Chapter 372 - 371: The Halls That Decide Our Fate
A week had passed since Van's sudden reunion with his old friends, and now, he was currently resting back in the territory of the Forest Giants. It was brief, but with Angela having the ability to teleport, Van chose to retire from being an instructor of Heven Academy.
Athena was the one who explained it to Headmistress Hilda, who seemed to have easily accepted the situation. She was even eager, telling Athena that once they find where the kingdom would be built, they should inform her. She wished to expand… no, she wished to transfer Heven in its entirety to the 10th Realm, making it the first educational institution there.
But from Headmistress Hilda's eagerness, came the disappointment of Van's class. Their combat instructor really went toe-to-toe with one of the mightiest Aesir in existence, and not only that, he managed to actually win. Right when they were shown his greatness, he was already leaving them.
Most of them complained to the Headmistress. Sigrid, Hermod's daughter, however, kept quiet and only asked Hilda to update her if they were ready to transfer to the 10th Realm.
And now, with Vanya busy telling the army they have just gathered that they were no longer going to fight with the Aesir, Van had absolutely nothing to do but wait until they were ready to search for a suitable Fragmented World.
Suffice to say, Vanya was happy to hear her father's decision. Most of the fighters they gathered, however, all clamored and complained.
"..." Van then let out a long and deep sigh as he stared at the ceiling, filled with nothing but a web of roots, brightened up by the fireflies that made it it's home.
...Home. These fireflies were peacefully living here, and would probably die without even basking at the world outside of this colossal tree. But none of them probably care… this is the only home they have ever known.
If he was just a normal person; if he wasn't a System Holder, if he wasn't the son of gods from separate universes. Would he have also died inside the Relic Graveyard?
...No. Even without them, he would have found a way to escape the Graveyard. He would go anywhere, just not to die inside the shithole.
...Home. That was probably his true home, wasn't it? He had spent most of his years there, most of his memories were there even if he tried his best to forget. The house that Sarah gave him? He had only spent months there.
10th Realm… the 10th Realm was probably his only chance for a real home; not just for him, but for Vanya as well. She had spent most of her time sleeping, and the least he could do was provide her a proper home… away from all the madness.
The 9 Realms is where Artemis and Ymir were killed. The 9 Realms is where Ymir lost his mind and began butchering humans. Although she wasn't making it obvious, this place held horrifying memories for her; each time she woke up, all of her friends were gone-- this place is her Relic Graveyard.
...And Van won't let her die here.
"...What are you thinking about? Have you chosen what Fragmented World you wanted to visit first?"
"...Not yet."
Van's thoughts were then disrupted as he felt the warmth of Athena's bare arms embracing him, "I was also thinking how all of us will transfer there; Angela can teleport me, and you and the other women could travel through space without any troubles. But what about the forest giants? The ones who want to go with us to the 10th Realm?"
"Vanya offered me a solution for that the other day," Athena then said as she sat up from the bed, her hair, quickly flowing down across her smooth skin, "Build a temporary Branch."
"...That's possible?"
"Artemis was the one who created the Branch, so it is possible."
"Will… she have enough strength to do so?" Van also sat up as he looked Athena straight in the eyes, "I do not want her taking us to the 10th Realm, only for her to once again sleep for a very long time."
"With your assistance and the Staff of Asclepius' help, then I believe it is possible; maybe even without that much difficulty," Athena then tied up her hair into a ponytail, before getting up from the bed and dressing herself.
"I… see. But if it is not possible, then let's not push it."
"That much is obvious, King Evans," Athena then gently leaned over the bed, placing her hand on Van's cheek before proceeding to touch lips with him. "Now get up from bed, they are waiting for your decision," she said before turning around to leave.
"Wait."
But before she could take 3 steps, Van grabbed his arm, "Speaking of Latanya, isn't today the day?"
"...I believe so," Athena quickly nodded.
"Then I will go there first, please tell them to wait for me for a few more while."
"Are… you sure? I had the impression that you didn't care for them."
"...I don't," Van shrugged his shoulders as he got up from the bed, "I…
...just want to be there."
***
"Vanya, you're also here?"
"Father? What are you doing here?"
It wasn't only Vanya, but most of the people inside the wooden hall turned their heads towards Van, all of them bowing as soon as he entered the room. Van, however, only raised his hand as he gestured to the others to continue whatever it was they were doing.
"I… was in the area," Van said as he then looked towards the center of the room, where a huge block of ice was currently sitting. There were also forest giants surrounding it, heating it up so it would not grow any further.
Gerald was also there, his hand firmly placed at the ice that confined the love of his life, Xinyan. Not even looking at Van as he entered the room. However, after a few seconds, a voice entered the room, quickly causing Gerald to flinch on the spot.
"Master Van… You've come to watch?"
It was Latanya, followed by Surtr behind her.
"Please, don't mind me. Just focus on what you have to do."
"You don't need to tell me, Master Van," Latanya let out a small chuckle as she shook her head, "I spent a small time with Xinyan during our time in the Pit; she's one of the few remaining memories we have there, I will try my best to save her."
Van only nodded in response, before stepping back a few inches so as to give way to Latanya.
"Are… we doing it?" Gerald then took his hand off of the ice, the weight of his stare almost causing the room to tremble, "Can… can we really save her?"
"How long did you say she has been trapped in the ice?"
"A long time, almost a hundred years," Gerald then said, his words slightly weak as he glanced at Xinyan, whose face was fading more and more as the ice slowly but surely devoured her existence.
"...How do you know she's still alive? Have you gotten Sarah to check on her condition?"
"I have. She said she couldn't detect any blood flowing inside her," Gerald muttered, "But that's just because she is frozen. Vanya told me that she could still hear Xinyan talking from the way the ice formed."
"..." Latanya slightly squinted her eyes from hearing Gerald's words, but after a few seconds, she let out a short but deep sigh and looked at Surtr.
"Do it."
And as soon as she gave the signal, the forest giants that were stopping the ice from growing all rushed to get away. And without any warning whatsoever, Surtr's body suddenly erupted in flames.
The roots and rogue leaves inside the wooden hall instantly withered away as the heat coming from Surtr's body was enough to melt them from meters away. Gerald, however, did not even move from his spot as he nodded his head at Surtr.
"Please, don't hurt her."
"Who do you think you're talking to, boy?" Surtr then said as he placed his hand on the block of ice, "I was forged in flames, and in turn, the fires of Muspelheim were born from me. My control over fire is something you will never be able to comprehend."
And as soon as he finished his words, a loud hissing noise thundered through the air as it was instantly drowned by mist.
"..." Vanya then clapped her hands, causing holes to appear on the ceiling which sucked out all of the mist like a vacuum. And as the interiors of the hall slowly unfolded itself to them once more, what they found was devotion.
"You shouldn't be doing that," Surtr then quickly said as his eyes were locked at the center of the hall, no longer bearing the huge block of ice. Instead, what replaced it was a man, willing to do everything he could to save the woman laying gently in his arms.
"The ice growing from her, as well as the flames coming from my body are still fighting each other in the outermost layer of her skin," Surtr explained, "You shouldn't be touching her."
"It's fine," Gerald then said, his voice even warmer than Surtr's flames. On his arms, however, were trails of blood; profusely raining and bathing the wooden floor in red.
"You're hurt, Gerald," Vanya then said as she stepped forward.
"It's fine," Gerald once again said as he gently touched Xinyan's face, causing the flesh in his hand to erupt, "She…
....she could never hurt me."