10 Valhalla

Child of Shadow

Chapter 10 - Valhalla

By theMadLad

Beta: Old man of the mountain, Kira (The Court Jester)

"Y-you two!" Göndul yelled while pointing at us with a trembling finger, "S-shameless, foul d-degenerates!"

I could only give a weary smile as Rose blushed before tucking herself into my chest with a mixture of shyness, shame, and happiness. Göndul stared at us with bags in her eyes as she chastised us, "Three weeks! You two were at it for three weeks!"

Well damn, I wanted to pat myself on the back.

Although I did have a semblance of shame, so my smile became a bit strained at her words as Rose tightly gripped onto my shirt, "Rose… how could you make such u-uncouth noises?! All of Asgard must have heard you crying out!"

Rose made muffled cries of embarrassment into my shirt in response to Göndul's words.

But her grandmother didn't stop there, Göndul brought up a trembling finger before pointing it over in my direction while speaking out with a harsh yell accompanied by an equally fierce glare, "And you! How could you corrupt my Rose so quickly?!"

I simply smirked in response, "It's simple, she became my Rose instead."

"Y-you…!" Her voice trembled as she tried to respond to my cocky retort… until she eventually just sighed, giving up as she suddenly completely deflated her anger. Then she took a deep breath, "You know what? I'm too tired to deal with this right now."

She marched over to us before pulling Rose from my grip and forcing her to look into her eyes by gripping her cheeks. The shy Rossweisse blushed at the forced interaction, desperately darting her eyes away in embarrassment.

But Göndul was having none of it.

She forced Rose to look her straight in the eyes with a glare. Rossweisse' lips trembled as her grandmother studied her expression before speaking, "Are you happy Rose?"

Then, any lingering resentment Göndul's face slowly disappeared as she got a good look at the slowly growing demure, yet smiling expression on her granddaughter's face.

In the end she could only put up a weary smile as she brought a palm up to her face in exasperation, "...Very well." Göndul sighed, "If this is what gives you such a joyful expression… then I can only support it."

Then she engulfed her in a tight hug.

I could feel her heated glare as she eyed me from over Rossweisse's trembling shoulder. But instead of flinching away, I only gave a genuine smile, one that even spread to my eyes. She looked away from me to avoid me from noticing her reddened eyes, which I of course did notice, but made no acknowledgment of.

This was an important moment for them, one which I was unwilling to interrupt.

Finally, they let go of each other.

Rossweisse immediately turned to me with teary eyes, looking me straight in the face with an uncharacteristically serious face… then she smiled, and it wasn't just any smile.

It was the most beautiful one I had ever seen, as if its very presence lit up the room.

Then it was gone.

"Yes! I've never been happier!" She yelled with joy as she gave her grandmother another hug.

Göndul accepted the hug, pulling Rossweisse deeper as she gave me another glare over her shoulder… but one that was noticeably softer. Finally she let go for good, making sure to leave some final words as she brought a palm over her granddaughter's stomach, "…and there better be grandbabies in here."

I smirked, ready to give a cheeky response—when suddenly Rossweisse beat me to it! "Hehe, don't worry—if there isn't, we'll just have to keep trying!" She finished as she threw me a very l-lewd grin as she spoke.

W-who is this cute creature?!

Göndul only sighed once more before stepping outside while throwing us a final wave goodbye, "Just make sure not to do it near me."

Then she was gone.

The moment she left I turned to Rossweisse with befuddled eyes, "When did you become so bold?"

She smiled, curling herself to my side, "...When I realized that I no longer had a reason to be shy."

—————————-

"T-there they are!" A sudden shout alerted me as I walked towards the halls of Valhalla along with Rossweisse.

"They're f-finally out?!"

"It should've been me!!"

Why did that last voice sound so familiar?

But, it did seem that all of Asgard seems to know about Rose and I's… 'calisthenics.'

Strange, was the security around the house so bad? …Or was Rose simply too loud? I could tell that she seemed to believe it was the latter, as any of her brief boldness from before had disappeared in place of her more usual meek demeanor.

But at least this time she seemed to carry herself with more confidence, as if a great weight had finally been cast off her shoulders. While her bright red blush was still clear to see, she still stood upright, displaying her bulging breasts with confidence as none could deny the healthy glow of her skin.

…Although her limping kinda stood against her efforts.

A-ahem, not that I minded of course. I walked with the swagger of a gangster and the pride of a king! How could I feel even a shred of shame at being so openly called out, no—I was proud instead! How could I not be, when the girl next to me was so damn sexy!?

