hair, which was straight and lush at a shoulder's length. King Hjálmgunnar's choice war gear was a dark red body armor, armored gloves, and knee-length boots. He wore a white cape and carried a black helmet on his left hand.

"King Hjálmgunnar, we are ready whenever," one of his subjects addressed him in a whisper.

Hjálmgunnar stayed silent.

On the opposite side, King Agnar didn't budge from his position. He was a contrast from the older king. Agnar had a dignified but youthful appearance. He stood at a slightly taller 6'0 height, one inch taller than Hjálmgunnar. Agnar has rosy brown hair, blue eyes, and his neck length hair was shaggy and curly. He wore dark gray body armor with chainmail underneath, armored gloves, and knee length boots. He wore a blue cape and carried a gray helmet.

"Shalt we commence the attack, King Agnar?" A subject queried to the young king.

Both kings said at the exact same time. "Not yet."

Suddenly, the kings' train of thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a thunderous force exploding near them. Every member of the two armies witnessed a multi-colored ray of light crash into the earth with tremendous force. The kings tuned and faced the ray of light as if they anticipated.

"Finally, the deities hast answered thy pleas," the kings muttered simultaneously.

The ray of light that rained from the sky came from the Bifröst. Coming out of the beam of light was Odin's warrior of choice, Brynhildr. The Blood Valkyrie stepped forward as both armies watched in stunned silence. Ignoring the mortal eyes watching her, Brynhildr casually paced over to the kings with her broadsword drawn out.

"Which of us hast thou come to aid?" The kings wondered out loud.

Brynhildr exchanged glances with the kings. She pointed her broadsword toward Agnar first before settling on Hjálmgunnar.

Smiling with satisfaction, Hjálmgunnar greeted Brynhildr. "Hast Odin sent thee in his place, oh great Valkyrie?"

Brynhildr said nothing as she scanned Hjálmgunnar's forces and counted them in her head.

"I am grateful thou hast come to aid us in this civil war. Now we can finally decide this war with a god on our side," Hjálmgunnar said, but again he received no response from the Blood Valkyrie. "May I ask for thy name, Valkyrie? How shalt I call thee by?"

Brynhildr quickly turned and meet King Hjálmgunnar's gaze.

"I am Brynhildr the Blood Valkyrie," she answered him.

"Blood Valkyrie thou sayeth?" Hjálmgunnar was confounded by her less dignified response. "And why such a horrid title?"

Before answering him, Brynhildr walked up to Hjálmgunnar and in the blink of an eye, the king's head slid off his shoulders and plopped on the ground. A fountain of blood gushed out from the neck stump where the king's head used to be. Some of Hjálmgunnar's blood splashed against his subjects and on Brynhildr. The king's body fell and twitched violently on the ground before its life ceased and stopped moving altogether.

Brynhildr cracked a fiendish smile. "That is why." She happily licked the king's blood from her face.

This elicited panic and chaotic fury from King Hjálmgunnar's army. In response to Brynhildr's traitorous attack, they attacked Brynhildr from all sides. Brandishing her blood stained broadsword, the Blood Valkyrie viciously slashed and torn through the mortal men with ease, proving how fragile they were compared to an Asgardian.

Having witnessed the Blood Valkyrie betray King Hjálmgunnar and his forces, King Agnar initially thought she worked in his favor. King Agnar sent for men to stop Brynhildr, but they, too, were easily flayed by Brynhildr's callous attacks.

"King Agnar, she hath killed the men thou sent for her! She is fighting on behalf of no one but herself!" A soldier warned King Agnar.

"This has gone far enough. Retreat!" King Agnar ordered most of his armies away.

Turning around, Brynhildr stood completely soaked in the blood of mortal men. A sadistic grin smeared across the Blood Valkyrie's face. A cruel laugh escaped her lips as she pursued King Agnar and his army. She pounced on horseback and beheaded a man with her broadsword. She didn't stop there and slashed down several more soldiers. She swiftly attacked and sliced apart heaps of mortal men in the blink of an eye. She even gouged out the eyes of a soldier and slit his throat.

When she spotted King Agnar trying to escape, she threw her broadsword, which hit the back of the leg of the king's horse. This caused the horse to fall over and send the king flying off. Agnar crashed to the floor and scrambled over to grab a shield, but Brynhildr kicked the shield away. He reached for his sword. Brynhildr cut off his right hand and pointed her broadsword to his throat.

When a fleet of soldiers from both kingdoms charged and archers fired arrows, Brynhildr easily dodged the barrage of arrows and opened up a portal. From this portal, the Blood Valkyrie summoned a massive assortment of various swords. With a drop of a hand, Brynhildr beckoned the swords to rain down like a storm and pierce into hundreds of men. Heaps of bodies, either dead or dying to their last breath, were stuck on blades that covered the vicinity.

Agnar gazed over the horrific scenery of hundreds of slain, flayed men and a blood soaked landscape resembling a human graveyard. What was once a beautiful meadow became a grisly scene from Hel itself. The putrid smell from the blood and soon to be rotted corpses entered Agnar's nostrils, almost causing him to vomit.

"Stop! Please, what dost thou want?! I hast wealth! Thou can hast it all! Even a goddess like thou hast desires for riches and power?"

"Power? Thou try to bribe me, petty mortal?" Brynhildr snickered, pressing her broadsword's pointed end against his throat line. "No, I hast all I ever want. Soon, I shalt be the one who rules Asgard. But, thou won't be around to plead to save thy worthless carcass. Like thou will be now." As her sadistic grin widened, she raised her broadsword over Agnar and silenced him.

xxxxx

Asgard/Valaskjálf

Having completed her ordeal, Brynhildr returned to meet with Allfather. However, Odin didn't get what he wanted. Instead, Brynhildr went against his order and returned with the heads of the two kings.

"Here. I hope thou enjoy these, old man," Brynhildr tossed the decapitated heads of Hjálmgunnar and Agnar near Odin's throne. The blood from the heads splashed on the floor and all over Odin's throne.

Even Odin ended up covered in blood as it colored some areas of his white beard in red.

"Let this be a lesson to thee, old fukka man! I, Brynhildr the Blood Valkyrie, dost not take orders to carry out thy petty wishes!" The Blood Valkyrie angrily protested against Allfather, who clenched his teeth and tightened his hold on Gungnir. "I am letting thou know I am going to become the next Asgardian ruler! Thy power wanes as we speak!"

As he immediately bolted from his throne, Odin roared with fury and slammed Gungnir down with force. Potent magical bolts erupted from his spear and vaporized the kings' heads. In response to this, Geri and Freki rose and snarled furiously, baring their fangs toward Brynhildr.

"Thou no longer hide behind those mongrels. Now thou get up to face me. Thou hast no idea how long I hast waited for this!" Brynhildr yelled out and readied her broadsword.

Odin snarled behind clenched teeth while curling his lips. "Thou… THOU ART AN UNGRATEFUL BIKKJE!" He roared with much fury that he unleashed a shockwave from a white and golden aura around him. "I gave thou a simple task! But, thou deliberately went against my word! Thou killed MY favored king, thou creature!"

"Call me a bikkje? No, I didst it because I grow tired of thy lectures and idiocy that is dragging Asgard into decadence!" Brynhildr growled with a mocking smile as she methodically paced around him.

Odin shouted back. "THOU HAST NO IDEA OF THE COSTLY MISTAKE THOU HAST MADE!"

Brynhildr fiercely retorted. "DOST THOU THINK I GIVE A FUKKA WHAT THOU SAYETH?!"

