Several days had passed since I obtained this rune, and I was starting to get used to it. So far, I had successfully mastered seven forms equally well: tiger, raven, human, frog, eagle, cat, and snake. The rune's effects seemed simple, but its potential was extraordinary.
"Yata…" A soft voice called from behind me. I turned to see my master, Fenrir, lazing atop her favorite resting spot—a large rock.
"I want some rabbit meat…" she pleaded, her voice pitiful, her eyes narrowing like a child begging for candy.
"Didn't you just eat that yesterday?" I asked, shifting into my human form to communicate more easily with her. "It would be better if you ate some fruit today. It's for your nutritional needs."
Honestly, I wasn't entirely sure if a creature like Fenrir, a Jotun in humanoid form, had the same dietary requirements as a human. Or perhaps she needed meat more, like a wolf would.
"But in winter, meat tastes better than fruit," she replied, trying to compromise. "Besides, what's nutrition?"
"Nutrition is what your body needs to grow properly. Without balanced nutrients, you can get sick. Some people even grow weak if they don't eat enough fruit or vegetables." I looked at her, hoping my explanation made sense.
Fenrir sat up straight, her eyes gleaming with interest as she listened to me. Deep down, I hoped I could convince her to start liking fruits and vegetables.
"So that's it…" she murmured, nodding slightly. "Does that mean… my chest is small because I'm lacking nutrition?" She stared at her chest with a serious expression, as if she'd just uncovered the secret to her life's greatest mystery.
I coughed and quickly turned my now-red face away. "A-all right! I'll go get some fruit now!" I stammered, desperately trying to escape the topic.
"Bring lots, Yata! So my chest can—"
"Henshin!" I swiftly transformed into an eagle, flapping my wings to fly away, pretending I hadn't heard the rest of her sentence.
Soaring high in the sky, I scanned the valley below, searching for fruit. After a while, I spotted a cluster of trees bearing ripe fruit. I descended to the ground and shifted back into human form.
But before I could gather anything, an evil laugh echoed from the trees.
"Hahahaha…"
I spun around, my body tensing. A man sat on a tree branch, biting into an apple. Shoulder-length black hair, glinting green eyes, and a sly smile spread across his face—there was no mistaking who he was.
"Loki..." I hissed.
"Oh, it seems you recognize me," he said with a mysterious smile. "That makes things easier."
The danger radiating from him was palpable with just one look. This trickster god, with all his mastery in deception, made every feather on my body bristle. My legs trembled, feeling frozen in place. He gazed at me sharply, his smile betraying something dark beneath.
"What brings a god like you to such a remote place?" I asked, my voice trembling as I tried to hide the fear creeping over me.
Loki chuckled lightly before answering, "What's wrong with a father coming to see his daughter?"
His daughter?
I flinched. His question sounded ambiguous, but I knew exactly who he was referring to Fenrir. Yes, in Norse mythology, this god was indeed Fenrir's biological father.
In the blink of an eye, Loki leapt down from the tree, landing right in front of me. My body instinctively stepped back, trying to keep distance.
"This is strange…" he murmured, squinting at me. "Why does my daughter's scent linger so strongly on you? What's so special about you?"
I froze, unsure how to answer.
"Well… it doesn't matter," he continued with a wicked grin. "I'm not here to hurt anyone." His voice was gentle, but I knew better than to trust anything that came out of Loki's mouth.
He tossed a small knife to the ground in front of me. I eyed it warily, hesitant to touch it.
"Go on, take it," Loki said with a calm smile, as if reading my thoughts. "It's not cursed, don't worry."
Though I hesitated, I eventually picked up the knife cautiously. The moment my fingers touched the cold metal, an odd feeling enveloped me—it was as if the object held great power, far more than an ordinary blade.
"What's the meaning of giving me this?"
Loki's smile grew wider. "That knife can cut through anything, even Gleipnir."
I gasped. Gleipnir? The chain that binds Fenrir?
"So… you want me to free your daughter?"
Loki grinned, his eyes playful, like a cat toying with a mouse. "That's up to you. Free her, or leave her, it's your choice."
Without saying anything further, he turned and walked away with a carefree stride, as if everything was just a joke to him.
"Oh, by the way," he added, waving a hand. "In three days, it will be my daughter's 17th birthday. I hope you give her the best gift."
My heart nearly stopped at his words. Fenrir's birthday? This was no coincidence.
Loki vanished into the shadows of the forest, leaving me in a state of utter confusion. My body collapsed to the ground, trembling violently. What did Loki want from me? Was he really entrusting his daughter's fate to me? This felt like a trap.
I stared at the knife in my hand, sensing its immense power. This choice… why did it have to fall on me?
What would happen if I freed Fenrir? What would happen if I refused? The world could change, fate could be rewritten. And it was all in my hands.
I gazed up at the gloomy sky above, sighing softly. How had I, a raven merely doing his duty, suddenly found myself faced with a decision that could determine the fate of the world?
To be honest, I did feel sympathy for Fenrir's plight after seeing things from her perspective. But freeing her now? What would happen if I defied the fate carved in stone? How big would the consequences be? Would Ragnarok come sooner?
"What should I do now?"
I lay down and stared at the sky, searching for answers to the unease building within me. But like the silent sky, I could only hope the answers would come before it was too late.
