Chapter 317: Valhalla

13th May 2013, Svartalfheim

(Jasmine Sayre POV)

I stood proudly in front of my opponent with my staff raised, hiding how much that took out of me. The cosmic entity glared at me, "this isn't over."

I ran at him to finish the fight, only for him to use the reality stone and summon a cloud of darkness. I dispelled the cloud and my enemy had disappeared. I couldn't sense him, but I could tell that he had left this realm.

Suddenly, I felt the actual weight of what I had done today. I fought Entropy on equal ground and managed to get him to run, even if he ended up escaping with an infinity stone in his hands. Absentmindedly, I opened a portal to Asgard's healing chambers, and the moment I entered, I let the darkness consume me and fell unconscious.

I woke up with a gasp, feeling suspiciously uninjured. Even the gash in my chest had disappeared, something that should have been impossible given the fact that it was made by the Necrosword, which means it would take months to heal, and that it would definitely scar.

I looked around and found myself in the familiar white environment that was slowly shaping up to look like Atlantis. The fact that my heart did not ache at the sight was further proof of how much Selene's actions have changed me, and I don't know if I am better off or not. I could feel some nostalgia at the place that I called home for centuries, that I gave my freedom to save the remnants only to lose it centuries later because of the ambitions of its remnants.

I could easily infer that this was the void that made up the soul scape, which is usually inaccessible unless some higher power uses it to speak to people. This meant that someone is trying to speak with me. Looking around, I spoke up, ready to meet my summoner, "I know you didn't bring me here just to watch me wander around, so can you just reveal yourself to get on with it."

"I was told that you were perceptive, I didn't know how much," a voice replied behind me.

I turned and watched an unfamiliar being reveal himself. He took the form of a pale man with black hair and eyes and wore a similarly colored robe. He looked too similar to Entropy for me to ignore but he was very different in the way his energy felt.

Where Entropy felt like decay given form, where Death felt like the emptiness, this man felt like chaos. It was beauty and ugliness, Love and Sorrow, creation and destruction, it was everything yet nothing. I couldn't isolate which entity this man represented, nor how it could even contact me with the universe being closed off. Instead of guessing and accidentally offending the obviously cosmic entity before me, I asked, "Who are you?"

"I am imagination and creativity, I am ideas and stories, I am memories and forgotten, I am the king of Nightmares and reverie. I am Dream," the man answered me in a monotone voice.

I was still confused; I didn't know why Dream would come to visit me. I hadn't ever involved myself in his matters in any way, "Why did you bring me here?"

"To speak to you, of course."

This was really starting to grate me, "About what exactly?"

Dream did not answer me and instead looked around, "It's a beautiful place, this city, this idea. Atlantis was once a dream that a single man had, which was shared with many others until they decided to give it form. Everything starts with a dream and it's always nice to see them take form."

For fuck's sake. This is why I don't like dealing with cosmic entities. They can either be dicks or talk in riddles. I sighed in exasperation, "how are you even in this dimension, Lord Dream? It should have been sealed off until the timeline stabilizes."

"This universe is sealed by the orders of the Living Tribunal himself. However, we major cosmic entities still have our ways and influence to enter it. After all, if it was truly sealed, then no new life would flourish, no one would die, and time would freeze and become an illusion. And in my case, no one would have any Dreams. Access is very regularized for only cosmic entities that are necessary for the universe to function, even if then we are not allowed to involve myself."

I found myself raising my voice, "So, you're telling me that you could stop Entropy from destroying the multiverse, and can actually oppose him, but choose not to."

He shrugged, looking unconcerned, "We are not allowed to interfere. But I believe that there is something large at play. For a threat of this magnitude to be left alone means that the Living Tribunal is involved somehow. Nevertheless, this matter does not concern me."

"You're telling me that the potential destruction of the Multiverse, which would make you fade into nothing, is not a concern."

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"You're misunderstanding something, young one, we are not mortals, we are not alive. I am Dream, and my purpose is to manage the Dreams of every living being. Should the multiverse be destroyed, I would gladly fade away, since my existence would have no purpose. That is until a new multiverse will inevitably be born and a new Dream will be born."

I glared at him, "So, that's it. You're telling me that Death, Fate, Time, and all the others are leaving me to deal with something that I should be your responsibility for, just because of some obscure plan that you don't even know about?"

Dream answered with his usual monotoned voice, "Fate is not one of the cosmic entities allowed to interfere. You have to understand that Entropy was always under Death's purview. The fact that she seems unconcerned by his actions and is trusting you to handle it reassured the rest of us that the chance of the destruction of the multiverse is unlikely."

