Harry Johnathan wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 5:18 pm
I like how you use classic characters we don't see very much in the comic anymore.
Yeah I miss the classic characters.
D-Rock wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 12:23 am
Still, I’m guessing Kitsune’s immense guilt is from empowering the one who would signal Ragnarok. If I recall correctly, the original myth stated that Fenrir’s bindings would fall off and be a sign of the final battle.
I love all this recycling of myths it's like the hints are there but I get the artistic license to bend, twist and reinterpret it however I like.
Wrenisprobablyb0red wrote: ↑Sat Aug 20, 2022 5:20 am
Oh my gosh! I was so busy with school that I didn't see this chapter had been posted. My mistake! I'm really interested in what all is going on in Valadir. Though, knowing about how this doomsday event was a.supposed Ragnarok, the name of Fenrir is definitely pretty worrisome....
There's no pressure to read this just read it whenever you've got time. I don't mind waiting.
Honestly, I had a hard time with this one and it may seem a bit rushed but this was the best I could do given the circumstances. Thankfully though After this I can go back to how I used to write it without having to stop Fox from looking at each flashback and then moving on. I planned for something to happen but I guess I gotta chop off that chunk and move it to the next chapter. Don't be surprised if 06 comes around sooner than expected it's basically 70% of the way done with home much I trimmed from this one.
Episode 05: The Land Forgotten by Legends
Chapter 05
Laughter filled the forest.
Kitsune was hugging his sides as a hemp rope hung Fenrir upside down from his left foot. The young wolf's clothes were torn to shreds, and a stray bit of fire lingered on his shoulder. Surrounding the tree Fenrir hung from were stray weapons and singed glyphs. The four-tailed Fox was beside himself- unable to stop as he rolled on the grassy floor of the forest. Vidar was slightly more composed, but one could easily see he was trying his best to suppress his laughter. The white wolf even turned away from the cub to hide the smile on his muzzle.
"Am I that bad?" Fenrir sighed, still swaying side to side.
"No, no," Vidar snickered, "You did great."
"Are you kidding!? That was hilarious!" Kitsune howled as he slapped the ground uncontrollably.
With a chuckle, Vidar took a knife and undid the rope holding Fenrir aloft. "Don't get too discouraged, Fenrir. Everybody starts somewhere. Besides, maybe we did go overboard with this one. How about Kitsune and I take the rest of the day to restructure your training? You can tend to your garden in the meantime."
"Already?" Fenrir sighed as he was let down.
"But we just started." Kitsune groaned. "Vidar, if you keep coddling the cub, five years will be over in a snap without us accomplishing anything."
Vidar licked his fingers before extinguishing the flame on Fenrir's shoulder. "We don't have much of a choice, Kitsune. But, as much as I hate to admit you're right~
"Oh, do go on about that part," Kitsune said smugly.
"You're right." Vidar sighed with a roll of his eyes, causing the Fox to puff out his chest. "Fenrir has incredible potential, and as odd as it sounds, it's been nothing but a hindrance so far."
Fenrir's ears twitched as he looked at the two Celestials. "I still don't understand; how was that a bad thing?"
"Okay, so when Celestials bestow the status of avatar onto a mortal, usually we'd be able to see what powers you end up with." Kitsune explained as he loafed around on the grass. "It often depends on your personality or state of mind when we bestow the powers. Your case is special because when Captain Loki bestowed avatar status onto you, none of us could determine what you ended up with."
"For all we know, you could have the rarest abilities or something widespread but enhanced to a high degree. We're not sure. That's why we have to take our time with you." Vidar knelt to put his hand on Fenrir.
"What if I'm not ready in five years?" Fenrir's gripped the tattered remains of his shirt tightly.
"A reasonable worry, might I add," Kitsune added nonchalantly.
