Chapter 77: Banquet of the Gods, 969 CE

A/N: if you haven't noticed already, I made Odin that hyperactive old man that is secretly wise, I don't know if it works or not...

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Three years have passed since the battle in Tonsberg. The Asgardians have defeated the frost giants, they took their source of power, and locked it in Odin's vault. Right now, we are sitting in a hall, in front of a long table, full of food and alcohol for us to enjoy. The Asgardians were a rowdy bunch, they were talking loudly, drink was spilling everywhere, and food was wasted on the ground.

"Come drink and eat, friend!" Odin, now with only one eye, raised a glass of his own personal brew, and made a toast. "This is our thanks for helping us against the frost giants!"

Odin then continued to joke around with the others around him. I saw him talking to Gil, with a bunch of alcohol bottles in front of them. They were talking seriously, and Gil was paying attention to Odin.

I saw Kingo, trying to impress the Asgardian female warriors, he was telling his journey on earth so far, how he battled deviants, and it looked like the females were interested in him, good for him.

I looked around again, I saw Sersi and Ikaris, talking to each other in the corner of the room as they drank. They were laughing, smiling at each other, seemingly ignoring the loud voices around them.

Oh wait, those voices are in my head only… but still, the Asgardians are pretty loud…

In the other corner of the room, I saw Sprite, mourning with herself, looking at the glass of wanted in her hand.

I sighed. I took a bottle of the alcohol, and walked up to her.

"You okay Sprite?" I questioned softly as I sat beside her.

"Don't mind me." she murmured. "I'm just here by myself."

I shook my head. I grabbed her mug, making her look at me sharply, I threw away the water inside it, and pour her the alcohol that I was bringing.

"Here." I gave the mug to her. "Why are you drinking water anyway?"

"Not in the mood for drinking…" she said.

"Come on, it's a banquet, you need to drink."

Sprite just sighed, and took a sip of the alcohol. "Why are you alone?" I asked her.

"Why are you alone?" she refuted back. "Where's Thena."

"I'll find her after this." I said. "But what's with you first?"

"Oh you know, same old…" shrugged Sprite. "Can't communicate with others because they thought that I am a-"

"Child." I said. "You know, you could do that thing with your illusions… and tell them about our stories here. Go with Kingo, he'll do the communicating, you'll do the visualisation."

"Oh wow, I'm a hologram projector now?" she rolled her eyes, making me groan.

"You know I don't mean it like that Sprite." I said. "Just go to him, you need to start somewhere, right?"

Sprite sighed and stood up. "Fine."

I chuckled as I ruffled her hair. "Good girl."

She hissed at me, and gave me a middle finger. After that, she walked away from me, walking towards Kingo.

I stood up, now I want to look for Thena. I walked towards the entrance of the hall, and outside. Near the door, I saw Druig and Makkari seemingly consumed by each other. Makkari was showing Druig her collection of trinkets that she gathered so far.

I walked up to her. "What's that you got there?" I questioned.

"This?" she said, showing a rather big leather armour. "I got it from the battlefield near Tonsberg, it's a frost giant's armour."

"That's neat." I hummed and I sat down with them. "You got any of their weapons?"

"Unfortunately, No." shrugged Makkari.

"As I saw it on the battlefield, most of them used ice as their weapons." Druig added. "So really, they don't really use any weapons."

"Well, that really is a pity." I said. "Anyway, have you guys seen Thena?"

Druig and Makkari looked at each other, before pointing in a direction. "She went for a walk."

I stood up. "Well, thanks guys, enjoy the feast."

I kept walking towards Thena's direction, on the way, I heard Phastos and Ajak arguing with each other.

"Come one Ajak, I think it's time we tell them how to make steam engines right now." argued Phastos.

"It's still too soon Phastos, they would be shocked if they saw your machines!"

"Their progress is too slow right now! At this rate, they weren't going to advance at all!"

"You have to be patient Phastos." spoke Ajak calmly. "We need to guide them slowly."

Phastos just sighed, and I walked up to them. "I heard screams of disappointment with my powers, is that you Phastos?"

