THE MISCHIEVOUSNESS OF THE SHIELD HERO
CHAPTER 10: WARLOCK'S EYE
The next morning, there was some loud commotion outside to the point that Loki was awakened from his slumber. When he looked outside the window, there were a couple of villagers surrounding the stables. Out of curiosity, he stealthily walked towards the door to avoid his companions from waking up. As he exited the house, two villagers ran towards him immediately.
"Sir Loki! You gotta see this!" The female villager exclaimed.
"Calm down. What is going on?" Loki asked curiously while yawning.
"There's a naked little boy in the stables! We don't know who he is!" The male villager answered. "And your horse, Sleipnir, disappeared."
"What did you say?" Loki said coldly, which intimidated both of them, before walking towards the direction of the commotion.
When the villagers saw Loki, they made way for him as if he was a prince. Upon entering the stables, Sleipnir was nowhere to be seen but there was a naked boy lying on a hay. He doesn't recognize him either, yet he seemed familiar. He doesn't know why.
The young boy yawned while stretching its arms before looking at Loki, "Hm?"
"Who are y-?" Loki was about to ask him until he was interrupted by the boy's sudden action.
The boy stood up before bowing to Loki, "Góðan morgin, Your Highness."
"…huh?" Loki expressed his confusion by the formal greeting of this boy before looking at the boy's name on top of his head. "Sleipnir? Are you… Sleipnir?"
"Yes, Your Highness." Sleipnir answered formally.
"HUH!?" The villagers yelled after learning the boy's unexpected identity.
"Isn't Sleipnir supposed to be a horse? Why is he a boy?"
"Could it be transformation magic?"
"I thought only filolial queens from the legends could do that."
"Sleipnir? How is this…?" Loki was about to ask his steed, but he stopped after observing his naked body. He picked Sleipnir relatively easily before running back to the house. "Let's get inside real quick."
Inside the house, Sleipnir was wrapped around with his master's leathery cape. He is currently sitting around the table with Loki on the other side. His expression remained emotionless, as if he was a professional bodyguard from Earth. He is patient with the silence until his master, who is still in disbelief, will ask him something about his current situation.
"So how did this happen, Sleipnir?" Loki asked curiously. "Did you learn transformation magic or something in this world? Is there even such a thing?"
Sleipnir shook his head, "No, my prince. I used the Odinforce to turn myself into a human overnight. It was a difficult procedure, but I executed it perfectly."
"The Odinforce have the capability to do that? Why haven't I heard anything about that for the past thousand years? Did my father even know about it?" Loki asked.
"Yes, my king knew about my transformation when he taught me Odinforce thousands of years ago." Sleipnir answered, which surprised Loki. "I haven't used the transformation spell for a while now, so it was a bit difficult when I executed it last night."
"If you haven't used it in a while, then why did you do it now?" Loki asked while wondering why Sleipnir never used this particular skill for years. Is there some sort of reason?
"It is because I am no longer in Asgard." Sleipnir answered. "After learning about this world, I heard that filolial kings and queens could transform into ordinary filolials to avoid detection, and probably could transform into humans as well. I figured I should do the same, so that you could communicate with me easier."
"I see." Loki then wondered if Odin was able to communicate with Sleipnir without him speaking verbally. He then sighed from the sudden surprise early this morning. "What am I gonna do with you then? You're naked. You never thought about that, did you?"
"Uh… no, I did not." Sleipnir answered while scratching his hair out of awkwardness. "It has been a while since I've transformed, so I've forgotten that I'm naked whenever I do."
"I don't blame you, but you really need some clothes." Loki then thought about the guy who could solve this situation. "We'll need to go to Erhard later. He probably has clothes for you."
"I don't know who that is, but I would be glad to have something to wear." Sleipnir then bowed his head respectfully.
"…hey, Sleipnir." Loki was eager to ask his steed about his previous action. "Do you not despise me?"
"Are you talking about the time you pretended to be The Allfather and banished me and Lady Sif to avoid suspicion?" Sleipnir asked, much to Loki's guilt. He shook his head. "No, I don't particularly despise. I would have if you had killed The Allfather."
Loki blinked multiple times that he was forgiven immediately, "Thanks, then do you know about his d-?"
Sleipnir nodded, "I know. I felt his spirit heading towards Valhalla. May he rejoice in the majestic, enormous hall of his domain."
Loki smiled, "May he rejoice."
Suddenly, Raphtalia and Sigyn walked in on their conversation. They were awakened due to two voices near them.
"Master? Who is this?" Raphtalia asked.
"Is he your new slave or something?" Sigyn asked teasingly.
"No…" Loki sighed before telling him the bizarre identity of the 'boy'. "This is… Sleipnir…"
"…"
"…"
"EH!?" Raphtalia and Sigyn screamed in bewilderment.
Sleipnir stood up and lowered his head respectfully, "Greetings, my prince's disciples. I am Sleipnir. The horse you met yesterday."
"I-Is this a joke, master?" Sigyn was in denial that the eight-legged horse from yesterday is now a human boy.
Loki sighed, "Unfortunately, I am not. He is indeed Sleipnir. It seems he can transform into a human boy thanks to the Odinforce."
"Odinforce?" Raphtalia questioned.
"It is a powerful, mystical energy used by the Kings of Asgard. It kind of works like magic in this world." Loki explained. "Anyway, Sleipnir is imbued with Odinforce by Odin. The yellow streak whenever he runs was the result of Odinforce."
Sigyn raised her eyebrow, "So the reason that Sleipnir is known as the 'Fastest Horse of All Nine Realm' was because of Odinforce?"
"No, milady. I was already born with the speed. The Odinforce simply boosted it in order for my master to end potential wars across the Nine Realms quickly." Sleipnir answered.
"And you currently look like a child because of… Odinforce?" Raphtalia questioned.
Sleipnir nodded, "Correct, milady."
Raphtalia smiled widely, "Wow."
"This is so bizarre and absurd." Sigyn said while massaging her forehead due to the existence of Odinforce.
Loki coughed, "Anyway, I'm planning to head to Melromarc. I need to give this little rascal some clothes from Erhard if he has one available."
"I'm older than you, Your Highness." Sleipnir pointed out quietly, but his master brushed it off.
"Are you both coming?" Loki asked.
"Of course! I don't want to abandon my master!" Raphtalia answered immediately.
"And I'm not planning to let you get into trouble like yesterday." Sigyn answered.
"Do you truly think so little of me?" Loki asked before chuckling. "Let's go then. We'll have a long walk ahead of us." [1]
A couple of minutes later, the Avengers finally arrived in front of Erhard's shop. Most of them forget how exhausting it is to walk from Riyute Village to Melromarc. Their distance was a bit far from each other. Anyway, they entered the shop where Erhard was about to eat a meal at the counter.
"Huh?" Erhard questioned before looking at the Avengers. "Welcome."
"Greetings, Erhard. It's been a week since we've seen each other." Loki greeted him politely.
"Uh-huh. What brought you here, kiddo?" Erhard asked. "Are you going to brag about you bought a new slave?"
"No." Loki answered dryly.
Sleipnir bowed respectfully, "Greetings, Mr. Erhard. I am Sleipnir. I am the steed lf Prince Loki."
"Oh? You're a boy. I thought you're a female with short hair." Erhard pointed out.
Loki raised his eyebrow, "Do you think I'm building a party of women or something?"
