Askr's Radiant

by Shurikens_Miner

Summary:

Ten days before the end of the world. Kaladin and Szeth were supposed to travel to Shinovar. But a strange Investiture ruined that plan. A Stranger in a strange land, Kaladin has to deal with the strange world of Zenith, with its nobles that use spears, its red eyed commanders, and its impossible Surges.

Chapter 1: Prologue: To Survive

The gods themselves know not what we’ve been given. Its power defies logic. Askr alone should have this power, and yet we’ve 

been given it anyway.

-Commander’s Report on Breidablik, June 10th, 484

 

Twelve Years Ago

Veronica didn’t like parties.

 

A small get together, sure. That was fine. But grand ceremonies tended to bore her. So much talking, and nothing actually getting done. True, this was Bruno’s crowning ceremony, so some amount of senseless talking was required, but it was so dull. Her brother was next in line for the throne. That was obvious, why did they need an entire ceremony to show that?

“It’s for the people,” her mother had told her, as if that were an explanation. Why did they care about that? Everyone knew Bruno would be the next emperor of Embla. He was the older brother, it was his birthright. Why did they need to hold an event to tell everyone about it?

She liked the food, though. Cakes, pies, meats, it was a delight. Embla never had bountiful crops, but even the queen of Askr had come to this event, bringing plenty of food from her home country. Another oddity. Her father had never liked Askr, why invite their queen to this? And the king was nowhere to be found.

Well, King Gustav was said to be apprehensive of Embla. It only made sense that he didn’t show up.

She got down from her chair, deciding to wander about the event. Her retainer had found this odd, but she dismissed them. She wanted to walk, to stretch her legs. Maybe there would be something to do now that the castle staff was busy attending the event.

“Veronica?”

Veronica turned to her side, seeing a familiar hair of silver.
“Sissy! I didn’t know you were here!”

Letizia laughed politely at that. She always did that. She was never cruel, not to her. She was older by a few years, about Bruno’s age, but much gentler than him. 

“I couldn’t very well miss my own causal’s coronation, now could I?” she asked. “But the talking has grown dull, and the actual crowning has long since passed. So I asked Bruno, and he made some time to help cover my retreat. I knew you’d likely do the same. We can head to the garden, no one is there tonight.”

Veronica smiled. A nice break from the stuffy nobles and the pointless chatter was just what she needed.

---

Veronica carefully poured the tea into Letizia’s cup. Despite being the younger of the two, she insisted on making the pot. Letizia had marked it as strange, saying something about how she should be focusing on other lessons, but she didn’t care. Truth be told, Veronica was much better at it than Letizia.

The older girl took a sip from her cup once Veronica sat down, smiling at the taste. “It’s delicious as ever, Veronica. You’ve been practicing, I take it?”

Veronica nodded, taking a sip from her own cup. She scrunched her face, reacting to the taste. It was a favorite of Letizia’s, but Veronica hadn’t yet gotten used to the taste. “Bitter. How do you drink this?”

Letizia covered her mouth as she giggled. “Very slowly. It’s not meant to be gulped down in one sip.”

Veronica nodded along. It made sense. A simple answer for a simple question. Letizia seemed to know everything. Maybe…

“Sissy?” She asked. Letizia cocked an eye, but said nothing, allowing Veronica to continue. “Do you know why Queen Henriette was invited to this? Father keeps saying he hates the Asrkans, why would he invite their queen?”

Letizia simply smiled at that. A strange response, to be sure. “It’s politics, Veronica. We’re not at war, we have to have at least a small showing of goodwill to our enemies.”

Veronica tilted her head in confusion, though Letizia continued. “The kingdoms of Zenith all have some extremely valuable exports. Here, come with me.”
Oh, a lesson. Sounded like a nice idea. She hopped off the stool, following Letizia inside.

On the wall of the hallway was a large map of the main continent of Zenith. It was by no means complete – Embla was never a prosperous nation, so cartographers strayed away. Still, it had most of the major countries on the map. Letizia pointed to a nation colored in blue. Askr.

“Askr has bountiful crops, blessed by their god. If relations with them sour, we lose out on close grains and wines. Meanwhile, Nifl has meat, and a lot of it. It’s why Lady Haetta is here. Meanwhile King Surtr of Muspell is here because they have rich mineral deposits.”

Veronica nodded, seeing some sense in the matter. The talking suddenly seemed less senseless.

A flash of bronze caught her eye. She looked behind Letizia, seeing a soldier. Then two. Then four. A small team of soldiers patrolling the hall? This place was supposed to be unoccupied, save for guards.

“Your Highnesses,” one of the soldiers spoke. Randall, one of their generals. “The Emperor has demanded that his kin not at the banquet be confined to their room for the night.”

Letizia seemed confused by that. “Whatever for?” She asked. “The festivities are going well, and we were just returning there.”

Veronica looked closer at their weapons. Randall’s spear was tipped with red. That wasn’t normal, they were supposed to be pure silver.

Unless…

“Sissy, look at their…”

Letizia’s eyes widened at the sight. “You killed Queen Henriette’s retinue.”

Randall nodded. “The dastards tried to attack us, so we fought back.”

There were plenty of problems with that statement, even some that Veronica could see. Still, Letizia nodded along as if it made perfect sense. “I see. I hope you’re unharmed.”

“We are, thank the Dragon. Still, it’s not safe for you two to be out here when killers are about. Head back to your rooms, alright?”

Letizia hesitated, though approached the soldiers. “Very well. Come with me, Veronica.”

---

Letizia’s room was simple, nowhere near as ornate as Veronica’s. Then again, Letizia’s family only had a minor claim to nobility. It was really a miracle they were allowed to stay. There was a small couch for guests, and Letizia’s bed was large enough for the two of them, but it was still modest. Barely better than the castle staff.

“Why did you do that, Sissy?” Veronica asked. “There was no way they were just attacked.”

Letizia sighed slightly. “I know. We didn’t have much choice. Neither of us are strong. I don’t even have Körmt with me, I could barely take out one of them, much less all four.”

Veronica huffed, crossing her arms. She knew the logic was sound, but she didn’t have to like it.

She checked the door. Locked, just like the last three times she checked it. No one was on the other side, as far as she knew. It was too bad. She still wanted some pie.

A knock. That was new. She returned it in the same rhythm.

“Veronica?” A male voice asked. She recognized that voice. 

“Brother?” She asked in return, waving Letizia close. “Is that you?”
“Bruno!” Letizia immediately unlocked the door, pulling it open, wrapping her arms around the man. 

Man. It was weird to think of her brother as a man. He was older, yes, but he still looked the same to her.

Bruno returned the hug, though only briefly. “You heard of what father is planning, correct?”

Letizia shook her head. “Is this about those soldiers?”

“Soldiers?” Bruno asked, a worried look on his face.

“Randall and three other soldiers. They said that Queen Henriette’s retinue attacked them, and they killed them in retaliation.”

