Continuation of training 1.129

Viggo reached the pass between the mountains where his master lived. The araucarias raise in front followed by a dark wooden hut in its center. The entire ground was covered with snow as snowflakes continued to fall. However, a feeling of lethargy was felt in the air, as if the energy that had previously been consumed.

Viggo advanced to the hut focused on the large black wooden door with the large poles on the sides as a frame. On the wooden lintel was carved many runes as if someone had designed a magic formula to ward off evil spirits.

Viggo came in front of the big door and knocked several times. After a while he heard a few footsteps, and someone stopped behind the door.

-Who is it?- asked a child.

-It's me, Atreus- replied Viggo with a big smile -I said I would come back-

However, and to his surprise, Atreus on the other side of the door was silent for a long time -Sorry, I don't know you– he said in a serious tone –we don't want trouble-

-Hey, hey, it's me, Viggo, you called me brother- Viggo replied worriedly. If he remembers well, in this world it has only been three years since he left, so his memory should not be so faint.

However, out of his worries, the door slammed open and a warm boy in clothes made of animal skins showed himself under the lintel of the door. He had coppery hair, with a slender physique and long scars on his left cheek.

-Viggo, brother- said Atreus, he was full of emotion when he saw the tall boy, with blood-red hair up to his shoulders and with a bare torso -sorry, I didn't recognize you, your voice sounds totally different. It is, it is, it is...-

Viggo smiled, moved forward, and crouched down to give him a tight hug and pick him up. At this time Atreus was eight years old, but he was still looking childish.

-How have you been little brother?- asked Viggo as he hugged him.

-Super good- said Atreus in a euphoric state -your voice, it sounds super strong-

-It's not strong, it's thicc- replied Viggo, put Atreus down to the ground and crouch down to look him in the eye -is good that you're okay, what happened to that?-

Atreus covered his left cheek and said with a smile -I had an adventure-

-Huh?! I'm surprised that the master lets you go as far as to have adventure-

Atreus lost his smile and said in a discouraged tone -many things have changed. Come, pass, enter, outside it is cold. I don't know how you can hold on without carrying anything on you-

-It's customary- replied Viggo and entered the house while Atreus closed the door. Everything remained the same, at least in appearance. The dark space because of the low lighting. The shelves attached to the walls and the large table on the right side, where his master was dedicated to cutting the meat of the animals he hunted. Three meters beyond was the sinkhole in the ground where the firewood that was lit to cook in a cauldron that hung from a metal frame was placed. However, something felt strange, the campfire was only kept with fathoms and there was no cauldron, plus there was a person lying on one of the two beds around firewood.

-Who is, Atreus?- a woman asked in a low voice.

Viggo's smile gradually faded as Atreus advanced it and approached the bed -it's Viggo, mother, he came back as promised-

-Help me- said Faye, lying under thick animal skins. Atreus switched to the headboard and was going to help her sit down, but Viggo interrupted them.

-Leave her, Atreus- said Viggo, approaching as he raised his hand signaling him to stop -let her, seriously, not necessary-

Atreus looked at Viggo, then looked at his mother and she nodded. Then Atreus helped her lie down as Viggo skirted the campfire and approached the bed.

-What happened to you, auntie?- asked Viggo in a confused state. When he left Faye was a woman who was about 35 years old and had enough strength to spend hours walking and collecting things from the forest. She even went out to hunt deer and carried them back on her shoulders. On the other hand, the woman lying in bed was over 50 years old and looked malnourished and turned off.

-I'm tired- Faye replied in a low voice. She still had that vibrant copper hair just like Atreus's, but the first wrinkles were beginning to appear at the corner of her eyes and lips. Her eyes looked like two ponds of dark water with a tinge of melancholy. She looked at Atreus and said -Atreus, go for some firewood, Viggo will cook something nice-

-But he's the visit- Atreus said.

-Viggo doesn't care about those things, right?- asked Faye, looking Viggo in the eye.

-No, it doesn't bother me- replied Viggo with a smile on his lips -lately I don't cook much, but it's like hunting, one never forgets-

-You see- Faye continued in a soft voice -be good and go for firewood-

-Okay- Atreus replied, looked at Viggo and said -Mom is tired, so help her if she gets thirsty. In that bucket on your right is water-

Viggo looked to his right and saw a bucket made of wood and reinforced with metal strips -I understand- he replied.

Atreus nodded and walked to the exit. Once the door closed, Faye's eyes took a serious and cold expression.

-Are you really Viggo?- she asked.

Viggo raised his eyebrows in his confusion, but smiled -as far as I remember, I'm Viggo-

-Viggo was a god who later resembled mortals-

-Ah, I don't know, Grandpa didn't explain what happened, but he took me to a Muspelheim place and performed a kind of challenge. Once I got over that challenge something changed in me, but it has never worried me. I just know that I heal much faster now than before, and I don't need my divinity-

-I see- Faye replied as if he knew something that Viggo himself did not know. She pulled out her hand from under the skins and showed her bony hand -Put your palm on mine?-

Viggo frowned, but he did it anyway. Faye felt her hand and closed her eyes as she concentrated on the warm feeling. She formed a smile and opened her eyes. She nodded and put her hand under the skins.

