Chapter 594: Only children make choices, I want them all! (7.1k)
At night, the World Tree slightly retracted its heat and flames, and its scorched branches reflected a deep dark red.
A breeze blew by, and flickering sparks fell from the trees, casting a dark and graceful human figure in front of the temple door.
Judging from the ashes piled up under her feet, she seemed to have been standing here for a long time.
After standing there for a while, she finally made up her mind, raised her hand, pushed open the door of the temple, and stepped inside.
Inside the hall, the figure with a crown on his head sitting on the throne lowered his head and seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep.
The person bit his lip, walked up the stairs, and reached out to touch the tired face.
"I thought you weren't coming."
The low voice echoed in the hall, and Loen raised his head and looked forward.
Hila’s body froze in front of the stairs. Her outstretched hand stopped in mid-air. Her eyes became evasive as she spoke in a whisper:
"Teacher, are you awake?"
"I've been waiting for you to come in for a while."
Lorne spoke calmly.
Hela suddenly felt embarrassed and had the urge to turn around and run away.
It’s still the same as before, this is the only trick I can use when I make a mistake.
Luo En laughed in silence, turned his head to look outside the hall, and asked:
"So, this is what you wanted?"
Hila, who was immersed in embarrassment, reacted and her face suddenly changed:
"I'm not, I..."
"Without your approval, Laufey and his few small minnows would not be able to enter Asgard, let alone turn the entire Asgard upside down."
Lorne raised his hand to interrupt the student's explanation, his eyes calm and deep.
The firm tone and condescending scrutiny made Hela feel pain in her heart, and she couldn’t help but feel the urge to throw the jar into the air:
"I did it! The capture of Asgard and the killing of Frigga and Balder were all conspired by Laufey and me. What do you want? Kill me, teacher?"
As she spoke, the goddess of death in front of the steps opened her arms, two night sky swords appeared in her palms, and a cold aura filled the air.
Lorne shook his head and answered frankly:
"I'm not looking for you to blame, I just want to know why you made this choice."
Why?
Hila was silent for a moment, and the toughness she pretended to have melted away like ice and snow. She lowered her head and spoke again in a whisper:
"I just want to leave there and have you stay with me for a while..."
Such a simple request?
Luo En was speechless, but had no answer.
Because neither he nor Odin could fulfill such a simple request.
The latter is fine, but the former is the condition for the co-prosperity of the Vanir and the Aesir, and is also the foundation for the stability of the order of the Nine Realms.
Under the inevitable law of fate, even he could not free Hela from the influence and imprisonment of the underworld.
Unless, Ragnarok arrives and the order of life and death is thrown out of balance...
Luo En sighed and looked at his beloved disciple at the bottom of the stairs with some complex feelings:
“Hela, how many years have it been since we had a good chat?”
Hela fell silent, and a thought flashed through her mind:
When?
Was it from the first time he disobeyed his teacher's request, obeyed his father Odin's request, and used secret methods to grow himself?
Was he deceived into the underworld and became a prisoner?
Or is it that the waiting has been in vain again and again?
After a long time, Hela shook her head:
“I can’t remember…”
"Really? I was negligent."
Lorne smiled and raised his right hand slightly.
The remaining roots of the World Tree broke out of the ground and gathered in front of the steps to form a burnt rattan chair and a long table, with several plates of snacks and a pot of mead on top.
"Sit down."
Hela bit her lip, somewhat puzzled:
"You don't blame me?"
"Blame you? Blame you for what?"
Lorne asked back, his expression unusually calm.
"From the moment Odin and I sent you to the underworld, you no longer owed us anything. You had no obligation to guard the World Tree for us, nor did you have any obligation to stop Laufey from attacking Asgard. But over the years, you have worked hard to maintain the balance of life and death in the Nine Realms, feeding the black dragon king Nidhoggr with the souls of the evil, slowing down its speed of gnawing at the roots of the World Tree, and prolonging the life of the Nordic countries. We all owe you a favor for this."
These were not excuses to appease Hela, but his well-considered thoughts.
Neither Odin, the father, nor Odin, the teacher, seems to be qualified to hold Hela accountable.
In order to promote the alliance between Asir and Vanir and put the world line back on track, they jointly sent Hela to the underworld through lies and deception, laying the seeds of disaster.
But if you start this way, you will end this way.
The [cause] that he and Odin had planted thousands of years ago, as time went by, finally became the [result] of Ragnarok a thousand years later.
This is fate.
Therefore, it was already predetermined that Hela was bewitched by Laufey and chose to give up guarding the underworld, welcome the arrival of Ragnarok, and free herself from the long curse and imprisonment.
