New Form

I was momentarily stunned, my eyes wide in disbelief at her statement.

What did she just say? Give me a Rune? That's impossible!

There are a few things I've learned since hatching in this world—things I never knew in my previous life. One of them is the difference between magic and runes in this world. 

Here, magic is an illogical ability used to control the elements of nature. It's usually destructive and is often employed in battles and wars. It requires varying amounts of stamina, depending on the magnitude of the spell's effects. 

On the other hand, runes are a sort of blessing—or perhaps a curse—bestowed by Yggdrasill upon certain creatures. Typically, gods, jotun, and humans receive runes. Runes allow individuals to use magic that defies the laws of nature, far beyond elemental manipulation. 

Moreover, runes cannot be learned by just anyone; they are a gift or curse bestowed upon those chosen by Yggdrasill. However, runes can be passed on or given to someone else, though not everyone is compatible with them. 

There are methods to obtain a rune, but they're far too risky. For instance, Odin gained the rune of wisdom and prophecy by gouging out his left eye and hanging upside down from one of Yggdrasill's branches for three days and three nights. 

I learned this information after wandering around and eavesdropping on conversations among the Jotun in one of the Jotunheim regions. Fortunately, the Jotun don't really care about the presence of small creatures like me, which made it easy to gather information from their discussions. 

But despite all that, why would this girl be willing to give something as valuable as a rune to me—who is merely a… I mean, a raven? What is she thinking? 

"It seems you know quite a bit about runes, huh..." Fenrir remarked. "I'm starting to wonder if you're really just an ordinary raven." 

Oops, did she figure it out? I felt a little uneasy at Fenrir's words. I turned my head away, not wanting to be probed further. 

"Well... whatever. I don't care about any of that," she said with a sigh. "I'm still going to give you my rune. Besides, I'm not good at using it anyway." 

Fenrir lowered me onto a large stone that we usually used as our resting spot. 

"Stay still for a moment. I'll begin the rune transfer ritual," Fenrir requested. 

I complied, sitting exactly where she placed me, positioning myself like a bird settling into its nest for sleep. 

Fenrir bit her thumb until it bled, using her blood to draw a circle around me. Once she finished, she closed her eyes and channeled magic into it. 

At that moment, the blood circle began to emit glowing ancient symbols that floated in the air. The symbols then started to wrap tightly around my entire body. 

Surprisingly, I didn't feel any pain or discomfort. Instead, my body felt a little heavier, as if something was weighing me down. Yet, for some reason, my body also felt warmer and more comfortable. 

It felt just like the first time I was incubated by my mother when I was still a fragile, helpless egg. Drowsiness washed over me as the symbols began to seep into my body. 

This is too comfortable... I can't resist... I need to sleep for a while...

Slowly, my eyes began to close, and the world around me blurred, as if shrouded in mist. Colors and shapes lost their definition, everything becoming vague and indistinct. Darkness crept into the edges of my vision, gradually consuming everything as I fully closed my eyes. 

*****

[PoV Fenrir]

As I gazed at that small figure, my pet raven now lying weak in the midst of the ongoing ritual, my heart pounded hard. His breathing was heavy, and the glowing runes surrounding him slowly seeped into his pitch-black body. 

There was a panic in my heart that I couldn't suppress. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop this... If I forced it, he might not survive. 

"Grr... damn it!" I bit my fingers, frustration bubbling within me, but there was nothing I could do. Now, all I could do was hope in despair. It felt like I was hanging by a thin thread. 

"Hang in there, Yata... please..." My voice was soft, almost swallowed by the sound of the winter wind sweeping through the valley where we stood. 

This ritual was no game. The rune I had given him was immense power, too immense for just any creature. If his body couldn't withstand it, he might break—worse, he might die. 

Runes were not a gift to be handed out carelessly. Only a chosen one could control them, but... I had gambled everything. Because I knew, from the moment I first laid eyes on him, my pet was not just an ordinary raven. 

"He... deserves it. I'm sure of it. My instincts never lie." 

Minutes passed, and I saw the glowing letters on his body start to fade. The ritual was nearing its end. My breath caught in my throat as I waited for the result. 

"Come on, Yata... hang in there! I believe in you!" 

I could feel cold sweat running down my temple despite the chill in the air around us. As the last of the light vanished, I quickly approached, touching his body, which now lay motionless on the ground. 

"He... he's still breathing." My whisper was barely audible, almost like a prayer. A wide smile spread across my face, an uncontrollable sense of relief washing over me. "Thank you..." 

I sat beside his limp form on the stone, my hand unconsciously stroking his soft, smooth feathers—something I always did when we were alone together. 

His pulse was weak, a sign of extreme exhaustion, but he was still alive. That was enough. In a few days, he should recover fully, or if he was strong enough, he might heal in just a few hours. 

"You're so strong... you made it through," I murmured quietly, my smile not fading even as weariness began to settle into my own body. 

