https://youtu.be/RDe0rf6K3vM

"Did I...win?"

As the magical explosion cleared away, and Fenrir's body was exposed, the answer to Oz's question had become rather apparent. The wolf was no longer fighting - and from the looks of things, he was at the very least unconscious.

"So it would appear, Oz." Thor confirmed in that thundery voice. "I don't suppose you want to deal the finishing blow?"

"And he's alive, too!" Oz beamed, doing a happy little dance on the spot. "Now, if I can just convince him to stop fighting..."

"If you think that's possible, then go for it." Thor replied. "But be prepared for Round Two, in case he doesn't end up yielding."

"Oh, don't worry, I'm prepared, although I have a feeling he'll be more inclined to listen this time..." Oz nodded slowly, beginning to walk towards Fenrir as quickly as his tired, pained state would allow. He reached a hand out to the wolf, but before he could do anything, he heard Thor tutting in his head.

"Before you do that, Oz, you should heal yourself." he advised. Oz, clearing his throat, nodded as he pressed his hand to his chest, activating his healing magic as his body became bathed in a gentle green glow.

"Right, of course! I wouldn't want to be attacked in this state, after all. That would surely throw me in for a lup-us!" Oz chuckled to himself.

"...I've seen you come up with better material than that." Thor sighed. "Wolf puns should be rather low-hanging fruit."

"Yes, I am aware."

"...was that-"

"But there's no time to delay. I've all but finished huffing and puffing." Oz said, looking around at the environment and remembering all the blood that had been spilt today. His smile briefly faltered as he observed his war-torn surroundings. Every house destroyed was once the home to a human family. Every blood stain was a person he could have saved, if only he had arrived sooner. He only allowed his regret to show for a few seconds before putting up his jokey bravado once again. "So..." he murmured, stepping closer to Fenrir and placing his hand on the wolf's face. "I suppose it's time for this pup to heel."

At that, he began to heal Fenrir, the warm light radiating through his body as his energy and consciousness slowly returned to him. His amber-coloured eyes slowly opened, and as Oz stepped away, he took a bow, seeing the wolf staring at him. "There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know."

https://youtu.be/8LXTui5vl6Y

Fenrir made a light growl in response, slowly standing onto his feet, though he kept looking at Oz curiously - like a scientist would gaze upon a strange new specimen. Oz looked up at him with a small smile, awaiting a response that came after a little while of awkward silence.

"...so, you have defeated me...and yet, you heal me?"

"Healed and heeled. You're welcome." he stated, twirling around and doing another bow. Fenrir gave him a blank stare in response.

"If you've spared me solely to gloat over my defeat, then please put me out of-"

"No, wait, that wasn't my intention!" Oz protested, bowing his head low. "I'm dreadfully sorry if I came across as condescending - I just wanted to make a little pun!"

"Then why?" Fenrir demanded. "Even knowing what I aim to do, and even with my life in your hands, you chose to save me?"

"Is there a problem with that?" Oz asked, standing up straight and giving him a gentle smile. "I'm all ears."

"Tell me your aim. Do you wish to feed into your ego by sparing me? Undermine me? Or are you too cowardly to spill my blood?" Fenrir questioned aggressively, and Oz simply allowed it.

"I didn't kill you because there was no reason to."

"Are you dull, boy? Or simply naive?" Fenrir asked, now a little calmer. "Look around you. All of this is my doing. I have slain a great many humans, and even some einherjar. Are my sins not heavy enough for you?"

"Heavy enough? Surely, you jest." Oz chuckled, gesturing in a carefree manner. "Now that I've heard your story, I can't be the one to end it. As long as you're willing and able to stop, why shouldn't you?"

Fenrir continued staring for a little longer, trying to work out just what kind of person Oz was. Giving mercy when he knew he had the chance to kill him, showing pity on him...what a curious little man indeed. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. "You truly are a kind soul." he said. "Don't be mistaken, though; I will never fight alongside Odin again!"

"I know, I know." Oz nodded, raising his hands. "I just want you to do one thing for me." Silence fell briefly, and Oz took this as a sign of approval. "Could you tell me about the Hel's Angels?"

"That, I cannot." Fenrir lamented. "I do not know a lot about them. They only told me that they want to destroy Odin...and instructed me when I wished to aid them."

"Ah, what a shame." Oz sighed, before giving him a smile. "Oh well."

"I cannot aid Odin. But I can aid you." Fenrir told him. "I'll try not to harm you, should we ever cross paths again...and perhaps I will try not to lay my hand on an innocent. As a token of gratitude."

"That works for me." Oz nodded slowly. "Until next time, Fenrir?"

"Until next time."

Fenrir had a brief smile on his face before turning around, sprinting off to parts unknown. Oz smiled back, glad that that was over and done with. Though he definitely could have done more, he had at least prevented the wolf from claiming any further lives. Though many people had been stripped of their homes, at least they had their lives.

"...so, the Hel's Angels..." Thor commented after a moment's silence, giving Oz a moment to reflect before talking. "Just what could they be after, challenging Odin?"

"Who knows?" Oz questioned, looking up to the partially-clouded sky. His face was neutral - conflicted, even. "...But do you think they might have some legitimate grievances?"

"It's hard to say..." Thor sighed. "Odin...he has good intentions in everything he does...but as we've seen with Fenrir, people can get hurt."

"Exactly." Oz agreed, before shaking his head and remembering what Fenrir was doing in the first place. "But whatever their aim is, they have to be stopped. They're killing innocent humans!"