I grabbed her hand, causing her… sweaty palms to nervously grab my own as she looked up to me with a pout, "Don't you feel even a bit ashamed? W-we were at it for days—weeks!"

I smirked, "Not a shred."

"What are we doing anyways?" She questioned, curious as she had simply been following me.

"Meet with Odin." I responded briefly, not too eager to explain just yet.

"O-oh." She replied, not enthusiastic about the prospect, as she earlier had not only cast aside her duty towards him for me, but even more than that… she really didn't look like she wanted to handle his teasing.

I gave a chuckle as I noticed her start to poke her fingers together in nervousness, "Don't worry we will be leaving soon after."

She cheered up a bit at my words, as she was really not eager to handle the embarrassment she would get after having everyone she knew hear her make such 'vulgar' sounds.

In response I simply gave her a comforting pat on the head, but it was something she seemed to like more than I intended, as she quickly glued herself to my side with a mewl.

C-cute.

I couldn't help but smile, not only at her reaction, but also at how happy she seemed.

—————————-

So this is Valhalla huh?

…It was different from what I expected. It was not some grand golden palace full of riches, but rather a hall of sheer majesty and beauty. It had laid deep within Asgard, and far from any of the residencies for any of the populace.

(Picture Here!)

It was directly under a branch of the Yggdrasil, the very branch that connected Asgard to the rest of the Nine Realms. But more than that, the Hall of the Slain seemed illusionary, as if made of bright flames that seemed to flicker between existence and nonexistence.

It was beautiful—not gaudy, but ethereal. There was even a faint floating path which glistened with the colors of a rainbow that directed towards the destination.

Rossweisse however, seemed rather indifferent to it, other than the faint flicker of interest she held towards my reaction. So I couldn't help but ask, "Been here before?"

She nodded, "Yes, during Valkyrie school we would often come here for lessons needed to prepare us for ferrying the souls of Einherjar."

"Got any cool stories?" I asked with some curiosity.

Her smile became a bit strained, "I once met Siegfried, although he seemed to have become more of a drunkard after witnessing what became of Fafnir when Lord Odin… revived him."

I raised a brow at her hesitant tone, "...What became of Fafnir?"

"T-the dragon became… a p-pervert!" She stuttered out with befuddlement, as if even she could barely believe her own words.

I, on the other hand, had two thoughts that warred with each other in my mind.

Ah, that's right, Fafnir was that nun Asia's simp, and… Dammit DxD! Always spreading degeneracy!

Poor Siegfried as well, to see his life's greatest opponent fall to such depths.

"How strong was Siegfried?" I asked, speaking the one question I truly cared for.

She shook her head before looking at me with a weary smile, "…I couldn't say. He did not seem in a prime state at the time I saw him, not to mention that he no longer had a body or weapon."

I frowned, displeased by the information. It seemed that finding a powerful human warrior to fight against would have to wait for another time.

"…But judging from the strength of Fafnir, who currently holds the title as one of the Five Dragon Kings, I would at least say he would be on par at full strength… he did kill him after all." Rossweisse stated with the tilt of her head, "But then again, maybe things have changed over time?"

True. It had been a thousand and so years since Seigfried had slain Fafnir during the 5th~6th Century. Perhaps Fafnir's strength had grown since then? Or maybe he was further empowered by his revival through the Norse Gods?

…Or—I grinned at the possibility—maybe Siegfried was just that strong?

But I was unable to fantasize out our hypothetical battle in my head as we had arrived at the front of the gate to get into Valhalla.

And there was a guard.

"Rossweisse! 'elcome back!" The man spoke, recognizing Rose from under his heavily armored visage.

"Hildebrand!" She spoke out in greeting with a nod.

Hildebrand? …It seemed familiar, but I was not well versed enough with Norse Heroes or stories to recall why.

Eh, it doesn't matter anyways.

"You cohme to 'alk with tee Allfather?" He asked with a serious demeanor and an extremely noticeable heavy Scandinavian accent. I assumed he was talking in Old Norse, but honestly wasn't too sure as I had long ingrained numerous translation spells into myself.

Rossweisse shook her head before she looked towards me with a blush, "No, my b-b-boyfriend wanted to meet with him."

He chuckled, "Ah, was 'tis tee lad who had yah screamin' yourt luhngs oht?"

"H-hah!?" She immediately ducked behind me in embarrassment as he chuckled from her reaction. I guess it was one thing for her to be known by some randos, and another entirely for people she knew to call her out on it.

I gave him a nod of acknowledgement with a small smile, but neglected to say my name.

"Ah geass is eht?" He asked knowingly.

My brows furrowed at his sudden words. How did he know?

So I asked him, "How did you know?"

