The once-dead flames returned to life It flickered, dancing in the cold night wind. The aurum glowed, illuminating the complete darkness of the beachside. The crackling of the dead plants was soothing alongside the crashing of the waves.

And surrounding it to get the warmth was an interesting group of people, chests facing the big body of water that was the ocean. There was a clear division in the group, splitting them into two. In the middle was a man who was seemingly unfazed by the situation.

On his right was a girl, peeking from his side to get a better view of the person to his left, interested in who this person was and what relation they had with him. This was shared with her fellow companion but not with the same innocent intent as the child.

While the child was sneaking a peek, the woman beside her was glaring openly instead. She had a more hostile approach to wanting to get to know this person. The man noted that her hands were not that far from her weapon, dangling just close enough so that she could draw it at any given moment.

The person who caused all of this was seated to his left, not too far but still just enough that she was out of his arm's reach. Although the way she is treated varies, the huntress can understand why.

'She was about to kill him.'

The only reason none of them were fighting each other was because of one thing.

Him.

"Here, try it."

A bowl of soup could be seen just in front of his attempted murderer. The person in question could have had plates for eyes as she stared at the food.

Njord handed a bowl that was filled with the leftover soup that had he made.

"So that's why you made more and had an extra bowl!" The girl beside him gasped on his sleeve and exclaimed, "You knew she was coming!"

"Njord… Explain…"

It seemed that his two friends had their goals aligned as they were now both sending glares his way. Even the huntress now-named- Gladiia was looking at him with suspicion.

Alas, their attempt to make him crack under pressure ended like every time before, him chuckling.

"If I wanted to sound cool, I might agree with that claim."

"If you're telling the truth?"

Anita pulled herself closer to him.

"I would say, I thought that Dario would come by to visit."

"Maestro?"

Hearing her teacher's name being brought up, Irene muttered with a confused expression.

"Yeah. With him not giving me a visit for so long now, I thought he might have shown up for a quick snack."

"But it seems that man would not stop pushing himself to exhaustion."

He amusingly commented as he looked down at the soup.

The nomad raised his eyes from the broth and looked to Irene.

"Lucky for him, he has a good student to help him."

Her glare lightened slightly.

Realizing that Njord might be manipulating with kind words, she pushed his praise away, folding her arms around herself,

"You were the one that told me to do it. I just listened. As long as Maestro can rest a bit, it was nothing."

"Mister Njord! She's doing it again! Big Sis Irene is doing it again!"

A sudden shout appeared. Njord glanced down at Anita and saw her pointing toward Irene and glancing at him. He knew what she meant and stroked her hair.

"Yes. Yes. Our Irene is still not honest with herself."

"... Hey. You listen here-"

"Why is she like this, Mister Njord?"

"Well, there is this term in Higashi. Tsun-"

"Oh no you don't!"

Standing up from her seat, all red now, Irene shouted at him before he could say another word.

Anita and Njord shared a laugh as they heard Irene's outburst. Just when Irene was about to give them a piece of her mind, from the corner of her eyes she saw the stranger staring at them with a dumbfounded expression on her face.

She coughed into his fist to get a hold of herself before she could embarrass herself in front of her and glared at the two troublemakers.

"E-Ehem. Njord. Can you explain why you are offering food to the person who threw a large sword toward the back of your head not even a few moments ago?"

Unfazed by this question, Njrod stared back at the guest, making her tense.

"Don't want to waste good food. And our friend here seems to be famished."

Hios answered got all of their attention shifted back to the huntress.

Gladiia still seemed to be wary around them, even when she accepted Njord's offer to sit. Her eyes glanced from Njord's thin smile towards the soup in his hand that he was offering to her and then back to him.

Anita noticed her hesitation.

Maybe the miss thought it didn't taste good?

Maybe she should reassure her.

"It's good! Even if it does not look much, the soup Mister Njord made is delicious! Right, Big Sis Irene?"

Being put in the spotlight, Irene froze like a deer in headlights.

