Chapter 12


    THE RULERS OF YGGDRASIL


    <hr>


    Ratatoskr, was jumping from branch to branch, going downwards, meaning he was going to see Nithhogg, the corpse eating dragon, who laid between Yggdrasil’s roots. Jormungandr''s last question was popping into his mind. Causing him to talk to himself, like he was answering it in detail. “You are her favorite… Maybe you deserve the truth after all…”


    And then he arrived, in the place where Nithhogg lay. She was sleeping, with loud snoring noises echoing in a vast area. Ratatoskr wasn’t known for his patience so he moved directly in front of the dragon''s ear and yelled as loud as he possibly could.


    “WAKE UP YOU WORTHLESS TRASH OF A DRAGON”


    Nithhogg opened her eyes slowly and with a calm look, on her draconic monstrous face, looked at the squirrel, who had just moved down from her head and was now in front of her. Nithhogg was still laying there, with her lower jaw touching the ground. After a time of staring between the two of them, Nithhogg started talking


    “So what words of the Eagle are you bringing me today?”


    “Hraesvelgr agreed that Jormungandr will live in this Ragnarok, even though he is still not sure that this end will be the most fitting one.“ Ratatoskr answered by transferring the words of the Eagle


    “What do you think?” said Nithhogg, “you are the only one who actually speaks and chats with our players… What is your opinion about my favorite, Jormungandr?”


    “My opinion does not matter…” answers Ratatoskr.


    Nithhogg looked at him and smiled.


    “Come on, at least tell me what do you think he wants”


    “Jormungandr is like he has lived two lives. At first, he tried everything to bring Ragnarok and be reunited with his family, and for that little short time he succeeded. But because you two donkeys can’t decide for an end for Ragnarok, you send him back to relive his tormented life causing him to be part of yet another war… another Ragnarok…”


    Ratatoskr wasn’t just a messenger in the conversations between Nithhogg and Hraesvelgr. He was taking actions and intervening, in his various tasks, changing small things forcing a different destiny. He was the one who made Thor miss in the battle between him and Jormungandr, causing Jormungandr to travel back in time. Not only that but he was the one previously protecting the Snake from Odin''s spear. He was doing all these actions at Nithhoggs and Hraesvelgr requests.


    Nithhogg after hearing Ratatoskr words, sighed


    “Don’t you worry too much for him? You already know I want the best possible outcome for Jormungandr, after all he resembles me like no other creature in Yggdrasil. You know already, in our original Ragnarok he would actually get killed by Thor. Bringing him back in time, saved his life!”


    “Sometimes Nithhogg, saving someone’s life could not be the best for him. He lived a life full of suffering, loneliness and overshadowing himself. The moment his Ragnarok came, he was happy like never before. Don’t you think letting him die for his family was better than ‘saving’ him and making him relive his torment?” answered Ratatoskr who thought of this matter very seriously.


    “You cannot possibly suggest letting him get killed, right? Jormungandr is my champion. Hraesvelgr has been in the Aesir’s favor for too long and for too many Ragnaroks! All of them end in disaster!”


    “You both have to make sacrifices and understand, you both are different creatures that cannot agree on everything…”


    “Ratatoskr… I suggest you mind your own duties! At some point we will come up with a fitting ending! And personally, I think this is the one! This ending with Jormungandr as the main character will end up with the best outcome for the Ragnarok.


    “Do you really care about him?”


    “Yes I do! He is a serpent like me, a monster by appearance… He deserves a good ending!”


    “I know you and Hraesvelgr are the ones that get to decide Yggdrasil''s fate, even before I got my abilities, but…”


    “No BUTs!” Nithhogg interrupted Ratatoskr “This conversation is over! Now listen to my message for the Eagle on how this timeline will proceed…”


    *


    Ratatoskr was furious at both Hraesvelgr and Nithhogg.


    “Those idiots they will never learn… This feels like we are going to do this forever… I have to find a way to stop it! Wait, what is that? Looks like… Oh NO!”


    While Ratatoskr was climbing the world tree Yggdrasil, he encountered something that really bothered him. The tree was wounded! It had spots that seemed like a disease that began to spread in various branches and spots in the Tree! It seemed like it was rotting!


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    Ratatoskr jumped on top of one spot. It was black and some sort of purple. Infecting the tree and by the time he was looking at it, it looked like it was spreading in other places as well! This was serious, Ratatoskr worried and tried to identify the cause of this problem.


    He gave a good sniff on the black spot. Smelled very ominous and ancient sorcery. He didn''t understand at first, he tried to gather his thoughts and concentrate on the rotting spot. He whispered something in his magical tongue and the issue appeared right in front of him! His eyes glow white yellow and found the origin of the disease!


