Chapter 17 - The Friend of the Clear Sky

Beatrix

Up and up I climb...or perhaps float? At this point I feel like I'm just along for the ride, weightless, in spirit form.

It's a good thing too, as the roots I float through are gnarled and twisted, tangled up and around each other, which would make for quite a treacherous climb. Eventually I ascend into the clouds, and in a blur, I break through them into a realm of ice, mist and primordial cold. Jagged, icy peaks and rock formations extend as far as the eye can see, a shroud of frost coating everything. An aurora borealis paints the dark sky with a haunting glow. Although it is beautiful, this realm feels barren and lonely.

Suddenly, I hear the groaning sound of creaking below me, followed by a crack and then a crash.

What the hell was that?!

I look down and regret it immediately. A serpent, no... it's a massive dragon, spanning at least 400 meters tall, gnawing on the roots of the very ash tree I ascend. Ebony scales glimmer in the light of the borealis as he chomps on another root with sharp fangs the size of a car, causing it to snap and break off, descending through the clouds and out of sight. I'm at least a hundred meters up and climbing at this point, but my blood (or lack thereof) runs cold as his glowing emerald eyes spot and focus on me. He releases the roots with his massive jaws, turning his full attention to me with an open mouth full of sharp teeth.

Fuck! Can I go faster? But my progression up the roots is a steady pace, unaffected by this new threat.

The dragon unleashes an unholy roar that shakes the realm, causing ice to break and avalanches on nearby mountain peaks to fall. The sound speaks of absolute chaos and destruction, and terror grips me as his enormous wings extend and he launches himself into the air in pursuit.

Shit shit shit shit shit shit....

He flaps his wings, gaining speed, closing the distance between us an an alarming rate. Fifty meters away...he opens his maws and a cloud of green fog escapes, causing nearby roots of the tree he passes to rot and decay.

I can't let that touch me! Even if I am just in spirit form, something tells me that things won't go well for me if it does.

In desperation, I chance a look upward, and see that I'm just ten meters or so away from another cloudscape. Almost there! But can he follow me into the next realm?

Looking down to check his progress, my stomach plummets. Twenty meters away and closing...He's close enough now that I can feel the wind propulsion of his flapping wings and smell the sour stench of rot and decay on his breath, making my eyes water. Emerald eyes gleam with pure malice as he draws back his head and opens his jaws to snap at the section of roots I am traveling through.

Just when I think I'm about to get mauled, I finally ascend through another break of clouds, but not before I hear the horrific snapping of teeth and cracking of roots being torn away, followed by roar of anger, and then the scenery changes completely...

Ice and gloom is replaced with lush greenery and dancing butterflies. Flowery meadows and bubbling creeks, cherry blossoms drifting in the breeze. Ornately carved statues and elegant, gold and stone temples tell me this realm is inhabited by a civilization that appreciates beauty and grace, and part of me longs to stay for a bit. But my ascent does not stop, pulling me farther away from a realm that seems to call to me with a sweet song.

I break through clouds once again, and at last come to a stop below a sea of starts and vibrant nebulae, on a cliff overlooking enormous waterfalls. The mist tickles my face as I glance up to a domed great hall constructed entirely of gold. Somehow, the golden light of a setting sun coexists with the celestial skies and sets it ablaze, making it almost blinding to look at. Though I am not corporeal, my feet feel solid ground. Huh, that's weird. When I glance downward to see how, I gasp. I'm standing on what I would describe a crystalized rainbow road, shimmering and sparkling it's way beyond the hall, rainbow-colored flares branching off in the wind, as it stretches toward the most beautiful city I have ever seen.

The closest I could compare it to would be like the greek isle of Santorini, with white pumice stone buildings carved into more towering cliffside, graceful archways and circular columns that support golden domes, stacked upon each other with the exception of an enormous golden palace that rises above them all. It looks like a city built for the gods.

Is that what this is? Is this...Asgard? The realm of the gods.

I turn back to the great hall, and decide I should probably try to figure out why I was brought here. Who knows, maybe I'm just tripping this whole thing while on the henbane and I'm not actually here. Definitely going to have some CHOICE words with Skuld when I am back to my normal self.

I walk towards the massive double doors that mark the entrance, also made out of gold. An elaborate horn is carved into it, extending across both doors and split down the middle. I hesitate. Should I knock?

"ARE YOU GOING TO ENTER OR NOT, OTHERWORLDER?" The voice is deep and booming.

Holy shit!

I startle, whipping my head to and fro, but there's no one out here, despite how the voice sounded right by my ear. Taking a breath in to calm my nerves, I push against the heavy doors and enter the chamber.