All of them then heard a sudden rumble from someone's stomach. They turned towards Sleipnir whose hands were on his stomach.
Loki facepalmed, "I forgot to have breakfast before heading out."
"You can eat the sandwich, kid." Erhard said to Sleipnir. "I'm not hungry anyway."
"Is that alright?" Raphtalia asked worriedly.
"Sure, why not." Erhard answered.
"Then, thanks for the meal." Sleipnir expressed his thanks politely before transforming back to his original form, causing his prince's cape to tear off. He then swallowed the sandwich without chewing on it.
"Sleipnir!" Raphtalia exclaimed.
"That is not okay!" Sigyn exclaimed.
"Wha-!?"
Loki facepalmed, "I apologize for that. Sleipnir! That was incredibly disrespectful! You shouldn't eat in that form!"
Sleipnir widened his eyes before transforming back to his human form and lowered his head, "I am sincerely sorry about that, Mr. Erhard. I'm not used to eating with this form yet."
"T-That's a-a-alright…" Erhard then stared at Loki. "What in the world is he!?"
"That is Sleipnir. He was a royal horse that my father rode on before he passed away. He is currently my horse now because my brother, Thor, isn't in this world." Loki answered. "And the reason he could transform into a human is because of Odinforce."
"Odinforce?" Erhard questioned.
"It is mystical magic from Asgard. You don't know about it." Loki said. "Anyway, this is his second time transforming into a human so he doesn't know how to eat using his hands. I apologize once again."
Erhard sighed, "Your world is so odd. How did your horse even get here? Anyway, why're you here?"
"Oh right, do you have any clothes that don't rip whenever he transforms into a horse? Loki asked. "I'll run out of money if I keep buying him clothes."
"Sorry. I don't have any. This isn't a clothing store, you know." Erhard answered, much to Loki's frustration. "You'll have to talk to the dressmaker."
"Dressmaker? Do they specifically make clothes for creatures that have transformed?" Raphtalia asked curiously.
"Yeah, there is one in this town. I don't know why you headed straight for Erhard, master." Sigyn said.
Loki glared at her, "Then why didn't you inform me?"
Sigyn chuckled, "Because it's fun to annoy you."
Loki sighed, "Anyway, where's the dressmaker? I think I'll ask them to make me a new cape that isn't easily ripped apart."
"Ouch. That's hurtful." Erhard said before pulling out a pink shirt. "Here. I don't think you should let your steed roam around the streets nakedly. The dressmaker is just straight ahead from here. You'll know where it is."
Raphtalia grabbed the shirt, "Thanks, Mr. Erhard."
"We'll see you soon." Loki bid his farewell to him while Raphtalia and Sigyn put the shirt on Sleipnir.
Sleipnir observed the pink shirt before groaning, "Pink… why does it have to be pink?"
In the dressmaker's shop, the dressmaker was observing Sleipnir excitedly. Loki and Raphtalia were staring at them while Sigyn was staring outside the window, waiting for the measurement to be finished. Loki was caught off guard by the dressmaker's enthusiasm.
"He's so handsome and adorable!" The dressmaker complimented Sleipnir, which made him blushed. "He looks like a fine nobleman! And his horse tail and ears are so smooth!"
"Why am I being treated as a child? I'm older than you, you know." Sleipnir said while trying to restrain himself from wagging his tail happily for being called handsome and adorable.
"And the way he tries to act like an adult! Adorable!" The dressmaker exclaimed joyfully, as Sleipnir was on the brink of exploding from embarrassment.
"So that's the way of breaking your emotionless state. A compliment." Loki teased his horse.
Sleipnir grumbled, "Please don't, Your Highness~"
"Anyway, do you have any clothes that don't tear when he transforms and turn back to normal when she transforms back?" Loki asked the dressmaker.
"Oh, so that's what you're looking for." The dressmaker answered. "Do you have any magic thread then?"
"Magic thread?" Loki questioned.
"It's a thread that spun from one's mana in order for the clothes to restore itself, master." Sigyn said. "I read about them once. I'm surprised you didn't know about it, master."
"It's not like I'm interested in learning stitching, Sigyn." Loki said dryly before turning his attention back to the dressmaker. "So I need to retrieve some magic threads. Is that it?"
"Yes, and if you give me some magic thread. I'll make him the most gentlemanly clothing you can imagine!" The dressmaker exclaimed excitedly to the point that Loki thought her eyes sparkled briefly.
"Aren't you a bit too excited?" Loki pointed out before sighing. "Alright, how can I make these magic threads?"
"You may need to ask the magician about that one. I'm just a dressmaker, not an adventurer." The dressmaker answered while continuing observing Sleipnir, much to his embarrassment.
A minute later, the Avengers entered the Magic Shop to ask the owner about the magic thread and whether or not she could produce them. It'll save the Shield Hero some time, as he doesn't want to travel to another faraway place just to get magic threads instead of selling his materials. Meanwhile, Sleipnir was looking at the various books in the shop while Sigyn was sitting down with her eyes closed.
"Magic thread? Yes, I can spin it in this shop." The Magic Shop Owner answered. "The problem is that I need a new magic gem because mine is broken, so I can't do it right now."
"I see. Are they expensive?" Loki is willing to spend all of his money just to give Sleipnir some clothes that don't get ripped apart whenever he transforms into a magical horse. He wondered how many shirts Dr. Banner whenever he transformed into the Hulk.
"Yes, and the supply is limited too." The Magic Shop Owner added.
"That's a problem." Raphtalia pointed out.
"I'll put the word out to get a new one as soon as possible." The Magic Shop Owner said. "So is it okay if you wait for a while?"
"As long as I don't have to spend money for his clothes every time he transforms, then I'm fine waiting." Loki said.
While waiting for the clothing materials, Loki and his companions decided to embark on their adventure to sell materials. This will be the first day of becoming a traveling merchant. All of them hoped that nothing bad would happen. Currently, Sleipnir is pulling the wagon happily while Raphtalia is holding the lead.
"Are you sure it's okay for Sleipnir to pull the wagon, master?" Sigyn asked worriedly while making sure the materials weren't damaged from the incoming road bumps.
"It's fine. Sleipnir is stronger than you think. He's pulling the wagon as if it's a box of ale." Loki answered while reading a book about Legendary and Vassal Weapons.
"And he seems happy." Raphtalia pointed out, as Loki and Sigyn stared at the horse's lively expression. "This must've been the first time he ever pulled a cart like a normal horse."
"You're right. He's always been vigilant back in Asgard, even though there hasn't been any war or in-" Loki stopped himself, as he remembered causing two deaths of innocent guards due to showing the rogue frost giants the secret pathway to the Vault. "Yeah."
"Master? You're down again." Sigyn pointed out, which snapped her master back to reality. "Is it something to do about your villainous past?"
"What're you talking about? Of course not." Loki dodged the question immediately, much to his companions' suspicions. "Anyway! It's going to take a while until Sleipnir's clothes are ready. We're going to trade from town to town until then."
"It was nice of the village lord to give us the traveling merchant license." Raphtalia expressed her thanks towards the lord of the village.
Loki nodded, "Yes. It was."
"So… Sleipnir doesn't talk when in his horse form?" Sigyn asked curiously.
Loki shook his head, "So far. I don't understand either."
