Episode 22/Chapter 2: Saga (2)

The cry of Adenmaha, that was transmitted by sharing their senses, was heard too clearly.

Adenmaha's flesh got torn off and red blood flowed like smoke and dyed their surroundings in red.

Garmr's soul opened its mouth again. It looked like it was coming out of the head, neck and shoulders of Karagul's corpse. Itt aimed for Adenmaha again.

Tae Ho charged through the red curtain made with Adenmaha's blood in an instant. He wanted to turn around and check on Adenmaha's wounds immediately but what he had to do now was to stop the additional attacks.

Burst Lance took shape again from the Unknown sword piece. Tae Ho stabbed on the forehead of Garmr with his spear covered with the strength of a God.

This time Garmr was the one to let out a cry. Garmr's body, that was just a materialization, broke down and scattered instead of spilling blood but it was still only its forehead.

'Oh power of the sea!'

Adenmaha's voice was heard right then. She had barely managed to say those words while crying in pain.

Currents of water started to surround Garmr and then they crushed it down from the sides.

Tae Ho wanted to look behind. But now wasn't the time yet. Monster sharks had appeared after smelling the blood of Karagul and Adenmaha.

[Saga: The charge of a warrior is like a storm]

He only originated thunder and scattered it to his surroundings. And then, the sharks that are sensitive towards current, got surprised and fell back reflexively.

'Tae Ho!'

Tae Ho raised his head. He thought he had heard Siri's voice. It was obvious it couldn't reach him because he was under the sea but he still heard it. Perhaps it may be something like a mental interaction.

Pong! Pong! Pong!

Siri and the warriors of Valhalla entered the sea with their bare bodies. Although they were in the water that they weren't able to move freely, they still charged towards the monster sharks valiantly and stabbed them with their harpoons.

'Warrior Tae Ho!'

A clear voice was heard following Siri's. It was Valkyrie Ingrid this time. Tae Ho saw her holding a trident turned his body looking down the sea while holding the Burst lance. Ingrid saw Tae Ho looking the opposite side and then threw the trident she was holding with the power of a God behind it.

Garmr let out a cry again. It struggled while still being trapped in the current created by Adenmaha.

'Full burst!'

At that moment Tae Ho made his magic power explode. Garmr's manifestation, that was breaking down due to the strength of a God, scattered by more than a half.

Tae Ho released the Burst Lance and then swam towards Karagul's corpse hurriedly. He heard Adenmaha's pained voice one more time behind him and then the currents of water disappeared. He was sure that she had dispersed it for Tae Ho not to get swept by them.

'Adenmaha.'

He pressed down his anxiousness forcefully and then Tae Ho forced his hand, that was enforced by the strength of a God, through Garmr's soul fragment. After searching the insides of Karagul he finally found the canine tooth that was as sharp as a blade.

'Oh Idun!'

After plucking the tooth in one try after exerting all his strength Tae Ho amplified the power of a God even more. He covered the tooth with the power of a God as if sealing it.

And then, the manifestation of Garmr let out a pained expression and scattered like that.

'Warrior Tae Ho! Are you alright?!'

Ingrid extended her hand towards Tae Ho. Tae Ho hurriedly approached her and gave her the canine tooth covered with the power of a God and turned towards Adenmaha. She had the shape of a woman and was pressing down the big wound in her neck.

'It hurts! Hurts! I want to pass out because it hurts too much but I can't!'

It hurt but she had a clear head. And that was why she could feel the pain more clearly.

And Tae Ho knew the reason for that better than anyone.

'Idun's blessing!'

Right now she was a temporary Valkyrie of Idun!

Tae Ho hurriedly swam towards Adenmaha and unfolded the power of a God. Although he was at his limit mentally for having sealed Garmr's soul fragment he was also a warrior of Idun. He wanted to pass out too but Idun's blessing didn't allow him.

'Sob, sob. It hurts.'

Adenmaha's crying sound became a bit lower. Maybe it was thanks to Tae Ho pouring Idun's divine power, that had a healing property, that no more blood was flowing out from her wounds.

Tae Ho felt like he had sweating cold sweat even though he was underwater. He caressed Adenmaha's head and cheeks a few times and then expressed that he was tired with his face.

