Tryst looked out over the dark ocean and let out a deep sigh.

  He had finished with his missives, and already received one of the several expected replies from the Company regarding the situation with Martin, but understood none of them would contain anything he didn't already know.

  Martin’s loss was not a big one, however it had the potential to shake loose some larger problems the Company was facing, and would likely lead to another culling within their ranks.

  Tryst had been through this several times before, and while he didn't relish the thought of the killing ahead, there was little he could do about it now.

  There was nothing which prevented someone within the Company from taking root within a Realm, but to prevent Company secrets from getting out, whenever someone left they had to undergo a process which would wipe their mind of any proprietary knowledge.

  The Heimdall Company employed one of their more powerful relics for such tasks, but it was often overly zealous with what information it took, so it was not uncommon for those who were subjected to the process to come out the other side missing huge gaps of their memories. In some cases, the individual would never fully recover from the process, and if dissonance did not take them, the misery of living in a state of perpetual confusion would.

  The cost was often enough to dissuade people from either leaving the Company at all, or in the case of Martin and those like him, would push them to make deals with Realms in exchange for the promise of protection from the Company.

  However, such protection was not free.

  Martin’s task of assassinating Vector was relatively small compared to many of the requests he had heard of over the years, but that only went to show how much Asgard wanted the boy dead. They knew his prospect of success was so negligible that Vector had a better chance of dying by slipping on ice walking off the ship than by Martin’s hand, and they had to understand the Company would not react kindly to recruiting one of their own for such a mission, but Asgardians were not known for thinking through the consequences of their actions.

  Relations with Asgard had been strained for quite some time already though, and Tryst knew this was just the type of thing the Company would use as leverage in their ongoing negotiations to gain better terms, not just with Asgard, but the other Realms as well.

  Tryst knew no realm particularly liked the Asgardians, but because of their unique Sap which was used for creating incredibly powerful relics, and was required for enduring the Blaze at every rank of Elder, they had been long able to keep a hold on their position within the Tree.

  Even without the export of materials gained from runic beasts, which had once comprised over half of their trade, there was little the other Realms could do while they continued to rely on the Realm’s Sap reserves.

  Now though, the Company could point to this situation as yet another example of how their Realm cared nothing for the long standing agreements which dictated relations within the Tree, and pressure the other Realms to aid them in bringing Asgard to heel.

  Asgard would be forced to give some small concession to the Company, while the other Realms would provide the Company with greater support, and in doing so, further the Company’s true goal of eventually securing one of Asgard’s Sap veins during one of the next few Ragnarok events.

  This had been a plan set into motion over two thousand years before Tryst had even joined the Company, and was a secret only known to those who held the highest positions within their hierarchy.

  Tryst had never cared about the plan. He had joined the Heimdall Company for his own reasons, and those had not changed.

  He would stay with the Company so long as he was able to pursue his agenda, and if that changed, well he was not without options.

  Might need to explore those sooner than I thought.

  Xain’s arrival had been unexpected, though not unwelcome. Additionally, Vector and Fen opened up paths he had not yet considered, but he would have to observe them further to understand if they could be of use.

  Bow had mentioned the wolf in his message, but had clearly omitted some rather important information. It was possible Bow had not understood the full power of the wolf’s array, but he well knew the man's history with runic creatures, and had difficulty believing he didn't at least suspect the potential it held.

  Vector on the other hand, had been a surprise to them both.

  If the boy followed through, he may quickly become the ally Xain would need as he walked the Path.

  All of it together made Tryst feel as if what he had been waiting centuries for, may finally be taking shape.

  First though, he needed to make sure Xain survived the trip.

  …

  Xain woke the next morning as the first sun's light began to fill his room. He and Fen had curled up on one of the couches in the bedroom, finding the massive bed too much of a change from their normal setup which had them both fighting for space on his tiny mattress for either of them to be comfortable.

  However the couch was only slightly better, as it was clearly made to allow a Jotun to fully stretch out and still have room to spare.

  They had gone to bed directly after Vector left, and the full exhaustion of the day hit them both all at once, making it so anything but grabbing a blanket seemed out of grasp.

  His dreams had not returned, and while this would have been something of a victory back home, in this unfamiliar world he almost missed the fragmented visions of death which had been his constant nightly companions. Almost.

