"Mimir, tell me… what exactly is Ragnarok?"
The grave words reached the old man's ears. Before him, Odin, the one-eyed king of the gods, stared intently, awaiting the ancient one's reply.
The old man looked at him silently, then turned his gaze to the Well of Wisdom beside him. The pure waters of the Well seemed no different from any ordinary spring, merely a small pool of clear water seeping out from deep within the earth, not even the size of a washbasin.
Yet deep within this Well of Wisdom lay a single eye, the price Odin paid for his wisdom.
By sacrificing one eye, he had forever linked himself to wisdom, able to know the past, present, and future. Among the nine worlds, nothing could escape the eye of the king of the gods.
Thor, the god of thunder, was the mightiest deity, revered by Norse warriors; while Odin, the king of the gods, was the wisest and most cunning. Compared to his strength, his trickery was even more admired by the Viking raiders, for Thor symbolized brave combat, while Odin symbolized victory in war.
God of war, god of wind, god of poetry, god of wisdom and victory, god of magic…
He was the supreme god of the Norse mythological world, the embodiment of the sky and the atmosphere. Moreover, with his near-omnipotent runic symbols, he was also regarded as the all-knowing, all-powerful god. He had over two hundred names, each representing humanity's deep awe of him.
Though he wielded the invincible divine spear Gungnir, Odin rarely used it, for most of the time, he didn't even need to act. His wisdom and composure alone could solve everything.
Whether facing the world-entwining Midgard Serpent or the heaven-and-earth-devouring monstrous wolf Fenrir, he never even had to descend from his divine throne, always looking down upon the world from on high, resolving everything with ease. He had already faced countless such crises.
However, even with the near-omnipotent runic symbols, even such a powerful god would still fall into worry… or even fear.
The deep unease and dread of "Ragnarok".
"Ah, Ragnarok…"
Gazing at the Well of Wisdom, the old man spoke distantly. His pupils gradually lost focus, as if lost in past memories. His low tone was exceptionally calm.
"That is the destined fate…"
"Ragnarok is the ultimate fate of all gods, giants, the living, and the dead in this world. It cannot be defied, nor is there any way to defy it."
The old man leaned by the well, this aged wise giant seeming as if he might doze off at any moment from weariness, even starting to snore lightly.
"Fate?"
The one-eyed king of the gods frowned slightly and shook his head.
"I don't believe in this kind of fate. Fate is not immutable. I can change all of this."
"Really?"
The old man raised his head, his aged eyes full of wrinkles looking at him, and couldn't help but scoff.
"If you truly believe you can change this ultimate fate, why bother gathering five hundred thousand einherjar to serve you?"
At these words, Odin was at a loss for words.
The old man paid no heed to Odin's expression and casually pointed at the Well of Wisdom, saying to Odin.
"Look…"
Following the old man's finger, Odin looked and saw a clear image appearing on the surface of the once transparent Well of Wisdom…
"Wah~"
In the birthing room, surrounded by people, a newborn baby was held in the arms of a young woman who had just become a mother. It cried loudly, seemingly unaccustomed to this unfamiliar world.
The young woman gazed at the tiny infant in her arms, a warm, loving smile gracing her pale face, while beside her, people wished for this newborn to find happiness.
A beautiful and peaceful atmosphere suffused the entire crowd. Even some young fairies scattered in the mountains and forests were drawn, curiously peeking through the window, delighted for this adorable newborn.
Looking at this scene before him, Mimir's face was utterly calm, unmoved. He merely said softly.
"When a newborn has just entered the world, no one can predict what its future fate will be. It may become a fearless, brave warrior, a loyal noble attendant, a marauding bandit, a slave enduring hardship, or a merchant wandering between city and wilderness… All of this is possible. This newborn has infinite potential futures."
"But there is one thing that people can be certain of…"
"This child will eventually die."
"Whether on a sickbed or a battlefield, there is no doubt that this is its destined fate… a fate determined from the moment it was born."
As Mimir spoke calmly, the image on the surface of the Well of Wisdom began to distort…
The once wailing infant turned into a small skeleton, its cries silenced. The birthing room was filled with old cobwebs at some unknown point. The once new and exquisite furniture became decayed and dilapidated. The bed was covered in dust. The mother who had been lovingly gazing at her child, the guests who had been offering congratulations, had all turned into skeletons, some standing, some sitting.
The skeletons' postures were so lively that one could even see the curious onlooker outside the crowd, standing on tiptoe trying to glimpse the baby, and the elegant noblewoman beside her, happily chatting with her female companion… Everyone's postures were so lifelike, as if they were not skeletons, but a group of guests and the newborn mother and child, sincerely celebrating.
"Mortals all die in the end. This is the destined fate of mortals."
"Because it was 'born', it 'died'… Life and death, thus forming a strict and ruthless causal cycle."
Mimir said calmly. Before him, the image in the Well of Wisdom gradually faded.
With that, he sighed slightly and then turned to Odin, the king of the gods, in front of him.
"And Ragnarok… is the 'death' of the entire universe. No one can defy it, because this is the destined fate of the universe."
Odin looked at Mimir, the slight gloom on his face indicating that he clearly disliked what Mimir said.
But in the end, he was the wisest of the gods. He immediately keenly realized something.
"If the death of humans is because they were 'born', then what is the 'death' of the universe due to?"
Mimir looked at him, grinning, an inscrutable smile on his face.
"You should understand, Odin…"
"The coming of Ragnarok, the 'death' of the universe, is precisely because you killed my father Ymir, created the world tree Yggdrasil, and established the nine worlds."