Her eyes slowly drifted to him for a moment and then she turned away, focusing on the sea.

"... It is… good."

Although they did not have a good view of her face, both Anita and Njord could guess what her reaction was just by how red her ear was.

Anita's smile brightened even further and glanced at the new woman.

"Big Sis Irene admitting something is a big deal! Trust me on that!" "Mister Njord's food is just that good!"

She waved her arms to demonstrate how rare this was,

"Please end me…"

Irene moaned as she hid her face in her hands.

"So come on, try it!"

Not even letting Njord time to react, she took the bowl out of his hands and handed it to Gladiia.

"Here!"

Gladiia did not know what to say. Not long ago, this child was terrified of her, Gladiia could see it. Before, she would hide behind the Inquisitor and try to get as far away from her as possible.

Now?

That same child was now brazenly handing her a bowl of soup without an ounce of worry in her body.

Was this caused just by hearing Njord's words?

Were his words weighed that heavily in the eyes of this child?

After hesitating for a bit, seeing how the child was not backing down from this, Gladiia gave in and took the bowl from her.

"You have my gratitude…"

"Enjoy!"

After saying that, the child rushed back toward her seat next to Njord. She stared at them for a while and glanced at the broth in her hands. The bowl was still warm. Its aroma was making its way to her nose and it smells delightful.

With the spoon that they prepared for her, she took a sip from it.

Then another.

Then another.

And then another.

Gladiia did not know how many times she continued to repeat her actions again and again. She only stopped when she noticed there was an empty spoon in her mouth.

She looked down into her bowl and saw it had nothing left for her to eat.

'How did I-'

"So how was it?"

A question snapped her back. She glanced at the person that asked her.

Njord hummed as he looked pleased, the same went for Anita. And for the Inquisitor, she gave her an understanding nod.

Remembering that she still had not answered his question, she focused back on him.

"It was… a pleasing experience."

She admitted.

Although it was barely a compliment, it was enough for the man as he nodded, satisfied bit.

"Just put it to your side. We need to focus on something else, seeing you had your fill."

The way that he said it was not condensing at all. He truly meant it.

Hearing this, all of them tensed and adopted a more serious expression on their face, except for Njord.

Nodding, she put down the bowl and faced them.

"What do you want to know first? Although I might not have all the answers you seek, I will do my utmost best you meet your expectations."

Hearing this from her, Njord was pleased as he smiled at her.

Irene noted the way she was speaking to them speaking to Njord.

It was like she was in front of an important person.

Like a king.

Like a god.

Anita seemed to know that Gladiia was only addressing Njord regarding questions and it was understandable. Based on what Njord told the two of them, he barely knew who he was.

"Me being a god. To whom?"

Njord started, gone with his carefree attitude and replaced with something a bit serious,

"To Aegirs…"

"Ah… I am your god then?:

From the little he was told, he understood something a bit.

Gladiia simply nodded.

"How are you so sure? I might be just a nomad."

Njord throws this fact to her to see how he should counter it.

Gladiia gestured to the air with a wave of her hand.

"The world."

"The world?"

Anita tilted her head, confused by her words.

Gladiia took this as a sign to continue.

She recited something to them.

"From the ground to the sky so high. The stars align as night draws nigh. Peace descends, the world aglow. The deity arrives, all strife to bestow."

As the words of the chant wash over her, Irene's senses become attuned to a profound sense of tranquillity. The way the huntress spoke, the cadence and rhythm of the chant create a soothing melody that seems to wrap around her into a comforting embrace of some sort.

"The air whispers with tranquil grace. Waves of serenity in every space. In harmony, the sea does sway. As God arrives to guide our way."

The imagery evoked by the words conjures a vivid tapestry of celestial beauty in Irene's head, with stars aligning in the night sky and a world bathed in a gentle, radiant glow. The promise of peace descending and a deity's arrival resonates with something in her that she did not know she had, sparking a glimmer of hope and an inexplicable connection to something greater.

"The stars shimmer, the night serene. Darkness holds a tranquil sheen. With peace, they merge a sacred arc. A divine presence, a world reborn."