Carefully watching Brynhildr with his good eye, Odin readied his spear to defend himself. He turned to blast Brynhildr, who quickly dodged. Brynhildr continued to taunt the Allfather.

"To think thou art Sigrdrífa's daughter. Sigrdrífa was unlike thee. Thou hast the appearance of thy late-mother, but thou dost not possess her kind and gentle spirit! Even when we had disagreements, not once didst she show me any hatred. Unlike thou, Sigrdrífa was a loyal Valkyrie and served as an advisor for me! I abhor the fact when I see thee, I see her! I refuse to accept that a diseased creature like thee came from her body!"

The Blood Valkyrie cackled in response. "Thou think I care for a dead woman who I never met?!"

"That is because thou killed her during childbirth, foul beast!"

"Heh, then if she died giving birth to me, it shows how weak she was. She couldst not handle bringing someone strong as I into this world! There is one thing I am thankful for that woman, she gave me life so I can live long enough to face thee, old man!"

Odin turned and fired another charged blast from Gungnir. Brynhildr casually dodged the Allfather's provoked attack.

"I WILL NOT HAST THOU SPEAK ILL OF HER!" Odin bellowed with unbridled fury as the Blood Valkyrie insulted her late-mother. "FOR THAT I SHALT HAST NO MERCY ON THEE!"

"Dost thou want to know why I killed those kings instead of siding with thy favored one?!" Brynhildr roared with defiance. Then, she evilly smirked and complacently responded. "Because I made an example out of them. I killed them as my first act against thou when I overthrow thee from thy throne!"

"THOU FUKKA BIKKJE!" Odin screamed furiously at the Blood Valkyrie.

Then, with a big twisted and maniacal grin etched on her dried and bloodied face, Brynhildr cackled and responded. "No… THOU ART GOING TO BE MY BIKKJE!" She brandished her broadsword as Odin swung Gungnir at her way.

The Blood Valkyrie hopped out of Odin's reach as his spear smashed the ground in her place. Brynhildr took to the air and taunted the Allfather.

"Thou getting slow with thy old age, fukka old man!" Brynhildr taunted him in a mocking manner. She flew down and swung her broadsword at him, but Odin countered with Gungnir and unleashed a powerful golden aura that pushed her away.

Despite her mockery of the Allfather, Brynhildr lived long enough to know how powerful Odin was. Even in his old age, Odin still possessed the power to decimate armies, be they Jötnar, Dwarven, or even Midgardians. The power of the Allfather was feared by many.

However, Brynhildr was no slouch. She knew her own strengths and just effortlessly decimated two whole kingdom armies. Both with her sword and her bare hands. That was one Valkyrie. Having accomplished this, Brynhildr gained new confidence and vowed to see her plans through to the bitter end. Nothing was going to stop her now.

As Brynhildr prepared to attack Odin, Geri and Freki rushed at her. She swung her sword and fought off Odin's wolves. While fighting off them off, Brynhildr witnessed the wolves's shapeshifting abilities. Geri changed into a 17 foot long Megalania, a giant extinct monitor lizard, and tried to grab Brynhildr with its venomous teeth. Brynhildr flew down and swiftly kicked Geri's face, knocking him over. Freki turned into a smaller variation of the extinct Megalodon shark and attempted to bite her in half. Brynhildr summoned a projectile of blades, which pierced into the giant shark. The wolves were taken down and returned to their normal states. Geri hurried over to tend to Freki's wounds.

While this was going on, the wolves granted Odin time to conjure restraining magic. He quickly threw a veil of his restraining magic, but Brynhildr was able to dodge in time. While evading Odin, the Blood Valkyrie ended up fighting off not just the wolves, but Odin's ravens, Muninn and Huginn.

"LEAVE ME BE, FUKKA BEASTS!" Brynhildr roared.

Then, Sleipnir charged in and knocked Brynhildr away. Brynhildr quickly landed on all fours with her broadsword clenched between her teeth. She grabbed her sword and went for another attack on the Allfather.

"SEIZE HER, MUNINN AND HUGINN!" Odin scornfully yelled out.

At the behest of the Allfather, the ravens flew over Brynhildr and used their mandalas's magic to restrain Brynhildr. The Blood Valkyrie felt her entire body being paralyzed from the head down. Struggle as she tried, she couldn't break loose. As the ravens continued restraining her, Odin conjured chainmail that binded her. Once trapping her, Odin raised Gungnir and fired an immense blast that hit Brynhildr and single handedly wiped out her armor and clothing.

When Brynhildr came to, she was on the floor naked, but her clothing and armor weren't the only things stripped from her. She felt different. She no longer felt strong, as if all her godly power was sapped from her. To Brynhildr's own realized horror, she became mortal.

"I hast taken away thy power, creature," Odin muttered scornfully, his tone pitch much lower. He conjured more chainmail armor, which wrapped over Brynhildr's naked body and casually lifted her into the air. As he eyed the now mortal Brynhildr, all he could think about was finally ridding Asgard of his biggest headache. "Thou were brought here because thy birth father couldst not tame thee! Brynhildr, not only dost I take thee power, but thy divine right to remain on Asgardian grounds! I cast thee out for all of time!"

Following an unrestrained smack to the floor with Gungnir, Odin opened up a portal in front of Brynhildr.

Rather than accept her fate, Brynhildr relentlessly cursed at the Allfather. "THOU FUKKA OLD MAN! DOST THOU THINK THOU WILL RID OF ME?! I WILL NOT REST UNTIL THOU BREATH THY LAST DIVINE BREATH! THOU HIDE BEHIND THY MAGIC AND SUBJECTS TO DEFEAT ME! THOU COULDST NEVER DEFEAT ME FUKKA FAIRLY! ONE DAY WHEN WE DIE, THOU WILL BE MY BIKKJE IN HEL!" She let out an unrestrained laughter that only served to infuriate Odin, who raised Gungnir.

With eyes conveying full-out hatred, Odin bellowed toward her. "THAT SHALT NEVER HAPPEN! I EXILE THOU TO HINDARFJALL, THOU FUKKA BEAST!" With a shout, the Allfather unleashed another immense blast from Gungnir and sent Brynhildr into the portal as it closed shut. After exiling her, Geri and Freki showed off in front of Odin; the former turned into a king baboon spider and Freki shapeshifted into a coyote.

Dropping to a knee, Odin couldn't believe that was all it took to rid himself of the Blood Valkyrie. However, he came to realize he needed to restrain and take away Brynhildr's divine powers to defeat her. He has come to realize his own limitations. There was that small sliver of a chance Brynhildr would have succeeded in killing him.

But, today was not that day.

Odin could rest easy knowing his reign would continue uncontested.

However, one thing remained.

xxxxx

Midgard/Hindarfjall/Castle

Opening her eyes, Brynhildr found herself still trapped in chainmail. As she struggled to break loose, Odin's magic tightened the chainmail around the Valkyrie's now mortal body.

Brynhildr screamed with unbridled fury. "I WILL HAST THY HEAD FOR THIS, THOU FUKKA OLD BIKKJE! I WILL BREAK FREE FROM THESE RESTRAINTS AND WHEN I DOST… I… WILL CUT THOU… HEAD OFF… AND…. DEFECATE…" Her wording slowed and almost slurred. "...DOST THOU HEAR ME?! I HOPE THOU HEAR EVERY WORD OF WHAT I SAY! EVERY WORD OF MINE HAUNT THOU UNTIL THY LAST DAYS! THEY WILL COME, OLD MAN! I SWEAR MY REVENGE ON THOU AND ALL OF ASGARD!" As Odin's magic channeled through the chainmail, it tightened over her body, including her throat as she ceased screaming. She fought with every breath to continue her rant, but she fell unconscious and was forced to start her exile inside the burning castle of the mountainous Hindarfjall.

