Rend just snickers and then sighs as she smacks the mortal on the back once, which doesn’t help the bad welt there any. “Well, when you fall, you learn to pick your shattered and burnt ward carcass from such said sorry state and try again. Trust us, it does your soul good to recover from such traumas.” …put in a less than serious tone that really rubs it all in. The mortal just growls a touch and steps away for a moment.

Rend sighs again and put in more seriously. “But I’m serious about this Squire. What is imperative to us for you as standards, is also greatly important for us as well for reasons rather hard to describe. It’s like those angel ceremonies you have witnessed. A goddess soul must trust all they have and being to their angel, where such strength grows for both benefit. It’s the same criteria that exists in Heaven for much of the most part.

For you, your version is to merge your trust unto us in every way that is possible. Your walls of your soul don’t truly help us, whether you realize this or nay.”

The Squire takes a cube like object from a white angelic monikered dresser and rolls it in his hands in nervousness, considering his next words. He speaks them without turning. “But do you all trust ‘me’?” ..he says with a sigh, another fit of self doubt striking. “I still can’t help it, that all the chatter behind my rump has more within where my ears are not laden.

I fear I may not get in kind what you are asking me to give. Maybe that is why my heart has so many walls.”

Rend listens and only shrugs. “I dare say nether are we so perfect than you, beneath the Lord’s essence, but trust is one thing that helps make us, and stands out amongst you mortals. I sense you once beheld this in enough measure to give your life. I imagine therefore you can do likewise for us, without a traumatic event to force such a hand. Such is a failing of your world, sad that many must die before lessons are learned.

I hope you are willing for less a measure for us, since to be sure, there is great respect for you amongst the Heavens.”

The mortal however struck back.. “Is that a respect because of me? Or because I have been under Thor’s mighty gaze for all this time? I ‘can’ tell a difference.”

Rend rolled her eyes but understood that problem all too well, so she decided to end this roundabout with a simple.. “Still, you ‘are’ required of this, even if I must order it. I would rather not. And despite your history, she ‘has’ been present for all this time since that one day.

Again, must I..”

The mortal turns and waves a dismissive hand. “Nay, I get the download. Though, where to find her this time should be mine alone.

Without any prodding from the peanut gallery, what say you?”

Rend moans and waves her own dismissive hand. “Aye, fine that be. Though you may need to wait on such a thing, if I heard right.”

The mortal blinks. “Huh? I’m ordered, but can’t do it yet? Why nay so?”

Rend smirks and remarks. “Well, lets say thus that whence you do meet, she will have changed much.”

He considered what ‘that’ meant.

--------------------

A well lit chamber, bathed in the aura of light, a private moment before a mirror and a small egg on a pillow below the Second Class, almost First Class Valkyrie, the table of pearl and milk white stone, gold edge laden and all, is the only other accouterment.

It was a simple chamber of more size than needed, not relatively unique, simply one chosen when the drapes of white silk flowing with a gentle breeze from outside.

She decided it had been her time, it felt proper to her, but terribly emotional to prepare for. She tried to talk to others, but her nature was simply too introverted to really get answers she wanted. Plus she wasn’t sure what was being said was fantasy anyway. She never could trust the fact that an angel had to be such, when their Valkyrie was bred for war, a vein that trust had a hard time finding veins at all.

Lind felt it took more strength than trust to be a Valkyrie. As she stood there before her egg, she however had doubts of ‘what’ to think. She had plenty of time, every ceremony was a spiritual experience that sometimes was even allayed once or twice. Facing your own true self after all, wasn’t easy to do. Sometimes balks were inevitable.

However she didn’t care for doing such a thing. Lind wanted to know. She felt she had too. Only then could she consider what to do next with her training, and her life as a Valkyrie. At this, she took the egg gently into her hands. She steeled herself for not going back, and then calmed herself as she was told by Phosus. She then prayed to Almighty for guidance and took a gentle breath.

..and then she ingested it.

The result began the legend that would haunt her for years to come. She felt something odd occur within her soul at the moment after merging, and felt afraid. She then called with all her need and might for her angle to come forth. And so done, so she thought, and saw with the first peer of opened eye. One that turned to shock and dismay a moment later as she saw more of what was missing than what was there.

The problem with Heaven was that everything was linked once ceremonies took place, so she ‘knew’ as soon as she saw only one wing, everyone else would soon know all too readily. Rumor mill would take care of the rest.

Not one for emotional outbursts, but full of agitated doubts, she recalled her new partner, and felt ashamed for a reason she did not know yet. She felt suddenly so different from all her other kin, and knew there would be few others to discuss this with to figure out what had happened. What that had gone wrong.

She thought and realized there ‘was’ at least one other person that might understand, and ‘couldn’t’ approach her with the same derision as much of her kin would. If she was suddenly now taboo, then there was one other that such wasn’t so the same all of a sudden.

She departed her ceremony past uncertain attendants to find him.

--------------------

“Oh dear us all.” ..Gaea sighed as she saw the latest angel uplinks to the System. About seventeen this day, with one glaring notice she realized all too well why of. She shook her head and worried if Lind could handle all of this.

“Administrator?”

