I Don't Own Percy Jackson

I was expecting a few things after being eaten by a tree, six things really, I had a list in my head of all the actual things I should worry about happening to me, most of them weren't important, nothing I couldn't handle, actually, two of them I was even looking forwards to. They were on the list of people I wanted to meet that I gave to Bryja, along with a few other things, most which would be found in the Prose Edda Library, later on.

It was a whole plan, Plan N as I was calling it, given that was the letter I was on. It had a lot of stuff sort of thrown into it, more like a checklist more than anything, but by the end of it, I'll have all the tools I need to be able to work towards getting Olympus off my ass...

Hopefully.

Anyways, I was bored, as I slipped through and down more and more, until I was spat out a few hundred feet above what looked like massive strings of light that were trailing down from the bark roof I just fell though.

My cloak shone white in an instant, breaking apart into a set of wings that flapped hard as the air around me curled up and buffered into them. Mastery over magical control meant air manipulation was easy enough to create an updraft that let me float with my wings if I wanted to, I wasn't quite good enough with them to fly just let, but it was a step in the badass direction.

I just spun around for a moment, my eyes glancing around as I expanded my senses out around me with a mild curiosity as where they were.

After all, I had an idea of where I was, and that meant I knew who had summoned me here. Still, I waited, just to give them the chance, before deciding to say fuck that as I called out into the roots of Yggdrasil.

"You three better show up now or I'mma start burning shit, which I'm pretty sure is the whole reason you've bothered to waste my time!" With that I raised my hand to just began the process of burning the tree to the ground.

"Stop!" Ah, the perks of being me. I lowered my hand and spun around with a big grin as I looked at the three women in front of me.

"The Norns! A pleasure to meet you, I'd bow but that would imply I respect you or any of your ilk" Plus I was in the air and that made it a bit difficult as I stared at the three.

The Norns were basically the three Fates but the Norse version, most mythologies had some kind of standing set of Fate or destiny, as it happens, the Greek version was one of the more popular ones. These three, were the weavers of the Yggdrasil's roots, the designers of Norse Fate, Urdr, Veroandi, and Skuld. Basically they were the three sisters from Greek Mythology but not as old and cranky.

Looking down, just a bit from here, I could see those golden threads coming from the bark, the seam that held together the nine realms, all feeding down and twisting into an spiral design that even at the very top I couldn't hope to see it's entirety. It would seem unlike the three fates from Greece, who used a single thread for every individual's fate, the Norns, took the strings that bound the nine realms and all those instead of it's grasp, and made one grand weave out of it.

Even I could admit it was beyond beautiful, and I wore my own string of fate every day. I was tempted to scan over it's entirety, just to see what the pattern was, but chances were, if I even tried to understand the thousands of years of history weaved into it my brain would quite literally melt out of my ears.

Before I could think more on it, the one that was to my left, Urdr, a fair skinned woman with shock bright blonde hair glared out at me in degusting, speaking in what I think was Norse, but was sort of just auto-translated in my mind via... God power I guess? I don't really know how divine essence works to be honest.

"You dare threaten that in which holds your own world!" I just hummed before noting she really did think I was going to do that. Interesting. So not even another set of Fates has any power overseeing my actions, even when I was in the very being of their domain.

"I wouldn't do something like that, I mean, what could I do to the Yggdrasil anyways? It's not like I have the power of the sun in my hands... Oh wait, I literally do" All three scowled at that as I just tilted my head before dropping the grin as I spoke up, "I know why you called me here, I understand the concern, but if you wish to make an action against me, know I can cause the very fabric of this world to burn. I know where this place is now after all"

All three continued to glare, but before they could do something stupid, as gods when threatened tends to do, I continued on like I hadn't just threatened them, as I smiled wide and said with a cheerful energy that came from the excitement of this situation.

"Now then, now that not so mutually assured destruction has been confirmed, let's have an actual conversation!" I wasn't always open to going straight to the threats, but these three obviously knew who I was, and without me having something to barter or leverage with them, something I normally brought to the table when I was dealing with those that already knew of me on the Greek side and well... I kind of had to improvise.

And since they aren't apart of the mythology that my fire domain is in, and therefore have to only rely on the rumor that I have power over the domain of fire, they just can't risk me being powerful enough to actually burn nine worlds to flames from the literal ground up. Of course I didn't have close to that level of fire power, that was an Odin thing bare minimum to be able to do, but they didn't know that and frankly I liked it that way.

The fear I could feel coming off such powerful beings was almost intoxicating in a way that was probably not healthy.

I just smiled even bigger when the middle one, Veroandi, the controller of the present with heavily curled brown hair and a set of wings on her back, spoke.

"You started this, walking into our land, our side of the veil, demanding things you have no right to know. And now you threaten whole worlds, we had heard many things of the titan-slayer, the demigod so young and yet so powerful. We heard rumor of great wisdom only tempered by an insatiable hunger. A dangerous combination already wrecking your own pantheon, and the first thing you do in this land is threaten us. Such impudence" I just shrugged, before saying back.

