Episode 21/Chapter 1: Midgard (1)

TL: Tsubak

ED: Ren

Midgard, the land of humans, was really vast. In that land, which was even bigger than the land of the Gods, Asgard, countless humans and races and species of plants and beasts lived.

Not even the Gods who were able to look down on Midgard were able to know everything about it.

In the first place, the fact that there were that many crows in several parts of the world to check on it was proof that denied the omnipotence of the Gods.

The humans weren’t that different either.

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The humans had received Midgard from the Gods of Asgard and became its owners but the humans didn’t know everything about it. For them, Midgard was a land that was filled with marvelousness, fear, countless opportunities and danger.

That was why the humans didn’t know. Nor were the Gods aware of it.

The seeds of chaos Loki had spread in every part of Midgard had started to bloom. Each one of them could be described as a disaster but it wasn’t seen that easily because of the of fog the unknown.

A country island that was covered by the ocean and had a deep forest and a small village in it.

The first one that had realized it was this island.

The ships that left the dock didn’t return. If one or two ships had left at the same time or the same day, they would have thought that they must have encountered a terrible storm. No, they wanted to think that was the case at first.

But after one day, two days, the more time passed, the number of ships that didn’t return increased. When one week passed, the entire country fell into a state of fear.

What was the reason the ships couldn’t return?

Were the Gods of Asgard angered? Was there a storm that didn’t know when to stop?

No. There were no storms. If it was a storm that could annihilate an entire fleet, they would have noticed it from on the island.

The island wasn’t small. They were able to self suffice economically, even if they didn’t interact with a continent. But knowing that the only thing that connected them to outside was cut off was enough to make the people feel choked.

King Sven, who was the King of all fishermen, warriors and farmers, stood on the dock and looked at the ocean. It had merely been a week since the route for the ships had been cut off but he could already smell the stench of death.

It was an obvious thing. Being self sufficient was possible only if you looked at the entire country.

A port that was cut off of its routes could only dry off and die. Not being able to go out to the sea was more than trades having stopped. The fishermen that couldn’t go to the sea couldn’t catch fish, and the people of the country touched the empty nets and became impoverished.

“We have to go out to the sea and find the cause. We also have to investigate if all the routes have been cut off.”

The aide and adviser of King Sven, Ubbe, was a wise and realistic man. His words saying that they had to first find the cause were proper.

However, King Sven couldn’t lay down a decision easily. The number of ships and crews he had lost was already large. In addition, to check all the routes he had to mobilize several big ships at once because it wasn’t possible to cross the sea with a small wooden boat.

King Sven left the side of his adviser and went to find a prophet who was at a remote land. The prophet, who predicted the future with the bones and blood of animals, noticed the King having visited, even though she couldn’t see. She gave an answer even before the King asked anything.

“You should make a grand ritual. We have to give offerings to the Gods and ask for assistance.”

King Sven didn’t really like the prophet. The prophet, who had been in the kingdom even before King Sven had been born, was that old. Her skin was pale because she didn’t meet the sunlight and her eyes, which were completely white, were scary. Even though she never had a straight posture, she was big and had a big build, so that made her resemble a coiled snake.

The voice of the prophet was low, rough and creepy. But her voice today seemed to be really proper and sweet.

King Sven immediately prepared to do a ritual. The people of the country agreed with the decision of the King. It was good to try to do something rather than wait for death. In addition, wasn’t this an offering for the Gods? If this was caused by the anger of the Gods they would relieve their anger and if it was a disaster, the Gods would solve it.

Offerings were gathered from several places of the island. They gathered nine animals from nine species, just like goats and pigs.

A huge ritual was made at the ninth day since the routes had been cut off. They made a big fire, cut off the necks of the animals and offered their blood to the Gods. Sven, who cut off the necks of the offerings with a knife, prayed towards the Gods.

And someone listened to his voice.

&

Heimdal, who was protecting the fortress built on top of the Bifrost, twitched his only ear. The pleas reached his ear, which could even hear the hair of the goats grow.

Heimdal didn’t think of it too seriously. It wasn’t something that he should use Gjallarhorn, the horn trumpet that was used to inform the start of Ragnarok, for, but it also wasn’t something he should just ignore. His senses were telling him that.

