Chapter 8: Paradise Prison

ODIN'S POV 

So far, my plan seems to be going accordingly. I have no idea who that soul who is, other than I'm the reason it's here in our world inside that headless body, and of course I'm not his long time friend, but the reason Magni and Modi believe me so much and wouldn't think that I'm lying is because before I summoned him I took the time to talk and brag about this headless body to these idiots for a long time so that it's indoctrinated in their heads that this headless body before is someone respect highly in their perspective, but in reality he's nothing but a... 

Thus far, my scheme unfolds as planned. The soul within that headless vessel remains a mystery to me, save for the fact that it was me that brought it forth into our realm. While I bear no bond of old camaraderie with it, the faith of Magni and Modi in my words is unshakable. I planted seeds of admiration for the headless knight in their minds long before its summoning, ensuring their unwavering trust. 

"Ugh... gosh... I'm so embarrassed. You talk such a big game to your grandkids, and here I am, looking like a total coward! Can't blame them for poking fun," the headless creature muttered, still cowering on the ground. 

"Ease your mind, friend. Fear not, for they shall soon learn of your memory loss, understanding that you are not the same man you once were," I spoke, striving to offer solace. 

In the eyes of Magni and Modi, they should perceive you as a figure of respect and honor, swayed by the tales I spun of your former self. Yet, in truth, you are... 

A surge of rage clawed at my consciousness, dredging up memories best left buried. Yet, I mastered myself with a deep breath, steeling against the onslaught of humiliation. 

"This is necessary," I reminded myself, quelling the rising tide of emotion. "My grandsons must remain oblivious to my true intentions." 

As I prepared to elucidate the intricacies of our current predicament, that accursed black horse continued to shoot venomous glares in my direction. It was clear why; our shared history with another individual bred such animosity between us. Yet, its hostility risked arousing suspicion in the headless knight, should he observe his steed's peculiar behavior. 

Determined to quash any suspicion, I approached the steed, its muscles tensing in anticipation of an attack. Yet, I spoke not of violence, but of warning, my voice a whisper meant for its ears alone. 

"Do not mistake my current form for weakness," I cautioned, my tone laced with menace. Skepticism lingered in the steed's eyes, prompting me to offer tangible proof of my potency. 

With a convulsive cough, I expelled a glimmering golden toothpick from my gullet, catching it deftly in my beak. The steed recoiled in terror, its ebony coat paling in response, a tangible manifestation of its fear. 

Satisfied that I had asserted dominance, I turned my attention back to our headless guest, ready to divulge the intricacies of our predicament. 

"Huh? What's up with you and the horsey over there? Why's it all freaked out? And whoa, where'd you get a toothpick from? I thought birds don't have teeth," the headless knight asked, looking at the black horse with concern as he picked himself up from the ground, still feeling embarrassed about not having a head. 

"Aye, perhaps ye should inquire of it," I suggested, my words dripping with the venom of a veiled threat aimed at the horse. It understood its role and swiftly abandoned its pretense of fear. 

"Apologies for the delay, but I reckon ye must be wonderin' why we find ourselves in this splendid realm," I exclaimed cheerfully, addressing the headless knight. 

"Yeah! You keep saying it's a prison, but I don't get it! How can this awesome place be a prison?" the headless knight asked, puzzled. 

"To be precise, it's not the place itself that's the prison, but rather the influence it has," I replied, prompting the headless knight to tilt its head in confusion, mirroring the perplexity of Magni and Modi. 

"I don't get it, Grandfather. What are you saying?" Modi asked. 

"Hahaha! You're so dense! I totally get what Grandfather means! That's why Father thinks I'm better than you!" Magni taunted, triggering Modi's retort, "What did you say?" This exchange led to my two foolish grandsons butting heads. 

"The essence of this realm gradually erases any desire to depart. It saps your will to leave until you no longer wish to. It robs you of your freedom and choice to seek the world beyond. In essence, it seeks to make you forget the outside world," I unraveled. 

"What?! But... how do you know? Couldn't it just be that you don't want to leave because this place looks so stunningly beautiful?" the headless knight argued, a note of skepticism in his voice. 

"In comparison to other realms I've traversed, this place is the least beautiful," I declared. 

"Alright, you say that, but what I want to know is why we're in this place in the first instance, or why we're the only ones in this vast expanse," the headless knight inquired. 

"Aye, I saw this question coming," 

I turned to Magni and Modi, "Boys, give us some space. There's a matter I need to discuss with my old friend, a private talk." 

"Aye, sir," Modi complied. 

"You see? It's your unsightly mug that's driving grandfather to send us off," Magni taunted. 

"Like you're any prettier!" Modi retorted. 

"Ha! Look who's talking! I bear the same hair as Father, resembling him more, while you, you take after Mother. No wonder Father mistakes you for a woman sometimes!" Magni jeered, chuckling as he walked away. 

"Father does not think I'm a woman!" Modi protested, his irritation palpable. 

"Sure, sure, but at least my looks are chosen by our father's genes!" Magni cackled. 

As the bickering brothers departed, leaving me alone with the headless knight and... 

