Skill: Seer

She had been reborn in the body of a mortal, the world around her altered. No longer stood the great Yggdrasil, its giant roots woven around the center of the earth. Instead, a boreal world that promised an eternal winter enclosed the woman, young firs growing throughout the terrain that were likely no older than the oldest, domesticated horse.

Urdr had not wasted a moment to start moving, though she knew that time would only tell the fates that this world had woven. She was drawn to the cliffs that rose alongside the ocean, her cold stare looking across the strait to an island. It felt familiar, but not from sight. Urdr could no place the sensation, nor did she wish to, as her haunches folded beneath her.

Something was coming; the gods attested to that. She could feel their influence in this world, though not of her own. These were no Norsemen, but something ancient. The island she looked upon did not reflect the eternal frosts she experienced in that moment. There were fields of green, mountains of white, and yet they were in the same realm of existence, the same territory, and yet their biomes were so starkly different.

It was not the salt of the air that melted the snows over there, for the cliff side she claimed remained frozen. The wise woman narrowed her eyes, her string of fate being plucked as she waited.

「 Skill Point ― Seer 」

They had returned to the island unscathed by the darkness that haunted the shadows, the ancient gods of this realm seeming to hold the fort well. Elysium had been affected by bad water, a deathly visitor that Maja had foreseen. A tale of death seemed to be following the wake of this darkness, and Tyr was growing increasingly worried about how blind they were off the shore of the mainland.

Perhaps that was what had called him to the frozen shores of the Shiverwood. He wished to see how close the taint had travelled. He could find no traces of the poisonous air nor the purple snows that had afflicted the northern mountains, but something still did not sit right within his being. It was like he was being watched. Was it the ancients? His eyes peered into the frosted branches, paranoia throbbing within his veins.

An owl stared back, blinking once before extending its wings and swooping from its perch. It cleared his head, but he could feel the air from its span, feathers nearly clipping the tips of his ears. Then it was gone, never to be seen again. Just a bird, he thought, beginning his climb up the steady incline towards the cliffs.

A scent danced in the wind, unknown to the titan as he continued to traverse the hill. It was vaguely familiar, though with his wolfish nose, there was a depth to it he had naught smelt before. It lured him towards them, his eyes falling upon a slate figure settled at the edge of the world.

You, he started, but failed to finish. He felt like a youth in their presence, halted by the coldness that surrounded her.

Skill: Seer

The tugging stopped, her eyes flickering to the man who stood still in the corner of her vision. She regarded him in silence. The voice was of someone she knew, his scent bringing back memories of the great hall where drinks were spilled and bellowing laughter could be heard. There was no doubt in her mind who he could be, the man with one arm, the son of the all-seeing.

Was this the reason she had been dragged through the planes of existence? Her eyes lowered to the dry tundra grasses at her feet, a breath of the salted air filling her lungs. Without her well, she could not cast her eyes to see what had been planned, but perhaps with a token from him, she might cast an eye into the near future. She would not be able to see an entire lifetime, but that was not often what mortals wanted, was it?

Tyr, god of war and justice. It is no surprise that you are the one meddling in mortal affairs. she quipped, dead eyes lifting back across the bay. Gulls soared, calling to each other with their cries and caws. Briefly, she flickered a glance at the sombre man, the loss on his face, the confusion unmasked in her presence.

You seek answers, it seems. But I do not have them.

She had no power in this realm.

「 Skill Point ― Seer 」

He didn't understand, the fog of his brain not producing a name to the voice that spoke his given. This wolf knew him, knew so much, and yet he knew nothing.

This angered him, his eyes hardened as he took a step forward. His paws felt heavy, unable to go further as if struck by an invisible wall. Her presence was suffocating him with the unknown; was it respect or fear? He could not place it, for it was simply just there, a feeling of something greater than he.

How? he tried to speak once more, though only one word came out as she fixed him with a look. He bowed his chin, tearing his eyes from the ghostly woman. He could not hold her gaze, something internally telling him not to mess with this one. Images of Asgard flickered through his mind, memories cast in shadows with faces blurred except one. Zisa, his wife. Tears streaked her face as the figure veiled in a dark cloak took their leave. Tyr tried to search his memory for more, but all he could see was the porridge that sat at the table in the place where the figure had left.

This was... His heart clenched, throat tightening.