"I am an Einherjahr, whilst mah bodty miaht be gon, mah spirit is stil strohng!" He spoke in a heft tone, with his rhyme leaving me to decipher his previous words.

Was he telling me that with his body gone, his soul's senses had been invigorated? Enough to decipher my heightened spiritual strength granted by the geasses I have taken?

Interesting.

Perhaps that was the reason I was unable to sense him.

Other than the wolves carefully watching the entrance from the treeline or the eagle doing the same in the skies above, I really couldn't sense anyone else's lifeforce.

While I was by no means an expert in the more general uses of Senjutsu, I was still the most powerful druid in the world and as such, was able to feel the lifeforce of living things with ease.

Which was fine with me, trees would always be chosen by me over things like illusions, clones, or pfft purifying flames any day of the week.

I walked past him, hearing as he spoke a faint parting sentence to Rossweisse as we left, "…A strohng one, thaht lahd is. I'm hahppy fohr yah Rohse."

—Then we entered Valhalla.

The insides were more humble than I expected, with less on displays of wealth and more on displays of art. Heroic Epics and Divine Tales were painted on the walls with exquisite details, there were also statues carved with impossible detail, so life-like that they could be mistaken as the real thing, with them decorating the large hall by the hundreds.

There were hundreds of seats… possibly more, and they were all filled with burly men and warriors. I could even pick out a few who were noticeably kings.

And they were having the time of their lives.

It was as if you got hundreds of people together who had the same interests, made them drunk as shit, and left them with no supervision. There was a brawl going on at like twelve separate places at the same time, loud chanting from the back, and Valkyries walking through the surroundings and assisting them at their beck and call.

It was a hall of unadulterated chaos, but damn did it look fun. "Now this is my kind of heaven." I faux whispered into Rose's ear.

"Oh, if it isn't my favorite virgin—sorry, non-virgin Valkyrie!" Odin chuckled loudly from the back of the hall the moment we stepped inside, silencing the bickering and laughter within as he left one last snark, "...Not that anyone didn't know."

Then all eyes were on us at his words, causing me to pull Rossweisse's waist to my side in order to comfort her. She smiled at my attempt as she forced herself not to be embarrassed by simply covering her bright red face with her hands, before pulling me towards one of the empty tables, where magically a plate of food and a mug of mead appeared before us.

I noticed most of the hall seemed to keep an eye on us, but I ignored it as I quickly snatched the mead from Rossweisse's side as I shook my head at her reflexive pout, "You know you're a lightweight Rose."

"B-but it's tradition!" She cried out in indignation, while I easily spotted the fake excuse.

"Yeah, we both know you just don't want to deal with the embarrassment. Also, it's a tradition for heroes." I replied with a smirk as she blushed at being so blatantly exposed. Before I downed the mug in one go, smacking my lips at how damn good the flavor tasted, "Rose, what's this made from?" I couldn't help but ask in curiosity.

I had been wondering since the party the night—I mean, weeks before, because the taste was simply divine. Her eyes turned bright in excitement as she responded, "It's not what it's made from, but where it's made from that you should ask!"

I tilted my head in confusion, but still smiled at her obvious enthusiasm, "So, where's it made from?"

"The Cauldron of Hymir!" She yelled out before taking a bite of the ham on the plate below while quickly chewing it down so she could continue, "So years ago, the Gods wanted a source of mead that would never run out! To do so, they demanded that Gymir, the God of the Sea, provide it for them…" She paused to take another bite of the ham, causing me to do the same.

And wow, it was really yummy!

"...But Gymir refused! He was unhappy with them ordering him around so blatantly, so he gave them a condition—" I interrupted her by wiping the grease that the ham left on her mouth with my shirt, causing her to blush at the intimacy, "—t-that being, that he would only do it if they brought him a container large enough to fill it…"

She then when on and on about some journey that Thor underwent to retrieve a container large enough to contain the alcohol, with him eventually taking the mile long cauldron of a giant named, Hymir, by betting that he could break a goblet of unbreakable glass—which he actually succeeded in by throwing the goblet at the giant's impossibly hard head! Then something about Hymir not wanting to keep the deal,trying to take it back from Thor, and being beaten by his hammer.

Honestly, I had stopped listening at that point. I was mostly just watching her in a daze instead.

"—Gymir finally agreed to fill it with mead after seeing how large it was!" She finished with a happy smile, obviously enjoying the prospect of informing me about her people's stories.

It was really cute.

"H-hey are you even listening Connla!?" She pouted at seeing my inattentiveness as she stuffed a piece of ham into my mouth.

So, I pinched her cheeks as I chewed it.

