Universal Delay

The Norse Gods told of a story; a story of the end of times. They told of a time when their lineage will end; their blood dispersed to the furthest ends of the Universe – the Ragnarok. For millennia they had been trapped under its curse, fated to die by the hands of beings of destruction and be reborn only moments after. It was because of this dastardly curse that they who had been born long before the times of the Origin Divine Artefacts hadn't mastered the power to go against them. For their constant birth and rebirth left them weak and unimpressive. Yet that curse had been broken by the one called Odin, granting him the title of Allfather. They grew stronger and finally had the power worthy of beings who had been born in the early years of the formative Universe.

Ragnarok was known only to the Norse. The other Pantheons had their own trials, and they called them by other names. But they had not faced their trials yet, and they did mock the Asgardians for their failure to overcome theirs o'er so long ago. But what if Ragnarok hadn't ended? What if it had merely been delayed by the hand of Odin, the King Slayer? For the beings that sought to destroy Asgard were still alive. So why was Asgard doing so well? Why was it still standing?

"Universal Delay," Odin frowned and said. He was out of the dimensional crack, and was currently having to placate the two birds that had always kept him company. For they were his eyes and ears and his strength.

"You know better than anyone else that we cannot use it again," Odin shook his head helplessly.

Universal Delay was an ability of great power, and it appeared in only one man – Baldur. Baldur, the one kissed by the Light of the Sun was a god of unquestionable intelligence and kindness. He was no battle god, but each of his abilities were far greater than any could hope for. One of these vast abilities was Universal Delay.

Many knew Cronos for his selfish and greedy ways. And many feared him for his power. For he was a Master of Time unlike any other. Yet this titan had stayed away from the realm of Asgard. Why? The answer was simple: Universal Delay.

Universal Delay was a time based skill that couldn't be taught. For it was gifted; gifted by the Universe itself to whomever it saw fit. And this it did without the approval or thoughts of the Universe Will. It was such a powerful skill that Cronos was terrified of approaching Asgard. And the one who held its power was Baldur.

Universal Delay allowed a person to reset the Universe, to turn back the hands of time to a moment when there was nothing. Essentially it gave a person an extra life. It was a great power, and in the wrong hands it was a dangerous tool. Ironically, Baldur was one who hated death and war; chaos and famine; strife and disease. He was a god untainted by the Universe though he lay in it, and maybe that was why the Universe chose him to carry this skill, for he was the best keeper for it. Baldur was no Time Wielder, so his understanding of Universal Delay was shallow. Instead of being capable of resetting the entire Universe, he could only reset the timeline of those he was connected to by blood and origin – the Asgardians.

It took the God of Light ten thousand years to awaken the skill, a feat that Cronos found lamentable for he believed that he would have accomplished this feat in only ten. Odin was inclined to agree, but he was grateful that it took Baldur that long to awaken the skill. For every thousand years the skill awakened by a percentage of 10. And when it did it automatically reset the world of Asgard as it saw fit, reviving a people who could remember just how they died. This skill had given them time. And in that time Odin had discovered a way to escape the curse. For Mimir helped him. And that was when Mimir was named as the Wise God.

Unfortunately, even if Baldur was alive, they still wouldn't be able to rely on Universal Delay because it was useless. It took the skill a trillion years to recharge after a full use. And Baldur had already used it in the ten thousandth year. It had only been several billions of years since then. Besides, all this mattered little for Baldur was gone.

"But that doesn't mean that we cannot prepare," Odin held Gungnir in his hands with a crooked smile on his lips. He had seen his end, so he had no more reservations. He didn't care about how to save himself from his fate. All he wanted was to save the others from theirs. He had very little to lose now. And a man was at his most dangerous when he was in such a state – the state of having nothing. But when such a state appeared in a god, it was catastrophic at a Universal level.

Odin needed to communicate with someone; someone he hadn't spoken to in several millions of years. But the barrier was an obstacle. It had to be destroyed.

"Gungnir, the spear that misses nothing yet seeks everything," Odin slowly spoke of the tale of his weapon; the power of its might. He set its legend bare and pleased it so. For Gungnir hummed in delight and power, feeding off the energy it had taken from Mimir's galaxy.

"All these years you have been with me. All who faced you have perished. And those who didn't are marred by your power. What is it that you cannot break?"

*Hum*

Gungnir shook greatly, its blade buzzing and humming and causing the Edict that surrounded this world to quake in fear.

"Well, there is one thing you haven't pierced," Odin frowned and pointed at the sky above him with his other hand. Gungnir shook in much greater intensity; its rage felt seeping through the confines of the metal that held it together.

"Can you stomach such a thought? Can you accept such an outcome? Weaker or not, you are still Gungnir. And you shall pierce all you wish to pierce!" Odin's words were like an order to Edict itself, for the entire energy of this Universe heeded his call and rushed towards Gungnir. Odin felt the energy he had stolen from Mimir's galaxy be completely used up. But it was worth it. For it fortified the power of Gungnir and fueled its rage. And the power that Gungnir itself had also stolen was augmented once more.