There is no absolute right or wrong, just different choices.
But this judgment seems fair and rational, but it lacks the necessary emotion.
Whether it is anger or scolding, it is ultimately a reaction to deep love and severe criticism.
Only calmness is the symbol of estrangement.
At this moment, although Hela successfully gained freedom and avoided accountability, she did not feel relieved. Instead, she felt an inexplicable sense of loss.
In the end, she disappointed her teacher.
Perhaps no matter how hard they try to repair it, the future relationship between the two sides will never be the same as before.
Luo En drank the mead in the cup and reminded:
"After you finish this glass of wine, you should go back."
Hila’s heart trembled. She bit her lip and asked:
"Can I still come to see you?"
"Don't come here recently."
Seeing the hope in Hela's eyes shattered, Lorne finally sighed and added,
"Recently, Warner and Asa are preparing for Frigga's funeral, and Odin may come to see me. Some things cannot be hidden for too long. Just because I can let it go doesn't mean he will. You should know what Frigga and Balder mean to him."
Hearing this, Hela nodded heavily, and the gloom on her face completely dissipated.
In the end, her teacher still cared about her.
Then from now on, she will never let her teacher down again!
The goddess of death turned and left, her figure merging into the earth.
Watching Hela disappear from his sight, Loen sat back on the throne, feeling exhausted both physically and mentally.
This student of his is fine if he doesn't cause trouble, but when he does, it's a big deal.
If he hadn't taken great pains to kill Laufey and burned his own divinity to continue the destiny of the entire Norse God Age, the Nine Realms would have been in chaos long ago.
As a half accomplice, Hela has no chance of having an easy life.
If Odin found out something, he might have already given up and summoned the armies of the Aesir and the Vanir to go to the underworld to fight Hela to the death.
After all, his blood brother is prone to extremes in character.
Especially, when he lost his persistence and hope...
With a sigh, a ball of fire ignited in Loen's hand.
In the golden flames, the scene of Asgard at the moment was reflected:
The Vanir and the Aesir gathered on the shore of the Starlight River outside the city. Fragments of the Rainbow Bridge were suspended around an ice crystal coffin, reflecting a spectrum that had never been intersected by the Nine Realms. Queen Frigga lay quietly in it. The blood on her silver armor had long been wiped by the Valkyries with white feathers. Roses picked from the Ten Thousand Years Garden and tender branches left by the World Tree were woven into a wreath, blooming in her crossed palms.
Odin's one eye reflected the star map circulating inside the coffin, as well as Frigga's bloodless face. His already bent back became even more hunched, and his whole body was filled with the air of an old man in his twilight years.
The shattered thunder in Thor's hand condensed into blue-purple amber at his feet, and he pushed the crystal coffin into the depths of the galaxy. The Aesir gods lowered their heads, raised their hands to beat their chests, and silently recited eulogies.
Freya sprinkled flower petals into the river, and the Valkyries behind her broke their spears and made them into harps, using their swords as bowstrings to play mournful music.
When Heimdall blew the horn carved from the aerial roots of the world tree, the frozen river suddenly began to flow backwards, sucking the stars into the vortex and coating the coffin with a flowing galaxy coating.
“Father God…”
Thor stepped forward to remind him, and Odin came to his senses and took the torch tied with the dead branches of the world tree from his son. He took one last look at the ice crystal coffin in the river and threw it out.
The golden flames cut through the night and fell onto the raft carrying the coffin, instantly igniting it. The mist rising from the ashes seeped into the eyes of the gods present, as if reflecting the silhouette of the dusk.
The chill of the eternal night passed through the broken sky, encountered the moisture in the fairy palace, and turned into large flakes of snow, falling to the earth, covering the ruined golden walls, and even bending the backs of all the gods present.
Frigga died, and Balder died too.
The glory predicted by Asa and Warner no longer exists, and the world is sliding step by step towards the predicted dusk.
Faced with the bleak future, the gods couldn't help but feel a little at a loss.
They turned to look at Odin, hoping to get guidance from the Aesir King.
However, it was already empty.
~~
At this time, the Golden Palace.
Odin sat on the broken throne, coughing violently from time to time, like a dying old man.
If it is just a physical injury, it would be fine and you can recover slowly over time.
The point is, Asa has no hope.
It turned out that the expedition to the Celts was a dead end.
The deaths of Frigga and Balder also put an end to his plan to use the prophesied Son of Light to fight against the coming of Ragnarok.
At this point, all his efforts to fight against doomsday have failed, and all his attempts to defy fate have been met with even more cruel revenge.
