Isle of Berk, Ahch-To - Unknown Regions
Bringing Talia with her to Berk by herself was not something Mara anticipated doing at first, but she quickly realized that taking care of a little girl who's barely a toddler was much more difficult than she imagined. She couldn't contact Jarik and Ahsoka to ask for advice, and R5 certainly was going to be of no help, so naturally the next best option was to travel to Berk and see if the rest of the gang could help.
Probably not the best idea, now that she's thinking more about it, but oh well. R5 threw a fit about the idea of flying back to Berk with the Knight Hawk, and Zenna came with as well so that Mara could make sure she's recovering well.
How did her adoptive parents ever manage taking care of everything here, and on top of that still put so much effort into aiding the Rebellion? She's starting to lose her mind just trying to keep track of everything.
"Why can't we fly?" Talia was asking.
Right now the girl's attention was focused on getting another thrilling flight with Zenna. She'd been rather rambunctious over being denied today.
"Zenna's a little tired right now, Tal, she needs to rest," Mara tells her.
Talia whines in dismay, practically crying now with tears running down her cheeks.
"But I want to fly!"
The rest of the gang watch the scene awkwardly, just as unsure of how to handle it as Mara felt. It didn't help that she's almost certain R5 was watching from the safety of the Knight Hawk, keeping himself out of the firing lane and also 'safe' from the messiness of Berk.
"We can fly later, Talia, just now right now," Mara says to try and appease her.
"Not now?"
"I'm sorry, but not now."
That seemed to upset her even more and she started to cry, plopping herself down in the ground and doing nothing else. Most of the others cringed at the toddler's crying while the Twins just looked on with amazement.
"Alien screaming... it's glorious," Tuffnut says.
"You said it bro," Ruffnut agrees.
A scathing look from Mara has them both quiet down almost instantly.
"How much longer is she gonna cry for?" Snotlout groans.
"You guys really don't know anything about handling kids?" Mara deadpans.
"Well, I can't say I have the best experience with parents," Hiccup sheepishly replies. "Besides, I'm an only child."
"Same here," Astrid adds.
Heather also nods her head in agreement. Snotlout merely rolls his eyes and crosses his arms with a self-assured smirk.
"Hehe, glad that's not my problem," he scoffs.
Mara ignores him and crouches beside Talia to try and calm her down, but the little girl simply swats at her in anger.
"Not to worry, Mara! Ruffnut and I have the solution," Tuffnut proclaims.
"We sure do. We practically raised each other!" she adds in support.
"Not a chance," Mara instantly rebukes.
"Oh come on, you haven't even heard our idea!" Tuffnut argues.
"And I never will."
She pulls a cookie out from a pouch on her belt and tries offering it to Talia, who takes notice and starts to quiet down a little bit, whilst the Thorston twins gape at her in dismay before crossing their arms and scowling.
"Rude!" Ruffnut scoffs.
"To be fair, raising a kid is a very delicate process—" Fishlegs starts to say.
"Says you!" Snotlout interjects. "My dad says that raising a kid is like forging a weapon. You just keep beating it until it turns out precisely how you want it to be!"
The cookie seemed to calm Talia enough for Mara to pick her up and hold her again, resting her weight on her hip, but upon catching the tail end of Snotlout's statement she falls still and turns to gape at him in shock. The rest of the group, even the twins, all express very similar reactions.
"What the f..."
Mara bites her tongue to keep from finishing that sentence. Her parents would kill her if she swore in front of Talia. Said girl munches on her cookie, oblivious to the conversation.
"I cannot believe you'd ever say that but it makes perfect sense..." Hiccup groans, rubbing his face.
Snotlout looks at them all in confusion.
"What?" he demands.
"There's so many dwagons here!" Talia suddenly says, pointing her finger.
A trio of dragons swoop over where the group is gathered by Mara's house.
"You can say that again, kiddo," Heather smiles in amusement.
Two more drop down for a landing close by to deposit Gobber and Spitelout, who start walking over to them.
"What in the blazes are you all doing up here—" Spitelout starts to say. "AAGH! For Thor's sake, what is that?!"
He jumps back in surprise when he notices Talia held in Mara's arms. The little girl looks over with wide eyes in response to his exclamation.
"Oh hey dad!" Snotlout waves cheerily.
"Is that another alien?" Spitelout demands, ignoring his son.
"What's a alien?" Talia frowns curiously.
"It talks?!" he exclaims.
Mara scowls at the older Viking with disdain and indignation on Talia's behalf.
"She is my sister," she growls.
If Spitelout noticed her simmering anger, he didn't show it.
