8 The after effects

After returning to my human form, the strength coursing through my veins felt intoxicating, I clenched my fist and the veins under my skin bulged slightly, waiting for me to unleash all my strength. Feeling my forearm tighten into an unbreakable compact substance like diamond pressured over the millennium. Tracing my hand over my arm it was still supple, which was a relief I didn't want to feel like a stone. I unclenched my fist and looked at the rest of my body, I had grown, I didn't know my exact height but I'm guessing around Ubbe, that was going to be awkward it's only been a week.

My chest and abs were defined as a finely crafted statue of marble, my legs were twice as thick as before but I still had the lithe muscular figure of a warrior, not too bulky but not skinny either. Looking back at my reflection in the stream I noticed my eyes now had a speckled hue of green to them, kind of like looking through leaves into dark blue waters.

I was content with the changes that had happened to me, even with all the pain it was worth it. 'best get back to camp and see if my clothes still fit' I chuckled at the thought of that I knew my trousers would I had to wrap them up before but now they'd probably be snug if a little short in the legs. So I set off running at a steady pace, I could remember the direction I'd taken, I remembered everything while I was transformed that is complete control. Then I noticed my steady jogging pace was my usual full sprint, deciding to see my limit I sped up.

The soil crunched under my feet with each stride I took a trail of dirt in my wake. I could see leaves falling from the trees in the air like they were frozen in time. My visual awareness caught every little thing, the ladybug flapping its wings. My auditory sense could pick up the flutter and clap they made as it took off from a descending leaf. My olfactory receptors picked up every scent around, I could smell cherries and blackcurrants lingering on the breeze. All my senses had been heightened to a supernatural degree.

It didn't take me long to reach my camp, even with my little detour while running. When I got there Ratatoskr was rummaging through my belt pouch. "Oi, little guy you could have asked" I shouted in mirth not really minding his thievery. Like he was caught red-handed he turned around slowly and looked at me with inflated cheeks full of nuts and berries.

"Pffft hahaha you look so funny Ratatoskr!" I roared with laughter holding my ribs like id been kicked in the sides.

He looked at me with curiosity, obviously wondering why I looked so different from the last time he'd seen me before my transformation. He approached carefully chewing down his mouthful as his cheeks visibly lessened circling around me when he spotted my back it was like a wave of relief washed over him I could feel it, like the tension he was in was tangible. He scurried up my back and around my body eventually perching on my shoulder.

"Well little guy what do you think?" I beamed a smile his way. He seemed to do something with his tiny hands but I couldn't quite understand what it was, raising an eyebrow at him he seemed miffed pulled my ear then pointed at my stuff.

"Okay I'll get dressed then I can go home and you'll get to meet my family" yeah I classed Astrid and Ubbe as family, not mother and father more like older siblings. So I got to get my clothes on, the trousers fit perfectly now but as I guessed they were short only came halfway up my calf, but after my leg wraps were on it wouldn't be noticeable. The tunic, however, was too tight when I bent down to pick up my belt it ripped all the way up the back. 'Hmm, maybe I can make something out of this? bracelets of runes and a belt pouch' I thought as I stuffed it into my empty pouch I always have with me, never know when you'll need to bring something along with you. Throwing my mantle around my waist, I slid my axe through the loop on my belt and put my seax in its sheath above my belt pouch. I was ready. "Let's go Ratatoskr!" I declared looking at him, he took a pointing stance as if saying "onwards" I couldn't help but chuckle.

On the way back to Birka through the woods, I was getting used to the blessings I'd received. With Gaia's blessing, I began growing grass with each step I took if I stood still it would grow continuously but I could also make it die and return it to the earth. 'The cycle of nature, birth, growth, death, nourishment, and rebirth' I also tried the other aspects of nature making stones and crystals come to the surface, I collected some but it was mostly Titanite around these parts. I did spot a mountain ash tree and collected some branches and a few plants I'd spotted here and there, I never fully plucked the plant so it would regrow but I didn't use my blessing to do it, it's best to be natural a forces growth wouldn't have the effectiveness of a naturally grown one.

I'd collected yellow wolfsbane which had no effect on me or Gaia's blessing would be a joke neither did mistletoe which I collected and some sage. I also spotted some quartz which is apparently a moon attribute stone so I also kept it. I haven't a clue what to do with them but might as well start a collection now. I don't need the money yet cause I can work or trade for anything I want at the moment. Maybe when Gringotts gets to Pangaea I'll start hoarding gems and metals and open a vault.

It took 3 days of walking to get back to the farmstead but while I was walking through the town I heard hushed whispers

"Look that man marked by the gods and Yggdrasil stands on his back" and "is that Ratatoskr? It must be it's on top of Yggdrasil" while staring at me. I was confused about it and looked at Ratatoskr but he had a look on his face like 'I told you so' so I shrugged and left it, I couldn't wait to see Astrid and Ubbe surprised faces. With a huge toothy smile on my face, I walked through the door.

"I'm back! And I've brought a little critter with me!" I shouted upon my arrival. Ubbe was sat sharpening his axe with his back to me and Astrid was off in the kitchen.

"I don't want no smelly critter in my house!" I heard Astrid shouting as she scurried into the room.

"Oh, Fenrisúlfr! Good to have you home!" Ubbe replied as he turned around to look at me smiling. When he faced me his smile turned into shock with his mouth wide open. Astrid wasn't much better.

"Hehe Ratatoskr doesn't smell he's a clever tiny thing aren't you" I snickered at the little guy as he looked around at them like he was insulted and turned away like a child pouting.

"Fenrisúlfr what happened to you! You are as tall as ubbe! And where's the tunic I made you?!" She questioned but towards the end, she sounded annoyed. Ubbe still was lost in his gaze checking the changes that had happened to me.

"Ermm it doesn't fit anymore and I grew?" I replied sheepishly with an apologetic look, as I took it out of my pouch. No matter how powerful I'd become in the future there's nothing like a woman's scorn. I never wanted to disappoint Astrid or Ubbe as they were the only thing like family I had in this world at the minute.

"Nevermind that, Fenrisúlfr tell me about the awakening!" Ubbe blurted out, he didn't see the look on Astrids face but I could tell she wasn't happy with him.

"Okay okay, I'll tell you! but Astrid I'm going to make something out of the tunic so I'll keep it for now" I stated as I got sat down opposite Ubbe, Astrid sat down with him facing me with a questioning look.

So I began to tell them everything that happened over the past to weeks and introduced Ratatoskr as well, when they actually paid attention to him they looked shocked for some reason that's when I brought up the whispers I'd heard on my way through town.

"Ermm Ubbe why do people think I'm connected to Yggdrasil? And that Ratatoskr is the real one from the legends?" I inquired with a puzzled look on my face.

"What you don't know? You've got a mark of Yggdrasil on your back! it's a golden brown colour and Ratatoskr is a messenger that runs up its branches, of course, they think you're connected to Yggdrasil! You actually might be?" It was Astrid that answered and it was my turn to be shocked.

'Yggdrasil the world tree is on my back? Why? I never asked for that? What's going on? Is this because I asked for the Pangaea dimension? Maybe? The worlds of the world tree are like overlapped planes all the same world just governed with different laws and energies! Does this mean I have the key to Pangaea on my back? I don't have to find an entrance? Are there more dimensions? So many questions! Agh!' breathing out all the frustration I'd been building up in a sigh I let go of it all and smiled turning to Ratatoskr "well looks like your a legend after all little man! Pleased to work with you from now on" he seemed happy with my statement and puffed his chest out and nodded earning a chuckle from the 3 of us.