"So, we're still threatening and not making any actual talk... Fine, let's discuss just what happened, I made an agreement for a peaceful exchange of goods between our two sides of this world, I had the blessing of a god and would have had the oversight of Heimdall himself to watch over my actions. But you saw it fit, knowing about me, knowing my danger, reputation, and potential, all on the same level of that of any of my own pantheons gods, and instead of sending a message asking for a court of words, you drag me away against my will to the weave of fate itself, into where you are at your most powerful... And you expected me to just accept it? Would you ever hope to attempt such a thing with any god who holds no respect for your word?"

I wasn't wrong, I had the level of fear seen in any other god, hell, I might even have more among some pantheons, but my respect wasn't nearly as high. I was simply a rouge demigod with way to much power for their own good, to much of a wildcard to strike down now, but it was only a matter of time until it did happen. The Norns just confirmed every single thing I was suspecting about myself in the entire world of the other mythologies outside the Greeks, and I haven't even had to really try yet.

Maybe having an insanely high intelligence score is good for something after all, I don't remember gods being this easy to trick, still, knowing about all this doesn't fix anything, just makes my problems be put in a larger more focused perspective.

I kept smiling while I waited for an answer as the last of the Norns, Skuld, a thinner pale woman, the youngest looking of the three with long dark brown hair going to her ankles, spoke, she sounded the most patient, given she saw to the future, it was understandable given she'd always be waiting.

"So, in turn, from us showing you a great disrespect, you threaten billions of lives? Is that truly the man you see yourself as?" I did my best to not preen at the words, if I had a working sense of shame... or empathy at all really, the words would have hit harder, but right now all I could focus on was she called me a man. The one good thing about my rep, not a single god or higher power out there would get my gender wrong.

It was a strange kind of excitement, but one I loved to feel, still, I pushed it away and spoke up all the same, with a shrug.

"You made an act of aggression, I responded in kind, we're equal now, so let's talk, how about it? If not, I have things to attend to, and the faster I'm done here, the faster we never have to talk again" Skuld continued to speak, but it was clear all three liked that idea.

"I see, what is it you want then? As sad as it is to say, we simply have no way of knowing your motives, and while I'm sure such a being of yourself would have no shame or care for our work, I would rather die then the weave we are set out to create be disturbed or ruined in any way" I didn't exactly care about any of that, so they were certainly justified in their worry, but...

"I have no interest in messing up your future plans with Mangus and his little gang" It was fun watching the three Norns all freeze in place, I couldn't help it, well, I could, but I didn't want to, this felt fucking good, I didn't have to care about being careful or fragile with the Norse gods, the Greek ones were a powder keg waiting to explode, but these gods can't honesty touch me once I leave their realms, not without inciting a pantheon war which would just have everyone die.

That meant I could say whatever the hell I pleased here and not have to give a single shit.

This was just one big, really fucking great power trip for me, and I was going to milk it for as long as I can with these three, cause it's back to business the second I leave this little spat, and plus I just really fucking hated the idea of fates of any kind, the idea of a controlled destiny was just... Gross, in a way I can't describe, the knowing that your choices were made for you was horrible to think about and I refused to be a part of it.

So maybe I was just taking that bit of bitterness out on these three, but they were tough, and more importantly I didn't give a shit.

I still had loads to spare, so fucking much of it at all times that I had to press down so I didn't go on a killing spree. Insanely high wisdom was the thanks for that one.

"How do you know of that!" Skuld hissed the words, while I just hummed.

"I broke free from fate itself. I'm completely free of any of it's happenings, but that doesn't mean I can't know where it's heading. It's sort of like reading a book you aren't apart of, everything already laid out and just waiting for you to step in and put chaos into the mix. It's what I did for the Greeks, what I'm planning on for the Romans, but it is nothing of the sort planned for the Norse" I smiled, but mostly cause it was fun with just how true that was, it really was like a book to me... You know, cause it was?

I didn't read the thing, or at least I can't remember if I did, but, well, Magnus Chase was kind of on the cover and that was enough to put the fear of me into these three.

"So what is it that you want then Nicolas King?" I had to think about that for a moment, I knew this was a possibility, but still, I honestly didn't care much about them either to be honest.

"I want to be left alone while I finish my business here within the Nine Realms. I have no plan on disrupting your plans, I am simply on the look out for a few things that will help me with my own. I'm sure we can all agree it will be for the best if we just decide to ignore each other. That a deal?" The three glanced to each other before Urdr spoke up.

"If we find you have stepped into this land again without the All Father himself giving you permission, then we shall strike you down before you could hope to burn even a branch of the World Tree. You are a danger to everything in which you come in contact with, and I and my fellows shall stop you if you ever become a threat to our lands" Heh, not the first time I've heard that, not even the tenth really. People need to come up with more original threats.

Maybe I should give them some ideas? Something to do with a rake of some sort?

"Yeah yeah, I'm sure, look I have at least four more gods and goddess I want to speak to before I leave here, so the faster I return the faster I can get this over with. Sound good?" To be honest, I had no idea if their threats could even hold water, I was literally immune to fate, so any Fate out there might just not be able to do a single thing to me, I didn't know. Would be cool though, and would let me be an even bigger asshole here, but... Not worth that risk just yet!

"You disrespectfu-" I didn't bother listening, instead just gave a smile and a wave and vanished as darkness pouring out from my clothes and surrounded me, and just like that I was moving, heading back up to where Silena, March, and Bryja were. I left March there just in case something happened though it was doubtful, I didn't exactly put bets on my friends well beings. Or at least I was trying to curb that habit since last winter solstice where I gambled my sanity and literal existence on one of them being ok.

