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 Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 6:57 pm
He’d never seen storms quite like this on Valhalla. They’d arrived in the grand hall, not too far from the atrium. Over the past decade of visiting Valhalla, the glass separating outside from in always looked heavy and dark. The thickness of the glass kept the building and its occupants safe, but now they seemed clearer.
And with that, it meant it was easier to see the strange storm and sharp lightning casting a purple glow throughout the hall.
“Oberon isn’t going to tell us where Caedus is. I tried to convince him that we might want to talk to him… see if he has anything he can offer to help. He claimed he hadn’t seen him in months -- which might be true. But he wouldn’t tell me where he saw him last,” Valhalla sighed, reaching for Ganymede’s hand and lifting it to his mouth to kiss.
“I’ve ordered things to stockpile. Portable generators. Solar panels for Ganymede. I don’t know what you’d think about getting chickens for the garden.”
He felt anxious, and he knew he was rambling, but there was so much to prepare for.
Both to protect Earth.
And to be ready for the worst to happen.
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2025 8:11 pm
Ganymede let Valhalla take her hand, but her gaze trailed to one of the windows. Storms on Jupiter were usually violent, though they’d become less so with time—calmed, perhaps, by the presence of those who tended to what remained of it. She hadn’t seen lightning like this in quite some time, made even stranger now by the purple tinge to the clouds.
“Chickens,” she said, blinking herself back to the moment. The Fortress of Valhalla, like Castle Luxuria on Ganymede, tended to pull her thoughts in different directions. “Not a bad idea.”
Though she was not yet prepared to give up on Earth, she was also not willing to risk her family. Should the worst happen, they would be safer on Ganymede.
She hoped.
“I’m sure I can find Caedus without Oberon’s help if I need to,” she added. Whether it was true or not, she had no idea. Ganymede chose to be optimistic. Or perhaps it was stubbornness. If it came down to it, she would find him by sheer force of will. Still, she desperately did not want to have to. “I wonder what the Code sent you here for…”
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Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2025 7:02 am
Valhalla didn’t want to have to turn Caedus in, but he was not willing to risk the billions of lives on Earth.
Caedus could, and most likely would, be reborn. As long as his own people hadn’t ruined his starseed to the point it couldn’t be healed. But Valhalla’s starseed had healed, so there was always a possibility.
On the other hand, if the Velencians did require Caedus and he wasn’t turned in and billions of people died, then Caedus would die too. And then there would be no safe place for anyone to be reborn.
It wasn’t an easy decision, and definitely not one that allowed him to sleep well at night, but if someone had to do it, he knew he and Ganymede would bear that burden so others wouldn’t have to. The lives of everyone would outweigh any backlash they received.
Valhalla gave Ganymede’s hand another kiss, before lowering both to their sides, with their hands still linked together.
“We’ll figure it out when it gets to that point,” he nodded in agreement about being able to find Caedus. He knew his brother would hate them, but what other choice did they have? If there was a change in information, there would, of course, be a change in plans.
The walk to the atrium wasn’t uncomfortable, but Valhalla felt a rising anxiety. Part of that he knew was because the Earth was in danger, but another part was with the hope of finding out what the Code wanted to see him about.
He pushed the decorative door open to the large, glass domed room. There were somewhat recently tended gardens along the walls, and the large oak in the middle. He knew now how similar it looked to his brother’s Wonder, although he’d never asked Sessrumnir where his Code piece was.
The lighting in this room was even more dramatic, since it was as close to being outside without actually being exposed to the elements that they could get at Valhalla. Everything was a shade of purple, and light flashed through the glass. Thunder shook the solid rock which the fortress sat upon.
The Code was there, of course. Under the large oak tree.
“How connected are you to your other pieces?” he asked as they approached. Just in case it had been separated, or perhaps the Cornerstone piece simply knew more due to its size, Valhalla quickly explained what was happening. Why the sky was purple, and that the Earth was in danger. He told the Code piece of the strange prison-like place the others had been taken to, and the vision of the Celestial Theatre and their visit there.
“Before we left, the Cornerstone piece said I should come here. Have you witnessed anything like this before?”
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Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2025 8:25 pm
“Did I?” the Code asked, as if greatly preoccupied with something else. The orb slowly swirled, like in doing so it was able to slow down its thoughts. “Oh, yes. I’ve needed to speak to you for a while. This storm is creating the worst fog. All Code pieces are somewhat shut off from each other, you know this.” It didn’t sound impatient or judgmental, just like it was tired, or had a lot on its mind. Both could have been true, and more. “Usually, there I can feel at least something of a connection. I think it’s safe to say that this storm is probably to blame. Jupiter has so many storms but I knew something was wrong when the other pieces went silent. I wasn’t sure if something had happened to them. But to answer your question in short, no. Not really. Storms of this nature have been popping up on Jupiter in the last few days, but I can’t recall a time before then that I’ve seen anything like this. You’re here because you need more power, aren’t you? Come closer.”
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Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2025 7:52 pm
Ganymede looked up through the glass ceiling. A heavy rain blurred much of the view, but the purple tint to the clouds beyond was clearly visible. Lightning struck close by. Thunder cracked. The vibrations were stronger than usual. The Fortress stood strong; it wouldn’t tremble, but it seemed to struggle in ways it hadn’t for a long time—less responsive, perhaps, as if its focus had turned to battling the storm rather than offering comfort and convenience to those within. If a Fortress could even do such a thing. The magic there always made it seem alive.
