Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After a brief discussion with Odin regarding the future of their respective Communities, Vahn retired to the room where Sis and Fenrir were waiting for him. Muninn, Vor, and the rest of the Valkyries were also present, but Vahn promptly dismissed them as he was rarely in the mood the mingle with 'outsiders' after a moderately serious discussion.
When everyone else was gone, Vahn effectively isolated the room they were staying in from the rest of reality before transforming into a younger version of himself. Ever since Sis had confided in him the fact she wished to be his mother, there were times when Vahn allowed her to pamper him at her leisure.
With Fenrir's transformed body serving as their backrest, Vahn allowed Sis to comb her fingers through his hair, her voice soft and melodic as she whispered, "You worked hard today..."
Though he felt like he hadn't made that much of an effort, Vahn intoned a lazy, "Nn..." rather than refuting Sis's words. At his current level, the only times he felt like he exerted himself was during the creation process of a Companion or Zanpakuto. Everything else was almost too easy...
Aware of Vahn's thoughts, Sis took a moment to deliberate before asking, "What do you want to do now? Nothing is forcing us to stay the night in Asgard. If you want, we can immediately head South or return to the Sage Dragon's Hearth."
As tempting as the thought was, Vahn didn't hesitate to shake his head and say, "We'll wrap things up with Mount Olympus and the Draco Grief Alliance before heading back. I'm the reason everyone else is working so hard, so I need to at least set the stage before indulging myself..."
Instead of trying to convince him otherwise, Sis supplied an affirming, "Nn." of her own while continuing to caress Vahn's head.
As it stood, the forces of the Aldrnari Empire were more than enough to conquer the Little Garden. If Vahn asked it of her, Sis was relatively sure she could secure the Rank 1 position unaided. The only reason she didn't was because Vahn 'needed' to seize it for himself.
Due to the influences of Chloe, Hephaestus, Tsubaki, and several others, Vahn had the mentality that power and status had to be acquired through one's efforts. The Path allowed him to reach heights even the Gods could not imagine, but he was determined to comprehend the 'truth' on his own. It was one of his best and most discordant traits...
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After a relatively short rest, which was actually several hours outside, Vahn, Sis, and Fenrir emerged from their room to find Vor and a buxom, white-haired Valkyrie named R&oacute;ta waiting out in the hall. They had stuck around since the previous night to readily attend to any requests he or the girls may have at a moment's notice.
While Vor wore her usual, flower-bottomed waistcoat and skin-tight battle suit, R&oacute;ta was a stark contrast to most of her sisters as she wore a multi-layered gown and a fur-lined coat that gave the impression she operated in frigid climates. The only thing that contradicted this impression was the rather large 'boob window' that exhibited her ample bosom.
Though the two of them shared the rank of Lieutenant within the White Raven Community, it was Vor who stepped forward to explain, "We have been tasked with attending you during your stay. If it pleases-"
Before Vor could finish her prepared speech, Vahn shook his head and said, "We won't be staying much longer. I've already reached a provisional agreement with Odin, and the World Tree has made a full recovery. Unless there is something that requires my attention, there are matters for me to attend elsewhere."
Despite appearing to put his foot down, Vahn was concurrently speaking with Loi-chan to ascertain whether or not Vor or the rest had something to request of him. To his surprise, there was actually quite a lot...
Stopping time for himself, Sis, Fenrir, and Vor, Vahn exhaled a sigh before meeting the stoic Valkyrie's golden gaze and wryly remarking, "I suppose I should have seen this coming..."
Though it was stored within the depths of Vor's supercomputer-like mind, Loi-chan had no trouble accessing her deepest secrets.
After spending a considerable amount of time with Vahn, especially near the beginning of her stay in the East, Vor had gradually developed a more independent mentality. She had started to seriously consider whether or not there were other paths for Valkyries to walk, so her plan was to have Vahn visit the Great Hall of Valhalla so that he could see how the average Valkyrie was treated.