Oh, a bad thought, just going to repress that real quick! Can't keep those around anymore now that I've gotten to vent about half of one percent of the stress I've experienced in the last three years, I have to go back to being happy and stuff otherwise I actually might see just how much of this tree I can burn.

Of course it was right then when I felt something that never should happen.

I felt my shadows, as I slipped through the darkness, stop responding.

I don't think anyone can quite ever understand it when I say my control over the darkness is not only my favorite skill, but the one I have the most experience and arguably the most power in, not even fire can touch it just yet, I used the former ability way to much for that to be the case, traveling from afterlives to countries at a time, using it to heal and to fight in a way that was past second nature.

My darkness doesn't just not respond to me. It's the same as saying one day your lungs just stop taking in air, or one of your eyes just stops seeing, it doesn't just happen, and it's jarring and terrifying, and more importantly, it was so fucking infuriating.

Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have uncorked my emotional powder keg just yet, it would seem I'm just a bit unstable.

Right, just take a calm deep breath an-

"WHO FUCKING DARES!"

Huh, that's not what I had planned. Seems I'm going to be making a lot more enemies from the Norse gods than I had planned.

"My, such power for a mortal, but at the same time a temper as well? You fit in for the Nine Realms, perhaps not for the darkness you seem to feel entitled to" I glared out into the darkness, my mind already whirling around and coming to the connection needed. There were three divine that could do something like this to me, stop my shadows, and two of them were male.

The voice in the darkness was a woman's, a faint soft toned one with an almost drowsy cadence, that told me who it was, as I said back into the darkness that no doubt was not what it seemed.

"Nott. I was wanting a talk, but this? You claim that I have no right to darkness, my blood would beg to differ" A soft almost melancholy laugh rolled through the darkness, like a haunting echo, and I was so painfully aware that my eyes, eyes that should be able to see through any darkness, failed me. I knew why, but it was a feeling I didn't like, it was to familiar, being surrounded by darkness, my power useless, with an amused elder god taunting me.

My chest would have ached if it wasn't for the pounding of anger in my head.

"Yes, of course. A legacy, but a powerful one, to the one that claims to be the mother of the night itself, such an arrogant stance to take. It's only fitting the one claiming to be it's king thinks himself worthy of talking to me in such a way" Yeah, I suspected that would be an issue, names have power, and power has to come from somewhere, and in a world where that power has already been set among hundreds of gods, the new kid on the block trying to claim it all must be quite infuriating.

Which was why the sheer mirth that rolled from the slow talking woman's voice was surprising. No one can lie to me, god or not, it's just not possible, I can always tell, to the point I can even sense their feelings as they speak. It's one of my longest term powers and one that I've used the most in all reality to navigate these kinds of conversations. So I knew that that mirth was real, which was pretty freaking strange.

It also gave me a pause, this wasn't what I thought it was going to be, Norse mythology didn't really have a lot of information on Nott, barely anything really, so I was going into this mostly blind, but...

Well, I'm me. So I just shrugged in the darkness, setting my anger away with force along with the rest of my emotions, something I'm pretty good at, before speaking into the darkness.

"I'm on my way to godhood, I'm sure you can tell. It's kind of a requirement to be an arrogant piece of shit, as well as to have a domain" Another laugh, more a giggle, the sound still swirling around me, as I did my best to note jump around and try to find it's source, I knew how this worked to well, sort of, I knew the basics, I knew what was to be expected. Darkness was all consuming, much in the same way fire could be, but different as well, near opposites.

"True of course, no does not achieve such a level of power without the drive and more importantly the self-importance to try, you lack neither, in fact you have ore than some gods I've had to talk to. Still, a fledging still without his wings comes into my lands and dares to use my domain? All the while claiming it as his own? How can I not leave that unpunished?" I barely had time to react, it was only a mix of skills, knowing the dark, and my instincts that had me turning away just in time for a spike that would have shot straight through my heart was moved just enough to instead pierce straight through my shoulder.

I just gritted my teeth as the spike stayed in place as I spoke up.

"You want to fight? I wouldn't recommend it, I might not truly have dominion over the darkness, just a spark from my great granny, but I still wouldn't recommend trying it" A hum came from the air, filled with amusement and interest. Great, she really is like Nyx, not as twisted, but she sure had a stabbing fetish and liked to laugh at my word.

"Not fight, I don't care much for combat unlike most of my fellow Norse, but I am of the opinion an eye for an eye" Another spike, I tried to move, but my shoulder was locked in place as all I managed to do was shift enough that my leg was stabbed instead of my stomach, but I wouldn't be able to twist much more after this as I just let out a growl into the air.

"I used my own darkness, shadows casted by my own body, don't lie me, the grandson of a truth goddess. At most all you are doing is claiming the arrogance that befalls Nyx as well, do you believe all darkness is yours to control?" I was still trying to talk it out, I didn't want this fight, but I was willing.

Oh I was so fucking willing.

"Ha! You truly are interesting, yes perhaps what I say is hypocrisy on the level of arrogance, but it's like you said yourself my dear Night King, us gods are all arrogant, I am no different" Damn it, she actually knew how to use her words.

