Episode 21/Chapter 2: Midgard (2)
TL: Tsubak
ED: Ren
“I had my doubts but for it to be true.”
Ragnar received the information from a crow that flew over Idun’s legion and smirked.
It was because Tae Ho was among the warriors that would get dispatched to Midgard.
Actually he had been expecting this to a certain extent.
Because the warriors that would get sent were mostly intermediate ranked warriors, and on top of that warriors that just got promoted.
In addition Asgard was pouring a lot of strength in looking for Garmr’s soul fragments. The place a big army should head to wasn’t to Midgard but to the traces of the Great War.
Adding several more conditions Tae Ho was almost the first candidate.
‘It seems like they were a bit considerate for Siri. Did Idun or Ullr-nim put a hand in it?’
The warriors that would get sent to Midgard were composed by one warrior picked from each legion. As the situation turned that they couldn’t send warriors that were from the same legion it seemed like they went with picking one warrior to be the most fair.
The representative of Ullr’s legion was Siri. She had also just reached the intermediate rank and had even proved her worth several times. In addition she had really good teamwork with Tae Ho from Idun’s legion.
“Midgard…..”
Siri put on a really troubled expression. Her eyes were mixed with happiness, sadness, joy and hesitation.
However it seemed like she noticed Ragnar’s gaze that she tried to act more positive and she then fixed her expression and congratulated Tae Ho.
“You will be departing in one hour. It seems like you are roasting beans with lightning. Get ready to depart.”
“Yes, master.”
“Yep.”
Siri and Tae Ho answered and then moved to their lodgings and started to prepare a soldier’s kit. Although the word soldier’s kit was used, the only thing they did was to put clothes to change inside of Unnir.
Tae Ho finished his preparations and then walked towards the shrine. It was to say his farewell to Idun.
Actually, one wasn’t able to meet Idun whenever they wanted just because you went to the shrine. When he returned to the legion he was almost always able to meet Idun, but when he stayed on the residence it was really a normal shrine that was a bit decorated.
But even so, it was still a shrine.
In addition as today was a special day he could meet Idun even without Heda’s lead.
Idun, that was beautiful and benevolent as always, seemed to have known that Tae Ho was going to visit her that as soon as he finished greeting she took out the main topic.
“My warrior Tae Ho, it’s good to spread your name but don’t overdo it. Understood?”
“I understand.”
“Right, I believe in you.”
Idun lowered her posture and blessed Tae Ho. Expressing etiquette after this and finishing their business was how it should usually work. But it was different this time.
“Also.”
Idun put on a vague smile.
“When you go out go behind the shrine.”
“Behind the shrine?”
“Right, without anyone knowing.”
Idun said with a playful tone and turned around. Although the method was different than usual Tae Ho realized that their meeting had ended. And after he closed and opened his eyes once, the dark insides of the shrine appeared before his eyes instead of a green plains that had an apple tree growing in it.
Behind the temple.
Tae Ho took in a deep breath under the expectation and then went behind the shrine where he would normally never go to. When he opened the door carefully he saw Heda in a corner as if she was hiding.
“Did the meeting finish well?”
“Yes.”
As Heda asked with a low voice, Tae Ho also lowered his voice. Heda looked at another place for a moment and then said casually.
“It’s hard to go meet you to Midgard.”
Because you needed the permission of Heimdal to cross the rainbow stairs, Bifrost.
Heda, that was leaning on the wall, fixed Tae Ho’s clothes and said.
“Be careful, don’t overdo it.”
“You too.”
It was the same exchange as always. But something was different. Tae Ho felt that and that’s why he didn’t leave. Heda let out a long sigh and then grabbed Tae Ho’s hands. She then pulled him to her side and got on her toes like usual.
But the place her lips touched was different.
“Let Idun’s blessing be with you.”
“Let Idun’s blessing be with you.”
Heda finished giving him the blessing and turned her eyes and Tae Ho smirked.
It was at that moment. Tae Ho realized that there was a pair of eyes looking at them. It was Rolo, that was lying below the shade of a tree.
Rolo made eye contact with Tae Ho and then smirked and turned its body around.
His attitude acting as if it didn’t see anything was arrogant but Tae Ho didn’t dislike it.
And how much time had passed?
Tae Ho and Siri got escorted by Heda and Ragnar and got on the flying pirate ship.
&
King Sven looked at the sky with an anxious face. It had already been three days since they started giving offerings but there were no news.
Someone claimed that the sky got enraged because it wasn’t sincere enough, and someone else blamed king Sven saying that he was unworthy.
