Jörð Arena
Upper Halls Outside the Gods' Barracks
Set walked down the hall, his mind flooding with thoughts and voices. Despite his sight set straight ahead, he could barely make anything out, and it all slowly blurred. This…this can't be real. He thought. Georgios couldn't have my number. Why would he reach out now? Why would he bother at all? Surely, Brünhilde told him what happened.
It's possible, he may just want to do what he said and catch up. The wispy voice suggested. From what you've said about him, it's not impossible.
It is not, but now is the worst possible time.
Or the best, depending on who you ask. After all, we can't be monoliths all the time.
I…I know. Set answered solemnly. Maybe I should. Heavy footsteps heading his way pulled Set out of his conversation. Talk later?
Only after you go talk to him.
Set shook his head, his vision focusing on the footsteps' source. Walking towards him, adorned in new armor, was Yama. He was wearing black armor with gold trim that covered his torso and shoulders with matching wrist and shin guards. Wrapped around his waist was a red hip wrap over a pair of white pants. His short, spiked-up black hair and silver eyes were sharp as ever while he wore a smug grin. "What brings you up from Tartarus?" Set asked.
"Would you believe it is because I wanted to see you?" Yama asked.
"Not at all."
Yama stifled a chuckle. "Fair. You and I haven't seen eye-to-eye for a while, but this time I mean it." Set tilted his head. "I got something for you. Two things, actually, but I'm not in a giving mood."
Set sighed. "What do you want then?"
"Two things. Nothing crazy, but I want those two things."
Set looked back and then behind Yama, catching the curve of the hall and a few closed doors. "Out with it." Yama reached his left hand behind his back. Set's gaze sharpened, but it widened when he saw what Yama had. Clutched in his left hand was a stone slab. "Is that a tablet of destiny?"
"It is. The same one that went missing from Babylon about six hundred years ago. Nergal lost it in a bet."
"Of course he did…why do you have it?"
Yama's expression hardened. "Myrddin." Set's expression matched his. "I had a feeling something was off after Round Five, and did some digging. Turns out I was onto something." Yama shook the tablet a little. "Turns out, Cambions have this nifty trick called Soul-tethering, where they bind their existences to someone they share a deep connection to."
"Because they lack a soul themselves."
Yama nodded. "My hunch was that Myrddin tethered his soul to Arthur, and if true, it means until Arthur dies—"
"Myrddin will always be a problem." Set shook his head.
"And he's in Tartarus right now with a small party to try and break him out."
"What?!"
"Relax. It's already being taken care of. Myrddin and two of them are trying to reach Avalon, but they don't know how to do it right. Once they get there, Xolotl will be waiting. The other two are in the Circles with Vidarr. Getting back to this tablet, Myrddin bartered it for time. Time he got, but will be wasted."
"What's on there?"
"Memories. Pure, undiluted memories. Lots of them from lots of people, a few of whom you would be interested in."
"How do you know they are real?"
"Cambions are walking repositories of memory. They use them to create disguises and learn skills. That requires perfect recollection and a lack of filter or bias. If anyone could give us something like this and it would be genuinely useful, it's Myrddin."
"And you think I want this?"
"No." Yama's voice deepened slightly, and Set tilted his head again. "You need this, and I wager badly. On this tablet, more than anything, is the truth. Winchester. The Sin Cluster. Odin. Everything. I don't have the words to describe what I saw when I looked at the contents. Watching Vidarr's response to it convinced me it was real before I saw anything. And I know you need this." Yama stretched out his left hand.
Set's eyes darted from the tablet to Yama's face and back. "What makes you think anything besides Winchester would apply to me?"
Yama's gaze softened. "Because I know it's you, Old Man." Set moved back a step. "It took me a bit to put it together, but with this, I know for certain it's you." Yama grew a worried look. "Why didn't you tell me it was you? Had I known, I would have supported you from the beginning!" Set looked away. "Are you still disappointed with me? Am I still a failure to you?"
Set whipped back to face Yama. Slowly, he reached his left hand up to his chin. "Never," Set answered, his voice deepening. "I was never disappointed in you."
"Then why?"
Set hung his head. "I was ashamed, Yama. My failures piled up one after the other, and it destroyed me. I lost my ability to trust others because I did not feel I deserved it. I would rather suffer solitude of my own making than convince myself I could reach back out after all I have done."