"Why the hell is Death still putting this on me? I have resigned as her Avatar."

The cosmic entity smiled at this, "It was quite the scandal when that was revealed. No entity has ever had an avatar willingly resign, so that was surprising. But Death didn't seem too bothered by it. She seemed to have expected it really."

This was getting ridiculous, "So, you're trusting Death on this?"

"You have to understand that your former patron is not a normal entity. Her words have weight and are acknowledged as one of the mightiest one of us. She is powerful, ruthless, and surprisingly merciful sometimes. Truthfully, I fully expected her to destroy Entropy's consciousness and replace him with another being. But she seemed to be content in binding his cosmic energy outside the universe and following the rules of the Living Tribunal."

"It doesn't make any sense. Why would she risk something like this?"

For the first time, Dream's voice turned harsh, "It is not your place to question our decisions. You are so small, Morrigan, far smaller than you realize. And for all your power, you're still a speck of dust compared to the weakest one of us. Do not think that your victory over Entropy means that you surpass him in power. Even with the paltry amount he's using to have a physical form to pursue his foolish ambition, he's far stronger than you. He was very limited by our laws and nature, even if he continuously fights against it."

I didn't understand what he was getting at. "What laws?" I asked.

Dream seemed pleased with the question, "We as beings of Endless power and influence need to limit ourselves when descending to physical plains. But, even then, we cannot interfere too much with mortals and forget our purpose, our existence. The principal laws of the living tribunal are etched into our very beings, and it is in our nature to obey them, and Entropy is no different. If you had fought Entropy as an Avatar of Death, he would have crushed you, since you represent another entity. Yet, you renounced your title and your allegiance, and thus he needed to lower his power to your physical level to deal with you. You have crippled him immensely because of your detachment from Death, but I fear that the next time you fight, he will be far stronger, and yet oddly weaker."

That didn't make any sense, and the cosmic entity obviously saw my confusion as he clarified, "Entropy is convinced that this is his purpose. His cosmic essence is locked up, barely even connected to the Avatar. His body is slowly resembling that of a mortal, or more specifically, one of your celestials. His status as a cosmic entity is already in question, since his very essence is still locked up, and all you're dealing with is a shard with a personality, which is constantly evolving to stay alive. He is slowly being unbound by our laws, as he changes into something else, something lesser. The more unbound he becomes, the weaker she is to us, and the stronger he becomes to you. It's quite the perplexing position."

Damn, what a way to sour a victory, "Well, I shouldn't have to fight him in the first place."

"The Living Tribunal ordered that you are to deal with Entropy and that no outsider may interfere in your task. Death did not protest, and thus it is now your duty."

"And if I choose not to fight?"

Dream's answer made me freeze, "Your world would be consumed by darkness, and turn into ash. The multiverse would soon follow, and not a single entity will lift a finger to stop it. Fading into nothing is a far kinder fate than those who disobey the Living Tribunal."

I glared at him. He was serious. The cosmic entities expected me to deal with their problem and wouldn't lift a finger to do it themselves. It was such an unreasonable request, and yet it didn't really change anything. I was going to fight Entropy anyway, if only because I was the only one who could.

This was starting to get grating, "So, to summarize, you're telling me that I have to fight a former cosmic entity that's slowly turning into an Eldritch abomination, that's planning on destroying the multiverse, and none of you are planning on helping me out?"

"Death believes in your inevitable success, and so does the Living Tribunal. And I trust their judgement."

I looked at him incredulously, "You're kidding, right? Any allies I could have had are either dead or dying. Even the celestials are no more. I don't even know if Odin survived and even if he did, he was severely wounded by the Necrosword. I banished my wife because I don't trust her, and the only ones that remain by my side are my daughter and the Avatar of the Phoenix Force. Even then, my daughter doesn't have the raw power to deal with a fight of this scale."

Dream nodded, "Yes, you are correct. I have watched you and I am willing to help in exchange for a favor in return."

I was very dubious, but still willing to listen to him, "What is it?"

"I am willing to add a person to your side, someone that would be able to balance the scales somewhat, my Avatar, my champion. In exchange, I ask that you simply train him in the art of what his role will entail."

This was interesting but I still wasn't sure about it, "I thought that the Living Tribunal forbade anyone from interfering."

The cosmic entity had a predatory smile on his face, "That would apply if the soul in question hadn't been my Avatar for a very long time, not that they knew of it."

"And who is he supposed to be?" I questioned.

"Why Loki Odinson, of course, the God of Stories and Avatar of Dream."

Well, shit.

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