The Absolute: Humanity's Second Chance

"...For you to give in so much, shows that your favor is going to be a bothersome one. But nonetheless, I agree." She nodded, sighing to herself.

The offer was just too appetizing. Information about her beloved was tempting enough, but then helping her give aid too? That was more than enough to convince her.

"Good. For the chance, we can discuss that within Asgard, in the territory of the Sigyn family." Damien smiled slightly, satisfied with how everything took place.

Not like he expected anything else, when he had manipulated Destiny just for this meeting.

The fact that Frieda was abruptly with Loptr, was all his doing. There were no coincidences. To him, at least. To the rest, everything else was a big coincidence.

"That's great and all, but... what about the guards? What do I tell my father about them?" Loptr's frown did not leave her face, as she turned around only to see her royal coach.

The squad of tens of knights was nowhere to be seen. Not even a hint of them was here.

Those were powerful First League combatants you know? A few of them being Masters at that. And yet they perished? Just like that?

She couldn't bear with it.

"...Do not worry. You should go about your day as planned. You are off to Alfheim, right? My elder sister here will protect you in their stead." Damien said, as his gaze went down the cliff.

Asgard was located at the top of the cliff, which had a surface area of tens of thousands of miles. Meanwhile, Alfheim was located along the decreasing slope of the cliff.

Around half way towards the ground, was where the city was, within a forest. And unless one rode there using the rainbow deers, a special breed of deers, they would not arrive.

It was one of the nine wonders of Norland. Unlike the other two Strongholds, Norland was long since associated with strange things.

Each city had its own wonder, that could not be explained through common sense.

Back to Alfheim. Damien remembered that no matter how short the distance was, it would take exactly 24 hours to go about Alfheim through the rainbow deers.

Damien thus deduced, "It should take you 24 hours to reach Alfheim, since you are using the rainbow deers to draw your coach. Then concerning your errand, should take you a day or two before you choose to return. Another day of leaving Alfheim not included."

"In total, an estimation of five days, to a week, is when you will be headed back towards Asgard. Until then... I'll be doing a little errand." He concluded, surprising all ladies around him.

Bella included.

"An errand?" Loptr followed his gaze, and then guessed, "Will you be going towards Svartalfheim first?"

"...Mhm." Damien nodded. "I'll be discreet, so don't worry." He added, already taking off towards the skies.

"Elder sister..." He gently called out, and Bella sighed before she responded, "I will protect the young ladies to the best of my abilities. Do not worry, junior... Dammy."

"Mhm. Thanks. As for Frieda... take good care of my sister, and perhaps, I might reward you." He said, towards the still kneeling Frieda.

Faith was fickle. Belief had to be maintained. Especially now, when everyone was becoming supernaturals. So even if it wasn't about his fake belief, he still had to keep their loyalty at least.

"Y–Yes, your excellency!!" And the young lady responded in excitement, trembling slightly even.

"..."

Damien then ignored them all, and dove down towards the endless darkness at full speed. In no time at all, he disappeared below.

And as he disappeared, silence took over.

No word was uttered by any of the four ladies, as they all just stared at each other. Amd the mood remained as such, until Frieda stood up, dusted her dress, and bowed towards Bella.

She made a 90° bow, that showed extreme respect. "This humble servant greets her excellency." She said, her tone also respectful.

"Oh? I thought your reverence only extended towards my junior brother." Bella commented, not affected whatsoever.

Frieda fixed her posture as she responded, "My heart indeed only has his excellency within, but the elder sister of a god, is a god themself, right?"

Bella hummed in thought, as she nodded, "I see your point. But rather than a goddess, I'd rather you acknowledge me as a devil. The underground revere me as such."

"...mhm, as your excellency wishes then." Frieda nodded, then stood aside. A 'goddess' on one side, a 'devil' on the other.

What a peculiar situation she was in.

"We should begin on our journey now. I hope there is enough space for me as well, within your coach." Bella suggested, and Loptr agreed. "There is. You will sit with Frieda, and I with Hyro."

She responded, already walking back into the coach. Hyro following after, with Frieda gesturing towards the coach for Bella.

There were at the edge of the cliff, which was five thousand miles away from Asgard, which was one thousand miles away from the point of descent of this cliff.

From there, there was three thousand miles of descent down the steep slope to Alfheim, which required a slow pace. Just going down or up, will require three times the average time.

Thus one might even say going down the slope was as difficult as traversing nine thousand miles, instead of three.

"In total, we will be crossing fifteen thousand miles. Then we still have a day of traversing to find Alfheim... luckiky, the rainbow deers are one of the fastest animals we have. We'll be able to reach Alfheim in a week's time. Rest included." Frieda deduced, as everyone listened on intently.

Damien dragging them here increased their distance by five thousand miles. That alone increased the time they'd spend to reach Alfheim by two days.

Then taking into account the fact that they will spend a day or two in Alfheim... "We won't be back here until after sixteen days at most... estimation wise." She concluded, causing everyone to be dejected.

'As Dammy planned...' Bella sighed at how devious her junior brother was. She thought back to the words he told her before they assaulted Loptr's coach.

"I'll drag them back to where we were, just to extend the time a bit. Then I'll leave them with you just for monitoring. Meanwhile, I have an errand at the bottom of the cliff, that I need to deal with. A week or two might not be enough."

"If I'm done earlier, I'll find you in Alfheim. I should be able to do that much with my power. But if I take time, I'll rely on you to stall for a bit." He concluded, as she nodded at his words.

'This will be bothersome.' She thought, already missing Adriana and the peaceful life they both had back home.

At the same time as the girls left, Damien arrived at the bottom of the cliff.

He did not go to Svartalfheim as Loptr thought, but instead, towards yet another city down below. A city of the dead. Well, it's not a city, but a burial ground for all heinous people, or those unfortunate.

The crime of death was paid by being thrown ten thousand miles above ground, and straight down here, which assured death. And through the span of decades that Norland began, millions have been thrown down this pit.

This pit that the residents consider hell, the city of the dead, Helheim. A city that housed the unredeemable criminals of all other regions of Norland.

"The deathly presence is thicker than I presumed." Damien commented, as he gazed down at the sea of skeletons, rotten corpses and gore. Truly, a helish place.

His body descended even more, until he felt like he was submerged within a cold region. Not ordinary coldness, but a certain type of coldness that spiked one's mentality.

"Seems I've entered the domain of Helheim." He commented, as everything became even clearer than before.

The skeletons he previously saw, lying down with the vissitudes of time assaulting them, were walking around perfectly fine.

The corpses as well, were going about this place in perfect condition... Well, they were not all that fine at all.

The skeletons would shatter each other when they met. Or throw themselves at walls, mountains, or even jump from hills to the ground.

The corpses were relatively okay. But they were those who would freeze to death, those who would burn to death, some being boiled, some being melted, some being grinded.

As if being an undead corpse was not enough, they experienced continous death again and again. With equal pain, and stress, as if they were still alive.

"..."

Damien stared down apathetically at the corpses screaming about for salvation, or at the skeletons clankering in defiance.

Even after death, these vile brings still suffered.

The Trait of this domain made that possible. "...I guess this truly is a domain taking the manifestation of Norland's hell." He said to himself.

And yes. This place... was a natural born domain.

Not one initiated by a god, or a higher being, but one born naturally, due to the rate of a higher energy source being abundant.