Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After one final night in Asgard, Vahn left Muninn and Vor to deal with any fallout from freeing the Valkyries while he, Fenrir, and Sis made their way further South to the headquarters of the Draco Grief Alliance, a huge city built beneath a Giant Water Tree.
Though the size of the Giant Water Tree couldn't compare to Yggdrasil, Vahn was still impressed by its beauty. The emerald canopy of the tree spanned several tens of kilometers while the root system branched out toward the horizon. Betwixt this root system, hundreds, if not thousands of canals had been constructed, their interiors reinforced with shimmering green crystals that helped to redirect the water from the Great Water Tree into several large rivers. It was quite the sight to behold, but the reason most people venture to the Giant Water Tree was for what lay beneath, a massive, endlessly expanding depression where the Underground City of Underwood had been constructed.
With more than 90% of Underwood's residents being eudemons, beast people, or some form of magical creature, no one even batted an eye as Vahn, Sis, and Fenrir ventured through the carved wooden streets. From the perspective of the underground city's residents, a 'human' like Vahn stood out more than the two girls, so, shortly after landing, he made his ears pointy, sprouted a pair of curved black horns, and a thick dragon tail tinged with a golden hue.
Though Sis kept periodically poking his tail, Vahn didn't particularly mind it as the three of them made their way down one of the helical paths that lined the interior of the Great Water Tree. Countless shops and entire city districts extended away from the central helix, disappearing into a maze-like structure that spanned hundreds of kilometers. It was pretty easy to get lost if you didn't have a cheat-like mapping ability, but that was a non-issue as Vahn, Sis, and Fenrir had no reason to stray from the city center, the convergence point of the six Communities comprising the Draco Grief Alliance: One Horn, Two Wings, Three Tails, Four Feet, Five Claws, and Six Scars.
Bypassing the headquarters of the other five Communities, Vahn and co continued until they reached the deepest level of Underwood's spiraling path, the location of a vast system of underground tunnels and the One Horn Community Headquarters. Vahn found it a little odd that a Griffin, a creature known for its flying prowess, would establish a Community deep underground, but, seeing how vast some of the surrounding tunnels were, it wasn't difficult to imagine entire squads of Griffins flying through them.
Making their way to a building constructed in and around one of the Great Water Tree's larger root systems, Vahn, Sis, and Fenrir were forced to stop outside a heavily fortified gate by guardsmen and women from more than a dozen different races.
Representing the group was a tall, heavily-armored man with the head of a wolf, shouting, "Halt! You are attempting to enter the Headquarters of One Horn and the Draco Grief Alliance! Unless you have an invitation or an escort, you'll need to be processed before you're allowed entry...!"
Though he was unsurprised by the man's words, an 'are you serious' kind of face developed across Vahn's as he saw the wolf-headed man staring intently at Fenrir. The man had a no-nonsense expression on his face, but the not-so-subtle wagging of his tail made it clear he was excited.
Narrowing her eyes at the wolf-headed man, Fenrir threatened, "I will tear your throat out if you keep looking at me like that..."
Instead of being offended or deterred by Fenrir's words, a literal wolfish-grin developed across the man's face as he brandished his spear and was about to give the order to arrest the three intruders. The moment he even thought about it, however, he abruptly collapsed to the ground like a sack of potatoes, eyes rolled back and frothing at the mouth as Vahn exuded a fraction of his aura and stated, "Inform your leadership that Vahn Aldrnari Mason, the Sage Dragon Emperor, has come to pay a visit."
Upon seeing their companion fall to the ground, many of the guardsmen and women were prepared to detain Vahn and company at all cost. When they heard his introduction, however, they abruptly froze in place as those with the ability felt a cold sweat break out across their bodies.
Just as Vahn was about to retract his aura, a deep and womanly voice called out, "Stand down...!" as a beautiful young woman with bronze skin and vermillion hair leaped through the sky to land between Vahn and the collection of guards. Her pointy ears and horns revealed her heritage as a Dragon's descendent, but the feature most people would notice about her appearance was the scant, dancer-like outfit that did little to conceal her lithe and athletic frame.