"Quiet you." Vidar chided before looking at Fenrir with a grin. "To Celestials, five years is barely even a blink, but to mortals, it's worth more than that. You'd be surprised; a lot can happen in five years." Vidar winked
"I still think we should do something a bit more productive, you know." Kitsune sat up with a pout.
Once again, Vidar rolled his eyes, "When you're bound to a timeline, you're really impatient, you know that? Alright, fine, since you're so insistent, we can see to Fenrir's gear."
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Kitsune folded his legs and sprang up into a standing position before dusting off the stray bit of grass that clung to his clothes. "Alright, little buddy, what kind of damage are you looking to do?"
"Uhh, what?" Fenrir's ears tilted to the side when asked.
"hoo boy, maybe we should take the time to lecture him about weapons and maybe throw in some magic lectures too, just in case." Vidar patted Fenrir's shoulder in reassurance.
Kitsune cupped his hands around his muzzle. "Gee, if only we had a weapons expert and slash or a magic caster just lazing about to help! That sure would be useful!"
"Don't look at us; you're the one who pushed to have an avatar as a trump card. You raise him." a male voice echoed further in the forest.
"But he is kinda cute, though." this time, a female voice sounded.
"DRAGON, NO! DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE CUTENESS!"
Kitsune and Vidar chuckled again as they led a confused-looking Fenrir through the woods.
It was a staggering display of strength.
Fenrir, no longer the scrawny pup he was, stood proudly as he expertly parried a blow from a stone wolf's sword using two axes. Despite being outmatched in size, Fenrir held his own when it came to strength and didn't falter as the stone wolf pressed harder. Finally, the ground beneath Fenrir began to crack. The black wolf was slowly sinking into the ground. Fenrir's loss seemed inevitable. That is until Fenrir expertly pivoted his footing to the side.
Since the living statue had committed to pushing Fenrir down for an advantage, it had lost; it was no longer balanced. With Fenrir no longer acting as a support, the statue toppled over like it was nothing. Seizing the opportunity he made, Fenrir leaped into the air while brandishing his two axes. In a last-ditch attempt at victory, the statue of a wolf then tried to strike at Fenrir as he plummeted. Unfortunately, due to holding both his axes back, Fenrir had no defense besides his leather armor. While it may serve him well against minor nicks and cuts, against the statue's large sword, however, it might as well be paper.
Fenrir continued to plummet; his mind focused on nothing but victory. He was prepared for the strike aimed at his stomach and did not falter. As the statue's large sword made contact with Fenrir's stomach, the impact of the blow resulted in the stone sword shattering. Liquid-like metal had coated the impact site of the blade, shielding Fenrir from the worst of the collision. Still, the impact was enough to cause Fenrir to drop one of his axes.
With grit teeth and a mighty roar, Fenrir followed through with his attack and drove one of his axes into the statue's chest. The blow opened a large crack in the statue but not quite enough to fully best his opponent. Before the statue even had a chance to retaliate, Fenrir raised his hand, which was slowly being covered in wood along with the upper half of his body, and drove it deep into the crack he had made. A second later, branches sprouted from within the statue, slowly taking it apart piece by piece.
Victory assured Fenrir panted. The black wolf removed his hand from the pile of rubble and fell over. He had a wide but tired smile on his muzzle.
As the black wolf basked in his victory, a slow clap made him sit up at attention. "You're getting pretty good at that stuff, Fenrir." Vidar emerged from the trees.
"Not really; I made a ton of mistakes." Fenrir sighed, "I dropped my weapon during combat, and as a result, my attack on the training dummy wasn't decisive enough." the black wolf leaned over to the axe he dropped and inspected it. "Perhaps I should improve the grips on it with some leather straps, or maybe train my grip strength, or bo-
Vidar karate chopped Fenrir's head before folding his arms. "You won, dude. You don't have to analyze each and every fight you're in, you know."
"But Vidar," Fenrir whined as he rubbed the spot Vidar chopped. "The start of The Celestial Games is on the horizon. I have to make sure I'm ready."
