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Past midnight.
Lyset opened the window and secretly slipped outside for the first time in a long while.
The hill she had not dared to visit for fear of meeting Christoph.
Now she thought it safe.
He would surely come to the library where she served. Though duty had kept him away until now, Lyset knew he would come.
And so tonight’s hymn to the night was all the more special.
The dream she once had, where she heard the voice: “Take him, prepare him, he will destroy all with you and lead a new beginning.”
Lyset climbed the hill filled with expectation of what vision might unfold this time.
Beneath the full moon sky, the clattering sound of her bone necklace echoed through the woods.
Soon a blue glow shimmered in Lyset’s eyes, her body feeling as if lifted — but strangely, she did not fall into the trance as before.
With that faintly odd sensation, she slowly climbed the hill.
“Ah!”
Lyset stopped short.
A soft blue glow shone on the hilltop. Two people stood there, surrounded by many animals.
Seeing that they were reindeer, bears, and wolves, Lyset felt somewhat relieved.
‘The animals that appeared in my dreams and taught me… Then surely those people are not dangerous either.’
As she hesitated forward, the sound of a willow flute reached her ears.
The flutist was a large man in plain clothes. To his music, a beautiful woman danced and sang.
“Moonlit night sky,
“Shining bright, shining bright.
“Warriors who worship Olrun.
“They call, they call.
“Maidens who long for His daughter.
“They dance, they dance.
“The blooming trees and flowers.
“Pouring down, pouring down.
“The radiance of the moon and stars.”
Lyset gasped — it was the same song the animals had taught her, the song she herself always sang in trance, and the woman was singing it.
When the song ended, she danced again, then struck a small drum. To its rhythm, the man’s strong voice rang out.
“Between the sea-facing hill and the mountains!
“When that hill is green as a garden,
“When flowers grow thick as straw,
“And when night shines as bright as day,
“There we shall build our home~!
“Between the sea-facing hill and the mountains!”
When the resonant song ended, the woman held out her hand. The man took it, stood, and embraced her.
He kissed her brow and caressed her back.
Lyset stepped closer, hesitant, and spoke.
“Uh… excuse me… who are you?”
The woman, still in the man’s arms, looked at Lyset with a radiant smile. The man, too, looked at her warmly.
“Welcome, Lyset.”
“How do you know my na—ah!!!”
In that instant, Lyset realized who they were — faces she had seen before.
The scenes from her visions and dreams.
The forest hut, the warrior of the God fighting with sword, the woman inside praying to Olrun and Manafreya.
The god’s warrior, savagely hacked apart…
The woman sprawled lifeless on the floor.
The hut aflame.
A cold cave, a woman’s swollen belly before death.
And the spreading white light.
“Y-you are!”
Lyset stumbled back in shock.
“Lyset… my daughter.”
The man and woman spoke at once.
Tears welled in Lyset’s eyes and she collapsed to the ground. A reindeer stepped forward and licked her face.
The woman introduced herself.
“I am your mother of flesh, Elin.”
And the man followed.
“I am your father of soul, Ingmar.”
A flash of bright light burst forth. Lyset shut her eyes tight, and when she opened them, the plain couple stood clad in splendid armor.
“Lyset, look upon us.”
She forced herself to look at Elin and Ingmar.
Elin smiled, wearing ornate ancient armor and a helm adorned with eagle wings.
“And I became Randgríðr, a most valiant Valkyrie.”
Ingmar, wielding a sword as tall as himself, with braided hair and beard, also spoke.
“I am among the Einherjar, the mightiest warrior of the Gods, always at the front.”
The two slowly approached Lyset.
“Rise, our daughter Lyset.”
When Lyset managed to stand, Elin and Ingmar raised their hands and placed them on her head.
“The great destiny you bear is as heavy and vast as the prophecy we once carried.”
“Ah… y-yes.”
“Call us.”
“M-Mother. Father.”
“Yes, my daughter.”
Tears welled and spilled from Elin’s eyes. Ingmar gently embraced her with one arm.
“Olrun chose me as the beginning of prophecy and chose you as its vessel. But dying at your birth, I could not hold you nor nurse you. Forgive me, Lyset.”
“N-no… it’s not like that.”
“But you are the one to bring both ruin and renewal. Please, recognize danger around you and avoid it. Endure all things. That will give you strength to fulfill the prophecy.”
Ingmar continued Elin’s words.
“If you fulfill the prophecy, you will taste great joy with the one you love most. You will know the world’s greatest happiness. And you will be forever sung as the founder of a new kingdom, the one who opens the world of the Gods.”