My eyes take a moment to adjust to the darkness, as it's much dimmer in here. First, I hear the sound of large gears shifting, a mechanism shifting into place, then a loud clank as something settles. Then, I see a tall figure, standing vigilant as he stares out an enormous glass window that overlooks past the falls and towards the realms below. He is clothed in full armor, a red cape, white and grey fur mantle, and wears a helmet with curved ram horns protruding from each side. His bronze skin seems to glow in the dim light from nearby sconces. He's huge, even taller than Froðe, if that's possible.

"AT LAST, WE MEET." He doesn't turn around from his post, still watching. Every now and then, he shifts a massive rod in front of him, which I now see rotates a device in front of the main window. I step closer, curiosity getting the better of me, yet again. It's like a magnifying glass, or a telescope? Showing zoomed in views of the realms below us in ways that should not be possible with even the modern technology I know of, or, perhaps it's just magic.

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"And you are....Heimdall, aren't you?" I remember what Froðe told me about the guardian that guards the Bifröst, which sounds a lot like what I was just walking on earlier. I doubt there is more than one rainbow road in this world.

"I AM." He still does not turn away. Maybe he can't? Protecting Asgard from outside threats must be a full-time, all-the-time job for this guy. Does he even get breaks?

"Why am I here?"

Heimdall sighs. It's a surprisingly normal human thing to see such a godly being do.

"FREYJA AND HER ANTICS, I SUPPOSE. YOU SHOULD KNOW, SHE HAS TAKEN CONTROL OF YOUR BODY."

SHE WHAT?!

Heimdall beckons me forward with a hand, to look closer into the device in front of him. I rush forward and peak around his massive frame, and HOLY FUCK that's me, moving and talking to Froðe in Midgard, at the ceremony. But....I'm here? So that's Freyja, using my body to speak to the mortals in Midgard, without my fucking permission. Anger flares in me, bright hot, at the violation. Also....she's trying to stroke Froðe's cheek in a seductive manner.

"How do I stop her?"

"HMMMMM."

"I don't think you get the urgency here. I DO NOT want my body to do that right now," I say, pointing at my treacherous hand that is not mine anymore, reaching for Froðe.

"JUST WAIT, OTHERWORLDER," Heimdall answers in a knowing tone.

Huh?

But then Froðe snatches Freyja's wrist before she can touch him, and he says something to her, his face full of anger.

"Why can't I hear them? And how did you know what would happen?"

Heimdall laughs. It's a deep belly laugh, and with his already booming voice, it echos off the walls of the chamber.

"I AM THE GUARDIAN OF THESE REALMS, OTHERWORLDER, THAT IS WHY. THAT RESPONSIBILITY GRANTS ME WITH SENSES THAT NO OTHER CAN POSESS. I CAN HEAR THE LEAVES GROW ON TREES, SEE THE REFRACTED LIGHT ON AN ICE CRYSTAL HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY....AS WELL AS OVERHEAR THE CONVERSATIONS OF A PARTICULAR VIKING JARL THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO YOU."

I narrow my eyes at Heimdall. How long has he been spying on us?

"That doesn't explain why you knew what would happen."

"I POSSESS SOME FORESIGHT AS WELL. IT IS USEFUL FOR PERCEIVING APPROACHING THREATS BEFORE THEY REACH ASGARD."

Hmm...that's useful. I wonder...

"Did you see me coming?"

Finally, Heimdall looks at me. His eyes are molten gold, a stark contrast against his dark, bronze skin and black curly hair.

"YES. I WARNED MY LORD OF YOUR COMING."

His lord....

"Odin?"

Heimdall nods, turning back to his surveillance of the realms below. I notice now that the rod I thought he was holding is actually a massive longsword. It's embedded into the floor within a slot mechanism, and when he rotates it, it shifts the viewpoint of the device in front of him, which he does again, and suddenly we see the frosty barrens of the realm I saw on my way here. I look for that horrible dragon, but don't see him as the viewpoint is not focused on the tree roots.

I think back to what Arne said when he thought of how I came to be here, and another question comes to mind.

"Why did you let me in?"

"BECAUSE LORD ODIN ASKED ME TO."

What?

Heimdall must sense my eagerness to know more, or maybe he foresaw me asking the question, so he elaborates further.

"HE IS KNOWN TO WANDER THE REALMS HIMSELF, ALWAYS SEEKING KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIVERSE. WHEN I TOLD HIM YOU WERE HURTLING ACROSS THE COSMOS FROM A REALM NOT CONNECTED WITH OURS, HE WAS VERY INTERESTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU."

Something starts nagging at the back of my mind at that.

"And where is he now, your lord?"

Heimdall sighs, hesitating.

"I HAVE NOT SEEN HIM SINCE. I SUSPECT HE HAS GONE TO MIDGARD TO ONCE AGAIN LIVE AMONGST THE HUMANS AND STUDY THEM."

