New Experiences

On one of the bifrost bridges' support sat Ysmir looking up at the stars with two books by his side.

On the other stand that supports the bifrost was Odin who climbed up not too long ago.

"You spent too much of your time on the bridge." Odin commented.

"I can't help it, no matter how much I sit and look around…"

Odin didn't speak but looked like he agreed.

"I heard of your battle with the girls."

"Oh yeah, it was alright."

"You grow stronger as time passes, even now the 3 academies have no opponents at such heights."

"Well on the bright side I can demand from them anything whenever I want as long as it's not indecent." Ysmir laid back looking up.

Odin hummed acknowledging Ysmir's benefits.

Odin expected Ysmir to make a name for himself but he didn't expect him to become the school's #1 "might" nor make something of himself this early.

Odin realized this the moment Ysmir was spending his time alone studying while every other child was off playing as kids should.

He thought of Ysmir as mature and wiser than every kid in Asgard(except for him of course), and wanted to see more but ended up becoming close to him and making himself a friend.

A friend that is unpredictable, Ysmir could be very curious about one subject in one moment then become a childish fool the next. And at times Odin can't even keep up and then told himself of how idiotic Ysmir is.

And over the years they have gotten closer, and there were a few times that Ysmir visited the palace and if Odin was honest he would say it was troublesome.

Ysmir would be like a chicken in a manor, running around with excitement and curiosity even having to bump into a few things angering some guards and palace workers.

There were times when he would freeze for minutes staring at something and Odin can't help but lose patience. So in the end there were less trips to the palace.

"How about a change of battlefield?" Odin suddenly suggested.

"Yeah? What do you have in mind?"

"The colosseum."

"...we're not even old enough to participate in it, plus no one is gonna take two teenagers easily with the way things are."

"Your concern for the age is unneeded, have you not wondered where I sharpen my skills?"

Ysmir sat up and turned his head sideways looking at the smirking Odin.

"You mean you've been fighting in the pits all this time?"

"As one of the princes, I have privilege. Fighting in the rings with the warriors and veterans are one of many."

"You asshole!!" Ysmir cursed Odin as the young man in question was oblivious to what Ysmir was mad about.

"What now?" Odin thought aloud before suddenly catching a book effortlessly.

"I've been looking for big fights like that for a while and now decide to inform me now?!"

"I did not inform you because you are not strong enough for them."

"Watch me!! Come on!" Ysmir stood up and turned around. "You said you can get me in the pit fights right? Let's go."

"The day has sunked and it's dark now, the pit fights in the stadium are at most empty. The warriors are off feasting and drinking the night away."

"You should know that there are always fighters working hard even now, princess. Just like me I bet there are some warriors who might be having late night duels. Now come on!"

**********

From one of the palace's terraces are two men having drinks as they looked out onto the golden city below.

There wasn't much light but the dim reflection of the gold environment.

What was clear was the many containers around that were once full of liquor and one of the men had a red royal robe that had rune-like designs on while the other wore a golden one.

"You know if you were to ask, I would say the boy isn't fit for your ideal king." The man with the red royal robe said.

"Then it's fortunate that I didn't ask."

"If the boy continues to follow the path he walks, then everything you have put in this kingdom will be for nothing."

"..."

"Again...if you ask me, I think Odin has the right demeanor for the next heir. Your firstborn on the other hand is much too-"

"He is the next king, he is the next king by right whether we like it or not." Gold robe said.

"Hide it all you want brother, but you are not foolish enough to think that his kingship will not bring upon problems and Odin will definitely do something about it." Red robe said.

"Enough Mimir, I will not have you speak ill of my firstborn. If I deem something necessary to be situated then I will do so by my own accord, so enough with this topic." Gold robe said.

"But of course my king." Mimir stood up and bowed sarcastically before sitting back and downing a big curved horn full of ale. "Just ignore the wisest God's counsel, it's not like he knows what he speaks of."