  “Well,” he said, stretching, and petting Fen on his head, “were still here. Looks like it's real.”

  Fen answered by giving his hand a few licks before slowly stretching as he stood, and yawning so wide Xain could see all his teeth.

  “Yeah, you're right. At least we’re together.”

  He had slept in his outfit, both because he was too tired to take it off, and because he had hoped it would continue to heal his wounds while he slept, but as he sat up he began to question how long he could wear it before it began to stink as bad as Fen’s breath.

  “Come on,” he said to the wolf. “Time for a bath.”

  An hour later, after thoroughly washing both himself and Fen in the massive shower, Xain tucked the necklace back under his shirt as he looked in the mirror, and forced a smile onto his face.

  He had slept in the woods a few times, but that had always been with Bow, which marked last night as the first time in his life his dad had not been there when he woke up.

  “It's weird,” he said to Fen, resting his hand on the wolf's back and slowly stroking his now surprisingly soft fur.

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  Fen growled his agreement, before pushing his head into Xain's shoulder, which meant either look at me, or I'm hungry.

  As he turned to the wolf, Fen hopped up so his paws rested on Xain’s shoulders, and licked his face so thoroughly, had he not just gotten out of the shower, he would have seriously considered getting back in. When he finished, Fen dropped down and pointed his nose insistently towards the door.

  Ah, so it was both.

  “Let's go see what's left from last night,” Xain said, as he followed Fen out of the room.

  To both of their surprise, the room which had just hours before been covered in dishes, was now completely clean.

  Xain didn't like the idea that someone had come into their room during the night, or that they had been too exhausted to notice, but he had to believe that if they had wished to do any harm, both he and Fen would have sensed it even in their comatose states.

  “So, I guess we go out?” Xain asked, not relishing the idea of eating in the dining room without Vector's company.

  Just as the growl from Fen’s stomach was about to make the decision for them, there was a quick knock at the door, followed by a voice Xain didn't recognize asking if he would take breakfast in his room.

  Xain didn't need to think about it, quickly responding they would.

  Moments later the door opened and several crew members carrying various trays walked in.

  “We were unsure what the wolf would prefer, but my wife's family on Jotun has been caring for a few packs for several generations, and we thought he may enjoy a few of their favorite dishes,” The woman in the lead said.

  Fen curled back his lip at this, but instead of stepping back as would be the normal reaction, the woman beamed as she rushed up to Fen and threw her arms around his neck.

  She really does know wolves.

  “It is such a joy to have a runic wolf aboard. My wife and I have wanted to bond with one for years, but you know the saying, ‘the wolf chooses you, not the other way around.’ And since we both travel for work, it's probably for the best. But seeing the two of you together, I think it may be time we started looking again.”

  “There are few things in life that bring as much love as the bond between a runic beast and their partner. Being able to witness what the two of you have, it just puts things in perspective.”

  “I am due for a couple years leave after this journey, and since the Captain won't stop talking about Fen, I’m inclined to ask him, if we are so lucky to bond with one, for permission to bring them and their pack aboard.”

  “My goodness, what a pretty boy you are,” she continued, resting her head on Fens as she scratched behind his ears.

  “I hope this is not too forward, but when you make it to Jotun, would you consider letting us host you for a time? I know my wife would be delighted to meet Fen, and I can promise he would get absolutely spoiled by the rest of the family as well.”

  “You don't have to answer now, just think about it.”

  Without waiting for a reply, she glanced back and confirmed all the trays had been delivered, and said, “Op, that's my cue. I hope to see you both on deck three later today. When we heard Fen was coming aboard, some of the crew and I set up a little surprise for him. Okay then, enjoy your meal!”

  Before Xain or Fen could respond the door had closed, leaving them once more alone surrounded by mountains of food, and a new keg of the ale from the night before.

  “We didn't even get her name,” Xain said, feeling as though a storm had just swept through their room, and they had been able to do nothing but watch as it passed.

  “Grr,” Fen agreed, his eyes already on the several specially prepared dishes of various meats and vegetables the woman had indicated were for him.

  “Seems nice though,” Xain observed, as he grabbed a mug and plate, and Fen began to eat.

  …

  Halfway through their meal Vector joined them, shyly saying he hoped he was not intruding, but quickly relaxed when it was obvious how both Fen and Xain were glad to see him return.