So...Odin is somewhere on Midgard amongst the humans. Would we be able to recognize him? I'm assuming he's disguised, as I haven't seen any one eyed older men wandering around the realm last time I checked, if those figurines I saw on the altar were supposed to be of his likeness. I cross my arms as I consider that revelation.

"Does he do that often?"

Heimdall makes an exasperated sigh, confirming my suspicions, before shifting the mechanism once again, and this time we see the lush green realm I encountered before Asgard.

"AGAINST HIS BETTER JUDGEMENT, YES, OTHERWORLDER. HE OFTEN TRAVELS TO THE OTHER REALMS, TESTING THE BEINGS HE INTERACTS WITH. ALL FOR THE PURPOSE OF GAINING KNOWLEDGE." Testing...that's interesting. Is he testing me?

"So even you can't find him when he's in disguise?"

Heimdall glances down at me with narrowed eyes, like my question is an insult. Oops. Try not to anger the gods, Beatrix.

"HE IS A MASTER OF DISGUISE AND TRICKERY."

"Right, of course. So he wants to learn more about me....that means he's disguised as someone that is near enough to observe me."

"YES. THAT IS WHY I HAVE BEEN OBSERVING YOUR COMMUNITY CLOSELY," Heimdall says as he switches back to our ceremony temporarily, and I catch a glimpse of Freyja walking towards Skuld, before he shifts to another realm that's a blazing, volcanic landscape. "IN CASE HE GETS HIMSELF INTO DANGER ONCE AGAIN. IF HE ANNOUNCES HIMSELF, I CAN EASILY TRANSPORT HIM BACK TO ASGARD."

Danger....wait.

"Aren't gods immortal?"

"WE MAY NOT AGE OTHERWORLDER, BUT WE ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM DEATH."

Woah...so he really is taking a risk to observe humans and learn more about me. I wish I knew more about Norse mythology besides what I have seen in films from my home world..maybe I could pinpoint who he is by some telltale signs. It doesn't help that some of the humans I have met have magic of their own, so it's not like I can say magical powers would be an indicator in itself.

"How long does he typically stay in Midgard...for these...escapades?"

"IT COULD BE MONTHS...OR YEARS.." Heimdall raises his eyebrows. "OR DECADES."

Wow...that's dedication.

"BY THE WAY, OTHERWORLDER.." Heimdall turns his head to the side like he's overhearing something. "YOU MAY WANT TO MAKE YOUR WAY BACK NOW."

Anxiety starts trickling it's way into my mind.

"Why...what's happening in Midgard?"

"YOU ARE NOT MEANT FOR THIS REALM. STAYING HERE WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF ODIN CAN HAVE DIRE CONSEQUENCES."

Yikes! He should have told me that from the start!

"ALSO, IT APPEARS THAT FREYJA IS ABOUT TO REVEAL SOME PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU TO THE JARL."

"What the hell?! Why is she even there messing with us?"

Heimdall considers my question.

"HMMMM.....SHE IS ALSO KNOWN TO TAKE HUMAN APPEARANCES IN MIDGARD, FOREVER SEARCHING FOR HER LOST HUSBAND. PERHAPS SHE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING THROUGH YOU WHEN SHE WITNESSED YOUR ARRIVAL HERE."

Wait wait wait...This makes no sense... But I'm also starting to feel light headed, like I'm starting to fade away. That can't be good.

"Okay...so how do I go back?"

"THE SAME WAY YOU CAME."

Wow, that's helpful.

"I SHALL GRANT YOU SAFE PASSAGE, BUT YOU MUST MAKE THE JOURNEY YOURSELF. IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE, OTHERWORLDER. IF YOU FIND MY LORD, PLEASE REMIND HIM THAT HE HAS A KINGDOM TO RUN."

Heimdall turns his massive longsword, eliciting a loud clank in the mechanism, followed by the grinding of metal gears. The realm in the viewpoint shifts once again, back to the ceremony in Midgard. A very tense Froðe is looking into the eyes of me, or Freyja, who is now touching his cheek with a thousand emotions crossing her face as she whispers something to him. His eyes soften, as he looks into hers. Their lips are a breath of air way from each other. What is she doing? Are they going to kiss?

Not on my fucking watch.

I shut my eyes, extending my arms out at my sides. Instinct tells me to start grounding, to connect to my other self far below me on Midgard, so I search for it. My body., that is. I picture a path winding back down those gnarled and twisted roots of the ash tree, all the way back to Midgard and sprouting back into my own body, pulsing with light like they did on my way here. Oddly enough, it's a clear image in my head, and it just feels right.

Well, here goes nothing.

"See you later, Heimdall," I whisper.

"I HAVE A FEELING WE WILL, OTHERWORLDER."

Though my eyes are still closed, I can feel a smile in his voice. It's fading away, however, because I'm diving downward, launching myself through the floor beneath me and back into the roots.