It wasn't pretty.
Hanging her head, Vor revealed a mixture of vulnerability and shame as she said, "I have no lost sight of my duty...however, there should be more to a Valkyrie's life than serving others. Many Valkyries are little more than outlets for the Einherjar's sexual desires, dedicating their entire lives to a group of people who only care for themselves and their skewed views of honor."
Though he was tempted to interrupt Vor halfway through her explanation, Vahn allowed her to continue to the end. The moment Loi-chan revealed the 'truth,' he didn't need further convincing. In fact, he had already been aware of the Valkyries' rather miserable existence for quite some time. It just hadn't been one of his priorities.
With Vor beginning to express herself, the way in which Vahn viewed their relationship changed on a fundamental level. Before, he regarded her in a similar light as Muninn, someone he periodically slept with but had limited affection for. Now, she had managed to elevate herself to an equal status as Lenneth; not quite a lover but exceedingly close.
Despite having already made up his mind, Vahn asked, "And what would you have me do? I can discuss the matter with Odin, but it would take a considerable amount of time to bring about lasting change. In the worst case scenario, future generations of Valkyrie will simply have their sense of self removed..."
Having explored worlds where artificial beings had managed to become self-aware, Vahn knew how resistant people were to the idea of service-oriented beings turning against them. It very rarely ended well.
Fortunately, though it was the same answer Vahn had reached, Vor had already thought of a solution, explaining, "There are entities that care for the World Tree and govern the destiny of all beings that inhabit the Nine Realms. Since you were able to heal the World Tree, they are obligated to repay you. With their power, they should be able to change the fates of all past, present, and future Valkyries."
Though her words were tantamount to treason, Vor maintained a resolute expression as she revealed her plan. Before meeting Vahn, she had never questioned her father's wisdom. Now, she couldn't help feeling as though he had been misguided. The average Valkyrie was vastly superior to the average Einherjar, so why were the latter elevated to the status of Heroes while she and her sisters were bound to a life of servitude? It just didn't make sense.
What Vor failed to account for was the amount of time and resources that went into the creation of a single Valkyrie. Most Communities, even those backed by powerful Creation Deities, had a finite number of resources at their disposal. The production of Gods required the allocation of Divinity and the splitting of a Creation Deity's Divine Spark, while the formation of Realms was even more taxing. In that regard, it was significantly easier to elevate hundreds of qualified mortals to the status of Einherjar than it was to produce even a single Valkyrie.
Rather than revealing the truth, Vahn just nodded in response to Vor's proposal, stating, "Very well. I'll convene with Odin to inform him of my decision and then meet with the Norns. I don't want to destabilize the Nine Realms completely."
Understanding that Vahn wasn't the type to renege on his promises, Vor felt as though she had just unloaded a tremendous burden. Ever since she first began having thoughts of liberating her sisters, she had been worried that Vahn would refuse or, even worse, expose her treachery. Everything she knew about him contrasted this sentiment, but it was difficult to trust even herself after she had started to question her very existence.
Placing her hand over her chest, Vor muttered the most sincere, "Thank you." just about any Valkyrie had ever given. At the same time, she told herself that if Vahn requested it of her, she would tear out her own heart at his behest. Instead, he approached her with an affectionate smile on his face and said, "Don't mention it." before gently caressing her head...
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After promising Odin S and A-Rank Gifts for each Valkyrie that was to be liberated, Vahn found himself at the base of a truly awe-inspiring ash tree.
Though he knew Yggdrasil would be massive, standing at the base of a tree whose canopy rivaled the diameter of a small star was still a sight to behold. If not for the three beauties standing across from him, Vahn may have lost himself in the nebulous ocean of stars that glistened amongst Yddragsil's boughs.
As giantesses born from the Yggdrasil, the Norns were nearly as stunning as the World Tree itself. The eldest, representing the future, was Ur&eth;r, a breathtakingly attractive giantess with pink hair that turned a luminous shade of blue as it cascaded down a voluptuous body veiled in little more than feathers.