'Adenmaha, return for now. And receive treatment as soon as you go, do you understand?'

'It was also like this yesterday. You are always this way.'

Because looking at it, he had made her fight to the point she became a mess and made her return.

However Tae Ho put a small smile. Even though she had received a fatal wound, he had treated himself and then Adenmaha. She was still looking at him with resentful eyes but there was a bit of worry in her eyes.

'Be careful.'

'Right.'

After activating the summoning rock Adenmaha disappeared. He didn't know if Heda would be at the residence but at least Ragnar would be.

'Ha..'

Tae Ho let out a sigh and then looked at Ingrid. She was holding Garmr's soul fragment that was sealed with Idun's and Njord's powers.

'Let's return to the surface for now.'

Ingrid's voice was heard clearly even though they were underwater as if she had a special method. As Tae Ho nodded, she took out the harpoon she was carrying in her back to throw it towards Karagul's corpse and then swam towards the surface. Karagul's corpse, that was connected with the harpoon, followed her to the surface.

Siri and the warriors of Valhalla finished the monster sharks they were facing and gathered towards Tae Ho. Tae Ho slowly surged to the surface and extended his hand at Karagul's corpse. As the other warriors also did the same thing, the runes got distributed depending on their contribution.

"Ha.."

Even though he had Ingrid's temporary carving magic, breathing real oxigen outside the water was different. Tae Ho breathed out some air and then pulled back his wet hair and looked towards Ingrid. She was looking at Garmr's soul fragment with a serious face.

She wasn't worried that Garmr's manifestation may take shape again.

Just how had Garmr's soul fragment appeared in this place?

Was there also a trace of the Great War here in Midgard?

Or you could discover soul fragments in places that weren't in the traces of the Great War?

She couldn't come with an answer easily. Because there was a high possibility that monsters that had turned evil because of Garmr's soul fragment had come from a far place.

Right then Ingrid raised their head. She, who was putting on a bewildered face, released Njord's power that was covering the soul fragment.

Black smoke that was estimated to be Garmr's manifestation surged up. But instead of taking shape and attacking Ingrid and Tae Ho, it just surged towards a certain direction. It seemed as if it was pointing to that place.

Ingrid and Tae Ho looked at the direction the smoke was heading to.

It was to the continent, that was beyond the sea.

&

The night in the port was splendid. It was because King Sven, that was saving food after locking up the doors of the supplies storage, had opened a bigger and more magnificent banquet than the one he had made last night.

Karagul's corpse and the corpses of the monster sharks were in the middle of the plaza, that was lit up with many small and big fires and made it seem like it was the afternoon. The people in the island looked at the corpses of the huge monsters and exclaimed in surprise and claimed the warriors of Valhalla that had defeated those monsters.

Bracky and the warriors gathered told the story of today's fight to the people gathered. Not only the little girls listened to their stories with shining eyes but so did the adult warriors, and the young and beautiful ladies looked at the warriors with flushed cheeks as if they were enchanted by them.

Siri lightly passed the gazes of the men and rather than talking about herself she focused on gathering information. The other warriors were telling her performance anyways so there was no need to say it directly.

The people that got rescued yesterday started to explain about the situation in the continent and the heat and the castle. The diseases that started from the west was spreading to the east but it seemed like the speed was way beyond what they could imagine.

Ingrid was holding a ceremony herself. It was to notify what had happened to the Gods and to report about Garmr's soul fragment.

The people in the island looked at the ceremony that was being held by a Valkyrie and got moved and exclaimed. Everyone claimed the name of Njord.

Tae Ho, that was listening to the things related to the continent next to Siri, stood up from his place. He had heard the story to a certain degree so now it was time to concentrate on what he could do right now.

Siri looked at Tae Ho as if telling him to do his best but she then tilted her head. It was because he had went with king Sven instead of going with Bracky and the other warriors.

'Is he planning to win over the king just like yesterday?'

It wasn't a bad thought but she shook her head. Because the stories didn't always spread from top to bottom. It was also important to spread it widely from below through the normal citizens.

Looking at the situation like that, what Bracky and the others were doing was much more effective.

But of course, it was something Tae Ho also knew. The reason why he approached king Sven was for another reason.

"Ohh warrior of Idun."