"Haha, really funny." scoffed Phastos, grabbing a drink and sitting again.

"She's right though." I added. "You need to be careful."

"Careful why?"

"Your technology is quite amazing Phastos. But I'm afraid they will use it for… other means…"

Phastos didn't say anything. He then looked at me. "I told you P, it's a part of their evolutionary process, to be able to think outside the box."

"True." I answered. "But… just don't hate them if it reaches that point."

I then walked away from Phastos, leaving him with his lonesome self.

After a couple of minutes of walking, I arrived at a lake. I saw Thena, sitting against a tree, looking at the view in front of her.

"You okay?" I asked suddenly, making her look at me.

"I'm fine." she said, before making space for me beside her, and patted the ground, signalling me to sit beside her.

So I sat. as I leaned against the tree, she put her head on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arms around her waist. "You're terrible at lying, Thena."

Thena rolled her eyes. "I'm not terrible at lying, it's just your damn ring that makes it easy to tell lies." she spoke, grabbing my left hand, and pointing at the grey ring at my middle finger. "How many are you wearing right now… 1, 2, 3, 4… 5 rings." She counted the rings in my left hand. "The other hand?"

I showed my right hand, and there was no ring in any of the fingers.

"You want one?"

"Maybe later…" she hummed.

I sighed. "Anyway, tell me what's wrong."

"It's just my anxiety… you've got nothing to worry about."

"If it's you Thena, I will always worry."

She snuggled to me closer, and buried her head in my neck. "Just… let us stay like this for a while."

I kissed her forehead. "Okay."

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The next morning, I find myself still on the same stop, underneath a tree, with Thena in my arms. She and I had fallen asleep out in the open. She was quite anxious last night, but she fell asleep in my arms. Maybe when I am with her, she won't be anxious… I'll have to remember that…

Anyway, the sun's out in the open, and I woke up Thena. She quickly woke up, and we both stood up. "Let's go to the others.' she said, not wanting to talk about her anxiety episode.

I just nodded, and we went back to the long house.

When we arrived, we saw Asgardians, scattered everywhere, dead drunk because of last night.

"Looks like all of them had fun last night." said Thena, looking at a corner, he saw Kingo, sleeping with a couple of Asgardian women.

"Lucky him…" I murmured, earning a pinch and glare from Thena.

"There you are, friend!" someone shouted from the back. We turned around, and saw Odin, walking towards us.

"Pluto, I need to talk to you about something." said Odin, looking at me. He then looked at Thena, and said awkwardly. "Err lady, could I borrow him for a little bit?"

Thena just smiled at him, and nodded. She then whispered to me: "I'll see you later." before kissing my cheek, and left us alone.

"Good choice of woman Pluto." patted Odin. "I have a wife too you know, Frigga, what an amazing wife she is."

We then walked outside of the hall once again, and stood on a hill, overlooking the vast lands of Scandinavia.

"Listen Pluto, I want to ask for a favour." said Odin. "Well, two actually."

Pluto raised his eyebrow. "Why me?"

"You're a powerful man Pluto." said Odin. "You might be even more powerful than me in the future. So I wanted to ask you if you could train my sons."

"Sons?" I questioned. "You are the king of Asgard Odin, why do you want me to teach your son?"

"I will still teach my sons," said Odin. "But in the future, they will need experience, and I want you to travel with them, around earth."

"So you want me to be a babysitter." I scoffed.

Odin laughed. "Don't say that! That is not how it works!"

I sighed. "Okay, what do I get then?"

Odin was thinking, and snapped his finger. "How about I give you this?"

A glowing blue sphere then appeared on his hand, showing it to me.

"The fucking space stone?!" I exclaimed. "Yeah, no way."

Odin looked at me with confusion. "Why? It is an artefact of the universe."

"That's not a gift, that's a responsibility. Is this the second favour?" I said.

"Well, yes, I was planning to hide this on earth…" Odin massaged his beard. "I thought you would accept this…"

"Just put it in a temple or something, I don't care."

"But it would be much safer with you."

I sighed. I looked at the glowing cube on Odin's hand, and I thought.

Should I take it?