Having exposed herself to Vahn's aura, a noticeable shudder shook the body of the bronze-skinned woman before she managed a determined expression and started to ask, "What business&mdash;hold on a minute! Aren't you the Sage Dragon Emperor...!?"
Though she very rarely paid attention to events taking place beyond the South, the bronze-skinned woman, better known as Sala Doldrake, could never mistake the identity of the man who had married her younger sister. His pointed ears, sharper features, horns, and tail had momentarily thrown her off, but the aura he exuded was unmistakably that of a Pure-Blooded Dragon.
Not sure if she should bow or cower, Sala's knees began to shake even as Vahn adopted a casual smile and said, "It's good to finally meet you, Sala. Though you parted ways when she was still an infant, your sister has told me quite a lot about you."
Hearing Vahn mention her abandonment of Sandora, Sala's expression paled as she balled her hands into fists. She doubted Vahn had come all this way to take her back to the North, but the thought of being forced to reconcile with her family terrified her to the core.
Mustering what little willpower she could, Sala sheepishly inquired, "Why have you come here...?"
Not used to seeing their War Leader behaving in such a way, the group of guardsmen and women appeared even more nervous than Sala. Vahn felt a little sorry for them, but he did his best not to mind it as he replied, "We were invited here some time ago by Draco Grief himself. I happened to be in the area after visiting the Nine Realms, so I figured I might as well stop by."
Furrowing her brows, a bit of vigor returned to Sala as she parroted, "The Nine Realms? What business could you possibly have with such a vicious and bloodthirsty lot? Don't tell me..."
Waving his hand in a dismissive manner, Vahn said, "Relax. I'm not trying to destabilize or conquer the South. At the very least, I have no intention of starting a war. If anything, I'm taking measures to prevent one."
"I see..."
Though she didn't fully trust Vahn's words, Sala knew the Aldrnari Empire had more than enough power to conquer the South. If the rumors were to be believed, he was already at a level where he could contend against the ancient beings inhabiting the 1-3-Digit Gates. Even if he wasn't, the Draco Grief Alliance was comprised of six 5-Digit Communities. If not for the fall of Avalon and the constant fighting between the 4-Digit Communities that populated the South, the Draco Grief Alliance would never be able to hold on to the position of Floor Master.
Imagining Vahn's dragon form erasing Underwood with a single sweep of his hand, another powerful shiver wracked Sala's frame. She wasn't cold, but she found herself hugging her body in a vain attempt to suppress her instincts. Her subordinates interpreted her behavior as fear, but Vahn and Sala knew the actual reason for her trembling...
Smiling wryly, Vahn suppressed his draconic aura as much as possible as he said, "Please tell Draco Grief I have come to meet him. The medicine I sent over previously should have healed him fully, but I'd like to check on him at least once."
Recalling that Vahn had, in fact, treated their Leader's illness, Sala felt a sudden urge to apologize on behalf of the entire Draco Grief Alliance. If she lowered her head in her current state, however, she might not be able to raise it without Vahn's permission. The latter's bloodline and aura were so pure that Sala's body, quite literally, craved to submit to him...
Gritting her sharpening teeth, Sala muttered, "Dammit..." under her breath. Then, as if he had been standing right in front of her, Vahn's hand came to rest on her head, an overwhelming calm and cooling energy pervading her body before she even had time to blink. The heat that had been agonizing her disappeared in an instant, replaced by a sense of peaceful serenity as Vahn retracted his hand and revealed, "I sealed your bloodline, albeit only temporarily. You can break it by mustering your power, but I would advise you to keep it in place until my departure. If you want a more permanant solution, I can change your race into something else entirely..."
