9 Key to Power

"What is all this ruckus?"

The few younglings looked to the entrance to see a middle aged man in royal red robes similar to the ones Odin and Cul have.

The all-knowing Mimir, son of Buri, the advisor of the King and the God of Wisdom.

"Uncle!!" Odin called out.

The counselor did not say a word but rather looked around.

Odin was being held down by Cul's subordinate Vartas and a savage beast. That was enough to behead them for touching Odin.

In the middle of all this, Ysmir was in mid-air being held by ropes of dark shadows manipulated by the Royal prince Cul.

Mimir easily figured out the situation. But before he said anything he looked at Vartas and Mangog coldly before pushing his palm forward.

*THROOOSH*

A blast of shockwave was cast from Mimir's hand and struck the chest of Vartas before anyone could see what happened.

Vartas was blasted back into a wall before falling as Mangog reacted aggressively against Mimir, running to attack him.

*GROOAAARRRRR*

"CEASE YOURSELF YOU BEAST!!" Cul shouted out to his pet only for it to ignore him.

"How mindless." Mimir stated calmly before pointing a finger at the coming beast and shot out small rapid beams in each of the beast's limbs before it fell unconscious sliding just stopping in front of Mimir.

He then turned towards Cul who still had Ysmir up in the air.

"Now Prince Cul, I suggest you put a stop to this situation before it becomes more than it already has. As a matter of fact I need the boy you are holding, so if you don't mind…"

Cul didn't look at Mimir but rather looked down on the floor, as if contemplating what to do at the moment.

"Of course." Cul pulled his hand back and the moving shadows receded to his shadow before grabbing his axe and made his way towards the exit.

"The God of Wisdom knows best." Cul stated before directing his commands to the others.

"Let's go. Take the beast." Vartas followed as he held his chest, Angrboda on the other hand walked up to the beast and waved her hands around softly summoning a purple energy to spread under Mangog and lift it up into the air.

She then glanced at Odin and Ysmir before walking off as well.

"It seems I came at the right time." Mimir said towards Odin and Ysmir.

Vili and Ve ran towards Odin asking if he was alright. The guards that followed them previously were paralyzed by Angrboda's spell so they couldn't do much.

Such treasonous actions were not rare, every once in a while Vartas or Mangog would get out of control but there is usually no punishment for them.

"No, you were just a tad early, I would have liked to see what the Royal Princess could do." Ysmir joked to which Odin glared at him.

Mimir did not mind the humorous kid, rather he smiled amused. "Now then kids, how about you come with me." He then looked at Vili and Ve. "Oh and you two, your mother calls for you. Go on."

Vili and Ve wanted to go along with the three but in the end they went to their mother.

"What is this about?" Odin asked.

"It is of your fates, both your futures."

"What do you mean, Lord Mimir?" Ysmir asked.

"Well Prince Cul's fate is to become king. And what of you two?"

"My strength will always fight for Asgard, no matter what my fate is." Odin spoke with confidence while Ysmir nodded along.

"Then you will need all you can get. Come."

Mimir then led the two for a long walk until they reached his observatory where it resides at a tall golden tower.

Unlike Odin who has been here many times, Ysmir was gobsmacked. There was no roof on the observatory, one can just look up and see the stars, artificial moon or sun.

"Asgard has many strong warriors, but there are those who stand above even the mighty. Warriors such as Lord Arild ,Lady Eidis or even Lord Roknos." Mimir stated.

"Such warriors are the very pillar of our kingdom, the King may be the mightiest of all but he can do nothing alone. Without our warriors, the responsibilities will only put strain on our king."

There was nothing wrong with that, but Ysmir couldn't help but wonder about politics. Maybe these warriors being advisors are the reason the kingdom is so…brawny.

Ysmir could imagine a group of muscle-heads sitting around a round table where every solution is to either smash or declare battle.

"Are there any court officials?" Ysmir asked.

Other than Mimir, he hasn't seen any other Aesir's who have government-like duties.

"No. No there is not." Mimir spoke looking at Ysmir with his own thoughts. "But I have thoughts of applying such politics into the court."

"How effective would this practice be?" Odin asked.

"I guarantee it's reliability. In fact you two will be a big part of it." Mimir said.

"Huh?" Ysmir's face scrunched up. "Forgive me, Lord Mimir but I'd rather not participate in court duties."

Odin frowned and agreed, not because of him but rather his red-headed friend.

Ysmir? Advising his brother Cul? Odin wouldn't wanna think too much about it as such settings would end in obvious situations.

"I would also agree to that."

"It would do no good to avoid something where you would thrive, someone as comprehensive as you can achieve many, for Asgard and it's people." Mimir tried convincingly.

"But it is of no use to speak of it now, what matters now is to become strong. More mighty before the coming-of-age ceremony."

Mimir then walked to the bookshelf near before bringing 5 books before placing them on a table in front of Ysmir.

"So far you can make use of the books in the royal library, what say you? Can you grasp the words of what's inside these tomes and obtain power?" Mimir smirked looking at Ysmir.

Ysmir on the other hand froze as he eyed each of the books over again and again.

The books were most likely from Mimir's personal library, something he always wanted to take a peek at.

And the words Mimir used just now. Power?

They looked old, but also simple. There was no title on them but rather nordic symbols on each of them.

Fire, water, lightning, force and might.