Before slipping into unconsciousness, Brynhildr reflected on her actions, but refused to apologize. She had no reason to apologize as she was set in her ways to overthrow and kill Odin. And she refused to accept her mistakes. Then, after a few moments of resistance, Brynhildr fell into her deep slumber.

xxxxx

Asgard/Garden

Shortly after Brynhildr's exile, the news spread fast among the Asgardians. Odin made it clear that Brynhildr committed treason against his authority and attacked him without provocation. As a result, he announced Brynhildr was not only exiled, but her position was up for grabs, leaving a huge void for the other Third Generation Valkyries with a huge opportunity to replace Brynhildr.

This news sent mixed signals among the Valkyries and the other Asgardians.

"Can thou believe this, Thor?" Sif turned to her husband, who shook his head.

"I knew Odin chose poorly. I shouldst hast been there to decide that civil war."

"Thou know father wouldst not let either of us take part. He deliberately set Brynhildr to either succeed or fail," Víðarr interjected, sadly sighing. "She chose to go against father's wishes."

"How is Eir taking this, brother?" Thor queried with concern.

"Not well. Half of the Valkyries still hast not elected who will take Brynhildr's place."

On the other side of the garden, Eir discussed Brynhildr's exile with Sigrún and Thrúd. All three were worried about the state of their group.

"What shalt we do now? As unpredictable as she was, Brynhildr was an effective commander," Thrúd said. "This is not good. We lost a strong hand!"

Sigrún recalled the beautifully erotic all-nighter she has with Brynhildr. She was visibly hurt with the exile of her best friend.

"I suppose I couldst be the new leader. I hast shown I am capable of leading," Eir suggested to nominate herself.

Thrúd nodded. "I wouldst be ok with that."

Sigrún spoke up. "Or, perhaps me. I learned a lot from Brynhildr."

Eir smiled. "Thou wouldst make a good fit, too."

"Humph, the way I see it, good riddance to that ruffian," the obnoxiously highfalutin voice belonging to Skögul interjected. "She kept instigating tensions with Allfather. This hath been a long time coming."

"Indeed. With Brynhildr gone, perhaps I shouldst lead?" Göndul suggested, veering toward Eir, Sigrún and Thrúd. "What sayeth thou three? None of thou three art worthy to lead the Valkyrie unit."

Thrúd angrily rebuked. "Us not worthy?! I hast lifted and wielded my father's hammer! That alone makes me more qualified than thee two elitist fools!"

Sigrún interjected and held the irked Thrúd back. "Please not now and here, Thrúd."

Skögul lifted a hand under her chin and gave a haughty laugh. "Ohohoho, thou art need to be of high class to lead a team as prestigious as ours." She then grabbed Göndul's hand. "Like us. Right, my love?"

Göndul addressed the other three Valkyries with a conniving grin. "Yes, between a hora." She glared at Eir. "A brutish hothead." She turned to Thrúd. "And a Gulon." She labeled Sigrún with a derogatory name. "None of thou three art not fit. Perhaps Allfather will seriously consider me."

Eir frowned. "Somehow I doubt that."

Sigrún nodded. "I wouldst sooner retire than be lead by thee two."

"My, this is about to turn into an unpleasant conversation. Come, Göndul. Let us laugh over Brynhildr's exile and discuss our nominations to fill the vacancy," Skögul said, holding Göndul's hand and leading her away.

As the magniloquent couple laughed together, Eir, Sigrún, and Thrúd watched them leave with contempt.

"I swear. One day I will knock those two off their pedestals," Thrúd grumbled.

Eir sighed. "As much as I wouldst like to give them a piece of my mind, this is not the time for us to quarrel. We hast to decide the future of our unit."

Sigrún clenched a fist. "Then, I wouldst seriously like to nominate myself to Lord Odin. I wouldst be a much better fit than either of those two arrogant cretins."

"I just hope wherever Brynhildr is, she is well," Eir added with a downbeat sigh. "A part of me thinkest she went too far to rebel and attack Allfather. Who ever knows if she will ever return?"

"Her rebellious spirit is what drew me to her," Thrúd said. "I can respect someone who speaks their mind with sheer honesty."

Clasping her hands, Sigrún kept her friend in her thoughts. She hoped one day if Asgard's conditions worsened she'd leave to settle on Midgard and perhaps find Brynhildr. However, that remained to be seen.

xxxxx

Svartalfheim/Myrkheim/Andvari's Home

Sometime during the recent incident with Brynhildr and Odin, one Asgardian wasn't present to learn of the Valkyrie's exile. That was none other than Loki. He recently left for a venture into one of the other Nine Realms: Svartalfheim, home of the Dwarves.

Having just arrived through a Bifröst, Loki approached a waterfall. He passed the waterfall and entered the mouth of a cavern. Inside was a large home made of rock, wood, and clay. He knocked on the door.

A husky voice called from the other side. "Who is there?! Identity thyself!"

Loki cleared his throat. "It is I!"

"I dost not know any I! Try again or leave my grounds!"

"It is I, Loki from Asgard!" He announced loudly. "There. Is that good enough?"

With that, the door opened and Loki was let in. The red-haired man looked around the spacious front section of the house. The interior was filled with a grimy-looking bricks and dried mud. He noted a bookshelf full of books and jars filled with various creepy fauna, including insects, worms, and rodents. The scent in the house was wet and putrid. He heard footsteps behind him. Being the cautious type, Loki twirled around and pointed a small dagger toward the individual's way.

"See here! Thou art in my home, trickster!" Barked a tall dwarf with shoulder length, straight white hair. His amber eyes fell fell on Loki's dagger. He stood 6'0 feet tall, barely an inch taller than the trickster. He wore a grimy dark gray sleeveless shirt, dark green pants, and black boots.

"Yes, I am here to talk. Tell me. I wish to know where thy allegiances lie these days, Andvari," Loki addressed the large dwarf in front of him.

"Dost thou jest, trickster? My undying loyalty remains with Grímhildr."

"Ah yes, the once infamous Unmoralisch, who dared to threaten Asgard ages ago. And I recall thou were one of her top commanders, Andvari."

"Get to the point, Loki. I hast no time to be wasting words with thee."

"Ah, but see I hast all the time in the world. Andvari, let us step outside," Loki opened the door for Andvari. "It will be much better if we talk in a more open space."

Shooting a darkened glare at Loki, Andvari became cautious with his generous approach. He walked over and poked his head outside the door. He eyed Loki momentarily and stepped out. Loki followed him outside. Loki noticed the necklace with a small gold ring attached to it.

Suddenly, Andvari paused and turned around to meet Loki.

"Why stop all of a sudden, Andvari? I wanted us outside the cavern."

"This is far enough. I recall thou were there to see my former master perish in battle," Andvari reminded him of his former mistress's end. As he said this, the dwarf's amber eyes glowed. "I know thou didst not come here to talk about reflecting on those days."

"I hast come to make a bargain."

"A bargain? With me? What would thou want from me?!" Andvari's voice deepened and became monstrous.

"In exchange for some information…"

"But, what would thou want from me, trickster?!" Andvari demanded as his dwarf form grew big enough to fill half of the cavern. The sound of the waterfall wasn't enough to drown out the loud growls coming out of the dwarf. The dwarf grew and became a large dragon with the defining measurements of 35 foot in height and 55 foot in length. His scaly hide was obsidian coupled with a white underbelly. A pair of massive wings spread out. Each wing was 20 meters in wingspan. The back of his head, spine, and limbs were covered in spikes.

