ASGARD: MAXIMILIAN
Odin glided like a spectre down the steps to the grand Asgardian mead hall. The large oak doors burst open, filling the mellowly candle-lit hall with the orange light of the Asgardian sunset. The Allfather cast a long shadow across the tables. His spear glinted in the Asgardian sunset, his twin ravens Huginn and Muninn circled the air next to him. He slowly ambled in, his long red cloak trailing behind him. He stopped several meters in and the whole room felt Odin's eyes scan the room, darting from one face to another. Odin parted his lips to speak: "Maximilian, a word."
Maximillian felt the room's eyes rest on him. Hastily brushing a hand through his hay colored hair, he stood up and faced the Allfather. Odin turned heel and receded from the hall like a wave receding back into the sea. Maximilian followed. His light armour and sword clanging behind him.
Maximilian met his father on a lone balcony overlooking the Bifrost bridge. It was always his father's favorite area, lonely, beautiful, and mesmerizing. Odin loved to see the sun sink beyond the horizon, filling the sky with myriads of colors. Radiant reds, soft Blues, deep purples, adorned the sky like swathes of paint running across a canvas, Odin inhaled contentedly. Maximilian knelt respectfully before his father: "Father. Why have you summoned me here before your presence today?" Odin turned around: "Maximilian, join me." Maximilian shuffled next to his father, Odin looked at his son with a paternal glint in his eye: "I saw your session with Tyr. You've grown stronger." Maximilian bowed his head: "Thank you father, I owe it to you your strength is the reason I am truly the invincible son of Asgard." Odin got a gleam in his eye: "You may have a chance to prove that yet. Recently there was an incursion on Midgard, a familiar magical signature was detected by Heimdall. I need you to investigate it. And to aid you with your quest' Odin waved his hand in the air and a glowing sword appeared, a delicate saber with runes decorating the crossguard. The blade was silvery and glowed like the moon, it was sharpened to perfection and perfectly weighted. The hilt was wrapped in aged brown leather, on the sword butt was a single rune with the rune Raedho, the journey man's rune, Odin's rune. 'This is Gram" Odin announced. The sword of truth, those who are touched by it's blade are compelled to tell the truth. Maximilian held the sword and swung it in a perfect arc, sweeping through the air with nary a whisper of sound. Without hesitation he touched the flat side of the blade to Odin's arm, a white glow surrounded the Allfather. Maximilian looked on incredulously: "Does this truly function as you say?" Odin's eyes turned milky white: "Clearly it does." Maximilian retracted the blade: "By the beard of Thor..." Odin laughed heartily and remarked: "Off to Midgard with you. Your quest awaits, the Raedho rune will glow if your target is close." Maximilian bowed and Odin slammed the end of Gungnir into the ground. A flash of rainbow light later, Maximilian was gone.
