Chapter 337 Suddenly, Asgard.
Every individual in the room looked at Van as he sat there with eyes that did not seem to waver for even a millisecond. Even Vanya, who was standing beside him, could not help but slightly be shocked by her father's words.
From all of the people she had met in her lifetime, they would always surely follow a path; it might change from time to time, but the destination will always ultimately be the same. She feels she knows her father already, but at the same time, there were moments like this where he seemed to be a complete stranger.
To what extent does Van really want to take this quest for answers?
"For… answers?" Harvey could not help but stutter as he heard the coldness in Van's voice, "Just to seek answers, you're willing to join a war that doesn't involve you in any way!?"
"Are you threatened, Harvey?" Van then said as he looked at Harvey, his back still completely leaned on the chair.
"That's… Who are you?" Harvey could not help but let out a small gasp of frustration. Although his memory of the time back in the old world was already fuzzy, he remembered Van being more of a listener. And now, to see him looking at him as if he was some sort of stranger… it would seem that not even an ounce of their friendship meant nothing to him anymore. Of course, that was a time long past for Harvey as well.
Harvey initially went here to appeal to Van, as compared to them, he was still just the same young boy they once knew. Maybe he could appeal to him by making him reminisce of the time they had together… but it would seem that he might have underestimated his memory of Van. Van, by himself, was already an unpredictable variant in this war; but for him to amass his own army?
Was he really planning to take over the 9 Realms? But why? Was it really just to seek answers?
"I could ask you the same question, old man," Van said as he let out a sigh, "Who the fuck do you think you are that you could just march here unannounced? This is our home, and you are not welcome here."
"..." Harvey could only take in a long and deep breath as Van's words echoed through his ears, "Very well. I will also lift the bounty on your head, Van; it's a waste of resources. And for what it's worth, I truly am sorry for the death of Artemis… none of us knew."
Harvey turned around, looking at his brother as if asking if he wished to come back with him. Gerald, however, only shook his head as he took a step back. Seeing this, Harvey could only let out a wry chuckle as he left the tavern.
And as he opened the door, Van's cold expression slightly shifted as he met the eyes of a woman he has not seen as long as Harvey-- Victoria. However, it was just that. The two only stared at each other until the door between them closed, without moving even a single finger.
"It really is him," Victoria muttered as soon as Harvey passed by her.
"His hair is a little longer than I remember, but yes," Harvey then said as his tone completely changed to a more serious one.
"Have you confirmed what you needed to confirm?" Charles, who was also waiting for him to go out of the tavern, grabbed his arm as he looked Harvey straight in the eyes.
"Yes," Harvey nodded as he flung Charles's hand away, "There's no need to hold back anymore, my resolve will not waver just because of a friend I met in my earliest years… and I am glad that he feels the same way as well."
"Shall we do it, then?"
"Yes," Harvey nodded, "Since he wants to join the war, then let's put him right in front of it."
"Are… you sure about this, Harvey?" Victoria muttered, "His side might react violently if we go ahead with this… he will die."
"I am counting on it," Harvey scoffed, "You weren't inside, Vicky. You have no idea how ruthless Van is, and how even more ruthless he will become in the future. Do it now, Charles."
"...Alright, just waiting for you."
As soon as Charles said that, Harvey once again turned his attention towards the tavern. He then took in a long and deep breath, before slamming his fist straight through the door and destroying it.
"Van!" He then roared, quickly getting Van's attention. But before Van could even turn his head towards Harvey, Charles suddenly appeared behind him, his arms already wrapping around his body.
"W--"
And before he could even complete a word, the scenery in front of him completely shifted. The inside of the tavern was already quite dim, but now, there was almost nothing within his view but darkness. And perhaps because of this sudden realization, he could not grab Charles's arms before he completely disappeared.
He didn't have time to even regret his wallowing, however, as he quickly found himself being unable to breathe. And with this, he finally realized where he was-- in the expanse of space. It was not his lack of breath he was worried about, but the panic that was slowly instinctively settling and wrapping all of his body.
He had been to space several times, maybe more than he could count as he tried to reach the other Realms just by running through it; but being sent to it without even preparation or a slight warning truly causes one to panic.
By all means, he should have the ability to be able to breathe in space-- both Hermes, Azrael, and even Evangeline were able to do so. But why exactly--
Before Van could finish his thoughts, he quickly shook his head. This was no time to think about unnecessary things; he should quickly find a way to survive the situation. And so, with the thought of death looming over his mind, his eyes quickly scanned the horizon. And as soon as he turned his body around, he quickly saw the entirety of the 9 Realms welcoming him.
It was quite a sight to behold and truly paints how big the Branch actually is to be able to stretch from Midgard all the way to Muspelheim. It was also not the time to relish on the sights, however, as Van quickly rushed towards the nearest Realm he could land on without any more echoing thoughts.
"...Fuck,"
Harvey, who was currently being held on the neck by his brother on the ground, could not help but curse as he saw what seemed to be a winged golden serpent flying through the expanse of space. He made the right decision-- was the first thing that surfaced in his mind as he saw it.
Van was truly too dangerous of a variable to be left alone, and this proves just that. It may seem slow from where they were, but Van's approach towards Midgard was truly at a speed that Harvey could never even begin to fathom.
It almost looked as if the golden streaks of lightning were enough to swallow all of Midgard itself.
"What have you done!?" Gerald smashed his fist beside Harvey's face, slightly cracking the ground to his left, "He was my ticket to healing Xinyan!"
Harvey could only let out an awkward chuckle as his brother's roars reached his ears, "I'm sorry, brother… but we all have to make sacrifices in this war."
"She's still alive! I could have saved her! The forest giants are helping her!" Gerald once again slammed his fist on the ground. This truly was quite a dilemma; if the forest giants decided to suddenly become hostile with the loss of their leader, then Xinyan would definitely be the first one they kill. Even if he was more than capable of killing his way through everyone here, Xinyan would already be dead by the time he reaches her.
"I am sorry, brother."
"You--"
Before Gerald could utter another word, Charles suddenly appeared, instantly taking Harvey and Victoria with him as he disappeared as soon as he came.
"Fuck! I had nothing to do with this!" Gerald quickly said as he looked Vanya straight in the eyes. Vanya, however, only shook her head in response.
"I know, Gerald. You would never do anything to harm your lover," Vanya let out a sigh before turning her attention back to the skies, "Let's continue recruiting more people."
"W… wait, what about King Van?"
"My father will survive, Queen Nori," Vanya said as she walked back inside the tavern, "We…
...just have to be ready once he's back."
***
The sky itself cracked, followed by the roar of thunder as Van was able to successfully enter Asgard's atmosphere. But even though he was already safe from the confines of space, he did not let himself relax as he quickly found a place to hide-- inside the lush forest on the first mountain he had seen.
Based on how it looked from above, Van instantly recognized that he was now in Asgard. If anything, he was ready to be surrounded by an onslaught of gods trying to kill him at first sight.
But nothing.
Even after an hour of waiting in the bushes, not even a single living entity approached him. Was it actually possible that no one was able to notice him coming inside? Or were the Aesir just too confident that they did not even see him as a threat?
Either way, he should probably start finding a way back. He was able to use the River, so he could probably take it to go to the Branch's next stop, Niflheim-- that is if Harvey still hasn't destroyed Niflheim's river.
However, as soon as he stopped hiding from the bushes, he felt the ground beneath him tremble heavily. He was going to run away to escape the incoming attack but quickly found that it wasn't an attack at all.
The whole mountain itself was moving, but even more than that…
...it was looking at him.