Chapter 365: Assembly (1)

"...I hate being teleported."

"Really? Isn't the feeling just the same as with the Seraph's Gate?"

"No."

Two times. Van has been forcefully teleported 2 times since he got to this world. First was when he was actually sent here from the past, the 2nd time was when Charles blinked him to the vast expanse of space near Asgard; and perhaps because of that, he had grown weary and intolerable of any form of teleportation.

And now with the 3rd time, he was calling it quits. He initially thought that since the River was called… the River; the travel would be sort of like traversing through water at a very high speed, he was also sort of looking forward to it. But contrary to his excitement, as soon as he went into the lights of the River, it felt like his whole life flashed before him and he was thrown at a speed faster than he had ever achieved before.

Van initially thought that the Palace was a part of Asgard, but seeing as it has its own River that was only accessible from Asgard, not to mention well-hidden from the rest of the Realms; it would seem they truly have thought out their hideout.

Athena had told her that the River existed right at the same time the Realms were created. When Earth blew up into pieces, it was already there; as if connecting and holding them together.

Was it Evangeline's power? Hermes? Or perhaps Athena was right, and that there was a hidden god somewhere in this universe observing and moving from the shadows? But if there was, then why hasn't it shown itself so far with everything that has happened?

Either way, once the World Eaters from Evangeline's universe arrive, Van is sure that apathetic god won't stay quiet for long… if there truly was one, that is.

"How long do we have to stay here?" Van then let out a sigh as his eyes scanned the area; they were currently at the Gates of the palace, an entrance adorned with nothing but gold and silver. Finally, Van thought; when he always imagined Asgard to look like this based on the stories he had heard from the others, it would seem that his guess was right after all.

"The Palace has a guard that watches everything that happens in it," Athena then answered as she fixed Van's hair, "Thor is most likely making him aware of our presence."

"Are you certain this is a wise idea? What if there was a trap prepared for us?"

"Thor might not seem like it, but he is a prideful man. He had already lost to you; if it was found out by the masses that he lured you to the Palace in a trap, it would only do more harm to his reputation-- which is almost everything for a ruler."

"Your tactician is right, little man."

And as soon as Athena finished her words, the man in question appeared before them.

"Honor in battles is irrelevant and how you win does not matter because the loser could no longer tell his or her side of the story," Thor slightly chuckled as he approached the two, "But what you do afterward will be judged by everyone and everything."

Thor's leg was given back to him by Van; and surprisingly enough, it would seem that he was able to attach it and hasten its regeneration, as he was already able to walk with it.

"..." Van did not really get what Thor was trying to say as he glanced at Athena, who only shrugged her shoulders in response.

"So, Hermod truly did not lie when he said that you have the blood of the Aesir in you," Thor then said as he looked at Van from head to toe, before turning his eyes towards Athena, "But you… How were you able to travel with us?"

"That… has completely brushed past my mind," Athena's eyes widened in bewilderment as soon as she heard Thor's words. It was true that due to all of her attention being focused on Van, she was missing minor details that she would otherwise catch up on; but this one? This was major.

She, Artemis, and her children had never been able to use the River; traveling Realm to Realm only by their innate ability to fly through the expanse of space. So how exactly…

"...Oh," Athena then blinked a couple of times as she turned her head towards Van, "That's--"

"Ahahaha!"

And before Athena could even say a word, Thor's sudden burst of laughter reverberated in the air, almost causing the golden floor itself to tremble,

"I truly did not expect this," Thor then said as he tried to pat Van's shoulder, who quickly dodged to the side, "Forgive me for assuming that you were only the little man's tactician, I did not know that you two have been copulating."

"...What?" Van furrowed his eyebrows from Thor's words.

"It is not my business to pry, come. Let us go! A feast awaits us!"

And once again, Thor burst out in robust laughter as he walked away, gesturing to Van and Athena to follow him.

"What… how did he know?" Van then quickly asked Athena as the two of them followed Thor.

"I was most likely able to use the River because… a part of you is still inside me," Athena muttered with only a slight hint of hesitation; her face, however, was almost reflecting through the golden pillars with how red it was.

"A part… oh," Van then breathed out. With his sudden battle with Thor, he had almost forgotten what he and Athena had done just moments before it. Realizing this fact, Van's stride became slightly awkward. But after a few seconds, he then gently held Athena's hand.

"King… Evans," Athena was slightly surprised by Van's sudden action, but still, she accepted it dearly with a smile.

"..." But since she was a lot taller than Van, it made it look like the two of them were mother and child; and so, without any hesitation, Athena suddenly became smaller; her height becoming similar to that of when she was still pretending to be an orphan in Odin's little orphanage.

"...You didn't have to do that," Van could not help but sigh as he saw Athena suddenly transform.

"I know, but I wanted to make you feel more comfortable with your height."

"...Who says I am not comfortable?" Van muttered as his eyes started to twitch, "Also… if you were able to use the River because-- well, you know what I mean. But if you were able to use it because of that, then how is Vanya not able to?"

"Because your essence had faded and mixed with Artemis'," Athena muttered, "If every child that had Hermes's blood inside of them were able to use the River, then there would be many who would have access to it."

"Hm?"

"The Aesir evolved from the enhanced humans, and the enhanced humans were created with Hermes's blood, and that is why most Aesir could use the River," Athena continued to explain as they followed Thor, "Overtime, that blood became more and more diluted, creating the other so-called minor races. And with their blood diluted, it makes proper sense that none of them could use the River."

"I… see."

"You seem to know more about the history of the Realms than my father, woman," Thor, who had been keeping silent at the front, could not help but stop in his tracks as he looked at Athena, "I can see now why father is wary of your existence, little man. It would seem your identities truly are not simple."

"You'd be surprised how much this world revolves around my King," Athena smirked.

"A conversation surely deserving to be talked about during a feast. Come, everyone awaits the hero who has defeated the Mighty Thor!"

"...I have never seen someone losing so happy."

"It has been thousands of years since I lost a battle, little man. Defeat in itself is a reward, it shows you that you still have not reached the end of your potential. Now let us make haste…

...or the food will get cold!"

***

"...Maybe I should have just gotten the huge hammer."

"No, this moment is bound to happen; we just accelerated the process."

In front of Van and Athena, was a huge table filled with all sorts of lavish food. Truly, most of them were appetizing. Van and Athena, however, have not touched them even though Thor, the only other sitting with them at the table, was already gorging and filling his stomach with food.

As for the reason?

Dionysus was sitting a few tables away from them, staring at the two of them from time to time as he ate his own meal. It wasn't only him, however, there were almost a hundred more people eating in the hall; all with traits and personalities unique to their own.

But most importantly, a familiar old man was seated in the far-center of the hall-- King Odin.

But unlike his modest appearance from when Van had always seen him, he was now adorned in some type of golden armor, holding some sort of lance beside him.

No one else had their weapons with them, only him; and by the way he was staring at him, Van could not help but stay on his toes; ready to either run or massacre everyone else in the room so that he could absorb their Souls before duking it out with Odin.

Thor, who had noticed the silent battle going between his father and Van, quickly stood up from his seat and raised a glass.

"Everyone, please settle down!" Thor then let out a roar, garnering everyone's attention, "As all of you may know, this little man had defeated me in battle fair and square. So make no mistake in underestimating him; even with his size, this man…

...has proclaimed himself as the King of the 10th Realm!"