"H-hey!" She blushed as she tried to pull my hand away, but I refused to let go.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you should be a teacher?" I asked with a wink. I might not have meant it, but if she were my teacher and I was in school… I would not miss a day in attendance. But on the other hand… I still would probably not learn a thing. I would be too, heh, 'distracted.'

"Oh?" She grinned with a slight smirk before she brought her lips to my ear and whispered with a sensual tone, "...Then maybe we can go home, and I can assign you some lessons."

O-Oh, did she want to play it like this?

Well, I'm game, "Heh, no need…" I spoke, watching her cute face become confused as I leaned in to finish my sentence, "I still need to submit my homework."

Then I took her lips.

We kissed for some time, even briefly getting lost in our own little world.

"Get a room, you both are so sappy, and especially cheesy!" Odin suddenly yelled out with a sour tone, voicing the collective thoughts of everyone else in the room.

—Then, I heard the frustrated groans of multiple Einherjar ring out in the silence as the Valkyries delivering them food and drinks had the plates and mugs in their hands shatter on the spot. I could even see their bodies shake as they bit their lips and clenched their fists as I separated from Rose and eyed them.

They were pissed.

"Y-you!" I could hear the Valkyries tremble in rage and anguish.

"Damn it, don't you know souls can't have sex?!" One of the Einherjar yell with tears in his eyes, "No pussy in a fucking Millennium!" He fell to his knees as he cried.

Fuck.

I take everything back about this being paradise!

"Y-yeah fuck you! …Not that i've ever had sex." Another Valkyrie yelled, before suddenly crying as well.

"...S-Sorry everyone." I heard Rossweisse whimper at my side as I gripped her shoulder in comfort.

I was about to speak before…

"I get it." Rose spoke as she suddenly looked at me before continuing, "If it weren't for you, then I'd probably end up the same." She had a full body shudder as the words left her, as if it was truly her worst nightmare, "...After most Valkyries retire, they come here to live out the rest of their lives in 'paradise.' But in reality, they just wallow in self-pity as servants until they give up entirely."

I gulped, that really sounded like a shit time.

Also… what the fuck is wrong with the people here!?

…And maybe we went a bit overboard, as we were somewhat in the wrong with our sappiness.

I coughed into my fist as I addressed the people eyeing us like the scum of the earth, "…Sorry?"

Damn, I fucked up that apology, and it seemed that they agreed with me.

I could feel the magic in the air appear as magic circles formed behind the lifetime warrior-maidens as their decades, possibly centuries, of frustrations suddenly—and finally, boiled over.

The Valkyries could no longer contain it, especially when someone like Rossweisse, a young Valkyrie, got everything they ever wished for and 'flaunted' it around.

The Einherjar were practically the same, with them standing from their tables as they got ready to charge us.

And while I pitied them, I wouldn't lie down for such an action—especially when they threatened my woman. I was never the type of person who would allow others to walk over me.

Today was a good day for me and Rose, as we had not only heavily progressed our relationship but truly started our new 'lovey dovey' stage of it… and I was getting really tired of people treating us like monkeys at a zoo and ruining it.

A bit egoistic and self-righteous? Yes, it was.

But I was a selfish person.

"That's enough." I spoke, before their magic circles vanished as my Fighting Spirit erupted, blanketing the surroundings in a pseudo-Conqueror's Haki. The majority of the Einherjar tried to struggle against it, but were directly suppressed—while they may have been brave warriors who died in battle… that was all.

It didn't help that they were just souls as well.

Only the more powerful heroes could easily resist, not to mention the Valkyries who could just directly ignore it. But it didn't matter, as roots sprouted from the ground below and pierced their ankles before systematically targeting their life-force and draining it like a leech—destroying any possibility for them to activate their abilities.

I was really someone you wouldn't want to fuck with, especially so close to the World Tree.

Then they all fell to their knees before proceeding to ball their eyes out in loneliness, leaving me only with a strained grimace as Rossweisse compassionately ran over to deal with them.

Man, it really didn't feel nice to be the bad guy. But I wouldn't allow myself to be a punching bag.

I shook my head as I lowered my Fighting Spirit and walked through the hall, stepping past the fallen Einherjar as they slowly got themselves up. From there I eventually reached Odin, who wore an apologetic face as I reached him, then he spoke, "...Sorry, things may have gotten out of hand."

As far as I could tell, he was being honest… I could see that he just wanted to tease us and didn't expect for the Valkyries and Einherjar to have a meltdown… although I felt something seemed off, but still, he should have done better.

Should have known better.