*****
The sun hung in the sky, radiating warmth that was almost imperceptible amid the biting winter. The cold air that usually made my body shiver no longer bothered me as it once did. I knew this was due to my rune, the shapeshifter rune, which granted me new strength, making my body more resilient.
"Phew... maybe it's time for me to head back," I murmured, wiping the sweat from my brow.
The collection of fruits I had gathered was wrapped in a cloth that used to be one of my feathers.
I smiled faintly, still amazed by the rune that seemed simple yet held so much potential. Who would have thought that strange idea would work? I felt a swell of pride in myself.
"Sometimes it's true, behind difficulties, there are always eases. We just haven't found them yet," I murmured, trying to calm my anxious heart.
My feet moved slowly along the path, carrying the bundle of fruits. Although I appeared relaxed on the outside, my heart was engulfed in restlessness. The hidden dagger of Loki in my clothing pocket continued to weigh on my mind. A choice hung in the air. I wanted Fenrir to be happy, to live life like any other teenage girl. But... letting her go?
Even in her sealed state, her power was terrifying. What if that seal broke? What would she bring into this world? That thought never left me, haunting my every step.
Finally, my footsteps stopped when I arrived at the place where Fenrir was waiting for me. I carefully concealed the dagger, hoping she wouldn't notice.
"Hey, Fenrir."
I tried to act normal, as if nothing had happened before, as if I hadn't just met her father, Loki.
"Yata, why were you so long?" she asked with a cheerful tone—at least it started that way. But then her eyes shifted. That cheerful gaze turned sharp, filled with suspicion.
Damn... she noticed.
"So," her voice turned cold and her gaze darkened, "you met Loki, didn't you?"
She didn't need to say it. The scent clinging to me was answer enough. In fact, Fenrir didn't glance at the fruits I was carrying, not even once, when usually, that was the first thing to catch her attention. Was she really that disgusted by her father?
I tried to act casual and asked, "How did you know?"
"The stench of that bastard is on you," she replied with a flat expression.
I couldn't deceive her sense of smell. I placed the bundle of fruits beside her and sat down, trying to ease the tension. Maybe if we ate together, the atmosphere would lighten.
"Why do you hate your father so much?" I asked, though I already knew the answer. Her eyes, which sparkled like gold, were now filled with sorrow.
"He only cares about himself. He always abandons us. Even when Odin punished us, he did nothing. He never came to see me. Not once," her voice was full of bitterness, but her eyes looked firm and resolute.
I could only remain silent. I had suspected it all along—Fenrir harbored a deep hatred for her father. Loki... who didn't know of the god's cunning? But hearing this directly from his daughter made it all feel much more real.
"By the way," Fenrir continued, her voice laced with caution, "did he give you anything? Or scare you?"
I smiled, trying to calm myself. "He did scare me a little, but he didn't do anything. Maybe he just... passed by?"
Fenrir growled softly. "Don't be foolish. He must be planning something. That bastard never acts without a purpose."
"I wonder what chaos he'll cause this time?" she muttered, half angrily. "If he dares to do anything, I'll tear his face off!"
Her confidence always made me smile.
"Don't underestimate my muscles," she said proudly, patting her small arm with self-assurance. "If that's not enough, I still have fangs and claws to face him!"
I could only shake my head, trying to suppress my laughter at her cocky demeanor, which I found amusing.
Fenrir was indeed strong, but she had yet to reach her true strength. Not now. Her full power would only emerge when Ragnarok arrived.
"Rather than thinking about that, let's eat these fruits first," I said, taking an apple. "It's delicious," I bit into the apple with enthusiasm, hoping to entice her.
"It looks good," she replied, quickly grabbing an apple from the pile. Without hesitation, she began to eat it greedily, her mouth full of apple.
"You're right... this is delicious!" she said, chewing with her mouth full. I could only laugh.
"Don't talk with your mouth full; you might choke," I chided, feeling relieved to see her cheerful again. The dagger in my pocket... seemed to slip from my mind for a moment.
However, soon enough, that thought returned to haunt me. "Three days left..." I muttered, staring blankly at the sky.
"Yata, aren't you going to eat? I'm finishing it all!" Fenrir called out, and I was shocked to see nearly all the apples gone in an instant.
"Hey, leave some for me!" I exclaimed.
***
I woke up amid a raging fire. The sound of metal clashing filled the air, mingling with the screams of people trapped in this chaos. The metallic scent of blood and smoke filled my lungs, making me nauseous. Piles of corpses surrounded me, and ahead, a massive wolf was rampaging, tearing everything apart mercilessly.
"Fenrir..." I whispered. I knew it was her. The girl I knew, now transformed into an uncontrollable monster.
"Fenrir, what happened to you? Please, answer me!"
The wolf paused for a moment, turning to look at me. Her golden eyes were brimming with tears.
"Yata... is that you?" her voice was so sorrowful. My heart shattered.
"I'm sorry..." she murmured softly, before lunging at me with her jaws wide open, swallowing me into an endless darkness.
I woke up with a scream. Cold sweat drenched my body. I gasped for air, my body trembling.
"Rabbit meat... yum, yum..." Fenrir mumbled beside me, still sound asleep. I sighed, grateful she wasn't disturbed by my nightmare.
I folded my wings, got up, and started to fly out. The cold night wind hit my face. Perhaps fresh air would calm my mind.
In the sky, the full moon shone brightly, reminding me of the fate awaiting Fenrir. Three days left... I had to make a decision.
What should I do?