"Heh, so what's the end result huh? You going to kill me then? You'd be doing a lot of the Greek gods a favor" Another hum, no real maliciousness from the sound, just thinking out loud, for a long moment I waited, my instincts on high alert, if this was going to become a fight, then I would be the one who had to first move.

"Kill? No, perhaps not. A lesson to be taught I think is far more valuable" Now that... That was malice, I took a deep breath and spoke.

"A lesson? So you do pride yourself above others of the same domain"

"It is only fair right? Using the power of darkness, the infinite night itself, within the bounds of the World Tree is only for me and those I deem worthy" Worthy huh? There was the hook. I didn't let myself attack just let, even as another spike shot out, shooting straight through my chest, I just grinned through the pain of the hole through my right lung, even as blood leaked from my mouth.

"Then how about a deal?" The malice vanished, just for a moment, and I could feel the trepidation replace it, she hid it well, but it wasn't something that could be hid from me.

"A deal?" I nodded, as I spoke up.

"Of course, I'm sure you've heard, but it's kind of my thing. Interested? You said it yourself, you're not to interested in a fight, so a game instead. I'm sure you'd love to put me in my place through my own game, what's more a punishment for our kind than being humbled at our own strengths" She was interested, I could tell, because I was right. There was nothing more painful for a god, I was taught that lesson myself in Mexico.

The only difference, for as much as she was right, for how much I was becoming more and more like the gods I kind of hated, I had one key difference.

"Hmm, maybe I would be interested, what do you suggest then little fledging?"

Gods never change, at their cores, they all are the same as the day they were created, it was such a flaw that someone should patch it, but I wasn't complaining, because that was the one thing I would never have to deal with.

"Simple, you try to punish me, as you were before, with darkness, and I will survive, if you manage to wound me, even once, within five minutes, then you win and I forfeit the spark of Nyx I hold in my blood to you" Her excitement spiked, because gods never change, they are always greedy for more even when they know they can't.

My system, my entire personality, was based on change, on a fundamental level, my entire life was built around change. So if I become a god, that core part of me can never change, meaning I always will.

"I see, and what if you win somehow avoiding my attacks in my own domain?"

It also meant, I had been taught lessons in pride and hubris already, but Nott didn't know that. And because all gods are the same, that meant she wanted to show me my hubris, especially since it was my own domain.

"Then you give me a spark of your domain instead, I have no interest in the nine worlds, but a true footing into the domain of night would be a lovely addition to my collection"

Nott was a lot like Nyx, if I had meet her instead of Nyx all those years ago, I'm sure the end result would have been much the same as it had been in Mexico. The difference was, this wasn't then, and I was much, much stronger. And that meant I could ask for so much more.

"You ask for much for a fledging"

She was back to trepidation, understandable, this was my game, even if we were in her domain, the odds seemingly stacked in her favor. Perhaps she was better than Nyx in that case, not as strong of course, not even close, she was more a minor god compared to the primordial force my great grandmother is, but at the same time, she was smarter, she could see past the easy win condition and recognize I might have something to use. She was right.

"I ask for a spark, nothing more, and I pledge that I will never mess with your side of the night, the Norse Night may rise and fall as you wish no matter what" I had no interest in the Norse, I never planned on coming back here unless I had to after all of this. And if I did, then I'd be coming back with more than just the Night at my back.

"I see. You are quite bold aren't you? Fine, I believe we might just might have a deal then. I will hold nothing back, if you die then I will take that spark from you from Hel's hands herself" I just nodded.

"Fine by me, ready or? Nott" Heh... And are you ready as well Adriel?

[Adriel: I would like to say this is stupid... But of course I am Nick]

"Hmm? Do you not wish me to remove those spikes now?" I just shrugged with my unstabbed shoulder.

"Only if you wish" The laughter rolled around me bounded and spiked in volume.

"Oh, your pride really will be your fall!" My entire being went on high alert, I knew what was about to happen as in an instant I pulled on the sheer strength of my entire pool of mana just as Nott called out "We begin now!"

[Notice: Status Effect [Divine Pact: Nott] has been created]

In an instant, just before the darkness that had already stabbed through me could move and instantly win her the game, my entire body suddenly exploded with force.

And just like that the world was consumed in light.

[Notice: Perk [Son of Nike] has activated, all stats increased by 20%]
[Notice: Status Effect [Victory's Blessing: Talent] has activated, all stats increased by 21]
[Notice: Perk [Skillful Control of Circe] has activated, Mana cost are reduced by 30%]

[Notice: 7 Divine Points used on [Divine Stat Boost] for Stat [Spiritual: Power]]
[Notice: 41 Points used on the Power Stat]

[Notice: Stat [Spiritual: Power] has reached 500 points! Congratulations! Perk [Divine Power] has been unlocked!]]
[Notice: Perk [Limited Divinity] has combined with Boon [Divine Power] to create Boon [Pure Blooded Divinity]]

[Pure Blooded Divinity]
Your body may be that of a human, but your blood is that of ichor. Congratulation, the powers brithed from your blood are now yours and yours alone.
-You now gain an additional 75 mana per level|
-All skills that use mana are now 150% stronger
-Skills that fall within any of your God Domains are given +25 Phantom Levels
(Note: a number of abilities granted by this Boon are locked until Boons: [Divine Constitution], [Divine Control], and [Divine Wisdom] are unlocked)

[Adriel: Your base is Mana: 86,300, your current is Mana: 110,460]

[Notice: Status Effect [Divine Burn] has been triggered by an incomplete divine form. You will now die in 1 day]
[Notice: Status Effect [Divine Burn] has been stalled, for every 100 point in Stat [Physical: Constitution], you will live for another 1 day. Total Time [3.9 days]]

It felt like I had poured a dozen vials of god food down my throat, I could feel the smoke of my lungs burn from the strain of my blood which was now boiling inside my veins.

