All-Father Odin

(3rd Person POV)

"Oh? Is it over?", Odin asks.

"Aye, Father. I didn't want to hurt or trap you, I only wanted to teach you some humility and not look down on humans so much, because I sensed your potential. I can't see the end of your story. So I thought that I would make you understand and see things from another perspective.", Loki said a bit down at the moment. 

"Why are you down, son? You did well. That is a noble goal instead of your usual goals. I can see that you truly changed. But your desire to play some tricks and have fun hasn't left you."

"I guess so, hehehe."

"But what you don't understand is that I don't look down on humans. They will come and they will be chaotic and selfish, greedy and all other types of things. But there are also those taht will be loving, kind, generous and more. I can see that they will spawn some truly powerful characters and I wouldn't look down on something that can spawn such power. Also, they are creations of my wife, how could I ever look down on that?"

"Future wife, you're not married yet.", Loki said with a smile. 

"And whose fault is that? I was about to go back to Asgard and visit Father when you must have picked me up. Now I hope that he's still alive.", Odin says. 

"He's still alive. But you already know that. I'm glad I got to see a different Odin. I think I would have liked to be your son.", Loki says. 

"And I would have liked for you to be my son. And there is nothing that says we can't have that. If you ever want, come to me.", Odin says with a soft tone. 

Loki looked at Odin in surprise but then smiled as well. 

"Well, it is time I leave. Saving the universe and such. You know.", Loki says and scratches his head a bit. 

"I understand. Until we meet again."

"Yes. Good luck, on the ceremony.", Loki says and then dissolves.

"Thank you."

.

.

(Odin POV)

I finally arrived in Asgard after all these years. I make my way towards my father's location. He is of course in the throne room, where else. I also sense Mother next to him and ... oh. Cul is also here. I did see him before Loki 'grabbed' me. But now that I'm back I can see everything again. 

(A/N I now write Cul with one 'L' instead of two)

That was an important experience for me. I just met one of the most powerful characters of this Multiverse and it put things in perspective again. I loved to 'absorb' all of these new runes and get to learn them again and then slowly walk the path towards the God of Stories. I merely took 1.5 steps, so almost nothing. But the first steps have been done, meaning thanks to my Essence, I will one day unlock this power and use it myself. 

The guards bow when they see me. My aura has changed a lot since I left Asgard. I am like a completely new being. So while I hold all of my power back, my presence is still intimidating and heavy to a degree. 

The door opens and I finally walk into the throne room and kneel before my father. 

"I have returned, All-Father.", I say. Bor doesn't say anything for a moment. He is trying to measure me and see my progress. But that is no longer possible for him. He can only guess. But I think that guess is enough.

"Odin, you have grown. Welcome home son. Your brother Cul has also returned from Aesheim and he tells me great stories of elder gods battling as well as Priordials. Do you know something about that?", he asks me. 

"I know about it, Father."

"And what can you tell me about it?", he asks me. I contemplate telling lying to him but it doesn't matter. Gaea will be my Queen, so it's better I tell them everything. So I tell them the short version of the events that happened during the extinction events on the planet. When I am finished both Bor and Cul are flabbergasted. My mother Bestla on the other hand ... only picked up on this 'Gaea' woman and her relationship with me. *Sigh*

"So you are telling me that you fought with the elder god Set and the primordial Ouranos and managed to come out victorious?", my father asks me. 

"I would say, we fought to a standstill. Set fled to his dimension and Ouranos reformed about a century later. So I didn't win anything."

"Such humbleness doesn't suit the next All-Father, Odin.", Bor says. I knew this would happen so I'm not surprised. I am already prepared for what comes next. 

"WHAT?!", Cul screams, "I am the eldest son of Bor. I am the rightful heir and future All-Father. Not him!"

"Silence! I have decided to allow Odin to become the All-Father. You will do well to remember your place Cul. I am still King of Asgard and as long as I am king, you will do as I say!", Bor says but his strength has weakened greatly, so his tone is no longer intimidating for Cul. 

"You are a weak man! Weak men don't have a right to decide over the fate of the strong!", Cul screams in anger. 

"How dare you?! Reel in your presence boy, you stand before Bor the-"

"I don't CARE!! DIE OLD MAN!", Cul screams and attacks Father with his sword. Bor as well as everyone else is surprised by this. No one can stop the young god, since he is currently the strongest in the room ... alright that was a lie. Someone knew this was going to happen and had prepared accordingly. 

Cul swung his sword at Bor and just as the blade was about to cut Bor, a blue shield made from runes appeared and not only protected Bor but also caused the force of Cul's strike to rebound and hit him, causing him to fly through the throne room and impact the wall. 