"I do not ignore your counsel brother, if I don't follow them then I keep in mind your words. The Norns know how long I and Asgard would have survived without it." The golden king said.

"Then what stops you now from prioritizing my thoughts?"

"This is my family-"

"And it is exactly why you should hear my thoughts on it."

"This is my family." King Bor continued ignoring Mimir's interruption. "I would like to guide it myself and fix these situations, if my hand in it is inevitable then I will surely ask for your counsel again brother."

Mimir hummed with his mind mostly on thoughts.

"Very well, Bor. I shall let fate take its course." Mimir said.

"HAH!! Who do you think you are?! You are full of it, thinking you could change or let fate take its course." Bor laughed out loud with his deep reverberating tone.

"Why I am the God of wisdom himself you brute, I know a thing or two about the fates the Norns weave themselves." Mimir said with pride.

"You know a thing or two about everything, it does not mean much if you can stir it up yourself and manipulate them."

"You underestimate my knowledge Bor, with knowledge comes power. If I wanted to I could have brought both you and Njords kingdom down in just mere decades, a century at most."

"Your banter may have some validity, but when the time comes Might is always on top." Bor looked at Mimir and smirked. "Me and Njords kingship proves itself, while you, brother, have nothing but your "powerful" knowledge." Bor chuckled as Mimir huffed out.

"Heh, I don't expect you two to understand, you two idiots fill your minds with violence, pride and glory. Your influence spreads out to our people clouding their minds with the same, only few understand what I speak of."

"Come now brother, why the grave mood every time we speak of your divinity?"

"It's because your brain is too puny to see how significant it is!!" Mimir said annoyed as Bor just laughed out.

"Now now, why don't we change topic. Odin's generation will celebrate their 16th birthday in a few moons, how do you think he will do?"

"Well just like his brute of a father, he will challenge the mightiest beast there is."

"He is my son after all."

"That's what I just said." Mimir said, rolling his eyes.

If there was one person Bor was proud of, it's Odin. He groomed him the best he can to what a king would be like, but with his first-born he messed up somewhere along the line and now his first son is...different.

Even Mimir was proud to be Odin's homeschooled teacher as he was one of the only one who understood how powerful knowledge can be and the only one who ever understood the most was their father Buri.

But a certain boy has also caught Mimir's eyes, a boy in the same generation as Odin and are close friends.

Bor and Mimir realized after some time about Ysmir, a boy Odin befriended for some time now. Which was a surprise considering Odin doesn't like to waste his time with "kids" but this Ysmir was different.

Mimir looked into Ysmir a little bit and was intrigued and his interest peaked. Unlike most, Ysmir seeks knowledge not only about power and sorcery but about everything. And most of all utilized his knowledge gaining more capabilities than the average Aesir, and was working his way up the food chain.

Odin, who was from the royal family was many times stronger than his generation and was expected to, considering he is a prince, the son of Bor and the grandson of the great Buri.

But Ysmir, he was an average Aesir who grew up with normal grooming just like many other kids. And the moment he was able to realize things he seeked more and gained more.

"Though I can't help but wonder what that boy will achieve." Mimir thought aloud.

"Much, I only hope he can help Asgard and guide it on the right path."

"I'm not talking about Odin."

"You're not?" Bor raised an eyebrow.

"No. I'm talking about his friend, with the path he follows his potential is...almost boundless."

"You speak of his friend? Ysmir was it? Has he caught your eye? He has potential, only few Aesirs are born with innate talents to certain fields and he has one." Bor said.

"That's not it you fool, he has no innate talents. Open your eyes, even your son might have seen it. Why do you think he sticks so close and gives him books from the royal library?"

A series of thoughts and realization went through Bor's head before sighing.

"Will he be a threat to Asgard? Or a pillar?"

"I don't know." Mimir simply shrugged his shoulders, casually annoying Bor.

"If you don't know then why make all the fuss?!"

"You should not ask me brother, you should ask your second-born, he's the one observing."