Bruno swore under his breath, grabbing Veronica and Letizia’s hands. “We need to get out of here. Father means to declare war on Askr and those who support them.”

Veronica’s eyes widened in shock. “But what about relations?”

“I don’t know what possessed him to do this,” Bruno replied. “but it’s dangerous to be in here with the Askrans. The dungeon. We’ll stay there until the attack passes.”

Letizia nodded, tugging Veronica’s arm. But the young princess didn’t move. “We have to warn her. She’s going to die if we don’t.”

The older princess shook her head, tugging again. “We don’t have time, and we’ll be imprisoned if we do. Let’s go.”

Veronica resisted again, pulling herself free from the princess. “No, we can’t do that!”

Bruno sighed, kneeling down to Veronica’s level. “We don’t have a choice, Veronica. We have to do this.”

The princess nodded slowly. She understood the logic behind the choice.

But that didn’t mean she had to like it.

---

Embla’s dungeon was dark. Torches were valuable, and seldom were used down here. Most cells contained the bones of her father’s enemies, but some occupants were still alive, if wasting away. They would be found here by the guards tomorrow, she knew that much.

Bruno pulled open an empty cell, the three of them getting in, closing the bars behind them. At the very least, they could stay back if someone tried to shove a spear through. They would be safe here.

Footsteps. That was strange. No one was supposed to be here. Who was coming?

A flowing white dress peeked around the corner, blonde hair following. The Queen of Askr, and her sole guard, hair red like fire, carrying an axe.

“Your Majesty, we should be safe to open the Gate for now, but we don’t have time to wait. Ichabod and Simon were gutted by the Emblian soldiers, I’m your only–”

The guard stopped, looking in the cell. Queen Henriette followed her gaze, looking at the three.

“Dragon’s teeth, the crown prince is here?”

Bruno instinctively put an arm across Letizia and Veronica, his hand on a tome at his side. But Queen Henriette pulled her guard back. “Unlock the door for them. They’ll be unharmed by their own country, but there’s no telling how long it will take for a guard to come down here.”

The soldier nodded reluctantly, taking a pick to the door, fiddling with the lock until it clicked. Meanwhile, Queen Henriette opened a Gate. The vortex was a deep blue, getting lighter the farther from the center it got. 

More footsteps. The guard threw the door open, allowing the three easy access out of the cell, before charging through the gate behind the queen. Still, that Gate was wide open. The Emblian soldiers could charge through, and they likely would never close it as it was a prime route to invade. It could be protected, sure, but the Askrans couldn’t close Gates they opened. They would always be in danger.

Emblian soldiers crashed down the stairs, along with the Emperor and Empress. The soldiers charged through. Droves of them, like a swarm of ants descending upon a carcass.

Randall took one step into the Gate, spear in hand.

Then the Gate shut.

The soldier screamed in pain, retreating from where the vortex had once been. His leg was gone. Veronica tried to look away, but she couldn’t move. She was frozen.

“Blast!” The Emperor shouted as Randall fell into his arms. He was quickly thrown aside, caught by two other soldiers, as the ruler approached the now empty hall. “Who closed that Gate? WHO!?”

The Empress – Veronica’s mother – stepped forward. “I did.”

The Emperor grabbed her, throwing her into a cell without so much as a word, slamming it shut.

“She gets nothing. No food or water. If I find that anyone gives her anything, they’ll join her.”

He stormed out, not so much as remarking on the three children’s presence. The soldiers followed suit, following them out.

Veronica approached the woman’s cell. Her mother picked herself up from the ground, getting to a knee as Veronica reached out between the bars for her.

“Veronica…? What are you doing here?”

“We wanted to be safe from the soldiers…” the princess responded.

Bruno knelt down behind her, resting a hand on Veronica’s shoulder. He looked to his mother, curious, but said nothing. Letizia simply shook her head. “Let’s go. If your father doesn’t find us soon, he’ll begin to think we were taken.”

She left the dungeon, Bruno following behind her. Only Veronica remained.

“Why? Why did you do that…? You’ll die here.”

“It’s for the people, Veronica.”

Veronica’s eyes watered, shaking her head. She didn’t understand.

She would come to this dungeon again and again, but that was the only answer she would get. And when her mother died in this cell, it was the last thing she heard from that voice.

It’s for the people.

Chapter 2: Chapter 1: Warm Air

Summary:

Part One: Begetting Change

Kaladin — Ash — KiRaan — Alfonse

Notes:

Studies on the Relic have proven inconclusive. Its
abilities are amazing, but any attempt to take it
apart have resulted in failure.

- Commander’s Report on Breidablik, June 16th, 484.

Kaladin awoke to warm air.

It wasn’t something he was particularly unfamiliar with. The heating fabrials in Urithiru were more or less consistent with normal life on Roshar. A bit warm for his Alethi blood, but it was tolerable.

 

This, though, was entirely different. It felt humid, too humid. As if he couldn’t open his eyes, else they’d burn from the sweat on his temples.

 

He forced them open, seeing a wide eyed woman staring down at him. He felt cold stone under his head, but he didn’t remember how he got in this position. Last he knew, he was preparing to travel to Shinovar with Szeth, but he hadn't left Urithiru…

 

“Hey, are you alright?” The woman asked. Her eyes were a deep crimson. Colored pigment in the eye, perhaps blood, but certainly not natural. She wore a military uniform, there was no mistaking that, but it was unlike any uniform he'd seen. Adorned with bronze on the arms and legs, the uniform left only her head and a small gap in her thighs showing. Granted, a great deal of it was cloth, but that was better than nothing.

 

She offered a hand to him, pulling him up from the stone floor. She was shorter than him, but most were. Still, it seemed as if she wasn’t used to that happening. Her eyes went wide – wider than they had already been – as she regarded Kaladin. “Dragon’s breath, you’re tall…”

 

Kaladin simply nodded. Perhaps the woman had just never seen an Alethi before.

 

… But… she spoke the language perfectly? Not even an accent.

 

“You alright there, bud? Usually people are… well, awake when they’re brought in.”

 

"I'm fine," Kaladin replied, still waking up. The air was light, but he found his body adapting to it better than he expected. Maybe this is what Rock had to live with on the Peaks?

 

“Right, great!” The soldier nodded with a smile, resting a hand on her chest. “Well, I’m Anna, Commander of the Order of Heroes. Welcome to Askr, sir!”

 

She took his hand, leading him to what seemed to be a small group waiting near the end of the ruins, though Kaladin didn’t move. Seeing this, she stopped, waiting for him to move from his position. He shook his head a bit, getting the last remnants of sleep out of his mind as he stepped forward. “Kaladin,” he replied. “Where did you say we are? Askr?”

