Thrud

"Welcome back, Thrud." Arkhan smiled. "How does it feel to be back in this world?"

"To be honest, it's very miserable..."

Thrud, the Valkyrie who hadn't spoken for a thousand years, finally opened her mouth again. Her clear voice carried a spiritual and ethereal feeling.

She stood up, and the madness in her red eyes from before was gone, replaced by a complexity that couldn't be described in words.

"Can't believe it's been so long..."

Thrud looked around at the ruins and chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"But what's the use of dwelling on the past? Everything that had to happen already did, and what's lost can never be regained."

"Miss Valkyrie..." Artoria murmured softly with a hint of concern in her eyes.

"You people must be humans from the outside." Thrud glanced at Arkhan and Artoria. "Who would have thought that the fledglings once sheltered by the wings of the gods have grown to this point? I wonder if the All-Father foresaw this scene back then."

"Oh well, discussing this now has no meaning." She continued and let out an ambiguous chuckle. 

"Miss Valkyrie, even though the Age of Gods has ended, you're still alive, and your life is still a long way to go. You can choose to start a new life and dispel those sad memories." Artoria advised, noticing that Thrud's mood seemed off.

Thrud shook her head.

"Humans, I know you brought back my consciousness with good intentions, and I appreciate your desire to help me. But for me, this world has nothing left to cherish. Take whatever you fancy; I won't stop you, though I lack the power to do so..."

She picked up her spear from the ground and walked away. Her frail figure exuded indescribable loneliness and melancholy.

Artoria watched the woman's back, her gaze dimming.

She had thought Thrud would accept reality after her return and move forward, but she didn't expect the impact of Ragnarok to be so profound. Even after thousands of years, Thrud hadn't overcome it.

Could it be that she was too presumptuous?

"Heh, the mighty Valkyrie, choosing to escape reality over such a trivial matter. Did Odin doze off when he created you?" Arkhan suddenly spoke and sneered. "I can understand now why you became the only survivor."

*Whoosh!*

A golden spear shot like lightning. Arkhan casually sidestepped and dodged the attack.

Just as Thrud intended to retract the spear, he grabbed her hand, and despite her struggles, his hands were like an iron grip, unyielding.

Looking at Thrud's furious gaze, Arkhan chuckled.

"What, can't accept it?"

"I may not care about whatever you say..." Thrud gritted her teeth, staring angrily at Arkhan. "But I won't allow you to tarnish the honor of a Valkyrie!"

"Honor is something you prove to others, not something you say with your mouth." Arkhan coldly observed her. "Unfortunately, I don't see that quality in you."

"On what basis can you say that!"

"On the basis that you've lost the qualification of a Valkyrie!" Arkhan asserted without hesitation.

"..." Thrud stared blankly at him. "I... lost the qualification of a Valkyrie?"

"If you don't believe it, try it yourself." Arkhan's tone was as calm as a lake. "Can you still invoke your divine power?" 

Thrud hastily tried to summon the power within her, but no matter how she called, the once powerful strength bestowed by the All-Father Odin remained unresponsive.

"W-Why..."

"Valkyries are creations of Odin, you should possess adaptability akin to the gods. When you doubt yourself, your divinity diminishes gradually until it completely dissipates." Arkhan explained calmly.

"How can..." Thrud suddenly felt disoriented and fell to the ground with vacant eyes.

"Valkyries are warrior maidens who fight for the gods, the most resolute and steadfast. They're warriors who never give up in the face of defeat. Yet, you abandoned all of that. With your actions, what right do you have to bear the honor of a Valkyrie?" Arkhan continued to provoke her with his words.

"Enough!"

Thrud shouted in despair, tears streaming down her beautiful face.

"Do you think I wanted this?! The All-Father is gone, Hildr is gone, Ortlinde is gone! Everyone is gone! I'm the only one left, wandering like a lost soul in this world of death for over a thousand years! I've lost everything—my purpose, honor, dignity! I have nothing left! Why won't you let me go..."

Artoria remained silent, her eyes revealing a hint of complexity.

"I understand your despair and helplessness." Arkhan said calmly, looking steadily toward Thrud. "If you truly feel that you've lost the meaning to continue in this world, then let me bestow upon you a new purpose."

He extended his fingers, outlining a deep green Rune in the void that seemed to encompass the truths of the entire universe. An ancient and vast aura caused the surrounding space to tremble slightly.

"That is... Primordial Rune!?" Thrud exclaimed in shock while her eyes widened.

Arkhan pushed the Primordial Rune forward, and it slowly merged into the circular shield on Thrud's left hand.

*Hum—!*

The shield vibrated slightly, and the surface rust rapidly dissipated as if corroded by a strong acid, revealing brilliant golden runic patterns underneath.

"A-Ahh..."

Thrud reached out with her trembling right hand, gently caressing the shield, tears uncontrollably flowing.

Few knew the true significance of this shield to a Valkyrie.

It was the weapon bestowed upon them by All-Father Odin who created them, crafted from the strongest divine iron in the world. It symbolized the eternal glory of the Valkyrie.

As long as the Valkyrie's heart remained steadfast, the shield would never shatter, nor would rust corrode it.

Thrud lifted her head, looking at the majestic figure in the mural, with a strong sense of guilt welling within her.

'I'm sorry, All-Father. I've failed your expectations...'

"The radiance of the Divine Iron Shield has been rekindled. Thrud, it's now time for you to make a choice." Arkhan said calmly.

Thrud took a deep breath, determination appearing in her red eyes. She kneeled on the ground, bowing her head to him.

"O noble inheritor of the Primordial Rune, I, Valkyrie Thrud, offer myself unto you."