No matter how Anita did not like being called one, she was still a child. A child, with an innocent heart and vivid imagination. Those traits made Anita feel a sense of wonderment and enchantment upon hearing this chant. The gentle rhythm of the chant felt familiar with how she felt when Mister would hum to her, soothing any worries she felt like they were so insignificant.

"So chant and sing, let joy ignite. A god's arrival, pure and bright. In his blood, our honour is restored. To finally let him rest, forevermore."

The words that the Aegir spoke created a magical world in her mind's eye, where the stars seem to come alive and the night sky becomes a canvas of dreams.

When the woman was done with her chant, all of their eyes were drawn toward him.

They thought he would react the same way as them, bewildered. No matter how calm he would act around them, hearing a chant just as just now, even he should be enchanted as them.

But he did not.

His face… it was an expression that neither the two of them had ever seen on his face.

Nothing.

Emotion seemed to be nonexistent on his face as he stared at Aegir Hunter, His eyes were analyzing her as if she was an unknown puzzle that he needed to put his whole attention to solve.

The two of them did not like this expression of his.

Especially Anita. It made Njord feel so cold, something that she would never think was possible for the man.

From the moment she met him, Njord was nothing but kind to her. He felt so warm to be around. He would always have a beautiful glimmer in his eyes every time she saw him on the beach. It was like the reflection of the moon on the ocean. Everything about Mister Njord made him feel so welcoming and open.

However, now, it was like she was beside a stranger. There was barely any light in those dark blue eyes. Even though they were near a flame, Anita felt a shiver crawl up her spine at how cold it was near him.

She did not like categorizing Mister Njord like this.

She did not like this Mister Njord.

She gasped onto his sleeve and lightly pulled.

"M-Mister Njord…?"

Although she managed to utter his name, it was barely a whisper. Thankfully she was near enough to him for Njord to hear her.

Almost as if snapping back to reality, he glanced at her and the emotionless expression he had disappeared, replaced with a curious one as he stared at her.

"Yes? Is something the matter Anita?"

He arched his brow and asked, interested in what she would say.

She wanted to ask what made him look so scary just now but the words did not form in her mouth as she could only gape at him.

"She just wanted to know why you were so quiet."

Coming to her rescue, Irene gave an excuse on her behalf. She stared at Big Sis Irene and their eyes met.

Without saying a word, they agreed.

The way Njord was acting was not something they liked.

And Irene's excuse seemed to work as Mister Njord hummed.

"Was I that quiet? Sorry about that you two. I did not want to make you two worried."

He sheepishly apologized,

To reassure the child who had a strong grip on his arm, Njord caressed her hair.

"I'm okay now."

"... Okay."

Seeing how he was back to his normal self, Anita finally let go of him.

Irene's eyes never left Njord. The way that he reacted just now, something was amiss. Sadly she could not guess what caused him to act like that. It seemed that this was another thing she needed to pile up under the category of the mysterious of Njord.

Njord focused back on the huntress, smiling at her.

As for Gladiia, to be frank, she was terrified a moment ago. The way he was staring at her, it was like he did not consider her as a living being. She was more of a nuisance to him. A speck of dust caught in his eyes, only irritating him.

"Miss, although the… chant you gave us was… something,"

"I want to know, what that had to do with me being a god. Your god to be specific."

Gladiia hardened her resolve, he was asking something of her and she would rather die and not answer.

"Of course, All-Father."

"... All-Father, huh?"

He hummed amusingly at the title.

'Same pantheon. Different god. That's Odin. Did I steal his job? Does this world have an Odin?'

"The chant that I spoke just now was passed down from generation to generation. All of Aegir should know about it. It's akin to teaching one's child their mother language."

"In it, it describes how the world would be when you reappear."

After her explanation, Gladiia raised her hand and gestured toward the sky.

"Although this world is filled with chaos, the land where you appear, its peace. The winds soothingly sing. The waves that are filled with monsters, become beauty. The unknown darkness of the night becomes welcoming."

