21 God of Vengeance 4

{Victor}

'Did I die again?' Victor thought, surrounded by nothing but darkness.

'Yes and no, you were mighty reckless to offer up your soul.' Came the Entity's voice.

Victor metaphorically turned but found nothing, he knew who it was that was there now. The same being who gave him a new life in the first place. Mentally frowning, he waited for the Entity to explain itself.

"Victor Jones, I am honestly surprised that you would willingly sacrifice yourself to the Tree.", The Entity mused, "I would have thought that you had sacrificed your hands, limbs, anything else. But your soul? That is quite a risky move."

"Not sacrifice, no victory." Victor simply said.

"That is true, though it would seem that you have succeeded."

"In what way?"

"Have a look."

At that moment, light surrounded Victor. He found himself looking forward once again. This time, he could see trees surrounding him. His body was moving on it's own without, as if it had its own mind. Then he watched it cut Odin down from a noose beside him. This was confusing Victor, he hadn't a clue as to what was happening. He should technically be dead. How was his body moving on its own.

"That is because it is not your body." The Entity stated, having read Victor's mind.

"What?", Victor questioned, "What do you mean? I was born in it, raised in it."

"You were born into a body not your own. You were raised into a life that belonged to another..."

That was when Victor started to realize the truth. He wasn't Drüin Odinson, he wasn't the Prince of Might. He was still Victor Jones, he could differentiate his own memories and those that he made as the God of Might. That meant....Drüin Odinson was in control of his own body now.

"Indeed." The Entity agreed.

"If that's true...then i've-"

"Taken control over his body, and had him watch as you lived his life. I would not worry about him planning to destroy what you have built so far. You simply gave him motivation to outdo all that you have done."

"But still... jesus...for thousands of years? He was just stuck in his own body watching me do things that he wouldn't do? I-i have to get back and help! He won't-"

"Calm down, Victor. Drüin is already preparing to bring you back."

".....What?"

"With his newfound knowledge, he can return your soul back to his body."

"But why would he do that?"

"Because he and I have been...conversing."

"You knew!?"

"Of course I did, I am the one who put you in that body."

"But why didn't you.... you knew this was going to happen."

"Indeed I did."

The Entity sounded most amused by the shocking revelation that Victor was going through. He wasn't Drüin Odinson, he had still been Victor Jones acting like the God of Might. While he was doing that, the God of Might had been watching him live a life not his own. There was no telling what he would do now. But why would the God of Might want him back? Wouldn't he want vengeance for living most of his life?"

"He would had I not convinced him of another way." The Entity suddenly said.

"Convinced him to do what?"

"Do what the others are doing?"

"Others?"

"Oh, you do not know? There are others like me who enjoy what you go through in the new lives that we put you and others like you in. I am simply the first one to find you, honestly it is a surprise that no one else found your lost soul."

Victor was bewildered, so much that he didn't know was being revealed to him. So much that he wanted to know being told to him. All except one thing that he wanted to know most.

"Ah, you wish to know what secret ability that I gifted you on your new life?"

"Yeah...anything good?"

"Hmm, well you would think it small. But I gifted you an ability that will aid your greatly."

As soon as the Entity said that, Victor felt himself being pulled. As if an invisible rope was pulling at him from the center of his back. Victor did all he could to resist it, but the force was too strong.

"You can alter the fates of others, change what should have happened to a different fate altogether." The Entity said softly.

"W-what good will that do!?" Victor exclaimed as he felt his soul get pulled away.

"You have already seen what good it has done. Goodbye for now Victor Jones, your have entertained me greatly with your life. Continue to do so, will you."

{Drüin}

'There you are...' The God of Might thought, then felt something enter him. When it did, he felt the presence that had always been there. The soul that inhabited his body for so long, but was never privy to his own presence.

'U-um...hello?' Came the voice of Victor Jones, sounding uncertain.

'Hello.' Drüin replied, the both of them communicating mentally.

'Listen, I'm so sorry for having you go through that. If I'd have known-'

'I do not want your forgiveness.'

'Yeah...I kind of figured.'

