After narrowly avoiding becoming a blood smear in ancient Greece and single-handedly convincing the gods to update their patch notes for the Olympics, I was ready to head back to the World Tree. A well-earned break. Maybe a nap. Definitely no more near-death experiences.
Or so I thought.
The portal back to the World Tree wasn't subtle. It shimmered in the middle of the stadium—invisible to everyone but me and my freeloading spirit animals. Ratatoskr, still chibi and obnoxious, was practically bouncing on my shoulder.
"Home sweet home!" he chirped. "I call dibs on the best branch."
The owl, as serene as ever, fluttered its tiny wings. "We must return. The Tree's balance is restored for now, but its roots remain fragile."
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. "Let's just get back before another god decides to throw me into a wrestling match with Cerberus."
With one last glance at the cheering Greeks, I stepped into the portal… and the world dissolved into light.
Coming back to the World Tree felt like stepping into a realm of pure calm. The roots pulsed faintly beneath my feet, the air shimmered with energy, and the impossible enormity of the tree spread above me. It was like returning to the center of the universe.
"Ahh, peace and quiet," I sighed, stretching my arms. "Finally, a moment to—"
"Peace? Quiet? That sounds boring!"
The voice wasn't Ratatoskr's. Or the owl's.
No, this voice was new—bright, mischievous, and carrying the kind of energy you'd expect from someone about to knock over a shelf of pottery just to see what happens.
I turned slowly.
Standing there, grinning like she'd won the cosmic lottery, was a girl. She looked about my age (whatever that meant anymore), with wild golden eyes and hair that tumbled in messy waves. She wore a mismatched tunic and a bronze circlet that looked hastily polished, as though she'd borrowed it from someone far more important. There was an aura around her—not godlike in the Zeus-way, but chaotic, like she was built out of pranks and bad decisions.
"Who… who are you?" I asked, already dreading the answer.
She flourished a dramatic bow, her grin widening. "Eris, goddess of strife and discord. Maybe you've heard of me?"
My stomach dropped.
"Eris," I repeated flatly. "The goddess who started the Trojan War by tossing an apple into a party just to cause chaos?"
She straightened up, eyes twinkling with pride. "Oh, you do know me! It's nice to be recognized for my work."
Ratatoskr groaned from my shoulder. "Oh no. Not her."
Eris waved at him. "Hey there, squirrely! Miss me?"
"How did you even get here?!" I demanded, pointing accusingly at her.
Eris shrugged. "I followed you through the portal. Don't look at me like that! It's not my fault the World Tree didn't kick me out."
I looked at the owl. "You let her in?"
The owl blinked slowly. "The World Tree allows those who it deems worthy to pass."
"Worthy?!" I sputtered. "She's literally a walking glitch in the system!"
"Thank you!" Eris said cheerfully.
"That wasn't a compliment," I muttered.
Ratatoskr hopped down onto the ground, rubbing his temples with tiny paws. "This is bad. This is very bad. She's going to break everything."
"Relax," Eris said, plopping onto one of the roots and kicking her feet. "I'm just here to hang out. And maybe have a little fun."
I stared at her, then at the owl.
"You're telling me we have no choice but to let her stay here?" I asked, voice strained.
"The World Tree has decided," the owl said serenely.
Eris gave me a finger-gun and a wink. "Guess you're stuck with me, hero."
I buried my face in my hands.
Once I accepted the fact that the goddess of discord had officially moved in, I turned my attention to a bigger problem: my living situation. I couldn't keep running back and forth across timelines without some kind of base of operations.
"Okay," I said, pacing across the roots. "If I'm going to fix the timeline and babysit chaos gods, I need somewhere to sleep. And work. And maybe eat."
Ratatoskr perked up. "You mean, like a base? Ooh! Can we get a giant squirrel nest? With branches for me?"
"No nests," I said firmly.
The owl fluttered its wings. "A refuge built upon the roots of the World Tree would serve you well. Its power will sustain and protect you."
"Great. Let's call it Base Zero," I said. "Rat, you scout out some good spots. Owl, you handle whatever tree magic is necessary to make it livable."
"And me?" Eris asked, grinning.
"You can sit quietly and not break anything," I said, shooting her a glare.
"No promises," she replied with a laugh.
By the time evening fell (or whatever counted as evening here—time was weird at the World Tree), I had a plan. The roots near the center of the Tree would be perfect for my base. A structure could be grown from the bark itself, fueled by the Tree's energy. Simple, efficient, and best of all… mine.
As I sat on one of the roots, staring up at the endless canopy above, I allowed myself a moment of peace.
"A home at the center of the universe," I muttered. "Not bad for a guy who started out debugging code."
"You're welcome for the company," Eris teased, swinging her legs beside me.
Ratatoskr groaned. "We're doomed."
The owl, ever calm, simply said, "The journey has only begun."
I sighed, leaning back against the bark.
Note to self: When setting up a base of operations, check for stowaways before opening portals.
To be continued…