Not losing out to her elder sister, Ver&eth;andi, the middle Norn representing the present, possessed extraordinary features that included lavender hair, golden eyes, long legs, six black wings, and a phenomenal bust. She was also the tallest of the three, standing roughly thirty meters tall compared to Ur&eth;r's twenty-eight and their youngest sister's, Skuld's, twenty-five.
As the youngest of the Norns, though they were actually formed around the same time, Skuld had the most youthful figure and features. She was the Norn representing the future, so people would get the feeling she still had room to grow even though she was already a phantasmal beauty with fair skin, purple hair, lilac eyes, and six angelic wings.
With Vahn having grown to exceed even their height, Ver&eth;andi, serving as the representative of the group, stared up at him as she stated, "What you ask for is not something we can supply with ease. Unlike mortals, the fate of the Valkyries has been written in stone since their inception. Changing the fate of an individual is a simple matter, but rewriting the fates of every Valkyrie will require a tremendous amount of sacrifice..."
As even Odin had been forced to stab and hang himself from the boughs of the World Tree in exchange for the Norn's assistance, Vahn wasn't even remotely surprised by Ver&eth;andi's words. Instead, his expression remained calm and serene as the surface of a frozen lake as he answered, "I have already made my decision. Tell me what you require, and I will provide it."
After exchanging glances with her sisters, Ver&eth;andi gazed back at Vahn as she explained, "To become the Master of the Past, Present, and Future, you must complete each of our trials. Be warned, however, as none before you have been able to complete even a single one."
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn responded with a terse, "Let's get on with it." At his current level, it didn't really matter what kind of trials the Norns had prepared. Even the Central Network couldn't bind him, so their magic could only affect him so long as he allowed it.
Though she felt as though Vahn was looking down on them, Ver&eth;andi was well acquainted with the vainglory of the Gods. She also knew that, unlike the vast majority of Gods that had attempted their trials, Vahn had reason to be confident. After all, he was the first person they had been unable to see through.
"Very well then. Allow us to bear witness to the power of the Sage Dragon Emperor. Show us you have what it takes to be the Master of Fate."
Punctuating her words, Ver&eth;andi tapped her spear-like staff against the ground to produce several watery ripples. Shortly thereafter, Vahn found himself alone in the middle of a dark chamber with a very ancient-looking Geass Roll unfurling in front of him...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Enviable...','People fear being made obsolete...','As if Vahn needs confirmation...')

Reading through the Norns' Geass Roll, a faint smile gradually developed across Vahn's face. There were a total of nine Trials, and while some of them seemed troublesome, he could imagine several not even activating against him.
Putting his theory to the test, Vahn waved away the scroll before making his way over to an oval-shaped mirror that had manifested on the nearby wall. It was supposed to show an image of his younger self so they could confront one another about how his hopes and dreams had changed over time. Instead, it reflected his present self against a backdrop of hazy pink mist.
After several moments of nothing happening, a spatial distortion occurred to Vahn's left as Ur&eth;r appeared to say, "You need to open your mind so my power can take effect. You'll never become Master of the Past by refusing to face it..."
Maintaining a relaxed smile, Vahn retorted, "Nowhere in the Geass Roll did it state I must allow myself to be influenced by your powers. I looked into the mirror, and nothing happened. That's on you."
Furrowing her brows, Ur&eth;r poutily remarked, "That's not very sporting of you..." before pausing for a moment and asking, "What are you afraid of? Is the past something even the legendary Sage Dragon Emperor fears to confront?"
Rolling his eyes, Vahn returned his gaze to the mirror. However, instead of the image within changing, the world around him began to distort as Ur&eth;r nervously inquired, "What are you doing...?"
Without breaking eye contact with himself, Vahn explained, "I am a being that carries his past with him wherever he goes. I do not fear it. Rather, I have embraced it long ago..."
