"So, Mr. Verdandi, if Mr. Thor has lightning powers, what are your powers?" Arthur asks in a normal, curious tone. We started walking towards the nearest city around an hour ago, being led by Arthur. He said the same of the city is Evelron, an unfamiliar place to me.
"My powers are a bit special, but I've yet to full uncover their secrets. All I know is I can see 1 second into the future." I say normally, like I'm just talking about the sky.
"That is quite the ability Mr. Verdandi, if I had that I'd be the greatest swordsman in the world!" He announced, brandishing his short steel sword and swinging it around in excitement. Little does he know...
"Say Arthur, do you have any parents?" I ask him.
"I have an adopted Father named Merlin. He's taught me a lot of knowledge about the world, but I've yet to learn my parents names. He can be kinda strict sometimes, and I recently got in trouble so he sent me to observe this battle. He's gonna be so upset when he finds out what happened." He says, and the instant he says the name Merlin, I felt a shiver up spine.
Merlin has another name, Merlyn. It's very similar, but both mean different things. Merlyn is basically an Uber powerful sorcerer from a pocket dimension Called the Otherworld, and his current disguise is that of Merlin, a powerful sorcerer who used to serve king Uther pendragon of Camelot.
Really nerdy shit, but basically, Merlin is an immortal who orchestrates events from outside of time.
I suddenly feel my stomach twist from the nerves of meeting such a powerful man.
I wonder what will happen when Merlin meets me...
"Sounds like an... okay parent... I guess." Thor says, which almost makes my jaw drop before I remember we've been brutally trained to be warriors from a very young age. Thor was even brought to the battlefield as a newborn with Freyja because she didn't trust anyone at Asgard yet.
"Yeah... sounds like. I'm sure he's trained you plenty to survive though." I say, trying to keep the conversation from stagnating, "Anyways, Arthur, Thor and I aren't from around here, care to share with us some recent events?"
"Oh where do I even begin? Merlin is constantly telling me about recent events and politics that I get bored. I do know some basics though. Like, the king of Camelot, Uther Pendragon, doesn't have an heir, so when he dies soon it's gonna be left unclaimed. But because of some strange rules that I don't remember, A new king can't be chosen unless everyone agrees on a successor. Which, because the nobles are all selfish, they will never agree." He says he's not interested in politics, but based on the look of excitement on his face the opposite may very well be true.
"I see, so what will happen when there's no king?" Thor asks, which is a surprise. I wouldn't expect him of all people to be interested in politics, but oh well.
"Merlin says the world will be thrown into the dark ages, with no ruler to keep everyone in line, the different cities all under Camelot's rule will secede, and the Britain's will be thrown into pure chaos. Different cities vying for land, people assassinating each other for more power, massacred of the poor, it'll be horrible. At least according to Merlin." He says with a shrug, earning a nod from Thor and I.
"I'm sure someone worthy will one day take the throne by will of the people." Thor says, and the way he says worthy makes Arthur look up at him and nod, almost as I he thinks Thor is talking about him. Which, for all I know, he very well could be. Arthur is the rightful king of the Britain's, but there's no way for Thor to know that. He probably thinks that Arthur could one day be that Worthy king.
"Oh look, there's that town you were talking about. What's it's name again, Arthur?" I say, spotting a small city in the distance.
"Evelron, my home. Merlin and I live on the outskirts of the city though. We do a lot of farming and training, so we needed space." Arthur says, and I nod in response.
-one hour later-
We finally arrive at Arthur's house, and I can zee a man picking vegetables from plants out front. The house is quaint, but it looks comfortable enough. It's one story and made of wood, and clearly hand made. It's a far cry from the modern houses of my old world, and not even close to the grand architecture of Asgard, but it's nice all the same.
The man pit from stands to look at us l, and the second he spots Arthur he begins walking forwards. He's roughly 6 feet tall, white hair blue eyes and I'd say looks about 200 pounds. He has a trimmed beard, and doesn't look older than 45.