After a few minutes, Loki and his companions arrived in an unknown village to sell some materials. Raphtalia was helping her master distribute the materials. He earned a lot of profit by selling the potions and herbs though he was slightly distraught because he had to craft them again. At least the new method that he discovered is much faster than before.
Meanwhile, Sleipnir kept a lookout outside the village while Sigyn was roaming around cautiously, readying to grab her bow. She then heard a conversation by the people about something that managed to catch her ear. She moved a little closer to hear their conversation properly.
"Do you know about the rumor?" The first villager asked his friend.
The second villager drank a beer, "What rumor?"
"About another village where the residents were… brainwashed." The first villager answered, which peaked his friend's curiosity. "I heard it from another traveling merchant a few days ago that something felt odd about the villagers. It's as if they were possessed by the devil."
"If that was true, it must be the work of the Shield Hero." The second villager accused the hero, which angered Sigyn who was still listening. "I heard that he has a brainwashed ability. That's how he is able to get off the hook by the king. What a crazy ba-."
"Hello, gentlemen." Sigyn couldn't allow him to finish his sentence, otherwise, she might have ended up injuring them with her arrows. The two villagers were quite spooked by her sudden appearance. "May I ask where this 'brainwashed' village is?"
"What's in it to you?" The first villager asked curiously.
"Nothing, but if the rumors are true about the brainwashed villagers then I need to report it to the Sh-I mean one of the Four Legendary Heroes." Sigyn answered before pointing at Loki who was still trading with some villagers. "My master has some connection with the heroes. He'll report the issue to them."
"Is that so? Very well." The first villager then moved closer to her ear. "It's a couple of miles away from here. You head north. If you still can't find it, then ask some travelers for its location along the way."
Sigyn nodded, "Thanks for the help."
As Sigyn walked away from the villagers, she was disturbed by the rumor about the brainwashed village. She then remembered one of the relics that Master Loki explained to her and Raphtalia yesterday. She recalled the Warlock's Eye, a mystical weapon that can mind control anyone. She hoped it wasn't true, but if it was, then the other dangerous relics exist in her world. She'll inform her master about the terrible news after his trading with the villagers.
"Master, I have something to tell you later." Sigyn said.
"Oh? Okay." Loki sensed that it isn't good news judging by her worried tone and expression before handing another box of potions to the villager.
After the trading, Sigyn informed her master about the rumored brainwashed village to him on the wagon, much to everyone's horror. Raphtalia was horrified that her world would potentially disappear before the Waves could. There was extreme silence on the wagon. They could only hear the sound of Sleipnir's trot.
"If the rumors are indeed true, then it is bad." Loki said while covering his mouth. "We need to get to that village and retrieve the eye before whoever is its current master will bring calamity in this world, but we need to be cautious as well."
"I hope it isn't true." Raphtalia hopes that the rumor was false.
"Same with me. I don't want this world to disappear due to these dangerous relics." Sigyn shared the same feeling as Raphtalia. "I can't believe we're already facing something dangerous this early."
"Honestly, we should be thankful to Sigyn." Loki then stared at his horse whose ears stood up. "If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have considered the existence of my father's relics here."
"We need to get there fast." Raphtalia said.
"Agree." Loki agreed. "Sleipnir, run a bit faster but not too fast. We wouldn't want to be flung out from the wagon.
Sleipnir responded with a snort before increasing his speed carefully, as both him and the wagon were slightly blurry for anyone who saw them. It was a bit difficult trying to prevent the wagon from flying off him, but he had to endure it for his master.
Unknown Village
Seventeen minutes later, the Avengers arrived in the village. They got lost on the way a couple of times until they asked for help from the people who were passing by and warned them about the village lord, which made Loki speculate that he was probably the cause of the brainwashing. They got off the wagon and felt an ominous atmosphere while the villagers were walking around mindlessly with yellow eyes.
"Tsk. Damn it." Loki cursed because the rumor was true as well as the relic. "They're mind controlled by the Warlock's Eye. I could tell by their eyes."
"No…" Raphtalia was now afraid about the confirmed dangerous relics that existed in her world.
"Relax, Raphtalia. We'll find them all." Sigyn reassured Raphtalia while calming herself down from having the same horrific feeling as her sister in arms. She then took out her bow cautiously. "But first, we'll have to do something about this situation."
Raphtalia stood in front of the brainwashed villager who stared at her curiously before walking away, "Who could've done this?"
"If I have to guess, it's probably the village lord." Loki answered 'confidently'. "But then again, I was once wrong before."
Sigyn kneeled on the ground and patted a brainwashed child, "Is there a limit from the Warlock's Eye, master?"
"Unfortunately, there is none." Loki answered, which slightly frustrated Sigyn. "The only way to get them back to normal is either retrieve the Eye or destroy it. It isn't going to be like the scepter where the brainwashed people can return to their consciousness by hitting them something hard in the head."
"The scepter? You mean the one you used when… invading Earth…?" Raphtalia was reluctant to say the last part.
Loki frowned and nodded, "Yeah. I used to brainwash people too…"
There was silence once again after bringing up the God of Mischief's past actions. Raphtalia regretted asking him about it while Sigyn reassured her that he wasn't angry by patting her in the head. The silence was broken when a familiar naked boy intervened.
"My apologies, Your Highness, but it isn't the time to be gloomy right now." Sleipnir said.
"Sleipnir? Why did you transform back?" Loki asked while Sigyn ran back to the wagon to get something for Sleipnir to wear.
"It was to snap you back to reality. You said that you want to save these people, right? Then ignore your heinous actions that you committed before." Sleipnir answered. "If anything, this is probably your redemption for brainwashing innocent people… by saving them from the same fate."
Loki stared at the mindlessly walking villagers before smiling, "Thanks, Sleipnir."
"I'm sorry for bringing up your past again, Master Loki." Raphtalia apologized by lowering her head while Sigyn gave Sleipnir a brown rugged cloak.
"It's alright, Raphtalia. I'm not angry with you." Loki reassured her she didn't insult him before staring at a mysterious individual hiding behind a house. "Sigyn, capture them."
Sigyn stared at the person before nodding at his request, "Yes, master."
Sigyn climbed on top of the rooftop before pursuing the individual. The individual noticed that they were spotted by the female archer, as they made a run for it. Sigyn was running and jumping across the rooftops with ease while pointing her bow at them with a non lethal arrow that she crafted the other day. Meanwhile, Loki and his companions were watching her from afar while walking around the gloomy village.
"Master, why didn't you order me to capture them? It would certainly be faster." Sleipnir asked curiously.
"It's to train her, my steed." Loki answered while looking around cautiously. "Sigyn is my eyes in the sky. She needs to know the unfamiliar layouts in order to capture someone or guide us through it without any recklessness, hence why she needs to train her eyesight to locate that person."
"That's clever, master! We wouldn't get easily jumped on by enemies." Raphtalia approved of the mission.
"Exactly." Loki said. 'The problem, however, is that we don't have any communication devices like the ones on Earth. And our only communication device on Asgard was Heimdall, but he's in Valhalla right now.'
Once the rain arrived, the brainwashed villagers went inside their houses automatically while Loki, Raphtalia, and Sleipnir entered a bar. The inside had a gloomy and ominous atmosphere like the outside. The villagers who were sitting down weren't conversing nor entertained. They were simply sitting at tables, drinking their beer mindlessly. It was honestly a boring bar for Loki.
