Coming

Freyja's led the trio to a large table in the center of the room where several ancient scrolls and tablets lay spread out. The faint glow of runes etched into the stone seemed to pulse with a life of their own.

"Now, let's start with the basics," Freyja said, her voice filled with the same boundless energy that had greeted them earlier. "Runes are more than just symbols—they're the language of the cosmos and the very essence of creation. Each rune carries its own meaning, power, and purpose. Understanding them is the key to unlocking that power."

She picked up a small, weathered tablet inscribed with a single rune. "This is Fehu," she explained, holding it up for them to see. "It represents wealth, prosperity, and the flow of energy. When inscribed properly and charged with Aether it can be used to attract abundance or channel energy efficiently."

Erik, Liam, and Mia leaned in, their attention fully captured. As Freyja continued to explain the different runes and demonstrating their shapes and meanings, the trio found themselves absorbing the knowledge at a rapid pace. Each rune she introduced seemed to awaken something within them, a deep, almost instinctual understanding.

"If we had this ability back then, just imagine how easy our life would have been," Liam said, holding up a stone tablet inscribed with a rune that could be used for teleportation.

Several other runes had various uses of their own. One could be used to turn cold water into hot water. Liam lifted the rune and remarked how effortlessly they could make a hot chocolate in the blink of an eye in the middle of winter with that.

He chuckled as he imagined more mundane uses for the runes. "Just think about it," he said, grinning. "We could have used this one," he pointed to a rune that controlled wind, "to dry our clothes instantly after getting caught in the rain!"

Mia laughed then adding, "Or how about this one for lighting fires? We could've saved so much time on camping trips."

 "And with this rune for creating lightning, we can use it to fry that bully Jack. Haha," Erik said.

Liam and Mia turned to look at him with wide eyes.

"What? You think its not a good idea?" Erik asked.

Smile starting to appear on their faces.

"I think that's a great fucking idea," Liam said.

"I'm tired of seeing him bullying the kids on our school. So yeah, I agree with that," Mia added.

The trio continued to entertain themselves with the thought of using powerful runes for such trivial tasks, their laughter filling the ancient hall as they realized the potential of the magic they were learning—even for the simplest of conveniences.

Mia was the one who shone the brightest. As Freyja explained each rune Mia's eyes sparkled with a mix of excitement and recognition. She quickly grasped the meanings, her mind racing ahead as she began to see the connections between the symbols. It was as if the runes were old friends that reuniting with her after a long absence.

Freyja's gaze flickered between the three of them, her smile growing wider with each passing moment. She had expected them to be quick learners but this was something different. They weren't just learning, they were remembering. It was as if the knowledge had been buried deep within them just waiting for the right moment to resurface.

And then it struck her. Of course! They were the Reincarnated Souls. Freyja's heart raced with excitement. This was why they were progressing so quickly. They weren't just students—they were rediscovering their own lost power.

---

In a distant, frigid dimension Thor emerged from the Bifrost in a blaze of light. The air was biting cold and jagged rocks jutted out from the frozen ground like the teeth of some death ancient beast. Thor's breath misted in the icy air as he surveyed the desolate terrain, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon.

Far above Thor could sense Freya's magic that pulsing like a beacon. She was here, somewhere in this godforsaken place. The rage that had been simmering within him flared anew. They had taken Freya, dared to lay hands on one of his family.

But before Thor could make his move a low growl rumbled through the frozen silence. Then another, and another. The ground trembled as monsters began to come from the shadows. Clawed limbs, glowing eyes, and jagged fangs filled the space around him as the creatures surrounded him.

Thor gritted his teeth, the anger in his chest bubbling over into a feral snarl. His grip tightened on Mjolnir and with a fierce cry he summoned the storm. Lightning crackled around him, illuminating the icy wasteland in a blinding flash of white and blue light.

BOOM!

Thunder roared, shaking the very ground beneath his feet.

With ferocity of a furious god Thor unleashed his fury upon the monsters. Mjolnir moved creating a arc of thunder that shattered their bone and flesh brutally. Each strike was accompanied by a burst of lightning that surging through the creatures and reducing them to smoldering husks.

The creatures fell one by one, but they kept coming. But Thor's eyes blazed with a wild and vengeful light as he tore through them. They had dared to kidnap Freya and now they would pay the price.

Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced through his back, cutting through his thoughts like a blade through flesh. Thor's breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening in shock as the pain radiated outward, spreading like wildfire. He gritted his teeth, he realized the mistake he had made.

He had been so focused on the monsters, so consumed by his rage, that he hadn't sensed the danger creeping up behind him.

With a growl, Thor twisted his head, catching a glimpse over his shoulder. Behind him was a figure cloaked in black, a dark robe billowing in the icy wind. The figure's face was hidden behind a mask, its expression unreadable, but the glinting black shortsword in its hand was all too real.

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