After the events in the Sky Sanctuary Hunter had cleared out what little he owned in his home and set up his mailing address as a P.O. box and moved out of his apartment. He moved into his rent free home in Alfheim and would simply shift into a bathroom at work and clock in. With less expenses Hunter's savings would quickly build up. Hunter set up a will so if he died or vanished all his savings would be donated to charity. This setup allowed him to spend more time with Lilac with Lady Hel visiting somewhat regularly. Hunter would switch from spending free time in Alfheim to Helheim from time to time in order to divide his time between Lilac and Hel. But even not being in Midgard Hunter eventually felt the pull. He didn't have to worry about being seen when he shifted though since everyone in Alfheim and Helheim knew what was going on. Once in his last new location Hunter looked around.
The area had large crystalline formations on smooth but berren looking black rock. The crystals came in many different colors, shapes, and sizes and were all in areas buildings would be in other realms. Hunter couldn't see any people. He let out a breath as he thought about what the Dwarves would do to this place assuming there was no one living here. Hunter called out into the empty area trying to see if he could get the attention of someone or something. It may not have been the smartest move since he had no idea what to expect but if things did go south he had his equipment and Light-bringer ready to go.
After a while one of the crystals lit up a bit and a humanoid walked out from it. A crystalline humanoid who was an opaque purple walked over to Hunter and looked him up and down. Hunter was slightly surprised to see the future had simple robes in and on closer inspection had concentrated deposits of metal on the back of its hands, forearms, and shins that looked almost like armor fuzed with its body.
“Hello there. I come in peace.” Hunter chuckles “I mean you no harm.” Hunter puts his hand to his chest. “My name is Hunter Steel-Bone. I only wish to give warning and seek aid.”
The crystalline person approached Hunter. Its face would glow as different ringing sounds were heard. When it gets to Hunter he tries to repeat his words to the crystalline figure. It tilts its head and puts its hand on Hunter's chest. “Hello. Hunter. Mean no harm.” Rings out from its body. It then looks to the crystals behind it and lets out several ringing sounds. More figures emerge from the crystals. All kinds of shapes and colors. All humanoid, their shapes resemble different body types and some even look feminine. The figure then walks to the group and puts its hand on one of the other people’s chest before letting out a ringing sound. It then returns to Hunter and once again rings out a mimicry of words. “Mean no harm.”
Hunter looks the various crystals up and down. “Are you some kind of living crystal? Do you possess some kind of telepathy?”
The one closest to Hunter rings out more mimicked sounds. “Living crystal. Telepathy. Hunter. Mean no harm. Crystal. Mean no harm. Hello.”
“I can't tell if you are just mimicking me or if you actually understand and are communicating with me. I'll just have to trust that you mean no harm because you didn't show up until after I said I wasn't going to hurt anyone.”
The figure nodded. “Understand. Trust. Communicating. No hurt anyone.”
“Can you take me to your leader? Someone in charge, someone with authority.”
The purple crystalline humanoid tilts its head. “Take to leader” after a bit it straightened its stance. It waved its hand gesturing for Hunter to follow. “Take Hunter to leader” followed by ringing sounds. Anyone standing in the path the person guided Hunter on moved out of the way.
Hunter was a bit confused. The auto translator had yet to kick in but he couldn't help but feel like he understood what these beings were trying to communicate whenever they made their various noises. He wasn't sure how he was able to but he could understand not the word they were saying but rather the emotion and intent behind it. That's when it hit Hunter. The reason auto translation wasn't working properly and yet he could understand them was because they weren't speaking a language as one would understand it. Similar to Light-bringer they communicated solely through emotion and intent rather than words. That's why their mimicry of his words felt off. They didn't actually understand the meaning of the word, but rather the emotion and intent behind it. Hunter chuckled. “They talk in a similar way to you.” He says as he lets Light-bringer out its sheath. It hums excitedly. The chance at communication with new people had the sword feeling giddy.
Hunter was taken to an extremely large prismatic crystal from which a broad bodied masculine looking crystal humanoid and a svelte feminine crystal humanoid both emerged. “Greetings stranger. From another world you've come. We are curious as to the motivation of your arrival.”
The purple crystal person spoke before Hunter had a chance. “This one claims to bring a message of oncoming calamity. Claims to want to form an alliance against the threat.”
“What threat is it you claim to bring calamity that requires an alliance of worlds?”
“A threat that once descended upon the realms once before. Twenty five thousand orbits around the sun ago. A cosmic tyrant that once sought to remove free will from the realms of Yggdrasil. The King in Yellow will return. I have it on good authority, his arrival is imminent and inevitable.”