"I'm not used to this." Loki said.
"Yeah, I'm used to hearing asgardians cheering whenever they drink and become drunkards." Sleipnir agreed with his master.
"This is creepy." Raphtalia said, as the three of them found a table and sat down. "Are we going to stay here?"
"Temporarily." Loki answered while the waiter was walking towards him like a limping corpse. "Once Sigyn captured whoever that was, she'll meet us here. She always knows where to find us anyway."
"What… can… I… get… you…?" The waiter asked while groaning and growling like an animal.
"Just a normal beer for the three of us. Thanks." Loki answered.
"…are you sure that your companion will capture that individual successfully, sire?" Sleipnir is questioning whether his master truly trusts that Sigyn will capture them.
"Positive." Loki answered before the waiter walked back to the counter slowly.
"Yeah! Big Sis is the best!" Raphtalia cheered for her best friend.
Back to Sigyn, she was still pursuing the individual. She was firing multiple arrows at them while making sure she didn't hit the innocent brainwashed villagers. The individual kept dodging or catching them and kept throwing back at her, but she caught the arrows as well with ease.
"It looks like I'm going to use you as my experiment." Sigyn pulled the bowstring without an arrow before casting a spell. "Air Arrow!"
A gust of wind with the shape of an arrow was released from the bow. It was an experimental spell that Sigyn developed a few days ago, though she isn't sure whether it'll be effective against enemies or not. This was an opportunity to test her newly made spell, which is inspired by the fire spell Fire Arrow. The individual sensed an incoming 'invisible' arrow aiming for them at an incredible pace.
"Fire Arrow!" The individual casts a fire spell that shoots a fiery arrow at the wind while still desperately running from their pursuer.
Sigyn clicked her tongue that the individual has knowledge about Fire Magic, but that isn't going to stop her from capturing him. She jumped from rooftops to rooftops again without showing any sign of exhaustion. She kept firing windy arrows while the individual countered them with fire arrows, much to her annoyance. The individual turned a sharp left in an alleyway, as Sigyn stopped immediately after sensing a bad feeling. It was something her master taught her to watch out for.
"It's a trap, isn't it?" Sigyn looked to the other side of the alleyway where the individual wasn't coming out. She then smirked. "They were luring me, weren't they? Clever."
In the alleyway, Sigyn went to the alleyway quietly. She couldn't find anybody, but she is confident that they were definitely hiding to ambush her. She took out her dagger because her bow is useless in combat when in a tight area. When she closed her eyes to pinpoint their location, a bunch of teenagers jumped on her with definitely sharp weapons.
"You're done for lady!" The teenager with a red mohawk wielding an axe shouted.
Sigyn smirked, "Am I?"
Sigyn swiftly dodged the first and second teenager's attack with ease before ducking her head to dodge the third one. She then kicked the fourth one in midair into the wall while grabbing the fifth's weapon handle and throwing it in the air comically, along with him. She then stared at the individual she was chasing earlier who remained hiding. She was about to head towards her direction until the second teenager stood back up in front of her.
"Rock Blast!" The second teenager summons a mass of boulders to shoot at Sigyn.
Sigyn dodged the boulders by climbing on top of the rooftop at a rapid pace. She then took out her bow and jumped off the rooftop to fire a non-lethal arrow at the teenager, which was successful as he was knocked unconscious. She then landed on the ground roughly, feeling that her bones were slightly shattered though she shrugged it off. She then walked towards the individual who wasn't planning to escape.
"Now, who are you and those guys?" Sigyn interrogates her while pointing a dagger at them.
The individual removed their hood reluctantly as the person in front of them isn't to be underestimated. It was revealed that she was a young girl with brunette hair. She had the appearance of a teenager with a small physique build and visible scars all over her body. After seeing her, Sigyn puts away the dagger because she's just an innocent child though she was still cautious about due to her impressive skills from earlier.
"I-I'm Fiery." Fiery introduced herself while shivering in fear.
"Fiery. I'm Sigyn." Sigyn introduced herself to her as well. "Can you tell me why you lured me to an ambush?"
"Because… my big brother… is in prison." Fiery answered reluctantly while tears were flowing from her eyes, much to Sigyn's shock. "They threaten… to kill him… if I don't do their bidding…"
"What did your brother do? And why do they want to kill him?" Sigyn asked curiously.
"Because…"
Fiery proceeded to tell her about everything albeit with reluctance. Sigyn learned that the little girl's big brother owed a lot of debts from the troublesome teenagers' parents. He was imprisoned immediately without any trial by the village lord who seemed uncaring and arrogant towards his people. It was then revealed that the teenagers and the village lord were allies after making a hectic deal, hence why her brother didn't have a fair trial. This is why Fiery became their lap dog as they have connections with the village lord who'll execute the brother without any hesitation if she doesn't do what they say.
"A deal." Sigyn whispered to herself. "When did this 'deal' take place?"
"About two weeks ago." Fiery answered. "It was when the people started to act… weird… ever since… including my brother."
'So these hooligans found the Warlock's Eye somewhere and made a deal with the village lord that they could do whatever they want in the village.' Sigyn said mentally before laughing at their stupidity. 'They could've used the relic themselves. What are they thinking?'
"Fiery, do you know where the lord of this village is?" Sigyn asked.
Fiery shook her head while wiping some tears off, "I don't know. I haven't seen him since weeks ago, same with them."
Sigyn stared at the unconscious teenagers before smirking, "I don't know about that. Master Loki would be the judge of that."
"Master Loki?" Fiery questioned.
"He's my master and… the hero who will save this village and your brother." Sigyn answered, as hope was beaming on the little girl's eyes. She then offered her hand to Fiery. "Let's go. We're going to inform Master Loki."
Fiery stared at the hand before holding it and nodded, "Yes."
As both of them walked towards the current location of Loki and his companions, they entered a creepy, gloomy bar filled with mindless villagers which still scared the little girl slightly. Raphtalia was waving happily at Sigyn while Loki gave an 'I told you so' look at Sleipnir who smiled in return. Both of them then sat on the table while the waiter finally served Loki, Raphtalia, and Sleipnir some drinks.
"So this is the individual that was chasing you." Loki observed the little girl closely. "You're quite gifted, aren't you?"
"T-Thank you…" Fiery was touched that someone appreciated her immature ability.
Loki then turned his attention to Sigyn, "So tell me what you know about this village."
"Okay."
Sigyn told him about everything that Fiery informed her. Loki was now confident that the Eye was definitely somewhere in the village. He is slightly frustrated that he'll have to track down the village lord, who is presumably the one who orchestrated everything. He wondered where the teenagers found the Eye because the location will probably lead him to the others. He then turns to Fiery, who sympathizes with her because of the sibling situation.
"I'm sorry about your brother." Loki apologized to her. "Once we find the relic, we'll set your brother free and those teenagers aren't going to be a problem for you."
Fiery lowered her head, "Thank you, sir."
Loki then turned his attention to Sleipnir and Raphtalia, "Both of you. Bring them here. I have some questions for them."
Raphtalia and Sleipnir stood up, "Yes, master."
A minute later, Raphtalia and Sleipnir brought the teenagers into the pub. The mindless villagers stared at them for a bit before shrugging it off. Sleipnir then grabbed a rope and tied them rapidly with yellow streaks emitting from him. Fiery was amazed by his unusual ability while Raphtalia felt dizzy watching the little 'boy' circling around the teenagers at an incredible speed.