Her eyes then landed back on him.

"All of this… it is caused by you. All-Father."

"..."

The group fell into deep silence after hearing this. They pondered on her words. Irene and Anita silently agreed with what she said. Since Njord first arrives in the city, life seems to fill the land. It was as if the looming disaster that had always been above them had disappeared when he came.

"But that is not the only thing that is said in that chant, no?"

Njord pointed out, causing Gladiia's body to freeze.

"In his blood, our honour is restored. To finally let him rest, forevermore."

Njord repeated that phrase back to her.

"That is the part where you kill me?"

"Let's assume that I am your God. Why do you and your people want to kill me? To put me into this so-called "rest", perhaps?"

"... Yes."

Gladiia admitted after a pause.

"Why do you need to do it?"

Njord emphasized the word to her.

"... We want to repent for the Sin that our ancestors committed against you All-Father."

This caused Anita to get worried while Irene's suspicions heightened.

A single word that the hunter mentioned made Njord a bit intrigued.

"Mistreatment? Does it have something related to what your ancestor did to me?"

"..."

"I will take that as a yes then."

"..."

Njord noted as he glanced at the calm waves.

He hummed as he looked up to the sky above him. The sight of the moon was as beautiful as always. A thin smile formed on his face as he felt the glow of it on his skin.

"I bet I deserve it."

"No!"

The woman abruptly shot up from her seat and stood in front of them, incensed by his words. Anita and Irene were a bit surprised by the Aegir's sudden outburst.

Njord looked more confused than anything.

"You did nothing wrong! You were simply there! Not bothering a single life!" She shouted at them, "We were just ignorant and resentful because you did not aid us in our research! But we now understand that you did that to not make us rely on you!"

"..."

"We stole your blood and made a… a disaster from it! If not for our ignorance we could have foreseen how foolish our actions were!"

"Create a god? How… How… blasphemous our actions were!"

"..."

Gladiia tightened her fists to her sides.

"And our shameful acts did not end there. We had the audacity of seeking your aid after all the things we did to you."

Gladiia looked hurt as she spoke.

"And yet you still answered our call! And what was your payment? Nothing You didn't ask anything from us! And yet..."

"..."

"We used you as a decoy! Cursing you for eternity while destroying most of our creation!"

"Of all we could not even fix our mistake by making more!"

She shouted hatefully, head lowered, not even daring to look him in the eyes.

"..."

Gladiia's legs seemed to weaken as she fell to her knees and hung her head low. Her hands dug into the sand as she remembered everything that her race had done to him.

"What remained of your precious body, was eaten by them, making them stronger…"

"As expected, we made the situation worse than it already was…."

Her voice was barely a whisper now.

"..."

"We may not be able to atone for our sin by killing all of them…"

She shamefully admitted the failings of her race.

"However, we could at least stop the endless cycle of reincarnation you are confined within."

"To let me rest?"

"... We have to kill you. We must kill you,"

"If not, how could we let you live your life like this?"

"How could you ever forgive us?!"

Her voice was starting to tremble.

"..."

Irene was dumbfounded, she could only stare at the Aegir after hearing her confession. If her ramblings were correct, it would mean Njord was cursed to never be able to stay die and continuously live life for eternity by them because he did nothing wrong.

In Anita's case, although she did not understand much, she knew that her people had hurt Mister Njord. Hurt him so much that killing him would be a blessing.

She…

She didn't know what to feel.

Confused? Yes,

Angry? Definitely. Why did they hurt someone as kind as Mister Njord?

She had lots of emotions swirling inside of her. However, one was more prominent than the rest.

She was sad for him.

"Mister Njord…"

However, just when she was about to ask him, he stood up from where he sat and made his way toward the woman who was on all fours atop the sandy floor. She was still trembling after she had exhausted herself from her outburst.

Gladiia heard his footsteps getting nearer and nearer to her. She dared not raise her head when she saw his shadow looming over her.

At that moment, she felt as if he really would end her life.