 

Anna stopped, turning to face him. “Yep! Sorry to have pulled you from your world, but we can't really control who shows up.” She nodded at the name, continuing to lead him along. “Alfonse is better equipped to explain it, I’m just a soldier. This way, we’ll be en route back to Headquarters soon.” 

 

Dumbfounded, he found himself nodding, following along as asked.

 

The commander led him to a trio waiting outside the stone grounds. The Summoning Ruins, as she called them. A blonde haired girl in armor, speaking to a hooded figure and a blue haired boy. Anna waved to them. "Your highnesses! Summoner! He's awake!"

 

The blue haired boy turned towards Anna, nodding. The blonde girl, however, rushed up to meet the pair. "Anna! It's been hours, what took you two so long?"

 

Anna gestured to Kaladin, a smile on her face. "Big Sleepy Giant over here took a while to get back to the waking world. Didn't want a sword to my face, so I let him wake up on his own."

 

Almost as soon as he had been mentioned, the blonde girl's attention shifted to Kaladin. "Aww. Kiran, you need to summon more short people, I'm tired of everyone being taller than me."

 

The hooded figure simply nodded, giving a thumbs up.

 

"Well, can't be helped,” the blond continued, seemingly unbothered by what she had just said. “I'm Sharena, a member of the Order of Heroes! What's your name?"

 

"Kaladin," he replied. He didn't quite understand… any of this, but that was a feeling he'd been well acquainted with.

 

"Nice to meet you, Kaladin!" Sharena beamed in reply, either not aware of or not caring for his confusion. "This is our Summoner, Kiran," she began, gesturing to the hooded figure waving at him, before moving to the blue haired boy. "And this is my older brother Alfonse!"

 

Alfonse nodded to Kaladin, who returned the motion. "Now that Kaladin is awake, we'll be heading back to headquarters soon. We'll be going slowly, just to make sure you're alright in Askran air. We have a healer on standby if you end up needing one."

 

Thankfully, he didn't end up needing one. The land was strange and the air was light, but it seemed enough like Alethkar, at least apart from the weather.

 

Then they left the ruins, and Kaladin saw the forest.

 

Dense trees crowded the path they followed, not so much as swaying in the breeze. The grass was similar, bright green and lazy. Curious, he knelt down, running his hand through some. It brushed against him, seemingly unafraid of his touch. He tugged on some, and it didn't retreat.

 

Anna stood behind him, her head cocked at an odd angle. “You uh… You know what grass is, right?”

 

Kaladin nodded, but still regarded the lethargic plants with an eye of skepticism. This wasn’t how grass was supposed to work.

 

Seeing that his marveling at Askr’s plant life was holding up the group, he stood back to his full height, and they continued on. Still, it was like stepping into some sort of dream world. Strange small, hairy creatures climbed the tall, thick trunks of the trees, and odd cremlings lined the ground. It seemed as if the world itself was alive. He wasn’t sure how much he liked that. It was wrong not having solid stone underneath his feet, he much preferred the Summoning Ruins with their cobble flooring.

 

He was grateful, then, that the pathway to the Headquarters was much shorter than he had expected, but his gratefulness for the change in terrain quickly passed when he saw the scale of the Order’s headquarters.

 

Instead of flat, slanted roofs, the roofs came to a point, banners flying from their tips, with a deep blue color mixed with white and gold. It defied logic. How did they survive Highstorms? How did anything here survive Highstorms?

 

Sharena couldn’t help but giggle at the reaction. “Everyone looks like that when they first get here,” she began. “It’s the pride of Askr, our headquarters. Well, more the castle, our headquarters doesn’t hold a candle to it.”

 

“You only say that because you live in the castle, Your Highness,” their commander replied. He did remember her calling them “your highnesses,” but that confirmed it. More Lighteyes. He wondered if Anna was one as well. It was entirely possible, assuming that was her normal eye color, that she was a Darkeyes that rose through the ranks. Or perhaps they considered red to be Lighteyes material here. He didn’t know.

 

“I know, but it’s good to leave a good first impression, you know?” Sharena replied. “Besides, I don’t know where he’s gonna be staying.”

 

“Presumably in the same barracks as Dagr or Nótt,” Alfonse replied. “They’re the only ones as tall as him, and we’re short on space anyway.”

 

“Think they’ll be alright with having a new bunkmate?” Sharena asked.

 

Anna was the one to reply. “They’re gonna have to be. Seriously, Summoner, isn’t there a height knob on that thing?”

 

The Summoner, Kiran, held their weapon up, pointing to the side. Seemed like that was the answer. It was odd, he thought, how this one didn’t seem to speak at all. Then again, neither did Dabbid for the most part. It wasn’t impossible to communicate.

 

The four reached the gates, and they were greeted by a man in silver armor, holding a spear. Kaladin couldn’t see his eyes, but he had to assume that the man was darkeyed.

 

“Greetings, your highnesses, Commander, Summoner! Oh, who’s this guy?”

 

“This is Kaladin,” Sharena replied. “He’s a new member of the Order!”

 

“Oh! Hope the trip of being summoned was easy. Some of the Heroes get sick when they’re pulled through.”

 

Kaladin shook his head, dismissing the notion. “Thankfully, no sickness.”

 

The gatekeeper nodded, a smile on his face as he gave a thumbs up. “Great! Enjoy your stay here in Askr!”

 

Kaladin said nothing to that, simply passing by with the rest of the group.

 

The gates opened to a grassy area, with cobblestone pathways to major locations. The square was bustling with activity, though it felt like an assault on Kaladin’s eyes. The hair alone felt as though a child had gotten their hands on some paint and stories of Iriali. Their uniforms were… well, there didn’t seem to be a uniform. He saw people in common clothes sparring with those in heavy plate–

 

Kaladin averted his eyes at one of the sparring partners. That was… Barely any skin covered.

 

Sharena couldn’t help but laugh at that reaction. It was an infectious laugh, though in this case it made him more embarrassed than anything. “Oh, a gentleman, are we?” She asked. The other members of the party glanced back at Kaladin, though Alfonse in specific seemed to look back in a sense of connection. He had this teasing too, didn’t he?

 

“They’re always like that,” Anna began, wincing a bit. “We’ve tried giving them different outfits, and they can’t wear them. It’s like they’re Connected to that specific version of themselves.”

 

Connected? Kaladin thought. That was a strange way to put it.

 

“Anyway, the barracks are right this way. Sorry about who you’re bunking with already…”

 

The barracks were mostly what he expected. Stone walls, bunks, the standard for a military. At least here, he saw it as normal.

 

What wasn’t normal were the two occupants of this bunk.

 

Two women, almost his height, were casually bickering over something minor.

 

“Nott, I swear to Thorr herself, if you bring another man in this bunk I’m going to–”

 

She stopped as Alfonse cleared his throat, raising an eyebrow at the crew. She didn’t seem unhappy to see any of them, at least, though Kiran seemed to hide behind Kaladin for this interaction. “Alfster, how’s it goin’, bud?”

