Continuation of training 1.128

Viggo was standing on the edge of an icy crag looking at the vast expanse of Midgar's land. In the center was the huge Lake of the Nine Kingdoms surrounded by a large expanse of forests. Then the lands rose to transform into hills and mountains with deep slopes until ascending to a snowy closure that functioned as a separation from the rest of the lands. Midgar was a magical place where the undead, wild monsters such as ogres, remnants of civilizations such as trolls and other creatures lived. A place where the gods were at ease and could use all their power; very different from Orario.

Viggo looked from the cliff at the bastedad of the earth and thought of all these things.

Just an hour ago Xiao brought him to this earth to complete his training. The primordial's only indications were to find Kratos and learn as much as he could from him. Viggo nodded and thanked him for his help. That was all the interaction of both of them and after that, the primordial one left.

Viggo was dressed as usual, his torso naked, a lion's head belt, a red robe, and boots. Orario was hot, but the land of Midgar had an ideal environment, he thought at first. However, Viggo noticed that the air was much colder than usual. It is supposed that at this time it is full spring and although it should not be the same as in Orario, there should not be so much snow in the mountains. Something had changed or something kept changing so much that now the breakthrough was noticeable, Viggo thought.

Viggo looked northwest, passing through the mountains, where deep slopes led to valleys behind the mountains were visible. In that place should be the home of Kratos, his destiny. Viggo let out a sigh that showed itself as a faint cloud of steam and within a few seconds it faded. Viggo carried only his axe in his right hand while the bracelet with the shield that his father had made for him was on his left forearm. The bow and quiver with arrows made by his mother carried him in the Bag of Abundance. Semiramis loved this object for its practical use, but she passes it on to Viggo so he could carry everything he would need without any problems.

Viggo took his left hand to the Bag of Plenty to check that it was tied to the belt and once he felt the leather texture, he nodded. Then he began to advance through the snow and descend the mountain, and then enter the slopes of high walls of solid rock. Sunlight barely entered the bottom of the slopes, producing dark paths no more than three meters wide.

In the midst of advancing along the bottom of the hillside, Viggo began to review the condition of his wives and family. They were all well-established; Semiramis and Scheherezade at the jewelry store. Sakura and Ana helping and learning from Tsubaki. They all asked Viggo to finish as soon as possible and he told them he would do his best. Before, when Viggo first came, Kratos treated him like a child and taught him many things. However, Viggo was now fourteen years old, and his stature, physical strength and dexterity are very different. Perhaps what will his teacher ask him this time? He asked himself.

However, remembering his master and his current state, Viggo squeezed the grip on his axe and smiled bestially, full of excitement and desire to fight. Now Viggo knew Touki and maybe now he could return all the beatings that his master gave him. Viggo opened his left palm and hit it with his right palm without ever letting go of the axe. The blow sounded dry and full of energy. Viggo would finally fight equally against his master.

-Maybe I do the same thing as Jason- he said, smiling maliciously. It was true that the top three adventurers could never beat Kain, but that doesn't mean they never got even with their master. Especially Jason. He told Viggo that once they managed to leave Kain badly injured and the opportunity to kick his head in revenge. Viggo was obviously a little upset because Kain was his father, but on the other hand, he was excited about Jason who dared to return all the punishment to Kain.

Returning all the "training" to Kratos motivated Viggo and he started running along the bottom of the hillside. His heart was beating so intensely that he could hear it in his ear. However, when he faced a slope that would take him uphill to the hillside, he stopped and thought of Kain's words.

<< Eat a soul?- Kain asked him back

Kiara had told Viggo that as challenged in the land of Midgar, he would eat the soul of the king of the gods. She gave him 10 years and changed from achieving that goal, she would help him fulfill a wish. However, for Viggo the simple idea of eating a soul was something strange, since it sounded like something forbidden and bad.

-Yes, father, eat a soul, how do you do that?- asked Viggo at the time.

-Do you think it's like eating a piece of meat?- asked Kain with an uncomfortable smile.

Viggo noticed at the time that Kain had an attitude of being unwilling to share that knowledge. His gaze was nervous and elusive like on no other occasion. It was as if he wanted to deny that he knew anything about it.

