"Ungrateful Bunch!" Loki cursed as the Dvergar smiths kicked him out of their workshop. Almost literally.

"Pay us what you owe, trickster, or no business for you!" An old Dvergar waved a fist at the Aesir. Others of his kin soon followed them outside.

Shrugging, Loki pondered for a while whether he should answer in kind but then the God shrugged. "I gave you fame! Because of what I did, every child in Midgard knows of you and your work, you cantankerous rock! Suit yourself, go into obscurity for all I care. When you boast about how you crafted Asgard's most beloved treasures, know it was all in Loki's..."

He ducked to dodge an anvil. The tool crashed on the building in the other side of the street. When the Dvergar watched in horror at what his actions had brought about, Loki was two realms away, cackling all the way.

The deity went back to his domain, where, as if Fate's hand had graciously flicked him in the ear, an irate man awaited.

"Mr. G, welcome!" Loki greeted with what seemed a genuine smile. "Long time no see."

Perhaps today was the multiversal "Get Pissed at Loki" day. Because Mr. G wasn't happy.

"You messed with the System Core? You took it offline? Do you know how much data I'll lose? You'll ruin the experiment!"

Loki adjusted his clothes, a vain effort as they were always perfect. Then he strode inside his realm, inviting Mr. G inside.

"We both know you have more than enough data already. If you couldn't gather enough in all these eras, you won't, ever. Besides, your precious little golden orb is still collecting data. Outside of a System-bound world."

Realization dawned in the man's face. "You gave it to your protégé!"

"Yes, how else would she keep her powers outside of a System world? We both know that these mass-produced Personal System Cores weren't meant to withstand the energies a Goddess wields. Lesser deity status nonetheless."

"I can't access the telemetry data, though," Mr. G said. Loki's grin told the man he'd ran himself into a corner.

"So, if you want, you can use these cracked cores to forge a divine core with the ability to transmit the telemetry. It's meant for the same person who now holds the System Core you crafted. I swear you'll get the wildest data you've ever seen."

Mr. G squinted. He'd seen the birth and death of entire universes in the service of his former master.

"Or you can sit out of this one and go back to swapping dead bankers into the body of little girls [1]. That was quite entertaining, I must say."

Loki knew he'd won when Mr. G reached out for the pouch of broken divine cores.

"Hand it over. I'll make what you want."

*

*

With the trap ready, I went to meet my new Viking friends. I hoped this thing worked as intended. It would be embarrassing not to mention fatal if this trap had a failure. It was as deadly as it was dread.

Before I left, I braided my tails so I had nine braids that looked like some child wrapped Chenille stems. At least it would make it harder to tell I had more than nine tails, since real Kitsune only reached out to this number. Another way in which the kit-bashed, backyard, and inconsistent System Core screwed up some things.

On my way out of the Grand Library, I left Loremaster Ragnar a note stating what I was intending to do. I was his guest of honor and he deserved to know as much.

I walked down Nidavellir's streets with more confidence than before. Finding a purpose, finding a place where I could fit, and finally a way to grow stronger without gaining levels was refreshing.

I had a long way to go before I could reach the levels of power I was used to. [Surpasser] and the other Skills that granted growth now worked as a multiplier on my efforts. In the time someone needed to build up some muscle mass, I would be jacked up and with the smarts of a college graduate. Yes, this was an opportunity to hone my mind as well as my body and soul.

And learn real skills. Would a Dvergar smith take me as their apprentice?

The high elation I felt crashed down faster than a card castle when the memories of my departure from Yznarian assaulted me.

what kept them at bay so far was my innate ability to turn over a new leaf and wear a new mask. My soul was extremely pliable and enduring, according to what Loki told me. A new life, even in an old body, was worth living for.

And everyone that mattered to me would still be there when I returned. I doubt the Aspects or any of the fairies would expire. Lorna would be reborn again, all I needed to do was to find her.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

I tried to move forward but felt my cheeks get damp and my feet halted. Subsisting on hope was hard, when one was forced to abandon everything, what was left behind. I would even bind myself to the divine core and ascend to full godhood if it meant having a way to never be separated from them again.

A couple of minutes later, I was back on my way.

*

*

The Vikings were training and sparring. Meinar stood by the side of the training courtyard, watching the women move and giving pointers. Though they all were elite warriors, their dedication to their craft made me ashamed of my volatile nature.

"Goddess Haru, welcome," Meinar said. She seemed really happy to see me.

I felt it was out of character for her. But maybe she really wanted to slay the Böggdra Bögvar. Or was it something else?

"Only Haru is fine. I would never take offense regardless of what my friends call me."

The Viking leader raised an eyebrow and smirked at my declaration but said nothing. I blurted out a question to keep the silence from getting awkward.

"Would you mind telling me more about the prophecy the Aesir gave you?"

"Ragnarök is coming, Evil forces move and conspire to bring about the end of times. The nine realms are endangered and my people, unfortunately, have become morose, too set in their ways and too comfortable in the luxury our forefathers and mothers brought to Midgard through centuries of pillaging and raiding."

