Episode 36/Chapter 1: Odin (1)

TL: Tsubak

ED: Julsmul

The God of Olympus, Zeus, had once used the expression 'enemy of the world'.

The sage that was in charge of a corner of the Temple had said that it was a shadow that couldn't be detached whilst one lived in a sunny place.

Just like the concept of day and night existed, there had always been two forces in Asgard and the Ten Realms.

The ones that wish to maintain the world.

Those that want to destroy it.

The ones that wanted to maintain it were the living ones. Most of them represented the Gods of the world that hoped to maintain it and lead them

The Aesir and the Vanir of Asgard, the Gods of Olympus, the men of the Temple, and the Tuatha De Danann and the Milesians of Erin.

They didn't need a reason to fight. For a person that was alive trying to keep living as instinct itself.

And the ones that wished for the destruction weren't that different either.

The giants of Asgard, the titans of Olympus, the monsters of the Temple, and the fomoires of Erin.

They were loyal to their instincts just like the ones that tried to maintain the world. They would destroy the world. Burn down everything and return it to its origin.

They were born like that. Even though they were living in the same world as the ones that wished to maintain it, they hoped for its destruction deep in their heart.

It was a thing that was hard to explain, and in the first place, it couldn't really be understood at all.

The ones that wished to maintain the world and the ones that tried to destroy it weren't the same. They were existences that had a completely different way of thinking.

It wasn't excessive to say that the battles of the two forces meant the beginning and end of the world.

Erin was the most ideal example.

The ones that had won in Erin were the ones that hoped to destroy it, and because of that, Erin didn't exist anymore. They still couldn't return back to nothingness as there were still the other worlds remaining, but Erin became a land where life couldn't exist anymore.

A really long fight.

Because of that, it didn't always flow in the same way; however, in that long time, blood was mixed between the ones that wanted to maintain the world and the ones that tried to destroyed it.

The fomoires are also the best example this time.

The Great King, Cichol, king of the fomoires, was someone that simply wished for destruction. But some of his descendants started to desire conquering them rather than destroying.

Especially Bress, who'd had more blood of the Tuatha De Danann mixed in him, was someone that wished to maintain the world rather than destroy it.

The same thing happened in Asgard.

The amount of desire the giants had towards the destruction was different, and there were some that were born while wanting to maintain.

The God of Lies and Fire, Loki, embodied one such case.

The reason Odin gave him the identity of a God wasn't simply because he was a giant with deep connections to him. He was an existence born at the tipping point between Gods and giants. Because of that, Odin gave him a rank to induce him closer to the side of Gods.

But even so, he was still a giant. There was a bit of desire for destruction left in his soul and body.

The reason he became attracted to the giant Angrboda was because of that instinct.

Angrboda was an existence opposite to Loki's lawful wife, Sigin.

She belonged to the Aesir, who wanted to maintain the world, and was a good and gentle, eminent woman.

Angrboda, who had received the dense blood of the ones that hoped to destroy, was evil, violent, and enjoyed the pain of others.

Three kids were born between Loki and Angrboda.

It wasn't excessive to say that the three were born at the same time.

When the first kid, Fenrir, was born, Loki thought that he would be able to control it.

When the second kid, Jormungand, was born, Loki still thought the same.

But when the third and last kid, Hela, was born, Loki realized that something wasn't right.

Fenrir and Jormungand were existences that wished to destroy.

The third kid Hela, was someone that was closer to Loki, that wanted to maintain. That's why Loki could sense that Hela was different from the two other kids that were born before her.

Loki couldn't kill Fenrir and Jormungand.

For Loki, who was a being that was closer to wanting to maintain, it wasn't easy to kill his own children that would continue the next generation.

Loki made up several excuses for himself.

Angrboda would interrupt. Even if one or more existences that wanted to destroy the world appeared, will it actually get destroyed?

Loki removed himself from Angrboda's bewitchment and fled to Asgard.

And this was Loki's second mistake.

The three children grew up to become transcendent beings under Angrboda.

The oldest, Fenrir, became a world wolf that would put an end to the world.

The second, Jormungand, grew to become a huge space snake that was able to swirl over all of Asgard.

The third, Hela, was an existence that had removed herself from the normal flow of time.

Time flowed, and the Great War started.

