A delicate balance 1.33 - ING. VERSIÓN

-Take care of yourself, Viggo- Flora said. Her beautiful golden hair framed her adorable face. Her big, pure eyes looked at him with an intrinsic affection in his heart. Different from other days, she had made herself a braid like her mother.

-Yes, Flora, I'll take care of myself- Viggo replied with some annoyance, with this it was already the fifth time she had told him the same thing.

Flora frowned and stretched out her hand to grab his ear -What did you say?- ask angrily -I don't listen, you said "yes, cute sister"-

-Only you would call yourself pretty- replied Viggo as his ear was pulled. Flora became even more angry and shot him harder. He got the message and continuing -I get it, I get it. Yes, cute little sister, the most beautiful in the world, I will take care of myself-

Flora sniffed and let go of his ear -you better, fool Viggo- then pouted and said with a sad look -I tell you seriously, take care of yourself-

Viggo smiled and gave her a hug -yes, I know, I will take care of myself and come back, without a doubt-

Viggo was sleeping and remembering the last conversation he had with his sister. Flora looked at him with sorrow, while he tried to disguise his intense desire to stay with his family. At home he had everything, but he had to move away to continue his way and continue training. He gradually began to catch the feeling in the environment, opened his eyes and saw the white room, just like the first-time old Xiao took him to meet his master. He rested both hands on the ground and stood up, better capturing the place. It was still the same white room from beginning to end, the only thing that differentiated the floor of the walls, was that these last ones were opaquer. Then he looked at his body noticing that he was dressed in the adventurer's clothes that he occupied in his house. At his feet, there was his axe. He stretches out his left hand and take it in half. Then he began to turn on his position and only saw the eternal white of the spacious room.

-Old man- Viggo shouted -Where are you?-

However, no one answered his call, everything was completely silent. There weren't even the chairs or the table they sat at the first time.

-Old man- Viggo shouted back -this is not funny, come immediately-

Viggo kept screaming for half an hour, feeling more and a terrifying fear of being left alone in this place. However, when he was starting to despair, the primordial elder, Xiao, appeared.

-Damn, old man- Viggo shouted -is this place a kind of punishment?-

The primordial old man, without losing patience or smile, looked at Viggo with his eyes torn and said -it's just a small place I meditate, don't you like it?-

-Me- he said irritated, but little by little lowering his voice -I don't like it-

-I understand, come, let's talk- Xiao said and made a gesture with his left hand, and a round table and two chairs appeared. Viggo looked at the chair on the right side and walked to take a seat. Once they both sat down at the table, Xiao made another gesture, and a white porcelain teapot and two small cups appeared on the table.

Old Xiao looked at Viggo with a smile and asked him -do you like it?-

-Of course, why not?- replied Viggo casually.

The primordial old man let out a chuckle, poured green tea in both cups, and brought one closer to Viggo. Then he looked at how the child, took the small cup with both hands, and drank the green tea. He nodded seeing him calm, tasting the bitter taste of the hot drink. Viggo returned the empty cup to him, and Xiao filled it once again. Then he left the kettle on the table and drank his own tea.

For his part, Viggo watched the primordial old man drink his tea as if it were a solemn moment of meditation. Absorbed in taste and aroma.

Once Xiao finished meditating on his tea, he looked at Viggo and commented with a kind look –I see that you don't disgust tea anymore-

-It's bad, but not so bad- replied Viggo.

Old Xiao nodded as he saw the maturity and growth in Viggo. Unlike his childhood self a year ago, who was intolerant of anything he disliked, today he could appreciate things far beyond his appearance or taste. Now saw things from a much broader point of view.

-What do you think you need?- asked Xiao

Viggo looked down and said with doubts -more training?-

Xiao smiled and denied -your imagination is stuck at a point where they tell you what you need. Therefore, you are unable to think about what you lack and how to get it. For example: your body-

-¿Eh?-

-Haven't you started to feel intense pain everywhere?-

-Yes- said Viggo in a low voice and looking down -my muscles hurt more and every day. However, I only attribute it to training-

-You're dying- Xiao said.

Viggo looked up in an expression of disbelief. Xiao smiled and brought to him the second cup of green tea he had served him before. Viggo stared at him for a minute, however, the primordial old man just looked at him and invited him to drink the tea with his eyes. Viggo took a deep breath, looked at the cup with the green liquid, which emitted a vapor. So, he took the small cup and drank the tea, savoring its texture. Despite the bitterness, Viggo felt more relaxed and heard his master's voice in his mind .

-What do I have to do?- asks Viggo, with a renewed look full of determination.