"Merlin! I've returned!" Arthur yells out, and starts dashing towards him. Merlin merely smiles, but the second he spots Thor and I his eyes narrow. I can tell there a smidgen of recognition in his eyes for Thor, he's very important after all, but when he notes my face his eyes glare dangerously.
"Arthur, who are these men?" He asks skeptically.
"Well, That's Thor, he's really strong and swings around a big hammer that summons lightning. And that's Mr. Verdandi, who I don't know much about, but he says he can see 1 second into the future! Isn't that awesome!" Arthur says, and Merlin raises his eyebrow in skepticism.
"Really? That's... quite an interesting ability. Asgardian?" He asks, and I can tell he knows somethings off.
"Indeed." Thor and I answer at the same time.
"Who are you? Really?" He asks, glaring directly at me.
"Er..." I suddenly begin to sweat at his glare. Does he know I don't belong here? Of course he does, but what else does he know? Do I trust him? Does he consider me a threat? How the fuck do I navigate this conversation?!?!?!
"He's my younger brother, and I would appreciate it if you would keep that glare to yourself, Merlin." Thor says, his eyes slightly crackling with electricity as the sky darkens slightly.
"Woah, chill out Brother, no need for hostility, I'm sure he's just being a protective parent." I say, trying(and failing) to calm my brother down. He doesn't calm down, but he at least chills out with the thunder clouds.
Suddenly though, the world goes dark. Everything around me stops moving, even the light, and as I turn around to see what's happening, I see Merlyn standing there with a very displeased look across his face.
"Who are you, and why do I not remember who you are?" The Merlyn asks me, his anger palpable.
"... My name is Verdandi Odinson... Third biological son of Odin." (Baldur, Thor, me) I say, trying to lie and cover my ass.
"...You're telling the truth, but not the whole truth. Why do you seem to know who I am?" He asks, skepticism etched into his words.
"...You won't kill me if I tell you, right?" I say, sweat now pouring down my face like that meme from my old world.
"Depends on your answer."
*gulp*"Er... how to explain... I was reincarnated from a world that has knowledge of this one?" I say, trying to save my neck.
"..." His face then scrunches in thought, as if he's trying to piece together different things.
"That still doesn't explain how I don't know who you are. I'm sure you know that I live in and out of the timestream, forwards and backwards, all at once. The only way you could possibly be someone new is if you've been..."
Then, he pauses, and an almost evil grin comes on his face. The grin almost makes me shit myself it's so creepy, but I hold it in.
"Have you ever met... Eternity?" He asks, and I almost go to shake my head no, but something makes me pause.
A memory so vague that I almost forgot about it.
After I had died the first time...
A being came to me. I almost thought it was a dream.
It's body was made of stars and galaxies, like it was the universe itself.
It had pointed right at me, like it was chosing a pig at an auction.
"I have..." I said, and Merlins grin widened even further (how tf).
"I see now... I don't know what his plan is... but I guess we'll just have to wait and see. But if be chose you... look forward to an interesting life, Verdandi Odinson. And good luck... you'll need it." And with that, the world returned to normal, time resumed.
"All is good, Thor. Nothing to worry about here." Merlin says, turning around and walking back to the house.
"...okay?" Thor says, confused. Not even a second ago Merlin was glaring at me with anger, and now everythings... good? He just shrugged and went along with it, as one would expect.
"So, Arthur, what happened at that battlefield, did you learn your lesson?" Merlin says.
"It was crazy, Merlin! As these people were fighting, some weird creature came out of a portal and started killing everything in sight! It was black and looked like a dragon! It had evil red eyes and it was the scariest thing I've ever seen! I had to hide under a bunch of corpses to survive! But then Thor came and saved the day! Too bad it got away though." Arthur said, and Merlin once again stopped and looked at me, clearly wondering what I had to do with this.
And I was wondering the same.
Why was The Grendel there?