Thoth and Tyr reached the shores shortly after their conversation ended. Once of there, Tyr stared at the vastness of of the water before him, almost as though it was a small sea. As Tyr returned his gaze to Thoth, he saw that Thoth had picked up a fern leaf from a nearby plant. Once he held it in his palm, Thoth blew on it and the leaf floated in the air above the water before turning into a long, thin boat big enough for both of them. upon the boat landing in the water, Thoth collapsed on the ground.

"Thoth?"

"I'm alive, just carry me into the boat and I'll get you across, as well explain why I collapsed."

Tyr carefully placed Thoth in the boat and climbed in himself, after which the boat began to move on its own and Thoth began to speak.

"Do you know what the two major types of core magic in this world are, Tyr?"

"Well... Perhaps natural and sympathetic?"

"That's a better guess than Odin gave, but no. The two major types of core magic are immortal and mortal. Mortal magic is based entirely on channeling the planets raw energy first into the body and then releasing a manipulated flow back into the world. Immortal magic involves passively absorbing some of the planet's energy into oneself and then using it at a later date, with how immortal one being and, in the case of a member of a pantheon, what role they play determining how much they can store."

"It sounds as though mortals have better magic than the Valar and Maiar, since they have the whole planet to draw from rather than a portion of themselves."

"Oh, immortals can use mortal magic too, but the important thing is that magic always has a price: Taking raw energy from the planet and manipulate it to do anything is taxing on the body, to the extent that it will often cause premature aging on those who use it regularly, and death if what the caster is trying to do is too large a task."

"How much aging occurs?"

"If a boy learned magic at ten and cast five spells a day on the level needed to create this boat and make it move, his body would give out and die at the age of 55 but would have a body over 100.

"Of course, this is when one uses the power of their will to manipulate the planet's energy. Using one of the established forms of magic casting, like your natural and sympathetic forms, will lessen the burden and increase the chances of living longer. These take time to both learn and cast so using willpower once learned is quicker. Incidentally, would you mind striking the water on the left side of the boat?"

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More out of curiosity than obedience, Tyr slammed his fist into the water and felt it strike something. As they drifted pass, Tyr looked back and saw a large brown body float to the surface.

"One of Utgard-Loki's guards, this will give you an additional two minutes thirty-one second and 8 milliseconds to reach his home before he is aware of you."

"Thoth, if it isn't too much to ask, could you tell me about the pantheon of the Cthul..."

"There is no pantheon of that mythos. And never talk about it again. "Thoth snapped rather hastily.

He isn't lying, but it's plain he isn't telling the truth either. I'll let it go for now.

"Is there anything you are willing to share about the other pantheons?"

"The short answer is 'no', the long answer is 'nothing useful'. Unless fate twists in ways I cannot see, you will not be leaving the nine realms by your own power, and the other pantheons will not interact with you. At best a mortal may wander into here but will return to their own realm eventually."

Okay, what about the Iron Woods, was that really Baba Yaga?"

"Do you know of any other witches that live in walking huts? It is her, but I did not make her guard the mist, that was Odin's doing."

"What?"

"Odin is constantly looking for a way to travel beyond the nine. In one such attempt he used the mist and ended up in the realm of Slavic mythology and met Baba Yaga. After some riddles and hubris, the two fought and ended up beating each other so bad, that they fled from one another and now constantly watch the mists in fear of the other eventual return."

"You did not send her to him?"

"I didn't. In fact, I make it a practice to avoid her. She is like a badger when it comes to the magic: not the strongest but fierce enough to give many larger beings pause and reason to keep distance."

"There are many tales involving her, so I am curious as to whether she is good or evil? After all, it seems like she is the one I am most likely to meet on chance."

"Your misfortune if so, but like myself she does not have a moral code, being somewhat of a selfish person who lets their whims decide their lives. Though I must admit I am the less hostile of the two of us."

"Odin mentioned that she outmatched him in magic."

"She did, and there are a few other in all the realms that can do so, though not too many. Fortunately for Odin he is more of a magic-warrior hybrid than a straight magic user like Baba Yaga, and as such could cast spells while fighting. Gave the hag a fright to match her wounds, which was doubled when she healed and tried to curse him from afar and found that he was beyond her influence. Now she wanders around seeing if he will return, much like what she does for me really."

"You fought her too?"

"Ours was not as up close and personal as what she had with Odin, but I suppose 'fought' is a close enough description. I haven't been back since then as she would make more effort into killing me now."

"Were you in the forest for reasons other than me?"

"Yes."

"What for?" Asked Tyr after a pause.

" We're reaching the shore now, best stop talking till we find Utgard-Loki's home."