Though she felt a mixture of frustration and confusion at the first part of Vahn's words, Sala blinked in surprise when he mentioned being able to change her race. One of the reasons she had fled the North was because her father had forced her to consume a special aphrodisiac mixed with his blood. It was supposed to make her more 'compliant.' Instead, it triggered a violent awakening of her draconic heritage, compelling her to attack her father before fleeing in a frenzy. When she finally returned to her senses, most of her power had been lost, and she now felt agitated whenever she was in the presence of other dragons, particularly males.
After briefly considering Vahn's proposal, Sala's pride as a Salamander eventually won out, her expression turning severe as she shook her head and replied, "While I appreciate your concern, this is a matter I must deal with personally. If I can't do this much, I'll never be able to face those my actions have harmed..."
"You're an idiot."
"Wha-"
Without giving Sala a chance to question him, Vahn shook his head and said, "While I understand your reasons, we both know you're just making excuses. The truth of the matter is that your brother and sister have been eagerly awaiting your return. Now that your father is dead, the only thing preventing you from returning home is your selfishness. I'm half-tempted to teleport you over to the North and force you to reconcile...In fact..."
Before Sala could even think to evade or argue, Vahn extended his hand to flick her forehead. The moment his middle finger made contact with the golden band holding up her bangs, the befuddled beauty dispersed into motes of golden light.
Seeing their War Leader suddenly disappear, the guardsmen and women that had been standing around like a bunch of statues immediately came back to life. Those closest attempted to charge at Vahn, but he countered their efforts by casually teleporting them to the surface of Underwood as he, Sis, and Fenrir advanced into the interior. A large gate and an invisible barrier barred their passage, but both warped and distorted to allow the trio passage before repairing themselves the moment they were inside...
Spreading his senses through the compound, a frown marred Vahn's face as he realized there were no Griffins inside. Instead, there was a veritable army of beast people loitering about and a girl with lavender hair sitting in what he had presumed to be Draco's office. She had a tiny, spiral-shaped horn growing from the center of her forehead, and, based on the structure of her aura, Vahn correctly assumed she was a Unicorn...
"That explains the name..."
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'He's just lucky Vahn knocked him out before Fenrir could teach him a lesson...','RIP Sala-chan xD...','Who could have imagined the Leader of One-Horn being a Unicorn (O o O)...?')

*tok* *tok* *tok*
Though it was unusual for people to knock on her door, especially around this time of day, the Leader of One-Horn, one of the last Unicorns, perked up as she replied, "It's open. Please enter."
Doing just that, Vahn opened the door to the room with a friendly smile on his face as he said, "Greetings. It's-"
Rising from her chair with a start, the Leader of One-Horn's eyes were as round as saucers as she abruptly exclaimed, "You're Vahn Aldrnari Mason, the Sage Dragon Emperor...!"
Though he was somewhat surprised by the lavender-haired girl's reaction, Vahn maintained his friendly smile as he raised his hand and issued a curt, "That's me." in a jovial tone.
Exhibiting even more excitement, the Leader of One-Horn took a moment to grab what appeared to be a sketchbook and a pen before rushing over to Vahn with supernatural speed and asking, "Can I please, please, please have your autograph!?"
After quickly confirming there were no shenanigans afoot, Vahn accepted the sketchbook to find an almost photorealistic drawing of himself on the presented page. It, combined with the sparkles in the girl's eyes, made it pretty clear he had himself a little fan.
"Here you go, Miss...?"
"Marianella Silverhoof! Please call me Merry...!"
Nodding his head, Vahn handed the signed sketchpad back to Merry as he replied, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Merry."
Accepting the sketchpad, Merry issued a high-pitched squeal as she hugged it to her chest and did an amusing little jig that involved stamping her feet and spinning around in excitement.
After completing two full revolutions, Merry spontaneously stopped in place, a look of realization developing across her face as she tilted her head to the side and asked, "How are you here right now? I didn't hear anything from Sala-oneechan..."