"Sister?!" he cries in disbelief.
"Adopted, right?" Gobber interjects, shoving Spitelout back with a stern look, then chuckles sheepishly. "Not to be rude, Mara, but you don't really look..."
He awkwardly gestures at her and Talia.
"Well, yeah, I'm the adopted one," she tells him.
"I guess that's true," Gobber remembers, scratching his head. "But when did this happen? Jarik isn't... seeing anyone else, is he?"
Hiccup sighs in exasperation.
"Gobber..."
"What? It's an honest question!" he says defensively.
"No, Dad isn't seeing another person," Mara answers.
"Then where did the little tyke come from?" he asks.
At the question the rest of the gang suddenly grows a lot more hesitant to respond, awkwardly scratching their heads or whistling and looking off somewhere else. Mara opens her mouth to respond but pauses, unsure of how to break the news. She glances at Hiccup but he seemed just as clueless as her. Talia, meanwhile, is looking around in confusion at their silence while still munching on her cookie.
Spitelout crosses his arms and lifts his eyebrow expectantly, waiting for an answer, whilst Gobber merely observes them all with a dry expression.
"You guys are killing me here."
Before Mara can answer Tuffnut starts cackling like crazy, slapping his knee like he just heard a good joke.
"Hah, you're not gonna believe this! So, funny story, Ahsoka came back from the dead and had a baby with Mara's dad!" he reveals.
Hiccup and Astrid both glare at Tuffnut, though Mara simply sighs in acceptance. So much for breaking the news to people 'gently.'
"That's not even that funny, yak-for-brains," Gobber scowls at him.
"Actually... he's telling the truth," Hiccup confirms.
Gobber snorts in amusement, a grin on his face, but when Hiccup doesn't react the burly Vikings amusement falls and is replaced by a look of incredulity.
"Hah! I knew the boy was a bit clueless!" Spitelout cackles.
"Haha, yeah, totally..." Snotlout nervously laughs.
"Spitelout?" Mara says.
"What?"
"He's right."
Spitelout is taken aback by the seriousness of her tone and he narrows his eyes at her.
"Come again?"
Talia tugs on Mara's sleeve and looks up at her with big eyes.
"Mara, when are mama and daddy getting back?" Talia asks anxiously.
The two elder Vikings look between Mara and Talia over and over, eyes widening in shock as realization kicks in.
Mara forces a smile onto her face as she looks down at Talia, not entirely certain of the answer herself.
"I'm sure they'll be back soon," she says to reassure the girl.
Talia simply nods in response.
Himinbjorg, Asgard - Nine Realms
The party of Odin and Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three, and the two Jedi emerge from the Bifrost in a tunnel of gleaming rainbow light. Jarik and Ahsoka take a moment to steady themselves upon their exit while the Asgardians move effortlessly as though taking a step off the stairs.
A few dozen Einherjar warriors also exit the Bifrost carrying some of their wounded or guiding the surviving Falligarians into Asgard. Commander Tyr and Loki remained behind on the planet to make sure all the survivors made it through. Odin moves to converse with Heimdall for a moment whilst the other Warriors step to the side of the chamber to share a brief farewell with Jarik and Ahsoka. Fandral is the first to address them by placing a clenched fist over his left breast and bowing his head.
"It was a tremendous privilege to fight beside you, Master Jedi! I do hope our paths cross again."
"Indeed," Sif nods in agreement. "You are valiant warriors. Ulana's light shines bright over you."
Her, Volstagg, and Hogun make the same gesture to them as Fandral. Somewhat surprised, the two Jedi respond by giving a respectful bow in return.
"Thank you," Ahsoka replies. "We're grateful for the kindness you have shown us."
"I'm not much one for goodbye's, so farewell mortals," Thor interrupts.
The God of Thunder marches past them somewhat dismissively, appearing rather disgruntled about something, though he manages to give a very brief wave of his hand in their general direction. Even so Jarik can't help but feel a bit slighted by his dismissive and rude demeanor towards them and shares an exasperated glance with Ahsoka.
"We'll dearly miss you..." he murmurs quietly.
"I could eat several dozen boars about now, hah!" Volstagg laughs.
He moves on as well, following Thor's path, and the rest of the group go with him.
"Is there really nothing else you can think about...?" Fandral starts to say.
Jarik and Ahsoka stay back and watch the warriors departing, the latter offering an amused shrug as they do so. They're then approached by Odin who also observes as his son leaves the chamber and quickly disappears from view, twirling his hammer and lifting off into the sky.