“I should let Odin know.”

At Heimdal’s decision, the warriors of Heimdal’s legion that were protecting the fortress stirred. Even the Valkyrie who was going to Valhalla that had Odin’s temple, couldn’t hide her excitement.

It wasn’t because they were so degraded to the point they enjoyed the misfortune of the humans.

It was because they knew that when something similar had happened had been because the humans had given offerings and their petition had reached Heimdal’s ears, and Heimdal had judged that it was worth it to send that message to Odin.

A part of the excited warriors went to Anaheim. The warriors of the other legions looked at them, who were more excited than usual and became curious, and the warriors of Heimdal’s legion got more excited because of this and led the warriors to a dark and shady alley or a corner of a bar and opened their mouths carefully.

“This is still a secret, so keep it for yourself.”

“You can’t go telling this to others, understand?”

“Of course. Just trust me.”

“You know how heavy my mouth is.” The warriors looked at each other and said, and the next morning, something everyone expected happened.

It was that the rumor had spread to all of Valhalla through their light mouths.

And that rumor even reached a legion which was at the most remote place.

&

Scathach fell into a deep sleep after choosing Idun’s legion as her residence. It was a magic consciousness, meant to heal all of the wounds she had suffered in the Land of Darkness.

What was fortunate was that it was almost finished. Although her consciousness was almost cut off because of a sudden attack, as she was already at her limit, she would at most wake up in a few months. That was Cu Chulainn’s guess.

Tae Ho left the fragment of Gae Bolg in the consciousness room because Cu Chulainn liked to see the sleeping Scathach and then Tae Ho passed the days like usual. He took classes from Siri and Ragnar and trained in several fields.

“Mm, good. I like your expression more nowadays.” Ragnar said with a satisfied expression and looked at Siri and Tae Ho; to be more exact, he looked at Tae Ho. Tae Ho could guess why Ragnar was saying those words.

It was because he hadn’t been able to receive a blessing from Heda since Scathach had come.

When Tae Ho looked at him with a lukewarm expression, Ragnar laughed as if he enjoyed it even more and Adenmaha, who had been watching the training by only poking her head out from the river, also laughed soundlessly.

“Cheer up, Tae Ho. She will start blessing you soon.”

Although Siri, who could be said to be on his side, patted his shoulders, Tae Ho felt even stranger.

Ragnar burst out into laughter once again at that look and then he shook his head a few times and sat on the ground.

“That’s the fruits you reaped from your actions. Anyways, I will tell you something to cheer up my student, who’s as dispirited as his teacher.”

“What is it?”

When Tae Ho asked while pouting, Ragnar looked at Siri once and then started to speak.

“Midgard has given a big offering, asking for help from Asgard. Actually, those kind of offerings happen frequently, but it’s different this time. Heimdal has judged that it’s worthy to listen to.”

“Heimdal-nim said so?”

As Siri replied with a surprised face, Ragnar nodded immediately.

“Right, so it seems that the Valkyrie of Heimdal’s legion went to meet Odin. As the rumors spread yesterday night, a decision should be made by tomorrow. That’s why all of the warriors are excited. Ullr’s legion should also be in a commotion.”

Siri hadn’t been able to return to Ullr’s legion because she had been practically living in Idun’s legion now. However, she nodded with an absent-minded face, as if she could imagine it.

But compared to the two of them Tae Ho had to tilt his head. Just how was the warriors getting excited related to the mortal world sending an offering?

‘Ah, perhaps?’

The Gods had judged that it was worthy to help them after listening to their request?

Then what would happen?

“It seems like you noticed. Right, the warriors of Valhalla will be dispatched to Midgard.” Ragnar smirked and Tae Ho also nodded with a smile.

Although it was easy to forget when living in Valhalla, the warriors of Valhalla had all lost their lives once in the mortal world. That meant that they were already dead.

If Valhalla was the afterworld then Midgard was the original one. It was obvious for the warriors to become excited.

‘They will be able to meet the ones that are alive.’

They could meet their friends and families. They would be able to step on their homeland again.