Turning around, Vahn ignored Ur&eth;r as he made his way over to the side of a limbless boy staring listlessly up at the ceiling. When he did, the youth stared back at him with familiar aquamarine eyes, asking, "Who are you?" in a confused but unafraid tone.
Instead of answering his past self's question, Vahn asked one of his own, specifically, "Tell me...what is your wish?"
Since the illusion was a fragmented manifestation of himself, Vahn was genuinely curious about its response. Unsurprisingly, the youth hesitated for a moment before answering, "I want to be free..." with a considerable amount of longing in his voice.
Nodding his head in approval, Vahn was about to release his past self from his bindings when the latter surprised him by adding, "But I also want to help people..."
Retracting his hand, Vahn emitted a curious, "Oh...?" before asking, "And which, in your opinion, is more important? Helping people or being free?"
Too weak to shake his head, the limbless youth stared blankly for a few moments before answering, "I don't know...I just feel like I'm supposed to help people..."
"I see...but what if you could only choose one of the two? Freedom often means behaving selfishly, prioritizing your personal wants and needs over the interests of others. Helping people generally requires a sacrifice...and when you give even a little bit of yourself to someone, others will come to expect comparable treatment. In the end, you may even find yourself in a situation where you have nothing left to give..."
Staring at the emaciated figure of his past self, Vahn's words resonated with himself as much as they did the young boy strapped to the operation table. If not for the existence of The Path, he would have run out of things to give long ago...
Closing his eyes, the much younger version of Vahn appeared to be contemplating his future counterpart's words before answering, "Then I would choose to help people...I've already given so much...maybe if I give the rest, I can be free in my next life...?"
Hearing his younger self's response, Vahn found himself at a genuine loss for words. He knew Dr. Keenly had instilled in him a bit of a hero complex, but it was still jarring to hear such a young child talking about sacrificing themselves for the chance to be happy in their next life...
Suppressing a sigh, a melancholic smile developed across Vahn's face as he rustled his younger self's hair and said, "You're a good kid. See you on the other side."
Though he was confused by the stranger's words and behavior, the young Vahn returned a weak smile in response to having his hair ruffled. He felt a sense of familiarity towards the tall and robust figure, but before he could inquire about Vahn's identity, the illusion forming him dissipated, returning to memory.
Shifting his attention to Ur&eth;r, Vahn asked, "Satisfied?" with a borderline deadpan on his face.
Though she was tempted to refuse and say that Vahn couldn't just create his own illusions to overcome, Ur&eth;r was silenced when the door leading to the ensuing Trial suddenly opened. This implied that the Central Network recognized his accomplishment, so she had no choice but to answer, "It would appear you have succeeded with my First Trial. I don't like how you did it, but I can't argue if the Central Network recognizes the result. When you're ready, proceed through that door."
Feeling a little miffed, Ur&eth;r followed her words by disappearing along with her mirror. She had the feeling that Vahn had tampered with it, so she was going to inspect it while he was undergoing the Trials of her two sisters...
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Making his way into the next room, Vahn discovered a vaguely humanoid golem that appeared to be constructed from a rainbow-hued metal similar to Bismuth. When he entered, the golem quickly took his shape, mirroring his movements as Ver&eth;andi's voice explained, "In order to advance to the next Trial, you must first overcome your present self. Good luck."
Raising his brows, Vahn mused, "A Doppelganger...?" as the metallic figure gradually solidified into a copy of himself. Then, seemingly in response to his question, the figure raised its brows and repeated, "A Doppelganger?" in the same tone of voice.
Though he was tempted to fool around and see if the Doppelganger could keep up with him, Vahn manifested Enkidu and sent it charging toward his would-be clone at unimaginable speeds. The Doppelganger attempted to employ an Enkidu of its own, but even the Laws that governed Gift Games couldn't emulate an SSS-Rank Gift.