Gaea looked over and saw Chrono asking for her, the long time System goddess had a strange look on her face. The Head Admin floated down and over to her station and asked.. “What is it?”

Chrono looks up at the multispherical, and tubular energy screen of data streaming all over the vast shaft of the projection core. Representing all the worlds the System governed in the multi-dimensions, it also had plenty of smaller screens of various colors and wavelengths that did far more than just display data or look cool. Some of the data could be only seen by certain eyes, dependant on their station and encoded classifications, ones underlain the nominal Class License system. Some information was only seeable on certain screens, by these particular operators.

If needed be, such then could be rendered unseeable by the same operators if the Head Admin required it. Some data unlocked for short times on requests, others sent in coded mediums that were indecipherable by even these head operators at times.

Sometimes the kinds of data dictated how it was treated. As Gaea looked at the first data Chrono wanted her to see, she cocked an eye. “What is this?”

Chrono explained. “I was running a diagnostic check on the Wish encoding subsystem, the chronometer parameter adjunct, and found this strange anomaly within an algorithm that determines the time span between wishes for certain subjects. It was such a low priority algorithm, I didn’t consider it at first, but only for the fact there’s a timing anomaly that’s acting a bit strange.”

Gaea cocked an eye at the last wary tone Chrono used, and prodded. “How so?”

Chrono shifted her harp control unit and explained with some new up close screens only they can understand. “Well, the anomaly seems to be acting just out of synch with the rest of the algorithm code, somehow managing to nudge the entire Wish apparatus to some predetermined timeframe. Almost like it was being steered, but very slowly.

At this rate, if left unchecked, the apparatus would choose itself another recipient.”

“How long?”

“I’d give it around, ten, maybe fifteen years on the mortal calendar? It’s being very patient, whatever this is.”

Gaea frowned dearly and ordered. “Transfer all this data to my station, at once please.” ..she said and then turned to fly back up. Chrono turned her head and asked. “Of course. Can I ask why?”

“ A hunch. Ask no more of it please.” Gaea said with enough iron to make Chrono back off, and turn to complete the request. Gaea then reached her station and examined the data, going into it all with a fine tooth comb.

She was astonished as she discerned the clues together, as the algorithm was both very clean, yet unyielding in it’s logic matrix. It was indeed pushing the Wish system to a point of time of it’s own choosing. For an algorithm however, it was acting ‘just’ enough like an outside circuit to make it foreign.

Only viruses of high code could manage this, or someone with access to the system itself. Given the safeguards and authorizations needed, as well as the fact that everything routed to the Admin Hub here in Central, mean one of a number of very limited things.

As she looked at the code more, and deducted a small iota at a time, she began to see a pattern, something familiar that began to itch at her. The code algorithm was very clean, only asserting itself once every few months.

She began to get suspicious given it was in the Wish system at all, and decided this area was not secure enough to conduct the kind of investigation that was needed. She looked over to Ere. “You have the System Hub milady. I will be away for a bit.”

The raven haired goddess turned and nodded. As Chrono looked over with worry of what she started. Gaea left without notice further for her private office chambers.

More of a cathedral than an office, the interlinked beams of gold and silver line around all the ways and into midair, where they all focus around a miniature version of the Hub Core, near which a floating desk and seat all the same, holds the Head Admins seat.

Here Gaea has all the data transferred again, this time placing a code seal on it, as she begins deepening her search parameters, this time including archive data from both the system, as well as the Wish subsystem. Also included, is the historical timeframe line of the incidents of note, the Wish Slayings as they were now called in hushed circles.

She had ample reason to cross reference to her eventual frightening conclusion.

The time it took to do this in, she knew what was up. Within an hour, she left to find Almighty in a calm haste.

A long ray sunset beginning to settle across Heaven once more. Soon the night of Lunia would cast pall of stars of souls overhead, as here, the mortal learned long ago, it was not merely a sun fading down a horizon, but an entire set of the planes circling overhead, as they shared their home skies with that of Heaven here.

The mortal surmised that meant more than one plane existed with Heaven’s own, but such a thing explained was far more fathomless in reality than even just ‘that’.

So the mortal decided long ago to treat this as the same in his home world of life. Old life that be, at least the stars here burned just as fiercely as the goddesses that lived under them. He always smiled as he thought of that one.

It was done alone for the most part, after having departed the training grounds and having wandered near the Valkyrie ones, only to find little sign of the person he was supposed to find. He was told in essence Lind was having her angel egg ceremony, which of where he had utterly no idea of. The mortal just sighed and kept on walking, at least thankful he never got weary passing over some of the open walkway areas that stretched on for many a lonely kilometer between the large clusters of the heavenly supercity, or whatever this all really was.

Still, it seemed he was more doing this to be alone and sulk that actually find and face Lind again. He grumbled to himself that he just couldn’t cut it for this part of his so called ‘training’, and wondered for the umpteenth billionth time or so, if this entire Wish had been a mistake.

He stopped at one point and then admonished himself. “Man I am such a poser.” ..he said, using a term that somehow had cropped up amongst the heavenly populace as of late. He then shook his head, and then looked up.