Closing her eyes, Merry tensed when she perceived that Sala and quite a few of her guards were missing. Her body immediately began to tremble, but, instead of exhibiting fear, there was a hint of excitement in her gaze as she opened her eyes, allowed the band of her white dress to slip from her left shoulder, and muttered, "Oh, no...what are you planning to do with me...?"
"..." x 3
While being sure to avoid Merry's horn, an appendage rumored to be able to pierce through virtually anything, Vahn gave the 133cm tall girl a pat on the head as he remarked, "You have a bit of a...playful side to you, I see..."
Realizing that Vahn hadn't invaded her office to **** and ***** her, Merry exhaled a long and exasperated sigh as she questioned, "Is it my height? Or maybe the size of my breasts...?"
Since the fabric of her pure white dress was thin enough to appear transparent in some places, Mery made a show of grabbing and pushing up her fairly large breasts. At the very least, they were very notable for a girl of her diminutive stature.
With upturned, ostensibly resolute purple eyes, Merry pushed her breasts together as she remarked, "I'm 308, you know...?"
Exhaling a soft chuckle, Vahn retracted his hand from Merry's head as he assured her, "Relax. It's not that I don't find you charming. It's just that I, or, more accurately, we came here in search of Draco Grief."
Though the truth was that she had been ignoring them, Merry pretended to be surprised by the presence of Sis and Fenrir, her eyes widening as she covered her mouth and replied with a mock startled, "Oh! Where did you two pop out from!?"
Maintaining a deadpan expression, Fenrir remarked, "Bad girl..." while Sis just covered her mouth to suppress a squint-eyed giggle. Members of the Unicorn species were known to be a little vain, so she wasn't surprised by Merry's behavior. Instead, she found it rather amusing.
Hearing Fenrir's remark, Merry furrowed her brows as she insisted, "I'm a Unicorn. Unicorns are among the purest and holiest creatures in the Little Garden. I can't be a bad girl."
Rolling her eyes, Fenrir managed to elicit a rather prominent blush from Merry as she corrected herself, appending, "Horny girl..."
With a face redder than a cherry tomato, Merry began to tremble as she held the hem of her dress and muttered, "You..."
Instead of refuting Fenrir's words, Merry became a little teary-eyed as she stamped her foot and exclaimed, "So what if I'm perverted!? Don't think you can judge me, you...you...stinky dog breath...!"
Raising her brows, Fenrir flatly remarked, "My breath isn't stinky." before crossing her arms and adding, "Master likes good and honest girls. If you want him to pamper you, you need to be-"
"Fenrir..."
Having just added a trio of Giantesses and quite a number of Valkyries to the list of girls he was having sex with, Vahn's expression turned wry as he uttered his most trusted Companion's name. Her ears drooped a little in response, but she kept her arms crossed as she engaged Merry in an impromptu staring contest.
Suppressing her growing urge to stab Fenrir with her horn, Merry decided to give the Vanargandr's advice a try, stating, "Unicorns are nearly extinct, and we can't stand being around members of our own species."
Tearing her eyes away from Fenrir, Merry looked up at Vahn with a serious expression on her face as she added, "Every Unicorn is said to have a soul mate, a single person who they feel a connection. When I saw your battle against Amaterasu, my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. I couldn't sleep for days, and my stomach feels all fluttery when I imagine all the things we might do together..."
Placing her hands on her stomach, Merry's breathing became noticeably quickened as she swallowed hard and stated, "I want you to mess me up. I want you to defile the purity I have protected these last three-hundred years by ****** my ***** with your massive dragon ****."
"..."
"Oh my..."
"I knew she was a pervert..."
Ignoring Sis and Fenrir, Merry's face became progressively redder as she began to move her hands across her abdomen, panting, "Please...I want it so bad. ***** my insides and make me into your *******..."
Unable to ignore it any longer, Vahn scratched the back of his head as he asked, "What's with the sudden gaps in your speech pattern? I know what you're saying, but it's a little uncanny..."