The very presence of Andvari's dragon form made the fiercest of fauna look tame in comparison. However, Loki tried his best not to lose his nerve in front of Dreki-Andvari, who towered over the trickster and expelled heavy exhales through his nostrils. As he advanced on Loki, his movements were like that of a crocodilian.

As Loki backed off, he maintained his gaze on the ring still hanging on Dreki-Andvari. It was on a horn instead of his now massive trunk for a neck.

Dreki-Andvari bellowed an earth-shattering roar, causing the cavern to shudder. Low growls and ear-piercing screams now left his mouth, causing Loki to cover his ears. He leaned down and stared at the trickster.

"I will not ask again. What dost thou want from me?!" Dreki-Andvari roared, looking to finish Loki when he should've when he and the Unmoralisch's forces attacked Asgard. "I devour thee whole where thee stand!

"I just came to ask about thy ring!"

Dreki-Andvari glanced over to the ring on him. "The ring? What dost thou need Andvaranaut for?"

"For a hefty price if thou art willing to bargain?"

Dreki-Andvari stomped his foot in front of Loki, making the trickster flinch. "No deal!" He poked his head in front of the red-haired trickster and snort sickening, moist exhales in Loki's face.

"Then, perhaps thou would like a life of normalcy? I am sure thou dost not wish to remain cursed with the burden of holding the ring for Grímhildr's sake. The Unmoralisch is no longer among us. Thy are all that remains of her commanders. Dost thy wish to be truly free? Thou can retire in peace." Loki tried a gentler persuasion, but little did the monster know he was being played by the trickster's deceitful words.

After mulling a few moments, Dreki-Andvari pulled away from the trickster. Loki heard the sound of the ring hitting the ground with a clank. Eyeing the ring, Loki picked it up. Andvari turned back to his Dwarf self.

"Yes, like thou say, I must let go. Look at what I hast become… broken and pathetic," Andvari said. "Lady Grímhildr will never return. I shouldst hast accepted this truth long ago." He gritted and snarled. "Well, what art thou waiting for? Take the ring before I reconsider!"

Loki nodded solemnly and departed with the ring.

"And I dost not want to see thee again!"

After being run out by the dwarf, Loki took a deep breath. Once again, his deceptive words helped him survive what could've been his last day. However, it paid off for the trickster.

He stared at Andvaranaut's golden gleam and smirked. "All mine now."

xxxxx

Svartalfheim/Myrkheim/Forest

Later, Loki fetched some fresh water from a river and put it in a canteen. As he went to leave, he heard the sound of splashing in the distance. His curious eye caught an animal diving in and out of a pond nearby. He slowly approached to get a closer view.

The animal was a dark brown furred otter. As the otter swam on its back, it revealed a cream underbelly. From Loki's vantage point, the otter looked to be 57 to 95 cm long, not counting the tail, which was 35-45 cm long. The stream near the pond where the otter played was murky.

A thought came across Loki as he took out a knife. He waited until the otter dropped his guard. When Loki sprang out of the bush, the otter barely turned and screamed.

"Wait-!" But it was too late, Loki stabbed the otter and killed it.

Then, Loki hung the now slain otter on a branch by a piece of rope. After brushing the otter, the trickster brandished his skinning knife. He started cutting off the otter's arms off. Then, he dug the knife into the otter's feet and sliced off the fur from its legs. He then cut through its tail fur and freed it up from the thick tail. He cut down the edges of the fur around its body, sliced through its chest, and slowly pulled the fur down. After a few pulldowns, he easily ripped the fur pelt off. He left the skinless carcass to hang as flies swarmed and covered it.

Examining his freshly cut otter pelt, the trickster wore a satisfied grin. "Yes, such fine quality fur. Thou dost not get otter fur this good back home." He placed the fur in a sack and headed elsewhere to clean it up.

xxxxx

Svartalfheim/Niðavellir/Sindri

Upon hearing the news of his son being slain, King Hreiðmarr put out a bounty on the one who took his son's life. King Hreiðmarr lived in a palace named Sindri. It is located northward in the capital of Svartalfheim, Niðavellir.

However, one day, Loki arrived as a guest on behalf of Asgard to meet with King Hreiðmarr. When he learned the otter he killed was the dwarven king's son, Ótr, Loki decided to confront the king and confess. The trickster entered only to meet the gazes of King Hreiðmarr's Dwarf subjects. He saw two Dwarves and a couple of Golems in particular standing on opposite from their king's throne.

On the left is a tall Dwarf standing at 5'11 feet tall. He had black shoulder length, straight hair and brown eyes. He wore a blue robe with a long strap over the left shoulder and green armor on the right. He also wore white pants and yellow knee length boots. This Dwarf was Reginn.

On the right is another Dwarf of similar stature. He looked similar to Reginn, but wore a dark purple robe on his left shoulder and gray armor on the right. He wore black pants and red knee length boots. This was Fáfnir.

Beside the two Dwarves are two 20 foot tall Clay Jötnar; two for each Dwarf. These Golems had ash gray, block bodies. Their main bodies are round, but the rest of their body parts are misshapen and disportionate. Metallic gears are seen poking out of their disportionate bodies. Their red heads are tiny in relation to the rest of their body.

Sitting on his throne, Niðaskjálf, was King Hreiðmarr, a nine-foot tall aged Dwarf with white neck length hair. His golden brown eyes meet Loki, who approached him. The Dwarven king wore a royal red robe. Underneath the robe, he had on silver body armor, white pants, and brown knee length boots. He wore a silver helmet on the crown of his head.

"King Hreiðmarr, thou can call off thy bounty hunt. I hast come to confess that I unknowingly killed thy son," Loki openly admitted to killing and skinning the fur pelt from Ótr's body.

Upon hearing this, the Dwarven king snarled as did his very subjects in unison. Fáfnir attempted to run up to Loki, but Reginn stopped him. The Clay Jötnar activated in accordance to their Dwarves's desires kill the trickster.

"Thou hast the nerve to show thy cowardice before me, Loki! Thy repentance is most ill advised! First, thy people kill my own and now thou kill my son! Thou better be prepared to meet thy fate!" The Dwarven king spoke out against the trickster in a deep voice coupled with angry bellows.

Loki raised his hands and knelt down. "I deeply apologize, King Hreiðmarr. I made a grave error to mistake thy son for a real otter." He showed them the fur pelt that he made into a vest.

"My word," Reginn was taken aback.

Hreiðmarr beckoned his subjects to surround Loki. "Thou hast any last words before I see thee worn to bits?"

Loki stammered. "W-W-wait, I hast something to repay for thy son's loss!" Loki pleaded, taking something out of his pocket. He opened his hand to show Andvaranaut.

Upon seeing the golden ring, the Dwarves were immediately drawn to its gleaming glow. Hreiðmarr examined the ring up close, allured by its brilliant quality.

"Where thou get this ring?"

"It was given to me by one of your kind. He was generous enough to give it to me," the trickster half-lied, not revealing Andvari's name or his ability to turn into a dragon.

"Thou say one of our kind? A Dwarf?"

"Y-Yes, thy highness."

The Dwarven king took the ring from Loki and examined it.

"He called it Andvaranaut. I am willing to part with it and give it to thee. Shalt this be enough to compensate the unfortunate son's death? I am truly sorry. With this ring, thou can hast all the gold thy people couldst ever want. Thy people can never go poor."

Hearing this, Hreiðmarr clenched a hand over the ring and grunted. "It is done. I accept thy generous repayment. Consider thyself spared."

Loki sighed in the back of his mind. He dodged yet another near death situation with a Dwarf. However, he was relieved how easily Dwarves can be deceived.

