16

Anastasia was sitting at a large table in Valhalla, surrounded by Norse gods.

Anastasia greeted Odin, the father god of the Norse, with a warm smile. "It is always a pleasure to be in your presence, Odin," she said.

Odin responded with a nod and a gentle smile. "The pleasure is all mine. Anastasia, how have you been?"

Anastasia sighed, looking around the hall of Valhalla. "Not so well, unfortunately. Heaven isn't what it used to be, you know?"

Thor approached, a large mug of mead in hand. "Ah yes, I heard about what happened. The fall of Lucifer and other angels certainly left a void in heaven."

Anastasia nodded thoughtfully. "And it wasn't just that. Samael's betrayal, Lilith's downfall, Eve's temptation. It was a series of disasters."

Loki approached, a sly smile on his face. "Speaking of disasters, do you still remember the time I distracted the giant who was building the wall of Asgard?"

Anastasia laughed. "Yes, I remember that story. But I also remember how you tricked the horse, turning into a beautiful mare and taking Svaðilfari away. The builder was so furious and you came back with an eight-legged horse. Would you like to share about the experience?"

Loki shrugged. "Ah, these are just old stories. And you, Anastasia, do you have any stories you'd like to tell?"

She thought for a moment before smiling.

" Well, I remember when I used another name, at that time I was the queen of the fairies. I once clashed with a tremor god.

At the beginning of the fight I started to combine my spells and sword skills, in a frantic fight with the god. It was an uphill battle, but in the end, I was able to trick the god and attack him from behind using illusion magic. He fell to the floor helplessly before me.

With my sword pointed at the defeated god, I declared my victory. But instead of waiting for the enemy to surrender, I simply said: 'You are very strong, I had no idea that I could win. But, if you like, we can settle our differences in a more...peaceful way'."

Surprised Thor asked. "Isn't it counterproductive to release this god if he was your enemy?"

She just smiled. "Thor, sometimes the enemy of my enemy is my friend. This tremor idiot loved to pick fights with strong gods and there was a certain someone who used to annoy me but was very strong, which made it impossible for me to attack him without bearing serious consequences. However, the trembling fool always ignored consequence and set out to attack this target that I coincidentally suggested to him when he became unmotivated by defeat."

Odin agrees. "Using a former enemy to deal with a potential opponent is indeed a wise move."

"You were able to hide your identity very well, if Thor served as a similar bundle of muscle to Asgard, just like this god of trembling, my jokes would be simpler. I wouldn't even need to submit to so many shame." Loki comments.

Anastasia remembered something amusing. "Well, I was there when Thor married the giant Thryn. I remember it being a very peculiar wedding, despite the cultural differences. How could I forget it was the first time I was a bridesmaid and witnessed the bride getting widow on the same day."

Loki began to laugh frantically remembering the events.

Thor forced a smile. "Ah, yes, that was an unforgettable ceremony. Thryn is a cursed one that I want to forget, but I remember that I still didn't punish Loki for that stupid plan."

Anastasia smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. It's good to see that love can blossom in all shapes and sizes. Don't blame Loki so much he just wanted to help you find possible love, after all there are gods with different fetishes Zeus for example loves to turn into animals I think Loki would get along with him."

The other Norse gods laughed at the insinuation about Odin's children and even Odin agreed with Anastasia's point, and the party continued. Despite the problems in paradise, Anastasia felt a little lighter being surrounded by friends and happy stories.

Anastasia walked through Valhalla until she found Göndul sitting in a small clearing, admiring the scenery. "Hey Gön! Can I join you?" asked Anastasia, smiling.

"Of course, Anna. I'm glad you found time for me," replied Göndul, smiling shyly.

Anastasia sat down next to her and started talking. "You know Gön, I feel like I failed to protect my friends and colleagues. I should have done more, I should have been stronger."

"I feel the same way," said Göndul. "I'm not as good a Valkyrie as the others. I always feel like I'm falling short."

Anastasia put her hand on Rose's shoulder. "Don't worry, Gön. We all have our insecurities. The important thing is that we keep fighting and improving. And speaking of improving, I wanted to show you some new rune spells I created."

Göndul was excited and Anastasia began to teach her, explaining the meaning and application of each rune. The conversation continued late into the night as the two shared their insecurities and learned new skills together.

"So Gön, now let's continue with the rune magic lessons. You already understood the basics, now let's start with the more advanced runes."

"Yes, Anastasia. I'm excited to learn more."

"Great. Let's start with the Aard rune. It represents protection and defense, it's very useful in battles."

"How do I use this rune?"

"First, you need to draw the rune on an object or surface. Then, you need to focus your energy on the drawing and recite the incantation that corresponds to the rune. For example, for the Aard, the incantation is simply writing the symbol or with a hand signal shortcut"

"Got it. And what's the next rune?"

"Next is the Fehu rune. It represents wealth and prosperity. It is one of the most powerful runes and can bring great luck and money to those who use it correctly."

"How can I use Fehu?"

"You can draw the rune on an object you want to make prosperous, like a safe or a business. Recite the 'Fehu, wealth and prosperity' spell while focusing your energy on the rune."

"How interesting! And how can I practice these runes?"

"You can practice drawing the runes on common everyday objects and reciting the incantations. This helps to reinforce your connection with the runes and increase their power."

"Thank you so much, Anastasia. I'm going to practice a lot to become an even more powerful Valkyrie."

"I know you'll make it, Gön. You're already very strong."

Anastasia then decides to leave the Nordic kingdom after feasting for a few months with the gods there; in the meantime, she accepted numerous challenges from Thor, which she always emerged victorious; taught Göndul countless runes of magic; taught Loki various tricks of illusion; and severely punished Odin for his perversions using force inordinate perhaps out of anger over Azazel's actions.