Loki walked towards the teenagers before kneeling on the floor with one knee, "Wake them up."
Sigyn nodded before hitting their head with her hands which made Fiery flinched after hearing some bone cracks. The teenagers groaned in pain while slowly opening their eyes. They still couldn't see their surroundings properly because it was blurry. They then remembered their current situation, as they tried to escape from the rope.
"What is this!? Where are we!?" The first teenager demanded an answer.
"Yeah! This is kidnapping! The mayor wouldn't be happy with this!" The third teenager threatened them.
Loki snorted, "Do I look like I'm scared? I fear no mortals."
"You should be! He has a device that can c-" The fifth teenager was interrupted.
"Control my mind like what you have done to these folks? Yeah, I know everything about the relic." Loki finished his sentence, which surprised the teenagers that nobody knew about it. "And that's because my family owns that Eye. Tell me this, where did you find it?"
"Like hell we will tell you, whoever you are!" The first teenager refused to answer before spitting at the kidnapper's face who dodged the disgusting saliva.
Loki then stood up menacingly to the point the teenagers were hallucinating that all of his body is covered in shadows and has green eyes, "I am Loki Odinson. The Prince of Asgard, the rightful King of Jotunheim, the God of Mischief, and… the Shield Hero."
The teenagers felt dread after knowing the identity of their kidnapper. They were shivering in fear from the mischievous deity's appearance. There's no wonder that he knows about the Eye because he's one of the Four Legendary Heroes, as they thought. Their sweat was dripping from their forehead rapidly from fear while few of them probably pissed their pants, much to Loki's amusement.
"Don't force me to use another method, children. I suggest you not allow me to repeat my question." Loki then moved closer to their faces, as their souls felt leaving their physical body. "Where did you get the relic?"
The teenagers were resisting their fear of the Shield Hero. They weren't going to answer him willingly when they're enjoying their lives without any parents… until…
The fourth teenager gulped, "We found it in a cave a mile from here!"
"JUNIPER!" The four teenagers yelled at her.
"I'm sorry…" Juniper apologized to her 'friends' while tears were flowing from her eyes. "I miss my mom…"
"You traitor!" The first teenager shouted at her.
"No, Jaxon. I want my parents back." Juniper couldn't bear to witness her mother in a mindless state anymore. She may not like her because of strictness, but it doesn't mean she doesn't love her wholeheartedly.
"A cave." Loki whispered to himself, remembering when he found Sleipnir in a cave as well, though that is currently irrelevant right now. "May I ask if there's another relic besides the Eye?"
"I…" Juniper was about to answer until the third teenager glared at her.
"Don't you dare, Juniper." The third teenager warned her while clenching his hands.
"Sorry, Bolt." Juniper has no choice, but to answer. "Yeah. There were… five empty plinths in the cave, except for the Eye. We don't know what happened to the others… but there are a few people who passed by before…"
"What did they look like?" Loki asked.
"I don't know…" Juniper answered while her 'friends' were growling at her. "They were carrying… an unusual spear, bow, and sword. I think… the design is similar… as your shield's, Mr. Shield Hero."
Loki clenched his hands, 'Motoyasu, Itsuki, and Ren. So they were in that cave a few weeks ago. Those buffoons. They don't know the power of these relics.'
"Final question. Where is the village lord?" Loki asked calmly.
"I… don't know." Juniper answered truthfully. "He just… disappeared. He isn't at his… house nor office for the past few weeks…"
"I see." Loki knew that the girl wasn't lying because he could tell. He then turned his attention to the other teenagers. "What about you four? Do you know where the village lord is?"
"No, we don't! And even if we did, we would never tell you like this idiot girl!' The second teenager answered angrily while trying to bite off Juniper's ear.
"Calm down, Lo." The fifth teenager attempts to calm him down.
"How can I, Fedora!? We were outed!" Lo yelled at her as well.
"Did I say you could talk?" Loki asked with an intimidating aura around him, which silenced everyone, including his allies and the mindless villagers as well. He then signaled Sleipnir to remove the rope to set Juniper free and placed it back to the other teenagers quickly, which he did successfully.
"Huh?" Juniper was confused when she was set free by the Shield Hero.
"Juniper, you'll lead me to this cave. I need some answers." Loki ordered. "Do that, and I shall not punish you for crimes against these innocent people."
Juniper lowered her head, "Yes, sir."
Jaxon scoffed, "Traitor."
"What shall you have us do then, master?" Sigyn asked.
"You and Raphtalia will find any clues about the village lord's whereabouts while me and Sleipnir are going to that cave." Loki explained the plan to them. "The village lord can't be that far."
"What should we do to them then?" Raphtalia asked about the captured teenager.
Loki glared at the teenagers who were silently whimpering, "Just leave 'em here. They'll eventually escape with their magic. They have no purpose now other than reporting it to the village lord."
"We don't know where he is!" Lo denied that he and his friends had knowledge about the village lord's whereabouts.
Loki then walked away from the bar, "That's why I said that you have no purpose now. You're the kind who… doesn't consider that family… is everything."
Everyone was silent after hearing the last part, mostly the idiotic teenagers. They could tell by his sad tone that he regretted something that ruined his family relationship. They still think that parents are nothing more than party poopers, but they started to show some hint of regret in their hearts like Juniper. Meanwhile, the allies of Shield Hero left them in the bar.
"Sleipnir. May you please transform back to your original form. I need you." Loki ordered him.
"With pleasure, sire." Sleipnir agreed before turning back to an eight-legged horse, much to Juniper's and Fiery's shock and surprise.
"W-Wha?" Juniper and Fiery questioned in unison.
Loki then jumped on the horse's back before offering his hand to Juniper, "Let's go, young lady."
Juniper briefly blushed before accepting his hand. Loki pulled her to ride the horse behind him. He then ordered Sleipnir to go, as the eight-legged horse galloped at an incredible pace towards the cave. Juniper was hugging the God of Mischief closely in order to fall off while holding back her scream due to the unexpected speed from a weird horse.
"Well, there they go." Raphtalia said. "Let's go, Big Sis Sigyn. We need to find that village lord and bring him to justice for these people."
"Ye-" Sigyn then looked down because someone was gently pulling her clothing. "Fiery?"
"Can I come with you?" Fiery asked adorably. "I… don't know where to go."
"I-"
Raphtalia smiled, "Sure. The more, the merrier as everyone says."
"You're not going to hear my opinion, aren't you?" Sigyn said before sighing in approval. "Fine, but stay close. We wouldn't want to lose you."
Fiery nodded, "Okay."
'She could be useful when the situation goes south. Her skills were impressive compared to the other kids.' Sigyn said mentally, walking side-by-side with Raphtalia and Fiery.
Unknown Cave
Four minutes later, Sleipnir arrived at the mile-long destination in an instant. Juniper landed on the ground roughly before spewing out a large amount of vomit. Loki scratched his head for not warning the little girl about his horse's speed before landing on the ground.
"I apologize for not informing you about Sleipnir." Loki apologized sincerely to the little girl.
Juniper coughed before wiping her mouth, "It's alright. I deserved it anyway."
Sleipnir transformed back into a little boy and lowered his head, "I apologize as well."