"Fenrir, you already spent your childhood preparing for The Games. You should lighten up a bit. Live a little. Your whole life can't revolve around The Games."
"I appreciate your concern Vidar, but my master's life is on the line. If I can heal my master by participating in The Games, then my childhood is of little consequence."
"I disagree. When was the last time you spoke to anyone from your village?" Fenrir motioned to speak, but Vidar cut him off. "And no planning for a hunt doesn't count. Neither does talking to your master, her parents, or their companions."
Fenrir paused to think. Then he motioned to speak but folded his arms. "I once greeted the guards on my way out of the village." The black wolf shrugged.
"See? Fenrir, most, if not all, mortals get only one life. Only a select few are granted permission to reincarnate, and even then. It's the ultimate reset. Sure, a few traits may carry over to your new life, but for the most part, everything gets reset. Only celestials retain hazy glimpses of their memories. It's sweet that you care so much about your master, but you must also live your own life."
Fenrir sighed as he looked at his reflection in one of his axes. "Vidar... I-
"OUTTA THE WAY!" Both wolves looked in shock to see Kitsune barreling towards them at top speed.
"Is something wrong, sensei?" Fenrir stood up and readied both axes for a fight.
Kitsune skidded to a halt while frantically flailing his arms. "Well first Peukestas, was being a jerk as usual so I decided to play a prank on him. Since he’s already covered in feathers I decided to revise an old classic; I splattered him with glue and threw a bunch of left over scales we had from slaying that wyvern."
"Oh, I'll bet that was funny." Vidar chuckled.
"I still can't pronounce his name." Fenrir sighed.
"KITSUNE!" a roar from deeper into the forest sounded off, causing Kitsune to remember why he was running in the first place.
"Whoops, gotta go." Kitsune sped off, leaving the two wolves to themselves, allowing them to laugh at the situation.
Metal clashed against metal.
Fenrir was desparate, fanatic even. The black wolf held a large axe aloft before bringing it down on a manacle clamped on his wrist. Each time his axe clashed with the metal, his bindings glowed red and instantly repelled the impact of Fenrir's axe with ease. It was an impressive feat considering not just the size of the axe but the growth Fenrir had undergone as well.
His once athletic build further surged in height and mass as time passed, and at a glance, one could quickly tell that Fenrir had participated in many a scuffle. The black wolf's body was a far cry from his younger days as a pup, even more so than it was when he was an adolescent. His armor may have been reduced to only a set of tasses and a pauldron on his left shoulder, but it was of little consequence, considering his abilities.
Fenrir's bulk wasn't just for show, either. Along with the glow of metals clashing, the ground beneath him shook very slightly as well. His growling reflected how deep his voice had gotten, and if a human had wandered into the forest, they would've thought Fenrir a monster.
"Why," Fenrir struck, "Won't," nearby tree leaves rustled as they fell from their branch, "It," small creatures ducked into their homes to hide, "Come," Frustrated, his manacles wouldn't come off Fenrir threw his axe instantly chopping down a tree, "OFF!"
"Fenrir." Vidar cried as he rushed to the black wolf's side. "Please calm down."
A single swipe from Fenrir's arm was enough to knock Vidar off his feet and onto the forest floor. "WHY SHOULD I!? Everything I've worked for, seven years of my life, gone in an instant!" As Fenrir spoke, his shackles slowly became invisible. "Thanks to whatever these things are, I can't use powers anymore. I'm useless."
"Fenrir, I understand you're frustrated but try to understand my father's position. You consumed a high-ranking demon." Vidar pleaded as he stood up slowly.
"So what? Are the Celestials afraid they'd lose to me? I'm a mortal fighting against Celestial beings. I'm already at a disadvantage!"
"It's not about the game. Until now, no mortal has taken down a demon of that caliber. It's unheard of, especially with the method you used."