 

Alfonse sighed, not bothering to hide his displeased expression. A normal thing, Kaladin assumed. 

 

“We’ve another person for this section. Normally we wouldn’t mix bunks, but we had to make this one specifically for you two, and didn’t think we’d get anyone your height again. Dagr, Nott, this is Kaladin.”

 

The blue haired girl waved, not losing the casual stance she took when referring to Alfonse. “Hey, welcome to Askr!” She raised a hand for Kaladin to take, grinning. “Dagr, Princess of Jotunheimr.”

 

Kaladin took her hand, squeezing tight with a nod. He didn’t know where Jotunheimr was, though it seemed like she didn’t expect him to. “Kaladin, of Bridge Four.”

 

Alfonse looked at Nott, who was eyeing Kaladin. “ Don’t. ”

 

Kaladin decided not to ask what that was about.

 

“We’re showing him around for now, though he’ll be free to explore on his own after lunch. Try not to send him to the infirmary, Serra’s on a mission right now.”

 

Dagr snorted, squeezing Kaladin’s hand a little bit harder than before, testing his strength, though he didn’t waver. That was enough for her. “Don’t think we’re gonna have to worry about that. What’s your weapon, Kal?”

 

“I use a lance, mainly.”

 

Dagr looked towards Nott, elbowing her a bit. “Hear that, sis? Sounds like you’ve got a sparring partner!”

 

Nott raised an eyebrow. “I’ll be interested to see your skill sometime…”

 

I think I like that one, a voice spoke in Kaladin’s head. He breathed a sigh of relief. He recognized that voice. At least Syl was there.

 

“I’ll be sure to show you,” he replied. “But later.”

 

Nott nodded with a smile, and turned back to Dagr. “Now as you were saying…”

 

Alfonse took that as the cue to lead the group out of the barracks. At least for now, the princesses would have some privacy.

 

— ◇ —

The castle grounds were busy as always, though Alfonse could tell that some faces were missing. That was strange, there weren’t any missions to his knowledge. He would ask Anna about it, but they had a new recruit to worry about first. The Library of Askr was their last stop for the day. After getting his equipment sorted, they only had the Catalogue to handle.

 

“What are we here for?” Kaladin asked. He looked at the shelves as if they were alien to him. Well, the Library was far more expansive than any one world had achieved, at least to his knowledge. This was a normal response.

 

“The Catalogue of Heroes,” Alfonse explained. “We just need to record your name and home world here, and you’ll be free to explore.”

 

Kaladin nodded. Good, he understood why they’d want that.

 

They approached the Lectern, and the glyph on the front flashed. “Place your hand on the cover, and it will record your information.”

 

Thankfully, he accepted that order quickly. The Catalogue flashed, and opened on its own.

 

 

A Knight Radiant of Urithiru. Formerly a surgeon’s apprentice, he took up a lance and swore an oath to protect. From Roshar, World of Storms.

 

 

Alfonse raised an eyebrow. Nothing about Bridge Four. He wondered what that was about.

 

In any case, he was under the Contract, so any sort of foul play wouldn’t be able to affect them. He shook his suspicions aside. “And with that, you’re a member of the Order. You have free reign around the castle grounds, though anything outside Askr’s borders will require special permission from either one of us three or Queen Henriette.”

 

Kaladin nodded without much resistance to that order. Good.

 

“Tomorrow you’ll follow Dagr and Nott on their training drills, get you acclimated with how we do them here.” Alfonse rested his hand on the Catalogue, closing it, leaving his hand there. “We’re in an uneasy truce right now, but don’t expect that to last.”

 

“Kingdom likes its war, I guess?” Kaladin asked.

 

“More like everyone around us does,” Anna groaned. “Swear, the only country that hasn’t attacked us is Nifl. Even the gods take their shots at us.”

 

“True…” Sharena shook her head. “But at least we usually have help on that!”

 

Kaladin simply stared, unable to hide the bewilderment on his face. Alfonse shook his head. “It’s true. We have the reports if you want to read about them.”

 

There was a bit of hesitation before he shook his head. That was… odd. Well, he could ask about it, anyone in Askr would be able to tell them about it.

 

“If that’s all,” Kaladin began. “I’d like to start getting myself familiarized with the place.”

 

Alfonse nodded, lifting his hand from the Catalogue. That was odd, it felt sticky. Well, the Harvest Festival did just happen. Maybe one of the kids had eaten candy before getting registered. “You’re dismissed. Thank you for joining, Kaladin.”

 

— ◇ —

Askr… A completely different world.

 

“Trying to wrap your head around this, huh?” Sylphrena asked. She was full sized again, a strange habit she had picked up for some reason. He didn’t mind it, but it was surprising. 

 

“You know it…” He nodded, resting his head on the soft ground. He really didn’t like how it felt under him, but he couldn’t will the ground to be firmer. “It feels heavier here, too.”

 

“Yeah, the gravity’s stronger on this planet than Roshar.” Syl floated anyway, seemingly disproving her own argument if one didn’t know how Spren worked. “Think this is what Shinovar would be like?”

 

“Maybe…” He replied, though he couldn’t imagine anywhere on Roshar being like this. It defied logic. It could only be like this on some other world, like one that Wit would talk about. Maybe this is where that story about the dog and the dragon took place.

 

He heard wings flapping. Not like any chicken he had heard, this had more weight to it. He looked to the sky, and saw… A horse? A horse with wings? It was small, maybe a pony’s height, but it moved with purpose. A woman rode atop the beast, clad in red armor and sporting a head of pink hair. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing, to be honest, but that was true for just about anything in Askr.

 

A group of children were playing, and one ran up to him. “Hey! Mister!” She called out. “You wanna play tag?”

 

Kaladin smiled a little bit, shaking his head. “Sorry,” he began. “I’m still getting used to this place.”

 

“Ooooh, you’re a new recruit!” She smiled. “Welcome! I’m Nowi, from Ylisse! You wanna go flying? I can show you around!”

 

Kaladin barely had time to register what she had asked before she had taken out a stone. It shone in her hand, and the girl was gone, replaced with a large beast. Stormfather…

 

“Come on!” The beast replied with the girl’s voice. “Hop on!”

 

Kaladin could only stare in shock.

 

“Oh come on,” the beast-girl replied, as if she was doing something completely normal. “You’re acting like you’ve never seen a dragon before!”

 

“A… Dragon?” Kaladin asked. Maybe he was more right than he thought.

 

“You don’t know what a dragon is?” Nowi replied. A flash of light, and she was back to her human form. “That’s so weird… What’s your name?”

 

“Ah. Kaladin.”

 

“Kaladin? Huh, weird name too. You good with Kal?”

 

Before Kaladin could even respond, Nowi nodded. “Lemme know when you get used to the place, Kal! We can play then!”