*********

Odin entered the giant colosseum walking in following Ysmir who ran in looking for fighters there.

It wasn't the first time Ysmir has been here, when he learned of the Colosseum he practically became a regular watcher of the fights. At least after he was thirteen.

What's more amazing is the colosseum is floating. A giant floating colosseum that floats around the city during the days and nights, many come here for challenges and duels hoping to achieve some might and such.

To enter you would have to go to a ground building and from there you would step onto a floor disk and teleport you to the floating colosseum.

That's right. Teleportation.

Ysmir was almost forbidden from using it after repeatedly teleporting back and forth for fun and curiosities sake.

But it was just a casual thing to do after a while, it's still cool to him though unlike the Aesirs who take it for granted without wondering how it's even possible.

The colosseum had about a 100 and some people in it from fighters to observers.

"See, I told you there'd be peeps here, come on go talk to the old guy for me." Ysmir rushed Odin as he pointed at the old man with gray hair on the lower seats surrounded by veterans and other old people.

Odin sighs before walking to the east side's lower seats approaching the old group.

"Oh Prince Odin, it's a surprise to see you here so late." The group nodded in respect while some stood and bowed. "How may we help?"

Odin pointed his thumb at Ysmir who looked like an idiot and spoke. "He wants to fight."

"Hello elders, I'm Ysmir, I'm not sure if you remember me but we've met a few times."

"Yes...your insistence on entering fights with false identity is...amusing." Said an old man with gray hair and beard.

"Oh so you knew."

"I've seen masters of disguise in play boy, your tricks won't work on me. Though I must thank you, it became quite a fun story to tell." The old man said.

The old man turned to Odin and spoke.

"Are you certain you want your little friend to have a match? I'm sure you know the dangers involving these fights?"

"I'm hoping it will be, maybe the fool will stop chasing after big battles." Odin said.

"The boy is still green behind the ears, he won't stand a chance with his opponents." A veteran chuckled.

"Fight me and I'll show you." Ysmir stood his ground.

"HAHAHAHAH!!"

"HAH!!"

"Such confidence!"

The whole group started laughing along with a few that could hear the conversations.

"What the hell is so funny?!" Ysmir jerked his head left and right at everyone.

"Ysmir." Odin called him from the side. "He is a veteran in the army and is the strongest contender in the colosseum...even I have trouble with him."

"Really? You can't even win against this guy? He looks like he's day's away from using a cane."

The veteran heard this and he stood up with a smile, jumped onto the colosseum floor and made his way to Ysmir.

Seeing this Ysmir looked to Odin with uncertainty.

"Really? Is he that strong that you can't win against him?"

"I can win against him...but we are restricted to fight only with our physical might." Odin said, which explained a lot.

"Little boy, you wish to fight me? Then you are welcome to try, but you must climb your way through the thousands of warriors on the list before standing before me." The veteran was big had a medium/big build with black hair and scars around his sleeveless arms.

"Heh, it won't take long then." Ysmir said. The big guy had a deep voice, and for some reason Ysmir imagined the veteran being born with mustache and hair on the bum and front.

"Hahaha, the bravado is amusing."

"Now Ysmir, while I admire the great confidence, I don't think many of the warriors will be happy about it." The old man said as he signaled behind Ysmir.

Ysmir turned around to see some of the craziest, mad, and dangerous men and women on the floor looking at him. And this wasn't even half of the full fighters on the list, it's still night time.

And with sweat behind his back, legs ready to buckle, heart screaming out to run, and goosebumps all over his body, he faced them all and put his hands on his hips and spoke in confidence.

"These guys? Aren't they just stepping stones?"

The warriors in front of Ysmir frowned and complained, wanting to rush and rip the kid apart while the old group behind him donned shocking and amusing expressions.

Odin was between annoyed and awe.

They might have been shocked by his confidence or saw his bad figure, or maybe both, but they were definitely amused.