Could it be that I was really wrong?
Odin looked at the ruined golden palace in front of him and fell into deep confusion.
"If we want to continue Asa's destiny and survive this twilight, there are ways..."
A voice sounded, ancient and deep.
"who?"
Odin suddenly stood up and looked around, but saw only an empty hall.
"Don't be nervous, I'm here to help you..."
The voice rang out again.
And this time, Odin finally identified the source.
It comes from within one's own mind.
~~
At the same time, in the Celtic Age of Gods, the capital of the Fairy Kingdom.
Queen Morgan took the letter from the fairy messenger, read it quickly, and her face was filled with gloom.
Seeing that her friend looked unhappy, Scathach stepped forward and asked:
"Why? The blockade of the Irish Sea still hasn't been broken?"
"Worse, they lost."
Morgan replied in a deep voice, his expression becoming even more gloomy.
Scathach was shocked and a little bit unbelievable:
"Three fairy knights, six fairy mothers, and the remnants of the Tuatha de Danann who came to join them, all failed to defeat the other side? Who are they?"
"I don't know, I'm afraid it's another big invasion."
As he spoke, Morgan felt a headache.
They thought that by integrating the spirituality of the Tuatha de Danann and giving birth to the Mother Goddess Danu, the Celts would be able to have peace.
Unexpectedly, just after we sent those Nordic people away, a strange fleet arrived.
Their civilization is quite unique, and they have extremely powerful alchemical technology. Not only are their warships, siege equipment, and magical weapons all made of bronze, but they also have a large number of metal-molded life forms serving as warriors.
Even the main gods they worship are unique metal beings, and there are as many as twelve of them.
The one who led them was called "Eurynome", who called herself the "Goddess of Chaos and Order". She was extremely powerful. According to the battle report, she single-handedly blocked the entire Irish Sea and instantly defeated the combined forces of three fairy knights and six fairy mothers. She has now captured Ireland and Wales, and is leading her army towards Scotland and England.
"What now?"
Scathach frowned and asked, volunteering,
"How about I go over to provide support? And bring Casey Palug with me?"
The timing is very delicate right now. The gods Tuatha de Dana have just completed a great sacrifice in the last battle. Although their spirituality has been preserved, they have not had time to reincarnate. The available soldiers in the entire Celtic Age of Gods are quite limited.
Morgan shook his head and said:
"Melushin and the others have all been defeated. What's the point of you going? Besides, that Eurynome might have surpassed the God King and touched the origin."
"so?"
"Gather all the people and wake up the Mother Goddess. Let's go out together and win the battle quickly!"
Upon receiving the order, Scathach decisively opened the Shadow Gate and went to Avalon to deliver a message to Morgause.
Watching the Queen of Shadow Country leave, Morgan looked at the bronze emblem with the Gorgon emblem in his hand, and deep worry flashed in his eyes.
The seven-day limit has expired.
But now, Celtic was suddenly in trouble and she couldn't get away at all. She went to Northern Europe with the mother goddess Danu to keep an appointment, but she couldn't contact the teacher.
Right now, we can only pray that Northern Europe can hold on a little longer.
At least, give her some time to calm down the chaos...
Sensing the familiar rhythm coming from the earth veins beneath him, Morgan stood up from the throne.
As she stepped down the stairs, she seemed to remember something. She used her fingertips to weave a strand of golden thread to string together the Gorgon elephant emblem that fell on the throne, and casually hung it around her neck.
First, get rid of the foreign enemies in the Irish Sea as quickly as possible, and then cross the sea directly and advance towards the Nordic Age of Gods.
Hopefully, everything is still in time.
Morgan murmured, stepping towards the square.
~~
In Northern Europe, several months after the eternal night fell.
Even with the protection of [flame], the temperature continued to drop and the environment became increasingly harsh.
Eventually, the accumulated cold formed an unprecedented severe winter - Fimbulwinter.
This is what the beings in the nine realms call it.
Under the ravages of this disaster, the atrium has become a execution ground made of ice crystals.
Lead-gray snow engulfed the entire field, and wheat ears froze into glass-like spikes at the moment of earing, piercing the cracked palms of scavengers. The wounds in the sky bitten by the cold wind oozed asphalt-like substances, and the flames condensed into sticky dark red light bands, burning human pupils into turbid amber.
Shepherds discovered that icicle-like parasites grew in the sheep's wool follicles. When they sucked blood and flesh, they made sharp sounds like the friction of runes.
The spire of the house was twisted into barbed ice spikes in the extreme cold, ice crystals penetrated the outer log walls, and grew into pale fungus spots on the inside of the fireplace...