 

She retreated back to her group of friends, and all of them turned into those Dragons, flying away. Syl followed them for a second, returning with a smile on her face. “You wanna go after ‘em?”

 

Kaladin shook his head, pushing himself off the ground. “Not really. Right now… I think I just want to head back to the barracks.”

 

“Okay…” Syl made a fake-sad face. “You get something to eat first, okay?”

 

Storms, he almost forgot about eating. He nodded, heading towards the direction the mess hall was. It was a strange place, and he didn’t think he’d get used to it anytime soon. But he wouldn’t need to, as long as he could get back to Roshar.

 

… Wait a minute… He registered in their army. How long would it take to return to Roshar?

Chapter 3: Chapter 2: Order of Heroes

Summary:

Even so, the power it grants is more than welcome. Truly a boon to our army.

- Commander's Report on Breidablik, June 16th, 484.

The ground was… awfully hard in this forest. She learned this first hand. It was strange how firm it was, especially after falling for so long. She thought it would have bended to catch her, but it seemed to not. Interesting. 

Ash pushed herself up, righting some bones, as they had been dislocated from the fall. She wasn't hurt. As the Retainer to Lord Askr, she wasn't made with the ability to feel pain. It didn't matter to her, after all, if a pinprick was supposed to hurt a mortal. She wasn't a mortal (though she certainly adored them. They were so resilient, yet so fragile at the same time — not that fragility was a bad thing, of course. It was just the truth. She wasn't able to lie about this sort of thing, nor did she want to— that it couldn't help but be admired), so she didn't require that ability. She was, however, given the ability to read. This was something she did quite often, actually, as a Retainer. It was all but required that she do this, even. It–

She looked to the distance, realizing that she had work left to do. She pulled a paper from her dress. She was to seek out the Kingdom of Askr and give them her aid. She found it rather nice that they named their kingdom after her lord. It spoke highly of them that they would revere him in such a way. After all, she knew of their royal family being given Askr's blood. It was such a nice touch. Perhaps they would remember her? Not likely, she wasn't all that important. She was just a Retainer, her work was done solely to benefit the land, even if it came at a cost.

No, that was fine enough. It was better that she got going. Much to do still, after all, she was a ways away from the castle.

Well, a castle, at least. It didn't seem to match the colors of Lord Askr, it more resembled Lady Embla. Black and red coloration and more pointy. Which was strange that she was pointier, Askr had actual horns, while Lady Embla di–

A woman rode closer to Ash, platinum blonde hair the most striking aspect of her appearance. A friend, perhaps? She didn't look familiar, but that may just be her memory. It may normally be spotless, but everyone has a problem with remembering some things.

"Oh, good morning!" Ash waved to the rider, who stopped at her waving. Looking closer at her, she was rather short. While it was true that Ash towered over most mortals, she had a feeling this one was short even for their standards.

Still, that was no reason to be rude , especially when they may just be a stranger.

The rider eyed Ash, her face wrought with confusion. "Who are you? You wear the colors of Askr, but I haven't seen you before."

Ah, so not friends! Not yet, in any case. "I am Ash, Retainer of Lord Askr. It is a pleasure to meet you, madam. I am a tad bit lost, though, and was wondering if you might be able to direct me towards the kingdom."

The woman squinted, though Ash couldn't think of why. That was a succinct enough explanation, right?

After a while of waiting, the woman slowly nodded. "Yes. Down this road, and continue north until you reach the river. That’s our border with the kingdom. The guards stationed there on their side can give you further directions from there.”

Ash nodded, bowing deeply to the woman. “Thank you very much, madam! I’d have your name if you would? It’s fine if you rather wouldn’t, but—“

The woman raised a hand, silencing her. “Veronica. Just… Veronica. May your journey’s end come safely.”

— ◇ —

The road was much easier to walk on than forest ground, Ash found. Forests were all kinds of terrain laid under trees. Roads were flat the whole way. There may be inclines, but you could trust the road to take you somewhere. Askr's domain was full of them. It was only natural, Askr was a god of travel, it would be strange to not have roads in his domain.

She walked this road alone, her own thoughts racing. She was given a mission, 

Still, it would be nice to have some conversation. She could hardly be called a representative of the god of openness if she didn’t have someone to be open with.

She hummed quietly to herself as she passed along the road, looking through clearings. She had a mission to do, yes, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy the sights of her creator’s land, right?

“You.”

Ash turned around, seeing a rather short boy with red hair. His face was contorted into a scowl, though for what reason Ash didn’t know. Was there something wrong with her presence?

Ash bowed her head to him, keeping a smile. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding on her part. “Good morning. It is a pleasure t–”

“You’re of Askr, aren’t you?” The boy asked.

“I… Yes, I am Ash, Askr’s Retainer.” Ash’s mouth drew taut, considering what this meant. If he could sense that of her, perhaps that meant…

“You’re of Embla, aren’t you?”

The boy nodded, outstretching his arms and bowing slightly, like an actor on a stage. “You’re correct. I wasn’t expecting him to send you so soon after I arrived.”

“I see…” Ash nodded, thinking of what this was to mean. “So the time has arrived, hasn’t it…? Embla is finally coming to see humanity again?” Her voice heightened in pitch. It was Askr’s deepest wish that this would happen, after all, this would be amazing for him to know.

Elm paused for a moment, staring at Ash. She never was good at reading faces, unfortunately. She waited for him to speak, but he simply kept staring, eyes squinted like he was focusing a beam at her.

“... Is that not what this means?”

The boy sighed, putting his head in his hand. “If you’re the one that he sent, either he’s truly desperate, or he was never strong enough to counter Embla in the first place.”

Ash paused. Why would he say something like that of her lord?

“I realize that you are of Embla, and have no allegiance to him, but I canno– Er, rather, I would greatly appreciate it if you would refrain from slandering Lord Askr in such a way. Of course, I cannot stop you, but–”

“Will you just shut up? ” Elm growled, raising a hand to the sky. In a flash of light, he transformed. Skin grew fur, and his arms stretched out. The space between his arms and torso darkened, wings sprouting where once there was empty space.
Ash’s eyes widened. She never was known for her combat ability, and he had mobility on his side. If she were to transform, that would only make her a larger target. Staying on two legs would likely be the better option. She could use the forests as cover, but he was probably more nimble and—

Bat talons cut rather deep. More importantly, they sent her flying, skidding down the road. Well. He was certainly unwilling to talk things out. Perhaps her staff could do something? She slammed it on the ground, a glyph appearing under her feet. It took a moment, but a void opened before her. Elm’s charge sent him directly into Elibe. She couldn’t close the Gate, but it would buy her time. She just had to go. Maybe she could reach Askr before he caught up.

— ◇ —

Kaladin never did get to go on that training drill.

The queen of Askr was rather short, though compared to the others, she was a little bit taller. Maybe he was just unnaturally tall for this world. He wasn’t sure.

