Viggo served wine to the winged warrior named Rosewisse. She was the granddaughter of Gondul, one of the Valkyries of the council who worked for Odin collecting the souls of the fallen in battle. For more than a hundred winters nothing has been known about the conciliacy of the Valkyries. Rosewise only knew that Gondul was her grandmother because her mother told her so, so she grew up with a great sense of duty. Even if only the true Goddess Vanir, Freya, was considered a goddess, every Valkyrie was a divinity and considered a great potential for war.
Rosewisse grew up training her magic and became the best in the entire kingdom, to the point that she was considered to be the next queen of the Vanir. However, for Rosewise things were not so simple. She studied the ancient writings and found too many inconsistencies. The goddess Freya sacrificed herself for her people by marrying the god Aesir, but the Vanir considered her a traitor. However, things got worse when a year ago, her mother, part of the council of sages of the Vanir people, had a dream. Something had affected the world; an existence had unbalanced the balance of fate, and this had accelerated Ragnarok.
When Rosewisse's mother talked about her dreams, she was taken as crazy or paranoid. It was more than a hundred winters before ragnarok was unleashed; it was impossible. However, Rosewisse's mother insisted and that earned her expulsion from the conciliation of sages.
Rosewisse's day-to-day life became unbearable and the one who was once considered to be the future queen of the Vanirs, was now treated like another madwoman. Rosewisse's fury was unleashed against what they wanted to attack her mother, but in the end, she could not fight against all the sages and was defeated. After that, they exiled Rosewisse along with his mother and father from the Vanir civilization.
Those people were cowards, traitors, and hypocrites. They didn't want to look bad in front of the Vanir people for killing others of their same race, so they sent Rosewisse's family to live in a forest infested with terrible creatures that would kill them. So it was, in part. The terrible creatures killed their parents and the Rosewisse Vanir died with them. Only the Valkyrie Rosewisse remained, who returned to the Vanir civilization to beat the sages who a year ago had exiled her. She took the armor that once belonged to her grandmother and next to the wand that her mother inherited from her, she left Vanaheim.
-Why did you come to Midgar?- asked Viggo, looking at the bonfire he had made. It was nine o'clock in the evening, outside the cave it had darkened, and the waves of the great Nine Realms Lake hitting the cliff wall were getting louder and louder.
-I wanted to find the goddess Freya- Rosewisse replied, looking at the red liquid in her clay cup, -she, like my mother and father, was slandered and treated as a traitor. Maybe she would understand my cause. Then with her guidance, I could clear my family's name and redirect the Vanirs' efforts to prepare for Ragnarok-
-Don't you want revenge?- asked Viggo.
-Of course, I want revenge- Rosewisse shouted with a face that deformed into an expression of fury, threw the glass into a wall, and broke into a thousand pieces, scattering the wine on the black stone floor. She took a deep breath and her expression relaxed, to at the end add in a low voice -of course, I want revenge, but that will not bring my parents to life. Even if I bring them to life, the harm, dishonor and pain will not go away. However- she said, raising her face and looking at Viggo with eyes full of hope -but if I can protect my people, I will fulfill my Valkyrie duty. Mother, she, would be proud-
Viggo shook his head upon hearing such words What would his own father say to him? Then Viggo, remembering it, said it in a low voice -if one is not well, nothing is right. You get nothing out of becoming the hero of the world because a hero is forgotten and then replaced by his own legend-
Rosewisse froze for a moment, her white wings shuddered, and she picked up her legs and hugged them. She hid her face in her legs and muttered -Then what should I do? Forget everything and pretend my mother's visions never happened-
-I don't know anything about fate- said Viggo -my father says it's the result of a lot of actions. My master says that fate is another lie of the gods. I don't know, but I do know I don't know anything. You see, a while ago I was asked to kill Odin-
Rosewisse opened her eyes wide and raised her face to look at Viggo full of disbelief.
Viggo looked at her face, smiled amicably, which made Rosewisse smile and calm down. Viggo continued -So I wondered why I should kill someone I don't know? And if I succeed in killing him, what will happen after that? That led me to other questions until I'm somewhere in the middle where I don't know what to do-
-How did that happen?-
-At first it was just a challenge imposed by someone else. However, after leaving the protection of my master, I set out to investigate places, found documents, solid rock engravings and drawings. It seems that Odin is the force of death that scourged the land of Midgar. According to the writings I found, there should be several valleys occupied by the dwarves where there should be settlements Do you think they exist?
-I don't know- Rosewisse replied, looking at the bonfire -I've only been in Midgar for days, and I haven't seen anyone alive. The only thing I have found are blinders consumed by Seidr magic, draugrs, ogres, wolves, and Hel walkers. There are not supposed to be hel walkers in Midgar, it is the job of the Valkyries to select the souls of the warriors and relieve the passage of the souls through Helheim, but something happened that they do not do their work-
Viggo and Rosewisse watched the bonfire fire crackle and throw some sparks. They let out a sigh at the same time, as they were both at a point of helplessness and ignorance beyond salvation. In the end, why should they move?