On character, seeing the ‘last’ of the first things wanted, of expected, was in ‘fact’..

“Greetings.” ..said of Lind to the mortal, this time the surprised Squire gathered himself and bowed his head. “Oh uh. Allo milady. Um.. ah..” ..he stuttered, starting to grow afraid of a repeat of that Mall day. However Lind had a far different look on her façade, one of both confusion and openness, this much the mortal saw with some translation.

She simply asked.. “Can we go somewhere and talk? Please?”

Okay, now he ‘was’ stunned, but he simply replied quickly, trying to be open as well. “Uh.. aye, sure.”

“Privacy added if such can.”

The mortal threw out whatever lewd thoughts that spiked in for a split moment and nodded. “Um.. how about.”

Lind looked around in surprise. The waterfalls and rainbows here cascaded into each other over the vast stretches for what seemed forever in every direction. Plateaus of thousands of waterfall steps floated amongst each other, as they fell in several ‘directions’, causing the sunlight never ending here to cast prisms all over the place. The fall alone itself went fathomless and unseeable into a misty filled haze, light and shadowy in places depending.

The sound here was something else. It cascaded as waterfalls should, even if the haze went ‘up’ as much as it did down, in a shimmer that was everything calming to it.

All around, birds flew about of the angelic variety in as much clouds as there were of from the waterfall mists, and actual clouds billowing in places as well. Much was a peaceful spring time white and life enriched here. It was indeed a miracle of sorts.

“Isn’t this where…?”

The mortal surmises an answer. “Apparently this is one of the roots of the actual ‘World Tree’ itself, somewhere in there anyway. I think this is also a river course of the River Oceanus, and goes to other planes, I guess if you wanted to reach them from here. I’d have to jump and it’d be a doozy to Almighty knows where.”

Lind actually chuckles a bit, and answers plainly back. “I believe this is a way to Demon Central, to Nidheg, if you wanted to chance that.” ..with a tilt of her head at the gulping mortal. He just chippers back. “Nay, I think this side of the plane is more comforting.”

A shared laugh for a brief moment, as mortal realizes goddess ‘can’ do such, much to a dearly internal driven relief. This however ends just as quickly, as Lind turns to look at the scene, this time less ‘at’ it, more of within. Meanwhile the mortal explains. “Hirund showed me this place early on when I started under Lord Thor’s kind hand. Few ever come here, since it ‘is’ near the plane of the dammed and all. Other than the angel birds, I rarely have visitors here. A good place to clear one’s mind, I would guess.” ..he finishes, just in time to see Lind lower herself into a sitting position, wrapping her arms around her knees. The mortal notes this for something all too common of himself.

In fact in this place, much of oft note.

He considers and then walks over and sits down next to her, not too close, allowing Lind her space, to her comfort of progression. As it was, he was just ‘glad’ she was even near him. He wasn’t certain of why save for the obvious he wasn’t yet ready for. For awhile, he just flicks with the grass while she sits unmoving, eventually wondering if she is sleeping in fact.

He sometimes does that, and chuckles inward of the times he sometimes finds himself on the very edge of the plane itself, to all clearly a fearful drop of note. Eventually he senses and dares a query towards her, amid the far rush of eternally flowing water.

“Everything okay?”

“I had my ceremony today.”

The Squire angled a look off, and then back at her, and.. “Well. Tis not that good?”

Lind dug her head in some into her knees. “No.” …with him in turn. “Why so?”

She considered for a moment how to answer that, and then went for the blunt method, and called upon her yet unnamed angel with no voice used. The mortal is surprised with this lack of warning as a swirl suddenly forms from her back, and brings an actual angel into view. The short cropped blond angel of stereotypical note, makes the mortal’s eyes boggle in amazement.

“Holy light she’s beautiful. Wow. Have you named her yet?” ..he says, as the angel just smiles sadly and waves back cutely. Lind replies in her unmoved state. “No, nay I have. And she is not as so. Can you not see why?” ..again to the point at hand. The mortal however looks at the angel as she hovers between them, inspecting her and Lind in turn. He notes of obvious note. “Well, aside from only one wing, I’m not sure…”

Lind grunts a bit and moves her head enough to eye the mortal in her same position. “That one wing ‘is’ the point.”

The mortal plainly looks and then back to Lind. “Really? What’s so bad about that?”

Lind growls a bit and shifts her head away. “You don’t understand.”

The mortal blinks and then levels more bluntly himself. “Why don’t I? I mean, I know I haven’t seen man y angels before, and they all have two wings, but I can’t say if others have one wing. It’s still not a bad thing.”

Lind almost gets up and considers leaving, but then shoves her head towards the mortal instead. “One wing IS a terrible distinction! No other goddess ever has had an angel with one wing only! Can’t you see and understand? I’m different from the rest of us!

I’m… I’m not normal.” ….she turns her head away with, as the Squire gulps and rubs his hair back in place. He however still can’t see for his part, what the true problem is. He asks to his hazard. “Forgive me, but I still do not see it. What does normal have to do with it all? I mean, I sure ain’t, and look at me.

At least you get to have an angel, something I will never have.”

