Chapter 22: The Victory

Fire warms… but it also consumes.
Ice preserves… but it also freezes hope.

Within every soul lies a spark of both extremes: the burning fury that drives us to act, and the piercing cold that teaches us to stop.

Some live in fear of fire, terrified it will burn them.
Others surrender to ice, convinced it will keep them safe from pain.

But the truth…
The truth is that in the deepest darkness, both coexist.
In that place where the soul finds no direction, fire and ice do not clash…
…they need each other.

Only the one who can walk between the blaze of desire and the void of abandonment will see clearly what lies beyond the night.

Because sometimes, the greatest secrets are not revealed in the day…
…but when cold and heat embrace within the dark.

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Cheers!” Aphrodite exclaimed, raising her cup with a sparkling smile.

Laughter burst out at once.
The hall overflowed with joy—clinking glasses, mingled voices, and the air of triumph that hung like perfume. Everyone was there: Eden, Shu, Isaac, Aphrodite, Yohei, Balder… the heart of GODS Academy celebrating their advance to the next round.

“We did it!” Shu shouted, lifting his cup toward the ceiling.
“Yes!” they all roared together, raising their arms.

In one corner, Eden watched the celebration. His lips curved into a quiet, serene smile—barely noticeable… but real. For the first time, there were no shadows behind it.

I’m getting closer, Grandpa. I did it, he thought.

Then he noticed everyone staring at him strangely.
“Huh? What’s wrong?” he asked, puzzled.

Aphrodite approached, cup still in hand.
“It’s the first time you’ve truly smiled.”

“What do you mean? I always smile the same.”

“Yes…” she said, looking at him gently. “But there was something different in the way you did it today.”

Eden turned his gaze away, a bit uneasy.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Maybe you’re just mistaken.”

“Maybe…”

“Let’s keep the party going!” Eden shouted, raising his cup.
“Yes!” they repeated, plunging back into celebration.

…

The night slipped away unnoticed. Laughter faded one by one. The soft glow of hanging lanterns flickered like weary stars. In the grand hall, everyone slept—on couches, rugs, or simply leaning against each other.

Still awake, Eden sat up when he heard footsteps.
“Leaving already?”

Balder turned.
“Eden… so you’re still awake.”

“Yeah. I was thinking of heading out a bit early too. Mind if I walk with you?”
“Sure.”

They slipped out quietly, leaving behind the warmth of the hall. They walked beneath a calm sky, the city asleep around them.

“Can I ask you something?” Eden said casually.
“What is it?”
“What’s the relationship between you and Aphrodite?”

Balder stopped. A faint flush betrayed him.
“Huh? Why are you asking that?”

Eden smirked subtly.
“So I wasn’t wrong. You even blushed.”

“Whatever you’re thinking, you’re mistaken,” Balder replied, regaining composure. “Aphrodite and I are just old friends.”

“Really? Doesn’t seem like just friends to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s true I haven’t known her for long… but when she’s with you, that old woman seems like a completely different person. You could say that when she looks at you… she gives off an aura full of love.”

Balder lowered his gaze, uneasy.
“You’re wrong. I don’t think she feels that way about me.”

“Even a blind man would see it. So you’d better take care of my teacher. Got it?”

“Yeah, yeah… whatever you say.”

They reached an intersection.
“Well, this is where I stop,” Eden said. “See you another day.”
“Goodbye,” Balder replied, continuing on his way.

…

The great castle of Asgard loomed like a fortress of silence amid the morning mist.
Eden walked with firm steps toward the gates.

“What do you need, boy?” asked a towering guard, lowering his spear across the entrance.
“I’ve come to see Lord Odin.”
“Do you have an invitation?”

Eden pulled out an envelope sealed with dark wax and handed it over without a word.
The guard examined it and nodded.
“Go ahead.”

Eden crossed the gates. The torches lit the marble corridors with dancing shadows.

A voice awaited him at the end.
“Welcome, child.”

An elegant figure emerged from between the columns. His clothes were refined, his presence almost artistic.
“Who are you?”
“I was the one who sent you the invitation personally,” the man replied with a slight bow. “My name is Bragi, and I am the god of poetry.”

“So it was you…” Eden said, folding his arms. “Why did you bring me here?”

Bragi stepped forward. His tone, warm until then, turned grave.
“I need your power… Vorathrax.”

Eden frowned.
“Vorathrax? Who are you talking to?”