"Of course you would." Set looked up. "I'm not saying nothing happened. I'm saying even after all that, I still trust you, and I wish you trusted me. Take it. You need this more than you know, because I learned one nasty bit of info from it."
"What?"
"We were tricked. For a long time, we were tricked. I'm not saying by who out loud, but with that, you'll know, and give yourself a damn break."
Set reached out and took the tablet. He stared down at it for a moment, and it felt deceptively heavy. "Thank you, Yama."
"Don't thank me yet. I still have things I want in return for that tablet."
"Name it."
"I want you to trust me again. You did more for us all those eons ago that none of us will ever be able to repay you, Izanagi, Ra, and those who fell. I saw that war…" Dread washed over Yama. "…and there are still days I cannot sleep because of it. All I wanted was to live a life you felt was worth fighting for. Trust me again, and let me prove it." Yama cupped his right fist in his left hand and bowed. "Let me fight in Round Eleven."
"You're adamant about this."
"Much like you, I have things I must and will atone for. Ragnarök is no longer just a spectacle: it's our chance to fix things, and I will make the most of it."
Set pocketed the stone tablet while he fished his electronic one out. He tapped on the screen a few times, then a chime rang out. Set turned the tablet, showing Yama the screen.
Contest for Round 11: Capture The Flag
Fighter for The Gods
Yama
"Then win, Yama. Win and show creation the might of Helheim's Unifier."
Yama smiled confidently. "Gladly. Now for the other thing I promised." Yama turned back. "Hey! He'll take it from here!"
Out from behind the curve walked a tall Demigod with platinum blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, with large indigo eyes. He wore black boots over blue trousers and a loose, long-sleeved shirt. The moment Set saw him, he dropped his tablet. It clattered on the floor and rested by his left foot.
"S…Siegfried?" Set whispered.
"Hey," Siegfried whispered as he walked toward the two, waving and smiling awkwardly.
"Loki's confession was all I needed to free him. I got Hades' approval, of course," Yama said.
Set turned his attention back to Yama. "But Odin—"
"Odin has no ground to stand on. That tablet and Loki's confession prove Sieg's innocence, and I will not allow Tartarus' reputation to be sullied further by that prick's whims. If he seeks to get Sieg back in Tartarus, then he will answer to me."
This is too good to be true… Set thought. "You are not messing with me."
"No. This is Siegfried, Brünhilde's betrothed. And I'm leaving him with you."
"Why?"
"His situation was caused by my incompetence, much like everything else. This, and so much more, is my attempt to make it right. Take him, and reunite him with Brünhilde, and most importantly, do not tell her it was me."
"But—"
"I am not doing this to be thanked, Set. It is my duty. Just like this fight is." Yama turned away from him. "And I will see it through." Yama stepped forward and walked away. He walked along the curve and disappeared, leaving the two.
"So…where to?" Siegfried asked. "Hilde?"
"No."
"Huh?"
"Hilde cannot know it was me either. We're going to see someone, and I will leave you with him. He'll keep you safe and reunite you two."
"O…kay. Who?"
Siegfried felt an odd aura radiate from Set. Nervous, yet oddly proud. "A real dragonslayer," He answered.
Jörð Arena
Brünhilde's Chambers
Not too far from Set's reunion with Siegfried, Brünhilde sat at her desk eyeing her monitor while Pandora walked around her room. Occasionally, Pandora would aim a concerned look at the back of her friend's head, hoping something would change. As she walked behind Brünhilde, she caught sight of the screen.
Contest for Round 11: Capture The Flag
Fighter for The Gods
Yama
Well, this went to hell in a handbasket. Pandora thought. I know Rommie is strong, but we got Yama AND Lugh sitting in front of us. And I don't know a damn thing about this Georgios guy.
"Pan," Brünhilde said.
"Yeah?" She answered, stopping.
"I can't think straight right now. I'm staring at the screen and can't make a lick of sense about this." She leaned back in her chair. "What do I do?"
"You could just send Rommie. That's a guaranteed win."
"No. I can't. Rommie made me promise not to send him out against anyone but Lugh."
Pandora blinked a few times in shock. "What? Why? I thought those two were friends!"
"They are, but that's exactly why Romulus will only fight him. Something like 'I am King and blah, blah, blah.'"
