Battle Through the Nine Realms - Chapter 2 - A Second Chance (Patreon)

As the darkness that had enveloped Magnus vanished, he woke to find himself standing in a vast, mist-shrouded hall. Massive stone statues of people wearing ancient armor and wielding swords, axes, bows, and other weaponry found in the medieval era were held by each one. They were crafted with such detail that they almost looked like real people—as if, somehow, they could hold their breath while being twenty feet tall.

What the hell? Where am I?

Shaking his head, Magnus stood up, glancing down, and saw that he was in a pair of camo pants and a simple gray tight T-shirt.  It was his typical downtime attire.

“The All-Father. He is waiting for you. Continue on ahead.”

The voice he heard sent chills down his back. He almost froze but couldn’t resist the urge to see the one who had spoken.  His body moved on its own, spinning around while lowering himself into a fighting position. Magnus saw the woman he thought he had seen in a dream starting to ride off on a dazzling white horse with wings.

Her smile almost gave off light, and her hair looked like spun gold. Muscles that displayed power seemed ready to react in a moment, and she wore chain armor and a winged metal helm.

A loud cough came from behind him and echoed through the hall. Turning around once more, Magnus froze.

A towering older man gazing at him was cloaked in a cape as dark as a raven’s wing, embroidered with runes and symbols that shimmered in the hall. Underneath the cloak, his armor seemed robust, somehow forged with a power that gave off a sheen and looked nothing like the metal Magnus recognized. More runes covered the armor and pulsed occasionally with a gold light.

The man’s face was marked by wisdom, a single eye piercing and profound. The patch over the other was crafted from some black stone, adorned with more runes and symbols he didn’t recognize.  

The hair and beard were like fine silver. They seem to flow free yet be tamed in a regal way. The beard framed his face while the hair cascaded over the man’s broad shoulders.  

A spear was gently held in his left hand, seeming to exude power even though it was nothing more than a weapon with runes running up and down the shaft.  

Magnus’s eyes caught a slight movement off to the side near the end of his ability to see in the hall. Lingering in the fog that came from nowhere was a wolf whose blue eyes were studying him, almost as if it could speak.

Struggling to deal with foggy memories of what had just transpired and what could be going on, a chuckle came from the giant near him. 

“Is this a dream? Am I in a coma?” Magnus wondered as he asked the real question. “Or am I really dead?”

The one-eyed figure leaned back and laughed, his voice booming louder than any explosion Magnus had ever heard. Yet, as it washed over him, a sense of safety and peace filled him.

"Brave warrior," Odin's voice thundered, "you are correct.  I am the All-Father. Most of your kind call me Odin. You have fought valiantly in your world. Now, I offer you a place in mine. Will you join my Einherjar and fight at my side to prevent Ragnarök?"

Even as trained as he was, Magnus’s mind struggled to handle the words that had just been spoken to him. His grandparents had worshipped the old gods, as they called it.  Growing up on a farm and having three generations of family had been hard enough, but dealing with those two offering sacrifices and more made his friends leery about coming over.  Now, standing before him was a truth he had doubted his whole life.

Odin saw that his hopeful warrior was struggling with what was before him.  The tip of his spear glowed for a moment and, in an instant, was against Magnus’s forehead, casting a spell to calm his nerves and open his mind.

Magnus shook his head, feeling a wave of tranquility come over him as the spear moved away. His brain started to comprehend what was going on, and he took a step back to give himself a moment to think. Memories started to flood back, and Magnus recalled what was missing.

“Martinez! Dawson! Where are my friends? Are they here also?” Magnus glanced around the hall, a glimmer of hope flashing across his face as he searched for the two he considered family.

“They are not here, Magnus,” Odin said, his voice low as a small frown ruined the god's face.  “Only you are of my bloodline, and only you can—”

“Bullshit!” Magnus shouted, interrupting the god.  “If I’m here, they need to be here also! They are fighters just like me! Better than me!”

Odin watched Magnus as the operator’s chest heaved, fists clenching and opening on their own.  A vein appeared on the tanned forehead, throbbing as the human stared him down.