"So what if I consumed it? I'm in control. I'm still me, but they still decide to take away my powers. My only hope of healing my master."
"Even without your powers, we can still win."
"How with the power of teamwork!? This is no time for grandstanding. A life is on the line; my master's life!"
"I understand your position-
"No, you don't. You will never understand my position because you're a Celestial. You don't have to worry about life or death; instead, you worry about when's the next time you can take a nap. No wonder they call you the silent Celestial."
Silence began to brew between the two wolves. After Fenrir's outburst, neither one could look the other in the eyes, yet neither wolf left. Fenrir's brows were arched into a frown, still seething over previous events, but Vidar's, despite being insulted to his face, was more somber than furious. He looked at the angry black wolf one more time before he stood up and drew a dagger.
Fenrir was quick to assume a defensive stance, but rather than draw his blade at Fenrir, Vidar aimed it at his wrist. However, instead of hitting his own flesh, the sound of metals clashing echoed through the forest as a similar metallic bind appeared on Vidar's wrist in a flash of blue light.
"I understand, Fenrir. More than you know." Vidar sighed, allowing the bind to disappear
The black wolf looked stunned, "H-How?"
"I was foolish, too eager to prove myself." Vidar sat down and invited the black wolf to do the same. "Like you, I was born the runt of my family. Thor, Baldur, and Vali all left their mark on the cosmos and did things that made them legends. Yet no matter how hard I tried or searched, I couldn't do anything worth praise. So then, one day, I did something foolish, resulting in four mortals passing before their time. My father was furious, putting the gleipnir chains on me as punishment."
Vidar poked his bindings to bring them into view once more. "These chains limited my powers, too. I can't do most of the things Celestials can do anymore. I get tired when overexerting myself; like mortals, I need to rest, but I can't pass on. My father told me to live amongst the mortals, and he'd assess if I improved during The Games. I guess he thinks I've got a little more to go if these things are still present." Vidar chuckled slightly.
"My point is, I understand. I've watched, interacted, and lived with mortals for several generations before the games even started. So I know what your master means to you. But, honestly, I was against you becoming an avatar in the first place because The Games don't usually have a happy ending for mortals involved, including the winners. However, you've shown me your resolve these past few years, and I promise that even with your diminished powers, we will win and heal your master.
"Can you even keep that promise?"
"I'll make it happen. No matter what."
Fenrir gazed into Vidar's blue eyes for a moment. There wasn't a twitch or doubt; that was all the black wolf needed. Then, reaching for Vidar's dagger, Fenrir opened his right palm, made a small cut, and returned Vidar's knife.
"Promise me," Fenrir sighed as he held out his hand,
Without hesitation, Vidar took the knife and made a cut to allow gold to flow from his palm. "I promise to give it my all to help you and your master. Whatever comes, we'll face it together."
"As brothers," Fenrir added as he grabbed Vidar's hand,
"As brothers," Vidar smiled as he tightened his grip.
The ground shook violently.
Vidar struggled to keep his balance and had almost toppled over had it not been for a nearby tree. The wolf's usually pristine white fur had cuts of gold haphazardly scattered about. In addition, his attire carried several slashes and cuts that exposed even more splotches of gold. Even more concerning was the fact that Vidar had lost his bow and quiver and needed to rely on a simple dagger for defense.
"Vidar!" Kitsune burst through the plant life, looking almost as beat up as Vidar, "What are you still doing here? We're almost done evacuating the mortals to a safer world. We've got to go!"
"No. I still need to do something." Vidar coughed,
Kitsune was at a loss for words for a single moment. "That wolf!? Vidar, you saw what he did to all those mortals- to your father... he's too far gone."
"And who drove him to that point, Kitsune?" Vidar said sternly as he continued to move forward.
"If this is about trying to avenge your father, save it. Now's not the time."
"It isn't that Kitsune. I've got a promise to keep, and I hope you'll respect that. In fact, I want you to know that none of this is your fault."