Lind does get up and the mortal blurts.. “Wait! Sorry, I didn’t mean to say..

..I still think it’s beautiful. That’s my opinion of her, if you were after such.” ..said in both plead and truth. Lind however had gotten up not to storm off, but to fend off snapping back at him again. He wasn’t the only one fearful of driving another off here.

The Valkyrie hears this and imparts with her back turned. “Even so, it all still makes me weak. No singular winged angel had ever been demonstrated before in Heaven. It’ll mark me as too different and my life is to change too much because of it.

I already can feel it, the consternation in the System from my kin. Soon everyone will know. I’m not sure I can handle that.” ..this the mortal listens in turn from the ground, and realizes how similar a feeling ‘that’ actually is. Given how borne a soul Lind is giving, he grows quickly to respect this fear she is having. Lind however continues.. “Why? …why one wing? Why am I so different?

What am I doing wrong?”

The mortal gulps and has no answer in his tonsils to give just yet, if at all, but he seems forced suddenly as Lind turns around and drops ‘very’ close to him, a ‘rare’ stream of welling tears coming out, as she leans over him on all fours, pleading.. “Please tell me what I doing wrong?! You of anyone here knows what I am feeling in all of Heaven here and now!

Please… tell me… -sobs- …something.”

Frozen utterly as he is, he lacks the will to know how to really answer that as a comforting version, and falls back in whatever semblance of logical thought he has at that moment, as he thinks anime openly for a moment, gulping more than once, before trying to profess..

“Um… ah… I dunno.. ma.. maybe you have.. I dunno… twins, or something. I dunno.”

Lind hears this as she ‘almost’ just falls into his lap, and blinks off several teardrops into said mortal lap, looking up at him. “T… twins?” ..this as the young looking angel hovers overhead to hear as well.

The mortal sweats bullets in this awkward position, but offers to his credit, so he thinks.. “Well.. I mean, humans.. uh.. mortals.. where I come from. They have twins all the time. I mean, it’s one of those nature things. You know, birds and bees. Er.. or.. um.. whatever the version is around here.

You know? I mean my mother had twin sisters, I think, um.. before I came along. I think I remember my godparents telling me that.. or.. um.. was it their relatives. Hmm.. third or fourth cousin.” ..he rambles off, into some trail of broken family tree branches or such.

Lind however hears the ‘twins’ part ‘very, very’ clearly. “Tw… wins?

That’s it.”

The mortal blinks and stops rambling, as he quips. “Pardon? Oh.. aye. Aye?”

Lind ignores the stutter and scrambles away, to the mortal’s relief of personal space, as Lind then moves to assume a double knee, kneeled stance to apparently pray, to the mortal’s immediate vision. However she then starts to concentrate, and draws her angel back in to concentrate very directly within her center. As she does so, he sees her skin glow some, apparently her ‘prayer’ to his sight, one looking very intense. He manages to pull into a sitting position, as she senses deep within.

…there… within her turmoil riddled soul, deep deep, very deep within. There, where the egg nestled itself, she feels it. She sees where the egg is, and senses a delineation of some kind in her soul. It’s hard to definitely detect, but enough to tell that the first angel summoned isn’t the only one.

She then suddenly opens her eyes, and blurts out. “I believe you are correct. By the Almighty.”

The mortal blinks a bunch again, and comments.. “Um, I.. uh.. okay… uh.. guess that means you have another angel. Maybe it has two wings.”

Lind shakes her head at this and stands up. “No, the other angel has the other wing. It has to. There’s no other explanation for it, for all of this. I sure of it.” ..she says with steel back in her voice, as before. (Not that the mortal ever heard such steel before, such makes him gulp again.)

At this, he pulls himself to standing as well, and offers. “Then why isn’t it coming out? Is it one of those one at a time deals or something?”

Lind turns around with a plain gaze at him. “No, they both can emerge, but I do not know why yet.”

“Is it one of those things with trust and all that? I know I’ve been getting that run around with the generals a lot.” ..put with a groan for his part. Lind considers, but can’t see that as a cause, for whatever her own reasons. “No. It can’t be that. I can’t see why Valkyries need such anyway.”

The mortal puts in of his own account. “I think that’s incorrect. I mean, on the battlefield, I learned even in my past life, if you can’t trust your comrades in a fight, you can’t live past that battle. Or something like that. I know I learned that the hard way, up to the end.”

Lind nods and closes her eyes, speaking. “Your soul is very strong then, to believe that. I envy you for that.”

“Huh? Moi? Why Moi?”

“You have endured for so long, what I am just now experiencing. It’s amazing you can stand up to Thor like you do, and then how you take everything all the goddesses lambaste you with so often, without truly ever giving up.

You have grown so strong mortal.”

Of his part in nervous reply, he just puts. “Well, that much crud so often still takes a toll. It tis not easy I say so much. Still, I gave my oath once I decided to give my all for this realm, and I can’t back down from that for any reason.

One has to be strong to face all that comes unto the spirit, in the end.”

Lind blinks, and something ‘flicks’ in her own celestial mind. “That’s it!”

“What’s it?”

Lind clenches her hands to her chest. “If I want to be able to summon both angels, I have to become as strong in spirit as you have become. No matter what it takes!”