"I dost hope thy son can ever forgive me," Loki said as he headed out.

"King Hreiðmarr, dost we let him go?" Fáfnir queried to his father. "He killed thy son."

"Didst thou not hear him? This ring will bring us great fortune."

Fáfnir eyed the ring in his king's eye. "Great fortune? I dost not know."

As soon as Loki parted ways with Andvaranaut and gave it to King Hreiðmarr, the ring brought the complete opposite of great fortune. Unbeknownst to Loki, Andvari cursed the ring before relinquishing the ring knowing full well the trickster would take it. The curse on the ring would bring the holder untold destruction and misfortune into their lives. Loki learned of this and intended to part ways with the ring. He gave it to Hreiðmarr to rid himself of the curse.

What followed afterwards was Fáfnir becoming consumed by greed. He became obsessed with his father's new gold. Once he killed his father, Fáfnir left with the ring. Next in line to be cursed by this ring, it changed Fáfnir for the worst. Not only did he become greedier, but to reflect his sudden dark demeanor, Fáfnir turned into a dragon and relocated to a far off cave.

As the only son, Reginn was left with no inheritance and soon departed to become a smith. He departed for Midgard and started his new life as a smith. During his time there, he met an orphaned boy named Sigurd and adopted him. Reginn raised Sigurd like his own son and prepared him to become a smith.

One day, during a sparring match, Reginn told Sigurd of a dragon that lived close to them. He warned Sigurd this dragon was a danger to their home and hoarded treasure for himself. He told Sigurd if he wishes to prove his mettle as a warrior, he must slay Fáfnir.

xxxxx

Midgard/Reginn's Home

Reginn and Sigurd worked tirelessly to finish up a sword for the latter to use against Fáfnir. Reginn presented Sigurd a sword.

"Take it, Sigurd. It is thine to slay the dragon."

"We made this together?" Sigurd examined the blade.

Sigurd was now a young man. He had an average build for a youthful man, gaining a physique built through physical training and being a weaponsmith. He has dark blue hair in a short and unkempt style. He also has green eyes. He wore a short-sleeved gray shirt, brown pants, and black shoes. He held the sword and tested it by cutting through a block of wood. The biggest test came when he used the sword to cut an anvil in two.

"Wow, it hath a great precision!" Sigurd exclaimed with delight. "We didst great work, father!"

Reginn smiled. "Thou art ready to meet and slay the dragon?"

Turning around, Sigurd nodded. "I am now, father. Thou hast trained me for such endeavors. I will not let thee down. By the way…" He picked up a red scabbard and put the sword in it. "What shalt I call my sword?"

"Thou want a name for it?"

"Yes. This is not just any sword. I helped build it and am going to use it to slay the dragon. It needs an identity. Hmmm." Sigurd glanced over his sword. "How about… Gram? The same sword my late-father once used. After all, we rebuilt it from pieces of father's old weapon."

Reginn smirked darkly. "Aye, a perfect name to carry over from a father to his son. Now listen, Sigurd. Fáfnir not only guards treasure, but there is one object he protects with his life."

"And what is it?"

"A ring. Of all the treasures, that is the one I want thee to bring back."

"Why is that, father?"

"Because the ring is supposed to hold the most value of all the treasures. The ring's power is said to bring the possessor great fortune."

"Great fortune thou say?"

"Yes, art thou able to bring it?"

"Of course, I will. I shalt bring it so great fortune can shine down on us! And I will forge my name as the legendary warrior that killed Fáfnir!"

xxxxx

Midgard/Forest

As he departed from his home, Sigurd began his journey to confront and stop Fáfnir. He went fully equipped and prepared to fight. He wore dark body armor with blue clothing underneath and armored boots.

Sigurd was originally born from the Völsung clan, who were legendary but also marred with misfortunes. They came from the icy north. Sigurd, an heir to this clan, was the son of Sigmund. Now wielding his father's rebuilt sword, Sigurd looked to carry on his father's legacy and slay Fáfnir.

On his way, he entered a forest and decided he required a horse since he was traveling a long distance. When he went to fetch water from a river, he spotted a magnificent creature approach the river for a drink. His eyes fell on the creature, which happened to be a horse. This horse had brilliant silver skin with an amber mane and tail. The horse's blue eyes meet Sigurd's gaze. It stood 6'2 feet tall and was 8'0 feet in length.

"Well, art thou beautiful?" Sigurd pleasantly addressed the horse. As he got up close to it, the horse let out a neigh and snorted. "Sshh, it is ok! I will not harm thee!"

The horse grew tense until Sigurd patted its face. The horse continued to feel tense. It finally calmed as Sigurd stroked its face.

"Yes, it is ok. I bring no harm to thee. So, where art thou from?" He spoke pleasantly with the horse.

The horse just snorted in response.

"Well, art thou funny?" Sigurd chuckled genuinely as he walked the horse away.

After a few days of bonding, Sigurd earned the horse's trust. He even gave his new steed a name: Grani.

xxxxx

Midgard/Fáfnir's Lair

Another day passed, Sigurd and Grani arrived near the mouth of the cavern where Fáfnir lived. Sigurd requested Grani to stay behind. He walked in with Gram in hand. The young warrior entered the dragon's lair and beckoned him to attack.

Fáfnir awoke from his slumber and emerged to meet the warrior. The former Dwarf became a 20-foot tall behemoth. Nearly this entire body was covered in army green scales. Fáfnir's red eyes gleamed and looked down on Sigurd. A single horn protruded through the dragon's nose. He has no wings, feeling he has no need for such since he rarely ever leaves his lair.

The dragon bellowed and expelled poisonous fumes from his mouth. Sigurd witnessed the noxious fumes melt an assortment of rocks into dust. Sigurd evaded exposure from the poisons. Fáfnir charged toward Sigurd and walked in a similar movement like a Komodo dragon. He let out a crackling bellow that shook the entire lair.

"Boy, hast thou come for my treasure?!" Fáfnir roared as he pointed to the bones of the slain he's either devoured or melted alive with his poisons. "Look. This will be thy fate."

Slowly poking his head out, Sigurd breathed hard and fast. His heart pounded quickly against his chest. His pulse rate heightened. His mouth became dry.

"Answer me! What else couldst thou seek from me?!" The dragon roared.

Glancing over to his side, Sigurd found the skeletal remains of a warrior killed by Fáfnir. He also spotted a shield laying next to the remains. He snatched the shield and dashed out of his hiding place. Fáfnir quickly turned and expelled another poisonous breath. This time Sigurd was able to guard himself from Fáfnir's deadly breath.

As he ducked behind a broken piece of pillars, Sigurd tried looking for the ring, but it was nowhere to be seen. He wondered if Reginn lied or was simply misinformed. However, now wasn't the time to be mulling over whatever his foster father said. He staked his own life and rushed out of his hiding spot.

"I shalt melt thee down to bones!" Fáfnir fired another poisonous breath.

Before he came out to fight, he sighted a small sword laying on a pile of gold coins. HeSigurd threw the shield across as it smacked and bounced off Fáfnir's face. This distraction enabled Sigurd to sneak up and plunge Gram through the dragon's chest. Fáfnir struggled to push Sigurd off as the young warrior shoved the sword deeper into his chest.

"I dost not intend to die here! I will not fall like these men!" Sigurd yelled out.

Fáfnir opened his mouth and attempted to bite off Sigurd's head. The young warrior then shoved the sword deeper as it pierced into Fáfnir's heart. The dragon let out a blood-curdling roar. He violently smashed against the nearest wall. Sigurd then reached for the the small sword, Ridill. With Ridill in hand, he lunged at Fáfnir.