With all of its powers sealed, the Doppelganger gradually melted into an amorphous blob of rainbow-hued liquid as Vahn made his way over to the next door, musing, "Open sesame." as Ver&eth;andi's intent radiated a feeling of solemnity. She couldn't help feeling as though Vahn's behavior was in defiance of the 'spirit' of their Trials.
Under normal circumstances, challengers attempting to pass through the Second Trial would find themselves in a difficult position, forced to reflect on their actions. The enchantments on the golem transferred any damage it sustained to the attacker, so the best way forward was to make peace with oneself and recognize that violence was not always the solution to a problem.
Unfortunately for Ver&eth;andi, the Central Network acknowledged Vahn's method and allowed him to pass into the next room. All she could do was pray her younger sister was able to delay him as she worked on his next challenge...
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Having witnessed Vahn's general disregard for the previous Trials, Skuld elected to manifest before him, expressing, "You should treat this more seriously. How can you expect to become the Master of Fate if you can't even pretend to care?"
Though he knew Skuld's question wasn't a part of the Trial, Vahn decided to humor her, answering, "The simple fact of the matter is that I'm already a 'Master of Fate.' Me undergoing these Trials is a formality to prevent the Nine Realms from destabilizing. If I wanted to, nothing could prevent me from liberating the Valkyries and setting them on a new path. I don't need others' permission or acknowledgment to do what I think is right."
Taken aback by Vahn's words, Skuld found herself at a momentary loss for her own. Every other person that had attempted their Trials did so in the pursuit of wisdom or power. She could also see the outcome before their Trials even started, so she didn't know how to interact with someone whose future was beyond her sight.
Adopting a faint smile, Vahn said, "Relax. Even though it's not necessary, I intend to complete each of your Trials. I've already decided to liberate the Valkyries from their fates, so I might as well do the same for you and your sisters while I'm here."
Surprised by Vahn's words, Skuld blinked her amethyst eyes several times before asking, "You intend to liberate us? With our power, you could easily become the ruler of the Nine Realms. You could-"
Waving his hand as if he was lazily swatting away a fly, Vahn adopted an impeccable deadpan as he said, "Pass. I'm already capable of creating metaversal structures that exceed the Nine Realms in scope. I don't need someone else's power to rule."
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Sensing no falsehoods in Vahn's words, Skuld, for the first time in her long existence, felt as though her actions were pointless. When she and her sisters first learned that Vahn was the one that supplied the cure for their mother, they decided they would allow him to experience their Trials even though he was an outsider. If he were successful, they would reward him with all of their power and, in turn, their hearts.
Though many, including Odin himself, had attempted to court them, the Norns had remained chaste since they first awoke beneath the canopy of the World Tree. Their power would be transferred to the one that claimed their maidenhood, so they had patiently awaited the day when someone unbound by fate would appear. In that regard, Vahn was the first and, as far as they knew, the only one with such power. If he refused them, Skuld didn't know what they would do...
Surprising the six-winged giantess quite a bit, Vahn answered, "Whatever you want. That's the beauty of being free to choose your own destiny. As for Ur&eth;arbrunnr, you don't have to concern yourself with that. I have a few people in mind who would happily tend to the World Tree in your stead."
"..."
As compelling as Vahn's words were, Skuld couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable knowing he could ascertain her thoughts. She had a habit of peering into the minds and futures of others, but that was a part of her duty as one of the Norns. Knowing there was someone that could peek into her mind was unnerving...
Smiling wryly, Vahn explained, "I'm not reading your thoughts. I can, but I generally tend to avoid employing such invasive methods. What I'm doing is reading your emotions and using context clues to piece together a very general overview of what I assume you're thinking."
"I see..."
Not really feeling better after Vahn's explanation, Skuld briefly averted her eyes from his, her mind clouded with wayward thoughts. There was still a chance that Vahn would fail their Trials, but it didn't seem very likely. Now that she knew her 'freedom' was on the line, Skuld couldn't help feeling a strange sense of...discomfort. She had never considered what she would do if given a choice to act freely...