"Thor is a mighty lord of the skies, yet though his heart is in the right place he still has much to learn about the gift of humility," the king of Asgard says, as if sensing the Jedi's annoyance with Thor.
"It's an everlasting process," Ahsoka sighs, and Odin nods in agreement.
"Indeed. Vanity is a curse which afflicts all in the universe—even Jedi—yet you seem to manage it."
He turns to look more intently at the Jedi, leaving them somewhat uncomfortable by the intention and unsure whether or not to accept the 'praise.'
"We try our best," Jarik says.
"And what is your best?" Odin inquires.
"Anything we can do," Ahsoka states confidently. "After that..."
She pauses with a frown and shares a brief glance with Jarik, pondering what to say.
"...I suppose we just have to rely on trust," she eventually says.
That trust isn't specific to one thing or person, either. It could be many things: trust in someone else to do the right thing, or trusting that everything will work out in the best possible way? Sometimes they just never know for certain.
Odin contemplates her statement with a frown for some time. He looks back towards the Falligarian refugees, many of whom appear—understandably—sullen and downcast despite laying eyes on the wondrous marvels of the realm they've just arrived in. The otherwise stern gaze of his eye softens just a small amount.
"Mortals are strange beings. You live such short lives and yet possess the capacity for things beyond even the gods."
Jarik regards the king with skepticism at first, though upon looking more closely he doesn't fail to miss the hint of genuine curiosity and adoration in his eye. His comment also inspires Jarik to think more about a universal trait shared by mortality and his own experience with it.
"Death is frightening for most. It still frightens me, even after everything I've learned," he admits, and Ahsoka places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But maybe knowing that our time is limited can inspire us to make the most of it and become better than we were."
It could simply be his own thoughts, or Ahsoka's, but the Force almost seems to resonate with truth in that statement. Odin seems to feel it as well for he offers a faint nod in acknowledgement.
"Perhaps."
The Allfather turns back to face the Jedi directly once more with newfound respect and appreciation shining in his eye, albeit hidden behind a stoic mask.
"Until our next meeting, Sun and Moon. Guard the Staff well."
"We will," Ahsoka promises.
Odin inclines his head once more and then swiftly turns and departs from the chamber, following behind the last stragglers of Falligarian refugees. The two Jedi watch him go and then look towards Heimdall, the Gatekeeper, who stretches his arm out in a gesture towards the waiting Bifrost. Taking their cue they approach the front of the chamber and then wait for Heimdall to send them back home.
"Safe travels, Sun and Moon," Heimdall says.
He inserts his sword into its pedestal and the entire chamber comes to life once more with energy. The entire dome gyrates and shifts around until the top is pointing out into the cosmic void of space and the 'spire' is filled with rainbow light. The Jedi have only a moment to brace themselves before they're sucked into the vortex and sent hurtling through the Bifrost tunnel.
Like the previous trips they've taken through it, the sensation leaves them tense and nearly breathless; it feels like the wind is ripping at their faces, yet there's no wind to be felt in the tunnel. They're falling, yet standing completely still.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity the pair suddenly touched down on solid ground. They stumble on their feet for a moment and help support each other, taking a few steps forward. When the light show fades away they're left standing in the middle of a circle filled with Asgardian runes, which were burned into the ground.
In addition, they apparently emerged right in the center of Berk and are now surrounded by what feels like the entire village, all frozen and staring at them in total shock.
"Oh boy..." Jarik mutters.
He shares a nervous glance with Ahsoka at their predicament.
"Hello there, everyone," he waves sheepishly to the Vikings. "Guess we're back."
Through a series of events which the Jedi could barely comprehend, though they suspected the Vikings couldn't either, they eventually found themselves in the Great Hall before Stoick and some of his trusted advisors. After basically dragging them up to the Great Hall the horde of Vikings clambered to charge inside as well; fortunately, Stoick had the foresight to gather a group of warriors and dragons to keep the mass of people at bay who either demanded answers or wished to drop at the Jedi's feet in worship.
At some point during the chaotic trip they also came across Mara and Talia, startling both parties. Jarik wondered if Mara and Talia's presence on Berk is why Heimdall sent them here instead of Temple Island.
In any case, the family of Jedi were assembled before Stoick's throne, though the chief of Berk couldn't keep himself contained to even sit in it. He paced back and forth, pausing to glance at them or grab his throne as though to steady himself. Hiccup and Gobber stood beside him, sharing concerned glances; Stoick's advisors were also in attendance, namely Spitelout, Hoark, Phlegma, Burnthair, and lastly Gothi the Elder, whose ancient eyes never left Ahsoka and Jarik as she gaped in astonishment.