The Squire suddenly grows nervous, wondering if he said something he ‘shouldn’t’ have. “Um.. I’m not sure you should take me literally. I mean I still soil sometimes when Thor gets really pissed and all. About did that last round today.”

Lind however doesn’t listen. “That’s it. That’s what I’ll do. No matter what it takes, what I have to do. How… impossible anything in the way becomes…” ..she stops with incredibly clenched fists. The mortal however places his hands on hers, before realizing ‘what’ he is doing, and pleads a bit. “Um, try not to forget ‘other’ possibilities. I mean you don’t want to get hurt doing…”

“Don’t worry, I know exactly what I want to do.”

Somehow that makes him feel very much more uneasy, as Lind pulls away and turns to leave. The mortal however whines. “You can’t be serious. I’m a bad influence for Light’s sakes!

I can’t even tell you I’m supposed to like you for eternities sakes! How cowardly is THAT!?”

He is stopped in this weird attempt of dissuasion as Lind comes up and.. “I’m grateful.” …pecks him on the left cheek, before pulling away. It might as well been hot molten lead upon his face, it felt so warm of blush. As she leaves through a portal made, he tries a last.. “…you.. you can’t be.”

As she disappears, he thumps to the ground and holds his cheek. He then takes the other hand and thumps his skull, hitting some of the retracted helm armor covering the forehead. He then realizes and moans like a dying cow.

“Oh man, if the others find out about this. I’m done for the next century at ‘least’.”

--------------------

“So that is how it is being done.”

Gaea looked surprised as she heard the immediate summation, this alone with his mightiness, the chamber sealed entirely. Not even the other Councilors were allowed into this one, the information had become so sensitive. The Kami-sama considered and guessed. “I sense your mind may know who is at the central author of this all. Speak of this, despite discomfort it is to your mind, so I may know.”

“Aye Milord. I fear the author may have been one of our own, the number of which we though already dead. I can only guess this as… as..” ..his Lordship waited patiently. “..she may have.

..no… was my mentor.”

Almighty ‘nodded’, as only It can do, and considered. “Then it may be confirmed. We have to not allow this information out for now, so is the stress this information could cause.”

Gaea nodded. “What are your commandment?”

The goddess then started to feel her mind ‘obscured’ suddenly, the information and painful details at hand being expunged from apparent, though explanation enters her mind. “Know this. The timeline is not to be interrupted, so as to allow falsehood to enter the heart of our new enemy. As such, your mind is to be clouded of all this until the time comes, so as not to allow any information to reach said enemy.

No one is to know, my plans will be formulated in other ways. When the time indeed does come, the unmade puzzle with form and situation enacted quickly. We will have only one chance at this, as I fear this may end up costing us dearly before it is resolved.

I fear the authors of this all, intend more than simply life of our kin, I sense something greater in fact. Until then, know nothing of what I say, other than as a whisper, and a edict of unknown.

This until then, will salvage your mind for sanity’s sake, you are not needed to brunt such a tremor. This I save you from for now.”

At this, Gaea steps back several times, and then feels her mind ‘close’, of all of this for now. The Lord then continues. “Until then, go to your tasks, and forget for an hour, before continuing your daily import. This I sayeth, so unto Done..”

Gaea blinks a great deal, and eventually starts to ask.. “Ah… ah… of… of what do I shall?”

“Whatever of importance, by your leave you now are.”

At this, Gaea blindly obeys, never knowing better. As she leaves, the Lordship turns his mind to consider how to handle the coming short time, unto his mind of infinite span, to come. He does know one certain detail.

Another attack will come, there is no doubt.

Another detail comes to mind as well. One of their own is working with a mortal, one that somehow can kill goddesses. If it was simple murder that was the goal here, doing over and over the decades would not justify such… depravity. It sensed something else going on, another wheel of the great spirals in motion.

Whatever it was, it ‘was’ going to happen all again. It decoded to make such come to them.

It was finally that starry night, whence such as it is in Heaven. The night over Einherjar Fields sparkled as fathomless and beautiful as always, as the mortal made his way back towards his quarters in the Chamber of Valor. His mind was swimming with that meeting, and it was all he was thinking about as he arrived back at the near castle like temple.

He did fear what his unwitting advice would do, but still eventually didn’t truly care, well, so much as what infatuation was doing in such stead.

Walking up the steps slowly in a slight swoon, he’s suddenly shouted at from above. “About time young pup!” ..in a far echo that tracks his startled vision up to where the three generals are waiting, like three motherly hens even.

As soon as he sees this, he reflexively takes a step back, which garners.. “FREEZE MORTAL!” ..and so done.

He then sighs and walks up the rest of the way. As soon as he reaches, he meets the apparently less than appeased gazes of all three. Hirund wipes a hand into her long wine red locks and quips. “Long evening was it now? Forget your curfew?”

The mortal blinks.. “Since ‘when’ have I had a curfew? I was only..” ..at this, he is suddenly glommed by all three of them buddy like, stunting with more confusion, his worried state, now replaced with.. okay, confusion. “Huh?”