Sensing Skuld's uncertainty, Vahn's smile became even wrier as he said, "If it's that big a deal, you're more than welcome to come and stay at the Sage Dragon's Hearth. Besides, it's not like I'm outright refusing you and your sisters; I just want you to have a genuine choice in the matter. There should be more to a relationship than a sense of duty or obligation."
Feeling Vahn's sincerity, the apprehensions forming in Skuld's mind faded away as a rare smile developed across her face. Knowing the future was a heavy burden, so she typically appeared rather sickly due to her pale skin and the esoteric quality of her garments. She seldom had anything to look forward to, so Vahn's words were a breath of fresh in a formerly stagnant world...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'A moment of reflection...','Trying to emulate a singularity xD...','Vahn is a strong, independent Creation Deity...!')

With powerful tremors spreading through Asgard, it wasn't long before the Realms protectors, consisting primarily of Valkyries and Einherjar, began to rally in an attempt to uncover the cause.
Fortunately for Muninn, Odin ordered Heimdall and Tyr, the Norse God of War and Justice, to stay alert on the surface while she and the members of the White Raven Community handled things underground.
Following the path of destruction wrought by Fenrir, it wasn't long before G&ouml;ll and Geir&ouml;lul discovered Vahn and his retinue hovering in the air with a disheveled-looking Loki.
With G&ouml;ll and Geir&ouml;lul acting as beacons, Muninn, Vor, and the rest of their group were able to teleport over. When they saw Loki bound in golden chains, Muninn's usually stoic expression immediately paled as she inquired, "You...I mean, Your Imperial Majesty managed to capture the real one...?"
Without taking his eyes off of Loki, Vahn answered, "I have my methods." before shifting his gaze to a seemingly empty area of space and adding, "Don't tempt me..." in a threatening tone.
Though others might not be able to detect such things, Vahn had become increasingly aware of the presence of foreign intentions. Even if someone were to peer across space and time using an advanced form of divination, he would be able to sense them.
In response to Vahn's threat, several of the intents keeping an eye on him immediately vanished. Those that remained were predominately the result of the various forms of omniscience ever-present within the Little Garden, specifically Laplace, Shiroyasha, a few similarly powerful individuals that had little better to do than spy on others.
With most of the peanut gallery departed, Vahn surprised nearly everyone present by releasing Loki from Enkidu's embrace, explaining, "I've severed your contract with the Ragnarok Community. I recommend you lay low for a bit and avoid antagonizing me in the future. Next time, I won't be nearly as merciful."
"Your Majesty...!"
Knowing how dangerous Loki could be if allowed to traipse about, Muninn attempted to interject. Unfortunately, Loki wasn't regarded as one of the most tenacious Gods because of their durability. The moment Vahn let them go, they immediately teleported away without so much as a quip or barb.
Shifting his attention to the understandably incensed Valkyrie, Vahn's expression remained calm and relaxed as he said, "It's not my job to clean up the Nine Realms Community's messes. Loki may have targeted me and my people, but so too did your Community's Thor. The right to spare and or release them is mine, not yours."
Though she 'really' wanted to argue, Muninn remained silent for several seconds before exhaling a tired sigh and muttering, "I understand..." in a sullen tone. She couldn't find fault in Vahn's perspective on the matter, so there wasn't much else she could say.
What Muninn didn't know was that Vahn had no intention of allowing Loki to simply roam free. Much as he had back in the Tower, he placed a curse within their body that would activate the moment Loki attempted to take advantage of a 'protected' class of people. At that point, Loki would have no one else to blame but themselves.
In an attempt to lighten the mood, Vahn snapped his fingers to revert their surroundings to their original state. Sis had created a 'snapshot' of Asgard's underground long before Loki revealed themselves, so it was a simple matter for him to undo the devastation wrought by Fenrir's charge.