As Tae Ho approached him king Sven smiled and faced him. As he had seen his fight, differently from the others, he knew Tae Ho's achievements more than anyone else.

Tae Ho paused for a moment and waited for the eyes of the ones surrounding to gather on them. After gathering enough eyes to watch them and judging that he had made king Sven impatient enough, Tae Ho took out a bar of gold from Unnir and gave it to Sven.

"King Sven, this is gold from Valhalla."

"Ohh Valhalla!"

"Vahalla!"

King Sven opened his eyes roundly. The ones that were near them also got excited.

A golden bar from Valhalla. Wasn't that an object from the realm of the Gods!

Tae Ho got satisfied at the reaction he had expected and then forced to put on a serious expression and said.

"I will give this to you so build a shrine for Idun."

"Ohh, ohhhh."

King Sven received the gold with a moved face. The ones that were near them sent gazes filled with envy.

"I will definitely do that."

"Right."

Tae Ho answered shortly and then approached the advisor Ube, that was standing on a corner of the room. Although their force had weakened, he was still the second most powerful man in the island, no matter what anyone said. He would surely regain the influence he had in the past with time.

Tae Ho, that had already investigated about him in the last banquet, also gave him a bar of gold.

"Support the king well. It's a gift coming from Idun-nim."

Ube put on a more moved expression than king Sven. How could he have known that he would also receive a golden bar? In addition, for Idun-nim to recognize of his efforts.

People would get more moved when they hadn't even expected it to happen. Tae Ho patted his shoulders and then also gave the prophet a bar of gold. Although he didn't show that he was as moved as king Sven or Ube, you could know how he was feeling just by looking at his lips that were curled.

'Good, perfect. A little story telling is fine but the shrine is a must.'

Because if gets away from your eyes it will also get away from your heart.

If you kept looking at it, won't interest appear in you? In addition it was the place to leave behind the legend of the warrior of Idun. Perhaps, they may pilgrimage in the distant future.

As Tae Ho returned with a proud face, SIri burst out of laughter. As Bracky and the others were told that they should use all of their rewards in Anaheim when they received it, they couldn't do anything at those gazes filled with expectation.

"Amazing."

To come up with a method she hadn't thought about.

As Tae Ho shrugged his shoulders and sat next to her, Siri served him a cup and asked.

"How much did you bring?"

"How much do you think it gets in Unnir?"

Tae Ho lightly patted the magic pocket and Siri ended up laughing unconsciously.

"Are you planning on cultivating a great army of a million?"

"That's also good."

Although it was just a feeling, he felt like there was a high probability that the expedition won't end here. They would probably cross the sea tomorrow or the day after and go to the direction Garmr's soul fragment pointed.

He couldn't get satisfied with just leaving stories and legends in all the places he went to. He would leave a shrine and a sculpture of Idun.

"You really match a hundred men. I think that Idun has a really good warrior."

Siri giggled and offered a toast. Tae Ho hit his cup with SIri's and then looked at the sky.

'Is Adenamaha fine?'

He could still remember her crying in sorrow saying that it hurt.

'After each expedition Heda came to meet me.'

Midgard wouldn't be possible. She herself had said that it would be hard.

The night deepened while he was thinking of this.

&

The curtain of the night was thick. Rather than saying that it was dawn, it was really early in the morning.

As soon as the banquet had ended, a clear voice was heard in Tae Ho's ear, that had gone off to sleep.

"Warrior Tae Ho, it's a meeting."

He opened his eyes reflexively. However he still wasn't well aware of what was happening as he wasn't fully awake.

A meeting.

It really was a meeting?

Then would he also get the saga 'the warrior that had a Valkyrie visit him?'

It was only for a moment but Tae Ho, that was thinking of such things, got a hold of himself. And then realized that the voice that had called out to him didn't belong to Ingrid. In addition the place he was lying at wasn't the bed king Sven had prepared.

The wide and green plains that had a golden apple tree.

"Idun-nim?"

Idun, that had whispered in Tae Ho's ear, giggled just like Siri.

"Right, my warrior Tae Ho. It's me."

Should he call it a divine message as it was a meeting in his dreams?

The meeting with the Goddess started.

< Episode 22 - Saga (2) > End