Magnus watched as Odin shook his head and smirked.

“You are brave. Foolish but brave.  They are not here because they do not have the Viking blood you do.”

Magnus started to protest, and Odin moved a finger in some design quickly.  Magnus’s voice failed to work, and he squeezed his throat in surprise.

“I do not have much time, and you must listen!” Odin barked loudly.  “You understand orders and hierarchy.  I will give you back your voice if you agree to remain silent and let me finish. Do you understand?”

Magnus saw the controlled fury in Odin’s eyes, the frustration at how he was acting.  Part of him wanted to hide and cower, but that wasn’t him.  He never backed down. Logic dictated he wasn’t going to win if this was real, so Magnus did what he was known for.  Assess, evaluate, act.  Nodding, Magnus shifted his stance to a relaxed position and waited.

Another chuckle came as Odin shook his head, rolling his one eye, and flicked his finger, releasing the magic that had cut off Magnus’s voice.

“I need a warrior of valor and talent.  The Valkyries picked you, telling me that you’re the one I am searching for. My people in Midgard have become soft, forgetting the reason they were chosen, hiding behind runic barriers, walls, and other defenses instead of removing the threat that looms on their doorstep.”

The spear Odin held banged into the stone floor, and the hall went dark. The ceiling became alive and was filled with countless planets that seemed close enough to almost touch.  They swirled quickly through the darkness, galaxies, and systems.  Thousands flew by in an instant.  All of it happened so quickly until one he recognized as Earth came to stop before him.

“The nine realms are locked in battle, and my people, my Vikings, are going to cost us the war.  Ragnarök is upon our doorstep.”

As those words left Odin’s mouth, the sun in Earth’s system dimmed, the light ended, and ice began to spread across Earth and the other planets.  Soon, the sun was gone, and nothing but ice remained.  Other galaxies and systems appeared, and different worlds began to burn while others exploded into tiny pieces, leaving nothing but a few scorched and frozen planets where countless ones once were.

Odin’s one eye burned with a red glow in the darkness of the hall, and Magnus had to fight the urge to cower under that gaze.

“I need a warrior like you, willing to wade into an army that outnumbers him and bleed for a cause he knows is worthy.”

The spear tapped the floor, and light returned, causing the display of planets to vanish. 

Mangus coughed and grimaced, and Odin’s eyebrow narrowed as he watched and waited to see if he would interrupt. 

“I can grant you assistance in Midgard that will set you apart and help you succeed. You can become the warrior worthy enough to hear the song of the Valkyries again. I can give you the power to live a new life and find peace and joy you’ve never known. I have sought out warriors before, and it has staved off the threat, but none have ever truly done what I asked.  What do you say?”

Odin smiled, his face softer and his eye turning to a soft gold light.

“What does any of that have to do with me?” Magnus asked, crossing his arms.  “I only care about my friends and saving them. Why should I care at all about your war?”

Magnus’s question caused Odin’s eye to go wide for a second, and then the All-Father laughed, putting a massive hand on his chest. He roared with amusement for a while, and after wiping away a single tear, he bent down and fixed his gaze on Magnus.

“Do you not relish combat? I could see how you fought and the rage and fury that possessed you in those last moments.  You did what must be done! Why wouldn’t you want to take part in becoming what I have offered?” Odin asked.

“You’ve offered me nothing but more fighting and a battle that doesn’t impact me.  I’m dead, remember? What can you give me to make me want to even join this fight?”

Blowing a puff of air out of his lungs, Odin stood up and shook his head. He moved his hand, and a glowing shard that looked like a tiny rock—not even a pebble—appeared on those massive fingers. Light radiated from it, and Magnus could feel there was something special about it.

“I will grant you a rune of immense power—one that will help you succeed. With this, you will gain a following, raise a warband, and hopefully one day lead an army. Death will not be something you fear. Pain will still be there, but everything you think you know about power and strength from your world will not compare. You can be the man that leads the warbands, raids the other realms, and secures the items to prevent the destruction of all the worlds!”

Odin's wrinkled face lit up as he held the rune closer to Magnus, motioning for the operator to take it.