—Flashback—
Narrator:
Thousands of years ago, when time itself had not yet learned to walk, the Creator God shaped the two pillars of the beyond:
Heaven, destined to receive the souls who fulfilled their purpose.
And the Primordial Hell, where those who turned away from the path despite countless chances would fall.

In that underworld of darkness and fire, the most powerful of demons arose:
The Demon King,
the Seven Cardinal Sins,
and one more…

A small being, with no noble lineage nor inherited titles, yet with a power as immense as it was uncontrollable.
His name was… Vorathrax.

During the Millennial War, his fury was so great that he had to be sealed away.
Since then, his existence remained buried among legends.

But the ancients said…
that if he ever unleashed his true power,
he could rival —or even surpass— the Demon King himself.

…

The hall where Eden and Bragi stood began to darken. The air grew heavy, as if the walls themselves were breathing fear.

Eden’s body trembled… then exploded in a massive aura.
The energy poured from him like an ancient storm—dense, violent, unnatural. His eyes turned black for an instant, and a colossal shadow rose behind him.

A laugh echoed from the depths.
“Hahahahaha…”

I never thought a god would remember my name… Vorathrax.

The voice wasn’t Eden’s, yet it came from his mouth.

“This is bad…” Eden thought, heart racing. “I can feel an immense power… but I can’t control my body.”

Suddenly, the shriek of two birds split the air.
KRAAA! KRAAA!

Two ravens soared into the hall and perched on the shoulders of a figure who appeared without a sound.

Odin.

“Stop this at once, Bragi,” ordered Munin and Hugin in unison, their voices human.

Bragi froze, stepping back.
The shadow around Eden dissipated like smoke under the sun.
The boy collapsed to his knees, gasping, his body still trembling.

“This is… the power of the Council of Gods…?” he whispered. “Truly terrifying… I didn’t even see it coming.”

Odin watched from the shadows, unwavering.
“You’d best stop now, Bragi. Or you will be branded a traitor.”

Bragi lowered his gaze.
“I’m sorry, Father…”

Odin turned to Eden.
“And you, boy… what are you doing here?”
“I had received an invitation from your son…”
“I see,” Odin said with a faint sigh. “I regret that my son has caused you so much trouble. If you wish, you may remain here. We have important matters to attend.”

Eden met his gaze directly.
“Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“You already knew about this… didn’t you?”

Odin nodded.
“Yes. Since Zeus told me about you.
But you should thank Shun that your head hasn’t already been cut off.
The only reason you’re still here… is because of him.”

Eden clenched his fists. Odin’s words weren’t a threat… they were a sentence.
“I understand. Thank you for answering.”

Without another word, Odin and Bragi vanished into a cloud of black feathers.

…

“So… what do I do now?” Eden whispered, left alone in the icy corridor.

But not for long.

In the distance, two figures walked together down the hall. A faint light streamed from a high window, illuminating them.
“Those two… together?” Eden thought, recognizing Nai and Sara.

He followed them quietly until they entered a colossal library filled with columns, floating books, and hidden passages between towering shelves.

“No need to hide, demon,” Nai said with disdain. “You’re far too noisy.”

Eden stepped out of the shadows.
“I knew just hiding wouldn’t work against you.”
“And what exactly do you think you’re doing following us?” Nai asked, arms crossed.
“Seeing the two of you together feels… suspicious.”

Sara spoke calmly.
“Relax. I just asked him to accompany me. There have been many murders lately…”

“Sara!” Nai growled.
“Sorry… I shouldn’t have said that…”
“It’s none of your concern,” Nai continued. “Things will be taken care of soon enough.”

Eden shook his head.
“I doubt it…”

Nai narrowed his eyes.
“Hm? Sounds like you know something… don’t tell me you’re one of those killers?”
“No,” Eden replied firmly. “But I’ve already fought them. And I’m telling you… they’re ruthless monsters. I doubt they’ll stop until they get what they want.”

“I doubt they’ll succeed,” Nai shot back, brimming with confidence. “The Nine Worlds are protected by Odin, Thor… and many other powerful gods.”

Eden lowered his gaze. His body began to tremble.
“I don’t think they can stop them… not if he is here.”

Nai stepped forward.
“He? Who are you talking about?”

“The leader of Black Lights.”

A fleeting image flashed through Eden’s mind: a dark throne, a silent figure… and eyes that seemed to devour time itself.

“Nonsense,” Nai spat. “Odin is a supreme-ranked deity. Surpassing him is nearly impossible.”