Everything seems to be undergoing irreversible changes.
Heath Island, human village.
At dawn, the thick fog had not yet completely dissipated, and layers of white frost had frozen the smoked meat drying outside into pieces.
At the call of the village chief, several villagers who got up early worked together to chisel open the frost-covered wooden door.
In the ruins of the barn that was crushed by the snow, the sheep that were driven there to hide were turned into ice cubes, and the stored wheat seeds were scattered all over the ground, which made everyone present feel distressed:
"These are all excellent sheep. They grow meat by rubbing against grass normally. They are also very docile. We don't even need to herd them. How come they are all dead?"
"This damn weather is getting worse day by day. Not only the animals, but also the crops in the fields can't survive. Can't you see that there is no movement in the fields so far?"
"Turning the soil might help."
"Fuck! The soil is frozen into stone. I nearly dislocated my hand when I dug with the hoe. I don't expect to harvest anything this year."
"This year? We don't know how many days we'll have left. I heard that in the north, entire villages were frozen to death."
"Not only us, but also the elves of the Elven Kingdom, the dwarves of the Dwarven Kingdom, and the gods of the Vanir and the Aesir have all been frozen into ice."
"There are even more outrageous things. Have you seen frost giants? Those big guys are the most resistant to cold, but they will still die once they leave the city! It's just that we are lucky to be born on the Heath Island, otherwise, we would have been frozen to death long ago."
The villagers were grateful as they spoke, and couldn't help but look in awe at the burning World Tree in the distance.
"By the way, do you feel that the burning time of the World Tree is getting shorter and shorter?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the place fell into complete silence.
Everyone felt as if a huge stone was pressing down on their hearts. They felt extremely upset and glared at the gossipy villager fiercely, wishing they could beat him to death.
~~
At the same time, in the Root Temple.
Loen felt a little numb looking at the long list of casualties on the report sheet.
Faced with the rapidly deteriorating environment, he had thought about ways to remedy the situation.
But the disaster that swept across Northern Europe was not just severe cold, but all-encompassing.
The land cannot produce food, the water source is polluted, the forests die, the livestock and animals cannot reproduce, and the fish are frozen into specimens...
Not to mention humans, even elves, dwarves and gods suffered many casualties.
What's worse is that the long-term consumption has made him unable to continue, and the time he can keep the World Tree burning is getting shorter and shorter every day.
If this continues, the real [Eternal Night] will come in a month or two at most.
At that time, not only would it be the end of the entire Norse Age of Gods, but he himself would also exhaust his divine power and be unable to prevent Orlaug from coming, eventually becoming a piece of fish on the chopping board.
This is a dead end road...
Lorne muttered to himself and crumpled the report form in his hand.
At this moment, the three goddesses of Norn walked in.
A glimmer of hope rose in Luo En's heart, and he asked:
"How's it going? Any news about Celtic?"
"not yet."
The three goddesses of Norn shook their heads, looking tired.
When Loen saw this, the fire of hope that had finally risen in his heart was immediately extinguished.
Morgan and Morgause hadn't been here for months.
Most of them can't be counted on.
Another dead end...
So, there are no more moves to make?
Loen sighed, the divine fire in his body flickered, and his whole body became listless, like a piece of dead wood that was about to burn out.
"Well, I have something to tell you - [The Truth of Destiny] is complete."
A light cough interrupted his thoughts, and the three goddesses of Norn arrived at the steps without him noticing.
Belldandy in the center opened her arms, revealing a golden-green sprout.
Countless light patterns floated on the two tiny leaves, like twinkling stars. A rich breath of life came to his face, which made Luo En feel refreshed, but at the same time he was a little confused:
"Is this the [Reality of Destiny]?"
"Of course. You don't think it's really a fruit, do you?"
Shi Koti rolled her eyes and explained seriously,
"According to the prophecy in the Great Music - 'After dusk, new buds sprout', the Fate's Reality can continue the destiny of the Age of Gods, and naturally it is the roots that are nurtured from the World Tree. Now that Northern Europe has entered dusk, after the Celtic War of Gods and the severe cold of the Fimbulwinter, the altar has been filled with sufficient offerings, and the Fate's Reality has naturally been nurtured."
So that's what's happening!
Luo En slapped his forehead, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
If it weren't for Shikoti's explanation, he might still be waiting foolishly for the World Tree to revive and bear fruit.
only……
"Why are you telling me this?" Lorne asked.