I didn't care, I just laughed, because I knew darkness, and I knew the light. I had domain over fire, but it wouldn't have enough light to fight off Nott, not a goddess of Night, even as minor as her power was to someone like Nyx. No, that would never work for long. I needed what fought back the night itself to survive this...

[Notice: 75,000 Mana has just been used on Item [Piece of the Sun Chariot]]

So wasn't it convenient I had brought the Sun itself for my flashlight?

The darkness on me was burned away, and Nott screamed, as the heart of her very domain was assaulted with what should never have been there, the darkness destroyed and pushed back as a single point of light shone bright. Shone bright right on her, showing the woman in her true form, revealing a fair skinned woman with long dark brown hair, coal like orbs in place for eyes, swathed in black cloth, as she looked forwards at me in sheer disgust and horror.

But I wasn't done, no, this wretch would be a lovely little trail run for Nyx.

So with that I grinned and-

[Notice: 25,000 Mana has been used on Skill [Unholy Smite], and combined with Item [Piece of the Sun Chariot]]

The light, once divine, turned twisted and demonic, a power made to hurt and kill the holy.

It was the perfect combination as I watched as the light itself began to eat at Nott as she now screamed so much louder, as I continued to laugh.

That fucking right, burn for you thinking yourself more mighty than you are! This is what happens when you dare think you can have your way with me, like I'm nothing more than a play thing you can break, I'm not some form of entertainment! I'm not just honeyed words to disguise my begging for more power! I'll scrap and claw my way up to you for my own power, since leaving me to die over your own pride and arrogance!

SO FUCKING BURN NYX!

...

I was shaking, it wasn't because of the sheer amount of power I was pouring out of myself as the darkness around me tried to pry its way through, nor was it because of the burning pain eating away at my insides, as smoke began to drift off my skin, my own power trying to destroy me. No, it wasn't any of that. it was from the sheer rage that was coursing through me that I couldn't stay still. My hands were trembling in anger as I just laughed once more, shortly, before shaking my head.

This wasn't Nyx, not even close, just Nott, a minor Norse god, I got carried away, all that anger, all the unfairness, and the stress, of one thing after another, never a break, all piling up and condensing to a single point over the course of three years... I guess I couldn't just put the stopper back in after the Norns huh?

I didn't feel any better, nothing had changed from this little venting session, I still held all that rage towards everything around me, I just drained myself enough that I could actually stuff it away, back into it's box, for later. As I turned my focus back on Nott, as she screamed and thrashed, the darkness growing around her bigger and bigger as I was quickly running out of sun power to fight her off, even as I replaced it as fast as I could with my regenerating mana. I surprised her and made her lose her footing.

It has been two and a half minutes, I wasn't sure if I'd have enough to keep her off me, as the orb of light around me continued to shrink, even as I poured the hundreds of mana points a second I was regaining, it would be close.

I just felt numb, exhausted in a way I was much to used to, but I pushed those feelings away as well, and instead just used Trade Off, eating away at my Spirit and Stamina to increase my regeneration rates to even higher than they already were, as the exhaustion grew deeper, this time on an actual physical level as the darkness was pushed back even more.

Three minutes

I got a notification for a status effect for exhaustion.

Four minutes

I got a notification that my overuse of Mana has removed a day from my count down, I coughed out smoke when it appeared.

Four and a half minutes, Nott was getting desperate, everything stopped, just for a moment before suddenly it was like waves of darkness crashed forwards, in seconds I was nearly surrounded, I wanted to be scared, I wanted to be afraid, I wanted to be excited...

I wanted to be anything that wasn't numb.

Instead, I just played my part, smiled my winning grin, and held up in my hand a single item, just as the darkness was truly about to over power me, and said.

"Good game"

[Notice: Item [Kronos Infused Bullet] has been activated, Skill [Time Distortion] has activated]

I'm not sure if you'll remember this or not, but remember back in the museum, when we were heading to get to Artemis, I shot a Stygian Iron bullet at Luke? Kronos was already in his body, and used his power over time to simply slow the bullet in time before all it could do was drop to the ground. Remember what happened after that? I grabbed the bullet, just for a rainy day.

I had almost used it, it was the last bullet in my revolver when I had been pushed to my limit in the Fate Games. I hadn't needed it in the end, barely making it in time, just my Luck I suppose, but here I just had to make my luck myself.

I froze the darkness, just for ten seconds, but it was ten seconds enough for Nott to scream demands at what I had done to her power, I just smiled and said with a voice that I could feel the way terror shot down her spine.

"Nothing, just showing you, you aren't the only one that can take control away from someone else" Ten seconds passed, it was enough for me to regen nearly five thousand mana. I unleashed it just at the end, and just like that- "I win"

I could feel the darkness wanting to lash out, wanting to destroy me, but the Pact was sealed on by Nott, and Norse were nothing without their pride, just like any of the other gods, so the darkness didn't as instead Nott just spat at me.