"How soon?" I asked.

"In our lifetimes," her reply was somber. "That's why your help will be much appreciated."

That didn't say much. Though I had no idea how long a Viking lived, I was pretty sure it couldn't be compared to a human's lifespan back on Earth even with all the modern medical science doing its best to keep people from dying. I wasn't even sure Meinar's Midgard was the same place as Earth. From the little I remember from that world; we didn't have seven-foot-tall magical warriors.

"Is Midgard the same as Earth?" I decided to ask straight away.

"Earth is in Midgard, but the Midgard I come from is not Earth," Meinar said. "The realms are said to be infinite in size yet all falls under the All-Father's gaze. Midgard is composed of many worlds, both magical and mundane. I would risk saying that the world you hail from is one of them."

"Yznarian was plagued with demon invasions. Would these demons also come from Midgard?"

She shook her head. "Not really. The demons come from somewhere in Niflheim or Muspelheim."

"Not Hel?"

"Hel," she spat. "Is the sole domain of Loki's daughter. The whole realm even though she doesn't have much control over the undead lands."

Silence. While I thought about my next question, Meinar continued.

"Your world must be new. Demons are always finding ways to get into new worlds to steal souls. But enough of that, I sense your discomfort." Meinar faced the sparring warriors and whistled. "Okay, everyone. Do your post-workout routine, then go take a bath and relax for the rest of the day. I'll go out with Go... Haru to talk strategy."

The Vikings hooted and shouted. Then they started to stretch and chat. Meinar started to walk and I followed.

*

*

Our feet took us to a bakery in the upper district of Nidavellir. The whole realm was underground with no surface to speak of. The wheat and other ingredients must've been brought from another realm, making even simple bread an expensive delicacy.

We stopped outside the bakery. The sign on the door said "Closed. We'll be back soon."

"You said you came from a System world, right?" Meinar said.

"Yes. Though it's no longer like that. The System is gone." I left out the part on Loki's actions. I had no idea if it would impact badly on our relationship, to diss one of the Aesir gods.

"We Vikings also have a System, though it's only for us. We grow stronger and sometimes get quests through it. It's a blessing from the All-Father."

I hummed approval and acknowledgement, nodded, and let her continue to speak.

"I have a quest to buy a loaf of bread," Meinar confessed in a whisper. "While accompanied by an exotic friend."

That got me to stop and stare at the Viking. "Really? Since when?"

"Since I started on this journey. I had no idea who the exotic friend was until you showed up today. Then the exotic friend portion of the quest, that was always grayed out, lit up."

I had an itch behind my left ear that "I'm familiar with quests. This explains a lot. But I must say, my friend Meinar, that this quest is bullshit. Do you know who granted it to you?"

She shook her head. "No, not really. The quest's rank is Divine, so it must be one of the Aesir."

I flinched. Would it be too much to suspect Loki had a hand on that quest? Why me?

"I really hope the quest can be completed today, then," I said with my diplomat voice. "And not turn into something that causes flour shortages, ovens to go up in flames, and brioches to rot within seconds. Then that quest would really be bullshit."

"What is this that I hear about a quest?" A rumbling Dvergar voice came from behind us.

I turned to see an elderly Dvergar, one that my heightened senses didn't pick up until he spoke. After everything, what will come next? Dvergar ninjas? Or one dressed like a bat? But now that I could sense him, he smelled of flour and beer yeast.

"Well met, master," I said with a dip of my head. "Would it be wrong to assume you are the baker?"

The Dvergar laughed, his chortles carrying a backdrop like grating rocks. "It wouldn't be wrong. Let me unlock the door and we can talk inside, yes?"

We made way and soon found ourselves inside the bakery. It had plenty of bread in baskets. I sensed some well-wrought enchantments on the shelves holding the baskets, meant to preserve the products.

"My Viking friend here would like to buy some bread," I said. "But I am paying. Do you take gold?"

"Aye, aye. Your coin is welcome here, no matter the realm you hail from."

I let Meinar pick her bread, a basket of bagels, more than enough for me and all the Viking women. She paused and her eyes unfocused, a sign she was reading some System window. A brief bout of jealousy flared in my heart. Why? Because I no longer had a System? Status? According to the elder fairies, I was finally free from the System's yoke. Finally free to break past level a hundred, or at least the power associated with that level. But nobody said it would be fast or easy. The System's training wheels were really useful and easy to get accustomed to.

"We did it!" Meinar cheered as she bit into a bagel.

The baker cleared his throat and I reached up to place five gold coins on the counter. I was stuck in a land of giants. "Is this enough?"

"Just two gold coins is more than sufficient recompense," the Dvergar replied.

"Then, give me your best bread, enough to cover the remaining three."

"With pleasure," he said and turned to look at the rows of baskets.

*

*

The next morning, I woke up earlier, left the Grand Library, and met Meinar and her Viking maidens. We were ready to go hunt a bear-worm. Böggdra Bögvar beware!

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[1] To know who/what Mr. G is, read Catherine 2.0 here: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/45119/catherine-20