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The glow of the hall had barely faded when the whispers turned into questions.
—"What exactly does Balance mean?" —asked a minor god with a curious expression.
—"Can you control life and death?" —said another, more fearful than intrigued.
—"Can you decide who wins a war... who lives, who dies?" —added a third, stepping too close.
Voices piled on, each word an arrow shot at my mind, each gaze a burden of expectations. Thor crossed his arms, visibly uncomfortable. Loki, on the other hand, watched me with growing interest, as if each second confirmed I was a dangerous variable.
I felt like the universe had revealed a secret far too great… and now everyone wanted to understand it.
But then, the floor trembled slightly. Everyone fell silent.
Odin.
He stepped forward, and without raising his voice, imposed order upon the room.
—"Vidar, come with me."
His tone allowed no questions. He turned and began walking toward the hall's great doors. I followed without looking back, my heart pounding. As we moved through Asgard's golden corridors, our footsteps echoed like a silent dialogue between two generations of power.
At last, we arrived at a high balcony overlooking all of Asgard in its glory. The sky burned in hues of orange and gold as the sun's rays brushed the towering spires.
Odin did not speak at first. He simply gazed at the horizon. The wind stirred his cloak slowly, as if even the weather waited on his words.
—"Great power," he finally said in a deep voice, "always comes with an even greater burden."
I remained silent, listening intently.
—"Your divinity is not common, Vidar. It is not strength nor flame, not thunder nor trickery. It is something more… something that touches the very heart of the universe. Balance… can tip the fate of entire realms."
He turned to face me, and for the first time, I felt the full weight of his gaze. Not that of a father… but of the All-Father.
—"You'll be tempted to use it," he continued. "To pass judgment. To restore things when they seem unjust. But not all that appears unbalanced truly is. Sometimes, chaos must reign. And sometimes, order must fall."
His words were firm, but not cold. There was a blend of warning and respect in them.
—"You are young. But now you bear a responsibility that few could even fathom. Your choices… could rewrite the very laws of the cosmos. And that, my son… could make you a savior. Or a tyrant."
The wind picked up. The power of Balance pulsed within my veins, majestic and immense. As if everything answered to my will… yet everything watched me with caution.
—"And what if I make a mistake?" —I asked quietly.
Odin allowed a slight smile. One I had never seen from him before.
—"Then you will learn. Balance does not mean perfection… it means knowing when to act, and when not to. And that… is a lesson even gods forget."
He placed a hand on my shoulder, heavy as a vow.
—"You are my son, Vidar. But now, you are something more. A force that transcends names and titles. Take your time. Know yourself. Learn to feel before you decide."
And then, with solemn weight, he added:
—"Because the day will come when even destiny… will wait to see what you choose."
I stood there, gazing over Asgard, feeling the weight of both power and privilege. I didn't have all the answers. But in that moment, I understood something essential:
This wasn't just my destiny. It was my duty.
And Balance… began within me.
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