"What are you saying, Vidar?"
"You can try to play coy all you want, but I see through you now. Even though Captain Loki granted Fenrir his powers, you still think that if you hadn't convinced him, none of this would've happened."
"Vidar, I don't like where this conversation is going."
"I may never get the chance to tell you, so I'll say it again. Don't blame yourself for what happened here. You may not take my words to heart today, but I hope you will someday."
Kitsune slung Vidar's arm over his shoulder. "Don't talk like that. Dragon will fix you right up."
"I'm sorry Kitsune-Kun."
Kitsune's eyes widened as he felt Vidar unhook his sword from his belt. The four-tailed fox was so surprised by Vidar's action he didn't notice chains forming around his neck, wrist, and ankles. As Kitsune struggled against the weight of the chains, a doorway materialized out of thin air. Then in one fluid motion, the five chains dragged Kitsune through the door, and with a flick of his wrist, Vidar commanded the chains to lock the door he had just sent Kitsune through.
"VIDAR!" came Kitusune's muffled screams as he slammed his fists onto the door. "VIDAR, OPEN THE DOOR! DON'T DO THIS, PLEASE!"
"I'm sorry, I have a promise to keep." Vidar wiped away the tears in his eyes, "Oh and, promise me, Kitsune-Kun... Promise me you'll treat mortals with respect from now on."
"Vidar!" Kitsune continued to cry
"Goodbye, Kitsune-Kun." Vidar took a deep breath and walked off.
Fox stared at the locked door in horror.
From how the nine-tailed fox acted, Fox could tell he had a history with Valadir, but he didn't know it was so... personal. How long had Kitsune been carrying this around with him? How long did he put up with it? It had to be painful losing a friend, even more so when he felt he was the cause.
Fox shook his head. He wasn't there for a crash course on what happened on Valadir; he was there to bring Tarot back before she irreparably damaged their relationship with Kitsune. He had to be close now; how far could she have gotten in such a short time? Even so, she had a profound glimpse into Kitsune's past; how much more did Tarot need?
Thankfully as Fox continued to walk through the forest frozen in time, the aches he felt from his previous altercation with Rowan were slowly beginning to ebb. It was nothing more than a dull pain, but Fox didn't want to push it further than necessary. He had already collapsed once; he wasn't going to do it again, especially when nobody could tell where he was.
On and on, Fox continued to walk, and thankfully the further he went, the fewer visions he had to experience. It meant fewer distractions, and his pace was beginning to pick up. Fox's persistence was eventually rewarded as a glimpse of familiar gold stood out amongst the dull gray hues of Valadir. It was Tarot. Relieved and frustrated simultaneously, the Husky picked up his pace and was about to scold her, but his ears twitched at the sound of bawling.
Fox had been so focused on catching the pomeranian he overlooked the awe-inspiring view of flowers of every species, genus, and color standing out amongst the grays. Some flowers were nestled in bushes, while some grew on vines hung around the trees. It was a flower paradise.
So taken in by the sheer number and color of flowers, Fox failed to notice eight tears in the sky above them. Each tear had a chain going through it, and if Fox angled his head correctly, he saw the other realms through the tears, and just like at the world tree, the chains had impaled the realms.
When Fox traced the chains to their source, his heart sank when he saw a statue depicting two wolves. The larger one had his arms held out as each of the eight chains attached themselves to his limbs, while the slightly smaller wolf had his arms wrapped around the larger wolf's torso. At the base of said statue was Kitsune, the source of the bawling. The nine-tailed fox had lost all composure and had his head buried in his arms as he mourned. The sight was made even more painful because of the several empty bottles surrounding the nine-tailed fox.
"Take a good long look." Fox and Tarot flinched at the voice of Nuk, who slowly approached the two dogs from behind. "I don't know what Kitsune did to break your trust, but I hope you at least see that he cares. He won't let himself forget what he was like back then."
