I had been playing it safe when it came to travel ever since I started jumping worlds. Avoiding areas that are crowded most of the time because explaining how I either vanished or manifested in thin air to the people of the realm known to outsiders as Midgard would be a pain. However it became unavoidable when my boss had me run an errand to city hall. He placed it at the end of my shift, telling me to text him when I dropped off. Once that was done I'd be considered off the clock for a long weekend. I wouldn't have to be back until Tuesday. Almost right after I sent the text, while I was still on the sidewalk near city hall, I felt the pull.

A slight panic went through my body as I looked around for a spot to hide myself before I was transported. I didn't get enough time and was pulled to a new place right in the public eye. I had no doubt someone had eyes on me when it happened. I couldn't think about that now, I had to focus on living through my new location until I could rest.

I put on my gas mask on the other side after seeing a red cloud at eye level just to be safe. As I looked around the buildings were all covered in red vines and what looked like either fungal or coral growths. This is where the clouds were coming from. The sun was obscured by something indicating this was a root world. Based on my notes this was likely the world opposite to Musplhiem. A world I decided to call, Crimson Blight.

The city hall building itself was the biggest change from home. In place of a pseudo palace in a greeko-roman style there was a sort of temple. A pyramid, no, a ziggurat. The style was reminiscent of a mix of central and south American with some possible middle eastern influence. Or at least that's what popped in my head. In truth I doubt the builders had any influence on or from any Midgardian culture.

At the door stood two figures in black outfits holding guns. The style of the outfits and even the guns reminded me of those from the days of Nazi Germany. The black ones with the gas masks they would use. They were pointing guns at me. Though when they spoke it definitely wasn't German since my translator would have been able to translate that.

I put my hands into the air and tried my best not to look like a threat. As I looked around the building area I saw several corpses in various states of decay. Some of them even had that same armor as the guards. Many had bullet holes in them and had red vines growing from inside their bodies. Some were growing what looked like a flower on the vines.

I looked at one that didn't have a mask that looked fresh. I couldn't tell the exact features but I could see that the humanoid wasn't human. It wasn't elf, dwarf, Jotun, Vanir, or Aseir.

The guards kept shouting at me and I said "I don't want any trouble. I'd rather not hurt anyone."

One shouted and this time the translator was working. "Have you been scratched by a thorn or breathed in a red dust cloud?"

"No, I just got here and I put on this mask right away just to be safe. I'm essentially from another world."

They looked at one another, surprised to hear their own language. "How... How are you doing that?"

"It's.... A long story. But basically I have a device that automatically translates languages. It can even learn new ones with enough exposure."

"Sounds useful for someone that can travel across worlds."

"I'm not exactly entirely willing. I can return to places I've been but every so often I'm forced to go someplace new. Since I know you'll ask I'll just skip ahead and tell you there are a total of fifteen different worlds I can go to and have been to ten counting this one and my own home. Or would it be eleven now? It's gotten hard to keep tabs."

"I'm guessing it hasn't been easy."

"No, but it's been a hell of a ride. So I have two questions right now. First, what happens if I get cut with a thorn? Second, what's inside that building you're guarding?"

"All these plants contain the blight. If it infects you it burns you up from the inside. Victims go through so much pain it drives them crazy and they lash out."

"So avoid being cut by plants and definitely don't breathe in the red pollin. Got it."

"As for the interior of this building we've got more men inside. Our people have been guarding this sight since before the blight took over the world. It's always been around but it started spreading a lot faster recently."

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"Let me guess. It started about six years ago. Still doesn't tell me what's inside you and your people are protecting."

"You are right about the timing. This building was built long ago to hold an artifact our ancestors found. They believed it to be the branch of a great tree. One that exists at the center of the universe and holds our world and others on its branches and in its roots."

"Yggdrasil. You're trying to tell me you have a bonafide branch of the world tree? You what, just sit around waiting and making sure it's not used?"

"That was the idea. However stories say around five thousand years ago a man who traveled worlds like you can came here. He told us the branch once belonged to someone, and that one day the heir to that person's power would come to claim it."

"So if he shows up you'll... Let him through right? Let him take the branch because of prophecy, destiny, fate, and all that junk?"

"No, we'll kill them. It is a branch from the tree that holds reality together as we know it. Its power is too great to entrust to a total stranger from another world." They point their guns at me. "Any attempt to take it will be met with hostile action."

"Then I offer my most sincere apologies and condolences for what I must do. Since I'm guessing I'll be needing that branch."

