The Old And Forgotten Gods (God Of War)

IV

That night, dreams flooded Eir, setting a reminder of her past and why she's taken the path she has.

It was a distortion of her own memories. The night Odin received news of Ragnarok, which became the banishment and doom of the giants. It faded into view, the throne room which Odin sat in brilliantly with his wife Freya by his side, guards surrounding him. His beard was massive, but his ego even more so.

He'd gathered his brave Valkyrie to tell them of the news, commanding that they find and rid of all giants that stayed in Asgard, and use lethal force if so needed. They all obediently followed, except for of course Eir, who was kin to the giants. Though she was a goddess which put her in command of the armies below Odins command, she couldn't figure out what to tell her sisters. She didn't know where to tell them to go or what to do, because she wished to protect the giants, and the Valkyrie were much stronger than any being, and would tear the giants apart if given the chance. This is why they were Odins warriors.

Still, the Valkyrie did not need Eir's command, and simply followed Odins orders, going in search for the giants.

It broke Eir's heart to watch as her people were violently shoved through the gate to Jotunheim, some even killed along the way. Still, she hid her emotions, keeping the brave face of a goddess and warrior. But once she was called to Odins thrown room, her strength quivered as she grew nervous. She walked in with her head high, arms by her side like she was always taught to walk when approaching Odin, the All Fathers presence. The room was mostly empty, only standing by a few guards and Odin on the thrown, no Freya by his side. He stood once she entered.

"Ah, Eir." His deep voice spoke, echoing off the walls. "The beautiful goddess of healing. Tell me, how has the banishment of giants been?" He says with a cocky smile.

"It has gone, for the most part, smoothly, a few bumps here and there, but it seems all giants have been put back in their place, all father."

"Yes, it seems as so." He lowered his head to the floor as he began to walk, circling around Eir as she stood still, her wings perched up with her chin high, eyes forward. "Tell me, Eir, leader of your sisters and healer of all... where is it you come from?"

"Like I said, all father, my mother Menglöd birthed me on the hills of Lyfjaberg."

"Yes, you have said so." He stops his pace before her, placing one hand over his beard. "But who lay with your mother? Who was your father?"

Eir hesitated for a moment, her eyes just barely glancing to the side. "She never told me who he was."

"I don't imagine it was a human, was it?"

"I do not think so."

"Mm. Y'see, I hear these whispers. From little ravens, you might have seen them around. They glow green. They are my eyes and ears." He stepped closer, placing a hand over her cheek. "Do you know what I do to those who keep secrets from me?"

Eir shifted her eyes to look into his, fear striking her. "No, sir."

"I kill them!" His voice bellows in anger as he hisses to her, but Eir doesn't flinch, not even when the spit from his mouth hits her face. His gentle caress over her cheek became violent, pushing her face away and causing her to stumble back. He pulled out a golden three-pronged spear, twirling it as he charged to Eir, who held her hand up and called for her axe. She swiftly avoided his attack and rolled away, the axe finally smacking into her hand. Eir looked to him in fear, but keeping herself together as she prepared for the fight.
His next attack was blocked by the strong blade of the leviathan axe, where she then used it to push his weapon away and she made an expeditious attempt to fly above so she could escape his reach, but before she could do so, he grabbed ahold of her ankle, nearly snapping it as he yanked her down, her body slamming to the cold pearl floor. She turned to her back and tried blocking him but he kicked the axe out of her hands and she watched as it slid across the floor far away from her. Using his feet, he pinned her arms down, taking the spear and slicing it into her torso, just barely missing her heart.

Eir let out a horrendous howl, in complete agony as she was completely paralyzed from shock and pain. No longer able to move, the rim of her sight grew red and the world fell blurry and dark. Noise seemed to cancel out except for her heartbeat and breathing, anytime Odin spoke from then on just sounded like muffled nonsense.

Odin ripped the spear from her chest and flipped her to her back, blood spewing out as she used her last bit of strength to crawl away, but Odin wouldn't have it. He placed one foot over her back and pressed her chest against the floor as he grabbed ahold of her fluttering golden wings, then one by one, he pulled. Eir let out a treacherous scream, her cries so clear that she was begging for an end to this. Her eyes filled with water as one wing was peeled from her skin, her armor falling off as the wing was thrown to the floor, Odin then doing the same with the other.

With little to no strength, once the wings were clean off, Eir hadn't given up just yet and smashed her fingers through the hard floor, pulling herself slowly across as a blood trail followed. Odin watched and chortled at her sad attempt.
"No warrior you are, only a bastard child of a goddess and giant. But, nonetheless, you are still a god. I will spare your life today, Eir. But head my words, child." He walked to her and grabbed a handful of her hair, lifting her head and forcing her to look into his cold eyes. "If you ever step out of Jotunheim, or if I see or hear of you again, it'll be your head." He throws her face onto the floor and walks away, all while her vision finally fades away, going to total darkness.

As she woke, she found herself being healed by Freya herself. Eir weakly lifted her hand, and Freya, with sadness in her heart, took her hand and held tightly. "My dear friend, I am so sor—"

"Do not speak of this." Eir interrupted. She weakly lifted her head and glanced to her torso. "Am I healed?"

"Yes." Freya replied, and Eir began to sit up. "The rainbow bridge to the tower is just through those doors. There, you'll find the tree of yggdrasil where you will be transported back to Jotunheim."

Eir nodded her head, pushing herself off the table she lay on and to her feet. She held her hand over the wound on her chest and took a deep breath, her posture weak and unbalanced. She began stumbling for the door when Freya suddenly called out to her. "Take this." Freya said as she walked to a corner of the room, picking up the Leviathan axe and handing it to Eir. She used the axe as a crutch to walk on as she continued through the door.
"Eir, please be careful. I hope I will see you again soon."

"You will." Eir replied, then closing the doors behind her.

She peacefully woke from her slumber to find herself still alone, Kratos seeming to not yet return from his journey. But as she pushed herself up, she noticed the axe hanging and she quickly stood, running out the door to find Kratos snapping a very thin tree over his knee into pieces.

"Kratos?" She calls out. He turns to her, then busts a piece of wood over his leg.

"You were asleep. I did not wish to wake you."

"How'd you cut that tree down?" She asked.

"I ripped it from the ground."

"Oh..." she curls her lip, looking back inside. "Come in, I can begin to make your weapon." She stepped aside and Kratos grabbed the pieces of wood, entering the home and tossing the wood into a pile next to the fire.