-I met someone, but it's dangerous- Rosewisse said, raising her face and looking at Viggo.
Viggo raised his face and looked into her eyes -Who?- asked.
-Mimir, someone who calls himself the wisest man of the Nine Realms-
-Well, that's it...-
-Egocentric? Yes, I also think the same thing- Rosewisse said with a smile -I asked him a bunch of Midgar things, the reason why our goddess married the god Aesir. He answered everything with incredible eloquence, but he did not know how to answer the two things that mattered most to me: Where is our queen and where are the other Valkyries? The only thing he could tell is the location of the Rocstoll aff valkyrs, but when I went to that place, I did not find answers either. For more bad luck, I came across that bloodthirsty animal. At first, I didn't want to fight with him, but he chased me so insistently that I thought he might know something. That's why I fought with him, otherwise it would never have crossed my mind-
-You did pretty well- said Viggo -I was surprised by your mastery of magic-
-Thank you, do you know?-
-Something, very little- said Viggo elusively. He would never boast of knowing about runes or magic in front of her. It would be just to embarrass himself -let's say it's not my thing-
-Magic is a language, if you know its use, form, and intention, you can master it with relative ease-
-Well, let's say I'm at the stage where I'm learning the use. The form and intention are already a little beyond my capabilities-
Rosewisse nodded, understanding that not everyone was so good at magic -how did you fight Thor?- ask to change the subject.
Viggo raised his left arm, clenched his fist and the blades of the bracelet on the left gauntlet unfolded forming a shield -a gift from my father- said -only now do I realize how good it is-
-Your father must be a great blacksmith-
-Yes, but always fight with my mother to know who is the better of the two-
Rosewisse smiled upon hearing it, looked at the fire, and her eyes filled with tears remembering her own parents. She hugged her legs tighter and hid her face as she sobbed.
Viggo looked at the bonfire, drank the wine from his glass, and tried to pretend to hear nothing. He stayed like this for half an hour until Rosewisse calmed down. She wiped her eyes and stared at the bonfire.
-I help you- said Viggo, Rosewisse looked at him and he continued -I want you to pay me-
Rosewisse frowned, thinking about the things a man might ask of a woman.
Viggo let out a chuckle at the sight of that accusatory look but shook his head. Then he looked at the bonfire and continued -I want you to take me with that sage on the mountain. I would like to ask him a few questions-
Rosewisse softened her expression and looked at the bonfire –it's dangerous, he told me never to go back to that place. It could be my end if the AllFather finds me-
-So, it could be considered a meeting point? That's it, interesting-
-Don't even think about it, if you can't beat Thor, much less beat the AllFather. Legends say that he stole the magic from our goddess. That means he has the power of the Aesir and the Vanir. It's far from your means-
-Well, you may be right, but that doesn't mean we can't ask some questions of the wisest man in the kingdom- Viggo turns his eyes to the roof of the cave in a gesture of annoyance and continuous – "self-proclaimed"-
Rosewisse chuckled at the sight of Viggo's expression because she also found it incredible that someone would proclaim himself in such a way. She took a deep breath, looked at Viggo, red-haired and as young as she was. She nodded and said -okay, I'll take you, but it's up to you if the worst happens-
-In that case, you just must show me the way-
-No way, you already helped me, I would feel bad for you if something happens to you- said Rosewisse -I don't know if fate is a lie, the sum of many parts or something deeper, but I would like to believe that it is destiny to find a friend on this land-
Viggo showed a small smile and nodded. Then he took out some blankets and headboards. He passes some to Rosewisse and said -for you. We will get up early-
-I understand, it is best to go first thing in the morning. Hopefully you will find the answers to your questions-
-Hopefully- Viggo replied with a smile. He arranged the pillow and leaned back on the blanket and covered himself with another. The next instant he heard a chuckle and looked to the right. Rosewisse laughed at the expression of a laughing fairy.
-I had never met anyone who slept with their armor on- Rosewisse said.
Viggo looked at his chest, saw the breastplate and his hands covered by gauntlets. Although he was wearing them, they were so comfortable that for a moment he forgot he was wearing them. Viggo smiled and closed his eyes -good night, Rosewisse-
Rosewisse saw him lying on the blanket and covered by another. His red hair falling out on the sides of his face. Rosewisse questioned whether it was okay to trust a stranger. However, he behaved so kind and pleasant that it became impossible for her to think of him as a bad person. At least, so far, he doesn't let her down. It felt good to chat with someone else after so long.