-You could say that you and Atreus are like children of different family branches- Faye said with a kind look.

-Why do you say it?-

-In time you will know-

Viggo was totally confused but nodded without giving it much importance. He and Atreus already treated each other like brothers.

A few minutes later Atreus returned with firewood and Viggo began to look for some food. Everything was edible, but it was far from Faye's standards. Most likely, Atreus was collecting the vegetables from the forest and only cared about it being edible. On the other hand, the meat was fresh and well preserved, it had the touch of his master as if he had been processing the meat. Viggo cooked everything in a cauldron and a pleasant aroma came out that filled the air.

Viggo finished pouring the last ingredients and stirred them inside the cauldron with a long stick spoon.

Atreus approached the cauldron and smelled the aroma -that smells good-

-Of course, it smells good- Viggo replied with a smile -Are you cooking for your mom?-

-Yes, I prepare the food, together with the firewood and collect the vegetables. Sometimes even I hunt small birds-

-Are they in the surroundings? I get the impression that it's colder than usual-

-Yes, they remain, the birds here are very strong and are used to the temperatures-

-I see, Atreus is now strong-

-Of course, I'm strong- Atreus said with a defiant attitude. However, instead of representing his strength, he only looked adorable. Viggo let out a chuckle and stirred his hair.

Once everything was prepared, everyone ate in complete silence. Then Viggo went out with Atreus to play snowball throwing and they came back a couple of hours later. In the afternoon they ate again and when night came, Atreus fell asleep. Viggo approached the bed and wrapped him with the thick skins.

-Atreus is very strong- Faye said from the other bed.

-Yes, to be so small he has been able to take good care of you. I don't ask, but where is my master?- ask Viggo walking away from Atreus' bed and approaching the Faye. He took a trunk and put it one meter from the bed. He sat on the trunk while behind him crackled the embers illuminating the hut.

-Kratos, he's far away, I guess- Faye replied quietly.

-What happened?- asked Viggo -my master is not someone who would leave his family to their fate-

-No, he has not left us to our fate. He comes from time to time and brings us moose meat or things like that-

-Something bad happened?-

Faye nodded and looked away.

-Would you like me to bring him back?- asked Viggo.

Faye looked at Viggo somewhat impressed, saw the sparkle in his eyes, and noticed that he was serious. She let out a chuckle and denied -better than not- she said -I don't want to see you beaten more than usual-

-I've grown up, now I can fight better-

-Viggo is strong, but he lacks life experience. I think you still doesn't know how to judge things despite those instincts-

-Okay, but if I can I'll bring him, I'll bring him- Viggo said with a smile brimming with confidence, emitted the reddish aura of the touki impressing Faye. He took his left hand and grabbed his right biceps as if he were trying to prove his strength -even if you don't ask me, I have a struggle pending-

Faye smiled and laughed out loud as she coughed. Atreus got up and was worried to see his mother laughing so hard. Once he checked that she was fine, he looked at Viggo and smiled. Viggo smiled in response and offered his fist. Atreus raised his fist and fists clashed.

Once Faye and Atreus fell asleep, Viggo left the hut, walked to the right, and turned right in the corner. Walking through the shed almost emptied of firewood, very different from when he was living here. Once he reached the backyard, he saw the large araucarias and pines rising from the earth and almost reaching the sky. With the leafy foliage the darkness in the backyard increased.

However, Viggo had made the same trip hundreds of times and could reach the natural stone wall on the left, where his little hiding place was. Viggo touched the wall and as he did at that time, he went through it as if it were smoke. Once he was inside, he saw everything darker than outside and frowned. Viggo went back to the shed, took out a trunk and wrote the Sowelu rune "S" on the tip of the trunk. The wood gradually lit up like a torch. Then Viggo made the trip back to the hidden cave and this time he could see the inside. Everything was the same as he leaves it, with the feather bed on the left and the furniture for his clothes on the right. In between the two things there was only a one-meter corridor through which you had to maneuver. If you walked with bare feet and half asleep, the blow to the toes was assured.

Viggo looked for the bag of abundance tied to his thick belt and unbuttoned it. Then he took out a couple of candles and put them on the furniture for clothes. He lit the candles with the wood, and everything was much clearer. It seemed that this place was much more special than he thought, as there was neither dust nor dirt. Viggo threw the lit trunk into the snow outside, turning it off on contact.

So Viggo leaned on the bed to see if dust jumped, but it was as he thought, this place was more special than he thought. There were no specks of dust or dirt. It was as if he had never left, and everything was in perfect condition.

-I must ask Grandpa how to do something like this- Viggo muttered as he lay down with a big smile on his lips and crossing his arms behind his head. However, he noticed a small problem. Now he was 1.70 meters tall, and his feet were out of bed.