The advisor Ube, said that they had to look for the cause as they weren’t late. King Sven, that was anxious, started to think that Ube knew it would turn out this way and that’s why he didn’t oppose to the ritual on purpose.
In the middle of this, the prophet that had started all of this, just kept giving offerings with a calm face. The people of the island just blamed king Sven, they didn’t curse the prophet. And that truth made king Sven feel bitter.
It had been 4 days since they started with the offerings.
The complaints of the citizens that weren’t able to go out to the sea just spread like fire. In addition they needed someone to blame. King Sven could read the panic in the eyes of his people.
There had to be any result at all. King Sven cursed at his past self that had decided to give offerings and prayed more earnestly.
It was when the sun had moved and was at its peak.
Rain started to pour down the sky. It was only for a moment but the amount was so great it seemed like a hole was made in the sky.
King Sven, that had become a wet rat, couldn’t endure it anymore. He was about to curse in front of the offerings that was now lit off.
But it was then.
A rainbow appeared.
It seemed like the rain that poured down was for the rainbow to spread from the sky to the ground.
King Sven opened his mouth that he was about to curse with even wider. The citizens kneeled down in the mud and claimed the names of the Gods.
There was no one living in the island that hadn’t seen a rainbow before. However this was the first time they had seen one this close. In addition the rainbow in front of them didn’t seem normal. Light started to shine in the end that connected with the sky. There were people coming down the rainbow.
“Odin!”
“Thor!”
The gloomy atmosphere that was pressing down the surrounding just a moment ago disappeared completely. It seemed like the cheer of the citizens covered the entire world.
Ube got perplexed and the prophet just put a calm smile.
And the the warriors coming down from the sky finally landed on the ground.
A big ship that seemed like it was riding the rainbow stairs stopped above the offerings. Warriors of Valhalla were standing on top of it.
“Warriors of Valhalla!”
“Ohh! Odin!”
In the eyes of the people of Midgard it looked like the warriors of Valhalla were covered in light.
“King Sven, humans of Midgard, i’m Valkyrie Ingrid. I received an order from the Gods and brought some warriors of Valhalla.”
She was one of the three Valkyries that was in the expedition of Black Fortress. Although her voice was heard like usual for Tae Ho’s group, it was heard differently for the people of Midgard. It was as if she was speaking directly to their minds.
“K, Knut’s son, Sven, greets the warriors of the Gods.”
King Sven kneeled in the ground and lowered his head. The prophet bowed down and Ube, that was putting an absent minded expression lied down on the ground.
Ingrid looked down at king Sven with her business expression. In her position, she was just looking down on him without thinking much but it was different for him. It was just like the gaze of the sky telling him to realize the difference between them.
The warriors of Valhalla got down the ship in the middle of this. Tae Ho, that was the first one to get down approached king Sven and made him stand up.
“I’m Idun’s warrior.”
He put a friendly smile and said gently. And then king Sven asked with a surprised expression.
“Are you talking about Idun-nim? The goddess of youth?”
“That’s right. That flying ship also belongs to Idun-nim. Idun-nim has sent me. I, the warrior of Idun.”
Tae Ho emphasized the name of Idun several times. Although it may look awkward, that wasn’t the case for king Sven. He nodded several times and repeated the name of Idun.
The other warriors of Valhalla looked at that Tae Ho and clicked their tongues or laughed. Their eyes were saying that he was willing to go to such extent.
Even when Siri was laughing at him, one of the warriors jumped down from the ship. Everyone started to talk among themselves at the appearance of the warrior that was several times bigger than Tae Ho. The giant human laughed at the gazes directed at him and yelled.
“I’m Thor’s warrior, Bracky! I have come to rescue you!”
It was Bracky that had barely gotten promoted to the intermediate rank. King Sven, that was repeating his name, was at a loss for words at his appearance. Shock that was different from the ones until now swept their surroundings.
“Bracky?”
“Is it that Bracky?”
“Of the Skald knights?”
“Skald?! The one that died not too long ago?!”
“That’s right! I’m that one, the son of a God, Bracky!”
Bracky yelled once again. And then the people started to look at each other and then yelled.
“Thor!”
“Thor!”
“Uaaaa! Thor!”
Bracky was famous. He was an invincible warrior that had spread his name throughout Midgard.
Bracky’s death happened merely a few months ago. But that warrior of a God had become Thor’s warrior and returned.
Although they had already experienced the miracle of meeting a warrior from Valhalla, the feeling could only be different. They were the ones that got excited instead of the warriors.
At the sudden change in the atmosphere the warriors in the ship started to whisper among themselves. They seemed to be thinking if they had to yell the name of their God after getting down.