'I did not bring you back from the Abyss of souls because of your company, nor for what you have done to solidify my future as a bright one.'

'...Then why?'

'Because you have something that I do not.'

'That being?'

'Knowledge.'

Drüin turned to find his father, Odin walking behind him. The former Allfather walking blindly but having a hand on his son's shoulder so that he could stir him back home. The father son duo were returning back to the cabin. To read the diary that Bor had created, to know the power of the Runes. Both Drüin and Odin have both sacrificed something for this knowledge, and now it was time to gain what they have been striving for. Although, Victor sensed that Drüin had an ulterior motive.

'You...plan to destroy Enchantress.' Victor stated.

'Indeed I do, for she has insulted me and have taken my mother.'

'Do you-'

'This is why I despise you. You are afraid, wary of the power at your fingertips and the powers of others. You gained my respect when you willingly sacrificed yourself to the Well. But that was a fool's gamble. Had I not been here, you would be gone for good and my body a soulless husk.'

Victor said nothing, knowing that Drüin spoke truthfully. His human nature still won out, despite being far more powerful than he was as a man. He felt that deep down, as he was before going to the Well, he was capable of defeating Enchantress. Yet what stopped him was doubt, doubt that he was not strong enough. Despite even being the God of Might for a time, the Allfather even.

'So...what are you going to do to me now?' Victor inquired.

'I am going to do what should have been done long ago.'

'That being?'

'Combine us into one.'

'Wait...you want me to be one with you?'

'I cannot allow one such as yourself go, the knowledge that you know is imperative to my people's survival. And despite how much that I despise you... you ensured my people's future better than I would have done. I would have failed them like my sister would have as well as my father.'

'Wow...'

'What?'

'Nothing just...I thought that you wanted to destroy me.'

'I did for a thousand years, I wanted to tear your soul asunder. I wanted to choke the life out of you. I wanted to flay you alive for living MY life....'

That made Victors' soul shiver in fear, imagining that happening. Drüin was fully capable of doing that, and it scared him.

'But I have moved beyond that, and have matured.' Drüin finished just as they arrived to the cabin.

Odin and Drüin stepped inside, with Drüin leading the way. As the father and son duo ascended up the stairs, a thought occurred within Victor.

'How did you bring me back?' Victor questioned.

'The Outsider linked our souls together, so that I may know where you are and may call upon you whenever I wish it.' Drüin explained.

'Wow...they were bust while I've been suffering.'

'Indeed.'

Drüin and Odin arrived to the room where Freyr's sleeping form was. Her body pale and unmoving still as Odin and Drüin piled into the room. Without wasting time, Drüin immediately went over to the diary. As soon as he opened it, he skimmed through the pages looking for a specific Rune.

"Drüin, will you aid me for a moment?" Odin asked, reaching out for his son.

"I will father, I am looking to see if I can return your sight in some way." Drüin reassured.

'No you're not.' Victor accused.

'Silence, I am doing that...only after that I have rectified our current predicament.'

'Well what are you waiting for?'

'For...that.'

As soon as Drüin thought that, he found the Rune that he was looking for. He set the diary down, then placed a palm onto the Rune. He placed his other palm onto his chest. His eyes closed shut as he tried to concentrate. As he concentrated, nothing happened. He couldn't feel anything changing or happening to him. He couldn't even feel a pull. It was as if he was being refused power. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he opened his eyes and glared down at the diary. He could read the Runes, he could understand them now. Yet why is it that he was incapable of using them. After all that he had sacrificed.

'Maybe you're doing it the wrong way?' Victor offered.

'Then how am I suppose to do this!?' Drüin exclaimed.

'I don't know.. try focusing on not forcing it to work.'

Drüin scowled, finding the idea absurd. He was the God of Might, the newly minted Allfather of the Nine Realms. These Runes should be bending to his will, doing as he said. Yet he knew that Victor may speak truthfully. After all, it was because of him that Asgard still stood, why it was prepared when it was attacked, and why its citizens still live in paradise. Taking a deep breath, Drüin began to concentrate once again. His eyes closing once more as he calmed himself down. He waited, patiently waited. Waited for something to happen, for anything to happen. That was when he felt it, a warm breeze washing over him.

