I gazed at the landscape below from the vast blue sky, as endless as the ocean. The fresh air filled my lungs while my obsidian wings spread wide, cutting through the strong winds. I soared high, exploring the snow-covered valleys of the Norse mountains.
A blanket of white snow coated the ground, scattered with dead branches stretching as far as the eye could see. The trees had shed their leaves, now replaced by snow piling up on the bare branches and twigs. Tall cliffs with sharp, jagged rocks surrounded me, and some trees still clung to life at the rocky edges, a testament to nature's resilience.
I continued to flap my wings gracefully, casting a shadow of dark feathers that shimmered as I passed through the valley. My black feathers stood in stark contrast to the white snow blanketing the area.
"Kaaakh...kaaakh..."
My caw echoed between the steep cliffs, reverberating throughout the valley.
I smiled in satisfaction, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of winter. The cold wind whispered gently, gliding through the cracks in the rocks and the branches, creating a unique winter symphony.
This scene reminded me of the first time I hatched into this strange world.
I once lived as a human in a world called "Earth." For reasons I still don't understand, I suddenly found myself hatching as a raven in the world of Norse mythology.
I can hardly remember anything from my past life, not even my name. Yet oddly, I retained all the knowledge I had learned before. Everything from general knowledge, society, technology, and even history and mythology from Earth was still with me. I felt grateful, even though I had no clue who I truly was before.
Honestly, I didn't care much about that. I had already come to accept and even enjoy my life as a raven. Not once did I ever wish to return to human form.
For some reason, realizing I was a raven brought me a sense of freedom and joy like nothing I had ever experienced before.
Strange, isn't it? Was this what I longed for in my previous life?
Whatever it was, I was genuinely enjoying my life now. My life as a raven.
******
Two hours had passed since I started flying around the mountains. I could feel fatigue setting into my wings. It was time to find a place to rest.
Scanning the area below, I looked for a suitable perch. That's when I spotted a frozen lake high up, with some oddly still-leafy trees around it.
Curious, I decided to descend and rest there. Maybe, if I was lucky, I could find food. In this season, food was hard to come by.
I gracefully landed on a branch of the nearest tree, but then I noticed something I had missed at first glance.
How beautiful...
There, leaning against a rock, was a beautiful girl, bound by long, golden chains.
Despite her tattered and worn clothes, she looked enchanting. Her skin was pale and radiant, her head adorned with sharp golden eyes, wolf ears, and long, flowing purple hair that reached her back.
She was struggling, trying to free herself from the chains that bound her.
"Damn it! This is useless!" she growled, her voice filled with frustration.
I could sense the pent-up anger and resentment within her. But something about her seemed... off. My curiosity got the better of me, and I moved closer.
Who is this girl? And what could she have done to end up bound like this?
I descended gracefully from the tree and glided down toward her, hoping to get as close as possible.
After landing nearby, our eyes met in a silence that felt heavy and endless. The girl was the first to break it, her voice full of rage and fire.
"Did you come here to mock me too, you ugly bird?!"
Instead of fear, her behavior only intrigued me. There was something bitter in her raspy voice that caught my attention. Boldly, I inched closer.
"Hmph. This is the first time a bird's dared to come this close to me." She flashed a wicked smile, baring her sharp fangs. "Aren't you scared of me, you stupid bird? I could eat you whenever I want!"
I remained unfazed by her threats. In fact, I moved even closer, locking eyes with her.
"How dare you…"
The girl growled in frustration, clenching her jaw tightly, her face flushed red with anger like a volcano about to erupt.
"What do you want from me, you ugly bird?! If you came here just to mock me like the others, you'd better leave before I make you my next meal!"
I didn't budge at her threats. Instead, I provoked her by giving her a look of pity.
"Get out of here, you cursed bird! Get out! Get out!"
Her fury boiled over, and she swung her sharp claws at me, the chains around her wrists clinking with every motion.
"Save your pity for yourself, you filthy bird! I don't need it!" she shouted, her voice laced with venom. "Just leave already!"
I hopped back, dodging her claws, but she kept trying to shoo me away.
I flew up to a nearby tree, keeping my distance from her as she threw a tantrum. Even from a distance, I could hear her shouting up at me.
"Leave now!" she cried, her voice a mix of frustration and bitterness. "I, Fenrir, the strongest wolf in all of the Norses, don't need pity from a lowly creature like you!"
I froze when I heard her name.
Fenrir? The ferocious wolf? Is that really her? Isn't Fenrir supposed to be male? Is this really the Norse mythology I know?
I started to realize that this version of Norse mythology didn't quite match what I was familiar with.
My thoughts were abruptly interrupted as Fenrir dashed toward the tree I was perched on and started shaking it with all her might. She seemed determined to tear the tree out of the ground.
Snow and leaves rained down, accompanying the violent tremors shaking the tree. It seemed like this girl really wanted me gone.
"Khaaak...khaak... (Damn, she's really mad!)" I cawed in panic. "Khaaak...khaak...khaak... (Alright, alright, I'm leaving!)"
I quickly flapped my wings and soared away, leaving behind a tantruming Fenrir.
As I glanced back, I saw her slump to the ground, a look of sadness flickering in her sharp golden eyes.
Why does she look so sad? Is she lonely?
I wasn't sure what was going on, but that expression was something I wouldn't soon forget.
***
Right after moving away, I perched on a thick apple tree. The fruit was red and glossy, making anyone drool just from a glance.