.

"What ... was that?", Bor asks and looks to me. I swipe my hand and the shield disappears. I look back to Cul who is now kneeling on the ground, panting and holding his chest. He looks at me angrily. 

"This isn't over Odin! You will never be All-Father, that I swear!", Cul says and then jumps out and flees using the Bifrost. I could have stopped him, but I wanted to have all of his forces in one place. I haven't moved from my spot and look at my father waiting for his verdict. Bor looked at me and understood that it must have been me who protected him. He descended from his throne and walked up to me. 

"Odin Borson, I Bor Burison, All-Father, King of Asgard and protector of the ten realms hereby name thee my successor and the new All-Father. Rise, my son.", he says and I stand up to face him. There I see a very rare moment when Bor smiles lightly. 

"I am proud of you Odin. You have grown powerful. And to think that you aren't even 300 years old. I have truly grown old."

"I am much more interested in this Gaea you told us about. What can you tell us about her, son?", Mother asks as she makes her way towards me as well, smiling mischievously. 

"Your instincts are astounding Mother. She is indeed my beloved and I wish to take her as my wife.", I say. My mother beams in joy as she finally has something to talk to me about. I regret not changing this future that I saw. I guess this suffering also belongs to being the All-Father. 

.

I spent the day with Mother and told her all about Gaea. After talking with Mother and Father for an entire day and telling them a bit about what I did all these years, we decided on the date of the ceremony that would crown me the new King of Asgard. I went back to Aesheim and told Gaea about the news. She was of course overjoyed even though she already knew this would happen. I told her how things would go down but she was still happy nonetheless. 

I took Gaea to Asgard for the first time and she was impressed at the feeling and architecture. She saw what one day could happen in Aesheim or Midgard as I planned on renaming it. She was like a small child, looking around everything and trying new foods. I managed to bring her to the palace and introduced her to my father and then ... my mother. Using the power of runes, I managed to flee this discussion and went to have a drink with Father, leaving the ladies to talk among themselves. 

"So have you decided what you want to do as the next All-Father?", he asks me. 

"I will have to deal with Cul first and foremost. He has already tainted the ten realms with his 'Worthy' and has them spread fear in his name. I can't let that happen, since his base is in Aesheim and I won't let him taint my wife's world like that."

"She's quite the catch you got there, son. Tell me when can I expect some children?", he asks me.

"We decided to wait to have children before I become All-Father. I needed to spend a lot of time training and growing stronger. If I have children I at least want to spend time with them."

"Oho, unlike your old man you mean? Hahahaha."

"..."

"I guess you're right. Aye, I didn't think you would have grown soft in Aesheim. To think that with all that power, you have grown such a character trait, hahahahaha."

"Setting priorities is not a weakness. On the contrary, it is strength. I take my time to grow more powerful, in order to be able to guarantee safety to my family and Asgard."

"Is that where those eyes come from?"

"What do you mean?"

"I am talking about the fact that you haven't opened them since you came back."

I opened my eyes and looked at my father. I saw his expression and surprise. He knew what it was that I used to defend him from Cul. 

"Runes ... you sacrificed a lot, Odin. I hope it was worth it."

"It was."

.

Then the big day came. It was to be a giant ceremony and an even bigger feast and celebration afterwards. I dressed in the finest armour that we had right now. I would make sure to create better armour for myself. While gold was cool and all, it wasn't really something I found the best. I would think about designs later after. The ceremony wouldn't take that long, but it was made up of a grand showing for all the people of Asgard, so there were a lot of things to show off. 

We, Gaea and I, rode in a chariot through Asgard along with many soldiers and high-ranking officials. Then we made our way into the palace nd the throne room where the final part would take place. Gaea was already known to be my wife in all but name and ceremony. That would take place right after I was made king. 

I walked into the grand hall where Bor was sitting on the throne with my mother next to him smiling at me with pride. She seemed to be pained by the results of Cul, but not nearly as much as one might expect. I knew the reason for that, was the rising fear she had for her eldest son. Cul never cared about his mother and never bothered with her. So there was no real kinship between them. 

"Odin Borson, are you ready to take up the position of King of Asgard and become the All-Father? The protector of all ten realms and of the Asgardian people?"

"Aye, I do."

"Then I hereby crown you, All-Father Odin Borson, King of Asgard, protector of the ten realms. Rise."

"WOOOAAAAAHHHHHH" "OOOOOHHHHHHHHAAAAA"

Loud cheering was heard all over Asgard that day. The cosmos could feel it, a new All-Father, the strongest one ever, had been crowned.