It was life fire being pressed against him, but also pushing through him. The warmth of the breeze entered Drüin without warning, then seemingly burned into him. A light groan escaped Drüin, then when he opened his eyes, he felt that internally that he was changing. Victor's thoughts were becoming his own. Drüin's thoughts were becoming Victors'. The two who had been separate for so long, were now finally one. The Man had now become a God, in a way.

'Wow..' Drüin thought, then looked over himself. Before he could give himself a once over more than he already did, he remembered that there was a blind Odin patiently waiting to get his sight back.

{Two Hours Later}

Drüin and Odin had both read and implanted 1 Rune each unto themselves. For Odin, he gained the Rune of Farsight. It was similar to Heimdalls' sight, but so much better. He could peer at everything, distant timeliness from past to future, people's souls, and peer through anything and anyone. With this, the Allfather began peering at everything. Every soul, every past, and every future.

For Drüin, he chose a different path. His first official Rune was the Rune of Magic. It allowed him to know and to be able to use archaic magic so old that even those who studied for years in the art would be hard pressed to match him. The fusing of Drüin and Victor had done many things, for one, it combined their minds and souls to the point that they need not argue. For the other, they were both in agreement over one thing. Enchantress needed to die, and they had a sinister idea as to how they would gain vengeance for their mother.

The unofficial Rune that he used to bind the two souls of Victor and Drüin together was known as the Rune of Souls. It allowed one control over another's soul, to do with it however they wished.

Drüin had left his father to get used to his new sight. The God of Might however was marching towards the Bifröst. He had murder on his mind. For his mother, for the mockery that Enchantress made out of him. As well as to save his mother as well.

'Should I retrieve Aegor?' Drüin mused in thought as he was crossing the Rainbow bridge. Then set the thought aside, realizing why this was his mistake the earlier. His human soul, Victor was afraid. Afraid if he was not strong enough. Fear and doubt would not avail him, he was Asgardian. An Asgardian with knowledge that would ensure his own survival. As well as a growing power to match it.

"Allfather?" Heimdall greeted in curiosity, noticing a change with Drüin with those ever watchful and all-seeimg golden eyes.

"Heimdall, where is she?" Drüin asked in a calm yet cold voice.

"Who-"

"You know of whom I speak."

Heimdall stared at Drüin with worry, unsure as to what had gotten into him. That worry turned to realization once he stared at the Allfather long enough. There was a fire in Drüin's eyes, a fire that had yet to be quenched. He could tell that the God of Might was in no mood for small talk, no mood for watching, and no mood to play games. He was on a mission, and said mission did not just involve rescuing his mother.

"She is still where we last saw her...." Heimdall slowly said, then watched as Drüin marched himself towards the entryway and exit for the Bifröst.

"If that is so, send me there.", Drüin ordered, "I would have words with the witch..."

"Should you not have Aegor?"

"Aegor is not needed, I alone am enough."

Heimdall slowly nodded, then stepped up to the pedestal. He shoved Hofund, his sword into it and opened up the Bifröst. The gateway came alive as it always did, then allowed the God of Might to be sucked into it. As Drüin traveled through the Bifröst, a singular thought ran through his mind. One that referred to what the Entity had told him. It was about the power that it had given him.

'The power to alter Fate..", Drüin thought with interest, 'Does that mean that I can change how people live and die? Do I control how they chose things? Do I control their Destiny?'

Before he could think more upon this, a memory of how Brunhildr haf died emerged. That was when he realized it, the truth of this subtle yet effective power. He could alter how one's life ends, and begins. He could alter how Thor could be changed for the better, and Hela for the worst if he so chose. Destiny was something already written, that he could not change. However, what he could change was how people met their Destiny. In a way, he could change how they meet their end. Despite figuring it all out, Drüin had one thought that came to mind about this. Right as he was exiting the beam of the Bifröst as well.

'How is that even helpful?'