I shook my head, "Just make sure it does not happen again," Perhaps it was rather arrogant to order a God, but I knew my value. I was a tie of alliance to another pantheon, and a very prospective combatant.

More importantly, it made me angry that someone threatened to attack us—attack Rossweisse.

Odin paused before eventually nodding.

"So you're leaving?" Odin asked me, even though he already seemed to know.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Where to?" He continued with a glint in his eye.

"...Romania." I answered, before I walked off not bothering to continue.

—————————-

Odin sighed as he watched Connla pull Rossweisse over before they both left.

"…Was that alright father?" A voice asked from the side the moment after they left.

"Yeah, don't worry too much." Odin waved off his son's voice before he smirked, "You can have your spar with him later, Thor."

Thor just shook his head before leaving with an amused chuckle, "You should be more honest about things."

"Yeah, and you should be less!" Odin shouted as Thor's back disappeared, before huffing to himself, "…It would make things a lot easier on your old man."

"Anyways!" He clapped his hand towards the Einherjar and Valkyries, "Good job guys!"

Cheers rang out in response, accompanied by the slamming of mugs and rapid chugging.

That's right.

It was an act.

Well… for most of them. Odin grimaced as he watched the Valkyries mostly continue to cry. Not the Einherjar though, they went back to drinkin' and shit, even talking about how strong Connla was or how hot Rossweisse was.

They could have sex, just not with living people. Of course, there just so happened to be another hall filled with the souls of dead women who died in battle called Sessrúmnir. It was ruled over by Freya, within the fields of Fólkvangr… and sometimes, they would have 'meet-ups' with Valhalla.

This was supposed to be his paradise afterall, and Odin was no celibate.

Anyways, as for the purpose of doing such a thing to Connla, it was for one reason, and one reason only.

Growth.

Connla was still too arrogant, too conceited and without a care in the world. While it was somewhat endearing, it was not what Odin wanted from him—needed from him.

Connla needed to get better, and hopefully this moment would come back up again in his mind after confronting what lies in Romania.

He needed to learn to care about others, not disrespect everyone in a room before giving a half hearted apology.

For what lies ahead is not for those who are unable to do so.

While he may have been in the right, Odin had crafted this situation so that he wasn't entirely within it. He was still partially in the wrong, and he needed the character to acknowledge that.

…And it was clear to see he did not have it. Yet.

He couldn't be someone who did whatever he pleased without regard for consequence, he needed to think before he acted.

Odin was the God of Wisdom, no more than that—the God of Wisdom who was the head of an entire Pantheon, and as such, he was able to do something far better than any average God of Wisdom.

Predicting the future.

There were many forms of divination, but those who could compete with him in terms of it could be counted on one hand… and even then a few fingers would be free.

The only being better than him, was already dead, and as much as that being cast a shadow over him… it was just as much an umbrella of safety.

But now that safety is gone.

Knowledge was power, and he made sure to always have it in spades. But even then, it had always been more of a curse to him, one he poured his soul into fighting until the bitter end.

Ragnarok.

His death by the wolf.

…and now this.

Something greater had appeared on the horizon, and all signs pointed to him not being able to live to see it. But while he may not be able to push through it, he could make damn sure that others would.

He loved all of Asgard, even his frustrating honest sons, and he promised Frigg after all.

He would always protect them.

Now, he had a chance.

Connla.

There were other possibilities, but he decided to go all in on the boy. There were too many issues with the others, with them having external influences, easily compromised or unpredictable personalities, and reliance on power that was not entirely their own.

Connla was his best bet.

He had so much potential, but right now it was only wasted. Power without meaning, nor direction. The boy had yet to see the wider world—yet to find something truly worth fighting for.

His talent had yet to truly bloom.

It was another reason for pushing Rossweisse on him, for she was only a part of his overarching plan, one that would help him grow, in more ways than one.

…And he needed to grow up, soon.

The first domino was about to fall.

But before that, he would watch over him—and with that thought in mind… the Allfather, the God of Wisdom, Knowledge, and War, left the halls of Valhalla to retire to his room so he could focus and prepare for one thing above all others.

…The End of the World.

==============

Author's Notes

This chapter kicked my fucking ass.

Two months, two fucking months of writers block and constant rewrites. So if there are some weird parts, then that's probably why.

I tried, I really did and I hope it is good. Odin is trying to get Connla a certain way to fit his keikaku while Connla continues to do whatever the fuck he wants.

Yeah, shit is gonna get going soon. DxD Canon will be fisted up the ass as well and Connla will be smack dab at the center of it.

Hope you enjoyed it! Leave a powerstone if you did, and a comment, I love me some comments! Add it to your Library!

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