89

Light and Darkness

Forseti had undoubtedly been observing Hodr, and Hodr had noticed.

As a blind man, Hodr naturally lacked the ability to communicate through eye contact.

He didn't even glance at Forseti but continued speaking in his hoarse, ominous voice, "But... I don't need eyes."

It seemed that Hodr possessed a form of perception ability, perhaps superior to sight, Forseti pondered.

Forseti responded with an awkward, polite smile.

The group ventured deep into the forest, encountering numerous wild beasts, though all were common species that held little interest for hunting.

After all, this hunting festival was a contest between Princess Skadi and Princess Hela, where only rare beasts could influence the outcome. Ordinary tigers, leopards, and wolves were hardly worth pursuing.

Truly rare beasts were notoriously difficult to find.

Three whole days passed without Hela and her team encountering a worthy quarry.

It wasn't until the fourth day that they finally made a discovery.

"A Crystal Deer."

The first to spot their target was Hodr, who drew his bow and loosed an arrow into the dense underbrush.

"Twang!"

An elegant, snow-white deer emerged from the foliage, its leg injured and its demeanor one of fear and pain.

In a blur of speed, Hermond darted forward, appearing instantly before the group with the Crystal Deer in tow. He smiled, admiring its beautiful antlers.

The Crystal Deer's distinguishing feature, unlike other deer, was its crystal-clear antlers, composed of a type of crystal known as "Deer Crystal."

Despite its low combat capabilities, the Crystal Deer was considered a rare creature in Nornheim due to its prized antlers.

During the hunting festival, capturing a Crystal Deer usually secured a high rank for the hunter.

Preferring to keep the animal alive, the team secured the Crystal Deer and entrusted it to Bart, who seemed the most suitable candidate for the task.

Bart, somewhat resigned, nonetheless shouldered the responsibility, as neither Princess Hela, focused on leadership, nor Hermond, responsible for speed, could manage the burden. Forseti, being of slight build, and Hodr, an unfamiliar face, were also unsuitable candidates.

Thankfully, Bart's height and strength made carrying the deer a manageable task.

On the seventh day,

"Moo-moo-"

A one-eyed bison collapsed, bound and wounded.

"Forseti, it's bleeding badly. You should tend to it," Hermond suggested, leaning over.

Forseti approached and laid his hands on the bison. A radiant holy light enveloped the creature, swiftly healing its wounds.

Hodr's expression shifted, visibly intrigued and impressed by the power of the holy light.

After a moment's hesitation, Hodr inquired, "Is this your divine power?"

"No, it's a form of magic," Forseti replied, focusing on completing the bison's healing.

The one-eyed bison posed a formidable challenge; Forseti sensed he might struggle to face it alone.

However, against Princess Hela's well-coordinated team of five, the bison's combat prowess was virtually negligible, and it was swiftly subdued.

Silence fell over the group as they regarded the fallen bison. Hela frowned slightly.

They all understood that, in terms of hunting prowess, their team of five wielded considerable advantage.

However, to guard against potential trolls, they dared not disband the team. Insufficient combat strength could prove disastrous if they encountered trolls.

"It's been crystal deer and one-eyed bison so far," Hodr remarked, breaking the silence. "At this rate, our chances of victory are slim. I suggest we split into smaller teams and expand our search."

Hela, torn, responded, "But the trolls..."

Hodr countered, "I believe the Flame-Strider Beast we encountered earlier likely escaped from trolls. It behaves like a wild creature; trolls are unlikely to be nearby. Otherwise, we would have encountered them in the past seven days."

After a moment's consideration, Hela nodded decisively, "Let's head to the rendezvous point first."

With that, the group set off for the designated meeting point. Bart carried the Crystal Deer in one hand and the one-eyed bison in the other...

Soon, the five reached the lakeside meeting point, where other hunters had already gathered with their prey, including one of Princess Hela's three teams.

The captured beasts bellowed and roared, creating a lively, bustling scene.

"A Crystal Deer and a one-eyed bison, not bad!" remarked the Light Elf in charge of receiving the prey, riding atop a flying cat.

"Meow." The flying cat sniffed curiously at the two captives.

"Moo!" The one-eyed bison bellowed.

"Meow meow meow!" Fei Mao yowled in response, bravely glaring at the bison.

Shortly after, Princess Hela's three teams arrived and assembled, submitting their captured prey.

Hela inquired, "Have any of you encountered signs of trolls in the past seven days?"

"No," they replied with shaking heads.

Hela breathed a sigh of relief, nodding, "It seems we were overly cautious; there are likely no trolls nearby."

"In that case, let's revert to six teams and expand our search."

"...Seven days from now, we will reconvene at the next meeting point."

"Yes!"

With the teams restored to six, Princess Hela's first team comprised only herself, Hermond, and Forseti.

They departed the meeting point, venturing deeper into the forest once more.

As they walked, Forseti nudged Hermond, "Hey, do you know Hodr?"

He was genuinely curious about Hodr's extraordinary perceptiveness but found it difficult to ask.

Before Hermond could respond, Princess Hela, leading the way ahead, interjected, "He's Balder's cousin."

Balder had won the previous hunting festival, single-handedly slaying a colossal dragon, earning him the moniker of the Light God due to his formidable light powers.

Among Asgardians under two thousand years old, Balder was the only one officially bestowed with a divine title. If the Nine Realms were to rank exceptional youths, Balder would undoubtedly be at or near the top.

Balder's brilliance had captivated even Karnilla, the sole biological daughter of the Duke of Norn, who pursued him ardently.

Hela continued, "But he and Balder don't get along... Balder is the God of Light, while Hodr, blind, dwells in darkness."

Forseti nodded thoughtfully.

Hela paused, as though struck by a sudden realization, "By the way, your light magic bears a resemblance to Balder's power."

Forseti's curiosity about Balder, the Light God, intensified.

"Hiss--"

Suddenly, a thunderous neigh echoed ahead, drawing their attention skyward.

The trio looked up to behold a Pegasus soaring gracefully through the air.

"Pegasus!"