    It was time-magic, someone is trying to prevent events from happening! Events that would identify this timeline! If that person who casts this magic succeeds he will crush the timeflow and cause the Yggdrasil to reset its laws of physics and balance. This would mean a catastrophic event for anyone living on the tree!


    On his journey across the branches of the Yggdrasil, across and between the realms he decided to act on his own. Something he used to do when he was younger for his pure enjoyment. But now he is both old and wise to create something on his own!


    He traveled to Midgard and met with Jormungandr.


    “Jormie!”


    “Ah Ratatoskr, it is you! How long has it been…”


    “Some years…”


    “I get more and more regular visits from you lately in this timeline… I mean in my first you only appeared one time remember?”


    “Ha ha, yeah I do… I was different then, with a lot of things on my mind and duties…”


    “Did something change?”


    “Yeah… I owe you the truth…”


    “The truth?”


    “Yeah… the truth… You… You are not here by mistake… It wasn’t meant to happen…”


    “What are you saying… “


    “Oh boy, this will take some time… There are no correct prophecies… No that’s not it… How can I explain it to you…Ahhhh, whatever. Nithhogg and Hraesvelgr are in charge of the Yggdrasil.”


    “Which means?”


    “Stop interrupting me please, I am trying my best to figure out a way to explain it simply!”


    “I apologize…”


    “Even before the creation of the world tree, there was an endless void, also known as Ginnungagap! We do not know what exists beyond Yggdrasil, but what I did find out. Is that our rulers, Nithhogg and Hraesvelgr, are not originally from this world… They came from that void and claimed their territory and rulership over Yggdrasil ever since the creation of it… Why do I tell all this? Because their magic and power is strong, they have found a way to redo the course of history. You got sent back in time, this caused a time-paradox, changing the events that were meant to happen and so much more … Why were you the one who got sent back in time? Well that’s because of Nithhogg! She favors you! You are her favorite ‘champion’ as she likes to brag about.”


    “Why are you telling me all these?”


    “I don’t know, I figured you deserved to know the truth of how this world really works…”


    “Ratatoskr… This is… a lot to process…”


    “I know…”


    “What does this mean exactly? That all my memories of my timeline would not happen?”


    “Well, yes and no! Some will change, some will not… Messing with time is no easy task to explain, my big friend…”


    “What if I do not interact with this world at all? If I do not change something then the events of this timeline will proceed as I remember!”


    “No! You don’t know, every timeline differs from the others. And you have already interacted with this world already…you are now a creature with no world origin.”


    “I am a what?”


    “Your world, your timeline ended the moment you entered this one! Now and here are two Jormungandrs…”


    “So… What does this mean?”


    “Events will be different from those you remember. But the Fates of this world hold no control over you, since you do not belong here in the first place! But I need your assistance about something crucial!”


    “That is why you told me all this, right?”“


    “Yes… You have to know the truth of what happened. So you could assist me restore balance to the world tree!”


    “Do tell…”


    “There have been recently discovered strange occurrences and inconsistencies in the fabric of Yggdrasil! Someone is acting behind the scenes creating anomalies in the timeflow!”


    “I do not understand you Ratatoskr… What are you saying?”


    “Someone knows about the time-paradox your arrival here created! I do not know what he or she or they are trying to do but obviously they do not comprehend the risk and the danger!”


    “Should be Odin!”


    “That would be the most valid guess, but I am not sure myself… I cannot track the magic’s origin!”


    “I tell you Ratatoskr. Odin has to be responsible for this! He knows about me and the time travel from Mimir…It has to be him!”


    “... I guess you might be right. I will go to Asgard immediately and try to expose the one responsible… But in the meantime I need you, Jormungandr… In case the cause of the anomalies is not Odin… I need you to do some research on Midgard about the usage of odd sorcery!”


    “How could I possibly do that?! I do not have such ability”


    “As I said before… You do not belong in this timeline… You can, ‘sense’ the odd things too!”


    “I will try my best…”


    “Your best is plenty enough for me! Thank you!”


    With that revealing discussion Ratatoskr was wrapping it up and was about to leave into the branches of Yggdrasil. Until Jormungandr had more things to say to the little squirrel.


    “Hey Ratatoskr! I forgot to ask you. How are you doing with the little project of yours abstracting your feelings?”


    “Ohh, that… I do not know yet. Haven’t found a way just yet”


    “So… are you really going to do that?”


    “Well, I will not do it mainly for the reasons I had told you before. I was thinking maybe expanding myself into aspects would assist me in being in more places at the same time!”


    “I wonder how that would work…”


    “So do I, my friend! I think I am getting close!”


    “You could ask, or research in Jotunheim… The Jotunn were always highly skilled in magic and sorcery… Maybe they could help you…”


    “I will look into it, thanks! But, first we have to set this timeline into a stable condition! You stay here and do as I told you. I will look into Asgard and Odin as you suggested!”


    “Good luck!”


    “You too Jormungandr! You too”