Fated

Prologue

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The shadows of the wood spread hungrily, overpowering what’s left of the radiance that dares to shine upon the life of the thick branches of trees, all bare naked from the failure of reaching the light to nourished. No sounds were heard upon the emptiness in the forest, all so frighteningly quiet but the blowing wind that gathers a small handful of dry leaves, flirting them into the air.

Until a sudden patch of blackness shift between the trees, so silently and smoothly, not even a crunch from stepped fallen leaves of autumn can detected the exact location of the moving shade. A dark tall figure walked through the woodlands completely mute, wrapped loosely in long hooded cloak where the breeze blew powerfully to remove the layers from him, only managing to reveal his slim yet muscular chest.

Detaching himself from the woods, worn and thick leather boots came to an absolute stop over the hill, gazing at the deserted fields with the smell of greenery from the early morning. The darkness from the forest continue to reach him, wishing to consume his body greedily but was satisfied enough by the touch of the shadows from his cloak, robe-like mantel’s folds flapped gently behind.

The sun tried its best to spear through the darkened clouds in an attempt to illuminate the day but failed miserably once droplets of heavy rain began pouring, drenching the man whole. Although the wind was beginning to pick up speed, ruffling his cloak and removing the hood from the man’s face, he continued to stare endlessly at the long watered grasses.

The structure of his face is very handsome without a doubt, his skin in a perfect tone that blends perfectly well with his hair, painted in the color of dark red, hiding practically half of his sharp features. His visible eyes on the left where the long bangs only parted, a striking hue of hard emerald, was narrowed with such gravity that it seemed impossible to search for answers if any questions were divulged.

Then it widen, an image of a beautiful woman swirling in front of him elegantly, long wavy rich brown hair shines as she dances, her face glowed with such beauty of comfort. But her eyes, so softly in the color of mauve, were saddened with pain though a wetness of tears is not seen glittering in them.

He raised a hand longingly to touch her, wanting to hold her close within his embrace and ease her pain that is wounding his heart, where he could smell the fragrance of night-blooming jasmine in her scent. But he stopped, empty fingers continue to spread towards her when she turned and vanishes away from him, the smell of jasmine gone back deep into his memories. Fingers closed together in a tight fist, dropping it to his side; the emerald orbs gleamed in rage, changing their color to ruby-red.

Slowly, the anger departed when his lips turned into a cunning smile; a smile so natural to him in the past that he had not brought upon his lips until now. He swore under his breath of revenge, speaking the name of his victim with such a bitter roguish tone as it spat out like venom burning his tongue. The name that sends shivers towards his enemy, the name of the ruler through all humanity and existence, the name of the one responsible to creating the universe – the Allfather of the Gods himself, “Odin…”

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Blinding white surrounded the halls, illuminating the room with its pure appearances that brings comfort in the eyes of those that walked through it. Supported by beautiful craft of stones, each craved magnificently that seems very smooth to the fingers if touched. Marble stones placed beneath the floor shines, reflecting the light and capturing the reflection of the room like walking through a void full of mirrors.

“One is chosen…”

“Together he’ll gather…”

“And follow the path of destiny…”

Quiet murmuring of chants, so calm and mysterious, echoes repeatedly into the ears of the Allfather once he entered through what’s known as the Hall of Fate alone. Long broad-brimmed hat covered his face, hiding the fact that he only has one eye, clad in a suit of grey that shows his muscular and powerful body. Over his shoulders and down to the floor flowing smoothly from behind is a mantle, in the color of blue flickered like stars underneath the clouds of grey.

Once reaching the end of the hall where the vines of green spread, hanging from the ceilings with large leaves so full and rich, showing off their charm. There, in the middle of an open field that’s connected to the Hall of Fate were the people he’d wished to see. Three sisters, who called themselves the Norns, were the one representing the fate of man and Gods alike, each weaving their strings together.

Drawing closer, two large magnificent long-necked birds with feathers pure as untouched snow were seen, the result of such beauty and color most likely from drinking the shimmering water in a large well which they swam upon.

“One is chosen…”

“Together he’ll gather…”

“And follow the path of destiny…”

Then the chants stopped from the three sisters, though neither of them had stopped their weaving of strings. The Allfather didn’t need any reason to greet them or even explain of his appearance, predicting they had known he would arrive today with more questions which involved with the future he’d dreadfully waited to come. But the Norns were kind enough to lift their heads in acknowledgement of his arrival, blindly creating the strings themselves.

“Ragnarok…” The Allfather of the Gods in the world of Asgard spoke to the sisters, his one eye under his broad-brimmed hat were shown, narrowing in the color of obsidian that seemed to absorb light rather than reflected it, “Tell me more…”

“Ragnarok, the twilights of the Gods, the name of the war that will end all of the nine worlds from the universe in which you are part of creating,” paused Skuld with a giggle, the youngest of the Norns that represent the Future, her features hidden within the long veil, twirling a string created by her sisters around her slender fingers, “Where there’s a beginning of life…there’s always an end…”

“We had told you the outcome of Ragnarok…” the oldest of the Norns who sees the Past, Urd, muttered monotonously, a string created by a silver distaff which Verdandi began to play with, “Why ask for more…?”

“Or is it possibly because you knew the one who’ll be the cause of Ragnarok has somehow escaped from the chains you bound him in?” Verdandi, the beautiful Norn of the Present, smiled sweetly, caressing the string before taken by Skuld, a cycle exchanged by the three, “Loki…a man who carries an oath of blood-brotherhood you’d exchanged with…we had told you he’ll be the one responsible to creating the war…”

Skuld’s soft giggles were heard, her next words spoken cheerfully but lowly, “His escape is much too soon…Ragnarok will still go as written in the fate, but by when now that he’s free? What do you think, Odin?”