"Eeeeeeeeh..."
Before responding to Vahn's words, Merry brought her left hand up to her breast, unabashedly pinching her faintly visible nipple as she said, "I said it before, didn't I? Unicorns are among the purest and most holy creatures in the Little Garden. Even if I say ****, *****, and **** ** **** **** *** **** *** ** **** * **********, the Central Network will censor it."
"..."
Though he realized he was dealing with a rather advanced pervert, a soft chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as he replied, "I see. I'm guessing it works similar to how the Law of Decency functions. Pretty neat."
Since Vahn hadn't said anything about her literally groping herself, Merry hiked up her dress and remarked, "I know, right? Check this out..."
Exhibiting an outrageous lack of shame, Merry promptly pulled down her pure white panties just enough to reveal their contents. The moment she did, Vahn, Sis, and Fenrir were practically blinded as a brilliant white light filled the room.
Seeing that Vahn and Sis were largely unaffected by her exposure, the ruddy complexion of Merry's face became more prominent as she asked, "Can you see it...?"
Returning a smile, Vahn remarked, "It's cute." while Sis just covered her mouth to suppress another laugh. They didn't know if it was a birthmark or something Merry had inscribed upon herself, but she had a tiny, pale purple heart tattooed above her groin. She was also completely shaven or, more likely, unable to grow hair.
"It grows..."
"Pardon...?"
Instead of elaborating, Merry pulled up her panties and let her dress fall back into place as she asked, "So, how about it? If you say no, I may have to spend the rest of my life alone. There's even a chance someone will capture me, saw off my horn, drain my blood, and carve out my heart to use as materials. Don't you think it would be suuuuuuper tragic if I didn't get to experience love at least once before then...?"
Maintaining a smile, Vahn shook his head and remarked, "You really are a bad girl...well, maybe not bad...more like naughty..."
Adopting a smile of her own, Merry stated, "I'm usually not like this. It's because you're here. So long as it means you'll *** **** **** **** **-"
Placing his hands on Merry's shoulders, Vahn said, "Please stop doing that. It's incredibly uncanny..."
Hanging her head and shoulders, Merry's expression morphed into one of profound melancholy until Vahn suddenly picked her up by the pits of her arms and mused, "Don't look so glum. It isn't the reason I came here, but I never said we couldn't have sex. You're certainly cute enough, and your words have a scary amount of sincerity in them..."
Placing Merry on the edge of her desk, Vahn rolled up the abruptly silent girl's dress before pulling it over her head and arms. A brilliant white light immediately filled the room, but he could still clearly make out the petite Unicorn's flawless white mounts and her perky pink nipples.
As if her behavior from before was an illusion, Merry appeared meek and innocent as she silently observed Vahn's actions. When he guided her to lay on her back, however, she willfully raised her hips and asserted, "*** ** ** ** *** **."
"..."
Ignoring the sense of incongruency that came from his ability to translate even filtered speech, Vahn allowed his clothes to dissolve away as Sis and Fenrir moved closer to observe from his flanks. Merry frowned when she saw them, but the stain on her panties continued to expand until Vahn slid them off of her and gave the perverted Unicorn everything she asked for...
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Sharing senses with his counterpart, a soft chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat that prompted the frowny-faced Sala to inquire, "What's so funny?" in a pouty tone. In response, Sandora adopted a frown of her own as she said, "Sala! Don't be mean to Vahn...!"
Exhaling a huffy sigh, Sala averted her ruby-red eyes from Sandora and Vahn as she poutily grumbled, "It was just a question..."
Surprising the vermillion-haired beauty, Vahn nodded his head and said, "Sala's right, Sandora. No need to be so testy. As for why I was laughing, well, let's just say another version of myself has met the Leader of One-Horn..."
Understanding what Vahn was implying, an exasperated groan emanated from Sala's throat as she remarked, "Of course you have..."