He quickly sliced the sword upward, cutting open the dragon's chest. Sigurd then shoved his hand inside Fáfnir's open chest wound and grabbed a hold of something still pulsating. He yanked out a grotesque dark red heart and and threw it to the ground.

Both Sigurd and Fáfnir fell at the same time. The warrior saw the dragon's still beating heart and grabbed it. Before delivering the killing blow to the heart, he noticed the ring was attached to it.

"He hadst the ring near his heart all along?! No wonder no one hath been able to find it!" Sigurd exclaimed.

Suddenly, Sigurd felt a large shadow looming behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and was tail whipped into a wall. Fáfnir stalked over to finish Sigurd. However, he stopped to pick up his heart.

"Art thou looking for this?" Sigurd smirked as he showed off the ring.

The dragon snarled furiously, baring his sharp teeth. "Give that back!" As he lunged for the young warrior, Sigurd shoved Gram through the dragon's chest and reopened the wound where he stabbed him. Dark purple blood quickly came spilling out and bathed over Sigurd. His entire body became covered in the dragon's blood, sans for a leaf that came off the wall, slipped into his armor and attached itself to the back of the young warrior's right shoulder.

As the dragon's blood drenched the entire lair, Fáfnir collapsed. Sigurd, too, nearly collapsed, but rather from exhaustion. His eyes veered to the still beating heart.

"Wait…" Fáfnir weakly croaked, drawing the warrior's attention from the heart. The creature lay there dying and queried to him. "What is thy name…boy?"

Sigurd frowned and responded. "What dost it matter? Thou art about to die."

"I wouldst like to know the name of the man who ended me."

"I am Sigurd."

"What is thy parentage?"

"I came from the Völsung clan. My father was Sigmund."

"The Völsung clan… eh? Yes, I hast heard of that clan… I see how I couldst be slain by thee."

"Is that all?"

"Just one more. Who sent thou on this dangerous quest? Was it my brother Reginn?"

"That is my caretaker. More like a foster father."

Fáfnir cackled weakly. "Oh, that bitter fool, but kind enough to raise a Midgardian boy like thee. I knew he wouldst plot a way to kill me, but the coward used a boy to finish the job."

"Thou speak like he is a deceitful monster."

"Be warned… dost let him touch the ring. The very ring thou now hold. I foresee thy own death by Reginn's hands, directly or indirectly. I wouldst not return to him."

"Thou art lying," Sigurd denied his supposed warning. "I will come back for thy treasures."

The dragon cackled once more. "...all those who possess gold are fated to die…"

"All men must die anyway. It is the dream of many men to be wealthy until that dying day, so I will take the gold without fear." Not taking anymore chances, the warrior shoved Ridill into the heart as dark purple fluids spilled like putrid ooze. Fáfnir's life was sealed.

Sigurd looked over the ring and smiled. "I hast it, Reginn." Before leaving, he checked with the other treasures. He decided against leaving and coming back. He scanned over the treasures and collected as much as he can.

Upon leaving the cavern, he walked out carrying a bag of gold. In addition to Gram, Sigurd added Ridill as a secondary weapon of choice. He also added a third weapon among Fáfnir's treasures: a great sword called Hrotti. He met Grani, who waited for his rider.

"Let us go home, Grani," Sigurd said, mounting his loyal steed.

xxxxx

On their way to Reginn's, they decided to camp out to rest. By morning, Sigurd heard the sound of a voice sounding remotely human to him.

"Wake up, boy! Wake up!"

Sigurd woke up with a start and reached for Gram. He instinctively looked around. He saw Grani was alarmed, but not by the voice.

"Sorry, Grani. Didst thou see anyone else here?"

"Up here, boy!" The voice called to him once more.

Sigurd looked up and saw a small pale brown and gray feathered bird. It had black eyes. It was 16 cm tall. The sparrow-like bird flapped its wings and spoke in a young maiden's voice.

"Thou art in great danger, boy. Thou must not return to thy caretaker with that ring!"

"How art thou able to talk to me? Thou art just a bird." Sigurd was confounded by how a normal bird can even speak.

"It is thou who can now speak and hear us after the dragon's blood spilled all over thee!"

"So, the dragon's blood hast granted me the ability to talk to birds?"

"Thou must not go back, boy!"

"I hast a name. I am Sigurd."

"Then, Sigurd, heed my warning!"

Sigurd mulled over what Fáfnir warned him. He was getting similar messages from two different sources. However, Sigurd didn't want to believe his caretaker would ever harm him.

"One last thing, Sigurd. There is a maiden asleep on atop of a flaming mountain! Thou might want to go and investigate!"

"A maiden inside a flaming mountain? Why wouldst I go there?"

"Because the dragon's blood hast given thee special abilities, Sigurd! Thou art not the same warrior thou were before! Test to see if thy body can withstand the flames!" The bird blathered as she flew away. "Turn back now!"

Sigurd muttered. "Turn back thou say?"

xxxxx

Midgard/Reginn's Home

"Reginn, I hast returned!" Sigurd announced as he carried the bag of gold.

"Aye, splendid!" Reginn jovially greeted him. He took the heavy bag from him and opened it. His eyes lit when he picked at the various gold pieces and high quality valuables.

"So, I also brought back a loyal steed with me," Sigurd said as he showed Reginn outside where Grani stood.

"My, what a beautiful steed. Thou picked a fine one… but, didst thou bring it?"

"Bring what?"

"Why the ring. That is the reason why I asked thee to go."

Almost reluctant to give show him, Sigurd sighed. "Art thou sure?"

"Yes, now see here." Reginn demanded, putting his hand out.

With a deep breath, Sigurd took out the ring and put in Reginn's hand. The Dwarf examined the ring as it flashed memories of when Loki gave his father the very same ring. He remembered the great misfortune it brought to him, his brother, and father. He felt a painful sensation in his head as the ring's power affected him.

"Father, art thou ok?!" Sigurd tended to him.

Then, in a sudden and horrifying turn of events, Reginn's eyes blackened and he hissed loudly. He seized Sigurd's arm and nearly twisted it off. Sigurd managed to pry himself from Reginn's hold. The young man was scared out of wits as his foster figure suddenly turned against him. Then, he remembered the warnings from Fáfnir and the bird.

Sigurd tried to take the ring from Reginn, but the Dwarf snapped at him. The ring's influenced regressed Reginn into a feral beast with no idea who he was even attacking.

"Father…!" Sigurd grimaced with fear. He turned to Gram, the same weapon he and Reginn worked hard to rebuild together. Taking up the sword, he gave a tearful look at his foster father and swung his sword, quickly beheading the Dwarf. A fountain of blood gushed out and spilled on the floor.

The headless body fell next to the Dwarf's head. Sigurd stood briefly trying to take in what happened. His mind was running high on a myriad of emotions - fear, sadness, and regret. His thoughts were completely clouded in sadness and confusion.

After his grievances, Sigurd set fire to their old home. He grabbed all his belongings, including the ring, which he encased in a small leather pouch. He and Grani departed, leaving the burning home behind them.

Sigurd grieved for a couple of days in isolation. Then, realizing he has no home to call his own, Sigurd began his own journey for a new purpose. He then remembered about the sleeping maiden on the flaming mountain. He searched far and wide, but to no avail.