“What kind of rune?”

Magnus’s tone and question earned him another blast of air from the god's mouth, and this time, Odin appeared ready to bite his own lip off as his eyes narrowed.

“It is an epic rune! Kings and warriors would kill each other for the chance to possess it!” the All-Father exclaimed. His voice shook the hallway from the force at which he yelled. “Songs will be sung about one who possesses this because they alone will be able to do what has not been done in a thousand years!”

Magnus crossed his arms and shrugged. He frowned slightly as he looked up at Odin. “Epic doesn’t sound that amazing. In my world, something epic really isn’t that big of a deal, and I’m assuming while it has some perks in yours, I’d want something better than that if you really want my help—something legendary… something godlike.”

All expressions vanished from the All-Father as that single eye locked in on him.  

Magnus wasn’t certain if he had broken Odin’s brain or if the god was about to kick him back to Earth and his death.

Odin’s spear vanished, and he reached up with his left hand and rubbed his one good eye a few times. Then the All-Father chuckled and gazed at Magnus for a few seconds.

“I may have chosen better than I imagined,” Odin said quietly.  “You might not like the request you have made.  For me to grant something you ask will cause ripples across the realms.  Others will know I have given out something of immense power, so they will respond in kind.  That will make them stronger and allow them to inflict more pain and suffering upon Midgard and the other realms. Are you certain you want to ask for such a thing?”

Magnus smiled. He could see that he had Odin by the balls, like his Sergeant Major, who thought he could make their squad's lives hell. One mistake had told him the Sergeant Major’s weakness, and that cost the man forever. Odin didn’t just want him; he needed him, and Magnus could sense that.  

If he really didn’t need me, then he wouldn’t be even offering more.  Time to see if I can extract my pound of flesh.

“I wasn’t done,” Magnus replied. “I also want to save my friends.”

Growling, Odin smashed the rune between his fingertips. A wave of power washed out from them, a display of light erupting between the god's fingers, and Magnus felt a wave of some energy travel through his body.

“I cannot save them!” Odin shouted, his voice thundering through the hall. “They are not mine to save!”

“You’re telling me that Odin, the All-Father, cannot save two lives?” Magnus asked before scoffing. “I thought you were a god? Surely there must be a way.”

Glowering at Magnus, Odin shook his head, took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and repeated it again.

“You think you could easily trick me,” Odin replied. “I would almost think my son Loki spoke to you before we met, teaching you to play into my pride. Do not believe for a moment you’re something special. I have watched worlds be born and die, seen more  tricks than imaginable in the nine realms, and while I am amused at your attempt, do not forget who I am.”

His spear returned, and a black stone rested on the tip of his right pointer finger.  The All-Father waved the spear around, or so Magnus thought, until he realized that Odin was carving a rune on the surface of the stone.

A power greater than he had felt when Odin had crushed the first rune radiated from the god’s finger.  The light coming from what was being done became so bright it was hard for him to see what was being done.  

Covering his eyes partially with his hand, Magnus strained to see what exactly Odin was doing.  

Maybe ten heartbeats later, Odin sagged, lowering his spear, and the blinding light vanished. Magnus could see that the All-Father had shrunk a few feet, and his face looked tired. Robes appeared around the god, covering the armor that had been there a moment before.

“There will be no more bargaining,” Odin stated, his voice raspier than a moment ago. I will offer you this rune and a chance for you to save your friends.”

Odin turned and held out the stone toward Magnus.  

Everything inside him desired to reach out and immediately take it from the tip of the god.  Gold runes pulsed with light and power in the absolute black stone.  His hand trembled, yearning to take it.

Odin smiled slightly, a few more wrinkles becoming evident as he saw Magnus resisting something the All-Father never imagined any man or Viking ever being able to hold back from snatching up immediately.

