Freeing Fenrir

Prologue

He waits.

It is in our nature to see the world in terms of black and white. Beings are either good or evil; there is no gray in-between. We want to place others in their respective categories because it is more convenient for us to assign the labels than it is to explore the mystery behind them.

And that's what he is. A mystery waiting to be discovered.

It is easy to divide the world into two, honoring those who are good and condemning those who are bad. We like to impose our praise or blame because it gives us the illusion of control, makes us feel like we have power.

The truth of the matter is that not every situation is so straightforward.

I come to this realization as I approach a sleek black wolf with the final prophesized object wrapped tightly in my arms. His brilliant eyes sparkle with a crimson blaze and a river of saliva leaks from his unhinged jaw, foaming wildly as he anticipates his freedom. At the last second, I freeze before him.

Making this decision could very well bring about the end of the world. The unassuming lump that I carry has the power to destroy the universe- and consequently, all life as we know it. Am I really prepared to give it all up? What will be left when everything has been torn apart?

The giant animal wags his tail innocently, knocking down several full-grown Elm trees as its wide swipes slash through the thick trunks. They come crashing towards the branch littered grass and my hesitance melts away into certainty.

No woodland creature deserves to be chained. It is time for him to roam free. The amount of resentment that he harbors in his heart will have to determine whether or not he brings chaos to the universe.

We are too consumed with fear, our ultimate flaw. We allow it to take charge, to direct our decisions. It's why he was chained in the first place.

The Gods were afraid that he would grow too large, that one day he would become unmanageable and wreak havoc so awful that not even they could control it. They were afraid of the unknown, so he was locked up in a place where it was known he could do no damage. All the other giants were soon banished along with him.

Over time I have come to understand that these beasts are just as much part of our world as we are part of theirs. Accepting them as they are is the only way to coexist without living in fear. Breaking their chains is the only way for us to be released from ours.

Sure, the wolf is dangerous. He has the power to maim, to rampage, to tear up the very floor which we walk on and the sun that shines upon us. Yet, our entire world is made up of danger and we have learned to thrive in it.

Ice storms freeze us, fires devour our homes and lands, the sea sweeps us in and sinks us, and the earth which birthed us will one day swallow our corpses and fill them with maggots. Danger is as unavoidable as mortality. Yet, we have continued to live.

I now view these undeniable truths as something that is terrifyingly beautiful. Our world is stunning and gives us life, pleasure, a purpose. Even so, it is far from perfect. With life comes ailment, with pleasure comes sorrow, and with purpose comes failure. The good can not exist without the bad and neither can reign supreme. The world can never be only black or only white.

"I trust you," I murmur, as I place the object by his massive paws. The bindings should be weak enough now to be snapped. With a shuddering breath, I stand back and allow my eyes to flutter shut.

I prepare for the chains to break.

He waits.

For me, he waits.

~~~~~~~

Word count= 666