-If you don't want to...- said Viggo

However, Kain shook his head and said -it's... something complicated-

-Teach me-

-It's not that simple- Kain said, putting on a calmer, more relaxed smile. He let out a sigh and continued -first you must know your soul, know the scope, and understand what a soul is. Then, you must develop your soul energy to be able to touch the other soul and bring it closer to your soul to assimilate it. However, I do not recommend it-

-Father became strong like this?-

Kain denied -it is true that I have devoured souls in other lives, but it has only been three or four (before reincarnating). My strength comes from my knowledge and training, not from an external power-

-Sounds like something father would do- said Viggo smiling and filled with pride.

Kain smiled embarrassedly, since before he reincarnated, he had devoured millions, if not hundreds of millions of souls through the soul reaver. However, that dark part of his existence would be buried in the depths of his being.

-Find another way to become strong. Devouring a soul involves much more than just becoming strong. It means absorbing everything that makes up a person, their power and energy, but also their thoughts and experiences. If you consume too many souls over time, your consciousness will be lost for a long time, and you will live as in a dream. Then, when your soul regains full control of your body, it will have been too long and what mattered to you and the reason, why you ate those souls, will have lost its value-

-What other option do I have?-

-I don't know, maybe, understanding the knowledge of other lands. I have become what I am learning from others-

-I'm not an academic like dad-

-You don't need to be an academic, you just must have the desire to become strong>>

Viggo in the middle of the slope, thought of his father's words. A cold breeze swaying his hair passed that woke him up from his lethargy and he looked up at the top of the hillside. Viggo kept walking on the steep slope, seeing the semi-cloudy sky and snowflakes.

-The king of the gods, who was the king of the gods?- he muttered as he went, stopped, and said -Odin- then he heard thunder among the clouds and looked in that direction. Killing the king of the gods would provoke a war against other gods, was that, okay? Viggo denied dismissing Kiara's idea and thinking it was an assumption that would be postponed in time. First the first thing, his training with Kratos and then, the task that old Xiao asked Viggo once he is ready. Perhaps, over time, he finds a reason to carry out such a thing, but devour a soul? He still doesn't know that it sounds too profane.

Viggo came out of the hillside and found a wide valley in the middle of the mountains. All covered by thick vegetation and dark forest. He remembers this place, it had much more fog and more light at that time. It was where he and Kratos confronted the troll. At that time, this forest had a lonely atmosphere, but never as gloomy as now. Viggo didn't know if it was because the sky was semi cloudy or because something had changed in the air. No, the place felt much more sinister than before. Then he looked to the right and closed his eyes; he couldn't hear much. So Viggo activated the touki that surrounded him like a thin layer of reddish light and hear the waterfall clearly. However, it was so far away that it barely sounded like a murmur.

Viggo smiled remembering that time he fell off the cliff and thought about that experience. Back then he still relied too much on his divine power. Viggo opened his eyes, raised his left hand, and looked at it. He closed his hand and formed a fist, clenching his fingers with all his strength. His master was right, he thought, he depended too much on the healing of his divinity. Now he was hundreds of times stronger and did not miss his divine power at any time.

Viggo continued to advance through the forest, finding it at each step darker, until he left the forest and saw a gorge that sank into a wide depression about five hundred meters wide and that in its center passed a stream.

-I'm pretty close- Viggo muttered with a smile. However, all the excitement of his approach to Kratos' house collapsed. Viggo felt a strange sensation in the back of his neck, as if someone were nailing a stinger to him. Viggo investigated the distance and only saw the dark forest. He still looked dark, but something else troubled him. It was something like a look full of suspicion and curiosity. Viggo was raising the height of his gaze from the trunks of the trees to reach the tops. At the top of the pine tree was a bird looking at Viggo. The latter looked back at him, but the bird more than a hundred meters away only flapped a little and stared until he moved his eyes away, as if he were concealing.

Viggo hid behind a thick tree and took the bag from his belt. He pulled out his bow and quiver. He took an arrow, mounted it on the bow, and looked over the edge of the trunk, to see if the bird was still in the treetop. It was there, Viggo thought. Then he tightened the bowstring, came out of its cover from behind the trunk and pointed. The bird fluttered, rose in flight, and slid through the skies. However, Viggo released the rope, and the arrow flew cutting through the air. However, even though the arrow flew with impeccable accuracy and hit the target, the bird turned into a kind of greenish mist and vanished.

Viggo frowned and looked in all directions to see if he felt anything about it, but it wasn't the same. Even if he occupied his Touki and sharpened his senses, he could only find normal animals. Nothing that was like the intention in that look, it was as if someone was spying on him.