“You’re certain of this, Commander?” Henriette asked. The group — Alfonse, Sharena, Anna, Kiran, and Kaladin — marched through the forests of Askr, en route to a village. The report was chilling, but the queen wanted to see for herself.

They approached the clearing, their eyes falling on a dome of pure… darkness. That was all he could really describe it as.

“The messenger we got said that this was happening to multiple villages. They’re all like this, clouded in shadow.” Anna gestured towards the void, a perplexed expression on her face. “We don’t know what caused this yet, but we’re looking into it.”

Alfonse and Sharena shared a look. “Do you think it might be Norvi?” Alfonse asked. 

Sharena shook her head. “No, it couldn’t be… You know what Freyja said, Norvi’s been gone for centuries.”

Alfonse nodded slightly, looking back at the void. “But who else could it be? No one else in the pantheon has control over the night like this…”

Kiran took a step forward, picking up a stick. They pushed it into the void, retrieving it after a moment.

Half of it was gone.

“Not night…” Kiran said, their voice crackling like a fire. The royals’ eyes widened in shock.

“They’ve been… closed off?” Sharena gasped in shock. “But… Only Embla could do something like that. But we have a ceasefire…”

“We’ve had one before…” Alfonse commented. He let it linger for a moment, no one else wanting to finish it for him.

Kaladin took a moment, before looking to Kiran. “Can I see that stick?”

The summoner nodded, passing it to him. He took it, and picked up a small stone. He breathed Light into the two objects, sticking them together, before trying again. The others watched as he prodded at the darkness, the void wanting to keep its prize as he pulled. He Lashed the stick towards them, but even that couldn’t fish it out. Eventually, Kaladin dismissed the Lashing, the stick sinking into the void.

Kaladin looked to the others, shaking his head. “Thought I should test it. Nothing’s getting out of there.”

The others stared at him slightly, each with varying facial expressions. He had almost forgotten how people reacted to a Radiant after this long.

“Kal…?” Sharena asked. “You’re glowing.”

Kaladin nodded. “I know.”

The others gradually shook their heads and continued.

“If this is Embla’s Royal Family’s doing,” Alfonse began, “there’s no telling what’ll happen. Mother, please return to the castle. We’ll take Kaladin and a few others forward. It’s not safe here.”

Henriette nodded slightly. “Thank you, Alfonse. Please, let me know what you find.”

“Of course. Be safe.”

— ◇ —

Alfonse didn’t know what to think about Kaladin.

First he claimed to be part of a group that didn’t come up in the Catalogue’s reading of him. Then, he showed off powers that he had never seen before. Who was this man, truly?

He watched Sharena ride up next to him, the man choosing not to mount a horse for the expedition. The two began talking, and though Alfonse wasn’t a part of it, he paid attention.

“So! Kal! What’s it like on Roshar?” Sharena smiled, as she always did. He never understood how she was able to just… Make friends at the drop of a hat. Not even superficial bonds, they seemed strong even as fast as they were made.

“You’ve heard of Roshar?” Kaladin asked, his brow furrowed. Did he not read his entry in the Catalogue?

“It was in your entry. I just know the name and the epithet, though. World of Storms.”

Kaladin huffed. “Well. That’s one way to describe it.”

“So it rains a lot there?”

“At least once a week across the continent.” Kaladin nodded. “It’s worse on the eastern end, they can get strong enough to toss boulders like nothing.”

Sharena gasped slightly, eyes wide. Alfonse looked at that expression for a moment, noticing something… off. The sparkle in her eyes wasn’t there.

Of course it wasn’t. They were riding along the edge of yet another village taken into the black. She was faking. Distracting herself. Again.

“How do people live there like that?” She asked, a bit too quickly. Once he recognized the signs, it was obvious.

Kaladin, thankfully, wasn’t as observant. “We have storm shelters. They’re built strong enough to handle the winds.”

Sharena’s face gave little evidence of her actual feelings, only showing the wonder at Kaladin’s description of his world, which to her credit was genuine. Even Alfonse was starting to get curious about this place.

“Is this why you seemed so astonished at the forest when you arrived?” Alfonse asked.

Kaladin nodded. “There’s nowhere like that on Roshar.”

“Interesting…”

Alfonse left the two to their conversation, riding a bit slower. How would such a world feed its people? Did they have access to other worlds? Was their food hardier? Maybe they…

A voice. Pleading for help.

“Sharena. Did you hear that?”

Sharena looked to Alfonse, nodding quickly. “From the east. We’re not far. We can make it there if we ride quickly.”

“Good. Let’s go. Kaladin, can you keep up with a horse?”

Kaladin nodded in response, glowing once again. He’d have to ask about that sometime. Not now, though. There was more important work to be done.

— ◇ —

They found the source of the voice in a forest, wounded. A woman, though none that he had seen in Askr before. She seemed to be defending attacks from… a large bat?

“Alright!” Anna drew her axe. “Your highnesses, Kaladin, our main objective is to defend that girl! Try not to get in each other’s way!”

Alfonse and Sharena didn’t need to speak. Anna knew they understood. Drawing Fólkvangr, he led the charge. At one point, he may have balked at fighting an enemy like this, but… Ever since the war with Niðavellir, he welcomed an enemy with actual flesh instead of steel and steam.

“Stay out of this, mortals!” The bat screeched. “This is a matter far beyond you!”

“We’ve been told that more than once.” Alfonse made a swipe at a wing, though the bat was a bit too fast for him. “It hasn’t stopped us before.”

The bat turned away from the woman, turning its attention on Alfonse. “So you’re the prince…” it said to itself. “The godslayer.”

“I do nothing alone. For example…”

Sharena rammed a lance through the bat’s side, causing it to scream in pain. It flew higher, the wound healing before their eyes, but slowly. “My lady will need to know of this… Take the cow, I don’t care.”

It flew higher, retreating. Alfonse began to give chase, but Sharena put a hand over him. “Alfonse, we have more important things to think of right now.”

Sharena pointed to the ground, at the woman that called them here. “We need to get her to a healer. Better to get information, right?”

Alfonse nodded slightly, sighing as he sheathed his blade. “Right.”

Kaladin knelt down next to the girl, looking over her wounds. Right, the Compendium did say he was a surgeon’s apprentice once.

“Any wounds seem to be surface level. She should be alright with some antiseptic and bandages.”

Anti… What? He breathed to ask what Kaladin was speaking of, but the girl shifted. She lifted her head, shaking it slightly.

“… Hm… That was quite the ordeal… I must take the time to prepare for our next encounter…”

She looked to the group, eyes blank. “Pardon me, would you all happen to be the ones who faced off against Elm?”

“Elm?” Alfonse asked. “You speak of the bat that was attacking you?”

The woman nodded. “Indeed. That was Elm, the Retainer of Embla, goddess of closure.”

Alfonse paused for a moment.

Embla. Not the empire of Embla. The goddess herself .