Pandora pursed her lips to stop from laughing. "That sounds like him. Takes the whole 'King' thing too seriously."
"He does, but that's what makes him reliable, if a bit of a buzzkill."
Pandora paused before speaking. She looked to the side, then back to Brünhilde, uncertain of what might come next. "So why hesitate? You're the team lead, right? Why take his input into account? Do you think Yama would win?"
"No, but sending Georgios…doesn't feel right. Against Lugh or Yama."
"Why? What's special about him?" Brünhilde rose from her chair and walked over to a large ornate queen-sized bed. Its bedframe was lined with drawers. She walked over to the drawer closest to the foot of the bed and pulled it open. She reached into it and pulled out a long, short-sleeved white double-breasted white coat. "Wait, is that—?"
"Among Humanity, there are those called Saints. Men and women who the uncertain and faithful believed came to Heaven despite their lack of proof. Why? Because they lived their lives for the good of others and their beliefs. Many died on that path, and while it is admired, no one wants to walk it." She rose, slowly folding the coat in her arms. "Among the many Saints throughout Human History, there is only one who was blessed by the Heavens with the strength to slay a Primordial Beast, a dragon that terrorized the land. That man is also the only Human whom my father ever trained and truly cared for." She tucked it under her left arm. "The Strongest Saint and the Dragonslayer of the Golden Legend." She walked past Pandora towards the door. "I promised him I'd bring him this coat. You coming?"
Tartarus
Below the Circles
Back in Helheim, Myrddin, Uriel, and Yi descended a torch-lit, spiraling staircase. The torches were suspended on the walls by ornate, skull-shaped sconces, and they all glowed the same dim orange. As they continued, their footsteps echoed off the walls and ceiling, filling the otherwise quiet walk with an uncomfortable echo. Yi glanced to the side for a brief moment before looking ahead, staying behind Myrddin and Uriel as they walked. Alongside the echo, something began growing within the party.
Something's wrong. Myrddin thought. Why haven't we reached Avalon yet? I have Tartarus' entire layout in my memory! Avalon should only be a forty or so meters below the Circles!
Uriel, walking behind Myrddin, caught a brief glimpse of Myrddin's distress. "Uh, Myrddin? You okay?" He asked.
Myrddin stopped, with the other two following suit. "Gentlemen, I think something is amiss."
"Figured that may be the case. Why?"
Myrddin tapped his left temple with his left index finger. "I have an exact layout of the entire prison in my memory. I cannot misremember it, and it is consistent across the memories of Nuada, Yama, Vidarr, and Nostradamus."
"Did it account for that moment we arrived in the Circles?" Yi asked.
"That's just it: it didn't. There's no reason that the path we took should have taken us to the Circles. It was a straight shot to Avalon."
"Hmm…" Yi walked past Myrddin and stretched out his right hand, lightly touching the wall and letting his hand glide on the surface. He then stopped, took out a knife from under his left sleeve, and dug the blade into the wall, confusing Uriel. "What're you doing?" He asked.
"Testing something," Yi answered. Uriel looked forward at Myrddin and shrugged. "You two stay here." Yi descended, his footsteps echoing as he went. Myrddin tried to keep his breathing in a steady rhythm, but dread started looming over him.
Could…could this be a trap? Could we be stuck?! Can we even go back? Myrddin thought.
"Gentlemen," Yi's voice said from above. The two turned around and looked up. Yi was standing at the last step they could see. "We're caught."
"Shit," Uriel said. "It's a topological loop." Both looked at him. "It's a loop where the start and end are the same point. Somehow, we got caught in one."
"So we're stuck here?"
"Possible, but there's got to be a way to break out of it. Myrddin, Vidarr didn't lie to you about going back through the entrance that leads to Avalon, did he?"
"No. He didn't lie about that." Myrddin's mind raced. "But that doesn't mean he told us how long it would take."
"'Exact words,' my ass. He screwed us!"
"Calm down, you two," Yi said, walking down to them. "If this is indeed the path to Avalon, then we went the right way, the wrong way. That means there is a way to break out of it. Otherwise, no one would ever be able to reach Avalon."
"How do we do that? We're in an enclosed space with no way out."
"If I can win a decisive battle with just twelve ships at Myeongnyang Strait, then this is nothing." Yi walked over to the scratch he made in the wall. "We're going to lose time, but we will get out of here."