Urd stepped forward and said in a deep voice:
"When we worked together, we said that once the [Realm of Destiny] is completed, we will let you use it to continue your Age of Gods."
Lorne frowned and asked:
"What will happen to the Nordics if I take this?"
Although the [Reality of Destiny] was born, the specific situation is completely different from the original idea.
"It was almost an immediate failure."
Shikoti answered casually and explained,
"Now, the lifeline of the Nordic countries has been destroyed. It is only thanks to you and this new sprout that they have barely survived until now. If you leave, there will be no power to prevent the outbreak of Ragnarok."
"Then why are you still giving this thing to me?"
"You deserve it."
Urd answered frankly, and Belldandi and Shikoti nodded in unison, looking at Lorne with eyes full of sincerity and respect.
After being frank with each other, they kept a close eye on every move of their collaborator.
Whether it was quelling the dragon disaster and mediating the disputes among the nine kingdoms; or expeditioning to the Celts to ensure the safe evacuation of the army; or using his body as a torch to ignite the world tree and prolong the life of the Norse gods... he tried his best to do everything to the best of his ability.
Now, the whole of Northern Europe has reached its end, and there is no need to let a god from outside the region make more sacrifices for an era of gods that does not belong to them.
"Of course, we're not doing this entirely because of you."
Shi Koudi snorted softly, grinning and revealing a pair of crystal-clear little canine teeth.
"That Father God also wants this, to continue new reincarnations and new sacrifices, to use us as the cornerstone time and time again, to perfect his own path to godhood. But we won't let him have his way! Since Northern Europe is hopeless anyway, we might as well give you the [Realm of Destiny]. Maybe the future of this world can blossom and bear fruit on a new land."
"But……"
“Don’t say buts. Go quickly while you still have strength before the Father God fully recovers. Don’t you want to save your Kamiyo?”
"Okay, I understand!"
Lorne nodded, stood up from the ash-covered throne, took the sprout handed to him by Belldandi, and strode out of the temple.
Arriving at the Chaos Sea, he stopped, bit his fingertips, and spilled divine blood:
"My body, I give you life."
The sea water surged violently and turned into a monster that looked like a dragon and a snake with a powerful aura.
Lorne stretched out his right hand, patted the other person's head, and a smile appeared on his face.
"I'll call you Leviathan."
~~
Meanwhile, the temple.
Tsk, you left so cleanly.
Shikoti curled her lips, feeling inexplicably lost.
To be honest, after being together for such a long time, I am really reluctant to let go.
Greece?
I'm quite envious of that place having such a king.
Then Shikoti shook her head, calmed down, pointed at the empty throne, and grinned at Belldandy and Urd:
"The ones who are in the way have left. Who will go first?"
"Let's go together."
Urd took the arms of his two sisters, smiled, and walked together towards the throne that maintained the destiny of the Nordic countries.
They are the three goddesses of fate in Northern Europe. It is their mission to shed the last drop of blood for this world that is about to be destroyed and to accompany it into the sunset. How can they give this opportunity to outsiders?
However, just as they were about to sit down, a puzzled voice came from outside the door:
"Why are you sitting in my seat?"
The three goddesses of Norn turned around and suddenly saw a figure with silver hair, purple eyes and a smiling face.
Shi Koti couldn't help but look surprised:
"Didn't you leave? Why are you back?"
"Yes, the Greek god of wine Dionysus has left, and he lived up to your kindness by taking away the [Realm of Destiny] to extend the life of his generation of gods."
Lorne paused, smiled and introduced himself.
"Let's get to know Loki, the Norse god of fire and trickery."
Whether it is Greece or Northern Europe, only children make the choice.
And he wants them all!
What a greedy guy.
The three goddesses of Norn reacted and covered their lips with their hands, laughing silently, then respectfully gave up the throne and bowed to the figure in front of them.
Luo En walked into the hall, but did not sit on the throne. He raised his hand and stroked his chin, pondering:
"I thought about it on the way and realized that this was not a solution."
"So, what are your plans, Your Majesty?"
"Let's make a bet with him in a different way. Do you want to follow?"
"certainly!"
The three goddesses of Norn nodded in unison, their faces filled with eagerness to try.
Impatient Shikoti couldn't help but ask:
"What to do next?"
"First, we need a grand death..."
Lorne answered in a deep voice, his tone meaningful.
At the same time, a rainbow-like light beam descended from the sky, transforming into the figures of Thor and several Asgard guards:
"Brother, my father has prepared a banquet in the Asgard and would like to invite you to join us."
"Okay, I'll go right away!"
Loen turned around and walked out of the temple with a smile on his face.
(End of this chapter)
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