"Njord and Skadi?" Tachi thought, surprised, but he extended his hand, and Njord shook it. Tachi turned his head toward Hodr. "You just casually brought in two gods from the pantheon we're planning to attack?" he said with a smile.
He then greeted Skadi, who explained, "Don't worry. It's been a very long time since we've had any real contact with Asgard."
Hodr continued, "Several years ago, they isolated themselves on the coasts, far north of here. I'm one of the few who's still lucky enough to talk to them."
Njord corrected him, slightly annoyed. "We don't forbid anyone from coming to see us. They're the ones avoiding us! The only time little Leif showed up was to get alcohol. Luckily, Sigurd and Oda still come give us news, otherwise you'd think we vanished off the face of the world."
Skadi took her husband's arm. "Dear, you know it's complicated,"
Tachi was surprised to hear a familiar name. "You've seen Leif recently?" he asked.
"You know Leif?" Njord said, surprised.
"It's my fault," Hodr explained. "I thought having Thor in the Foundation could be an advantage. I forgot what a hopeless case he is, even for all the alcohol in the world, he wouldn't work. Any time spent helping others is time wasted to drink." His tone made it clear he felt exasperation toward the god of thunder, disappointment, even.
Nicolo, standing behind them and not daring to interrupt, tried to slip away discreetly while they talked.
One step.
Two steps.
Then a third, backward. 'Shit.'
Tachi was slowly pulling him back by controlling the air beneath his feet.
"Not so fast, Nicolo. I'm going to need you," Tachi said. "Now that Sigurd is here, I'll be able to leave with Akyo. Show them around the place for me, please."
"No problem…" Nicolo replied blandly. 'It's always me who has to do this kind of thing.'
"But first, Sigurd, I have a question," Tachi said, turning to him.
"Yes? Go ahead."
"When Odin told me about the Well of Urd, he said it was located in a world at the roots of Yggdrasil. But that sounded strange to me. When I did my research, the Eddas place it in Asgard. Don't you find that odd?" Tachi asked.
Hodr put his hand to his chin, thinking. "It's true that according to the texts, the Well of Urd is entirely part of Asgard. Did Magnus make a mistake?"
"No," Njord announced. "The Well of Urd, and the Norns, were banished from Asgard."
Tachi was stunned. 'Banished from Asgard? Who has the power to sever part of an entire realm?' It was a staggering feat, not merely a question of raw power, but of executing a unique and terrifying ability.
"That's actually why we, Leif, and several other gods distanced ourselves from Asgard," Skadi added.
'What could have happened…' Tachi wondered. Something had clearly torn the pantheon apart.
'Do gods just implode if they maintain normal relationships or what?' Nicolo thought, listening carefully. 'Another thing to add to my book,
"Glad I renounced my pantheon!" Sigurd exclaimed. "By the way, Tachi, if Njord and Skadi are here, I could accompany you to the Well, right?"
"That's kind of you, but it would probably slow me down. I need to move as fast as possible," Tachi replied.
Sigurd understood. Tachi quickly headed toward Akyo's room.
Nicolo was left to guide Njord and Skadi around the base, but Hodr offered to do it instead. Nicolo still took the opportunity to give them some friendly advice.
"If you run into a short blond guy with tattoos, don't hesitate to mention his height. Trust me."
Sigurd, Njord, and Skadi took note, and everyone went about their business.
—--------------------------------------
Tachi reached the medical wing and opened the door to Akyo's room. Ana and two members of the medical staff were inside.
Ana turned toward him and, seeing the seriousness and determination in his eyes, guessed immediately. "It's time?"
"Yes. Sigurd is here, so I can leave the base without worrying about leaving you alone. He brought two friends, you'll be safe," he explained.
'And there's also that other crazy dwarf,' he thought, though he hardly looked like a secret weapon.
Tachi turned to the doctors. "How long can he last outside this place?"
"A few hours at most," one nurse replied.
'That's short. I might be able to add an extra hour if I stabilize him with my air, it's going to be complicated.' He clenched his fists, 'But I don't have any other options.'
He lifted his head, his gaze already proof of his future success.
Ana stood up. "Bring him back, please."
She held back her tears, terrified this might be the last time she ever saw Akyo.
'But, no one is stronger than my brother,' she reassured herself.
Tachi placed his hand on his sister's head. "When I come back, you'll feel him holding your hand," he promised.
She had been holding Akyo's hand constantly since he fell into a coma, hoping he would squeeze back.
Tears streamed down Ana's cheeks. The medical staff stepped aside, and Tachi positioned himself in front of Akyo's bed.
'I need to waste as little time as possible.'
"Ana, open the windows." She obeyed without a word, clearly used to Tachi's explosive departures. He raised his arm toward Akyo's motionless body. 'Here we go.'
He clenched his fist sharply. In a fraction of a second, every cable connected to Akyo detached. His body lifted into the air, wrapped in a coffin of compressed wind.
Tachi took off at full speed, carrying the wind-bound body with him, leaving behind a massive shockwave of air.
—---------------------------------------
Hodr had shown most of the base to Njord and Skadi, and they settled into the cafeteria. "The food here is magnificent!" Njord exclaimed.
Skadi snapped and smacked him. "So my cooking isn't good enough for you?!"
Njord didn't even react, far too focused on eating.
'Living alone really turned them into animals…' Sigurd thought.
A man entered the room and greeted them. "Yo, it's me again." It was Nicolo.
"Nicolo! The food is exquisite, try this!" Njord offered.
"That's kind of you, but I'll pass. However, I figured you'd probably want to meet him." He gestured toward the entrance with his thumb. A young man with glasses entered. Thin, neatly dressed, with red hair falling over his eyes.
Sigurd stared at him. "Who's that?"
"I'll admit it's not obvious," Nicolo said. "Allow me to introduce your big boss, or whatever you want to call him, Odin."
Njord and Skadi stared at Magnus, their gaze almost frightening.
Njord whispered, "How… how is this possible?"
"I can't believe it…" Skadi said.
"What?" Sigurd wondered.
The couple suddenly burst into laughter, an uncontrollable fit.
'So this is my first interaction with my pantheon after Frigg…' Magnus thought, utterly confused by what was so funny.
"Haha—sorry… it's just that you look absolutely nothing like the Odin we knew," Skadi said between breaths.
"He used to play up his mystical, ancient appearance, you know, the long beard and all. He bragged about being millennia old," Njord added. "It's strangely comforting to see he wasn't exempt from reincarnation."
Hodr stood up and walked over to Magnus. "Nice to meet you, Odin. I didn't know you in your previous life, so your look doesn't shock me at all."
Odin shook his hand. 'I don't know how to take that…'
"Come sit," Sigurd offered. Magnus did.
Skadi wiped tears from her eyes. "Sorry, kid. If you'd known yourself back then, you'd understand."
Nicolo joined them and sat next to Magnus, who asked, "Sorry to ask so bluntly, but… what kind of man was I?"
Njord took a bite of food, then answered.
"Odin was, well, you were, a man who was generally wise and learned. But the only thing that matched your knowledge was your ego. It often overpowered reason, which led you to do some very stupid things." He paused, recalling the past. "I wouldn't be surprised if some of your incomprehensible actions were due to your age. It's probably a good thing you get a fresh start."
Before the conversation could continue, a blinding white flash lit up the room, from outside.
'What is that?!' Hodr wondered. Njord and Skadi turned instantly, all three preparing for any possibility.
A sort of white fissure in the air, floating in front of them, above the immense trees outside.
Nicolo stepped behind the immortals and whispered, "This doesn't feel good…"