Jarik and Ahsoka resolved to simply wait for Stoick to gather his thoughts and comprehension, albeit sharing unspoken reservations with each other about how he might eventually do so. Mara attempted to wait beside them as well, though was torn between keeping Talia reasonably distracted so as to not create a scene. The little girl would babble to herself while playing on the ground with her toys, and at every noise she made Stoick would pause and glance down at her.
"I, uh... No, no, no that's not it..." he murmurs to himself, continuing his pacing.
This pattern had been on repeat for the last few minutes now, and Gobber leaned over to Hiccup.
"Never seen Stoick this stumped before," he whispers, shaking his head. "I can scarcely believe it myself."
Hiccup simply nods in silent agreement, just as bewildered as his father.
Finally, Stoick seems to calm down just enough to stop pacing and simply stands next to his throne with a blank look on his face, gripping the backrest tightly enough to splinter the wood.
"I can't imagine how you must be feeling," Jarik says first, hoping to break the tension.
That seems to pull Stoick out of his thoughts and he scoffs in begrudging agreement.
"Heh, I suppose not," he shakes his head and drops down into his chair with a heavy sigh. "I don't mean to be derisive but, d-do you Jedi even have gods you worship?"
"Well, sort of...?" Mara quickly chimes in, though not sure how else to answer.
Jarik and Ahsoka glance back at her for a second before returning their focus to Stoick.
"To keep a potentially long answer short, we believe in the Force as not just something that gives us power, but as an entity which exerts its will upon the universe in ways we might never truly understand," Ahsoka answers. "It binds the galaxy together, and for those of us who listen we can sense it speaking to us. Sometimes it does so in the form of visions, and sometimes as just a feeling."
Some of the Vikings don't quite comprehend her explanation just yet, whereas a couple of them do.
"What about the, uh, Force gods you guys have mentioned before?" Hiccup asks curiously.
"There is that," Jarik acknowledges. "But while they may exert a level of influence over the Force we've never worshiped them."
"Why not? They're gods aren't they?" Spitelout questions.
"Gods are... a unique topic for us. Some people worship one God who created all things. Others, like yourselves, worship a pantheon of them," he explains, rubbing his forehead. "Then there's the conversation surrounding what makes a god in the first place, but that's a long rabbit hole we don't really need to get into right now."
Seeing some of them look even more confused, Ahsoka decides to step in.
"To summarize what my husband is trying to say, the Jedi—from a religious standpoint—have not worshiped gods. Not in the way you do," she states.
"Hmph, if that isn't a complicated explanation..." Gobber mutters.
Stoick sighs and holds his forehead in his hands, rubbing his face as he looks back up at them.
"Life certainly hasn't been the same since you showed ten years ago," Stoick regards the Jedi with an uneasy frown. "I don't know whether to fall on my knees in prayer or revulsion."
Mara blinks at him in bewilderment whilst Jarik and Ahsoka share a brief, wary look with each other.
"You don't have to do either," Ahsoka replies.
"Our faith demands that we do something," Phlegma says and Stoick nods in agreement.
"You were dead, Ahsoka. Unless you have become one of the Einherjar, you should not be alive," he states firmly.
"I never died to begin with—" Ahsoka starts to argue.
"But we believed you had," he interjects. "Even your own family."
"She's not a ghost, Stoick!" Mara exclaims.
Startled by the outburst Talia looks up from her toys with a nervous expression. Jarik gestures for Mara to quiet down while Stoick glares at her.
"I'm not finished!" he scowls. "We thought you were dead. Yet here you suddenly stand before us after emerging from the Bifrost—the holy bridge which leads to Asgard—which can only mean one thing."
The chief of Berk gets up from his chair, seeming burdened beyond his years, yet there's a strange glimmer in his eyes.
"Whether you were summoned back from Odin or not, you were in the presence of divinity," he tells them.
"Stoick, please don't think of me as a god," Ahsoka pleads, shaking her head.
"I don't care what you believe! I believe!" he says fiercely.
The tension then seems to leave his body and his posture slumps forward a little.
"I just... don't know what to do about it," he finally admits.
There's silence in the room as everyone isn't quite sure what to say next—even Talia picks up on the uneasiness and doesn't make much noise.
Gothi then approaches the Jedi, her staff tapping the stone floor as she moves, and she inspects them with a critical eye for a long time. Eventually, her gaze softens, a faint smile stretching across her face, and she turns toward Stoick and places a wrinkled hand on his arm, giving her a firm look of her own. Stoick glances back at her, his gaze unreadable for a time.
