After only a few seconds, Surtur and Odin's son returned from the place where they had been thrown.
The two of them were approaching at tremendous speed: the first was a massive blazing form of molten lava, while the second was surrounded by thunder and lightning, as though neither of them had yet calmed down from the brief battle that had been interrupted moments earlier.
As soon as they arrived, Odin looked at them with obvious anger and said in a stern voice whose authority seemed to shake the very air:
"Were you two about to fight while this little girl was here?"
His son remained completely silent.
He knew very well that any word he said could be used against him, so he chose to keep his mouth shut and wait to see what would happen.
Surtur, however, did not possess the same level of caution. He immediately pointed with his enormous hand and said:
"I did not want to fight her... They came and disturbed me during my nap."
Odin looked at him coldly and said:
"That explains nothing. Why were you fighting near her and frightening her like this?"
The moment he said that, Elina's expression changed.
She had been staring in astonishment at the way Odin was speaking to that terrifying giant, but her amazement suddenly shifted into a sorrowful and deeply moving expression. Her lips trembled, her eyes instantly filled with tears, and she looked at Odin and cried:
"They were so scary... They were about to kill me. Save me from them, Father."
Silence fell for a moment.
Odin looked at her quietly and thought to himself:
"It seems she is going to become very attached to me... I should keep that in mind, and perhaps speak to my brothers about it later."
But he did not dwell on the thought for long.
He quickly decided to punish the two troublemakers.
He lifted his head, looked first at Surtur and then at his son, and said in a tone that allowed no argument:
"You are both forbidden from fighting or exploring the island for three full months. Is that understood?"
The child and Surtur widened their eyes in shock.
Odin's son immediately protested with fear and sadness:
"But I didn't do anything! I only wanted to have a little fun with her!"
Odin, however, paid no attention to the objection.
Before he could order them to return immediately, Elina suddenly spoke in a calm voice:
"There is no need to punish them so harshly, Lord Odin. They seem to understand their mistake, and they will not do it again... Right?"
Surtur and the child nodded so rapidly that they nearly fell over from eagerness, speaking over one another:
"Yes! Yes! We won't do it again!" "It was just a small mistake!" "We've already learned our lesson!"
Odin looked at them with obvious annoyance, but he did not wish to prolong the discussion.
He then nodded to Elina and said:
"As you wish."
The moment he spoke those words, the child and Surtur let out sighs of relief. They felt that the disaster had finally passed.
But their relief lasted for only a single moment.
Odin continued in a calm tone that was anything but reassuring:
"But I should punish them a little for what they did."
In the next instant, he waved his hand in their direction.
A violent wind erupted throughout the area, swirling around the child and Surtur before lifting them both and hurling them far away at astonishing speed, until they disappeared into the horizon like two tiny dots.
That punishment was certainly not comfortable.
Odin considered that for a moment, then let out a soft, satisfied chuckle.
Afterward, he turned to Elina as if nothing had happened and asked calmly:
"Would you like me to show you another legendary creature?"
Elina looked at him in great astonishment.
She still could not fully believe what he had just done, so she nodded quickly in agreement, though part of her feared that he might decide to throw her into the sky as well, just as he had done to his son and Surtur.
Then her thoughts returned to the giant made of molten lava.
She turned to Odin and said in a tone that blended curiosity and amazement:
"Lord Odin... that giant looks exactly like the creatures described in fairy tales about the giants."
She paused briefly, then stared into his face and asked:
"Is he truly one of those giants... or is it only a resemblance?"
Odin shook his head calmly and said:
"No, no. He is indeed one of them. In fact, he is still very young compared to the other giants. I raised him from childhood because he will one day become a terrifying force even to us, the rulers of Asgard."
Elina's eyes widened in tremendous astonishment when she heard that.
She had never expected Odin to tell her so casually that this legendary being was truly one of the real giants, creatures as powerful and awe-inspiring as the dragons she had heard about in ancient stories.
At that moment, Elina began to realize something important.
This small island, far removed from the great powers of the world, was not an ordinary place as she had first imagined. Hidden within its depths were secrets and creatures beyond anything she had ever dreamed of.
And she made a decision.
She would uncover every hidden secret in Asgard, no matter how long it took.
Odin smiled when he saw the astonishment and curiosity on her face. He noticed that she was so lost in thought that she did not realize a vast and majestic creature had appeared directly behind her.
He laughed softly and said:
"Look behind you, little one."
Elina immediately emerged from her thoughts and turned around cautiously.
At first, she saw nothing but four enormous legs standing with imposing grandeur.
She slowly lifted her head, and her eyes widened in amazement.
They belonged to a magnificent and enormous white horse, more beautiful than anything she had ever seen.
The horse possessed several great wings extending from its sides and back, with pure white feathers that gleamed beneath the light of the sky. Its eyes were strikingly beautiful, carrying an intelligence and calmness that captivated anyone who looked into them.
Elina stood spellbound by the beauty of the legendary creature.
This winged horse was Odin's personal war companion.
After Odin had nourished it with his own power, it had become swifter than the wind, more obedient, and far stronger than before.
Odin had long decided that if great wars erupted in the future, he would ride into battle upon the back of this majestic creature.
He was eager to discover how powerful it would become and what his fighting style would look like while mounted on this legendary steed.
Odin laughed when he saw that Elina was completely enchanted by the horse's beauty.
He stepped forward calmly and mounted its back with the smooth ease of long familiarity. Then he extended his hand to Elina and helped her climb up beside him.
When she settled in front of him on the horse's back, he leaned forward slightly and whispered into his companion's ear:
"Fly with us... and show us Asgard."
The moment he spoke those words, the horse surged forward at astonishing speed.
In less than a second, it had risen high above Asgard and began to soar across the entire island at its master's command.
Even so, Odin did not allow the horse to use its full speed.
He did not wish to frighten Elina. He wanted her to truly see Asgard, not merely watch a blur of colors and fleeting shapes.
So the horse maintained tremendous speed, but not so much that she could not take in everything around her.
Elina sat in awe, gazing at both sky and earth.
She saw endless forests, towering mountains, shimmering lakes, scattered villages, and strange creatures living throughout the island.
At one moment, she realized that she was clinging tightly to Odin in amazement without even noticing.
Before she could ask what was happening, she understood that he wanted to show her his world with his own hands.
A period of quiet silence passed.
Elina continued looking at everything with wonder and curiosity, while Odin watched her in silence, as though he wanted to know whether this island had begun to claim a place in her heart.
Then, after making certain that she had seen Asgard in all its beauty and mystery, he finally spoke.
His voice was low, but filled with sincerity and unmistakable care:
"Would you like to become my daughter, Elina?"
Odin said this while looking directly at her, waiting calmly for her answer as the winged horse continued soaring across the vast skies of Asgard.
(Author's Note):
Hello everyone! Thank you for your continuous support of this novel; your comments and interactions mean the world to me.
Stepping away from our story here for a moment, I wanted to share another project I've been working on with great passion. I have started publishing a webtoon (comic) on the Webtoon platform titled "Me and the Wolf."
It is a [Comedy / Fantasy] story about a miserable young man and a cunning wolf who is constantly getting him into trouble! If you enjoy my writing style and the way I build scenarios, I promise you're going to love this comic.
I would be so grateful if you could go check it out, subscribe to the series, and let me know what you think in the comments there!
🔍 Search on the Webtoon app for: [Me and the Wolf]