She would have to check on her own world. There were storms on Earth. There were storms on Jupiter. There may be more elsewhere.
Ganymede pulled her attention away from the ceiling to listen to the Code. She was quiet but attentive as it spoke. Her experiences with the Code, though few, had left her with more respect for it than for many of those with any shred of authority among the Senshi.
“Go on,” she said, pulling her hand from Valhalla’s grip to set her palm against his back, urging him forward. “I’ll be fine.”
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Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2025 11:46 am
Once upon the time, while being affected by corruption, the Code told Valhalla that Metallia could be the answer for his damaged starseed. That interaction left him feeling a little hesitant about speaking with his Code piece since then, but he had, and he would, especially if it meant solving any of the problems they had.
He cast Ganymede a sympathetic glance as she pushed him to move forward, but nodded and was grateful for her company, even if it was him the Code asked to speak with.
Then again, his life and Ganymede’s were so intertwined, they were practically the same person in many things.
“This hasn’t happened on Jupiter before?” he asked, although it made sense since they hadn’t heard of any world devouring serpent from the Moon’s Code. And while it would have been on Earth at the time, it still would have been close enough to Jupiter.
“We do need more power,” he nodded in agreement as he approached the Code. “Anything to help keep the Earth safe.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2025 9:11 am
The Code was abnormal in that it also seemed to be fluctuating in size, growing smaller before expanding and returning to normal size. The cycle repeated with a certain predictability; the lightning strikes outside seemed to be influencing it. “Storms on Jupiter are constant so you will not be surprised to know that I am expertly familiar with them. This is not like anything the world has seen before. I have no doubt that you are facing great danger. But, you have worked hard, Valhalla. You have served this Wonder well. Though, I wouldn’t mind seeing you up here more often.” There was something distinctly lacking in reproach when it spoke. “Come here, present your weapon to me. I want to give you something.”
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:33 am
“Valhalla isn’t exactly a great playground for young children,” he said with a small smile as he stepped forward again. He didn’t mention that, if things didn’t work out on Earth, they would definitely be there more frequently than they already were.
Once, his weapon had been a simple compass with no magic. And then it was an intricate gyrocompass that served him well for many years. The crystal staff with an elegant gyroscope at the top was presented now, a gift from when his starseed had fused back together after being damaged for what felt like forever.
Whatever Valhalla had expected, it wasn’t what appeared.
The staff glowed a bright, blinding white as he presented it with both hands. The shape shifted and changed, shrinking down to something almost baseball bat sized. Except when the light dimmed, in his hands was an elegant sword.
A sword that immediately felt new and familiar. He stared at it, a strange wave of emotions filling his chest. He couldn’t look away for a few moments, but when he did, it was towards Ganymede, as if to confirm what he was thinking.
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2025 10:41 am
Ganymede stood back, as if to give Valhalla and the Code a modicum of privacy. She watched, of course, as nosy in the way of Knights as she was in everything else. She wondered sometimes if she would have been better suited to Knighthood, but never dwelled on the thought for long. Only a few of them got that choice. Hers had been made for her before she was even born. At least she didn’t resent it nearly as much anymore.
She approached again when the sword appeared in Valhalla’s hands, eyes wide and lips parted in wonder.
Memory was a funny thing. She remembered so much of the past, but just as much continued to elude her. Some memories still made very little sense with context missing around them. Others were as clear to her as if they’d happened yesterday.
The sword was the latter sort. She knew the look of it down to the last detail, she knew the weight of it without holding it, because Liesel had seen it so often in Serge’s possession and had held it in his own hands.
Ganymede glanced up at Valhalla and held his gaze, nodding at the question in his eyes.
“Is that… permanent?” she asked.
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2025 5:22 am
“Yes and no,” the Code answered, perhaps oblivious to any familiarity Ganymede and Valhalla suspected. “Permanent, in that this form will always be available to you. As much as the previous form. You may switch between them as you like. Use whichever you please, whenever you please. You need only focus on which form you’d like for it to take. It is no different than summoning it to you. But that isn’t all I can give you.” The sword deserved to be admired and the Code offered a few seconds more for the two to examine it. It explained, “Not all Knights can do as such, but you have been loyal to this Wonder. You have protected it well. You need more strength, and we have that to offer you. Your weapon, and your magic. I suggest you practice some before you use it in battle. The sword may feel strange in your hands but you’ll get used to it. It is an extension of yourself. The magic, the same. I know these are dire times. I wish I could do more. But, you have earned this and I hope it will help you.”
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2025 5:05 pm
Valhalla held in his hand Serge’s sword. The weapon the previous Valhalla kept with him to use in battle. There was a strange familiarity that flowed from it. As though memory and his own intimate connection to his weapon commingled.
He could feel the same magic coursing through it as his staff and the compass before. But there was something more.
Too curious to ignore, Valhalla closed his eyes to concentrate on his magic, his thumb smoothing over the blade until--
He hissed suddenly and opened his eyes. For just a moment as he channeled his magic, the blade was no longer dull. His thumb dripped red from where it was cut.
“Thank you,” he said, as realization dawned on him. “I will continue to serve to the best of my abilities. We’ll bring our children to visit you sometime,” he added with a small smile. He was certain they would enjoy a picnic in the atrium.
They had a long way to go before they could be certain that Earth was safe, but this was definitely a step in the right direction.
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