When Gothi moves away to return to her original spot Jarik then steps forward himself and pauses in front of the burly chieftain to look him in the eyes, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"You can honor us by being our friend," he insists.
He furrows his brow at the Jedi Master, but whatever he saw from Gothi seemed to be enough for him and he concedes by inclining his head.
"So be it," he sighs.
Jarik smiles in appreciation.
A brief increase of voices and rumbling on the doors to the Great Hall then reminds the gathered group of their other predicament.
"Okay, so what're we gonna do now about all the crazy Vikings outside clambering for blessings?" Hiccup asks dryly.
"Oh Force..." Mara groans.
Sun Valley, Falligar - Galactic Frontier
After making sure they had gathered all the surviving Falligarians and injured warriors in the aftermath of Gorr's assault, Tyr and the Einherjar were anxious to leave. Not just out of fear of another attack, but also to escape from the cold weather which was becoming increasingly more inhospitable to bear by the minute, even by Asgardian standards.
Loki, however, could bear the cold much better than most, even more so than the beefier Thor and Volstagg. Some questioned it, including himself at times, but it was more of a gift than anything; it's something more he can claim over his prideful brother after all. Besides, Loki was much more interested in learning more about the God Butcher, searching for any clues he could find to further his understanding of such a dark and malevolent creature.
The biggest question on his mind, however, isn't necessarily about who the God Butcher is but what he said to Loki personally. Ordinarily he would just dismiss it as an ignorant mortal who knows nothing of the universe; but Gorr, while seemingly nothing more than a rabid beast, is anything but stupid when it comes to godly matters. Especially with that cursed blade in his possession.
Loki kneels down beside the corpse of a Black Berserker, which was being frozen over along with the rest of the Sun Valley by the planetary ice storm.
"Why would you pity me...?" he murmurs to himself.
Loki stands up and starts to focus on his magic, closing his eyes and stretching his hand out over the soulless creature, which starts to glow with green energy. Focusing on his magic he searches for the creature's echo, a spectral shadow of energy typically left behind by any beings of great power.
Inspecting the corpse for a minute offers him no new insight, and he's even more puzzled when he fails to detect any sort of echo. However, just as he's about to change tactics he feels a slight tingle: focusing in on it he senses a faint trail of darkness pointing away from the dead beast. Within that trail are faint whispers, though it's impossible to make out what they're saying.
Still, it is a clue. He follows the spectral trail through the Falligarian city, sensing similar tails stretching from every other dead Berserker.
He's not quite sure how long he followed the trail of shadow but eventually he finds himself standing before the huge body of the murdered god, Falligar; the many trails of Berserkers all lead to a slain god, focusing on his head.
"Why would you pity me...?" he murmurs to himself.
Loki stands up and starts to focus on his magic, closing his eyes and stretching his hand out over the soulless creature, which starts to glow with green energy. Focusing on his magic he searches for the creature's echo, a spectral shadow of energy typically left behind by any beings of great power.
Inspecting the corpse for a minute offers him no new insight, and he's even more puzzled when he fails to detect any sort of echo. However, just as he's about to change tactics he feels a slight tingle: focusing in on it he senses a faint trail of darkness pointing away from the dead beast. Within that trail are faint whispers, though it's impossible to make out what they're saying.
Still, it is a clue. He follows the spectral trail through the Falligarian city, sensing similar tails stretching from every other dead Berserker.
He's not quite sure how long he followed the trail of shadow but eventually he finds himself standing before the huge body of the murdered god, Falligar; the many trails of Berserkers all lead to a slain god, focusing on his head.
~Kill the gods!~
That's it. An echo, left behind by the God Butcher himself.
"What do we have here...?" Loki smirks to himself, more than pleased at finding what many sorcerers would fail to notice.
It's no challenge for him to peer into the astral plane from the physical realm, granting him a more detailed view of the echo. It spasms around the focal point on Falligar's skull, likely where Gorr delivered the killing blow, twitching and convulsing in a ball of what looks like black goo. The echo is rather grotesque, though that isn't surprising to Loki.
Now to see if this echo will give him the answers he's looking for.
Loki stretches his hands out and allows mystical energy to flow from them, encompassing the twitching echo of darkness. It screeches and tries to push him away, but its savage nature is barely a competitor in comparison to Loki's cunning and sheer will.
"What do you know, echo?" Loki murmurs.
A series of images pass through his mind: memories of what this echo witnessed in this particular spot. He sees the God Butcher standing before a defeated Falligar, his black sword in hand.
'You are a great one...'