Tartarus
Interrogation Chamber
Not too far above the Circles, in Tartarus' upper levels, was one of the hallmarks of the prison: the Interrogation Chamber. Its aesthetics were no different from the rest of the prison, but no one wanted to go near it. None of the staff, who included notorious Demons of the Ars Goetia, nor any of the prisoners, whose numbers included the former Seven Lords of Helheim and their Vassals. Why? Was it because of some kind of tool or weapon? No. Was it some kind of divine effect that made the room dangerous? No. For it is nothing more than a large, empty room. What makes it terrifying is the one who works in it.
In that large room, where the screams of pain and terror flow from on a near-daily basis, the being that holds the official role of Chief Interrogator, and unofficial role of Chief Torturer and Sadist, continues his trade. He was an olive-complexioned individual, and wore a black, sleeveless robe over a white long-sleeved shirt and black pants with dull gold boots and wrist guards. His lime-green cat-like eyes stood out amongst his chiseled face and slicked-back short black hair. His neck was mechanical and sleek and the same shade of dull gold as his armor.
Zahhak
Chief Interrogator
Angelus Lumine
Chained to the ground in front of him was an emaciated demon with dull-red skin. His eyes were milky white and full of tears, and the pair of horns sticking out of his head were broken at the stump. His body was covered in bruises and cuts. "Please…I don't know anything…" He said, his voice full of pain.
"Yes, you do," Zahhak said, his smooth voice full of vitriol. "You're on the same level as Siegfried. You've seen several people come and go, but kept your mouth shut. Why?"
The demon pursed his lips.
"One of them was a God in a maroon suit with a gold helmet, right?"
The demon looked away from him.
Zahhak walked over to him and crouched down to his level. "I'm trying to be merciful here. I just need to know what he talked to Siegfried about. Granted, you're probably too dumb to notice a conversation happening down the hall from you, but I'd like to think maybe you could help me." He rose. "Otherwise, I will take it from you." Two dark tendrils of energy burst out of his shoulder blades. They flattened near the tips and formed into a pair of hooded cobra heads. This moved slowly and shifted in the air, hissing quietly. "And you don't want that."
"I don't know!" The demon shouted. "I tried not to listen because that Nosta-guy scares the hell out of me!"
Zahhak sighed, then nodded. "Yeah, I can see that. Michel Nostradamus is one scary Human. But, that kind of worries me." The Demon blinked a few times, his breathing growing shallow and rapid from pain. "Why are you more afraid of him than me? Do I have to remind you all who I am? Do my occasional absences go unnoticed? Am I so insignificant that no one notices me?"
The Demon shirked away, whimpering.
"It hurts, you know? I've been at this job for millennia! I know it's not something special, but still! I try to be good at it!" The cobra behind his right shoulder lunged at the demon.
"NO—" It clamped down on his head, its mouth fully covering the Demon's head. It bit down, and the demon began to gargle and struggle.
"I try to act in a way that conveys I need to be told things willingly rather than being forced to take them by force! It's just stressful and messy!" The skull began to cave in the cobra's mouth. "Plus, demons taste like shit, no matter how strong, and your minds are no different than a drugged-up and rabid animal." The Demon's skull gave way with a sickening crunch, and his body plopped to the ground as blood spilled out from his neck. The cobra raised its head, letting the Demon's head slide down its throat. It travelled down its body before flowing into Zahhak's back. Zahhak's pupils dilated, and he shuddered. "But by Hell, is it such a damn rush." The demon's memories began flowing into Zahhak's mind. He sifted through them at a breakneck pace. Where are you? He thought. Then, he saw it. Walking past the cell was Set. A few seconds later, he heard him talking to Siegfried in a familiar voice. So it is you, you old bastard. Oh, how the mighty fall! Now…how else can I ruin your life?
Valhalla
Eastern Chapel
Back up in Valhalla, Set and Siegfried had arrived at their destination. Just a kilometer away, at the base of a hill and surrounded by a small smattering of trees, was a large egg-shell colored building with a large dirt road crossing in front of it. Its windows were adorned with stained glass in the image of various men and women of all shapes and sizes. Its gable roof was a dark blue and arched high with a single tower pointing up towards the sky. Both Set and Siegfried stood in quiet silence as they gazed upon it. Both felt a slight tinge of regret and joy as they surveyed. A few seconds or so, some people would enter and exit the building, and few, if any, wore the same clothing. Some even had wings.