"We'd sooner die then see it leave the sacred temple."

"I figured as much. So I just have one question left to ask you. Would you prefer an open or shut casket?"

"Shoot the out-worlder, do it now!"

They open fire spraying bullets in my direction.

I took cover behind what looked like a broken down and over grown car and unsheathed Light-bringer. "Looks like they voted for a closed casket or maybe even cremation. You don't need to hold back."

Light-bringer worbiled excitedly and poled out of cover. Its sword slashes made quick work of the two men cutting them in half from a distance.

I activated my ring in order to put on the armor and made my way into the building. There was no doubt in my mind that I'd meet further resistance. I couldn't help but ask myself if this was really necessary. After all, I could have simply walked away and moved forward without the branch despite Loki having already left a little Easter egg for me here.

I had an idea what was coming, and I would need all the help and powerful artifacts I could get my hands on. I was being prepared for the return of The King in Yellow, and it was looking like I'd give my life to save the realms. I had already decided I was okay with this. Although I had found a measure of happiness since my travels it would only be soured by the thought of my choosing to live causing others to suffer. If my death led to safety and happiness across the realms and my life led to misery, there wasn't really much of a choice. I'd choose others before myself every time. That's just who I was.

As I walked in with the armor I made no offensive moves at first and let bullets rain on my armor only covering the eye holes with my hand as I moved. "I won't kill anyone else unless I have to. If you knew what was at stake you'd stand down."

"All of us would sooner die then let a stranger take the branch." A soldier ran in to try and stab between armor gaps but found himself cut to bits by Light-bringer before he could reach me.

"I'm not even trying. Just stand down. I'm trying to get through this segment where it's like playing a horror game and suddenly you start getting suspicious amounts of ammo. Yes, I'm aware none of you get the reference. You don't have to die. Just let me grab the branch so I can use it to help me take down The King in Yellow and their Nautili."

"Your words fall on def ears."

"And your resistance is futile. You're dropping like flies and can't even touch me in this armor. Just stand down."

They ignore me and keep firing. Eventually I trudge my way to the center chamber where what looks like a club stand on a pedestal. The club is made of strangely green colored wood. With lines line veins running along the club that glow a purple-blue like the Bifrost energy I have. I feel drawn to the wooden club, almost like an instinct. It belongs in my hand, it's my right to have it. Part of my strange inheritance.

However four last people sit in the center chamber, two at each side of the pedestal. Two have mounted machine guns, and the other two have what looks like armor piercing rifles intended for tanks.

"Well.... Fuck." I stated simply.

The machine guns pelted me with little effect followed by the artillery launching an explosive round at me. I was pushed back a bit and my ears were ringing but I kept moving forward. "Cut. That. OUT!"

"Let's see how well you talk with a hole in your lungs [corpse-fucker]!" The sniper fired a round right into my chest. It blew a hole right through me.

I looked down at the hole and suddenly couldn't breathe. My body automatically initiated transformation to save me. My armor adjusted size to accommodate. Transforming healed me and the hole in the armor even closed as it changed size. "You're dead." My deep voice echoed in the building as I rushed the sniper and snapped his neck. Light-bringer dealt with the other gunners. Now it was just me and the club.

As I looked at the club made from a branch of Yggdrasill, the one that once belonged to Ymir, I felt a level of satisfaction knowing it would be in my hand soon. As I touched the club I found myself in an unusual situation.

As soon as I touched it a strange feeling went through my body and I was suddenly in a different room. Or at least that's what it looked like. The pedestal was still there but the room was void of detail and color. The club was gone and sitting on the pedestal was a ten foot tall figure. He had icy blue skin but on his arms and legs it shifted to a blood red. He had long straight horns coming up from his forehead. Eyes were purple with black scalira. His outfit was the same one I had under my armor. I looked at my arms and their normal color. I was looking at myself, my Jotun form.

"You're probably a bit confused. I'm basically an interactive interface that's here to help you tailor the weapon once known as [Breaker of Willpower/Freedom] to your own needs and personally. You can rename it as well. I have no preference myself since I'm only here for the transition."

"So how does this work exactly?"

"Picture a weapon in your mind, imagine its abilities and mechanics. It'll then take that form if it's within its ability to do so."

I closed my eyes and formed in my head a picture of what I wanted.

"Heh, you're quite creative. Yeah, that's something we can do. Good luck inheritor, you'll need it."

There was a flash of light and I was back in the temple, now equipped with my new weapon.