One day, he and Grani stumbled into a town and heard the murmurs of a particular flaming mountain. He asked a local inn owner and he was told it was in a castle called Skatalundr, also known as the Castle of Searing Flamme, on Mount Hindarfjall. The locals named it such since it appeared one day and caught in flames. He also heard tales from local town people that a sleeping maiden was trapped inside, possibly a goddess that had been sentenced by the gods. The flames were possibly caused by the maiden, who became angry with the god that sentenced her. This couldn't possibly any more true figuratively since Brynhildr still harbored much hatred for Odin and vowed revenge should she ever awaken.

xxxxx

Dimension: PV-18/Yggdrasil/Urðarbrunnr

Having witnessed the shocking events play out, the Thieves and Revenants were flabbergasted. Between Brynhildr disregarding Odin's order and her banishment, they witnessed the wrathful side of the Blood Valkyrie and the blatant pettiness from the Allfather. However, the big elephant in the room from these past scenes: the Andvaranaut ring.

"Ok, first off, wow. I knew I was expecting some kind of Kratos-level anger from that Valkyrie, but holy shit!" Ryuji was distressed by Brynhildr's frenzied nature.

"The Brynhildr we saw definitely did not act like the one we encountered," Skyler stated.

"Hell, if anything the real Brynhildr's anger made her much scarier than the Vamkyrie version," Ren said.

"Scarier than me?" Ann coyly teased her husband.

"I'd say you're both scary for different reasons."

"Well, one thing is certain, the Vamkyries we fought behaved differently to their original selves," Yusuke related this to the others.

"Yeah, take Eir and Sigrún for example. Based on these flashbacks, they seemed like one of the few nice Asgardians, but the Vamkyrie versions of them had arrogant demeanors," Makoto compared the contrasting Valkyrie and Vamkyrie personalities.

"Ugh, and please don't get my started on those two Valkyries. I don't care if they're lesbians, they're absolute bitches to their own teammates," Mia conveyed her disgust of their abhorrent attitudes. "And I could've sworn they said a racist remark to that Sigrún woman."

Skuld sighed with similar disgust. "Yes, Gulon is a derogatory remark toward halfbreeds."

Makoto gritted. "If I were there, I'd punch their faces so hard…"

Haru patted Makoto's hand. "We can do that plus more if we ever fight them again. Don't worry, Mako-chan. I can slice them up if you wish."

Louis chuckled nervously, hearing his girlfriends murmuring about maiming the two detestable Vamkyries. "I'll leave those two Vamkyries to you then."

"Yeah, I mean… let's face it, most of these are just petty douchebags," Futaba openly spoke out. "Take Brynhildr and Odin's heated argument. It was like two grown kids arguing over who gets to play with their toy soldiers. Odin gets mad because he didn't get his way. And Brynhildr was already anti-authority to begin with. What the heck did Odin freaking expect? His Valkyrie was a walking and ticking time bomb waiting to go off. And go off she did when she revealed her true intentions! Honestly, I freaking laughed at the whole thing. It made for great comedy."

"Gods arguing like overgrown children? Well, that's putting it from one prospective," Yusuke gave an amused chuckle.

"I mean, it's true! Good god…" Futaba threw her arms into the air like she didn't care.

"Hahah, well, thy friend here is not wrong," Haakon chuckled alongside Eric.

"Yes, the Asgardian higher class bickering like sniveling and whiny children? That sounds accurate," Eric concurred with Futaba's sentiments.

"Thou mean they behaved like us?" Blue asked his parents.

Skuld folded her arms and shook her head. "I saddened to sayeth but yes."

Harald added shamefully. "And that is not how older people shouldst act. But, it is no surprise. I hadst expected this petty behavior from the higher class."

Staring at his Hrotti sword, Fang smirked. "Yes, and can thou believe am I holding a sword the Midgardian hero, Sigurd, wielded to slay Fáfnir?"

"Thou wield a valued sword, my son," Harald proudly said. "Thou shalt make Sigurd happy thou hold one of his swords."

"That's why I want to hold it. A great hero held it!" Blue pointed to his older brother's sword concealed in a sheath.

"No fighting, thee two," Cheza reminded them.

"You could also say, 'no fighting, you two'," Anastasia smiled to the quarter-Homo Yggr child.

"No fighting, y… you two!" Cheza yelled forcefully and pointed to her brothers. She pointed her staff at them.

Both Fang and Blue exchanged awkward looks, finding themselves silenced by their youngest sister.

"Not to change the subject, but how can we not mention Loki?" Akechi chimed in. "Who'd thought I'd see the trickster himself, who is based off my Loki Persona?"

"Well, this Loki certainly has some of your oh so great qualities," Ann remarked.

"If you mean someone who sneakily attacks people when their guard is dropped? Like how this Loki killed and skinned that otter?" Yakumo painstakingly glared down Akechi.

"Or, deliberating passing a cursed ring to others and bringing untold misery to their lives," Mia nodded, also not taking her attentive eyes off Akechi.

"You guys are just going to continue throwing more shade at me, aren't you?"

"Yes!" The two Revenants angrily barked.

"So, that's the ring that Brynhildr wore in her fight with you two?" Jack asked Ren and Skyler.

The two exchanged nods.

"Yeah, and I was able to somewhat damage it. Then, Brynhildr hightailed it out of there with her teammates," Ren recalled the last moments of the battle. "

"So, then the ring ends up in Sigurd's possession after he killed his foster father," Eva said.

"You guys know what that ring is?" Futaba asked the group. Half of them had quizzical looks. "It's the One Ring! You know, the one to rule them all?!"

"Yes, you mean Lord of the Rings, correct?" Yusuke plainly put it.

"Ding-ding! Right, this ring has the inherent evil nature of the One Ring! When one holds it, it twists their inner desires and corrupts them."

Sága added to their conversation. "The Andvaranaut is indeed an inherently evil ring. Andvari forged it with the intent of finding gold. That changed when it twisted his desires and appearance, turning him into the monster thee saw."

"When Andvari turned into a Dreki, he reminded me of a cross of Alduin from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and the Red-Eyes Black Dragon," Skyler said, referencing his experience playing with video game series.

"Oh yeah, I remember playing some of that game," Futaba nodded.

"Is it a fun game?" Hifumi asked Skyler.

"Yeah, I can show you, but I'd it find it in one of our storage boxes."

Nadia nodded dismissively. "Guys, can we knock off the nerd talk and get to the point?"

"Hold on. Now when you mentioned Lord of the Rings, this just shows the influence ancient mythologies have on our modern books, movies, and other published works," Louis stated. "Tolkein borrows heavily from Norse Mythology if Andvaranaut is any indication. I immensely enjoyed reading the books and thought the Lord of the Rings movies were fine. I caught the The Hobbit trilogy of films before actually reading the books, so they were responsible for getting me into the books and the other movies."

"Can't say I ever read the books. All I did was watch the movies with Emily," Yakumo confessed his lack of knowledge of the Tolkein novels.

"I had plenty of free time to watch all the movies and read all of the books, including The Silmarillion," Futaba chortled with a gleam in her glasses. "Get on my nerd level, my dudes."

Louis modestly laughed. "Can't say I've ever read or watched that one, so I'm nowhere near your level, Miss Futaba."

"When I saw the ring Brynhildr wore, I immediately had suspicions about it. Having watched the Lord of the Rings films, I had a bad feeling about that ring," Skyler stated.

Makoto added. "I watched The Hobbit movies with sis. Then, I watched and read some of the books."

Ann shook her head. "I can't say I read any of them. I don't know. I heard about them and might have watched one of the movies, but they weren't my thing."

Ren chuckled. "Don't worry. Not everyone expects you to. That ring though gave me bad vibes and figured it had to be that Vamkyrie's source of power."

Sága addressed Ren. "It is good that thou did. If thou managed to crack the ring, then it will slowly lose luster unless repaired."