  Xain had thought about getting the man earlier, but despite making plans the previous night, his experience with relationships outside Fen and Bow was limited, and had worried about scaring off his first friend. The fact Vector obviously felt the same brought up a myriad of new emotions, but he settled on being happily content that he could share the meal as he had done with Bow for so long.

  “Really?” Vector asked, when Xain recounted the story of the woman who had brought their food.

  “Is that surprising?” Xain asked.

  “Indeed,” Vector said, nodding.

  “I had been under the impression the crew was to keep their distance from their charges. Though, my own knowledge is through an Asgardian lens. I suppose it is not so shocking that those from my former house have not been recipients of such kindness.”

  “Yeah…” Xain started, trying to decide how to ask his question in a way that didn't sound awful.

  Thankfully, Vector seemed to understand, and continued “Asgardians are… a proud people. They believe their place within the canopy sets them above the other Realms. It is an attitude passed down each generation, and in the process, only seems to further inflate their undeserved sense of superiority."

  “Tor and the others are actually quite reserved in comparison to their parents. However, given time, I have no doubt they will surpass them in this regard.”

  “To some extent, they cannot take all of the blame. Within the House, they are constantly reminded that they are born to the Realm of gods. That Thor’s own blood flows through their veins. That they are blessed by the Tree, and only through their Sap can one achieve the highest ranks of runic arrays.”

  “What about the other gods?” Xain asked between mouthfuls of eggs which he quickly washed down with the ale.

  “Ah. That is a subject which is quite successfully ignored. The runic users who achieved such a status from Realms such as Vanaheim, or even worse, Jotun, are considered to be lesser beings. Mention Loki in their presence, and one may as well proclaim themselves an outright enemy of the Realm.”

  “What about those who reach Ancient now?” Xain asked. Vector was like a well of knowledge, and it was hard for him to hold back the million questions swirling in his mind.

  “The moniker of Ancient is reserved for any with an array containing 22 or 23 runes, similar to how any who hold between 15 and 21 runes are designated as Elder. However, within these upper ranks, it is common to add additional distinctions, such as High/Upper Elder for those with arrays with 19 runes or more. The same is true for Ancient, but to an even larger extent. So while all those who obtain the title of God are technically Ancients, not all Ancients are Gods.”

  “For one to achieve the status of a God, they must hold 23 runes,” Vector said, answering like a teacher to their student.

  “Current Ancients may only hold one of the three banned runes, keeping them at one step below true godhood. While we have records that in the past it was a rank held by Tyr, Freya, Balder, Frey, Thor, Heimdall, and a few others, they were the last generation to do so. Still, it is impossible to say how many actually held the title. However we do know that, of those who once bore the epithet, Hel is the only one who remains.”

  “It is important to note that while records of those who have reached such a state remain incomplete, only Odin and Loki are known to have surpassed the rank of God by acquiring a complete array, thus granting them the highest designation of Hyperion.”

  “The present array restrictions preventing the creation of new Gods are said to have come about after the Ragnarok event in which Thor was killed, after which, at the behest of Yid, the Realms agreed to prevent any from gaining such power again.”

  “Interesting,” Xain said, nodding.

  “This is not to say the achievement of such a feat is impossible. We know that one must hold one of Yid’s three banned runes in order to obtain the rank of Ancient. So it would stand to reason that, while the process of gaining the 23rd, or even more taboo, the 24th rune, is said to have been destroyed, I am fairly confident the knowledge still exists.”

  It almost sounds like he plans on trying it.

  “However, should that ever become a concern for either of us, the hurdle of gaining a single banned rune from Yid would first need to be overcome.”

  Xain nearly choked as Vector said the last bit, and was forced to take several deep pulls from his mug, and wipe the tears from his eyes before he could speak again.

  “Yeah, I guess so,” Xain finally coughed out.

  Vector smiled at this, and added “You need not worry, my plans are not anything so grand.”

  Xain smiled, and nodded, but he wasn't sure he fully believed that. Something about the way Vector had spoken made it clear that this was not the first time he had considered the challenges of reaching such a state.

  “Anyways,” Xain said, suddenly very uncomfortable with where his line of questioning had taken them, “I was thinking of checking out the third deck. Want to join?”

  “I was going to ask you the same thing,” Vector said, flexing his hands as he continued “I believe a bit of exercise could be of benefit to us both.”