The world wolf and the space snake became even more of monsters after eating their mother, Angrboda, who was standing in the vanguard, and Loki fell in a deeper despair.

-

The howl of the World Wolf shook Midgard.

His cry transcended time and space just like Heimdall's horn trumpet, Gjallarhorn.

Loki felt dizzy. He understood in an instant what was going to happen.

The World Wolf that they thought they had barely managed to defeat in the Great War had returned, and in addition, he was now beside the Magician King.

Loki despaired once again, but that despair wasn't simply because Fenrir was strong.

The World Wolf was born as the natural enemy of Odin.

He was a shackle of fate that not even the Gods could get away from.

Odin couldn't defeat the World Wolf. It wasn't excessive to say that Fenrir was born to kill Odin.

Loki gulped dry saliva. His head, that was squeezing out all the strategies possible, froze completely. He couldn't think of anything.

"Loki!"

Tae Ho called out to him and grabbed the collar of Loki, who had an absent-minded face.

Tae Ho didn't know about Odin's fate. He also didn't know about Loki's past or his deep despair.

But he was certain about one thing. He grasped the most important thing with Schathach's style insight.

"There's only us!"

Loki opened his eyes widely. He understood what Tae Ho was speaking about.

It was just like he had said.

Odin had played by the plans of the Magician King, and because of that, all the named warriors were fighting in the battlefields of Asgard and Midgard. Loki and Tae Ho were the only ones that could move to help Odin, who was now facing the World Wolf.

Loki started to move his hands. He drew complicated runes without hesitating.

Tae Ho raised his head. The superior-ranked warriors that rode upon the Black Flashes were fighting against the giants that came down the fire pillar. Their pallid faces reflected their surprise from the howl uttered by the World Wolf without warning.

They lacked time, and in addition, they didn't know about the truth of Loki. There was a possibility they could attack Loki now that they had become agitated after hearing the howl of the World Wolf.

"Master!"

Adenmaha came running to Tae Ho after having transformed into a Goddess. She had realized that the situation wasn't normal and had gone immediately to Tae Ho.

Merlin was next to her. He took a deep breath when he saw that Tae Ho was with Loki, but it only lasted for a moment. He understood the situation when he saw that Tae Ho was facing him and that Loki was drawing runes. Instead of saying something, he also started to draw some runes and helped in Loki's magic.

"Idun's warrior."

Loki called out Tae Ho. He then grabbed his hand and completed the magic.

Long distance teleportation magic.

A strong light gulped down Tae Ho and Loki.

-

The Magician King was standing. The World Wolf that appeared above him while roaring landed on the ground.

It was a wolf that had black fur and was so big it could gulp down a God in one bite.

His red eyes looked at Odin and the warriors of Valhalla.

The time they confronted each other was short. The World Wolf charged forward, and the Magician King waved his arms and activated strong magics.

"Odin!"

Ragnar charged forward and yelled as the superior-ranked warriors beside him sprinted towards Odin to stop the World Wolf.

But Odin himself couldn't react instantly. He'd only just gotten a hold of himself when the World Wolf opened its mouth and raised his head.

The warriors poured out attacks to the World Wolf and covered Fenrir.

But the World Wolf didn't stop for even a moment. He received the attacks of the warriors with its bare body and gaped open its mouth. He then bit the air and activated a saga.

[Saga: The Jaw of the World Wolf]

It was a strength he could use as he had inherited the blood of Loki, who was close to being a God. The jaw of the World Wolf that would gulp down the several warriors and Gods and even the world.

The overwhelming strength swept up the surroundings of the World Wolf. From below to above, and from above to below, everything was crushed as if it had entered the mouth of the World Wolf itself.

The warriors reacted immediately and tried to get out of the reach of the World Wolf, but not everyone could dodge it. One of the warriors was caught by the 'Jaw of the World Wolf'. The huge teeth that were invisible tore open his chest.

The World Wolf opened its mouth once again and then rushed towards the warrior that was closest to him.

At the same time, the Magician King activated several magics. He fired a huge whirlpool of fire and lightning towards the warriors.

"Odin!"

Ragnar yelled once again. He gazed at the whirlpool that seemed like it would tear away reality instead of looking at the warriors that couldn't stop the charge of the World Wolf. He pulled his viking sword from its sheath and thought of a method to connect the warriors.