Seeing everything spontaneously return to normal, Muninn opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something. Instead, she exhaled another sigh before adopting a faint smile, shaking her head, and muttering, "As expected of the Sage Dragon Emperor..."
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Though he would ordinarily greet guests while seated atop his throne, Odin made an exception for Vahn by choosing to wait for him near the base of the stairs separating the palace from the Bifrost.
While everyone else bowed towards the Chief God of their Pantheon, Vahn made his way over with Sis and Fenrir in arm, saying, "It's good to see you again, Odin."
Adopting a grandfatherly smile, Odin resisted the temptation to inspect Sis with his penetrating blue eye. Instead, he maintained eye contact with Vahn as he replied, "Indeed. I trust my children have not caused you too much trouble?"
Shaking his head, Vahn adopted a smile of his own as he stated, "None worse than my own. While most of my children are good-natured, there are quite a few prone to mischief."
"Mmm...speaking of which, rumor has it that the Little Garden has been blessed with a new generation of Moon Rabbits. I'm looking forward to the restoration of the Moon Palace."
With Odin mentioning his and Black Rabbit's kittens, a far more sincere smile developed across Vahn's face as he mused, "I am very fortunate." while pulling Sis and Fenrir close.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Odin cast his gaze over the two animalistic beauties, remarking, "Indeed." in a sincere tone of voice. Even without scrutinizing them, he could sense the unfathomably vast quantity of energy contained within the two women. Sis, in particular, gave off an impression similar to the World Tree, Yggdrasil.
Seeing through Odin's surface thoughts, Vahn somewhat surprised the elderly God by inquiring, "Thinking of which, how is the World Tree faring? I trust the Panacea I provided functioned without issue?"
While discreetly increasing his mental defenses, Odin nodded his head and replied, "Better than expected. In fact, as far as we can tell, the tree has already made a complete recovery. We were simply waiting for your visit before declaring it to the public."
Unsurprised by the revelation, Vahn maintained a relaxed smile as he said, "That sounds about right. Then I presume the reason for this invitation was to discuss a union of sorts between the Nine Realms and the Aldrnari Empire?"
Gesturing towards the interior of the palace, Odin suggested, "We should move someplace more comfortable to speak in private. As I'm sure you're aware, Valhalla is more than hospitable towards those worthy of entering its halls."
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn replied, "Sounds good." before releasing his hold on Sis and Fenrir, adding, "I'll meet the two of you back at our room. If anyone gives you trouble, be sure to return the favor."
Punctuating his words, Vahn planted kisses on the duo's foreheads before shifting his attention to Muninn, briefly narrowing his eyes as he said, "Try not to lose them this time."
Feeling a shiver run up her spine, Muninn stood even straighter than usual as she hastily replied, "Understood! We won't fail you a second time...!"
Nodding his head in approval, Vahn exchanged a telepathic message with Sis and Fenrir before accompanying Odin into the silvery-golden palace of Valhalla.
As could be expected from a structure that was visible from nearly 150 million kilometers away, stepping into Valhalla was like entering into an entirely separate world. The distance between the floor and ceiling, at least at the entrance, was close to 50 kilometers, while the room Odin escorted him to had a literal mountain range visible in the distance.
Fortunately, even an average human would be able to wander the halls of Valhalla without getting lost as, much like the Bifrost, the floor would glow with a rainbow hue before moving you to your destination. It was nowhere near as convenient as instantaneous teleportation, but that wasn't exactly an option for most people.
While eyeing a few mountain-sized figures walking around in the distance, Odin broke the silence between him and Vahn by revealing, "I viewed the battle between you and my son, Thor. What you said to him near the end; I must admit, I didn't expect it..."
Though he was briefly confused by the elderly God's words, it didn't take long for Vahn to realize Odin was referring to his comment about wanting power so that he wouldn't need to use it.
