Chapter 49 - Forest

Bjorn led the trio with long, quick strides through the winding corridors of. Erik, Mia, and Liam exchanged anxious glances but followed in silence.

After what felt like an eternity they finally reached a large door at the end of a hallway. Bjorn pushed it open revealing a small, sparsely furnished room.

Bjorn turned to face the trio.

"The last place Freya was seen is in Vanaheim," he began. "She was tracking down one of the artifacts when she vanished. Your task is to find out where she is and bring her back, if possible."

Erik's heart skipped a beat. The thought of venturing into such unknown place was daunting, to say the least.

"How the hell are we supposed to do that?" Erik exclaimed. "We don't even know where to start!"

"Lord Heimdall said that the System will guide you. It's been tailored to aid you in your journey. Trust it," Bjorn said.

As if on cue, a soft chime echoed in the room and before their eyes a translucent window materialized in the air.

[Quest:Freya's Rescue]

Objective: Locate Freya in Vanaheim.

Details: Freya, has gone missing in Vanaheim. Your mission is to find the clues about her. The path will be perilous, but you are the chosen ones. The System will guide you.

Rewards:

- Experience: 5000 EXP

- Skill Unlock: Runes of Vanaheim

Failure Consequences: Freya remains lost, and the balance of the realms may be disrupted.

Quest Status: Active.

Erik, Mia, and Liam exchanged wide-eyed glances as they absorbed the information on the screen. The stakes were high—higher than anything they had faced before but thankfully, the presence of the System offered a glimmer of hope. However, still, this is their first mission in the real realm of gods and goddesses.

Bjorn watched the three of them. The System — whatever mysterious force it was that Heimdall had created — had now taken hold and will guiding these three young humans. Bjorn could only hope for the best.

"Are you ready?" Bjorn asked.

Erik, Mia, and Liam exchanged brief glances before nodding in unison. They had accepted their mission and there was no turning back now.

Bjorn didn't waste any more time. With a swift and practiced motion he activated the controls in the room. The air around them began to hum as the Bifrost's mechanism whirred to life. The room was suddenly bathed in a kaleidoscope of colors, the familiar sight of the rainbow bridge forming before their eyes.

As the portal's shimmering light intensified, Mia wiped a bead of cold sweat from her forehead. "Oh shit, I just remembered… we have to go through this kind of teleportation again."

Erik and Liam who had been momentarily caught up in their mission suddenly realized what she meant. Their faces paled as well, the color draining from their cheeks as the memory of the stomach-churning experience of the Bifrost came rushing back. They exchanged a look of shared dread, cursing under their breaths as the portal's energy swirled around them.

Before they could fully process it the Bifrost activated with a brilliant flash. The trio barely had time to brace themselves before they were pulled into the vortex of light, their forms dissolving into the rainbow stream as they were whisked away from Asgard.

"May the gods protect you," Bjorn murmured to the empty room, before turning to leave.

---

Erik, Liam, and Mia were pulled into the swirling vortex of the Bifrost, they braced themselves for the disorienting sensation they remembered all too well. The last time they had traveled this way, the rush of colors and light had been accompanied by a stomach-churning lurch that left them reeling. But this time… this time was different.

Instead of the expected chaos they felt a smooth pull. The vibrant colors that surrounded them seemed less overwhelming as if they were flowing with the current rather than being tossed around by it. The sensation was still intense but it was no longer nauseating. In fact, there was a strange sense of calm that settled over them as they moved through the portal.

The journey finally came to an end. The swirling vortex of the Bifrost become solid ground beneath their feet and the trio found themselves standing in the middle of a forest.

The air was cool. Tall trees surrounded them, their leaves rustling gently in the breeze. Sunlight filtered through the canopy above.

"Well, that was... surprisingly pleasant," Mia said, her voice carrying a note of disbelief.

Liam ran a hand through his hair, still processing the smoothness of their journey. "I was expecting to hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. But yeah… this is way better."

"Guess they've made some upgrades," he said. "Or our bodies is no longer the same."

They hadn't considered that possibility because they were too absorbed in the urgency of their task and the memory of their recent Bifrost journey. All that filled their minds was panic. Their bodies had gone through various types of training and had, of course, changed; the Reincarnated Souls had also assimilated more than before. As a result, teleportation using the Bifrost no longer felt as bad as before.

The three of them shared a brief moment of relief.

"Let's hope the rest of this mission goes as smoothly," Erik added.

Mia and Liam nodded in agreement and began their exploration.

The trees were towering giants, their trunks wide enough that it would take a dozen men linking hands to encircle just one. Their bark was rough and ancient and covered in moss.

The ground beneath their feet was soft and springy, covered in layer fallen leaves and multicolored flowers.

"So this is Vanaheim…" Mia muttered while spreading her eyes to the surrounding.

The three of them admired the scenery in this forest, which looked like something out of a mythical and legendary dimension. But Erik didn't forget their task here.

"Stay focused, guys. We could run into monsters at any moment," Erik said, bringing Liam and Mia back to a state of alertness.

---