-I already told you, your own imagination has limited you. Always, first and foremost and before anything, you have asked someone. Your parents have always been there to solve your doubts. You've always had a master explain to you how to do things, but what about you? Have you searched for your own answers to the things that bother you? Your body hurts like hell thanks to the terrible training Kratos gave you and the demands of his trials. However, you've ignored the discomfort just because you tell yourself it's normal, which is the logical thing to do. But I wonder what kind of knowledge do you possess that makes you think that? Do you know about medicine and that's why you stay calm? Can you see the internal state of your body and why you feel confident that it's just momentary wear and tear?-

Viggo looked down, thinking of everything the old man said. True, he lacked any proof or knowledge regarding the state of his body. However, he was fully aware of his state to some extent. It was the comfort of knowing that someone would come to his aid. Viggo knew that no matter what, his father would come to him with some solution. That was Viggo's certainty in his heart, the kind man who knows a million things would know how to fix the situation.

-This time I will give you the answer and give you a help. But I want you to understand that this is just one example of what can happen to you in the future. If you rely on the help or response of others, you can die. Not because you are alone in the world, but because comfort can keep you tied to a position that over time will only bring you problems. Find your own answers, Viggo-

Viggo nodded and said -I will, I be better-

-That's good, I hope you remember your words-

-How are you going to help me?-

-I have gotten you an opportunity, but it is as it sounds, an opportunity. I will take you to a distant realm, where there is a being called Surtr. He is someone wise and detached. I had a little conversation with him, and he told me that, if you managed to pass his test, he will give you something that will help you-

-But I must pass his test, which will be almost or harder than the ones the master gave me-

-That's right, it will be a fight to the death-

Viggo took a deep breath and nodded. Old man Xiao stood up, and Viggo also got up from his seat. Then he approached Xiao and Xiao put his hand on his shoulder.

-Are you ready?-

-I'm afraid, but Dad said I had to accept that fear and face it-

-Only through confrontation do we grow in wisdom. Running away from problems is never, ever, an option. We must face the inevitable and grow-

Viggo nodded, and the old man Xiao smiled to him. Then Xiao closed his eyes and concentrated his mind on the place he wanted to get to. A land of fire, with clouds of black smoke emerging from all sides. The burning embers rising in the air like small fireflies. A sky covered with clouds, where the sun's rays turned them yellow and orange. A place, where volcanoes, soot and lava rivers covered everything. Then Xiao found the place and they disappeared from the white room.

Once Viggo felt the change, a path covered in black smoke appeared in front of him. He saw statues on the sides of the road, with mantles, helmets, and gold belts. The rest of the body was covered with soot, and the stone that was once gray, was now obsidian. After that, Viggo noticed the intense heat and opened his t-shirt. It was as if he was a few centimetres away from the fire of a campfire. At the same time, the air was full of particles, and burning embers were seen like small fireflies flying in the air.

-We've arrived- Xiao said beside him.

Viggo looked to his right and saw the primordial elder. He was fine, even in that black and red cassock, much like the kimonos they occupied in his Aunt Mikoto's land.

-What is this place?- asked Viggo.

-Muspelheim, the land of the fire giant, Surtr-

-It seems that everything was dead and on fire-

-It's just your little appreciation, it's not reality-

-¿Eh?-

-How do you think life is born?-

Viggo raised his gaze and realized that above his head rose large walls of natural stone, by the circular shape, he could have sworn that they were inside a volcano.

-I don't know- said Viggo turning, passing from the road tens of meters wide, to looking beyond the limits of the road. Then he saw how a reddish light projected under the road, maybe it was lava, he thought. Then he kept turning and his eyes were filled with amazement, as his vision was covered by an obsidian temple with golden edges. It had a double-sloped roof, which was then transformed into a dome and in the center, there was a large sculpture of a warrior with a spear and a shield.

-Does anyone live here?- asked Viggo looking at the temple. The masterful construction of obsidian stone and golden edges caught his attention. However, he only managed to take two steps before Old Xiao stopped him by the arm. Viggo looked back and saw the old man denying with a serious face.

-That's not your way- Xiao said.

-What if we only look?-

-No, you have something to do and it's not in that place-

Viggo nodded and gave the last look at the temple. He raised his gaze to look at the sculpture of the warrior and wondered who would it be? Then he turned his back to him and looked at the old man.

-Over here- Xiao said, leading the way. Then Viggo saw how the road stretched tens of meters ahead. Part of the road was covered with semi-melted stones by the intense heat, most likely the product of the collapse of the internal walls of the volcano. There were some cracks in those stones, from which emerged a flame that seemed ever eternal. On the other hand, the same smoke that emerged from all sides only allowed you to look up to thirty meters ahead. After that, everything was covered by clouds of black smoke.