Right at that moment, Odin finally showed some retaliation. He let out a roar and activated the magics that were prepared in the island.

He was the God of War, and at the same time, the God of Magic. The pillars of ice that surged up from the ground pierced the whirlpools of fire and thunder and destroyed them. The ground split up without any warning, and the World Wolf fell into an opening crack.

Odin looked at the Magician King with his only eye, and the Magician King activated another magic. He looked at the web of lightning that amounted to tens of thousands of threads and raised his right arm. Then, the ground rose up to form a wall and blocked the lightning.

Kwagagagagagang!

Loud sounds were heard, and in that time, half the superior-ranked warriors prepared themselves as the other half charged towards the Magician King.

Ragnar looked at the World Wolf that had fallen into a crevice. It was just like he'd expected. He wouldn't be able to hold it down with just that.

Krung!

The ground shook like an earthquake, and the ground that was restraining the World Wolf split up and became dust. The World Wolf took a big leap and howled.

It wasn't a normal cry. It was a cry that twisted the will of the warriors and was capable of breaking magic.

The Magician King glared at the superior-ranked warriors charging towards him and moved his hand. Spontaneously, black giants surged up from the shadow of the Magician King and charged towards the superior-ranked warriors.

A battle occurred. The shadow giants weren't opponents to the superior-ranked warriors, but they could at least buy some time, and that was the objective of the Magician King. He would buy time for the World Wolf to get rid of Odin. In the present moment, time was at the side of the Magician King.

Odin threw Gungnir towards the World Wolf. The magical spear, that boasted of its absolute accuracy, flew at an overwhelming speed and pierced the right eye of the World Wolf.

The eye of the wolf broke, and blood flowed like a fountain, but it still didn't stop. It activated the 'Jaw of the World Wolf' instead of crying in pain.

A part of the world broke down once again. A huge line was drawn in the left side of the island that had the World Tree in it, and everything that stood upon that line was destroyed. The part of the island that was outside the line broke down and sank into the sea.

It was the strength of the World Wolf that transcended common sense, and in addition, the World Wolf was becoming stronger as time progressed. His size was now twice as big from when he'd first appeared.

Ragnar and the warriors didn't think of retreating. They valiantly charged towards the World Wolf, and at the same time, Ragnar used rune magic to transmit his thoughts to Odin.

'Flee!'

Odin couldn't beat the World Wolf.

That was fate.

Odin's divine power and magic weakened in the wolf's presence.

And on the other hand, the World Wolf grew stronger in front of Odin.

Ragnar's words were right. He had to follow his words to retreat and prepare for what would come next.

But Odin couldn't react immediately. It wasn't only because he feared the World Wolf. He was a king and a warrior. He couldn't leave behind the warriors that were throwing their lives away for him. He couldn't escape while showing his back to the enemy.

A moment of hesitation.

He couldn't turn away. The World Wolf passed through the warriors to charge towards Odin, and it opened its mouth once again.

Odin looked at that World Wolf. He saw its throat that was deep and void like a black hole.

At that moment, Odin remembered Mimir's words. It was a curse-like message that he had heard without pause.

'The day the World Wolf awakens, the clear yet foolish King of Gods that resists to it will become dog food.'

He wasn't wrong.

He couldn't evade fate.

The 'Jaw of the World Wolf' activated, and the strength that generated from the sky and ground flooded towards Odin.

He would die.

This was the end.

Odin thought like that. He had fought against fate for all his life, but it was now time to give in to it.

But right at that instant-

When Odin was about to close his eyes-

A strong light tore through space, and the after effects of the long distance teleportation shook the world a little bit.

The Magician King turned his head, and Loki, who had appeared while opening up the space, yelled something.

And there was someone swinging his sword.

There was someone standing in front of Odin trying to resist to the invisible teeth.

Odin couldn't breathe. He remembered another word of Mimir in the time that seemed to have stopped.

'72.972 in 100.000.'

The first change.

The day that the rate of destruction, that was only becoming higher, got lower.

And the existence that provoked that change.

Odin looked at the golden apple tree that was engraved in the cape of the warrior.

And yelled unconsciously.

"Idun's warrior!"

Tae Ho swung Caliburn and blocked the teeth of the World Wolf with the sword of the king.

< Episode 36 - Odin (1) > End

TL note: Thanks for reading~