Set was the first to move and started walking down. Siegfried jogged after him.
"Feels nostalgic, doesn't it?" Siegfried asked.
"A bit," Set answered in his deep voice. "I used to come here in my spare time to offer my prayers."
"You prayed?"
"Alone, yes, and more out of gratitude to the fallen than anything. This chapel was the first one built here in the Heavens. Those stained glass windows are murals for those who fell in battle in the First Ragnarök."
"Wow…who built it?"
"I did. Granted, I learned as I went, but eventually I figured it out." Set's gaze shifted from window to window. "I did not want them to be forgotten. Gods do not die of old age, but we are not immune to the fog of ages."
"That's pretty nice of you, Set."
"Maybe. More like I just find it unfair that the dead are forgotten. Lives lost in the defense of what they loved. It is why, despite the Gods' initial opinion, Ragnarök is a tragedy despite the spectacle."
"Who did you lose in the war with Yggdrasil?" Siegfried asked. "I mean, I know many of the other Primordials died fighting and sealing Yggdrasil away, but were any of them special to you?"
Set stopped. His gaze turned slowly to the ground, then up to the sky. "There was one. A friend who, in my eyes, represented all the beautiful things of creation." He turned back to Siegfried. "I miss her."
"That's…rough. What happened to her? If you don't want to say, you don't have to."
Set turned back towards the chapel and kept walking. "It is fine. I have not talked about her in a long time." Sieg heard the faintest hint of something in Set's voice. "She died sealing Yggdrasil along with the others. To her, the Gods needed to survive and keep the future going. Yggdrasil was just destruction built on hubris, and Creation would have suffered under them." He sighed. "The irony of this situation is not lost on me."
The two stopped at the chapel's steps; the double door entrance was ajar, and a few voices could be heard from inside. "I think she would like to see this chapel used by Humanity. It is part of a pilgrimage that Humans partake in annually, along with the other chapels along this path."
"Didn't know Humans still prayed up here."
"Some do not. Others do, but they do not pray for anything up here. They pray for their loved ones still down in Midgard. Health, success, happiness, the usual. But it shows that love transcends life and death." Set's tablet vibrated, and he pulled it out of his pocket.
Are you here?
Set typed away. Yes. Right outside the entrance. Set stuck his tablet back in his pocket. I…am not looking forward to this… He thought.
It will be okay. The wispy voice said. You have Sieg here with you. It will work out.
I hope so. Thank you, Set. Set answered back.
Of course, Brother.
The double doors opened, and Set's nerves vanished, replaced by a growing and boiling anger. Walking out of the chapel, with a tablet in his left hand, was Buddha, lollipop in his mouth. Behind him, in his orange shirt and camo pants, and combat boots, was Romulus. On his left wrist was a large, rectangular, blue scuta shield.
"Well, well!" Buddha said smugly. "Looks like I was right to test that num—holy cow, is that Sieg?" The lollipop fell out and shattered on the chapel's steps. "Oh, crap." Buddha crouched down and picked up the pieces.
"S…Siegfried?!" Romulus whispered.
"Rommie," a woman's voice said behind the two. Out of the door and stopping between them was a young woman in a white dress with lilac hair tied in a long braid and dark-orange cat-like eyes. "Georgios is looking for his tablet. Have you—" Her eyes locked on Set and Siegfried. "Oh…um…"
Skalmöld
(6th Sister of the Valkyries)
Wife of Romulus
"Hey, Möld!" Siegfried said, joyfully with a hint of awkwardness. "I…heard you tied the knot a while back. Sorry for missing the wedding."
"I…" Tears started forming in her eyes. "I need to go help Georgios." She ran back into the chapel.
"Hey!" Buddha turned and shouted softly. "Tell G I found his tablet and I'm outside!" He turned back to Set and Siegfried and felt a slight chill when he saw Set's murderous glare. "We…"
"Fucked up HARD, Buddha," Set said, his voice starting to reverberate. "What asinine thought compelled you two to steal someone's tablet, pretend to be them, and call me out here?"