“The founder of a new kingdom… and the one who opens the world of the gods?”
Elin stroked Lyset’s cheek and softly kissed her brow.
“Knowing that glorious tale is what finally gave me comfort for my great sorrow.”
Ingmar looked down at Lyset with warm eyes.
“You love him, don’t you? The love you and he will share will be the greatest blessing a human heart can feel — as great as the love I had in loving Elin.”
Elin followed Ingmar’s words.
“And as great as the love I received in loving Ingmar.”
Lyset gazed quietly at the radiant pair, then nodded.
“I will…”
Elin, Ingmar, the reindeer, wolves, bears, and even a hawk perched above all fixed their eyes on Lyset’s lips.
“I will fulfill the prophecy.”
Elin and Ingmar smiled brightly.
“Our daughter Lyset, we are truly proud of you.”
Light flashed once more, and Elin and Ingmar returned to their humble appearance.
Then they embraced Lyset tightly.
“When the final war comes, when gods oppose gods in a great storm, come to the cave where I sleep. Its location you will find in the library archives. And that will be Ragnarok — here, in Nastrand, no, in all of Nordenheim.”
“Ragnarok…”
“Listen well, Lyset. Everything you do is for the prophecy. So live freely, follow your heart, and savor what is given to you.”
Elin smiled softly. Ingmar kissed Lyset on the forehead.
“Then, my daughter Lyset, we shall meet again that day.”
They released her, clasped hands, and stepped back. Blue energy rose over the hill, and Elin, Ingmar, and the animals slowly faded.
“Mother! Father!”
Lyset called out, but the fading pair only smiled.
“Ahhh! Don’t go! Don’t leave!”
“Hah!”
With a cry of “Don’t go!” Lyset opened her eyes wide.
“Sister Lyset, are you alright?”
Adelin and Iselin were gazing at her with worried eyes.
“Huh? Wha—?”
Lyset sat up and looked around. She had been on the hill with Elin and Ingmar, yet now she was in the convent, lying on her own bed.
“You’ll be late for morning prayer. Get up, Sister Lyset.”
Iselin poured a cup of water and handed it to her.
Lyset gulped down the water, climbed from bed, and went to the wardrobe for her habit.
Clatter.
The bone necklace hung around her neck.
‘Ah… it wasn’t a dream!’
Lyset carefully removed the necklace and placed it in her box.
She recalled what had happened and the words exchanged.
‘The founder of a new kingdom, the one who opens the world of the gods…’
After breakfast, Lyset began her duties in the library.
After last night, she was certain Christoph would come today.
‘I will have him, and he will have me. Together we will bring ruin, found a new kingdom, and open the world of the gods!’
Lyset was dazed.
But prophecy aside, the love she felt upon first seeing Christoph — and still felt — was undeniable.
‘If the one chosen to fulfill the prophecy had been someone else?’
Lyset bit her lip.
‘I would have refused it. Because I love him, regardless of prophecy.’
That much was certain. And so it was happiness itself that Christoph was the one she must have to fulfill the prophecy. It felt nothing less than a divine gift.
‘Yes. I will only do what is mine. Only love as I love. Walk as my heart leads. That is Olrun’s plan, and the path I chose.’
Lyset pushed the book cart, steeling herself again.
At that moment, a stir arose near the library entrance.
‘Ah!’
Could it be Christoph?
With trembling heart, Lyset pushed the cart toward the entrance on purpose.
As Odense, the guide priest, greeted others distractedly, someone appeared behind him.
And it was—
‘…!!!’
It was Sir Morten, the Knight Commander.
Morten was receiving some guidance from Odense.
Lyset quickly slipped between bookshelves and hid.
‘What should I do?’
She soon realized this was the chance to reveal Roze’s whereabouts, to deliver Roze’s last request.
Morten had worried enough to ask her directly about Roze at the banquet.
And surely he had heard Christoph ask her to serve in the library. His appearance here must be to find her, to hear news of Roze.
Lyset peeked cautiously from the shelf.
As expected, Morten only half-listened to Odense, scanning the room restlessly.
‘For Sister Roze. After all, everything I do is for the prophecy.’
Lyset steeled her heart, pushed the cart, and stepped out from between the shelves.
And she looked at Morten.
“Mm!”
Morten, scanning about, let out a short grunt when he saw Lyset.
Lyset gave him a slow nod as if to say “follow me,” and pushed her cart toward the most secluded shelves.
Morten followed quietly after her.
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