Beloved Betrayal - 3

“Yes. That would be me”

The sword of victory raised her bleeding hand, crimson drops shimmering in the glow of the summonance circle.

“Freya Valkya.”

Her voice carried through the sanctum without slightest trace of hesitation.

“And by decree of Voldr, and this royal blood flowing through my veins...”

She pointed her sword towards the retainer.

“ I command you to accept me as your master. Become my retainer.” She spoke with the certainty of someone who had never once doubted her own greatness.

Her proclamation threw the hall into stunned silence. The knights exchanged uneasy glances, hardly believing the princess had dared command a legendary retainer. Only Loki and Skadi remained unmoved, as though they had expected nothing less from her.

The spirit narrowed its gaze as arcs of lightning dancing around its shoulder crackled louder.

“Valkya…”

It whispered the name, its voice ancient and weathered , like an old man.

Then, with a sharp crackle, the towering form dissolved into lightning. In less than heartbeat, the lightning crossed the distance between them. Before Freya, it wove itself a new body. The giant spirit body was gone.

In its place stood a boy who looked to be the same age as her. Without a word, he leaned closer, mere inches separating them as he stared right into her golden eyes.

“...Big Sister!” Skadi’s voice cut through the crackling thunder.

Freya heard her. She knew the fear and concern hidden beneath her beloved sister’s cry. Yet, she didn’t dare turn her eyes away from the retainer. If she did, she knew it would be a defeat. And whether it was a clash of swords or …simply a clash of wills.

Freya Valkya refused to lose either.

Seeing her unyielding stare, the spirit tilted its head subtly. A smirk slowly spread across its youthful face.
“Golden…eyes.”

For a brief moment, something flickered between them.

“Hu…” “Hahahaha!”

Thunder rolled through the sanctum as spirit threw back its head in laughter.

“Puny…” “So unbelievably puny…”

It murmured. Lightning wildly danced around his body, yet it couldn’t flinch the sword of victory.

“You are fun.” “Very well, puny Valkya. I accept your blood.”

The retainer announced, plunging the quiet sanctum into a shocking silence. But that didn’t stop the whispers of “She really did it” rippling through the ranks of knights. In that instant, every eye in that hall watched her.

Yet, as if she existed in her own world, Freya remained calm and unbothered. Her attention never left the spirit before her. She awaited something. And then, the wielder of storms smiled again. It wasn’t the smile of joy, or kindness or anything else. It was the innocent amusement of a child that discovered a new toy.

Freya answered with silence. Merely, drawing her sword back into the scabbard.

The retainer seeing that laughed one final time as its body dissolved into countless strands of lightning. The emerald runes blazed to life, as they compressed and inscribed the contract onto the magic item — the retainer card.

When lightning radiance faded… A lone retainer card rested within Freya’s hand. The first contract had been forged.

Freya studied the card for a moment, her gaze lingering upon the unrecognizable drawing on the back of the card, while the front had an enchantment inscribed upon it. Then, quickly slipped it into a storage scroll.

“Well done, princess.” Loki’s voice finally broke the awkward silence.

“Let’s move on. With your talent, I believe awakening five retainers, is very well within your reach.”

Hearing that, Freya looked at him as though he had uttered something absurd.

“Five?” She let out a quiet scoff.

“Minister….” She began, flashing the ceremonial dagger once more against the same palm. Fresh blood welled from the same wound. Crimson droplets rose into the air.

“Do not insult me.”

“It’s either ten…or nothing.”

The spectacle of blood and strength continued. By the time the ninth contract had been forged, blood stained the ancient stone like crimson petals scattered across statues of gods. The sword of victory, one after another, called upon the legendary retainers.

Tyr (the hand of justice), Skuld (Weaver of futures), Eir (The mender), Niohoggr (Devourer of roots), Sleipnir (Strider of realms), Garmer (Guardian of gate), Hraesvelgr (Wings of wind), Vioarr (The avenger).

All of them answered her summons. All acknowledged her blood. All forged contracts.

Her aides no longer knew what words could possibly describe the greatness unfolding before them. The very meaning of strength had slipped from beneath their feet.

Even Loki… The man whose smile had survived every battlefield, every council meeting, every failure…stood motionless, while an empty expression plastered over his face.