“Good job old bean! You finally got the Bugs to talk to her, even for a good while it seems!” Rend congratulates in a rather haughty tone to him. He gulps and asks.. “Um, how much of it did you..”

Mist confides in chide. “Now now, we don’t pry that far into private conversations, not without good reason.

Why? Are we supposed to know something we don’t?”

The mortal sweats and stammers back in a fit. “Oh nothing! Nothing at all!”

Rend elbows in, cheek to cheek as she pries anyway. “Oh? I didn’t know you proposed to her

“WHA!?”

Mist just hops as Hirund smirks with arms folded. “Alright! Our adopted son is getting hitched!”

“No I’m NOT!”

Rend just eggs it on. “Oh dear, he’s blushing. It must be true love.”

“Will you stop.. HEY!!” ..this as he’s suddenly yanked by both arms by Rend and Mist and pushed by Hirund inside. “What are.. what kind of Generals…”

“It’s time to get this bad boy drunk after everything today! What say ya’ll!” Mist dresses out with a inflection of his old world. The mortal just wonders what the heck is gotten into the three as he’s wrangled inside.

Thor was out, so it was essentially lady goddesses night’s out with one poor shmuck mortal along for the unfortunate ride and hangover to come. However something else had changed from all the nights were he was treated as supplicant. As the mead and songs flowed (more and more badly as the night progressed,) this sense changed into a more solid feeling.

There was a reason for it as the following day would demonstrate.

--------------------

Phosus saw the change almost immediately as soon as Lind stepped onto the training floor for her final martial test, the last to judge if she was ready to pass the First Class Valkyrie requirements. When Lind set her position, three equal numbers that had once been her instructors, became her antagonists, charging at her with no warning.

Lind gave none of her own as she spun flipped her staff scythe and charged the one to her fore-right. Taking a swipe from the side from the first attacker, she spun overhead and landed low to sweep kick, an empty seeming move as the first attacking Valkyrie simply leapt out of the way. Lind however finishes the spin and bursts from here off the left towards the third attacker that had started to Lind’s rear. Another clash exchange of staff weapons, and Lind flips again, this time very high up. The first and third follow, as the second Valkyrie now comes up off the rear right side of where Lind is positioned now, upside down towards #1 and #3.

Given her apparent disadvantage, she then ferociously refocuses on the first attacker, and this time midair bursts towards her, connecting staff again with a loud clash of metal. This only lasts long enough to push back off, avoiding a near swipe from #3, into a slightly surprised #2 offender.

This starts a chain where Lind bounds off each one at a time, making them try to follow her movements, as she pins #2 more and more to the rising wall.

As the quartet reach the ceiling, Lind pushes #2 after clashing off #3 again, this time into the ceiling. #2 catches on, bounds off, but is kicked by Lind into the rounded edge of the adjoining wall, before bounding off towards where #1 just leapt ‘down’ off the ceiling. Lind passes overhead, pushing her staff weapon to clear #1’s own away.

As she reaches the other side, #3 races to slash at her, just as Lind reaches. Lind takes the incoming parry, and shoves it off very brutally, and then chases after #3 in the next rather smooth motion, despite how fast it all happened.

#2 recovers and chases after in a huff, just as Lind literally beats her staff unto #3’s, over and over. #1 meanwhile has trouble catching up, by the time is all ‘rapidly’ shoots back down to the base floor. Phosus and Demesus look away in time before the rushing crash takes down #3, all happening too viciously to recover from.

#2 and #1 land, just before Lind bursts out from the impact zone, at #2 before the Valkyrie can react to Lind’s furious assault.

As the, what was ‘supposed’ to be a sparring test, continues into it’s brutal conclusion, Phosus blinks several times and judges. “Well, that goddess does not need further basic training.”

Demesus however winces after one particularly vicious blow, lots of ugly clashing and beating sounds being heard in the background now. “What has gotten into that girl? She’s been that way for a few weeks now.”

Phosus sees the end of this spar, as Lind surveys her handiwork, holding her right arm in it’s not bleeding state, as she hefts herself and weapon in same wounded arm, towards the two commanders.

“Commander Phosus, Commander Demesus.”

Phosus simply nods in turn. “Well, I don’t see a need to hold ‘you’ back anymore. I’ll have your records indicate your ascension past martial training. If your academic scores prove just as… um.. interesting, you should be ready for your First Class ceremony.”

Lind only bowed, dragging her staff tip in so doing on the floor. As the three Valkyries Lind just pasted help drag each other off, Demesus asks plainly. “Still, I have to ask. Does this have anything to do with that angel of yours?”

Lind steels back with a hard look at Demesus. “What of it?”

Demesus just sighed. The ‘One-Winged Lind’ bit that had been circulating around Heaven as of late must have seriously gotten to the Valkyrie, but the commander had suspicions something else was afoot. Trying to glean anything from the other trainees and troops hadn’t gotten anywhere, as Lind had become much more stoic and strict with all she did.

Almost maniacally so. Phosus took over the next query from Demesus, and commented. “Of everything. I know everyone is being unfair, but it won’t help resolve matters if you beat everyone you meet like a Demon. Verbally or otherwise.

What is going on if I can ask?”