“I don’t know what rank he would be classified as…” Eden whispered. “But without a doubt, he’s on Shun’s level.”

A shiver ran down both Sara and Nai’s spines.
“It can’t be…” Sara murmured, her eyes wide.

The throne hall lay shrouded in gloom.
Torchlight flickered against the golden walls, and silence clung to the chamber like a layer of ancient dust.

Odin sat upon his throne, eyes fixed on the void. His fingers drummed against the armrest, but his mind was far away.
It has been so many years since that battle against Ymir…
Was all of this truly worth it?

Before him, floating like a memory refusing to die, appeared the image of Yggdrasil, the eternal tree. Within its trunk, two massive roots stretched like slumbering serpents. One pulsed with icy energy… the other with primordial fire.

They are…

Narrator:
In the beginning, there was nothing. Only a formless, nameless void, given the name Ginnungagap.

But that void was not alone.

On each side, two opposing forces rested in fragile balance:
the frost of Niflheim, and the fire of Muspelheim.

When the two met, the oldest frost began to melt, giving birth to a thick substance known as eitr.
From those drops was born the first of the giants… the father of all Jötun:
Ymir.

Colossal. Unstoppable. Voracious.

Ymir survived by drinking from the four rivers flowing from the milk of the great cosmic cow. In his shadow, the universe was still nothing more than a fetus within darkness.

But his existence would not be eternal.

From the same origin, three brothers arose: Vili, Vé, and Odin.

“What are you saying, brother?” Vili asked, confused.
“We must end Ymir,” Odin replied, eyes burning.
“That’s madness,” Vé said tensely. “Ymir is a primordial being. Far stronger than the three of us combined.”
“You’re wrong, Vé. He is stronger than each of us alone… but together we can defeat him.”

Vili folded his arms.
“And why should we even try?”

Odin stepped forward. His eyes held no doubt.
“As long as Ymir rules Yggdrasil, there will be no progress.
If we manage to defeat him, we can create a world where the three of us reign.
A better world. A world full of life.”

Vé smiled faintly.
“Perhaps one of us will die… but I trust you, brother. I’m in.”

“If any of us survives… promise me you’ll create that world,” Vili said.

The three joined their hands together.
“I promise,” Odin said.
“No matter what happens…” he added, “I will not allow Ymir to rule Yggdrasil. Not at any cost.”
“For a better world,” the three declared in unison.

But promises, even those made among gods, are always stained with tragedy.

Vé was the first to fall.
His body was crushed beneath Ymir’s colossal fist, reduced to nothing but memory.

Odin trembled. He fell to his knees.
“What are you doing, Odin?! React!” Vili shouted desperately. “Vé wouldn’t want to see you like this!”

Odin lifted his head, rage flooding his eyes. He clenched his fist so hard it began to bleed.
“Yes…”

“Did you truly think you could defeat me?” Ymir thundered. “Your father was a fool to challenge me as well. You are nothing compared to Bor!”

“Take his name out of your filthy mouth, Ymir!” Odin roared, charging forward.

His divine sword tore through the giant’s skin, forcing Ymir to scream for the first time.
The titan roared in pain, and from the ground erupted thousands of ice spikes aimed to pierce him.

Odin closed his eyes… yet he felt no pain.
When he opened them, he saw Vili, mortally wounded.

“Vili…”

His brother’s body collapsed, a massive shard of ice impaled through him.

“Vili… Vé… Father…”

Odin’s eyes turned black.
His dark aura exploded like a celestial shroud, draping the skies in blood and fire.

“YMIR!”

The final battle was unleashed.
And when it was over, the body of the first giant lay slain.

Odin, exhausted, bloodied, trembling… approached.
“I did it…”

Narrator:
With Ymir’s remains, Odin shaped the world.

With his flesh, he formed Midgard, home of mankind.
From his blood and sweat, the rivers and lakes were born.
With his skull, he crafted the celestial vault, upheld by the four dwarves: Nordri, Sudri, Austri, and Vestri.

And when all was ready…
He took an Ash tree and an Elm, and gave them breath, sense, form, and destiny.

Thus were born the first humans: Ask and Embla.

Back to the present.

Odin remained silent.
Did I do the right thing, Vili… Vé…?

His eyes showed no pride. Only weight.

Suddenly, two figures burst into the hall, their faces pale with desperation.
Hermod and Bragi.

“Balder is going to die?!” they exclaimed in unison.

Odin’s gaze rose slowly.
He said nothing.

But his eyes…
…already held the answer.