Juniper blushed after seeing the naked Sleipnir, "Uh…"
Loki facepalmed before conjuring a cloak and dressed Sleipnir with it, "You really need to keep in mind about your naked appearance."
"Yes, my lord." Sleipnir said.
Loki then stared at the cave's entrance, "So this is the cave, Juniper?"
Juniper nodded, "Yes, sir."
"Okay. Sleipnir, you'll stay here with Juniper. I'll be going in alone." Loki ordered his steed.
"Are you sure, sire? There could be monsters down there." Sleipnir said.
"That is precisely why I need you out here. I can't risk bringing Juniper inside so you'll have to protect her if the monsters are going to exit this cave."
"It's okay if I don't need to be protected. I don't really need it." Juniper doesn't want to be a burden to the Legendary Hero.
"Nonsense. You need it." Loki said before projecting a green, energy bolt in his hand as a torch. "I'll be going in."
"Good luck, sire." Sleipnir said.
As Loki entered the cave, he readied his Legendary Shield in case monsters would attack him in the dark. He activated the "Star Shield" because of its usage as an offense and defense during a battle. He ventured below the deep, dark cave while sounds of flapping winged mammals could be heard from the distance. He wasn't particularly scared of the dark because he was raised as a warrior, but there were only two instances that he felt fear - when he was an innocent child who was comforted by his loving mother and his death at the hands of Thanos.
Loki shook his head, "Stop it. Focus, Loki. You're in an investigation about how the relics came here."
Loki was aware that the rest of the relics are currently in the hands of foolish fellow heroes, so he wasn't planning to investigate their current whereabouts. He is investigating whether it's possible to travel back to his known universe. He isn't planning to go back anytime soon because of his death, but it was because there's a chance that the Waves would probably affect his universe. He couldn't let that happen if his theory is true.
"I sure hope not. I was right about the re-"
The God of Mischief was thunderstruck after witnessing the familiar carvings on the wall with ancient texts written on them. It was like an unknown caveman drew and wrote in it, but it wasn't gibberish nor human skills. It shouldn't be here in this world, but it was. He doesn't understand what's going on right now.
"These are… asgardian texts and drawings." Loki said, touching the carvings as tears were flowing from his eyes. "How is this possible?"
The carvings contained the structure of Asgard, the royal family of the past and current, the asgardian warriors, the old gods and goddesses, the inhabitants of the nine realms, ancient texts, and the god-killing weapon necrosword. He doesn't understand how it was possible, but it shows that somebody from his homeworld carved everything.
"Who else is in this world besides me and Sleipnir?" Loki asked. "Or was there an asgardian in this world years ago? Perhaps… one of the old Legendary Heroes…"
As Loki continued going down the deepest part of the cave where the walls were still filled with asgardian drawings and literature, he reached his destination. There were six plinths where the relics were in display. He investigated the plinths and wondered where the idiot heroes took it.
"Whatever. I'll eventually find them on my journey." Loki said before observing the deep part of the cave, yet found nothing inconspicuous nor unusual. "This is normal aside from the asgardian texts. Then how did these relics arrive in this world?"
Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling in the cave. Loki went into his fighting stance immediately. He dodged to the side quickly upon seeing a boulder flying towards him. The unknown creature that was causing the rumbling knocked off the plinths and roared at Loki while carrying a huge stone pillar as a weapon. It was a familiar creature that Loki and his brother faced in the past. A creature that doesn't exist in this realm. [2]
"A troll." Loki said, as the troll walked towards him menacingly.
Back in the village, Raphtalia and Sigyn were roaming around the area to find any clues about the village lord's whereabouts with Fiery. They were planning to look around the village before heading to his last known location which was either his house or office. After a minute, they decided that it was pointless searching everywhere.
"I'll head to the village lord's office." Raphtalia said.
Sigyn nodded, "Then me and Fiery will head to his house."
As Raphtalia and Sigyn separated to go towards their specific destination, Fiery was following Sigyn quietly. She has been nervous and afraid ever since she was following her. She doesn't know whether it was a good idea to consider following her, but she doesn't know where else to go as her big brother was still in prison.
'Big brother.' Fiery said mentally before looking at her. "Ms. Sigyn, I have a… request. Will you… set my brother free?"
Sigyn smiled, "I will once we find the village lord. Your brother is probably brainwashed by the Eye as well, so you wouldn't want to reunite with him under that circumstance, right?"
"Yeah." Fiery was now eager to stop the village lord, slightly abandoning her shyness and nervousness.
After entering the village lord's house, which was way bigger than the village houses, there were scattered books and papers on the floor. There was visible dust flying around, urging Fiery to sneeze as she is allergic to dust. There were cobwebs on the ceilings due to improper maintenance for the past few weeks. It was safe to say that the village lord has been long gone.
"Is there a basement?" Sigyn stomped her foot on the floor repeatedly, but there weren't any unusual deep sounds except for the creaking tiles that needed to be repaired. "Nothing. Well, better to investigate this house then."
"Ms. Sigyn, I found something." Fiery handed an unusual book to Sigyn.
"Huh. I've never heard about this book before." Sigyn observed the book closely before reading the weird texts. "And I can't read the language. This language isn't from humans or demi-humans. The language… isn't from this world."
"Look at the pictures. The Eye is there." Fiery said.
Sigyn flipped through the pages and found the relics that were foretold by her master, "The Warlock's Eye. The Casket of Ancient Winters. The Eternal Flame. These are relics from Master Loki's world. Where in the world did he get this book?"
"Is that how… the village lord knew about the relic and sent those meanies to retrieve it?" Fiery theorized.
"Probably, but he was a bit too slow because other heroes managed to get some of them except for the Eye." Sigyn considered the theory plausible before placing the book on her waist. "I'll give this book to Master Loki later. He could probably read the contents inside."
Suddenly, a mindless villager bursted through the door forcefully causing Sigyn to take out her bow due to the unexpected surprise. A couple of mindless villagers then entered the house slowly like a walking corpse while groaning and growling. Unlike before, Sigyn could tell that they were being hostile now.
"What's going on with them?" Fiery is unaware about why they are being hostile now.
"The village lord knows about our presence." Sigyn answered before putting away her bow as she didn't wish to harm them. "He's sending his pawns to take us out."
"How does he know where we are?" Fiery asked while igniting a flame on her hands.
Sigyn stared at one of the mindless villagers' yellow eyes, "It's probably because he's watching us through the eyes of theirs."
Meanwhile, Raphtalia was fending herself against the mindless without using her sword in the village lord's office. She was fighting them with hand-to-hand combat though she isn't particularly good at it compared to her sword. She defeated all of them nonetheless albeit with difficulty. She proceeded to search everywhere in the office as there were no reason for the hostility from the villagers unless someone spotted her, meaning that there's a chance that the village lord is here.
"Where are you?" Raphtalia whispered to herself before unsheathing her sword.
Raphtalia concentrates on pinpointing the village lord's location by using her incredible sense of hearing. A few seconds later, she sensed that somebody was hiding underground while his heart was beating rapidly out of fear. She wagged her tail joyfully before slamming through the floor with her sword.
"GAH!" An elderly man shouted.
Raphtalia stood back up immediately and pointed her sword at his neck, "It's over, village lord. Where is the Eye?"
"H-How do you know about the Eye…!?" The village lord demanded an answer before facepalming in anger. "It's those brats, isn't it!? I knew I shouldn't have trusted them!"