"Leave!" And just like that I was being flung, notifications were popping up, a few from Adriel, but I just dismissed them all, I didn't care right now.

I just wanted a break, just for a bit, where I didn't have to know something was on the horizon, when I could truly just sit down and not think about every little thing I had to do.

Today wouldn't be the day I got that of course, that day wouldn't come for months at least. That is if I don't die within the next few days that is...

So I just took a breath, as the darkness moved me, and just let it go, put a smile on, and with a jaunt just at the right timing, moved forwards out of the darkness that tried to throw me out, back into the room I had been in before, as my eyes fell onto Silena and March.

I didn't think about it, about the way my chest uncurled just a bit at the sight of them, instead I just walked forwards and smiled wide.

"Well that was eventful! What's up while I've been gone?" Silena just glanced over and gave me a short smile before frowning, her eyes scanning my form for a moment before saying.

"You're smoking" I smirked and leaned in a bit closer as I noted the fact my two favorite Norse friends were her, as Jor gave me a look of absolute terror which was just so cute, as my eyes flickered back to Silena.

"Well thank you! I do think I look pretty smoking to!" She just frowned.

"Are you ok?" I- Shrugged.

"Been better, nothing I can't handle though, it'll be gone in a few days" March slowly lifted himself up and moved over, staring me in the eyes before finally dipping his head in greeting and just like that he was back in my cloak, we'd have to have a talk later. He was the most sensitive to what was happening with me, since we were linked.

"Nick?" I blinked and glanced back at Jor and gave a smile and a wave as he let out a yelp, ah, good to see he's the same as I skipped over to him, apparently a bit to fast as he let out another sound as I said.

"Hello there my elven boy! Nice to see you again, I'd hug you but you're spine would probably shatter out your ears!" Ok, I was definitely beginning to feel better seeing Jor let out such an adorable little whimper while Silena just sighed, moving over and grabbing onto my ear and with a sharp tug that I let her pull me by, she said to me.

"Stop scaring him, you're the only one getting off on it you sadist" I just pouted.

"Prune" I got another tug for that, but I was still smiling, the burning was hurting, it was nearly the worst pain I've ever felt at one time and it wouldn't leave for a while, but this was nice, still I clapped my hands together all the same and asked as my body cloaked itself in shadows under my clothes to begin healing the damage that my mana was doing. Adriel informed me that it the timer stopped for now, good to know, "So, how about we start looking for the Library, I have some books to hit!" Bryja just scoffed.

"Sure, as long as you don't do what you did to the last library I saw you in" I just pouted.

"Hey, if I wanted something to burn I would have started with the World Tree when the Norns threatened me, no need to start so small"

"Wait what?"

"Anyways, to the elevator! Oh! By the way, you can check off Nott as a list of gods I wanted to talk to, done and done, got the domain to prove it, now then on ward!"

"No, wait, seriously what?" Silena let out a short giggle at Bryja clearly trying to figure out just what the hell happened in the half hour I had been missing, while Jor just looked to the roof like he was asking for strength.

I wonder how many times I can have him make that look in the next few hours?

"Huh?! You just vanish into the floor and make me babysit a bunch of children and a massive wolf that looks like he's Fenrir's kid and you expect me to just let you take my elevator? Why should I-" My eyes shot to Ratatoskr who had been speaking in the most annoying little squeaky voice as I just stared as his voice froze in his throat, his eyes widening as I just looked at him, as I could hear the way his heart pounded in his chest, the way his pupils shrunk to dots.

He was a squirrel, I was a predator, it seemed he needed to learn that fact, I didn't mind teaching it, just... I've never had a large tolerance for the things that annoy me, and right now was the opposite of an exception. Normally I'm sure I would have liked him, he's an energic large feral looking squirrel filled with what seemed like sass.

Literally, what was there not to like? But I just... wasn't up to it right now as Ratatoskr let out a soft whining sound before suddenly bouncing out of the look like his brain hadn't just shut down.

"Right, it's my job, so I guess I have no choice but to help you all and your scary friend! Everyone load up! Next stop, the Library of the Prose Edda!" I smiled, just for a second, before suddenly a hand was on my back as I frowned as I felt coldness.

"There is a massive hole in your cloak, a few of them... What happened?" Silena really wasn't letting that go huh? I just turned around and shrugged.

"I got stabbed, you know how it is. I'm fine though" Her eyes furrowed for a moment, before just sighing, I could feel the way she touched my back, where skin was showing through the hole in my gear, before finally just nodding, apparently seeing the skin was already healed over.

"You're burning up, but I guess that's just normal for you know huh?" I just gave a laugh, ignoring the feeling of smoke trying to fill my lungs and make me want to cough.

"Yeah, fire god, you know how it is!" Silena just scoffed before rolling her eyes, but she was smiling, a bit, that was good. I didn't like her worrying, as we moved forwards towards the elevator as she spoke.

"No, no I don't. Come on, let's get moving" I just smiled.

[Adriel: Are you sure we should be doing this now? You barely have any time, you shouldn't waste it with books]

I just kept smiling.