“Well…” Sharena began, “if Embla’s out there, then that means Askr isn’t that far behind, right?”

The woman nodded simply. “Indeed! I am His retainer!”

At this, Alfonse froze .

“Gods need retainers in this world?” Kaladin asked. “That seems a bit strange.”

Ash nodded. “Of course! They’re awfully busy, after all. All of the gods have their own business to handle, so to alleviate their schedule, they have us. It is a standard system here. I am Ash. It is a pleasure to meet you!”

She bowed to Kaladin, who shook his head. “Kaladin. And please. Don’t… bow. It feels wrong.”

She straightened her back out, looking a bit confused, but didn’t seem to press the issue. Kaladin continued. “Please, come with us. You need those wounds looked at.”

Ash shook her head, though her face was still locked in a neutral expression. “I’m terribly sorry, but I need to find the kingdom of Askr."

“About that…” Kaladin gestured toward Alfonse. “They’ve come to you.”

Alfonse nodded slightly, bowing to Ash himself. “It’s an honor, Lady Ash. I am Alfonse, the prince of Askr. My companions are my younger sister Sharena, and Commander Anna of the Order of Heroes.”

Ash stared slightly at the trio, expression unreadable. She stood, unmoving for a moment, and Alfonse was a bit worried he had offended somehow.

She knelt before Alfonse, head bowed. “My apologies, your highness. It was wrong of me to assume you were simply a—”

Alfonse waved a hand, shaking his head. “It’s alright. You had no time to consider.” It wasn’t offensive to think him a soldier, but he knew that would just spawn a larger discussion on that. Best to work with it for now.

“I thank you, your highness. If you need anything, please let me know.” Notably, Ash still hadn’t risen. That was… a bit awkward.

“I would appreciate it if you got up, firstly. And if you could enlighten us as to why you’re here.”

Ash nodded, attempting to rise. However, she found it rather difficult. “… I apologize, your highness. I will inform you as soon as I possibly can, but…”

Alfonse sighed, but nodded. “It’s alright. You were just in combat, you need rest. Come with us to the castle, and we’ll have a healer look over you.”

Ash hung her head, though she didn’t seem to have an issue with going to the castle, at least. “Of course. My deepest apologies, again.”

Alfonse rose a hand, dismissing the apology. They could get the information later, much as it pained him to wait for knowledge. But the basic information was clear.

Another god wanted them dead. At least this one they’ve known about it for a while.

 

Notes:

Hey, sorry it took so long for this new chapter! A ton happened. I had to finish Wind and Truth, Isles of the Emberdark released last month so I had to read through that, I took part in this youtube event called Shards of Summer (I only got to join in on Week 8, but it was still a blast overall), and a *ton* of stuff happened at home that made writing a nightmare.

There's also the fact that I was working on chapters 3 and 4 before working on chapter 2. They're both done, and are getting posted with this one. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 4: Chapter 3: Summoner

Summary:

The only problem with the thing is how exclusive it is. Only those of certain ability can use it.

- Commander's Report on Breidablik, June 16th, 484

KiRaan strode through the halls of Askr, Breidablik at their side. As they passed, Heroes welcomed them. Nowi asked if they could play, though they had to decline. Ephraim asked for a quick sparring match, but this was turned down as well. Kronya asked if they could kill someone. They didn't need to speak to get that answer across.

Speaking. They would say they never really found it all that useful, though many would disagree with them on that. People could read their body language just fine, they didn't need spoken word to convey a message.

Of course, they could speak. Once in a blue moon, anyway. That didn't make them any less effective at their tactics. It just meant they needed someone to translate.

Still, if they were being honest, they couldn't help but feel that they were holding the others back. Soren and Robin could speak just fine. They didn't squeak when they tried to say "archers go on this mount." It was like playing charades just to get the concept of an ambush across, let alone more complex strategies. They were of the same mind with the other tacticians, to be fair, but it dragged the meetings on, and time was a valuable resource.

They entered their room, sitting down on their bed. It was a nice room, filled with trinkets they had found while scouting, or gifts from some of the heroes. They closed the door, removing their hood, looking in the mirror.

The face before them… didn't fit. Sharp features, a pointed chin, green hair. Male. It felt wrong. 

Harmony , they thought. I wish I could change this.

Alfonse would notice if their Summoner was suddenly shorter , though. Maybe a few slight changes…

They went translucent, their skeleton reflecting the candlelight. They couldn't change that chin, but they could change the general appearance. Cheeks a bit rounder, skin a bit darker. Blonde hair instead of green. Maybe a woman today. Yes, that sounded right.

Her skin went back to normal, and she put her hood back up. She liked her appearance, but one didn't appear feminine around people like Sylvain or Saul. Not without being flirted with, at least, and she didn't want to have to explain their lack of breasts within a week's time. Who was to say if this version of her would even last that long?

She reconsidered Kronya's offer from earlier. No, that wouldn't be good. She swore not to harm anyone except to protect herself and allies. Telling Kronya to kill someone just to get their skull? That toed the line too much.

Of course, they also swore to never change their appearance except when commanded, which they just broke, and had broken on many occasions. Maybe if they had an accident on the battlefield… 

No. Absolutely not. They threw open the door, heading back out to the tactics tent. For once, they found their voice. Perhaps this was this body's original appearance. It had been so long, she didn't quite remember.

"Eirika," she began, her voice crackling. "Send for Byleth. We'll need him today."

"Understood," the princess replied. "Should I get Merlinus too?"

"... No. We'll be fine. Thanks for the suggestion, though. Let her know I may be late. I'm swinging by Andrew's cart before I get over."

It was better to keep to the normal group. Even adding Byleth was pushing it. Still, she could manage one more person, right?

Andrew was at his cart this time, thankfully. The red haired merchant waved, a smile on his face. "Welcome back, Mis…" he began, looking her up and down. "Miss today?"

KiRaan nodded. She didn't know how, but Andrew seemed to grasp concepts the other Zenithians couldn't. "A…Arrows."

Great. The mouse was back.

Andrew nodded. "Same bundle as normal?"

KiRaan gave a thumbs up in return. Andrew got the box, and she paid the man. He counted the coins, a smile spreading across his face. "Now, I'm sure that this isn't enough to cover all that."

KiRaan sighed, motioning for a notebook. Not today, Andrew, she wrote. I can't talk enough to haggle.

Andrew frowned, but nodded. "Has my advice on that helped at all?"

KiRaan gave a motion with their hand before continuing to write. Only around Alfonse.

The merchant nodded, as if that made perfect sense. "If you want, you can keep that notebook. Sounds like you'll need it today."

KiRaan nodded, a smile on their face as they put the notebook away, only to be stopped by Andrew.

"For three Gold."

— ◇ —

The Normal Group, as she referred to them, was composed of just Robin and Soren. Every so often, they would be joined by Seth or Shannan, and August, Byleth, and Merlinus were on call, but their normal duties were typically too expansive to come to regular meetings.