Lind grumbled and calmed herself, explaining. “I simply have begun a strict training regimen that will help me grow stronger in both body and spirit. That’s all.”

Demesus complains. “And that will be ‘all’ of everyone else if you keep this up. I pray, this is about as bad back when that dumb mortal was here a long time back.”

Lind smirks and levels out with a tilted head down. “Was that so terrible?”

Phosus slits ‘her’ eyes and wonders. “Speaking of that, there was rumor about you and him a while back. Did something happen?”

Demesus blinked. “You mean something did?”

Lind sighed and blurted out. “If you ‘must’ know, I talked to the only other person that understood my problem, and he was the one that advised me to proceed in this new direction in my life.”

Phosus/Demesus: “He did?”

Lind smiled and nodded proudly for a moment, and then turned. “Aye. And from now on, I will be training three times as hard until I can summon my other half. I owe it to him.” ..this as Lind taps off her foot and flies off again.

Phosus pucks her lips as Demesus shakes her head. Phosus just comments. “I told you that pup wouldn’t be out of sound or mind.”

Demesus growls and huffs off in a hover. “Great, now we will have the Infirmary goddesses on our case here again. I hope that idiot is satisfied.” Phosus however feels for her part, a decent amount of distaste for this sudden revealing of information.

“I think I need to have a ‘talk’ with that mortal. Thor or nor Thor.” ..with a good sneer for measure.

Signify of an evolving moment, Gaea one day presented, with the grace of Thor’s sight, a special weapon for the now all but named Knight of Heaven, as she delivered for him, in a scabbard of white dragon hide, a new blade.

-A good year after the night party-

He pulled the sword from it’s sheath. “Wh… whoa! It’s diamond.. um.. blue diamond?” ..with an examining glance of the blade surface, with a tilt of his hand held, back and forth.

Gaea smiled. “It’s a morphemic blade, it can take the form of whatever weapon you have both either already used, or it ‘sees’ in battle against any other opponent. I already took the liberty of ‘installing’ most weapons the System knows beyond what you have trained with. By holding it, it now already ‘knows’ all other weapons you have used as well. Try it.”

The mortal looks over at Thor, and then he pulls the blade, a simple longsword for all intents, away to a level side hold horizontal. He then ‘thinks’ of it as a halberd. The blade flows into a new shape, like crystal water, into the exact weapon he is thinking of. Moreover, the new weapon form is much lighter and more balanced than the original thought of weapon.

“Wow, very sweet.” ..he says, using another recent word in the grammar lexicon of Heaven. The Squire then forms the weapon into..

..a battle axe..

..a scimitar..

..an elven knife..

..a katana..

..and then finally a massive kingsword, exactly like a certain blade out of his favorite tome of read.

As he does this, he notes the scabbard change shape in his hand as well, to form into whatever blade cover the weapon takes. The strap length even changes length for carrying options. The mortal looks up. “What about projectile weapons?”

Gaea explains. “It has to touch or ‘feel’ a weapon to learn of it, so it can in theory become projectile types, such as guns and longbows. However it’ll only project energy bolts in such a case. The weapon is indeed a wonder, if you don’t need physical projectiles.”

“I see.” ..he says, morphing the blade back to a preferred weapon, an Aegis longsword. As he sheathes the blade all samurai like, Mist imparts. “Well, I think that about fits out all a knightly needs. I can’t think of anything else.”

“Save for a lover.” Hirund blunted out, which makes the mortal frazzle. “Gee thanks.”

Thor however comments in. “: I would be wary of that, I have recently learnt that one once known Lady Phosus is on the warpath unto you, my friend. :”

The mortal looks over at the War God. “Pardon? Why her unto moi?”

Mist quips. “I hear by system link that it was about Lind.” the mortal just cocks an eye. “That still doesn’t tell me why.”

Thor just blurts in, to the general’s dismay. “: I would just take the nearest field of war assignment, than rather face her wrath right now. She still is fuming even after all these months. :” ..this Mist just dryly retorts. “Hence why you are no god of love, bub.” ..that which makes Thor frazzle some.

Gaea smirks. “It might come to such either way. I have this also to give to you, my lord knight.”

The mortal feels weird at being called such, just before he is handed a white tablet, blank and everything. As soon as he touches it, it activates a datascreen, which has of all people, Lind’s image within. The heavy ‘urk’ sound the mortal makes the generals gather around him.

Within.. “To that which touches this device, genetically encoded, this is my invitation to witness my First Class ceremony. Given such events are few in between per passing cycle calendar, your personal attendance would please myself greatly.

I await your arrival milord.” ..at which it shuts off, just as per the author wanted. Whether Lind intended for the mortal to endure ‘that’ much razzing from the bunch of immortals for much of that next few minutes, may not have entered the currently steel minded Valkyrie’s mindset.

Nonetheless, even Gaea was in on the joshing.

The mortal didn’t give the tablet back. Not that he was asked for it anyway.

--------------------

The double stadium sized presentation chamber was utterly alive with untold numbers of onlookers and well wishers from all across Heaven’s vast expanse. They had ample reason for their presence, since First Class ceremony promotions were a great deal of hubbub within this Plane. So few made it to this level, and all got to this station of license in their own way, each as unique as the individual goddess that accomplished this honor, was.

