Erik, Liam, and Mia left the chamber with quick pace. The heavy doors closed behind them with a soft thud.
The grand corridor they now found themselves in felt colder, more daunting than before. Their footsteps echoed off the polished marble floor as they made their way back through the corridor. The silence stretched between them until Liam finally broke it, his voice brimming with anger.
"This is insane!" Liam spat, saying it for the second time. His fists clenched tightly at his sides. "How the hell are we supposed to deal with any of this? It's completely fucking nuts!"
Mia nodded in agreement, her face set in an angry scowl. "Yeah, and what's with them putting all this on us? We didn't ask for these powers or to be reincarnated heroes or whatever! If Thor and his godly family are so powerful, why can't they handle it themselves? It's not fair."
But when they vented their frustrations Erik remained silent, his expression pensive. He walked slightly behind them and his gaze fixed on the path ahead. He was lost in thought.
The anger and disbelief that his friends were expressing resonated with him but there was something else in his mind.
Noticing Erik's silence, Liam and Mia both slowed their pace, turning to look at him with questioning eyes.
"Erik?" Mia asked. "What's on your mind? You've barely said anything since we left the chamber."
"What are you thinking?" Liam chimed in, his tone still carrying a hint of irritation, but with a touch of curiosity.
Erik stopped walking, his eyes still focused ahead, but his mind clearly elsewhere. He let out a long sigh, trying to sort through the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions swirling inside him. After a moment, he finally spoke.
"I don't know, guys," he admitted, shaking his head slightly. "This whole thing is... crazy, yeah. But what if Thor's right? What if we really are the only ones who can do this? It doesn't make sense, I know. But if a god is asking for our help, maybe it's because there really isn't another option."
Liam and Mia exchanged glances, their anger starting to subside as Erik's words sunk in. The reality of their situation was undeniable, and as much as they wanted to reject it, the truth was staring them in the face.
Erik's gaze shifted to his friends, his eyes filled with uncertainty.
"I'm not saying I'm ready to accept all of this. But can we really just walk away?" Erik said. Somehow, Erik feels that they can't just run from this, or something really bad will be happen.
Liam and Mia is silent for a few moments, their minds now churning with his words. Erik's word forcing them to consider the impossible situation they were in. The idea that they might actually be the only ones capable of stopping Ragnarok gnawed at them, creating a disquieting mix of fear and and also responsibility.
Liam furrowed his brow, his mind replaying the memories of the giant wolves they had fought earlier. He could still feel the terror that had gripped him as those monstrous creatures bore down on them, their fangs glistening with the intent to kill.
The thought of facing something even more terrifying—something stronger and more relentless—made his skin crawl. Thor even said that there would be even worse monsters to come filled him with a cold dread.
"Fuck this!" Liam suddenly exclaimed, throwing up his hands in frustration. His voice echoed off the walls. "I still don't want to be involved in this! Those wolves were bad enough, and you're telling me there's going to be even worse things coming after us? No way, man. This is too much."
Mia remained silent, her expression conflicted. Erik's words made sense but so did Liam's. The thought of being thrust into battles with creatures out of nightmares, risking their lives for something they never asked for, was terrifying.
Yet, there was a nagging voice in the back of her mind, telling her that walking away might not be an option. What if Erik was right? What if they really were the only ones who could do something, cause even the gods are asking a help from human teenager?
Erik noticed the turmoil in his friends' eyes. He could see that both Liam and Mia were torn, their thoughts oscillating between fear and something they didn't fully understand yet. Seeing their confusion Erik decided that pushing the matter right now wouldn't help. They all needed time to process what they had learned, and most importantly, they needed to see their families.
"Let's leave it for now. We don't have to make any decisions right this second. I think we all need to see our families, make sure they're safe. We can figure out what to do after that," Erik said.
Liam hesitated for a moment before nodding, still unsettled but relieved to put the conversation on hold. Mia bit her lip, glancing at Erik and then at Liam. Finally, she nodded as well.
They continued down the corridor. The once-grand surroundings felt more oppressive now. Eventually they came across a servant, dressed in simple robes, who looked at them with a kind yet serious expression.
"Excuse me," Erik said. "Can you show us where our families are?"
The servant bowed slightly and gestured for them to follow. "Of course. They are safe and have been waiting for you. Please, come this way."
The trio followed the servant through the winding corridors. For now, their thoughts were on their families.
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