Olaf, a blonde haired blue eyed giant, 6'2" tall and 295 lbs of solid muscle, tribal tattoos and long braided hair making him look like a Viking Warrior of old, was stalking Shane Albright during a spar. Shane, himself a man of large stature at 6'5" tall and 245 lbs and built like a professional athlete, was being driven into a corner of the octagon. Suddenly, as Olaf moved in to clinch, Shane was gone. Next thing Olaf knew, Shane was behind him attempting a rear naked choke. Olaf broke free with raw strength. It was two titans clashing, but Olaf had fifty pounds on Shane, and after all, Olaf was a celestial.
The two sparred for a few more minutes before taking a break, sweat slicking the canvas. Olaf leaned against the ropes, catching his breath. "Was that super speed?" he asked, nodding toward the space where Shane had disappeared.
Shane shook his head, wiping his brow with the back of his wrist. "No. Teleportation." He flexed his shoulders, feeling the familiar minor ache from the intense movement. "I wanted to practice with at least one of my new skills. Teleportation is better than super speed in here because of the lack of space. Plus, super speed is limited to one use per day, and I get three teleports."
Olaf agreed that made sense, pushing himself off the ropes. "I didn't sense the celestial energy trail either, like I did in the fight with ElToro."
Shane looked surprised. "You knew?"
Olaf gave a slight, knowing nod. "Yes. But I didn't know who."
Shane filled him in on what he'd discovered. "ElToro… AN had him arrested right after the loss. Deportation is next, apparently, because of his failure."
Olaf considered this, his heavy brow furrowing. "Do you think we should help him?"
Shane weighed the decision. "It might give us a strong ally and information, but it will definitely draw AN's attention."
"I think we should try," Olaf decided firmly.
"Alright," Shane replied, pulling out his phone to quietly tap into his system. "I will get my team on it."
The two men turned their attention back to Shane's skills, in particular the teleportation ability. Olaf suggested Shane try it out at a further distance, perhaps somewhere familiar but requiring more focus.
Meanwhile, a little ways away at the new Albright Roofing HQ building, Gary, Ben, and Amanda were going over plans for their community outreach. They were discussing donating a 'Free Roof' to a reservation orphanage Shane had directed them toward. Ben was moving toward the coffee pot, leaving Gary and Amanda alone in a moment that felt charged. They were staring into each other's eyes, and just as Gary reached for Amanda's hand, a quick, bright light flared, intense enough to force them to look away.
When they looked back up, Shane Albright was standing there.
Ben dropped the coffee pot with a clatter. Gary and Amanda simply stared, mouths agape.
"Boy, that skill is scary," Gary managed to say.
Shane smiled, interpreting Gary's comment as awe over a weapon he might have used, but Amanda knew exactly what Gary meant—the sudden appearance—and she blushed deeply.
Ben started cleaning up the spilled coffee, muttering, "Shane, you should let us know beforehand, just to make sure no one who isn't aware of your system and skills is in the area."
"Good idea," Shane agreed quickly.
Gary and Amanda looked visibly relieved that Shane hadn't noticed their near-moment. Shane then excused himself, his attention already shifting back to strategy. He contacted Cory and Silas, instructing them to start working on the process to get ElToro released, using their existing network of immigration attorneys.
Shane then sent a quick thought-message to Olaf at the training center, warning him he was about to teleport. A flash, and he was back in the octagon beside the still-sweaty giant. He quickly relayed the news about making moves to get ElToro out.
Olaf and Shane immediately began planning the next steps. Olaf proposed they set up an outdoor MMA event, inviting youths from the reservation and other high-risk areas. Shane offered to bankroll it, but Olaf waved the offer away. "Just the agreed-upon sponsorship," Olaf clarified, his voice booming slightly in the empty training area. "I am the MMA heavyweight champion in the most popular promotion in the world. I have connections."
Then, Olaf turned the tables on Shane. "Would you like to have a match? You could debut as a new light heavyweight."
The question hung in the air, but Shane didn't have time to process it cerebrally. His system answered for him before a single conscious thought could form: *New quest: Win debut MMA bout. Reward – 1 skill level up.*
Shane instantly told Olaf yes. Olaf slapped him hard on the back, shaking the smaller man slightly. "Welcome to the MMA."
Shane remembered the other active task burning in his queue: *Find the celestial Frigg*. He asked Olaf what they could do to begin the search.
Olaf discussed several ideas, most of which echoed the initial brainstorming with Veritas Alpha. "Searching the places like orphanages and group homes is a start," Olaf mused. "Possibly we could create ads on social media playing on her persona. It would be easier if she had her memories, but we have no idea if that's the case."