Words of Power!

This was the skill Odin was using. His words were lengthy and his speech long. For he was a Scholar Emperor – a Sensor God! His long speech was not an encouragement to a weapon without its Spirit, but a move of the forces around him. With the power of the newly discovered galaxy, he was able to unleash it to its full potential, and the power that gathered around Gungnir's tip proved that he had indeed released a beast.

Odin calmed himself, not allowing his spirit to be moved by the constant pestering of the Edict that surrounded him. How could he afford to be drawn into this madness? He was the one commanding them. He wasn't their leader. He wouldn't follow their excitement either. His eyes flashed brightly as several runes formed around Gungnir, and a Rune of Great Perception formed in Odin's very eyes. His eyes peered through the sky above, fixating upon the core of the barrier. It was here he was meant to strike. For once that thing was destroyed, the barrier would be nothing but a decoration even if it wasn't fully broken.

"Go, Gungnir!"

*Caw*

*Caw*

Odin flung Gungnir with all his might, his power a torrent of Universal storms and destruction. Huginn and Muninn gave their assistance, blessing Gungnir with the power of their soul and strength and inscribing even more runes upon the spear. From Huginn came runes of Accuracy; from Muninn, power.

*Whooo*

Gungnir whistled through the air, cutting apart the laws of wind themselves. As long as it came into contact with something, it pierced it! Like a thirsty man upon a dry land Gungnir swallowed and swallowed. All forms of matter, no matter how microscopic were pierced through and consumed. The molecules that evaded the vision of the eyes and the quantum realm that remained independent of man; everything was pierced. Everything was made as fuel for Gungnir. And when it reached the core of the barrier, its fury caused the brave defender that dared trap Odin to shake and struggle. For it could foresee its end. It hoped to leave, but that same power that allowed it to remain tethered to this world in blind arrogance kept it yet again, and Gungnir struck it.

*Crack*

There was no grand explosion. There was no sonic boom. There was only a tear as Gungnir drove through the core effortlessly and kept on travelling. Its destination? The moon of this world!

"Oh Odin. You surely don't know when to give up." A short man with a strange appearance stood upon the moon of the world that kept Odin entrapped. In his hands were a strange looking shield and a small dagger.

"I'm sorry I have to do this to you. But that boy is too great a risk. And my duty is to drive away every demon- including those who haven't awakened yet." The dwarf sighed piteously. There was a bit of conflict when he looked into the vast expanse, but slowly that turned into gritty determination.

*Crack*

"What is that?" the dwarf was alerted by the strange sound and cast his eyes back to the unassuming planet. His eyes widened in horror when he saw the golden beam rushing at him.

"Gungnir?" the dwarf thought as he brought his shield before him hastily, not even having the time to mobilize his Edict. And unsurprisingly, Gungnir pierced through the shield effortlessly and pinned the man to the moon!

*Boom*

"Cough"

Blood flowed freely from the new wound as the dwarf coughed out several pines of blood repeatedly. He cast his hazy vision to the man who stood next to him. Even as the darkness encroached he could still make out those two ravens and that cold face. He wished to ask how Odin made it out, yet an answer wouldn't come, and neither would the question.

"Bes, I am disappointed it was you," Odin true aim was never the barrier. Gungnir was sure to pierce through that. His goal was the one who controlled it. And it seemed he had succeeded swimmingly.

"Most often than not it is those we expect most of who let us down." Although Bes's gums were filled with blood which spilled out of his mouth, that didn't stop him from speaking up.

"Indeed," Odin agreed and brought his foot down onto Bes's chest.

*Boom*

*Cough Cough*

Bes coughed up some more blood as Odin's stomp shattered his entire thorax and punctured both lungs. His ribs were basically twigs now and his blood vessels torn into several pieces.

"I am not in a very good mood, so bear with me," Odin apologized insincerely and summoned several limiting runes that prevented Bes from accessing his Godhead fully, stalling his healing.

"I shall seal you where you sealed me," Odin remarked. Bes was a God of Egypt and could not be killed without destroying his Godhead. But Odin was more than capable of returning the favour. With such a grave injury, if his access to his godhead was cut off, Bes would suffer greatly. He wouldn't die, but he would be too weak to even move. Odin had hidden the other dimension well so he wasn't worried. Besides, Bes wouldn't be able to move anyway.

Odin kicked Bes off the moon and onto the planet. Then he created a vast array of runes and merged them into the barrier below, repairing and fortifying it. And then he sat upon the moon, ready to contact the one whose help he needed; the one who was bound to the Supreme by sacred duty and blood.

The Eternal King; the Cold Emperor – Winks!