"Summoner," Robin said, addressing KiRaan. He was a tall man, taller than this body was for her. Of course, a female version of him was somewhere around here. She worked with Chrom's army. It was good she did, this one was much more tactics focused. 

KiRaan waved, nodding to the bunch, which earned a sigh from Soren. The short branded mage knew of her ailment, they all did, but he made it clear that he didn't find it pleasing to work with.

That only left Byleth. The teacher didn't seem to be acknowledging the other two, keeping her eyes on the battle map. Good. Of the bunch, she was the least outright judgemental. Soren had a history of being nonverbal, of course, but that was him not knowing how to speak. Byleth, however, knew what it was like to live a relatively normal life without something everyone else found common. 

I have this, at least, KiRaan wrote. Andrew overcharged as usual, but I've got it.

Byleth nodded, and the other two poured over the map.

"What's our target here?" Robin asked. It was the main question. The Divine Retainer showed up, saying she was going to help, but she didn't exactly say how. Or with what. 

Soren pointed to the castle on the map. "Well, we're fighting a war on two fronts. Embla's renewed assault, and the vanishing villages. I don't think it's too impossible for these to be linked. Perhaps Veronica is up to her old tricks again."

Byleth shook her head. "Not likely. After we saved Embla during the war with Nidavellir? She's not the same girl she used to be."

KiRaan nodded. It was logical, to be sure, if a bit hinged on the faith of human growth.

"Still, you may have a point," Byleth continued. "That boy we met at the village turned into a bat. I don't know of any Laguz, Taguel, or other shifter that can do that. Add onto that, Ash said he was a retainer to a god. While it seems standard for gods to be long-lived species like dragons or other creatures, we can’t rule out the possibility that Embla is a true god, like Asheruna of Tellius.”

KiRaan paused for a moment, considering it. The other gods of Zenith could be any assortment, truly. Freyja was a goat, but Hel was death incarnate. They just… Didn’t have enough information.

We need to bring Ash to the next meeting, KiRaan wrote.

Thankfully, the others agreed. 

Notes:

Yep! Kiran's a Kandra! I couldn't just take the character with *multiple canonical appearances* and not add that to the fic.

Chapter 5: Chapter 4: A Tool

Four Thousand Years Ago

Creation.

Even for a god, it wasn’t easy.

Askr gazed upon his work with a strange expression. The being before him stared back with wide, unknowing eyes. It had knowledge of who this was, it was Askr. The God of Openness and Strong Bonds. What… it was, it didn’t know.

“ Welco m e to the world, Ash.”

Ash. So that was its name. It was quite the strange name. Yes, there was the tree, resilient and useful for creation of a tool, but it was also the remains of fire, and that seemed more suited for a Retainer of Muspell, God of Flame. Not that she was questioning the choice of her Lord–

She. Was that right? It wasn’t sure.

“ Let’s try something simple. Come here…”

Lord Askr sat opposite her, a small gap between the two. It looked up at Lord Askr, eyes wide with confusion. It… It could walk, yes. One foot… in front of the…

The ground was soft in Lord Askr’s domain. Something it learned firsthand.

Lord Askr chuckled a bit, righting it, and bade it try again. One foot… in front of the other.

It shuffled forward, balancing awkwardly on feet that seemed too unwieldy. It bowed its head, pausing about halfway across the gap. These feet were… They weren’t good. It didn’t like them. They needed to be smaller, round.

Light shone from inside, and it transformed. It was only natural, of course. It was a retainer of Lord Askr, it had to represent Him in its form. That included his ability to transform.

There. These were much better. It walked forward, rubbing its head on its Lord, lying on the ground once it had reached Him.

“ That…” Lord Askr began, eyes wide. It didn’t know what that reaction was for. Was it mistaken in transforming? It quickly shifted back into its original form. Lord Askr’s mouth drew together, expression unreadable. Well, unreadable to it, at least. It was made to manage His realm, after all, it didn’t need to know how to decipher a face.

“ That was… Amazing!” Lord Askr’s eyes seemed to brighten , face sprouting a smile as He hugged Ash. That was a strange feeling. It was… warm. And tight. Like a snake, coiling around something. Restrictive, but maybe not unwelcome. After all, Gullveig was a snake, and she was perfectly reasonable.

“ I didn’t think I made you with the ability to transform… The fact that you did it on your own, without being taught? I think you’re ready.”

Ash stared back, confusion evident in her eyes. At least… It hoped that it was. It had done a lot of staring. It didn’t know what else to do.

“Let’s see… Can you speak?” Lord Askr inquired. In response, Ash opened her mouth. She didn’t know what to say…

Well. Best to simply answer the question.

“ I believe so, My Lord,” it responded, nodding. “I believe this is what you meant, at least. I’m only… Well, you know how old I am at this state, there is nothing you need me to tell you.”

Lord Askr simply shook his head, a smile on his face. “No, I suppose that’s true.” A laugh. “There’s something I want to show you. Come up here, won’t you? Not in your transformed state, you do need to practice walking like a human.”

He patted His lap. Ash simply nodded, awkwardly padding its way to Him, falling on His lap, pushing itself up. He took its head, pressing His forehead to its.

In that moment, Ash saw the world.

No… More than the world. It was… like it was seeing all of time. Not just their world. There were people that looked completely alien to Zenith. Those with marbled red skin… those with glowing silver hair… those with multiple arms… even a land full of lights.

“ These are other worlds, Ash,” Lord Askr began. “People we may never meet, but people we affect all the same.”

Lord Askr patted its shoulder, and slowly rose. It followed suit, mostly to get out of His way, following as He walked.

“ Other worlds… and other times,” He continued. “If you’re to be my Retainer, I want you to be immersed in these, alright?”

Ah. So that was the purpose behind her creation. She nodded silently. Best to not speak when not prompted to.

“ Ash?” Lord Askr squinted slightly. “Should I have waited a bit before showing the Timeflow…? Maybe it was a bit much when you were only just formed…”

Ash tilted her head slightly. “I’m alright, My Lord. Is there something to be concerned over?”

Lord Askr sighed slightly, the smile returning to His face. “Oh, no. The silence was a bit surprising, most people tend to be surprised when they see it.”

Ash nodded once again, its face blank. “I see. Apologies, My Lord. I will attempt to be shocked in the future.”

Lord Askr laughed at that, shaking his head. “You don’t need to apologize for not responding, Ash. It’s fine. Come. It’s time for you to meet the other gods.”

He took its hand, and it followed along. She could name all of them already, though it supposed that wouldn’t mean much without knowing who these were. But… If Lord Askr willed it, the task would be done.

Notes:

Our first flashback chapter! Ash is the focus for these, as you can see. Yes, she is my favorite, but that's not the only reason why I picked her. I hope you enjoy them going forward!

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of Einerjar