Loki is about to dismiss this particular memory—there's nothing new to be learned at witnessing what he already knows occurred—when something catches his attention.
'Where...'
'...are the...'
'...Valdilar?'
The God of Mischief pauses, momentarily forgetting his primary objective as he hears the word spoken, Valdilar, though it's not necessarily a word but also a name.
He hasn't heard that name in so long he almost forgot what it was attributed to.
~They bring the key.~
Loki is granted another flash of images though this time it doesn't seem to be just Gorr's memory, but a vision shown to him by the sword itself.
In the depths of a cavern filled with green fire was an altar, within which rested the handle of a black sword.
A beastial lust is awoken within the sword as it skewers its first victim: the Winged Goddess.
She once possessed an artifact, one capable of unlocking precisely what they desired.
There's a palace high in the mountains, above which hung a massive blue crystal.
The gateway to what lay beyond the universe is opened. The cosmic abyss awaits.
Loki pulls out of the images and back into the present with a startled gasp, his previous endeavor now forgotten for the moment as he comprehends everything he just saw and learned.
"By the grace of Buri!" he exclaims.
The magnitude of what Gorr is planning becomes more terrifying by the second.
If the God Butcher succeeds then every god in the cosmos, including himself, will be erased from existence, helpless to do anything. And Odin, in a foolish act of pride hidden under the guise of a test, has just unwittingly shown Gorr exactly what he needs to make that dream a reality.
He needs the Jedi.
Royal Palace of Valaskjalf, Asgard - Nine Realms
Thor paces around the dining room and repeatedly pounds his hammer into his open palm, anxious to break something in his frustration though his hand is stayed knowing that his mother, Frigga, would be very angry with him if he were to destroy yet another piece of furniture in the palace. Meanwhile, Volstagg delighted himself in gorging on a healthy meal of garlic seasoned vegetables and lamb—his seventh one so far—while the rest of the group sat around the table with mugs of mead listening to Thor rant.
"I can't believe that low-life got away," the God of Thunder grumbles.
"He's as slippery as he is cruel," Fandral nods in agreement, looking over in disgust as Volstagg takes a juicy bite.
"He's a coward is what he is!" Thor rages, unable to vent his anger in any other way. "What sort of beast kills a god as great as Falligar and spits on his grave by fleeing?! He has no honor!"
Volstagg pauses with his meal and lets out a long burp, then nods his head in agreement.
"No argument there," he remarks. "At least those beasts had the decency of fighting to the end."
"Not for honor," Hogun scowls in reply. "Black Berserkers are made from dark sorcery. They have no soul."
Fandral scoffs to himself.
"No wonder they lack a sense of humor then."
Sif rolls her eyes and Thor continues pacing around the room.
"I just don't understand why father didn't seek that monster out right away. Him and I could have destroyed him!"
"Because the Allfather did what any honorable king should," Sif interjects. "Protecting the innocent."
Thor pauses and sighs heavily in begrudging agreement.
"I know. Still, I'd say the best way to protect those people was by destroying Gorr," he says.
"Can't argue with that," Fandral adds, a grin making its way onto his face. "I'll say though, our new friends put up quite a good fight against the Butcher, wouldn't you say?"
"Oh, right on Fandral!" Volstagg laughs and points a leg of lamb at him. "It is a tale for the ages!"
"Indeed. They accomplished something few mortals could ever claim," Sif nods in agreement.
Thor frowns and leans against the end of the table.
"I'm still not quite sure about them, to be honest, but they fought well," he admits, and Fandral scoffs.
"What's there not to be sure about? They're a splendid bunch!"
"They're just... odd, y'know?" Thor struggles to find the right words to express his opinion. "They're supposed to be mortal, and yet they're getting involved in godly affairs?"
He shakes his head in disbelief.
"It doesn't make sense to me."
"Ahh, the high and mighty Thor, humbled by the little people of the world!" Volstagg laughs in amusement. "Give it a rest ya big oaf, hahah!"
Thor frowns at him, exasperated and a little annoyed by his teasing, but before he could respond the doors are thrown open and Loki barges into the room, seemingly out of breath.
"Where's Odin?" he immediately demands.
The rest of the group looked over in surprise at his entry, curious about his current state of mind, but don't think much of it.
"Well look who showed up!" Fandral grins.
"We were starting to wonder if you'd slunk into the library, Loki," Volstagg chuckles.
"Not now you big oaf!" Loki snarls at him. "We have a problem!"
Sif lifts a suspicious eyebrow at Loki, noticing his panic first before anyone else.
"What's wrong?" she questions.