“Nothing seems to escape from you three…” the one red-eye of Odin glowed, “The location of Loki…? And Ragnarok…?”

“One is chosen…” Urd started the chants instead, completing her sentences and the Allfather knew from the start that it must be from a new prophecy.

Verdandi smiled, bringing the strings to her lips, “Together he’ll gather…”

“And follow the path of destiny…” Skuld finished the mystifying prophecy on their short chant, all three repeating their words continuously, now fully concentrating on their weaving.

From the moment he had set foot into the Hall of Fate, Odin knew getting fresh answers from the Norns would only be half of what he’d desired to hear. He gave a swift nod towards the three, knowing that his visit has ended, tapping onto his wide hat and turned to walk away. No one living in Asgard knew that the trickster God, Loki, had somehow escape from his bounds Odin himself had created considering the earthquakes that are the cause of Loki’s suffering with the chains made from one of his son’s entrails around him is still active. But nothing can fool him…

To Odin, finding the mischievous Loki is like swimming in a pool of hay just to find a bloody needle – but he swore to himself that he will find him; especially if the man is a big enough threat capable of destroying every single thing he had took part in creating. How Loki was able to escape is still a mystery…

He began recalling the words of the Norns, using his knowledge to put the puzzle together which was somewhat easily to solve. Odin frowned; usually the chants of the sisters where always confusing and quite hard to understand. Why are they making it easy for him? Or do they want Loki desperately found because his early escape was not part of what was written in the fate? They are pretty known to be perfectionist, especially Skuld, if it concerns the future. “One has already been chosen to gather a group…and follow the path of destiny…” His one red-eye gleamed. “Ragnarok…searching for Loki…”

But whom and from which of the nine worlds did the chosen one lay is what he needed to figure out. A task he knew would not be easy and probably would take some time, especially if Loki is the one who he needs to search for the most. The chosen one is not yet a big threat to him. “No matter…no one knows Loki has escaped, especially if only a few chosen Gods know the exact location of where he was chained. There is still time…”

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The sound of Odin’s departing steps weaken until they can hear no more. The chants of the sister’s soon ended, their vocal trailed at each of the sentence until lowering their fingers to their laps from weaving. Slowly, they stood to gather around Urdarbrunnr – or more likely the Well of Urd – where the swans gently floated, stopping their movement in the middle which the water began to grow still.

A sudden presence was felt, feeling their skin tingles that brushes through the hair of their necks until an unclear kneeling form had emerge behind them. The Norns lifted their identical colored eyes, each gazing at one another without a glance at the spirit, all three orbs so black like drowning in a void of endless times. A void impossible to enter if connected in those eyes, yet, a void impossible to escape, if trapped within them.

Bit by bit, the figure of the spirit form to one so translucent but clear; a form of a woman was then presented to them. Violet-colored hair tied tightly in a single large loop, loose strands of long hair flows smoothly over her shoulders from where her lowered face were hidden behind her bangs. Her appearance alone confirmed the Norns of having an ability of a Seid; a being, mostly as a goddess, talented enough to release her spirit from the body to travel through any of the worlds ruled by the Allfather.

Then she spoke, her voice very clear but soft and distance, “Urd, Verdandi, Skuld…”

“You had come just in time!” Skuld chirped, carefully running her fingers through the shiny surface of the holy water, ruining the calmness of it, “Poor Odin…waiting for the time Ragnarok will begin must be very hard for him when each days passes, now that Loki is freed…”

“Many prophecies had been given, but yet he still doesn’t understand much of this situation,” Urd mumbled quietly from where the spirit continue to listen, gazing the water once Skuld stopped, “Now that Loki has escape from his bonds no one but us and Odin seem to know, though many others will figure it out soon. What will Loki do…?”

“Loki doesn’t seem to want to start Ragnarok just yet,” Skuld piped, her seen dark eyes clouded, “Not yet…the time hasn’t come…”

“Verdandi,” Urd faced her smiling middle sister, “The ‘Chosen One’…?”

Skuld laughed, “Finding Loki will be quite an unexpected adventure, right, Verdandi? It’ll only draw Ragnarok much faster!”

“What Loki’s intentions are right now, I may not know, but once he’s prepared Ragnarok will automatically begin,” Verdandi slowly smiled, lifting her hand and gently touching the water where a large ripple formed. Once calm, an image of a smiling redheaded teenage boy appeared.

Urd’s eyes widen. “He’s…”

“The ‘Chosen One’ in the middle world, Midgard, ruled by Mankind…Ikol!” Skuld finished, clapping her hands together in glee. Slowly, she glance back at the kneeling woman, “Runa…I want you to send him here to Asgard…”

Runa lifted her face, crystal eyes staring in surprised before nodded. Not a single question or objection was asked from the woman, who slowly disappeared and begins her given mission as commanded.

“Asgard…?” Urd gave her bubbly youngest sister a tedious look once Runa left, “The heavens, the world of the Aesir Gods where Odin lives…?”

Verdandi smiled, “To where his journey will start.”

“Skuld…where did you find this Runa…? Someone as her who agreed to help find Loki to start Ragnarok…?”

Verdandi was the one who corrected her in a warm tone. “Someone who has accepted the future that Ragnarok will begin…”

And Skuld can only giggled, her voice echoes through the halls eerily that bounces from the corners and back. Urd lowered her gaze to the redhead still onto the water with the smiling Verdandi, both watching him silently with eyes growing darker than the night itself.

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