If he did, she would not blame him. He had all the right to do so. After hearing and remembering all the horrible things that her ancestors did to him, he must certainly be filled with hate. Killing her might not be enough for him. He might start a genocide on her race. Stopping at nothing until nothing of them was left.

With his overwhelming power, he could achieve that goal.

She had caused the end of Aegir.

Gladiia did not regret her choice, however. Even when she was little, the first time she came to know about him, her god, she would do anything to ease his suffering.

She owed nothing to her race, but they both owed everything to him.

To Njord.

Maybe the priest was right.

He and her…

They did share some in common.

So with that thought, she closed her eyes and readied herself for her impending end.

But after waiting…

No pain came to her.

Rather, she felt a hand land on her shoulder.

Finally opening her eyes, she raised her head and was faced with something she did not expect from the god.

On his knees, a hand on her shoulder.

He was smiling at her.

She stared at him in disbelief. Her eyes scanned his expression to see if what was in front of her was an illusion that her mind had made up.

To find anything.

Anger.

Disappointment.

Resentment.

Even the tiniest sliver of negativity.

But there was none.

Njord was smiling at her, hand on her shoulder. The warmth from his touch only confused her more.

"Why…"

She asked with a voice so frail that even a small breeze could overwhelm it.

Despite only having spoken a single word, Njord understood what she meant as he nodded at her.

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

He explained patiently to the confused woman.

"But-."

"The sins of the dead are not the ones the living should carry."

"You did nothing wrong to me."

Gladiia could only stare at him dumbfounded.

A thought struck her.

This would be her god if not for her ancestors.

In a way, she resented them a bit for not following him.

"Besides, you might be able to accomplish that goal."

He cheerfully commented and stood up,

"What…"

Gladiia exclaimed confused, having snapped out of her shock.

Njord walked towards the ocean and they saw his feet come in contact with the waves. His attention was solely on the giant body of water in front of him with his back facing them.

Irene felt bizarre seeing how Njord was acting. She stood up and narrowed her eyes on his body, not letting him out of her sight, feeling as though he would suddenly disappear if not under her gaze

"Njord, what do you mean?" She asked worriedly at him.

Anita was also unnerved by Njord's current state. Something seemed off about him.

"Mister Njord… What are you trying to say…?"

Following Irene's lead and stood up beside her

His eyes were still on the ocean, it was as if he didn't even hear them. His eyes seemed to shine like the reflection of the water under the glow of the moon.

Finally, seemingly satisfied, he turned back to face them.

He gazed at them, unnerving them to no end

"Miss, you must ready yourself. You will not have this chance in the future."

Rather than answering their confused gaze, he slowly pulled off his shirt for them to see.

The way they gasped was not a good sign.

It was completely pitch black.

Black pigmentation was creeping up from the centre of his chest and making its way up to his neck.

"I am about to die."

He said simply, holding out both of his arms to them, gesturing for them to come at him, especially the Hunter.

"If you don't want me to reincarnate, you better act fast. So hurry."

Njord still had a thin smile on his face.

"Kill me."

[]

Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

I tried to make Njord someone who can easily influence the people around him only using just his words and expressions, so I hope I get to do that with the limitation of my English. Curse me and my abilities!

And as for Gladiia, did I make her a zealot? I hope not. I can't really be sure cause I have never encountered those types of people.

Do I want to? Nah.

But I can use it for writing if I do.

As for Irene, was she a cliche tsundere? I need to know because something makes characters act too out of character so I need people to remind me this so I won't get overboard.

Anita did not really play a whole lot in this chapter and was more of a medium to lessen the tension around the whole situation. Love her for that.

Sorry for the people who read my horrific attempt of being a poet and the poem that I made about Njord and the Aegir.

Speaking about Njord and them, lore. No official lore of Arknight but Lore in this version of Terra. Was it good? I need to know.

So bye for now and if anyone's willing to donate, on my profile is a place where you can donate to me. I am not really in a good position right now so any help is good. Thanks in advance.

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