Romulus stepped down a few steps. "Set, we just wanted to talk with you. Since Yama is on the roster, and Loki confessed to framing Sieg, we thought you could speak to Yama and get Sieg freed…and you happened to show up with Sieg."
Set slowly turned his glare towards Romulus. "Do not lie to me."
"He's telling the truth Setty—" Set shot a glare that could kill towards Buddha. Buddha cleared his throat. "Set."
Set felt a hand grip his right shoulder. He turned, seeing Siegfried. His glare softened, and he sighed before turning back to the two. "I was trying to leave Siegfried with Georgios. I thought the chance to get Siegfried back to Hilde had just dropped on my doorstep."
"Why not bring him straight to Hilde?"
"Buddha, in another time and place, that would be the simple answer, but here is the reality: I am her enemy. I am the opposing force behind Ragnarök, leading the Gods to exterminate Humanity. I cannot be the one to reunite her with Sieg! He is a victim of circumstance, and if she sees me doing this, she is going to think it is some ploy or trick to hurt her! I refuse to do that to her!"
"…Why?"
"Because she has been through enough!" Set's voice rose. "She lost three sisters yesterday! Four good men died in the name of Humanity!" He began hyperventilating.
Brother, it's okay! Georgios is still here! The plan can still work! The wispy voice yelled. Please calm down!
"Hephaestus and Týr, who meant the world to her, are gone because of her actions! Worst of all, Loki, who was once her friend, caused Siegfried's imprisonment and died admitting it! She…" He inhaled deeply, trying to maintain his composure as footsteps grew closer to them from inside the chapel. "She deserves something despite the godforsaken hell she has been through in the past two days. Nay years." He shook his head. "And I cannot be the one to give it to her…I do not deserve to…" He looked up at Romulus and Buddha. "Why can't you understand that?!"
They weren't looking at him, and neither was Siegfried. Rather, they were looking behind him, and their expressions showed only one thing: Panic. Set turned around to see why, and he felt his heart drop.
Brünhilde stood there, completely still, her eyes wide. Pandora was just behind her and matched her.
No! Not like this! Please not like this! Why?! The one good thing I could have done for her?! WHY?! Someone behind him pushed the double door open a little further.
Brother, we can salvage this!
"I…I need to leave," Set whispered. He turned to the right and started walking. Something clamped down on his right arm, holding him in place. He turned to look, panic growing. It was a bronze-skinned man with scars over his mouth and left eye, and a few X-shaped scars above his right eyebrow and on his left jawline. His eyes were a clear blue and his brunette hair was swept back. He wore a black long-sleeve shirt and brown pants tucked into black boots.
"It's okay, Sir," He said in a low tenor. "We can sort this out."
"G…Georgios?" Set whispered.
Georgios
(Greece)
"Hold on for just a minute." Georgios stepped away from Set, who stood in place. He walked back to Buddha and extended his right hand. "Buddha." Buddha placed the tablet in his hand. "How long have you had my tablet?"
"Since you first lost it."
"Of course you did." He shot glances at Buddha and Romulus as Skalmöld returned. "I understand what you two were trying to do. You saw a chance to help Hilde, right?" Both nodded. "That means a lot, but intent and execution were not aligned. Both of you, please go back inside." Both exchanged a glance and walked back through the doors into the chapel. "Skalmöld, can you do me a favor?"
"Name it," She answered.
"Keep them in there. I admire their love for Hilde, but this situation is less about 'when' and more about 'how.' I'll take it from here, but I will inform you first of anything since you are Hilde's sister."
"…You got it." She walked back into the chapel.
Georgios turned back to the four and walked over to Set. "Sir, come over here." Set silently nodded and walked to him. He then pointed over to a bench several yards away under a tree. "The two of us are going over there. Pandora, will you join us?"
"I…" She looked over at Brünhilde, then Siegfried. "Yeah, I can." She walked over to Set and Georgios, and the three went over to the bench.
Siegfried and Brünhilde locked eyes. Neither blinked, as if fearing the act would make the other vanish. Sieg grew a small smile, and his gaze softened, but Brünhilde remained unmoved, still clutching the coat in her arms. He stepped forward, but she stepped back in rhythm with him. He stopped and stepped back. "I…" Siegfried said. "I don't know where to start." Brünhilde pursed her lips.
"Is it…is it really you?" Brünhilde whispered.