"Where is the Eye…?" Raphtalia threatened the village lord by slowly slicing his neck.
"I-I will tell you… but first…" The villager acted like a coward until he smirked evilly. "You'll have to fight that guy."
Unexpectedly, Raphtalia was sent flying into a wall before she could turn to see the threat. She then witnessed the monster that attacked her while she was recovering slowly. It was a large monster that resembles an owl and its feathers are also almost completely white aside from a small ruffle on its abdomen and some feathers on its wings, which contain blue. [3]
"A filolial." Raphtalia said. 'But what kind of filolial is that?'
"You're correct. He's a filolial." The wicked village lord then gave him a rub. "I took him in after his previous master met with an… unfortunate incident. By using the Eye, I could control this special bird without using the slave crest."
"Special?" Raphtalia questioned while slowly standing up and grabbing her sword.
"He's unusual to you, right? That's because he is a candidate for the next Filolial King or Queen. That's how special he is." The village lord said.
'Filolial King or Queen? I thought they were only bedtime stories.' Raphtalia was slightly surprised that they exist, but she shrugged it off as it isn't important right now. "Whatever he is. He isn't going to stop me from apprehending you."
"Whatever you say, demi-human scum." The village lord mocked her before escaping through the hole that Raphtalia bursted through.
The filolial ran towards Raphtalia at an incredible speed before raising the tarsus to attack her with its claw, but Raphtalia managed to dodge the attack in time. She then swung her sword multiple times at the filolial without any hesitation, but the monster was blocking the attack with its metal claws. She once again dodged to the side when the filolial ran towards her, as he slammed through the wall instead.
The male filolial growled, "Zweite Wing Cutter!"
As the filolial creates a blade of wind that was shot at Raphtalia, she executed an air side roll to avoid the attack before pretending to throw her sword at him as a feint, which was successful as the filolial dodged to the side. She then threw a pebble at his head, which knocked him unconscious due to the immense throw speed. She walked towards the filolial and was about to execute it until she remembered filolials are harmless in general.
Raphtalia sighed, "Right. He's being controlled by the Eye. Where is it?"
Raphtalia jumped out of the basement through the hole she created. She was greeted with a swarm of mindless villagers immediately. She sheathed her sword before raising her fists again. She'll have to end the fight quickly and find the perpetrator before he'll presumably sacrifice these innocent villagers as a threat for them to stop pursuing him
Outside of the cave, Sleipnir and Juniper are waiting for Loki. Sleipnir was standing guard while Juniper was roaming around the place. The 'young boy' allowed her to freely roam around because it doesn't matter whether she tried to make a run, considering he can keep up tremendously with her if she does.
"Sleipnir! Come here!" Juniper called out.
Sleipnir ran towards Juniper's location. He looked down at an unknown object that Juniper found on the dirt ground. She couldn't take it out with her strength, so he asked for his help which he obliged but was cautious about it. After pulling it out from the dirt, it was revealed to be a long case meaning that there's something inside.
"Stand back, Ms. Juniper. This could be dangerous." Sleipnir ordered her, which she immediately did.
After opening the case cautiously, Sleipnir tilted his head because it was a weapon. Juniper walked towards the thing she found and grabbed it carefully while Sleipnir continued to stare at the weapon in case it's dangerous.
"It's a scepter." Juniper said.
"It is." Sleipnir said. "And it's very golden."
Suddenly, both of them felt a vibration underneath them. They rushed back to the entrance of the cave, as small bits of rocks were slowly blocking the entrance due to the rumbling. Sleipnir and Juniper stared at each other, knowing the cave will collapse soon. Both of them were then removing the rocks quickly together in order to save Loki from his potential demise.
Back in the cave, Loki was dodging and weaving from the troll's earthly attacks. He is aware that the troll is being controlled by the village lord as well due to its yellow eyes. He speculated that his companions have probably found the village lord, but are currently under attack by him, meaning that the villagers are probably hostile towards them now. He has to place his trust on them that they'll survive as he's busy fighting the troll.
"I don't know how you managed to arrive in this world, but it's time for you to go." Loki said.
Loki dodged three boulder attacks while blocking the fourth one, though he was slightly knocked back. The cave was then rumbling loudly due to the Earth Troll using its ability inside the cave. It is risky to use earthly magic inside a cave, but the troll doesn't care because of the mind control. Trolls are slightly intelligent, so it wouldn't risk its life by using its ability.
"I could leave now, but his skin is probably useful for my shield." Loki said before throwing his Star Shield on the ground, which ricocheted towards the troll's head before ricocheting back to his hand.
The attack was unaffected as the troll barely flinched. The troll walked towards the God of Mischief slowly while raising its pillar weapon. When the troll was about to swing the pillar, Loki used the Change Shield ability to change his current shield into the Rope Shield immediately to activate the attack.
"Air Strike Shield!" Loki creates a glowing green shield that flies towards the troll's feet, which knocks him to the ground though it doesn't deal an amount of damage.
When the troll was about to get back up, Loki changed his shield into the Two Headed Black Dog Shield to use the ability Dog Bite at the troll. The troll was shaking on the ground while trying to pull the dogs away from it desperately. The Shield Hero then walked towards him slowly with a dagger in his hand. When 30 seconds had passed, the troll coughed a lot from the painful bites before a dagger was stabbed through its forehead effortlessly, killing it instantly.
"That wasn't even a challenge. I've faced you guys with my brother." Loki was slightly disappointed that the troll was weaker than the ones he faced before. "Well, at least you weren't strong as that angry green beast. I don't think I can last long." [4]
Loki kneels on the ground with one knee before piercing the troll's skin. He then placed it on the green gem which unlocked a new shield. It was called the Earth Troll Shield. He has the ability to manipulate earth, but it consumes a ton of mana so he'll have to use it on emergencies.
"Interesting. I hope this ability doesn't disappoint." Loki said.
Loki then heard a whooshing sound behind him. Once he turned around, Sleipnir and Juniper were standing in front of him. Juniper was vomiting once again, as Loki gave an eye to Sleipnir who bowed apologetically.
"Were you facing a troll, sire?" Sleipnir asked.
"No, I was facing an ant." Loki said sarcastically while chuckling. "Anyway, Sleipnir. We need to get back to the village fast. Raphtalia and Sigyn could be in danger."
Sleipnir nodded, "Yes, Your Highness."
"Uhm.. Master Loki." Juniper then pulled out a scepter. "I found these while I was roaming outside."
Loki widened his eyes before accepting the scepter, "How is this here? This is supposed to be lost in Midgard."
"It belongs to you, sir?" Juniper said.
"Yeah, but it doesn't have the Mind Stone anymore." Loki said until he thought of an object that could replace it. "I have some plans for this one, but this time, it isn't for wickedness."
Suddenly, the cave was shaking more rapidly than ever before as rocks were falling from the ceiling while dirt dust was forming. Sleipnir transformed back into an eight-legged horse immediately, as Loki and Juniper hopped on. The fastest horse in existence then escaped the cave within two minutes before the cave collapsed on itself. He then ran back to the village without stopping, hoping that he wouldn't get lost on the way.
Back in the village, Sigyn and Fiery were facing off against a swarm of mindless villagers. They were holding back a lot in order to avoid giving the innocent villagers some concussion. They saw the four teenagers, who managed to escape from the rope, being chased by the villagers, meaning that the village lord knew about their 'betrayal'.