"Other than the fact that lowlife got away?" Thor grumbles offhandedly.
"I know Gorr's next target," Loki states.
That certainly got everyone's attention and they all turned to stare at him in bewilderment, Volstagg having gone still right as he was about to take a large bite out of his eighth lamb.
"Come again?" Fandral asks.
Though just as baffled as the rest, Thor is all too eager at the prospect of knowing the God Butcher's next move.
"Who? Where?" he immediately asks, anxious to fly out to a battle.
"He's hunting the Jedi," Loki starts to explain.
"How do you know?" Sif asks.
"Gorr left an echo on Falligar. He's seeking the Valdilar and the Jedi are the key to finding them."
"The Valdilar?" Volstagg frowns in confusion. "What would he want with them?"
"There are stories told by my people. The Valdilar are said to possess the key to unlocking the cosmos," Hogun states, shaking his head. "But they are just stories."
"Trust me like you've never done before, they are very real," Loki declares, his brow furrowed with a piercing glare. "We should never have let the Jedi out of our sight!"
"Very well, brother. We shall go to Ahch-To right away!" Thor declares.
He moves to depart right away but Loki jumps in front of him, incredulous.
"Thor, wait, we can't do this alone! We need to tell father that Gorr is searching for Mortis!"
"If you're right, brother, then Gorr could be attacking right now!" Thor states firmly. "Let Heimdall send the message. There's no time to waste!"
Volstagg takes one last bite of his meal and stands up, pounding his chest to force it down and then grins.
"I'm always ready for a fight!" he declares.
"As am I," Sif adds in support.
"Then let us make haste my friends!" Thor shouts, raising his hammer in the air.
Isle of Berk, Ahch-To - Unknown Regions
The uproar on Berk had some mixed opinions with a few Vikings claiming Ahsoka's return was a result of dark magic, but they were drowned out by the majority of Vikings who saw it as a sign of divine intervention from the gods. Some even went as far as to believe that Ahsoka herself was now a god much like those on Asgard.
She couldn't technically claim they were wrong, given the nature of her intimate connection with Morai, but that was otherwise unrelated and unknown to them.
Nevertheless, she was not prepared for the chaos of belief and religion that now centered around her and Jarik, and the Vikings threatened to swarm her with praise and worship. Thankfully, Stoick had the sense to intervene and instead redirected the Hooligan's focus to a great feast dedicated to the gods. After what felt like an eternity the family of Jedi were able to sneak away and back to their home.
Talia was a wild combination of frightened and greatly intrigued by the Vikings, both desperate to explore and yet too afraid of getting lost. Her parents had no intention of letting her wander around unattended, especially with the current climate of religious upheaval. Fortunately for them, the events of the day left the girl exhausted and it didn't take long before she was fast asleep in her crib. Ahsoka observed her daughter's sleeping form for a few moments before moving to join Jarik in their bed.
"I'm glad she's not complaining about bedtime tonight," she tells him.
"Just wait til' three in the morning, we'll be hearing it again," he remarks.
"Ugh, don't remind me."
Jarik offers a faint smirk of amusement in response.
"Have you missed this place?" he then asks.
As she's climbing into the bed beside him Ahsoka ponders the question and looks around the house, though her answer is almost immediate.
"I don't miss the bed, if that's what you're asking," she deadpans and he scoffs in agreement. "And, technically speaking, you've been gone as long as I have."
"Fair enough," he shrugs. "They just don't know that."
Ahsoka can't help but agree with his nonverbal response: an encounter with their gods is already enough for one day, and adding time travel into the mix would just leave the Vikings even more bewildered.
"It's nice to be back, but... it's a little strange," she admits, a bit uncertain. "It feels like they now view us less as allies and more as..."
"As deities?"
"Maybe."
An uneasy frown pulls at Jarik's face and he becomes a bit more grim.
"I get what you mean," he murmurs, letting out a sigh. "Hopefully that'll change."
A full moon shone brightly over Ahch-To to illuminate the surface in pale light. Ahsoka's return to life and the addition of her daughter had much of the village astonished, but what really had them so lively was the knowledge that the gods themselves had made it possible. Prayer and worship was in much greater force than ever before. And why would it not be, when Odin himself had declared his approval?
Yet there was one individual overlooking the rest of the village who did not share their joy. But he did carry his own enthusiasm.
The Hooligans' worship of the gods reminded him of old memories in another life, where he was much happier and much more foolish. He still remembers the days he and the rest of his people would worship the Bringer of Light. They prayed he would bring them sustenance, life, and the gift of 'the eternal reward.'