It would be fine Adriel, I had a few days... three, barely three, but three days all the same, if I'm right, that should be enough time. Trust me Adriel?

[Adriel: ...Do you really have to ask?]

Heh... I suppose not, thanks buddy, I know you probably aren't to keen on being in the center of just what is burning me up, but I only have to endure it for a while.

Just a few days of being burned from the inside out, that's basically nothing.

Do me a favor and track of it all alright? Let me know when we're at ten and keep me on the clock, you know how I get.

[Adriel: Of course I know exactly how you are]

It was a bit easier to smile as I could feel the warmth, not painful this time, come from my chest at the feeling of fondness from my butterfly buddy.

With that last thought, I stepped into the elevator with the rest as the others moved with me, the squirrel rushing up to the side of one of the wooden walls, and just knocked on it a few things before a ding rang out and just like that, the wooden doors creaked and groaned before closing and suddenly we were moving... But not quite, it was strange, as I looked around, my ears, hyper sensitive, could hear the way the wood of the box we were in rubbed against the tree's roots, as it was more... squeezed and pushed up by the 'veins' of Yggdrasill, to move us around.

It was interesting.

How did it work? I didn't know much about Yggdrasill to be honest, but... I wonder just what I can do with a piece of it?

...No, it's useless to me, it'll just act more than likely like a key to move between the nine worlds, which is useless to me, I could care less about something like that.

The others were talking, I was listening in enough to hear what they were saying, but I wasn't engaged in it, my mind just working over the situation in my head. Going over the notifications I had gotten from Nott, it was simple enough for the most part. It gave me what I asked for and what I had wanted to get for the last three years.

[Limited Night Domain]
You have won a piece of dominion over the night itself and all that it holds, when this perk grows then you can gain sub domains that are a part of the night, such as darkness and stars, but until then, you just have the broad coverage.
This grants a 50% increase to total of all skills during the night, and a 25% decrease in cost.
Any skill used at nighttime levels up 3x faster.

[Norse Magical Affinity]
You were given power that has affected your divine blood on a fundamental level by a Norse god, influencing the reach in which your magic can be used.
-You now have a high affinity for Norse Magicks.

Like fire had been, my senses to the darkness, to the night itself, was greater now, I could feel it, could feel it's approach, could grasp the power of it, could sense the cold that came with it's power, the stars that the night held, I could feel it all, but it was distant and not quite there, out of my reach. It wasn't nice, but it was what I had asked for, as long as I was within Norse territory, I would not infringe on Nott and I's shared domain.

Still... On another level, I could feel the pressures, the dark and light, the night and flame, circling each other, they weren't combined, but they were still there, now held in the same place, no longer fighting, but not working together.

Still to different, both still to limited, literally, it's in both their names. I just didn't have the power to combine them in the way I want.

But it didn't matter, I achieved my goal, I was powerful enough to hold multiple domains of power now, my body wasn't breaking down because of them, it was the sheer excess of ichor, god blood, in my body, it was to much and my body couldn't handle it.

That didn't matter either really, I just didn't care much about it to be honest, my body was breaking down, and the agony I was in was intense. I honestly wasn't sure by the end of this if I'll ever feel something as horrible as this, because even though it's barely been a few minutes, it's already growing worse.

But it was just pain, nothing I haven't dealt with before, and nothing I won't deal with in the future.

Besides, if the admission for godhood was just a little suffering, then that was a ticket I've been paying off for a long while.

So I smiled, like nothing was wrong, even as I felt my blood boil, and walked out off the elevator as it arrived, the wooden doors creaking open to reveal the greatest library the Norse Pantheon has ever known.

The Prose Edda.

I just let out a short cough as we all walked in, heading out of the wooden box, looking forwards at the thousands upon thousands of shelves built up upon dozens of massive floors. I could feel the power rolling off the isles of the books, as I looked around.

The raw potential of this place.

I couldn't help but laugh, bouncing on the balls of my feet as I walked forwards, when suddenly a man was blocking my way. I just blinked and looked up.

The man was obviously a god, he was massive, dark muscled skin covered in thick plated golden armor, ridiculously fluffy white hair and equally thick eyebrows with a very shiny looking sword on his hip. Though he did look more... weathered than most other gods, stress lines were obvious and almost painful to look at around his eyes, which looked like two small pits of gold in a sea of white with how small they were.

I just tilted my head to the side before saying.

"Heimdall right?" The man just looked down at me from where he towered above, his face somehow scrunching up even more with a look that wasn't quite one of disgustion, which was fine, given that he saw, you know, everything, it made sense that he's seem some horrible stuff, though I wonder just what he was seeing on me?

"You're unwell" He sounded amused, ugh, great another one. So I just shrugged, saying uncaringly about it.

"That happens when you rush the process" His lips quirked, before smiling down at me.

"True, but from what I've observed, you are not one to wait for what is to come now are you? Night King" Bryja and Jor looked a mix between confused and terrified at the causal conversation we were having, actually, correction Bryja was slightly confused and Jor was mostly terrified, while Silena just shook her head.

"Course not, why wait when I can just do it myself. Now then, I hear you're the god I need to talk to, to get access to this place" The god nodded.