"Fiery, stop them. They're going to end up killing the villagers instead." Sigyn ordered the little girl.
Fiery nodded, "Yes, ma'am."
As Fiery pursues the four teenagers, Sigyn continued fighting the villagers until she was distracted after seeing an elderly man running away while carrying a heavy bronze holder with a moving eye in the middle of it. It was the Warlock's Eye that the old man was carrying, as she was about to chase them down.
"Tornado!" Sigyn produced a tornado to blow away the surrounding villagers, though she had to minimize the size to avoid injuring them.
While chasing down the presumably village lord, Sigyn reunited with Raphtalia who was absolutely exhausted from fighting the mindless villagers without a sword while holding back at the same time.
"Raphtalia! Are you okay!?" Sigyn asked worriedly while continuing to run.
Raphtalia nodded, "I'm fine. I can still go on."
When the village lord looked back, he was beginning to panic as his pursuers were much faster than he was. He then tripped from a pebble, stumbling across the ground painfully. As Raphtalia and Sigyn were getting closer to the old man, a bunch of mindless monsters appeared out of nowhere to defend their manipulator. The old man was crawling towards the Warlock's Eye desperately, but Sigyn sent it flying somewhere with her Wind Magic.
"I don't think so." Sigyn said. "Raphtalia, leave the monsters to me. Capture that old man and find the Eye."
"Yes, Big Sis Sigyn." Raphtalia said before passing by the monsters who missed their attacks against her.
Sigyn slashed the balloon, mush, and usapil monsters easily with her knife. She then dodged an attack by caterpiland by flipping backwards three times before piercing its head with an arrow. She then took an itchy, painful damage from thorns of the tpikyupikyu monsters before firing a bunch of arrows at them. She took out the thorns, as small amounts of blood were flowing from the wound, but shrugged the pain off.
"Come on." Sigyn tempted the monsters.
Meanwhile, Raphtalia was walking casually towards the village lord who was screaming in fear while trying to find where the Eye was. She was starting to get tired from hearing his whiney screams.
"Please! Please! Spare my life! I-I was tempted by the Eye! It wasn't my fault that those people and monsters are attacking you!" The village lord made an excuse while looking everywhere for the Eye, which doesn't support his claim that he was tempted by it.
Raphtalia stopped upon seeing the Warlock's Eye in the bushes. She then picked it up with only one hand, compared to the old man. The village lord widened his eyes while clenching his hands angrily, as his sweat was dripping down his forehead.
"Is this the one you're looking for?" Raphtalia asked curiously with a hint of an angry and disappointed tone.
"G-Give it to me! You don't know… what that is!" The village lord exclaimed.
"I fully know what this is. This belongs to the gods. It wasn't meant to be used by mortals such as us. I will return it to the rightful owner." Raphtalia then glared at the village lord. "You'll pay for using it recklessly."
"W-Wha?"
While Sigyn continued fighting the mindless monsters, they suddenly stopped attacking her a few seconds later. They were heading towards her friend's direction slowly which they followed them. She then saw Raphtalia confronting the old man while holding the Warlock's Eye.
"Are you… going to kill me?" The village lord asked while whimpering in fear.
"No, just to make you afraid." Raphtalia answered. "But answer my question first, why did you use this Eye for evil? You could've done good with it. The god who owns this would've allowed you to keep it."
'The god who o-?' The village lord doesn't understand what she is talking about, but he's going to answer her truthfully if it meant sparing him from these monsters. "It's so that I'll become superior to others! I was intending to use it against all the kings and queens of this world! And I'll become a god to them!" [5]
Raphtalia sighed, "That's it? What a disappointment."
"You don't understand what it's like to be unseen by others! You don't know what it's like to be considered an animal by someone superior than you!" The villager shouted at her.
Raphtalia remembered her horrible life as a slave before meeting with Loki and Sigyn before walking away, "Then you know nothing about my life."
The monsters then surrounded the former village lord who screamed at the sight of them, even though they weren't attacking unless provoked or trying to escape from their sight. Sigyn stood in front of Raphtalia out of worry.
"Are you okay, my little sister?" Sigyn asked worriedly.
Raphtalia wiped off some tears before nodding, "Yes."
"Okay." Sigyn then smiled at her before wrapping her hands around Raphtalia's neck while walking back to the village. 'That was a scary Raphtalia.'
"Are you okay, Big Sis?" Raphtalia asked worriedly due to the fresh wounds her friend has.
Sigyn nodded, "I'm fine."
After reaching the village, Loki and Sleipnir are helping the villagers who were recovering from the Eye while Fiery is dragging Jaxon, Bolt, Lo, and Fedora to jail and reunite with her big brother. The parents of the four teenagers who aided the corrupt village lord watched their unforgivable children dragged away, but made no attempts to help them while Juniper reunited with her mom who forgave her actions and apologized for her strictness towards her own daughter, which she accepted.
"What an excellent job you did, my disciples." Loki congratulated Raphtalia and Sigyn for stopping the threat without him before giving potions to the woman and her children.
"It was a team effort, Master Loki." Sigyn said before taking out a healing potion from the wagon and drank it to heal her wounds.
"Yeah." Raphtalia then hands the Eye to her master while blushing from the compliment. "This is yours, my master."
"Thank you, my loyal disciple." Loki humbly accepted the Warlock's Eye from his loyal disciple. "You have been trouble for us, but now you'll be put to good use."
Loki conjured the scepter that Juniper found lying around outside of the cave earlier, which reminded his two disciples about the weapon that their master used during his time as a world conquering villain. He then took out the Eye from the bronze holder before dropping it on the ground. He then placed the Eye at the middle of the scepter, which is encircled with silver blades, before it was covered in a blue swirling cosmic gem. He was curious as to what would happen if the shield absorbs the Eye, but for now, he reunites with his old weapon that was given by the Mad Titan. [6]
"How do you feel, master?" Sleipnir asked.
Loki smirked, "Glorious."
CHAPTER 10 ENDED
Author's Notes:
This is my first attempt to slightly diverge from the original plot of Rising of the Shield Hero. I apologize if it's slightly short. I hope you guys enjoy it because there's probably more chapters like this to come in the future.
[1] A reference in Thor: Ragnarok where Loki thought that his brother thought so little of him after agreeing immediately that he should stay in Sakaar because it suits him more.
[2] Yeah, there are trolls from the Norse Mythology in Raphtalia's World. Their appearance is similar to the God of War (2018) version.
[3] That solves the issue of filolial king or queen candidates without Filo from the original series. You're definitely going to see him in future chapters. I haven't given him a name yet. What would be his name, my fellow readers?
[4] I apologize if the fight between Loki and the troll is underwhelming, but he has already faced the creature before with Thor. And now that he has the Legendary Shield, he doesn't need his brother's help anymore. If you want, you can just imagine the extended fight in your mind like the fight between Raphtalia and the filolial king candidate. That's usually what anime does when adapting a novel.
[5] He is definitely one of the one-dimensional or two-dimensional villains. I don't know which is which.
[6] The Glorious Purpose Armor is officially complete with the scepter in his hands. Loki will definitely be accused for brainwashing people in the future like Naofumi in the original, but he difference is that he literally can. Remember, the Warlock's Eye doesn't work on strong-willed people so it'll be useless against the Four Legendary Heroes, Queen Melromarc, and others.