Gray clouds slowly rolled above us, covering the once bright sunlight. The wind carried a refreshing coolness, as if the world itself rejoiced in his success. 

I yawned, unable to fight the sudden wave of drowsiness that hit me, forcing me to stretch my arms. "Hoaaam... I'm sleepy..." 

I shifted my body slightly, and without a second thought, I lay down beside my pet. I pulled his small body close, hugging him tightly like a pillow. The warmth of his body, his soft feathers, always brought me peace. 

"I love you..." I whispered softly, words that only came out when it was just the two of us, as we drifted off to sleep beneath the vast sky. 

The life I live now is so lonely. Isolated, sealed in a place where no one can come to keep me company. If it weren't for him, perhaps this solitude would've killed me faster than my fate ever could. Sleep, for a being like me, can last for weeks, months, without a single disturbance. 

But the silence within dreams is often worse. There are no sweet dreams to accompany me—only emptiness, darkness, and a hollow feeling that never goes away. 

Yet today was different. Somehow, as I lay beside him, my smile lingered just a little longer. There was a warmth that crept into my frozen heart. Maybe tonight... maybe I would dream of something beautiful...

*****

[PoV Yatagarasu]

Although I had slept the entire day, my head still felt heavy after receiving the rune. It was as if all the knowledge had been forcibly shoved into my brain, knocking me unconscious for a long time. Slowly, I tried to open my eyes, pushing my aching, exhausted body to wake up. 

"My head... it hurts so much..." I muttered, rubbing my head with my right hand. 

As I sat up gradually, I realized something was off. My feathers were gone, and my body was now covered in smooth skin. Confused, I looked down to see a hand attached to my body, complete with fingers. 

When I tried to move the fingers, I felt the sensation of muscles tightening at the tips. Yes, this was definitely my hand. 

Wait… a hand? Since when do I have a hand?

I was stunned, unable to believe it. My drowsiness instantly vanished, replaced by panic. Somehow, I had turned into a human overnight. This had to be the result of receiving the rune. 

But how? And why? 

My mind raced with questions as I tried to comprehend what had happened to me. I had never imagined I would become human again. 

I looked over my body. My wings had been replaced by arms, my legs were now covered in skin instead of talons, and my beak was gone, replaced by a mouth with lips and teeth. 

"What is this?!" 

I squinted at Fenrir, who was peacefully sleeping beside me. 

"This must be her doing…" I thought, shaking her roughly, hoping it would wake her up. "Hey, wake up!" 

"Mmmm... yahmm..." Fenrir groaned lazily. "It's still morning... stop making noise..." 

Seeing her sleeping soundly as the sun climbed higher made me even more furious. "I said, wake up!" 

I shook her harder, my frustration growing. After a few tries, she finally sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes in a sluggish manner. 

"Is something wrong?" she asked, yawning. Her face showed no indication of understanding why I was so angry. 

"Just look for yourself!" I shouted, seething at her indifferent attitude. 

"Wow, you can use the rune now?" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief. 

There wasn't a hint of guilt on her face. Instead, she laughed, treating my confusion and rage as if it were nothing. 

"Use the rune?" I muttered, feeling lost and baffled. "I don't understand what's happening. Didn't you turn me into this?" 

"I didn't do anything to you," Fenrir replied, rolling her eyes. "You're the one who changed yourself using the rune I gave you." 

"What do you mean?" I asked, still puzzled. 

"The rune I gave you is the Shapeshifter," she explained. "It's a rune that lets you mimic whatever you think of. It's the same rune my father, Loki, had." 

"So you're saying I transformed into a human because I thought about it?" 

"How would I know? Ask yourself that," Fenrir replied curtly. 

For some reason, her dismissive response stung a little. No one knew about my reincarnation, but her careless comment made me wonder—did I still long for my human form? I thought I had been content with this body. 

"Is that really what I wanted?" I mumbled, staring down at the ground. "Am I too greedy?" 

Fenrir, noticing my sudden introspection, broke the silence that lingered between us. "Hey, why are you daydreaming like that?" 

I frowned at Fenrir's question. Whether I liked it or not, I had to accept the fact that I was now her pet. After all, she had given me something so valuable, and I couldn't just ignore that. 

"Nothing... it's nothing," I replied firmly. 

Ravens are known to be vengeful creatures. We remember everyone who wrongs us and always try to settle the score. But what many people don't realize is that we are also incredibly loyal and repay those who help us. 

We might be one of the only birds that always repay kindness. That's why, whether I liked it or not, I felt obligated to repay Fenrir for giving me something so precious.

I would stay by her side, at least to keep her from feeling lonely. Honestly, if it were possible, I would love to try and free her from the seal of Gleipnir, but that was an impossible task. 

"Hey, my pet," Fenrir called gently. "Since you can talk now… can you tell me your name?" 

I smiled at her words. I hadn't expected Fenrir to actually ask about my name.

"My name is Yatagarasu... remember that, oh mighty wolf, Fenrir!"