"Is- Is he always like this when he comes here?" Tarot's voice was shaky, and she couldn't look away from the sight she saw.
Nuk shrugged as he folded his arms and leaned on a tree. "Pretty much. When he invited those two over, I thought he was beginning to heal and move on. But then I see how similar those two are to the ones he lost. I thought it'd be a phase, a crutch to finally help him move on, so I let it slide. However, now that I see that he's still like this, I'm not so sure anymore."
"Is he going to be alright?" similarly, Fox found it hard to look away.
"He usually drinks himself unconscious, and then I drag him back to my tavern. Of course, I want to help him, but this is the only way I know how: letting him grieve." Nuk scratched his head in frustration. "If you mortals take an entire lifetime to cope with someone's death, imagine how hard and long it'd take for Celestials who aren't bound by time. So for now, I just leave him be."
Fox felt conflicted, like he should be paying his respects, but at the same time, he should respect Kitsune's space. He already knew anything in his life couldn't compare to the pains Kitsune felt, but Fox could still empathize with loss. Fox could already hear the rebuttal. His loss was temporary; heck he even met his mom a few years back when The Game was active. Could he even offer any sympathies, to begin with?
"I shouldn't be here." Fox backed away slowly, "We shouldn't be here."
"Y-you can go ahead." Tarot sighed
Fox clenched his fist, "I know you had beef with him but isn't this enough, Tarot? When will you be satisfied?"
"It's not that," Tarot growled. "I just... want to be alone with my thoughts. Can I have that?"
"You go on ahead then, Fox; in the state he's in, Kitsune won't notice a thing. I'll make sure Tarot goes a few minutes after you." Nuk sighed
Fox looked at Nuk before shifting his glance to Tarot, who managed to tear her view away from Kitsune and sat while embracing her legs. Uneasy, Fox nodded and proceeded to walk off wordlessly. What he had seen, what he had witnessed, was a lot of information to process. The quiet would help in that regard.
Still, Fox couldn't help but think how much pain Kitsune was carrying with him constantly. The nine-tailed Fox always looked so happy and cheery before the autumn festival. It was hard to believe a smile could even conceal such tremendous pain.
"I'll save you."
Fox's ears twitched at the sound of yet another vision. The husky was almost sick of hearing them at this point and virtually ignored it now that he knew the truth. However, as the voice continued to grow closer and closer, something stood out to Fox.
"I swear. I'll save you!" it was Kitsune, but it was even more distorted than the previous visions.
Fox turned to see the nine-tailed fox running in his direction with both his hands balled up together. Just like with his voice, the vision of Kitsune was even more distorted and lacked most of its color. Almost like this was the last ebbs of time Valdir had before Ragnarok's end.
"No matter what it takes!" Kitsune growled as he ran, "I'll save you!"
End of Chapter 05
Amazee Dayzee wrote: ↑Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:52 pm
Enjoying how this came out and I am glad I was able to catch up on it! Anyway Zeke and Rowan don't have to worry anymore. Since now I am kind of draw to Vidar.
I like anthro animals that wear clothes.
oh uh... whoops? If its any consolation this was supposed to happen anyway.
Since this is probably gonna be the last we'll see of Valadir in a long while I'll make this chapter's trivia section about Valadir.
-Valadir was originally made to see the background for my first Fanfic on this site "KingdomheartsXHousepets!: Hearts of the Selfless."
-I was going to write the entirety of Fenrir growing up and eventually becoming the world breaker titled "Valadirian Conquest." but it was too complicated so I dropped the story... twice (oof I still feel that to this day.)
-in Valadirian Conquest Fenrir was first named Garm to hide a few things but since that's no longer necessary I decided it was best to drop it and help avoid confusion altogether.
oh and here's drawings of Vidar and Fenrir as the years go by. Though since Vidar's a celestial Time doesn't affect him.