He shifted focus. "Then there is Freya. We need to search for her too." A glint appeared in Olaf's eye. "I have an idea where she might be. I can't be certain without contact, but I believe she is a movie star—Jessalyn Ingalls." He described her: extraordinary beauty, roles that emphasized strength, famous for a sexually provocative nature, standing 5'7" and weighing around 115 lbs, close to Freya's last known size. She always seemed to gravitate toward similar personas over the millennia he had known her.
Shane asked if they were romantically involved. Olaf laughed, a deep, resonant sound. "No, not in the romantic or sexual sense—although Freya is always that way. Frigg was my love. Freya was my counterpart. She taught me a lot. We both control half of the realm of the dead. I control Valhalla, and she controls Fólkvangr. She always got first choice of the slain on the battlefield. My warriors in Valhalla are for Ragnarök. Because I went into reincarnation, I will need her to be able to gain access. If she went into reincarnation, she would need me. If we both go, then we need each other. It is destiny for us to find each other."
Shane agreed to help look for connections to her agent, perhaps inviting Jessalyn to the proposed MMA event as a special guest to create a setting where they might meet.
As Shane prepared to leave, Olaf stopped him. "I know that you like to play your fantasy football contests. If you are joining the MMA, it will be considered gambling. So, as much as it helps my conditions, we need to keep you clean. Don't play anymore. Maybe you can 'help' one of your employees, but it can't be in your name, and absolutely do not play on any MMA contests."
Parting ways, Shane drove back toward the HQ building, his mind already turning toward logistics. He needed to figure out how to get Olaf and Jessalyn Ingalls in the same place. He asked his system for help. The interface immediately flashed, displaying information on Jessalyn, including short movie clips and photographs. Shane momentarily lost focus, momentarily stunned by her beauty. *Well, this might be fun,* he thought, shaking off the distraction. He contacted his accountant, Sue, instructing her to get a phone call or meeting scheduled with Jessalyn's agent to explore the possibility of an invitation.
Back at the HQ building, he pulled Ben aside. Shane needed to stop playing fantasy football himself because of the MMA contract's gambling clauses, but those contests were vital for Olaf's conditions to start accumulating power. He delegated the task.
"This is just one entry a week, twenty-five dollars," Shane explained. "I will help you pick the players. We need to keep those wins coming in for Olaf's conditions, especially if we win big. But I can't enter officially anymore." He neglected to mention the celestial component of Olaf's needs.
Meanwhile, Gary and Amanda were leaving work, headed out to eat. They had been inseparable since the contest where Shane won the million—a small victory that now felt ancient history compared to the celestial war brewing. After dinner, they planned to hit a sobriety meeting before heading to the shared rental house with Shane, Ben, and the others.
Both Gary and Amanda had been rock solid in their recovery, approaching a year shared between them if you counted Amanda's head start. Gary was deeply loyal to Shane, thankful for the help with sobriety, and he was increasingly happy he'd found Amanda, someone who understood the struggle while also being beholden to Shane. They worked hard to repay that debt through dedication. Shane noticed the invisible threads forming around him, guidance aligning with the conditions Veritas Alpha had inspired.
At the restaurant, they noticed their waitress was pretty and seemed to have a great personality. As they waited for their food, Amanda leaned toward Gary. "Don't you think she and Shane would hit it off?"
Gary looked over at the waitress. She was petite, about 5'3" and weighed maybe ninety-five pounds. Pretty, but Amanda playfully punched his arm.
"I was just looking because you told me to!" Gary laughed. "I was thinking she might be too short. Shane would have to sit down to kiss her."
Amanda laughed, the thought amusing her. "What kind of girls does he like?" she asked. "His ex was about 5'8", 125 lbs, but she was intense, always serious. Shane needs someone who can lighten the mood, and this waitress fits the bill, height aside."
As they were leaving, Amanda asked the waitress, whose name was Erin, if she was single.
"Unfortunately, yes," Erin replied with a sigh. "I don't have a lot of free time, and there are so many crazies out there."
Amanda and Gary kept chatting with Erin, Amanda asking more personal questions. As they said goodbye, Amanda asked, "Can we get your phone number? Our boss is a great guy and doesn't really get out. Maybe we can set up a double date sometime. We think you will like him."
Erin looked intrigued. "Why not! I'll give it a shot." They exchanged numbers.
Gary and Amanda headed to their meeting and then home, deciding to keep the information about Erin a surprise for Shane until the weekend, figuring he needed the distraction after the intensity of his training with Olaf and Veritas Alpha.
When they returned, they found Shane preparing his schedule. He confirmed he had some time free on the weekend, though most evenings were dedicated to sparing with Olaf and Bjorn. They quickly locked in a time for the potential double date. The air felt strangely thick with foreboding. Shane understood the danger of celestials and MMA fights; meeting women with romantic intentions felt like the truly deadly risk.
********