The many crystalline people looked around, they let off a yellow glow and Hunter could sense a fear from every one in the group. A murmur echoed through the crowd. “Tyrant in Yellow.”
The two leaders then looked at Hunter and spoke in unison. “If it is an alliance against the Tyrant in Yellow then our support is a given. But we will not trade one subjugation for another. We must have your word that we'll remain independent.”
“I have no wish to rule over your world or any other. I'm no king. All realms in the alliance will have an equal voice.”
“We know not every world has unity like ours. How will you ensure each realm is equal?”
“Each realm will effectively have one vote, how they achieve that vote is up to them. A counsel of sorts.”
“We understand. If that is all, you may depart.”
“Actually I kind of need to rest before I can travel the worlds again. I need a place to sleep. In the meantime I'd like to learn more about your people and how they live.”
The leading couple gestures to the purple individual who led Hunter to them. “This one will accommodate you.”
Hunter nodded. “Thanks. You have my gratitude.”
The purple individual guided Hunter back to its home crystal and touched it. It glowed and shifted shape to accommodate Hunter setting up a bed for him. Hunter puts his bedroll on it and sits down. “So you live inside these crystals and do what exactly? I don't see farms so if you eat it's not the same way we do. What do you do for art? History? I see no evidence of a library.”
“Our lives are simple. We grow and are grown from the living crystal. It takes in energy that we feed from to keep us alive. We can shape the crystals if we wish to express ourselves visually. As for history, all memories of the past are held by the collective. Every memory of every individual can be accessed by every other via the collective. Though we are individuals and are each separate we can learn from the experience of the others. We are unity, but still value individually. We express this with our outward appearance and the voice we choose.”
“So you have no social concept of gender but chose to mimic the aesthetic of gender because of visual and auditory preferences?”
“Correct. Though interaction with others outside the collective has given us a limited understanding of your concept of gender we also understand it doesn't apply to us. However some have still come attached to the appearance and sound of one or the other of what you know as gender.”
“So in a way your homes and bodies are art and the history of your people is recorded inside the crystals. That's interesting.”
The purple individual nodded. “Do your people have preferences for aesthetics?”
“Yeah. We often have cloth and fabric in different colors to make our bodies art too. It's known as fashion. Though we can't shift our body shapes with ease some do change gender and appearance. It's a lot more difficult to do. Though I don't think you have romantic pairings we often couple up. In fact it's kind of essential for reproduction. We need to make pairings to propagate our population.”
The crystal person tilts their head. “Does the pairing have to be specific in any way? For us we can have one or more individuals working on growing a new individual.”
“Normally you need one man and one woman to genetically create a new person but any individual or pairing can raise the new individual. People can pair up however they wish though.”
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The crystal person thinks over this information for a bit. “Do you have a designated partner? Someone whom you share your life with?”
“Not yet, but I have options. However I don't know if either would result in offspring. Though I am male and both are female, one received damage to the part responsible for the creation of new life and the other is a different species meaning they probably aren't genetically compatible.”
“From what I understand of other peoples outside our world there is value in leaving a genetic legacy and creating progeny. Because unlike us your memory is not stashed in a collective. You rely on physical records that can be lost to time.”
“Yeah, we have limits. Honestly I don't really care if I don't have kids of my own. I won't be around long enough to raise them anyway. It's been foretold that I will die in the coming conflict.”
“That's unfortunate. If you were part of our unity then your memory would never fade. If I understand you correctly not only do you have preferences for your own looks but in the looks of who you pair with.”
“Yeah. I prefer my partner to look feminine and tend to dress in my favorite colors. Blue, purple, and green are all nice. Just not all at once.”
The figure tilted its head.
“Do you not know those colors? You know yellow.”
It let off a yellow glow along with the emotion of fear.
“Right, sorry.” Hunter then found different colored papers. “I'll go through a few major colors. I'll show you the color then say the name I have for that color. Ready?”
They nod. “I understand and am ready.”
Hunter lifted up a green card. “Green”
The individual responded by glowing that color and repeating the word. “Green” with no emotional response.
Hunter then lifts a yellow card and gets the response “yellow” along with fear before he can say it. “Yeah, this is yellow.” before grabbing an orange card. “Orange.”
Again there is a glow and repeat of the word “orange” without emotional response.
Hunter goes through the next few more in a row. “Cyan. Red. Pink. Blue. Black. White.”
The first three repeat without emotional response. “Cyan. Red. Pink.” Then when it repeats “Blue” there is a slight positive response. “Black” gives no glow for them and “White” has a highly positive response and bright glow.
