Chapter 9 – Odin

Odin crept through the streets, weary of any eyes that might turn to him. His hood covered his face, and he had replaced his golden eye patch with a black leather one. His cloak was made of brown leather, and his beard unkempt as he let it hang down, collecting dirt and rain as he trudged through the mud on his way to the tavern. 'a perfect day for an un expected walk through the town.' he thought to himself, and looked through the window. Thor sat there, a half drunken pint of beer in front of him and three of the four kits playing on the ground. Chase kept his eyes shut as he looked to his grape juice, probably thinking about what to say. Crystal and Crash pounced each other playfully, anger nowhere to be seen on their faces. Peach once in a while pounced them both, silently laughing as she did so. 'The Mind's Eye?' Odin thought to himself as he eyed the necklace around the little kit. He also noticed that under the fur, there was a curved and uneven scar traveling across her neck. It was small, but it seemed to have finished healing, as it refused to vanish completely. 'A fitting gift for one so fragile!' he thought and turned his attention to the twins. 'Ah, the Heart of Light, and a dwarven forged armor. Both good choices.' he thought with a smile, and turned his attention to the kit on the table, remembering the cloak the little one had used to sneak past the Frost Giants.

With a steel of his nerves, he turned and entered into the bar, quickly pulling out a stick that looked as if it would break with too much pressure. He set the tip on the ground, and shook, as if it were uncontrollable. With hobbling steps he made his way into the tavern, and pressed harder on the wiggling crutch. It broke, causing him to fall to the ground with a thud as the tender raced to help him up. "Are ye aulright?" the young man asked as he helped Odin to his feet, "Ey!" Odin responded, cracking his voice and shaking his words, "If'n ye wouldn't mind, a boohle ah Shinda would beh noice!"

"Ah think nooh lad!" the bartender responded, "A rag like ye needs a good supper first!" Odin smiled at the tender's kindness, "Ey!" he responded with what could be considered a surprised gladness, "A small bit te eat would…" he began, and was quickly interrupted. "An Ah'll no be haven ye pay! E's on the house!" Odin watched as the bartender disappeared behind the wall. "Surely you shame us father!" he heard Thor say from behind him, "Did ye think I'd be drunk enough not to see you under that mask of dirt and rain?"

Odin chuckled as he turned around, "A wise man knows when to disappear into the night, and who will be the ones to spot him among the shadows!" he said, and silence once again fell as the bartender came out from the kitchen with what looked to be a bowl of soup. "Ah'll be bringen ye the rest in aboot fifteen minutes or so. The chef's gone home fer teday!" he said, and set a glass of water next to Odin's bowl. The old man smiled with kindness, and what looked to be thankfulness in his only eye. The barkeep once again disappeared behind the wall and Odin grabbed the spoon in his soup, "You wished to ask me a question?" he asked and sipped the broth. With surprise, he looked back at the soup, and with pleasure, drank what was left in his spoon. "Father, we have need of the Potion of Fenrir!" Thor said with a low voice. Odin turned his head, his anger flaring, yet he never said a word, instead he breathed in deep, calming his anger before it could escape. "Then perhaps you can do something for me!" he said at last, "I am worried about the other councilors. Shiva is crafty, and after what happened with you four and my son, I am very curious as to why Shenlong has seen fit to let the Azure conduct the investigation in his own arrogant manner."

The kits glared at him, each thinking their own thoughts of distrust. "So in order to get the only potion to save out parents, we have to help ease your paranoia?" Chase asked. Odin would have stood up and scolded the little kit, but Thor spoke instead, "If my father has worry, it is because he senses evil in the air. His connection to Yggdrasil is as deep as if they had grown up together!" the human god announced to the kits. "I still don't trust him!" Crystal said with a grunt. Thor placed a handful of coins on the table, "Father, we have but a few hours to release Bolt and Mittens from Medusa's gaze! I'm afraid that we must accomplish both tasks at once!" As soon as he finished his words, the Barkeeper reemerged from behind kitchen, a hot piece of steak sitting on a plate with mashed potatoes and gravy with steamed carrots on the side. "Enjoy!" was all he said as he once again turned to leave, "An the Shinda?" Odin asked in his beggar voice. The barkeeper glanced at him, "Ah'll pay fer it!" Odin said and reached a shaky hand into his pocket, pulling out a few coins to place on the table. The Barkeeper sighed, "Olright!" he finally said, "Jis let me grab it from me locker!" The tender disappeared from view, and Odin once again turned to the group, "If half of you go and check on the councilors, I'll give the potion to the others to take to the Gorgons' lair!" he said. "Tch! Fine! I'll go with the group to help mom and dad!" Chase said. Odin shook his head, "Your talents will be better put to use against Shiva, take Thor and the little one with the Mind's Eye with you. The little ones that look the same should be enough to help your parents!"

"Father!" Thor argued a little, "I can help with the Gorgons!" Odin shook his head again, "If they see you, they'll have reason to start a war between our two nations. The lives of the innocent would be forfeit! That is not what you want, nor I!" he said, and Thor lowered his head, "Yes my father, you are correct! Then, the potion to the twins, and I shall take Chase and Peach to the Councilors to check on them!" Odin nodded, and reached into his tattered cloak, pulling from it a small blue vial of liquid. The potion sloshed around in the small glass tube as he passed it to Crystal. "Remember, a favor, for a favor. Make sure you use only a single drop, any more, and it could have unintended side effects!" Odin told them. "Like what?" Crash asked. "No one has dared find out!" Odin told them, and urged them to leave. "Father?" Thor asked, "You do not intend to take advantage of this poor man do you?" Odin simply shook his head, "I intend to come back for his meals! This is the most succulent steak I have had in centuries! I plan on rewarding his kindness with the business of myself and my guard!" Thor simply smiled, and turned from his father, exiting the door. Odin began to finish his meal as the Barkeeper made his way back to the table, a large wooden mug of something frothy in his hand. "Thank you!" Odin said in his beggar vice, "May Odin praise you with reward of you kindness!"

Thor stood outside as they figured out what to do, "I don't trust him!" Chase said, "It feels like he's splitting us up on purpose!"

"A cautious one you are!" Thor said, "But my father has gained wisdom not only from age, but also from Yggdrasil itself. We must believe he knows what he's doing!"

'I agree!' Peach thought using her pearl, 'It's like he knows which teams will grant the most success! I believe him!'

"Well, we don't have much of a choice! We' promised him we'd help. And like it or not, if we just took the potion and ran, we'd be no better than him and his broken promise!" Crash said as he turned to his frail sister. "Huh?" Chase said to himself, "She didn't say anything!"

"Then I propose we move out immediately!" Thor said, "Chase and Peach are to be with me! You two, please look out for each other!" The twins both smiled, "You can count on us!" they both said at the same time, and turned, chuckling at the endeavor that had only happened once before. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to them acting like twins now!" Chase said with a grunt, and turned to the retreating Thor with Peach on his shoulder. "So, why do I have to come with you guys?" he asked. "It is your cloak!" Thor said, "He knows of the fabric, and its use!"

"So, I'm just here because I can now turn invisible in order to sneak around." he reiterated, "Great!"

End Chapter 9