“I see,” James said before heaving a sigh. “You have been through a lot while I was gone.”
The old man filled William’s cup with some cheap wine that he had bought from a convenience store before returning to Hestia from his expedition.
William took a sip and found that the “wine” that James had given him wasn’t really wine, but grape juice.
“Men need to be sober when they are talking about important matters,” James said as he poured himself a cup of the grape juice he’d bought. “We can get drunk as much as we want when the occasion calls for it, but today is not that day. Besides, I didn’t bring enough cash with me to buy the wine I like. Apparently, Earth doesn’t accept gold coins. So, I bought the next best thing, which is grape juice.”
The old man chuckled before taking a sip from his mug. After that, he took some roasted salted peanuts and tossed them inside his mouth.
The Half-Elf couldn’t help but smile after seeing his grandpa’s antics, which made him feel a lot better.
“What are your future plans, Gramps?” William asked. “Are you going to take a stroll somewhere again?”
James didn’t reply right away, and instead just ate more peanuts.
The Half-Elf wasn’t in a hurry to hear his answer, and just sipped his grape juice sparingly, as if enjoying the taste of a beverage that he hadn’t drunk for a long time.
“Each of us have a role to play in the grand scheme of things,” James said softly as he stared at the moon in the sky. “No one is free from suffering. Even the smallest ant must work hard everyday to gather resources, so that their Queen will be able to give birth to more ants, and thus, make their colony grow.
“The same can be said for death. Everyone is dying, just at different speeds. Some people are born great, while some are born to be great. I am one of those people who were born great, while some are like you, who were born to be great.”
The old bandit of Lont smiled as he closed his eyes.
He recalled a scene from thousands of years ago, when the heroes of Asgard rose up to answer the call of Ragnarok.
All of them were the finest warriors the world had ever seen. Some were born great, while others were born to be great, just like William, who had been on the front lines of the battlefield, when the world was bathed in flames, and his wives, and lovers, perished right before his eyes.
Odin remembered the time, when he sat in the great hall of Valhalla, toasting the brave men and women who had gathered to defend the Nine Realms.
The finest foods, and rivers of sparkling mead, flowed ceaselessly as everyone feasted to their heart’s content.
James reminisced the words he had said back then, as he walked through the halls of Asgard, in preparation to meet the new day.
“What kind of a dream is it?
In which just before daybreak,
I thought I cleared Valhalla,
For coming of slain men?
I waked the Einherjar,
Bade valkyries rise up,
To strew the bench,
And scour the beakers,
Wine to carry,
As for a Prince’s coming,
Here to me I expect
Heroes’ coming from the world,
Certain great ones,
So glad is my heart.”
So glad was he back then. Standing up above mortals, sitting on the throne of one of the strongest pantheons, if not the strongest pantheons in existence.
The bittersweet memories flowed inside James head, just as the grape juice flowed down his throat.
It wasn’t as delicious as the mead he drank back then, but he appreciated it because it was made by mortal men. They had grown these grapes, and waited for the time to harvest them before sending them to the factories to process them and sell them to the masses.
It wasn’t 100% natural, but James was fine with that.
This was why he decided to take it upon himself to cross the void, in order to prepare for the battle that once took everything away from him.
James wasn’t afraid to die.
For he had died, and died, and died some more. Entering countless cycles of reincarnation, in order to fulfill a promise, for those who fought with him at the end of days.
“Will. This time, let’s win.”
Five words.
Five simple words, but they carried the fate of an entire world.
“Got it, Gramps,” William replied. “We’ll win, for sure.”
James and William lifted their cups and toasted each other. They then drank it all down until no drop was left, creating a promise between men.
“I’m off,” James said as he patted William’s shoulder. “You are never alone. Remember this, and remember it well.”
“I know, Gramps,” William replied. “But, before you take a trip to the void, make sure to visit everyone. Eve misses you a lot.”
James chuckled after hearing William’s words. He originally planned to return to the void right away, but after hearing his grandson’s reminder, he decided to delay his trip a few days, so that he could check up on his family members, whom he missed as well.
The old bandit whistled, and an eight legged horse descended from the sky.
William had seen such a horse before in Asgard, and wondered where his grandpa had found a similar mount.
If there was a herd of them, he planned to bring a few to the Thousand Beast Domain in order to rear them, so he could have one as well.
“Ah. There is one thing I almost forgot to tell you,” James said. “Leave no stones unturned. Since there are many Forbidden Domains that are scattered across the land, make sure to give them a visit. We will need all the help we can get, and adding a few more Demigods, and Pseudo-Gods on our side isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
pAn,d a-n0ve1,c-o-m William blinked once then twice after hearing James’ words. He had completely forgotten about the Forbidden Domains that were scattered across the land. If he were able to conquer them all, he would be able to raise a sizable army in two years time.
“Thank you for reminding me, Gramps,” William replied. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to visit every single one of them.”
“That’s my grandson.” James smiled. “Regardless of what happens, I will promise you one thing. On the day those bastards come, I will be there.”
James gave William a thumbs up before urging his mount to soar towards the sky. He still had places and people to visit, so he didn’t plan to take any detours for the time being.
The red-headed teenager watched as his Grandpa disappeared from the horizon, while carrying the promise he had given him a while ago. A promise not only between grandfather and grandchild, but a promise between men.
To fight alongside him when the world would face its greatest threat, and ensure that this time around, the one who would be sent packing would not be them, but the invaders who dared to step into their home turf.