Hunter tilts his head but continues. “Purple” he holds up the last card.
The person glows and repeats “purple” with a sense of joy and almost pride. There is a giddiness with knowing the name of the color of its own body. “Purple” it repeats a second time.
Hunter chuckled. “Yeah, that's what color you are.”
“You said it was one of your favorites.”
“Correct. I like the color purple. I also like green, blue, and black.”
“I don't like black, it's not a color I can glow. But does your liking purple mean you like me?”
“I like the color you happen to be. Though you are nice, so I don't mind hanging out with you.”
“Ah. So you aren't going to try and form a couple with me?”
“I just met you today, so no. Also I already stated a preference for feminine looks.”
“Would you attempt “romance” if I were feminine?”
“Not necessarily. Relationships are more complex than just physical looks. It's more about how two people click together.”
“I don't exactly understand. But I guess that's okay.”
“Did you… want me to pursue you romantically?”
“We are not compatible. However I would like a greater understanding of how your people function.”
“Though I'm not sure about other organics of other races I know most humans like a physical closeness. They enjoy cuddling.”
“This would be easier if you could simply create a unity and share some of yourself with me.”
“How does your kind do that?”
“We can exchange energies through physical contact.”
Hunter thinks. “I… think I could accommodate that. I'm basically drenched in Bifrost energy.”
The purple crystal person looks at Hunter for a bit, likely thinking it over. “Would you be more comfortable sharing your energy if I were feminine?”
“It's not like we're having sex. Why would that matter?”
“I don't know what sex is. However, I'll try to make you comfortable.” The shapeshift to look and sound feminine.
Hunter is a bit confused but puts his head on theirs and starts generating Bifrost energy. After a bit he starts getting flashes of memories from the crystal person. Shaping and reshaping themselves and their home. Helping grow new homes and people. Memories of the invasion and war and interactions with other realms in ancient times. Memories of living flowers and taking some home to try and grow. Memories of a garden that eventually failed. After a while Hunter backed away. “That was… something else.”
“I… understand why the garden failed. Do you have flower seeds on you?”
Hunter handed her some seeds of flowers from Midgard and Alfheim. “Yeah, I was helping with a garden on Alfheim.”
“I'm going to be blunt. From what I saw of your life, it sucked. Until resonantly that is. I know maybe too much about how humans work. Organics are kinda gross.”
“Yep. We are. We usually don't think about it.”
“I also understand more about how you reproduce and your own personal preferences.”
“Please don't shapeshift to resemble my perfect woman physically.”
“I understand better your emotions and relationship dynamics so… no? I mean you have no memories of having sex so I don't know how that feels for you but I doubt I'd get the same satisfaction those people in the videos from your memories seem to have.”
“I can't believe you saw that. That's embarrassing.”
“What's embarrassing is what we did might be the closest my kind has to sex. Considering we reproduce asexually.”
“Wait, what?”
“Are we to be married now? Since I took your virginity.”
Hunter stared blankly at the feminine gem person.
“I joke. That was a joke. Though I do have a desire for cuddles.”
“I uhh… I'm not sure about that. But I've done stranger things I guess.” Hunter climbed into his bed roll. “Hop in I guess, no funny business. You… have a name?”
“Our kind don't have names like your kind. But you can call me Amethyst. I guess since I'm keeping this form and voice you can use the pronoun “she” for me.” Amethyst climbs into the bed roll and wraps her arms around Hunter. “Have a good sleep.”
Hunter found himself dozing off next to a surprisingly warm polished rock in the shape of a woman.
Hunter awoke with his arms around a shapely crystal. The figure nuzzled into the grip and body of the human holding it. It wasn't exactly comfortable for Hunter. “I slept surprisingly well all things considered.”
“You leak a small amount of your Bifrost energy in your sleep. We were partly connected during your rest cycle. You are…. Surprisingly open to the idea of interspecies coupling. Something I did not expect considering the last interactions my kind has with others. You know… with some adjustments I could… accommodate your needs.”
Hunter sat up extremely quickly. “Thanks but no thanks. I have enough alien ladies trying to get me to commit to a relationship.”
“I wasn't suggesting a permanent coupling. Just while you are here. After spending time linked with you one could say we've already bonded. Everything you are is now a part of me. It'll be a part of the collective. I'm just suggesting you let go for a bit. Let down your guard and just… be in the moment.” The figure moves to straddle Hunter and shifts on his lap. The shape changes slightly to be more rounded and even adopts a level of softness. “I’ve been inside that head of yours, I think I'm more than capable of easing your mind and body.”
