THE GUARDIAN OF MIDGARD

The screams never left him.

His mother's scream as she was killed by the god, while she gave her life for her children's escape.

Those screams became his nightmare—

And even more, his driving force.

“Begin!” The Valkyrie's voice resounded in Jayd's ears and the world changed, countless souls bound by the chains of Valhalla cried in agony.

The ground was bathed in red, and Jayd gripped his sword.

For three years, he had trained for this.

Overcoming painful trials and terrible situations— He would not let himself get defeated.

“Come at me.” He yelled out, slicing his sword through the air as he charged.

With insane strength, he leapt to the sky, and came down, his sword crashing into the head of a giant, instantly separating it from the giant's body.

Seeing his immense strength, the war souls rushed after him, armours forming around their body as their shrill sounds filled the area, causing Jayd's ears to erupt.

It was the scream of the banshee. A sound capable of bringing even the great Valkyrie to her knees.

“You have to do better!” Jayd growled, he struck the sword on the floor, and the weapon changed into a long spear.

With the precision of an eagle, Jayd threw the spear, lodging it into the forehead of the banshee.

He drew his second sword, and parried incoming strikes.

Thunder struck through the cloud, and lightning spread around the sky.

It was a massacre.

Jayd stood in the middle of fallen bodies, raising his sword, as blood covered his body.

“I shouldn't be surprised.” A woman chuckled as she flew forward, bathed in golden light and dressed in a silver armour.

She was the Valkyrie.

Her golden hair commanded a heavenly aura, causing the man to kneel before her.

“Picking you up from that city was my greatest decision.” The Valkyrie smiled, and unsheathed her sword.

“You defeated the ten godly war souls. The only being who had achieved that was the son of Zeus and you are merely a mortal.” Her smile widened as she stared at her price.

The man raised his gaze.

Only he would dare to look at the Valkyrie amongst other gods.

“Your training was the reason for my victory.” Jayd said.

The Valkyrie nodded in response.

Indeed, he was her greatest achievement.

“Due to your ground breaking victory. Jayd Valen, You have earned the title, ‘Guardian of Midgard.’ Wars would need your presence, and you would lead Heaven's mighty army. You are my successor.”

Lightning struck as she completed her sentence, landing on the head of the man, and transforming him completely.

It was a baptism of power. His black hair was immediately changed to golden and bright white wings came out from his back.

And a golden halo appeared on his head.

But Jayd's expression didn't change—

It was heavy, because sadness weighed on his heart.

“I am grateful for this honour, however, I cannot accept it.”

The Guardian of Midgard was a title even gods respected.

A title they craved. To be the defining factor between Midgard and Asgard.

But this man was rejecting it?

A vein popped in the Valkyrie's head, and she exhaled.

“Is it your hometown?” She asked him. It was a topic he had rambled about whenever they met.

Even when she had tried to make him forget about the place, it was fruitless.

Jayd nodded, “I am not at peace if I don't return back and avenge my mother, by killing the god who took her life.”

The Valkyrie stared at him for several moments.

Rejecting the title of Midgard’s Guardian was the same as slapping her face.

If the gods were here, they would have sought for his head.

“You still remember that night?” The Valkyrie asked, her voice low.

Jayd lowered his head

“Every day.”

The Valkyrie's expression softened.

Ten years ago, it was a dark and bloody night.

Humans were faced with the advancement of frost giants and beasts from the abyss.

But bathed in blood, a young boy stood in the center of the battlefield.

Barely old enough to hold a sword, but he had fought with emotion.

She could smell it from him—a burning fire of hatred.

Remembering that day, the Valkyrie raised her hand.

“You have one month.” Her eyes settled on Jayd.

“After one month, you will return without fail.”

Jayd bowed deeply, “Thank you.” Golden light engulfed his body and instantly, he vanished.

———————

Jayd opened his eyes, greeted by the cool wind.

For the first time in years, a genuine smile appeared on his face.

Nostalgia filled him, followed by the memories he visited daily.

“I wonder how Ria is doing now.” He said, thinking of his sister.

By his calculations, she should be twenty.

“And Larissa. I can't wait to see her.”

Larissa had taken them in on the brink of death, now that he was here. He would repay her accordingly.

Jayd took in a deep breath, and with a single step, he covered a large distance, instantly appearing at the door of a building.

But something was wrong.

The smile dropped from Jayd's face as he looked around, anger and confusion slowly building within him.

The roof of the building was no longer there and the walls had broken down in pieces.

“What happened here?” His frown deepened, and he sharpened his senses. There was no one near the house, he couldn't see any bodies either.

Just when he was about to turn around, a scream resounded in his ears.

There was no mistaking that voice. Jayd turned back, his eyes focused on the direction of the scream.

“Larissa.”

He moved, and the scenery around him blurred.

Houses appeared as he passed—at least, what was left of them.

“What happened here?” Jayd was confused.

This was not how he left this city.

And since he had not contacted them for years, he couldn't understand what went wrong.

The cries became louder.

And then he saw it, and gathered around a woman was a group of men.

It wasn't just any woman.

It was the same lady who had saved his life and the life of his sister.

“Shut up, you freaking slut!”

One of the men gripped her dress, and pulled it, instantly ripping it apart.

Larissa could only hold the ruins of the cloth to hide her chest.

Tears fell from her eyes.

“Please don't do this.” She begged but it fell to deaf ears.

Jayd's eyes darkened.

The change in his emotions caused the appearance of dark clouds. Thunder deafened the earth, while lightning drew streaks on the sky.

These people were making a mistake—

But they had not realised it yet

The men didn't pay attention to the environmental change as they were much too engrossed in their fun.

“There's no point in keeping yourself, woman. No one is coming to save you. And especially not in a run down city like this.” The man said, before he grabbed her arm.

“I'm going to take you raw and I'd keep doing it until you—”

The sentence hung in the air.

Blood splashed, and Larissa averted her eyes.

“How dare you?”

Thunder rumbled as Jayd's voice descended on the area.

The man who was speaking, slumped on the ground—

His head had been separated from his body.

Jayd threw the head aside, and his eyes settled on the group.

“Who on earth gave you the permission to touch her?”