"You- you're giving these to us?" Ysmir asked.

"Only to you. And you will take one, you may be comprehensive and have potential wisdom but these tomes of power are not easy to conquer." Mimir clarified.

"What about this guy?" Ysmir pointed to Odin next to him.

"Odin already studies on a tome of power." Mimir said.

"Oh, lightning right?"

Ysmir remembered how effortless it was for Odin to throw lightning strikes around and always thought it was an inherent power.

Looks like it was one of these tome of powers.

"No."

"No."

Or not.

"The thunder is merely a natural force that Odin was born with." Mimir said.

"I am studying runes." Odin simply said.

Ysmir wanted to ask what the hell a rune was but it was just one of the many things that isn't top priority at the moment.

What's in front of him was.

Ysmir stood there for half an hour wondering what he should pick while also asking Mimir about them.

"Not to sound ungrateful, but is this all you have?" Ysmir asked.

"You are not satisfied?"

"I only wish to pick what I feel is right."

"And what do you feel is right?" Mimir raised a brow.

"Well the thing is, my main study in the academy isn't of offense but rather defense?"

"You would choose defense over might?" Mimir paused. "You are definitely different." He smiled.

Odin wasn't surprised, Ysmir built his physical durability and recently started working on energy shields. Odin was there throughout it all.

If an Aesir was given a choice between a shield and an axe then they would most definitely pick an axe. Same goes for magic and weapons.

Odin spoke to Mimir about Ysmir's passion to learn about anything that could naturally protect him, and so Mimir thought up a few other books.

Ysmir returned home with a dark blue book later that night.

•••••••

Ysmir later walked into the court of his home only to see his uncle Yontar sitting on a wooden chair, clear signs showing he was waiting for Ysmir. Usually it's not a good sign.

"Uncle, you wait for me?" Ysmir asked curiously.

"I do." Yontar signaled to a chair near him as Ysmir proceeded to sit.

"Is everything alright?"

"Great. So you have a mentor now? A Lord at that." Yontar said without much expression.

"Ah, I forget. I planned on informing you but I have not been home much."

"It's great news." Yontar closed his eyes. "Lord Roknos, HAH!! I always admired such a man, but to think he would bring a greenhorn under his tutelage, and it is you!!" He laughed out loud.

Ysmir thought his uncle would have thought otherwise, he seemed to enjoy training him himself. But now that he knows about their new student and teacher relationship Yontar might now train him much.

"You're glad to hear of it?"

"I am more than pleased, boy!! For now I know you will become mighty guaranteed."

"…"

"You must take this chance and learn all you must, out of all the Lords and Ladies, Lord Roknos stands above all with his might and skills." Yontar grabbed a handful of his red beard with his thoughts.

"You would be surprised of what he puts me through." Ysmir rolled his eyes.

"I bet." Yontar misunderstood. "Only a Lord is capable of granting great training, in fact I might observe these trainings."

The two spent some time talking about the topic before they went inside for a warm meal. Most of the time Ysmir rolled his eyes about how glorified Yontar made Roknos sound.

Later on Ysmir proceeded to open the book and went through it.

There was no title, but the book started with "Solidification" which was what the book was about.

Which means to harden the body in other words, though it's not as simple as it sounded. From what Ysmir read through the introduction, the pinnacle of this cultivation method is to raise both physical durability and inner energy to certain limits before combining them together and transforming it into one simple form, a form so durable it could protect its practitioner from both physical and energetic harm.

To Ysmir, this book was the most precious thing he had ever received in this life, the one book he never knew existed that he needed and wanted.

For the past 15 or so years in Asgard he had been going through all the academic libraries and royal libraries but they never had anything as advanced as this.

There were a few that had theories and methods about aesirian durability and inner energy shields but unlike the book of "Solidification" in his hands currently, the rest of them never had the thought of combining both concepts into one.

And even if they did, they still wouldn't hold much better than the book the God of Wisdom had given him.

After reaching the peak capabilities of Solidification, there were add-ons that could also be merged into the already mighty Solidification method.

Force-absorption? Energy-absorption? Reduction? Repulsion?

Those were only few to be named, in fact, Ysmir was so excited he felt like he should just hide the rest of the sub-class abilities until he fully mastered the first few.

Of course, that's only if he truly makes the primary ability his own.

As he sat in his room and read the book, he shook in excitement as his skin showed goosebumps.

This was it.

This was his way, this was his ninja wa— his ladder to power.

Looking through the introduction, he learned that this path would grant him power in return of time, resources and struggles.

These were the price for these powers.

And it was cheap, he had time, centuries and millenniums of time, resources? He also had that, he had a friend he could squeeze these resources from and he wasn't ashamed of it.

And if that wasn't enough, even The God of Wisdom, Mimir himself promised to aid and advise him from now on.

Sure it was fishy why someone like Mimir himself would go out of his way to help someone like him, maybe because he was a rising star? Either way nothing was free so when the time comes he will ask his questions to the one and only Mimir.

And the way this method worked, it also gave him time and space to learn other things. He looked back to the books Mimir showed him at first, maybe he can also pick one of them as a secondary practice.

While his primary practice of Solidification can take him to the higher ranks of the Colosseum.

That was his current goal.

To be highly ranked in the colosseum before his coming of age ceremony at 20.

And once their day of spring rejuvenation comes, he will be mightier than many of the warriors in Asgard.