Tae Ho turned to look at Siri reflexively. Siri had treated Rolph well, saying that he resembled her younger brother. He was sure she had strong feelings towards her family.

Siri was wearing a dim and dark expression at the same time. Perhaps she was worried about her family that was in the mortal world.

Siri seemed to have realized Tae Ho’s gaze, as she flinched, but then fixed her expression to her usual one. Ragnar pretended to not have seen her and asked Tae Ho, “Do you get what it is about?”

“Yes, it’s understandable to get excited.”

Although it was a little, the last part of his sentence trembled. It was because he had remembered the things he tried to forget.

His parents and friends. His pro gaming comrades and coach.

When Tae Ho’s eyes started to fill with melancholy, Ragnar started to click his tongue, compared to Siri.

“It seems like you thought of a different reason, that is true, but that’s not the only reason why the warriors are excited. No, honestly speaking, there are more guys that think differently because most of them died without regrets.”

It was because the warriors of Midgard desired to go to Valhalla. In addition, there were some of them that had been dead for a long time. If they met their descendants, who were like strangers or looked at their hometown, which had completely changed, they would feel complicated feelings.

The real reason the warriors of Valhalla had gotten excited was because of another thing.

Ragnar didn’t give an easy answer this time either. He turned to look at Siri but she just smiled faintly. It seemed as if she was going to copy Ragnar.

‘What is it?’

The benefit that would show when a warrior of Valhalla went to Midgard.

Tae Ho took one step backwards and looked around. If the warriors were looked at from one side, they were just the dumb brothers of a town, but it wasn’t the case when seen from afar. They were all valiant and great warriors of Gods that protected the world after receiving a call from a God.

The warriors that received the order of a God and went to the mortal world.

Their actions were sure to become a story. And not a normal one at that. It wasn’t an anecdote that got made in one of the several battlefields and disappeared, but a legend that would be remembered and transmitted for a long time, perhaps a story that might become a myth!

“The birth of a new saga.”

The origin of the strength of the warriors of Valhalla.

A strength that the warriors, who wished to become stronger, desired.

“Right, that’s it.”

The warriors of Valhalla could make a saga even in Asgard. If they accomplished a great task or did something everyone could remember, then the story itself would get strength and evolve to become a saga.

But that wasn’t an easy thing. Accomplishing a task great enough that was able to become a saga in Valhalla, where everyone was a hero, was a really difficult thing.

But the story changed if it was in the mortal world. In addition, there was a high possibility for a story made in the mortal world to become a strong saga in an instant. Because countless people would believe and remember their stories.

Just which legion would be dispatched? How many?

It was understandable for Valhalla to get excited.

“And that’s not the only thing.” Ragnar smirked. His green eyes, which resembled those of a wolf, were filled with playfulness.

What was it? What benefit was there aside from that you could make a new saga?

When Tae Ho fell into his thoughts again, Siri glanced at Ragnar. Ragnar nodded and Siri gave a hint to Tae Ho after smiling.

“Tae Ho, think about your first day in Valhalla. Especially the first night banquet you had.”

Lowest-ranked warriors. The night banquet which was filled with warriors who had entered Valhalla for the first time.

The most important thing that should happen on that day.

‘Assignment of a legion.’

Actually, the legion they would be assigned to was already decided. The only reason Tae Ho had come to Idun’s legion was because he didn’t have a God he believed in, compared to the other warriors in the mortal world.

Heda, who had become surprised when she saw Tae Ho.

She had said that it had been a really long while since a new warrior had entered.

What would happen if Tae Ho performed greatly in Midgard? Just like what happened in Valhalla, if the warriors cheered Idun’s name, if Tae Ho himself yelled Idun’s name earnestly, if there was a warrior that would want to follow Idun from the bottom of their heart… And if they fought well and faced a glorious end?

“Wow.”

Tae Ho opened his eyes widely and turned to look at Siri and she smiled and nodded. Ragnar laughed and said, “Right, you will get a junior.”

A new warrior that would enter the legion.

A fire was lit up inside of Tae Ho, just like the other warriors.

< Midgard (1) > End

TL note: Thanks for reading~