As Sala took a moment to massage her temples, Vahn explained things for Sandora's benefit. When Sandora responded with a radiant smile and a suppressed giggle, Sala couldn't help asking, "Why are you laughing? Your husband, the person responsible for your pregnant belly, is sleeping with another woman. I understand you're trying to-"
"That's enough, Sala. Please don't make assumptions based on your lack of understanding. I am perfectly content with my current situation, and I take pride in knowing my husband is so...capable."
Unable to suppress herself, another giggle emanated from Sandora's throat when she saw Vahn wriggle his eyebrows.
Seeing the interplay between the two, Sala felt her exasperation growing as she hugged her body and muttered, "I don't get it..."
Challenging Sala's statement, Vahn stated, "If I didn't seal your bloodline, you would have attacked me by now. Instead of fretting over nothing, you should be using this opportunity to lay bare everything that's troubled you these past couple of years. Bottling everything up when there are people ready and willing to help you is just senseless..."
Nodding her head in approval, Sandora added, "Vahn's right. I'm sure you had a good reason for fleeing to the North, but, truth be told, I don't really care. I just want my sister back. Even if you return to the South, I'm happy so long as we can meet like this once or twice a year."
"..."
Not sure how to respond to Sandora's words, Sala slumped her head, her expression a mixture of shame and confusion. She immediately regretted her silence, however, as Sandora adopted a fairly mischievous smile and added, "You don't have to worry about sharing my 'burden' by producing offspring with Vahn, you know? Not that I would mind, ufufufufu~."
"Sandora...!"
Though her bronzed skin made it difficult to discern, a rather prominent blush spread through Sala's cheeks when she heard Sandora's words. It didn't help that she had been considering that very scenario ever since Vahn first made his presence known. After all, she couldn't just allow her species to go extinct...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Target Acquired','**** *** ***** ** *** *****','Sala is just asking to be bullied xD...')

"It's done."
Though he still needed to supply the Nine Realms with the Gifts he had promised, Vahn promptly informed Vor and her sisters of his successful trial. A few of them had been lounging about in his room, not having sex or trying to service him, but watching animated movies together.
Hearing Vahn's statement, a faint but genuine smile developed across Vor's face as she softly remarked, "You would be the one to complete an impossible series of Trials in mere hours...now I feel like a fool for failing to entreat you sooner..."
Chiming in from her position at Vahn's side, Fenrir appended, "Everyone who opposes Master is a fool. It's good that you realized your mistake..."
Instead of taking offense to Fenrir's words, a rare chuckle emanated from Vor's throat. She could still vividly recall the incident that had taken place during Zao Shen's Immortal Banquet. Back then, she genuinely believed she could at least injure Vahn. With the benefit of hindsight, she couldn't deny she had been incredibly foolish.
After ruffling Fenrir's hair and whispering for her not to bully others, Vahn asked the question at the forefront of his mind, specifically, "What will you and your sisters do now? I imagine quite a few of you will join the Aldrnari Empire, even if I insist it isn't necessary..."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Vor stated, "I can't speak for the others, but I intend to pledge myself to you and the Aldrnari Empire. As base as this may sound, I consider myself one of the more fortunate women in the Little Garden to be able to share your bed. I'll not give up such a coveted position willfully..."
Exhaling a soft chuckle, Vahn did his best to ignore the looks the other Valkyries were giving him as he replied, "If that's what you want, you're free to stay as long as you'd like. Just keep in mind the Aldrnari Empire doesn't need servants or soldiers. If service or combat is what they seek, tell your sisters they are free to determine their own path from now on. If that happens to be a life outside of the Little Garden, I have the power to send them to virtually any world, even the ones we've spent the last day or so binging."