But it was all a lie. The gods are a lie.
He can sympathize with these people; after all, they didn't know any better for generations. But they are no longer innocent. They allow the Jedi into their midst, knowing them personally and yet choosing not to see them for what they truly are: false gods who abuse their status for control over others.
The God Butcher's terrible gaze sweeps over the village which remains oblivious to his presence. The previously bright moonlit sky falls into darkness and shadow when the clouds move to cover it, granting him even greater power. The universe knows that his path is a righteous one.
He raises All-Black high into the air and then thrusts it into the ground. The sword hisses and unleashes a slow wave of shadow and raw malice that approaches the village of Berk.
While Jarik and Ahsoka were getting settled for bed with Talia, Mara was still outside of the house and caring for Zenna. She checked the bandages on the dragon's leg and inspected the injury, which seemed to be healing nicely now that it was no longer infected with poison from a Hssiss dragon.
After applying new bandages around the dragon's leg Mara patted Zenna's snout before moving to go inside herself. However, a pitiful whine from Zenna had Mara sigh and turn back around to face the whimpering Nadder. She rolls her eyes and stops for a moment to scratch Zenna's chin to which the Nadder purrs in content at the attention.
"One of these days you're gonna have to learn some independence, girl," Mara scoffs. "Honestly, how can you be so prideful and yet have no shame whatsoever?"
Zenna doesn't respond of course and merely looks at Mara with the best puppy dog eyes she could muster. Mara shakes her head and pets her for another minute.
When she's about ready to head inside, this time around for sure, Mara's attention is drawn towards movement at the edge of her peripheral vision. She looks over in the direction of the forest some distance away, which is nearly impossible to see in the darkness of night. Still, she's almost certain she could see something moving through the foliage. Probably just a wild animal, right? And yet...
Beside her Zenna lifts up her head to sniff the air, turning towards the trees herself. A low growl starts building in her throat.
Much of the village was silent while the Hooligan tribe's celebration continued in the Great Hall. Some people were still home, though not many, while most of the dragons were lounging around their respective home or stable in slumber.
A perfect recipe for evil to slip through.
The air grows much darker and torchlight practically ceases to exist as a wave of shadow flows through the village. Black creatures silently emerge from the ground in the middle of the street and begin prowling through the village, seeking signs of life.
A few dragons sense the change and begin to wake up from their slumber. Those who are more alert start to growl as they detect danger.
While sitting in their shared bed Ahsoka felt the air grow cold for a moment, somewhat confusing her. She notices the candle on the nightstand flicker a bit but shrugs it off.
~Morai.~
She lifts her eyebrows in surprise as what felt like a sudden breeze passed by and glances at Jarik.
"Did you say something?" she asks him.
"No."
Ahsoka furrows her brow and Jarik looks back in concern, noticing her confusion. She opens her mouth as if to say something but closes it, silent for a few seconds longer before shaking her head.
"Must've been my imagi—"
The temperature suddenly drops even more and the light grows dim as if an opaque shroud had been cast over it. A corporeal gust of 'wind' rushes through the house yet again, this time much stronger than it was moments earlier. Ahsoka's eyes are wide and she looks toward Jarik, who is just as spooked as her.
"I sense it too," he says.
A terrible voice whispers to her, making her blood turn cold.
~Morai!~
~Winged Goddess!~
Ahsoka gasps and her body subconsciously reacts by jumping out of bed and Jarik swiftly follows suit.
"Oh no..." she whispers.
Horror rushes through her and is shared across her bond with Jarik, who likewise carries the same level of panic.
"No no no!"
The God Butcher is here.
Mara walks a few steps to try and get a better look at the tree line despite Zenna chirping nervously at her. She still can't see anything but something is definitely moving, hidden in the forest. Everything grows dark and cold, causing her to shiver. That's when she felt it: the presence of evil.
An unnatural presence in the Force starts to fill her with dread when she finally sees something: behind the tree line a short distance away is an outcropping that lifts up to a cliff side, and standing at the very top is a pale figure cloaked in white. The presence of darkness is emanating from him in waves. Mara is unable to look away from the figure, almost transfixed as she observes it.
Just then, the cold night air is shattered by a monstrous inhuman screech, heralding the charge of Black Berserkers.
Author's Note: Writer's block was a real scumbag to me on this chapter. For the life of me I could not figure out how to write what I wanted to for the sections on Berk so I ended up shortening/adjusting it a little more. So if Mara's presence on Berk and the Vikings reaction to Ahsoka's return feels a little rushed... that's because it is.
Oh well, can't write it all I suppose. \_(ツ)_/