But that didn't apply to me. My mind was solely filled with thoughts of Fenrir. Not because I was captivated or anything like that, but because I was reminded of who that girl truly was.
Fenrir is the mightiest giant wolf in Norse mythology. She is often depicted as a proud, brutal, and vengeful wolf. This wolf would play a crucial role in the war of Ragnarok, which will occur far into the future. As the slayer of the gods, she is also the one who will kill and devour Odin.
Ragnarok itself is a great war that occurs between the Jotun race and the gods. This great war leads to the annihilation of Yggdrasil, the tree of life that embodies the world of Norse mythology. One could say that Ragnarok is the embodiment of the apocalypse in Norse mythology.
However, despite knowing all this, my heart felt conflicted as I realized that Fenrir was just a lonely young girl.
Is this the right thing? To take away the freedom of such a young girl?
In the original mythology, Fenrir was indeed sealed away when she was still young, even though her body had grown immensely. Perhaps because Fenrir came from the Jotun race, her growth was far faster than that of other races.
After witnessing what happened to her, I could clearly feel the loneliness she experienced. Bound alone in this remote place for years. It was understandable that she harbored resentment towards the gods who had sealed her.
In my past life, everyone always thought that Fenrir was a ferocious male wolf, which is why no one cared for her. But if they saw the truth, surely everyone would shift their view and feel that the gods were the real antagonists.
Is it not okay to leave her like that?
Now, that girl might be experiencing early-stage depression or something due to being alone for too long. It was evident from her rage that surged uncontrollably at even the slightest disturbance.
It pricked my heart a little. Seeing a young girl exiled, shackled, and hated to the point of depression was not a sight I found beautiful.
I felt as if Fenrir was a reflection of myself in the past. Even though I wasn't sure what kind of life I had experienced before, I could clearly sense the loneliness she felt.
I think there's nothing wrong with trying to befriend her.
***
[PoV Fenrir]
I took a deep breath, feeling my tired body sink into the snowy ground. The feeling of defeat and destruction was so strong, as if there was nothing left I could do.
"In the end, I ended up scaring her away, didn't I..."
Throughout my life, I had always been feared and hated by all creatures in the North due to my terrifyingly immense power. The prophecy of destruction that I carried only made them more afraid. The gods viewed me as a threat, so they sealed me away in this remote valley, in Lyngvi.
The flames of hatred and anger continued to surge in my heart, burning away any feelings that might have existed before. I had forgotten what it felt like to be noticed, how to interact with other beings. Loneliness and anger were now my true companions.
Revenge? Hatred? Perhaps those are the right words to describe my feelings toward the gods who had treated me so unjustly.
This heart began to harden, cloaked in darkness, before a raven finally came to me. Bravely, it stared at me. Though only for a moment, its presence was something that slightly eased my burden.
But my heart ached at seeing the bird come to pity me. All I could think to alleviate that pain was to scare it away.
Unfortunately, that only hurt myself. I had consciously driven away the only being that might have dared to approach me.
"It's pointless. My heart feels even more painful now." My hand pressed against my aching chest.
Lost in thought, I didn't realize that dusk had fallen in the forest until I heard a rustling sound behind me.
"What a coincidence," I said while glancing back. "Maybe if I eat something, I can get rid of this troubling feeling."
I quickly stood up, revealing my sharp teeth, ready to attack and make whatever approached me my dinner.
"Prepare to be my dinner!"
However, to my surprise, something unexpected appeared before me. It was the raven from before. It was carrying an apple in its beak.
"The raven from earlier?"
My sharp nose could immediately recognize that raven from its distinct scent. The raven flew gracefully, dropping the apple into my hand before returning to the nearest tree branch.
"What does this mean?" I stared at the apple for a moment in confusion before finally smiling, realizing what the raven intended. "So that's it... you want to be friends with me, huh?"
Nom... nom
I quickly devoured the apple eagerly. Although it was just an apple, somehow it tasted far better than usual. Warmth spread through my heart, something I hadn't felt in a long time.
"This is really delicious..."
After finishing it, I turned my gaze to the raven that was drowsy on the tree branch. I called to it while stretching out my arms.
"Hey bird, come here!" This time, I tried to call it in a softer and friendlier tone. "I won't eat you. I promise!"
For a moment, the raven seemed hesitant to come. However, in the end, it flew closer to me.
I immediately embraced it gently. Then, I walked over to the large stone that was the center of my seal and sat against it. I placed the raven on my lap and began to gently stroke its black feathers with love and affection.
The raven seemed comfortable curling up in my lap. Its eyes looked heavy, and the bird fell asleep several times.
"Are you sleepy?" I asked, watching it close its eyes a few times. "Sleep, I promise I will keep you safe. No one will hurt you, I promise," I said while stroking its head.
After successfully reassuring it, the raven had no hesitation in completely closing its eyes, allowing itself to curl up on my lap.
"You really are quite naive, aren't you, ugly raven..." I murmured, stroking its face with my fingers. "I could have eaten you if I wanted to."
I smiled gently, watching the face of the raven that slept soundly on my lap, making me feel drowsy as well.
"Yawn," I yawned while stretching my arms. "Now I feel like sleeping."
I immediately curled up, carefully and warmly cradling the raven in my arms. Slowly, my eyes began to close, falling into a deep sleep while holding the raven tightly.
Gratitude filled my heart. The feeling of having a new friend after such a long time alone made me smile happily.
Unbeknownst to me, far into the future, this encounter would change the fate that Yggdrasil had predetermined for me, the lonely wolf girl.