Hearing Vahn's remark, one of the twin scouts, G&ouml;ll, perked up to ask, "Is that true?" in an audibly excited tone. They had been binge-watching an anime related to the Nasuverse known as Poetic Edda, a three-part series where the main character had allowed his Servant, the Rider Class Sigrun, to wish upon the Holy Grail. As a result, Yggdrasil, located on the Reverse Side, had been linked to the Surface. What followed was a destructive but visually stunning tale that pit Servants and Gods from across time against the seemingly unstoppable forces of the Nine Realms.
Seeing through G&ouml;ll's intentions, the corners of Vahn's smile curled up as he nodded his head and replied, "Of course. I'm not exactly known for lies and deceit. Why? Is there a world you would like to visit...?"
Pointing toward the theater-sized display, G&ouml;ll adopted an expression that was equal parts pouty and adorable as she insisted, "I want to go and teach those despicable mages a lesson! How dare they attempt to set fire to the World Tree...!"
"..."
Resisting the urge to point out that the Mages, at least those aiding the MC, were technically the good guys, Vahn just nodded his head and said, "I don't mind sending you over. However, it goes against my principles to allow people to run rampant without regard for the sanctity of life. If I do send you over, you would have an obligation to preserve and protect, not cause wanton destruction."
"Eeeeh..."
As she had been imagining herself blowing up places like London and the Clock Tower, G&ouml;ll's face scrunched up when she heard Vahn's words. She understood why Vahn would have such policies, but many of the Mages who appeared in the series were both despicable and cowardly. Instead of fighting honorably, they enslaved Heroes and Gods to do their bidding. To make matters worse, they even employed blood magic to sacrifice the entire population of Nothern Europe in an attempt to burn down Yggdrasil, all while they actively avoided the frontlines.
Adopting a wry smile, Vahn supplanted, "I didn't say you couldn't kill, just not wantonly. If you want to intervene in the efforts of the Clock Tower or try to talk some sense into the rulers of Asgard, I don't mind sending you over. You just need to keep in mind that there are good and bad people on both sides."
"Mou..."
Unable to refute Vahn's words, G&ouml;ll began drawing circles on the ground while her twin sister, Geir&ouml;lul, pat her shoulder. The latter also wanted to punish the Mages of the Clock Tower, but she also understood that there wouldn't be a conflict if Sigrun hadn't wished for it. After being trapped on the Reverse Side for so long, there was no way the Nine Realms would sit on their hands and try to negotiate with the Surface...
Deciding to offer the girls some advice, Vahn suggested, "If you value my opinion, you should descend into a peaceful world without conflict. There is no shame in living a mundane life. It's remarkably therapeutic and helps you better understand the values of ordinary people."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Sis, while happily snuggling up against Vahn, appended, "Vahn's right. If you've never even tried to understand how ordinary people live, you've no right to pass judgment on them. You girls were born with remarkable power and a sense of purpose from the start. You could benefit greatly from starting over and living a life where you seek purpose rather than being given it. That's what allows humans and other 'lesser' creatures to readily change and adapt, a characteristic even the Gods envy."
Supplying a nod of his own, Vahn all but cemented the decision of a few Valkyries as he added, "I can make it so that your 'true' body remains in the Divine Realm. That way, you can reincarnate or transmigrate without having to feel as though you're trapped in a specific setting. Inversely, I can inhibit your memories and allow you to live completely ordinary lives. That would be the best way to get an unbiased perspective on what it's like to live amongst humans, beast people, or whatever race you choose to become. Now that you're free, the possibilities are endless, the paths available to you infinite. You just need to be brave enough to take the first step."
With a hint of authority naturally suffusing his words, Vahn sounded pretty convincing to the group of Valkyries that had spent their entire lives in the service of others. Many of them had been planning to relocate to the East and join the Aldrnari Empire, not because they felt obliged to repay Vahn's favor, but because they didn't know what else to do. Before today, notions such as what they would do if given the freedom to determine their future were little more than a passing fancy. Now, after thousands of years in the service of others, they were finally free to serve themselves...