Some took decades, even centuries to achieve this level. Not all could achieve it, not because of limit of numbers, but because the criteria and the character requirements of the station for each chosen had been so strict and strenuous, the tests and progression so demanding.

There was no shame at all of failure to reach this level in so trying, some never would, others would, even after many tries. It was still even admired to have tried, the station of license such was. It was a testamite to the dedication of each goddess that achieved their First Class license that celebration was never small in so doing

The reward for hard work, and the door where even harder work awaited after presentation of the honor.

For each, the ceremony was presentation before a large audience, the cheers determining how respected the goddess was, but no goddess ever got less than a roaring ovation anyway. As they were presented, something was done to physically state this promotion, while the System did the same for the network link and privileges of the new station. Usually new abilities and knowledge not accessible before was unlocked, though this would only be realized once they began whatever their newly assigned tasks was. Usually the new assignment was from Almighty Itself, since the mighty Lord knew better than anyone how to best utilize such a newfound treasure of a resource.

As for the ceremony again, the goddess at the center was present for a good while, time not any rushed, again since the ceremony came along so rarely. Some solar years of the system cycle, there were none. This year however, there were three. Lady Belldandy in attendance like others, was not yet amongst them, though she was very close due to her unique style of dedication, as well as a level of kindness that had to be measured differently from most other goddesses. Still, time was not present as yet, as the gilded banners and beige-white walls and pillars reverberated the already cheering throngs, for this time at present, a Valkyrie of the order.

Streamers were already falling, as Goddess Second Class Lind appeared in the chamber through a transport beam from another part of Heaven, the violet light retracting into thin filaments as she arrived to the sight of the up tempo crowd.

As soon as she appears, she bows on normal cue, though her expression barely registers a decent smirk even. Lind nonetheless stands very proud as her ceremony begins, with the booming sound of Almighty from all around, the effadice form replaced by an avatar of humanoid make, near other avatar forms of the rest of the Council, all off to one side near the fore of the presentation stage.

“To all that know now. Her Ladyship, Valkyrie and Warrior of the goddesses of Heaven and the System, has now achieved, and furthermore be named of the title of First Class to the System and to the Heavens itself.

With all grace and authorization, here thee I name you, Lind of Valkyries, as such. Be proud and be joyful, for the bounty you have made for your name is one that stands as example for all others to follow and ascribe unto.

To this, you are titled and promoted. Congratulations thee of the First Class in name of Lind.”

To this, Lind bows deeply, this time a shiver of a smile betrays through. No one, and tis true, no one of Heaven that hears unto this, dares not feel ‘something’ at a moment this proud and becoming. As such, the now clamoring gallery give their full voice, no matter what previous of chatter speak was present before hand.

Even the most reserved of the lot give full hand in congratulatory. Lind hears of all of such, and has to clench her hands to keep her emotions, so flowing they threaten to become.

Off the far left behind some godly huge curtains of velvet red and gold trim, many Valkyries of the commands, the generals of Thor, and one certain mortal invited personally, watch and cheer just as proudly as the rest. The Squire watches and is amaze just how loud the cheering really is. Having seen quite a few ceremonies by now, the only real thing surprising to him, is that there seems no hint of the prejudice that has been haunting the One-Winged name all this time.

In that, the mortal is glad. He speaks of this to Rend next to him. “Boy she sure is getting a good ovation.” Phosus a rank off the right keeping a keen eye on him by the way, hears this and smirks, as Rend comments. “It should be no surprise. Heaven honors no matter what. Keep such in mind milord knight.”

The mortal pauses clapping a touch before continuing, still not used to the apparent change in title. He then just resumes and enjoys the moment for Lind, even if Lind is too reserved for her own sake. Such is not ill or such. All of each singular ceremony is what the recipient wishes it to be, in however they conduct themselves as self seen fit.

However a slight surprise was in store in another vector, for more than just Lind here.

“Okay, you’re up.”

The mortal blinks and stops clapping this time, as he looks back at Hirund. “Pardon?”

Hirund blinks. “Aye, for your part in the ceremony. Did not Mist tell you?” ..this the mortal turns to mentioned general goddess and quips roughly. “Nay.” To which Mist fingers her lip in a coy.. “Oh gee, my bad.”

The mortal turns around with the cheering still in high pitch, the streamers flying past his frowning façade. “Excuse me, what is..” ..just as a staff scythe with long blue and white streamers, akin to a unit flag almost, the streamers with archaic writing of the system code, indicating ancient wars long forgotten. “..what is!?”

Hirund quips. “We thought up a good excuse for you here. Lady Phosus..” ..this making the mortal look unsettled with great measure as the Valkyrie commander steps towards, with a new streamer in hand. As he gulps on her short approach, the commander gestures for the staff weapon to be lowered some, him doing so, so Phosus can attach a new streamer unto it. The mortal hazards a query. “What streamer is that for.. uhHH?!” ..he stops in a high tone, as Phosus shifts her head forward at him. “You, moi. The Fields. Thor knows when.”