I glanced at the black horse, realizing I hadn't made it clear that only my old friend and I needed privacy. 

"Hey, friend, would you mind asking your horse to give us some space as well?" I asked, feigning politeness. 

"Hey, horsey, thanks for sticking by me, but something's telling me to trust him since he seems to know a lot about me and I'm clueless," the headless knight said, patting the horse as it obediently wandered off. 

"Alright, now that the horsey's gone, what did you want to tell me that you couldn't say in front of everyone?" the headless knight asked. 

"The reason we find ourselves in this prison is tied to the very absence of your memories," I explained, capturing the headless knight's attention as he eagerly leaned in. "REALLY?! THEN TELL ME NOW! HOW CAN I GET THEM BACK! WHAT DO I DO!" 

"Calm yourself, and allow me to explain," I began, clearing my throat. "Right now, we're faced with an adversary." 

"An enemy?" the headless knight echoed. 

"Aye, and that enemy is an Asgardian warrior named Thor, the god of thunder, also my son and the father of my two idiot grandsons, Magni and Modi," I divulged. 

"Wait! You're saying your own son tossed you guys in here! But why? Why would he do that to his own sons? Aren't you meant to be family? Was there some quarrel or dispute? Don't Magni and Modi know their father banished them?" the headless knight bombarded me with questions. 

"Aye, my idiot grandsons know their father banished them, but being fools, they believe it's a test or training from their father to earn his honor or respect," I responded, addressing one of his queries. 

"But why would your own son betray you? Doesn't he care for you? Shouldn't a son respect and love his father?" the headless knight protested. 

"Love? Respect? In Asgard, such sentiments are reserved for the strong and wise. If not, you're deemed worthless," I replied. 

"What?! You're saying love and respect are only for the strong? That's absurd! He's your son, so you only love him because he's strong?" the headless knight exclaimed, his passion evident. 

I wondered why the headless knight suddenly showed such fervor about our family. We were veering off-topic. 

"Let us focus on what matters," I interjected, attempting to steer us back on course. 

"Focus? You've got to be kidding me," the headless knight scoffed. 

"Anyhow, my son's motive is power," I continued. 

"Power? That's vague. What kind of power? And how does it involve me?" the headless knight inquired. 

"My son Thor is insufferably arrogant, much like his sons, but his ambition to be the strongest has driven him to covet the throne of Asgard. Unfortunately, he succeeded, but not without help," I explained. 

"Alright, but why am I here? Why was I thrown into this place?" the headless knight demanded. 

"Because when Thor confronted me, he came bearing your head," I revealed. 

"My head?! Why does he have my head? Does that mean he's the reason I lost my memories? Wait, why am I not dead? I'm so confused!" the headless knight panicked, his voice rising. 

"As I said before, you were once a formidable being, unstoppable in your fury. Your head held vast knowledge that Thor lacked. He may have had brute strength, but compared to me, he lacked wisdom. In our clash, he gained the upper hand and cast me into this place," I explained. 

"My head was brimming with knowledge? So I was super smart? Like, really, really smart? Wow. But hold on! Does that explain how I'm still alive without a head? And is my head alive or dead?" the headless knight queried. 

"Hehe, even when you had your head, you had a habit of not wearing it but carrying it around," I chuckled. 

"Why's that?" the headless knight asked curiously. 

"I don't know, I suppose that was just who you were," I replied, forcing a smile. 

"But if Magni and Modi already know their father sent them here, why did you have to send everyone else away?" the headless knight pressed. 

"Magni and Modi hold such pride and honor as warriors, and they respect their father so much that they value him more than their own lives. When they learned their father defeated me, they were filled with excitement and eagerness to become stronger like him," I explained. 

"So what's the issue? They seem to know everything," the headless knight remarked. 

"Yes, they know everything except that their father used trickery to defeat me, utilizing your head as a source of knowledge. If they were to discover their father's underhanded tactics, it would shatter their spirits, and I can't afford that right now. We need them for the future battle against him," I elaborated. 

"I just don't understand why their dad would throw them here. I get your reasoning, but why his two sons? He only wants to overthrow you, not them?" the headless knight pondered. 

"That... I don't know..." I admitted, unable to provide a satisfactory answer. 

"But to address the rest of your questions, perhaps it's better for you to uncover the truth yourself. However, that's only if you're willing to aid me in defeating my son and retrieving your head to regain your memories." 

And with this lie, seemingly solid and without any gaps, surely he would agree to my proposal. 

"Ugh... I don't know..." the headless knight hesitated. 

What? He's still unsure? Doesn't he want to discover his identity? Well, it's not as if finding the head of his body will benefit him, and I do have his memories sealed away, which I can unseal at any time, though he doesn't need to know that. This is all for my benefit and my goal of achieving revenge! There's no way a deity like myself will ever endure such humiliation again! And this plan of mine isn't just about revenge; it's about inflicting a hundred times the embarrassment upon him. I can't wait to see his reaction! 

But then it struck me: if I were truly a god, would I need to resort to lies and underhanded tactics to achieve my desires? Wouldn't a true deity be able to attain what he wants effortlessly? 

The thought vexed me, but sometimes things don't unfold as planned, I suppose!