Seeing no reason to keep silent, Vahn nodded his head and explained, "As much as I enjoy helping people and improving their lives, I've been forced to acknowledge there is no actual reason behind such actions. I will never stop trying to make the world a better place, but eternity is an unforgiving mistress. I've come to realize that even a single moment spent with the people I love has greater meaning than the countless I've spent trying to ensure fairness and equality in the world..."
Turning towards Vahn, Odin's singular sky blue eye blazed with an intense light as he calmly remarked, "You have great wisdom. Mimir himself could not have said it better."
Returning a somewhat sad smile, Vahn softly retorted, "I have everything except the things that truly matter. For their sake, I will stop at nothing to draw even the concepts of fate and identity into myself..."
Sensing the passion contained within Vahn's words despite his tone, Odin felt fear for one of the few times in his life. The former wasn't threatening him or anything, but he got the impression not even the sum of Creation could prevent Vahn from reaching his goal. There was only a singular fate awaiting anyone that got in his way...
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After escaping Asgard and retreating to the Seven-Digit Gates, Loki took several moments to collect themselves before pulling out a fiery red orb and contemplating whether or not to contact Surtr, the current leader of the Ragnarok Community.
Though Vahn had said that the contract between them and the Ragnarok Community had been nullified, Loki didn't immediately believe him. Even they could not annul a contract established through the Central Network without something like a Gift Game, so it wasn't easy to believe they had been liberated so easily.
Deciding it was better to be safe than sorry, Loki activated the fiery red orb and waited for it to connect to Surtr. Instead, the orb flickered a few times before turning pitch black, seemingly broken.
Groaning in frustration, Loki droned, "Seriously...?" before smacking the orb against a nearby wall. Somewhat surprisingly, this actually seemed to work as the orb immediately regained its luster, revealing a woman with raven-black hair, dark green eyes, and pale, almost snow-white skin.
Recognizing the woman as one of their children, confusion briefly marred Loki's expression as they asked, "Hel? Why are you answering instead of Surtr? Don't tell me you're sleeping with that ancient piece of charcoal..."
Scoffing in response to her faux father's words, Hel explained, "Surtr has been severely injured, and the entire Community is in complete disarray. What happened between you and the Sage Dragon Emperor?"
Blinking in surprise, Loki asked, "Injured? How...?" in a genuinely confused tone of voice.
Furrowing her brows, Hel answered, "How am I supposed to know? There was an explosion, and then we discovered Surtr unconscious in his throne room. We also checked on you, but you were nowhere to be found. At this point, everyone is assuming you're the one responsible."
While others might be surprised by Hel's words, Loki appeared relatively calm as they remarked, "It certainly sounds like something I would do..."
Shaking their head, Loki preempted their daughter's enraged response by explaining, "The Sage Dragon Emperor was somehow able to pull me into Asgard through my connection with my puppet. I don't know how, but he was able to completely ignore the wards placed by my father and the fact I am prohibited from entering Asgard directly. He is far more capable than we expected."
Understanding that her 'father' wasn't capable of defeating Surtr even with their full strength, Hel was one of the few people that didn't think Loki was responsible for Surtr's injuries. Vahn, however, was more than capable of performing such a feat.
Exhaling a sigh, Hel took a moment to consider her words before saying, "It matters not. Return to Muspelheim and await further instruction. If what you say is true, we'll need to devise a counterme-"
Interrupting before Hel could finish, Loki supplied a curt, "Nah." before promptly smashing the orb against the ground. If Vahn had the power to take out someone like Surtr without having to make an appearance, there was no way in Helheim they were going to face him. More importantly, the fact they could refuse their daughter's command was more than enough evidence to prove they were free from their contract. It had only been a few months since their resurrection, and they weren't going to squander it trying to poke a Dragon that wasn't even asleep...
...
..
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Not my problem...','True wisdom...','Loki be like, "Fuck this shit, I'm out~"')

Chapter 2301: Detour