But it was then.
The sound of the sharp horn trumpet pierced the cheers that filled the surroundings. It had come from the port.
“It, it’s the signal of a ship approaching!”
The advisor Ube yelled hurriedly. But there wasn’t only one signal. The sound of drums stating that it was an emergency was also heard.
Just what had happened?
While everyone was perplexed Valkyrie Ingrid raised her voice. In the first place the reason why the Gods chose the noon was because they had expected this to happen.
“Go to the port!”
King Sven and his people flocked over to the port. Tae Ho and Bracky got on the ship again and then went towards the port.
The sky was clear without any clouds. Because of that they could see the ship approaching from a distance. It wasn’t a ship that had departed from this place but was a big merchant ship, that visited this place a lot, coming from the continent.
And everyone got to know the reason why all the ships that departed from the port disappeared.
Big tentacles surged up from the sea and started to wrap and crush the ship. It didn’t stop at being torn to pieces but it was also being dragged to the sea.
It was a really scary scene. One tentacle was bigger than the mast of a ship and much thicker.
“Kraken.”
Valkyrie Ingrid opened her eyes sharply and mumbled in a low voice. A sea monster that had that many tentacles and was as big as that was limited.
“We will depart immediately. We will defeat the sea monster and rescue the people.”
Ingrid spoke briefly and quickly. As the owner of the ship, Tae Ho, nodded Ingrid turned to look at Sven once again.
“King Sven, son of Knut. How about going with us?”
King Sven was scared silly after seeing the sea monster but he nodded. He couldn’t step back here.
The flying pirate ship flew up the sky after boarding king Sven. The warriors of Valhalla took out their weapons and prepared to fight. Siri also took out her big crossbow.
The color of the deep sea was dense. The huge sea creature that was in a place you couldn’t see with your eyes was a terrifying thing by itself.
But the warriors of Valhalla weren’t dispirited at all. Although they were only 8, all of them were intermediate ranked.
Tae Ho made a quick judgement. Getting in the sea directly to fight against a sea creature that was tens of meters big was scary enough but he still had to do it. In addition, the only one that could do that among this group was only Tae Ho.
“Captain Siri.”
Tae Ho called Siri. The two of them could now understand each other with just the light in their eyes. Siri nodded and Tae Ho entrusted her with rescuing the people and controlling the ship, and after that he took a deep breath. He smirked once for himself and jumped down the ship.
King Sven got surprised and let out a shocked exclamation. The warriors of Valhalla also looked at him with surprised faces. Siri was the only one to put a smile. It was because she knew what he was about to do.
Tae Ho kicked the air once and then took out a summoning rock from his pocket. He pointed the summoning rock, that was filled with Heda’s magic, towards the sea and yelled.
“Adenmaha! I choose you!”
Although it wasn’t necessary to yell that he still did it. And then a surprising thing happened.
A space opened up along a bright light. And a beautiful and white sea serpent appeared in that space.
‘I was eating! You really!’ (Politely)
Adenmaha let out complaints but realized the situation in an instant. As soon as she touched the sea she dropped her neck long so that Tae Ho could ride on her easily. Tae Ho placed the Beast’s saddle on her and then put Idun’s reins.
The warriors of Valhalla that looked at him raised their voices.
“The warrior that rode on a Valkyrie!”
“A, a Valkyrie?”
The last voice came from king Sven. He turned to look at Bracky that was standing nearby and asked.
“Th, then is that sea serpent a Valkyrie?”
“That’s right. It’s a really famous story among us. Idun’s warrior that rode on several Valkyries many times! That is that guy!”
“Ohh! Ohhhhh!”
King Sven started to send gazes of respect as if he sincerely admired him. Siri smiled bitterly and Ingrid put on lukewarm eyes. And Adenmaha, that heard the fuss in the ship, mumbled in a low voice.
‘I’m not a Valkyrie.’ (Politely)
Tae Ho also knew it but he didn’t deny the fact. It was because he didn’t have the time to do so but also because he thought that it would be a benefit if he just left it alone.
“Okay, let’s go! Adenmaha!”
As Tae Ho pulled on the reins Adenmaha also started to move quickly. The Kraken, that was destroying the ship, seemed to have felt threatened by Adenmaha’s existence that it started to throw debris towards Adenmaha.
Tae Ho lowered his posture. Adenmaha also moved quickly like a fish that had met water.
“For Idun!”
Tae Ho yelled in a loud voice and activated ‘the Warrior’s equipment’. The Sword of the winter wolf cut down one of the Kraken’s tentacles.
< Episode 21 – Midgard (2) > End
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