A fucking norn. This woman was one of them, and going off of her arrogance, Tyr couldn't help but curl a lip. Urðr. The eldest of three. She spoke of seeking answers but not having them, and in his moment of insanity, something spurred the god to speak, a pleading cry.

But you must, you know all, you see all! A crack broke his words, the realisation that in this realm, even he had no power, so why would she? Because she was older than time. He fumbled, searching the ground around him for something, anything that might be used as an offering. If it was about something of value, he could find it. He needed to protect his family from whatever ancient magic was coming. He needed to know how.

Skill: Seer

She tsked, the sight of such patheticness, while causing curiosity to flare, also filled the woman's mouth with a sour taste. To grovel at one's feet was such a mortal thing to do. A reflection of one's powerlessness, lack of belief in one's capabilities.

The Norn raised a brow, You do not believe my words, had he lost his faith? No, nothing so severe or else he would not be begging for her insight. Urdr turned away her gaze, pondering for a moment.

If you can bring me something of worth in this realm, perhaps I might see something. It was a selfish request, for she did not know if she would truly be able to see anything of use. There were gods already in this realm, it seemed, and they might not allow her to see anything at all. But she knew she would need to eat soon, for this mortal body had needs. She had never wanted for anything before, but out of necessity, there was a desire to have herself provided for.

Transactional blessings had always been a part of the Norn's way. There was no use changing the way fates worked now.

「 Skill Point ― Seer 」

The Norn had not changed in his absence, but if it offered him some insight, Tyr could not deny the offer. Their fates were often set in stone, and only the best sacrifices could alter such events, like a mortal's death.

I will, though it might take me time. he readily agreed, but he did not leave. It would take many days before he might be able to see her again with such an offering. Instead, Tyr lingered, peering at the woman with curiosity. Her eyes seemed to dance off into the sea. He couldn't have been the reason for her descent into the mortal realm, and the gods would be lost without their norns.

He tried to shrug away the unease she filled him with, straightening his posture and swallowing the instability that swelled sickeningly within his stomach. Did she know where Freya was? And how were the Aesir? Were his children in Valhalla? Too many questions to ask, so he settled with one, a broad question in itself.

Pray tell, how does Asgard fare?

Skill: Seer

Urdr remained impassive, but there was a moment where perhaps she might have felt a flicker of humour. Quite the sly one trying to ask for secret answers where one had not supplied an offering to the great Norn. Urdr was not one to supply answers easily after all, not without payment of sorts.

Asgard is faring as it has for millennia, her words were even-toned, not an emotion in sight as she continued to stare into the oceanic abyss.

You have seen signs, no? The weather, the seasons, we always leave a paper trail, she was telling him to be more observant, in her seerish ways, after all, it wasn't often that gods got reincarnated.

「 Skill Point ― Seer 」

AS always, the gods were never straightforward. It was infuriating, Tyr thought as he gave a slight sigh. Is that so, he returned, a dryness to his voice.

He had noticed in the prior weeks that storms had begun to stir often in the north. Perhaps Thor was trying to tell him something, maybe the gods were angry. Perhaps this was all a warning for the coming poison of the north. Tyr dreaded to think it.

You know, there have been some strange occurrences recently. Ancient power is at play here in the north and further south. Some kind of 'Mythris Gods', his words were a warning, but perhaps they might pique the interest of the Norn.

Skill: Seer

Ancient gods and their meddling, Urdr suspected as much from the lay of the land, but strange occurrences? Colour her intrigued. What magic could be wielded here, she wondered.

Silence grew between the pair as Urdr pondered. She would have to find out more somehow, and why not sooner rather than later? If there was any magic, she might know it when she saw it, and if it was the work of gods, perhaps she might confirm this at her next meeting with Tyr.

There was no doubt she'd see him again.

「 Skill Point ― Seer 」

She spoke no further, leaving Tyr to begin packing his mind up, ready to leave. Only, he was in no rush yet. He lingered still, letting his words sink into the Norn's mind before he pressed again with extra slips of information. The purple mountain, Maja's visions of death, Elysium's water.

They were all steadily adding up into less of a one-off coincidence, but instead something that plagued this variant of Earth.

We've been seeing visions of death, I pray these gods know what they are doing. and with that, he began his trek home, his mission to bring back something worthy of a prophetic vision.