For the first time, Loki thought to himself: A monster. She’s a monster.

At that moment, she was a mirror to all who refused to gaze at her vastness. A mirror that reflected the true meaning of talent. Of greatness. Of the difference between a mountain and a pebble.

Even Skadi, who usually admired her sister’s talent, stood with dead eyes. Her gaze never left the widening stains of blood spreading across the Graystone floor.

“Sister…” She whispered again.

“Please…Stop.”

However, none of it reached Freya. The girl standing before the summonance circle no longer resembled a princess. She resembled something beyond human.

Everyone gazing at her back mumbled the same feeling: I am so weak.

Then, Freya raised her bleeding hand once more.

“O’ Keeper of what was.”

“The greatest among Athena’s Retainers.”

“Reveal thyself … Urd.”

The instant her voice faded, the magical pressure reached its peak. So much so, the temple groaned. While, one by one everyone collapsed to their knees beneath crushing weight that poured from the summonance circle. Everyone, except of course, Freya.

“...So.” A woman’s voice echoed through the sanctum. Yet there was no source of the voice.

“...the wheel has turned once more.”

Then, a single pink petal drifted through the air. Then, another. Within moments, countless petals whirled throughout the wall, dancing without wind.

As they slowly dispersed. A little girl stood before Freya. She looked no older than ten. Yet the eyes staring back at Freya made her think that she stood before endless vastness.

“I am Freya Valkya.” Freya's voice rang through the sea of petals. She drew her sword from the scabbard.

“I ask you the greatest among Ten…”

“Become my Retainer.”

As those words left her lips, Freya swung her sword through the air. Even though the sword itself never touched a single petal. Yet wind unleashed by the swing scattered the countless petals throughout the sanctum. In turn, clearing the space around the great circle as though nothing has ever been there.

“Tch! “

The child clicked her tongue.

“You are one arrogant bitch, aren’t you?”

“WHAT!”

Everyone cried in unison. Except of course, Freya Valkya. Still, none of them had imagined the greatest of retainers would speak like a delinquent gal.

Freya, on the other, scoffed. If anything…she accepted the remark as a praise.

“I believe you misunderstood me.” She spoke again, repeating herself, this time slowly. Each word, laced with arrogance that challenged beings beyond human comprehension.

“I, Freya Valkya…. Ask you, the greatest among the Retainers……to submit to me.”

The young girl sighed.

“...Stubborn too.” “One bad bitch, you are.”

For a long while, Freya and Urd simply stared into each other’s eyes.

Then, Urd's shoulders slumped in resignation.

“So…this is the chosen path.”

“That which has been written cannot be denied.”

“I accept your blood”

“But hear my warning. Freya Valkya.” “For you who gaze upon the world from above…For who looks down upon anything and everything.” “You are doomed…”

As she said those words, her body dissolved into countless petals. Only the echo of her final words lingered within the sanctum.

“For those golden eyes…”
“...See nothing but yourself.”

Freya lowered her gaze. Words of Urd echoed in her mind. One could say that she even understood what she meant. Only if she didn’t look down upon those words as well. 

But one thing, however, became certain. The doubt that had lingered within her heart from the time she’d stepped inside this place. No, even from before that. She’d finally cleared it and found the absolute truth.

“What an uncouth Retainer.” Loki remarked with a quiet laugh.

“Still...” He looked upon the ten retainer cards gathered in the storage scroll in Freya’s hand.

“You accomplished exactly what you proclaimed, princ--"

“No…” His smile deepened beneath his hood.

“I suppose ‘Princess’ is no longer an appropriate title.” “Perhaps…Yours Majesty.”

“Only the awakening of Lord Voldr remains, Yours Majesty...” “Please step into the center of the circle.”

Freya listened to his words, with patience and silence. For several long moments, neither she nor Loki spoke. Then their eyes met, the emerald green reflected in her golden eyes. Yet, neither looked away.

“You can stop your act, minister.”

Freya said, her voice calm and steady. If not for the silence that felt like it existed for an eternity. None present in the hall would have heard her words.

Loki blinked.

“What–”

“That smile of yours…” “It disgusts me.”

Alas, the facade crumbled.