“If you accomplish my task and prevent Ragnarök, with this rune, you can rise enough to become a god… a child of mine.”  Odin studied Magnus’s face. The god’s lips were pressed together, and his eyebrows were drawn tight.  “If you become such a thing, you can find the power to go back and save them yourself.  Just know if you do rescue them, it may cost you—”

Magnus’s hand moved like a snake, striking its next meal.  He didn’t care about the cost if it meant he could save his friends. The power of the stone and the chance to rescue them was too much to resist. One second, the rune was on Odin’s fingertip. The next, it was in his hand.  Even with his large hands, Magus couldn’t wrap his fingers all the way around it.  It was about as wide as a softball and felt so heavy he wondered how he could lift it.  

Odin started to laugh again, smiling so much that all his teeth showed.

“Wonderful.  Now for the hard part.”

Magnus looked up to see the All-Father snap his fingers. A cold chill struck him, and he saw that his shirt had vanished. Now Odin was behind him, no longer a giant but only a little taller than he was.

“Welcome to my Einherjar,” Odin whispered into Magnus’s ear as he grabbed the operator's arm and pulled it toward his well-defined chest.

A single tattoo was on his chest. His squad always commented on how he could see everything. Drunk one night after a successful mission, Dawson and Martinez convinced him to get it. The tattoo artist commented on his Icelandic heritage and picked one he said would be perfect—the Eye of Odin.

The realization of what it was flooded his brain as Odin's laughter filled his head.  Everything changed the moment the black rock touched his skin.

Lightning arched off his body and around the entire hallway.  Bolts of it shot from his chest like a Plasma ball.  Searing pain flooded his body, more pain than he had ever experienced in his entire life.  The smell of burning flesh, the taste of blood and copper in his mouth.  His senses were being overwhelmed.

Magnus’s legs felt weak and wanted to sag, but his mind fought against it.  

He wouldn’t bend.  

He wouldn’t break.  

Time seemed to stretch on for what felt like forever as that laughter never left his ear.

Then, just as quickly as it had all started, it was gone.

A weird screen showed up in his vision.  A light green tint and words started to scroll across it.

*****

[ V.A.L.H.A.L.L.A. System Initiated ]

[ Rune Successfully Integrated ]

[ Legendary Chest Rune Activated ]

[ Rune: Gungnir’s Strength ]

[ Description: The rune bearer shall possess the ability to deliver unerringly accurate and devastating strikes, like Odin’s spear, Gungnir, which never misses its mark. The rune is locked. It will unlock when in Midgard. ]

[ Current Bonuses ]

[ Strength, Endurance, and Agility are gained 2x times faster until the racial limit is achieved. The maximal stat limit is increased by fifty.  Advancement after Viking's racial limits is 1.5 times faster. ]

[ Perception is increased by 25% and has no limit. No bonus to advancement Speed.]

[ Wisdom and Mysticism are gained 1.5x faster until the racial limit is achieved. The maximal stat limit is increased to 50. There is no bonus to advancement Speed after Viking’s racial limit is met. ]

[ Valkyries’ Blessing: Death Penalty Decreased.  Rune slots and equipped runes will not suffer degradation, provided the rune is above level 0.  Dying will result in the loss of a rune level, setting the current rune experience to 0 at the new reduced level.  If the rune level is 0, then all rune slots and other runes except Gungnir’s Strength shall degrade per normal death penalties. ]

[ Muninn’s Memory: Knowledge is gained quickly and retained.  Things learned by reading, studying, watching, and practicing will be gained at 2.5x faster than normal.  When knowledge of a skill or technique has advanced past the adept level of learning, the speed of knowledge gained will only be 1.5x faster. ]

[ Hidden Eye: Gungnir’s Strength will not appear when evaluated by a rune mystic.  A lower-tier strength rune will instead be listed. A tattoo will be displayed upon knowledge that the rune bearer has a chest rune. ]

[ Rune Level: 0 of 10 ]

[ Current Experience: 0% ]

*****

“Holy shit!” Magnus exclaimed as power flooded every part of him.  

It felt like he had slept for a week and eaten ten thousand calories while sleeping.

“Perhaps appropriate words,” Odin said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. “Now, walk with me. I need to say a few last things before you find yourself in Midgard.”

A weathered hand on Magnus’s shoulder directed him slowly toward the massive open hallway doors and the cloud of fog that seemed to hover right outside them.