"I hope so!" Siegfried said, chuckling softly.
"How can I be sure? After all…you could be another of Loki's tricks…or a clone…or something Set cooked up."
"Set tried getting me here without you knowing. Buddha and Rommie…kind of messed that up. They meant well, though, so please don't be angry with them."
"Why?"
"Not my place to say, but you heard him earlier, right?"
"…I did."
"Then you know, like I do, that he did this for you. No strings attached."
"How can I be sure?! How can I know it's really you?!"
Siegfried looked to the left and right. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Hilde, I need to know something."
"…What?"
"Did Týr deliver my message?"
The coat fell from Brünhilde's arms. Her composure broke, and tears began to fall. Years. Centuries of constant turmoil and uncertainty. The mountainous weight of despair that she fought against for so long…was gone. "Yeah…" She now had to fight back against the emotional flood slamming against her soul.
Sieg's eyes started watering. "Good! But can I still say it?" He walked over to her, stopping just in front of her. She nodded. "Hi, Hilde." The two wrapped their arms around each other and collapsed onto their knees. Brünhilde cried and cried, her face buried in Siegfried's chest as he held her close, crying softly all the while. Thank you, Týr. He thought. Thank you...
Not too far from them, Pandora fought against and failed to fight back her tears as Set and Georgios watched on from her left. Georgios gripped Set's right shoulder in his left hand, turned to him, and smiled. Set gave him a soft glance, patted Georgios' hand with his own, and gave him a nod before turning back to see the two.
It's okay to cry, Brother. The wispy voice spoke. Don't think— Tears quietly fell from Set's eyes. Oh…yeah. I'll leave you alone.
"Sir," Georgios whispered. "You still pulled it off."
"No…" Set whispered. "It almost fell apart were it not for you. Thank you, Georgios."
"All I did was give space and time."
"And I shall do the same." Set pulled out his tablet and typed.
Heimdall, there's a matter of the Fighters for Round Eleven that's come up. Let everyone know the next Fight will be delayed by a few hours. If anyone has an issue, tell them to contact me and to leave you alone.
Set wiped his eyes, then typed another message.
Thank you for your help.
His tablet vibrated almost immediately.
The whole Loki thing is a good distraction. I can get you three.
That is perfect. I will reach back out if something changes.
He tucked the tablet back into his pants pocket and turned his attention back to Brünhilde and Siegfried. "When should I tell them the next match is delayed?"
"Give them a few more minutes," Georgios answered. "Looks like they need them."
Mount Damavand
Far from Valhalla and back in Midgard, Armaiti and Indra were now in a massive cavern and stood across from a massive metal slab.
"Holy cow," Armaiti said. "This is what they used to imprison Zahhak?"
"Makes you wonder how much of a monster he was as a Human to deserve it."
"Oh no, I know what kind of depraved bastard he was. He took sacrifices and ate the brains of people to satisfy the snakes growing out of his body."
"Excuse me?" Indra asked, flabbergasted.
"Apologies for her brief description of a malignant anomaly," An older raspy voice spoke behind them." The two turned back, eyeing an older pale man. His silver hair was cut short and styled neatly in combination with his beard and mustache. He had green eyes, with a monocle over the left, and wore a gray button-up shirt with a green tie, light-blue slacks, a brown belt, and matching loafers. In his right hand was a metal cane. "Zahhak's…serpents are his angelic grace contorted and perverted into a weapon. Quite apt for a deviant with such a personality."
Raphael
Lieutenant General of the Heavenly Choir
Angelus Prudentia
"Brevity is a facet of the wise, genius," Armaiti said.
"Yes, but if you oversimplify things, you confuse people," Raphael responded as he walked past the two. He stopped less than a yard from the slab. He tapped it with his cane a few times, letting a few loud clangs fill the cavern."Hmmm…got to give Kaveh credit. There's nothing on Midgard that could break this."
"Then how do we do it?"
Raphael looked over to Indra. "Indra, do you have your bow with you?"
"I do. Hephaestus had it made yesterday after my old one broke in Round Two," Indra answered.
Hephaestus. Even in death, you're making things happen for your daughter. Raphael thought. We'll set this right. "Excellent. By chance, have you ever performed a Völund?"
"No, why?"
Raphael grew a confident smile. "Want to try?"