In the depths of the usually silent and tranquil Lyngvi Valley, an unusual symphony echoed through the air. It was not the melodious song of birds, the rustling of tree branches, or the soothing hum of nature.

  No, this time, the only sound was the rhythmic blows landing on a beautiful girl, her body bound by golden chains.

  The noise reverberated among the snow-covered trees, the clinking of chains adding to the eerie atmosphere. It was a brutal symphony, accompanied by muffled cries of pain carried away by the winter wind. No one bore witness to this cruel spectacle, no one but me and the desolate, snow-laden landscape of Lyngvi Valley.

  "Aaargh!"

  "Take this, you damn girl! You need to be taught a lesson!"

  The gods continued mercilessly beating Fenrir, relishing her pained cries and powerless resistance.

  And yet, despite the relentless blows, Fenrir did not show a single trace of defeat. Instead, her eyes gleamed with defiance, utterly unafraid of death. A deep, seething rage burned in her gaze.

  "You dare look at us with those disgusting eyes again?!"

  "You should know your place, you damn stray mutt!"

  They shamelessly ganged up on Fenrir, trampling her as if she were nothing more than a bothersome insect.

  I racked my brain, searching for a way to help her, but as a raven, there was no way I could fight those gods head-on with nothing but reckless courage.

  Fenrir’s whimpers grew louder, piercing my ears, fueling my frustration.

  I couldn't take it anymore.

  I spread my wings and launched myself at the gods, knowing full well how foolish and dangerous my actions were. But I could not just sit idly by and watch Fenrir suffer.

  "Caw! Caw!"

  I let out a loud cry, pecking at their heads, scratching their skin, even blocking their vision.

  But they did not even acknowledge me. They were too fixated on torturing Fenrir to care.

  "Caw! Caw!"

  Only after a while did they finally growl in annoyance, turning their irritated gazes toward me and shooing me away.

  "What’s with this damn bird? It’s been pestering us this whole time," sneered a burly god named Svart.

  "Caw! Caw! Caw! (Pestering you? Ha! This is more like dealing with thugs than carrying out some ‘noble duty,’ you bunch of idiotic gods!)"

  "You’re right, brother," the lanky one, Hord, responded. "That raven seems to be getting in our way."

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  It seemed my attempt to distract them had worked, but at a steep price.

  The gods had now shifted their attention to me, their eyes gleaming with wicked grins.

  Hojlund glanced back at Fenrir. "Do you know anything about this raven, stray mutt?"

  Fenrir did not answer. She merely let out a low, meaningless growl.

  Hojlund shrugged. "I see."

  He turned his sharp gaze back to me, stroking his pointed chin. "Something’s strange. Ravens are creatures with sharp instincts for disaster. A bird like that shouldn’t be anywhere near here. Has its instinct dulled or something?"

  "That raven... it must be something special."

  "Is that what you think, Hord?" Hojlund smirked. "Then perhaps it would be better if we took care of it first before dealing with the mutt."

  To be honest, I had no idea who they were. Their names weren’t mentioned in Norse mythology.

  Were they just insignificant minor gods, or had the records of them simply not been discovered yet?

  I glanced at Fenrir, who was taking advantage of their momentary distraction. With sharp determination, she sank her fangs into Hojlund’s leg, tearing through flesh and muscle.

  "AAARGH! Damn you! Let go, you crazy mutt!"

  "Let go of our brother, you crazy mutt!"

  Hord ruthlessly kicked Fenrir in the head, trying to force her to release her bite. It took several blows before Fenrir finally let go.

  But it came at a painful cost. Hojlund’s flesh was ripped away by Fenrir’s fangs.

  "AAAAARGH!"

  Hojlund screamed in agony, clutching his bleeding leg in an attempt to stop the blood flow.

  Meanwhile, Fenrir swallowed the torn flesh in her mouth without hesitation. She grinned wickedly at them, her sharp teeth bared in a silent display of dominance, even while shackled.

  "That raven is my pet. Don’t you dare lay a finger on him," Fenrir threatened, licking the remaining blood from the corner of her lips.

  The gods were stunned.

  A mix of shock and fear flickered in their expressions.

  Even bound, they knew Fenrir was still the monster prophesied to bring doom upon the gods, a monster of unparalleled danger.

  Underestimating her was a mistake.

  Thinking she was incapable of fighting back was foolish.

  "A-Are you insane?!" Hojlund cursed, still pressing on his wound.

  Fenrir growled softly, her eyes blazing.

  "I’d rather face your wrath than watch you lay a hand on my pet."

  Her firm words echoed through the air, making my feathers bristle.

  "Brothers, I think it’s time we teach this mutt a real lesson."

  Once again, they completely ignored me, turning their sharpened gazes toward Fenrir. Their weapons gleamed as they drew them, ready to strike at any moment.

  "Caw! Caw! Caw!" I cried out again, desperately trying to divert their attention.

  But this time, they did not even flinch. Their focus was solely locked onto Fenrir.

  I dared not get any closer. Their weapons were drawn. It was too risky. If I approached recklessly, they would cut me down in an instant.

  They were beyond distraction now, but something was off. Their expressions wavered ever so slightly, as if they were hesitating. As if they feared something would happen if they actually dared to strike Fenrir down.

  "Go on, if you dare, you cowards!" Fenrir taunted, her eyes burning with determination. "Kill me if you have the guts!"

  I smirked, pleased by the doubt I saw in their eyes.

  I knew full well they would never kill Fenrir.

  If they intended to, they would have done so from the very beginning instead of chaining her up until Ragnarok.

  I never understood why Odin chose to bind Fenrir instead of killing her. Perhaps he was merely following the fate dictated by Yggdrasil. But personally, I thought it was a foolish decision. The gods took a deep breath, trying to calm themselves. It seemed they had given up.

  I bet they would leave soon.

  "As per Odin’s orders..."

  My heart pounded as I listened to Hojlund’s words, eager to hear what he would say next. I Hope they would leave empty-handed.

  "We must kill you, Fenrir!"

  What?!