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While the 'prime' version of himself was lazing about with Sis, Fenrir, and a handful of Valkyries, another version of Vahn had been demonstrating his craftsmanship in front of Odin, Muninn, and a small village's worth of Dwarven Forgemasters. He didn't want to reveal that he could essentially just snap his fingers to create high-ranking Gifts, so he was forging a few directly.
Seeing Vahn's skill with a hammer, a few of the Dwarves inexplicably had tears in their eyes. The Norse Pantheon was one of the few without a God of Forging/Crafting. Instead, it was the Dwarves of Nidavellir who forged their weapons and armaments, their skills so legendary that they were the reason so many fantasy settings had Dwarves among their core races.
Ignoring the 'passionate' gazes of several Elder Dwarves, Vahn continued hammering away while casually manipulating multiple Laws to ensure the quality and condition of the materials he was forging. At his current level, he didn't even need to swing a hammer as he could freely manipulate the internal structure of anything he touched. He simply enjoyed the feedback of striking metal to form virtually anything he could imagine.
Using a pair of tongs that glistened like the surface of the sun, Vahn held up what appeared to be a dark-purple crystal. In reality, he had spent the last hour or so condensing Space Laws into a physical stone. Odin already had a few powerful armaments he was accustomed to using, so many of the Gifts he had requested for himself were catalysts that would empower his present abilities.
Sensing the immense power contained within the stone, Vahn activated his Oblivion and began inscribing an intricate latticework of runes within its core. His actions drastically decreased the output of the stone, but it also made it much, much easier to control.
"And that makes five..."
Dipping the unimaginably hot stone into a quenching liquid comprised of Pure Yin Elemental Energy, a glistening layer resembling ice formed over the stone. The energy it produced gave it a surface temperature nearing infinity, so he utilized Pure Yin Elemental Energy as a stabilizing element. After that, it was a simple matter of naming the stone.
Holding up the 100 carat stone between his thumb and index finger, Vahn looked to Odin as he questioned, "What do you want to call this one? The Space Stone...?"
As the other four stones he had produced were called the Time, Fire, and Water Stones, Vahn wasn't too surprised when Odin nodded his head and said, "Space Stone will suffice."
Nodding his head, Vahn channeled his authority and intent as he held the stone in his palm and declared, "Henceforward, you shall be known as the Space Stone..."
Reacting to Vahn's words, a layer blacker than the void formed across the stone as a massive surge of energy attempted to explode outward. Due to the presence of Vahn, however, the stone simply appeared to shimmer for a moment as the layer, despite appearing paper-thin from the perspective of an observer, had a volume comparable to a solar system.
Sensing that the energy within the stone had stabilized, Vahn took a moment to confirm it was 'only' S-Rank before manipulating it to drift over to Odin as he explained, "Like the other stones, it's Soulbound, so, unless you willfully transfer ownership to another, the only person that can make use of its power is you. As for its abilities, it's virtually indestructible and allows you to produce a domain in which you have near-absolute control over the Space within. Beyond that, you can use it to manipulate gravity and, more notably, the space between atoms. I imagine you already have the power to change size, but the Space Stone will allow you to alter the size and mass of anything it touches."
Grabbing the Space Stone, Odin could sense the power contained within even through his gauntleted hand. When he heard Vahn's explanation, his singular eye glistened as he muttered, "Extraordinary..." in genuine marvel. Gifts related to Space and Time were among the rarest and most powerful in existence. Now that he had Gifts related to both, he could theoretically manipulate Space and Time within the territory of other Communities, not just the Nine Realms and Asgard...
Shaking his head, Odin summarily suppressed his notions of domination and conquest. So long as Vahn and the Aldrnari Empire were around, he would have to measure his actions and 'play fair.' After all, no matter how powerful Gifts like the Space and Time Stone were, they might as well be trinkets in front of the being that had casually created them...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is Rank 1 speedrunner xD...','He said the thing...!','Casually creating Infinity Stones...')
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Chapter 2308: Underwood