"You are correct, most of us Norse Gods are allowed to walk in and our of these halls, most help me in supporting this collection for the All Father's research, but you are not one on the white list. Normally that would mean you need permission of the All Father himself to be allowed such a position in these halls, but your little mortal friend has let you slip by with the blessing of Ullr, I'll escort you to him now so you may speak, then you shall be free to explore as long as you never remove or damage a book in my collection"

His eyes sharpened at that, the lines around them showing his age some how sharpening with them. I just waved the god off.

"Yeah, yeah, don't mess with the books, don't worry I have no interest in that, just need to pick up a few new bits of information and then I'll be on my way, the most it'll take me is just finding the books I want in your card catalog, having sight doesn't mean I know everything which is such a let down" Heimdall smirked at that before nodding.

"I can quite understand just what you mean by that, though of course your eyes are no match for my own" I just hummed at that before glancing over at the man for a second and asked.

"Wanna bet?" Jor looked like he was about to faint while Heimdall just quirked an eyebrow before letting out a loud billowing belly laugh as I just smirked in my own amusement as he let it out of his system before finally shaking his head as we continued to move.

"No, I do not wish to bet on anything with you my dear fledging. I have seen just how to use other god's perceived domains against them, my sight showed me as much and I have no interest in seeing how you would work to counter my own. My duty is far more important than to risk your exploits on a simple bet no matter what you could offer me" Hmm, to bad, his pride in his work was higher than his pride in his abilities.

I honestly didn't know if I could win to be honest, but it would have been nice to try on a game without as many stakes, after all, Search, while not something I really use much anymore, was incredibly powerful, it's level was around seventy I think at the moment, could have been higher, but it wasn't night and my moonstone doesn't create night light... I should look into that.

Shaking my head back into the conversation, I couldn't help but ask.

"Why does everyone like calling me a fledging? Is it the wings? Cause they aren't even real yet" Really wish they were, that would be so fucking cool... Heimdall chuckled before shaking his head.

"No, but perhaps that just makes it more fitting" Yep, that one is sticking to me now... Oh well, I kind of like it to be honest, I don't really have a lot of nicknames that aren't actually there to just insult me.

"Lovely! Well, let's get moving then, I wanna see this Ullr fellow, pay him off, and then throw myself into the books for the next day or two!" Heimdall just held a hand forwards, gesturing that we were already on our way and that I should just have patience, that was obviously an overrated concept, so I just huffed.

That's when a hand grasped onto my shoulder, I could have just kept walking, but Bryja was holding on pretty tight and I didn't want to accidently dislocate or snap her arm, so I used my brakes, leaning back into the grip to let her think she actually was strong enough to do anything to me, as I glanced back. Bryja just hissed into my face.

"What are you doing?! Why are you talking to a god in such a manner? Show some respect nd stop walking aside of him, stay a pace back!" Right, I just snickered at the idea of doing literally any of that, and instead just said.

"Nah" With that I slipped out of her grasp and just jogged to catch up with Heimdall and kept the conversation going, mostly asking who would be the pigeon of the pantheon if w were going to keep up with the bird analogy for me. That got another big laugh and we talked, it was fun.

I could feel the slight panic rolling off of Bryja, and the massive amount of panic washing out of Jor in waves, March was a bit tense, he wasn't much a fan of gods plural, of any kind really, cause, you know, one true god was his thing, being a literal angel and all.

We should probably should have a talk about that, March has warmed up to me a lot recently, it would be good to make sure we understand each other. Cause March is way to fluffy for me to give up on being able to get cuddles from him. Even if he refuses to admit that's totally what those are.

So... Fun chapter right? Nick nearly got killed, he used one of his one off items, got a bit closer to godhood, and talked to multiple gods in the span of 10k words... Ok, admittedly I'm speed running the Norse part of this story since it's already going to take another chapter at least and I like to keep these side plots at a minimum of two to four chapters, and we're already at the two chapter point with this one, so I just rushed the interactions to happen really quickly, and, I mean, they make sense, in a way. Nott felt a bit... off, but it was also the quickest and easiest way to get Nick to have the domain he's been missing, though at the same time, just because it seemed easy doesn't mean it was. Nick is now actively dying and will be dead in a few days because of his little stunt to keep Nott away, because, if he didn't, then he would have died real quickly. Not to mention the fact if he didn't make a deal of some kind he probably would have been tortured by Nott for literal fucking years cause gods are just, you know, like that, when they feel slighted. He had to do something to get himself back in control of the situation.

And of course there is the thing with Nick and his... issues. He's not emotionless, he can be happy and stressed and sad, he just doesn't really have empathy, but that doesn't change that Nick has gone through hell over and over and over again, constantly, without any real break or escape from it for the last three years straight. And that can get to a person, especially someone like Nick who bottles up every single bad emotion he feels and just pretends it isn't there. For as much as he says he's good at ignoring his stress, that doesn't mean he's actually doing anything about it, it's just been growing and feasting more and more with no outlet for years now.

Not even to mention the Fate quest. Can you imagine the amount of stress that must have brought down on him? He nearly died multiple times a day for two hundred days straight, without even being able to sleep. Ever. The human mind can't handle more than three days without sleep before reaching extreme side effects on the brain, now, times that by sixty and that's what Nick dealt with, and never once really addressed, then he got told he was going to be killed by Zeus in a year's time, and well... Everyone has a breaking point, and the fact that Nick is starting to only now reach his is fucking wild. Anyways, See ya.