Io turned to everyone. "And now to show what will happen next to Sigurd."

Hifumi turned to Skyler. "I wonder how intense Sigurd's meeting with Brynhildr will be."

Skyler shrugged. "Could do either way, but I don't expect any cutesy fairy tale romance."

Ann folded her arms. "Hmph, me either. Not after Brynhildr showed us her true colors."

"We're ready for the next parts, Lady Sága," Ren said to the sage.

"Yes, let us resume." Sága replied with a wave of her staff as she played out the next scenes.

xxxxx

Chapter Soundtrack

03 Pandora - James Horner - AVATAR (Deluxe Edition) - Yggdrasil in the protagonists' dreams and their commentaries. Seeing fauna and flora of Yggdrasil. Ratatoskr's cameo.
Walking with Beasts - New Dawn - The rainforests of Yggdrasil such as the shrews, a Saber-toothed badger, and a Locke Spider.
Horizon Zero Dawn OST - Force Multiplication - The savannah plains of Yggdrasil such as encountering the Scandic rex.
Walking with Beasts - Next of Kin - Meeting the Homo Yggr. Meeting the spirit of Sága, alongside Harald and Skuld.
Fran Soto - Timeless Place- First half of the scene in Sökkvabekkr.
Final Fantasy IX OST - Wall of the Sacred Beasts ~ Eidolon Wall Theme- Second half of the scene in Sökkvabekkr.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters Soundtrack 31 - Eternal Memory - Meeting the other Norns and their husbands alongside Skuld/Harald's children in Urðarbrunnr. Welcoming more of Yggdrasil like a passage to a fantasy world alongside the Wulf-Edda cast about to show the past visions/stories to the protagonists of the Valkyries' lives and Ragnarök in their destroyed dimension.
Bear McCreary - Ashes - God of War OST - The introduction of the Wulf-Edda lore. The stories of Asgard's ages from the First to the Third Generation Valkyries, including Brynhildr's origins.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim OST - Death or Sovngarde - Thor and Víðarr fight the invaders. Odin arrives to finish the invaders off.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim OST - Imperial Throne - Odin's lecture towards his sons in needing assistance. Odin deciding of which king he supported, before he ordered Brynhildr to decide the civil war.
Odin Sphere OST - Valkyrie March - The nine maidens' personalities and reputations in Asgard as former Valkyries when they first physically appear in Odin's throne room.
Super Mario Odyssey Music - Ruined Dragon Appearance- The arrival of the Great Drekar, as the Asgardians hear their roars and Odin ordered his forces to slay them.
Super Mario Odyssey OST - Ruined Dragon Battle- The Great Drekar's rampage in Asgard. The Valkyries and assistants prepare to battle against these beasts.
34. The Last Battle (M33) - Rebirth of Mothra 3 Complete Soundtrack OST - The Valkyries and assistances fighting and slaying the Great Drekar. Something idealistic in the glory days of Asgard (And having the P5/CV cast feel the idealism in their lifetimes/society, there are some that watched the Rebirth of Mothra trilogy before.) despite some of the Valkyries (especially the lesbians) are pretentious douchebags. Kanius's words: The song piece you've picked makes the battle between the Valkyries and the Great Drekar epic themed. The battle scenes would paint these Valkyries in a more positive light than what we'll learn of their real personalities.
Rebirth of Mothra Soundtrack - Battle of 65 Million Years Ago, Revisited- Fighting and slaying the Great Drekar.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim OST - Dragonsreach - The Asgardian feast and celebrations after the Great Drekar are slain.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim OST - Ancient Stones - The Valkyries' dances during the celebrations. The lesbian Valkyries (and Mist) insulting Freyja.
Rejoice in Love - Fire Emblem Fates - The love of Eir and Víðarr.
Great Fairy Fountain - Zelda: Breath of the Wild Soundtrack - The Selkie Shrine. The lesbian Valkyries' lovemaking in the shrine.
God of War 3 OST - Aphrodite's Chamber - Brynhildr and Sigrún about to sleep together.
Age of Wonders 2 OST - Earth Song - Thrúd/Mist moments. Ölrún/Geirdriful moments.
Bear McCreary - God of War - God of War OST - Brynhildr's choice of ending the war between two kings, Brynhildr graphically kills both kings and their entire armies, leading to the Valkyrie briefly fighting Odin, Sleipnir, his wolves and ravens. Allfather banish Brynhildr and the Valkyrie swears her revenge.
Odin Sphere Soundtrack - The Fated Path- Brynhildr imprisoned in Mount Hindarfjall and reflects her actions, though no apology to Allfather due to her prideful nature and not sympathetic, alongside thinking of her revenge.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim OST - Silent Footsteps - Loki meets Andvari. Loki meets King Hreiðmarr.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim OST - Wind Guide You - Sigurd's debut and his story. Gram rebuild, and leading to Sigurd going to face the dragon. Sigurd meets Grani during his quest.
Bear McCreary - The Dragon - God of War OST - Sigurd vs. Fáfnir.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim OST - Steel on Steel - The bird warned the warrior of the Dwarf's treachery. Reginn attempted to kill Sigurd, but Sigurd beheaded his foster father in remorse and burned his home.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim OST - The Gathering Storm - Sigurd hearing stories of a maiden slumbering there. The Phantom Thieves and Vein Remnants's commentaries after the second set of Norse tales.

xxxxx

A/N: And we stop right there! Yes, you'll have to find out what happens in the Wulf-Edda tale in the next chapter. And this is partly due to how long this chapter has gotten.

Oh, and Happy 2020! Ensuring my first update of the new decade is a big one. Well, it's certainly big, no pun intended.

Wow, having scanned over this, this is the longest chapter in this fic so far. I hope none of you aren't too overwhelmed reading this. If this is your first time reading double-length chapters, then please as much time as you can to process.

The good news is, I in no way did not write all this in one go. The Wulf-Edda scenes were already pre-planned and written across segments from June to November 2019. Remember that novel-related project I mentioned before that tied to the Vamkyries? Well, this is it! The Wulf-Edda project is a pseudo-novel project I've worked on during that stretch of time. I hope to one day convert the Wulf-Edda concept into an original novel (with some tweaks to the story so I'm not just 'plagiarizing' (or is there another appropriate term for this) my own work), with it being a dark and twisted take on Norse Mythology. Writing Wulf-Edda has been mostly a new experience while I am transitioning over into full original fictional writing.

Wulf-Edda, however, is not the basis of the current original novel I'm working on. That's something else entirely.

The other non-Wulf-Edda scenes, I wrote those through the past week. While it wasn't much to write, it was a matter of new character introductions, lore content being revealed, some world building, and writing the group's personal explorations through Yggdrasil taking a while longer than I planned.

If you thought this was all of Wulf-Edda? Nope, this is just ⅓ of the flashbacks. Yeah, get ready for a long tale. The next two chapters will continue this Yggdrasil Trilogy arc. The next chapter will introduce the 'entity' that will eventually possess the nine Valkyries (and ultimately convert them into the Vamkyries) and all of this will tie-in to Mido & the Yami Matter.

On a closing note, congrats to Ren and Ann (and Jack & Eva) on their child's birth!

Wait, how can I forget about Akechi's appearance. The pancake loving asshole makes his Urban Legends debut (but he did appear in Persona Vein)! Is this really him or just a BS cognition? Well, either way, the Revenants (especially Mia and Yakumo) aren't fond of him already. And yes, I'm happy to have Hifumi slap him. Let's all hope the jerk's on his best behavior here.

Well, for my sake (and yours), I hope the next parts won't be nearly as long as this.

Until the next chapter, send a review and see you in the next part!