“If you've been inside my mind then you know exactly why I have a hard time letting go of my guard and letting others in.”
“You've… already let me in. Though not intentionally.” It puts a hand on Hunter's chest. “I just want to repay it, and let you in. If you give me all of you, then you'll live forever as part of the collective.” The hand gently rubs Hunter's face. “All you have to do is let go, and death will never truly reach you. You can be part of the unity. Despite your form you can join us. Your energy allows you to do so. You could even abandon that form of yours and be reborn in the crystal. You could stay, and create a new era for our people.”
Hunter pushes the crystal person off him. “It's tempting, but ultimately selfish. This form… my life. The sacrifice I make brings a new era of prosperity for all realms, not just yours. I'll have to decline.”
“I understand and respect your decision. The offer will stand if you ever change your mind.”
“Do you think that's something I'll actually do? After seeing inside my mind?”
They looked away. “No. You are stubborn and once you set to something it is as immovable as… stone? That saying is flawed, you know.”
Hunter chuckled. “Yeah, humans are silly like that.” He got up and noticed his body still reacted to the intimate interaction. “Really? You are not at all picky are you? Getting worked up by a rock.”
“I made myself soft for you, it's only natural that your body hardens in response.” The feminine giggle catches Hunter off guard.
“This has been one of the stranger experiences I've had to date. Almost a shame this'll likely be the last time I get a moment like this. My adventures are going to mostly be political as I gather more realms for the alliance. Next stop, Jotunheim’s capital city of Utgard. Should be easy to get them in since Muspelheim and Nifilheim have both already agreed. That means all the upper and four out of the seven lower realms will be onboard. Leaving three lower and my home of Midgard left. Five places counting the surefire Jotunheim.”
“I wish you luck Hunter, with everything.”
“Thanks Amethyst. I appreciate it.” He kisses the figure’s forehead. “For the record, no, we are not married now.”
Amethyst giggles. “I know that, silly. Are you ready to leave then?”
“I… not quite yet.” Hunter sits back down and holds Amethyst in a sideways hug. “I just want a little bit more time before I reach the end. I'm not… I'm not ready to say goodbye just yet.”
“I know Hunter.” Amethyst mimics kissing Hunter's forehead. “Take all the time you need, and then when it's time to say goodbye leave knowing I'll always carry what you've given me.” The alien does her best to comfort Hunter.
Hunter sighs. “Thanks, I guess. Ready or not, I should move forward.” he stands and walks back to the equivalent of the town square and waves to everyone. “I'll be going, but someone will be here to install a Bifrost powered communications system so we can coordinate our efforts. Welcome to the Yggdrasil Alliance.”
Waves and goodbyes are shared by all the people. Despite his relatively short time he's already made a lasting effect on these people. Leaving them with the names of colors and other human influence. Hunter did not know or care if this changed the prediction of him being forgotten and left without a memorial. All that mattered was leaving the realms better places then he found them. Although he knew he would not live to see it, the thought that he'd bring about a new golden era made Hunter happy and proud.
When Hunter stood, ready to go back to either Alfheim, Helheim or Idavoll to spend time with either one of his two romantic options or his brother, Hunter had a new determination. He was more determined than ever to help forge this new era. Regardless of his lack of participation and perhaps even lack of credit. It wasn't about his happiness, this was about everyone else's.
Hunter made his choice of where he'd spend his downtime before his next outing to build a better future for all, and shifted away from the new realm. The power of Ymir was finally completed and Hunter was unsure what that would mean for his future use of it. Would his control get better or worse? Only time would answer his questions. Only in time would he come to know his true fate. Only in time would he come to know the true power he holds. For he is The Crownless King, the Living Bifrost. The embodiment of the rainbow bridge’s unifying power to mend gaps thought impossible to bridge. The gap between space and time. Between thought and reality. Between the possible and impossible. To hold the power of the source of what is known as magic in his very body.
For his body is the soil from which the seed did grow, his mind is the sky through which the branches unfurl, and from those branches the fruit of worlds doth sprout. You the reader may not understand these words, passed down through the ages. Given to Odin and then to Loki. By the end of this story, the truth of these words will be made clear. You'll just have to be patient. Keep reading. Though not every mystery will be solved, the ones that matter to this story will be. The rest, well those secrets are a story all their own. Maybe someday someone will tell them. As I write this I know that despite my lifespan it isn't going to be me. Even a being of my advanced position has limits. Till next time, keep dancing and singing, because as they say in Broadway, the show must go on.