"I agree." Thor murmured, worry on his voice. "I think Odin should be informed immediately!"

"Svafrlami, too." Oz said. "I'll tell him, then. I need to report the mission's success, anyway."

"And while you're doing that, I can talk to Odin!" Thor exclaimed. "Then it's settled! I'll beam you up, Oz, and we can deal with this as quickly as possible!"

"Aye aye, captain!" Oz saluted, quickly putting this behind him and smiling as a golden beam of heavenly light shone down on him, quickly lifting him up before whisking him away - back in front of the Val Gate, from where he would proceed to the next step.

.........

https://youtu.be/YyknBTm_YyM

The golden office of Svafrlami was as radiant as ever, with each blade tucked neatly away into its compartment. Lounging on his aureate throne was Svafrlami himself, gazing into a mirror with a gold frame the size of a television screen, held up by his faithful servants, Dvalin and Durin, and grooming himself with a gold-coloured, translucent comb. He paid no heed to the weak-kneed, wailing rank-and-file knight that bolted out of said room, finding that the air felt much less pathetic once she was gone.

"Uh...sir?" Durin, the one in white, spoke up, seeing that Svafrlami didn't even so much as look at him. "You could've been nicer to her..."

"Correct." Svafrlami deadpanned.

"I'm just saying-"

"Save it." Svafrlami interrupted him, causing Durin to shut up without questioning. "If I had to spare words of kindness to every failure who came in here, then nobody would grow! And growth is just all too important in this line of work."

"Ah, so you're being cruel to be kind, then?" Dvalin exclaimed. "What a smart thing to do!"

"Naturally." he smirked to himself. "I mean, if the Knights are too weak-willed to stand in the face of their own leader, how are they ever going to prosper on these witch hunts? Really, I'm doing Asgard a favour."

"Bringing up her mother might have been a touch excessive, sir." Durin murmured. "You know what happened to her..."

"And she'll forever need to remember it if she ever wants to get rid of these witches for good." Svafrlami stated boldly. "Now, if you have any further-"

His words were cut off by the emphatic pounding on the door, causing him to narrow his eyes as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, irked. "And who might this be?"

"Sir-vafrlami! I return!" the triumphant voice of Oz echoed out from behind the door, and at once his eyes widened again, dropping the comb as he processed this. How had he survived? And it was only the afternoon, too! Suspecting foul play, he glared down at Dvalin and Durin.

"You two, make yourselves scarce immediately!" he snapped. "I wish to speak to the fool in privacy."

The two bald men nodded, scrambling to leave through the back door without dropping the mirror, which led to Dvalin, the one in front, kicking it open as the two made their escape. Svafrlami sighed, magically unlocking the door with a click of his fingers before sitting up in his seat. "Enter!"

So the door opened, and the impish angel walked in with a skip in his step that was only interrupted when Svafrlami, with a golden rune in his hand, lifted some swords and spears out from the wall compartments and fired them at him. Alarmed, Oz stopped to dodge each of them, almost being struck by one of the spears. Now walking normally, he stopped a few feet in front of him, kneeling before him as he looked up at him.

"Have you finally dropped all pretences about tolerating my continued existence?" Oz sighed wearily.

"I don't know what you mean." Svafrlami said, almost mockingly. "So, you've returned, have you? Why could that be? Giving up on the mission?"

"Oh, not on my life!" Oz shook his head energetically. "Quite the opposite! I've actually completed the mission!"

"Have you, now?" Svafrlami asked, audibly surprised and a little frustrated. "Just how did you manage such a thing?"

"Five hundred years must have done a real number on his power level - like you said." Oz looked back on the fight, his hand on his chest. "But even so, he put up an excellent fight. I'm certain that at the prime of his strength, results would've been different."

"No shit." Svafrlami growled a little through clenched teeth. "I don't believe it. You had Thor kill him for you, didn't you?"

"Kill him? Why, I would never!" Oz exclaimed, a wide-eyed look on his face. "I only knocked him out, and when he came to, I convinced him to stop fighting!"

Svafrlami listened to this more plausible-sounding story, but still took a deep breath as he watched Oz. Hearing this silly-looking man profess his conquest over the great wolf was just strange to him, and he shook his head, raising his hand and closing his eyes, still sceptical about the whole thing. "Do you know what seidr is, Abendroth?"

"Well-"

"Of course not. Allow me to explain." Svafrlami cut him off abruptly as a rainbow-coloured aura began to emanate off his hand. "Seidr is a unique form of magic, and one that is not often practised by mortals. This is because its effects are most divine. You see, Oz, seidr allows you to see through reality to observe what lies underneath: destiny."

"Wow, who could've known that?" Oz murmured under his breath, having already received an explanation like this months ago.

"There are, however, humans who have picked up this skill, which is simply against the natural order. We call these humans 'witches', and whenever we discover one, we do our duty as Knights and kill them."

"Oh, poor witches." Oz said even more quietly, averting his eyes as he wondered just how many of them had actually done anything to deserve it.

"With this ability, I can see through your lies and divine what really happened!" Svafrlami exclaimed, smirking proudly as he opened his eyes, which now glowed in rainbow colours. "So I call upon the power of seidr! Tell me what truly happened to Fenrir!"

Oz watched as Svafrlami remained seated, nodding slowly as he watched the events that unfolded. Fenrir's rampage throughout Peuma, Oz's arrival, the battle, and even the aftermath, which was just as Oz had described. And Thor didn't seem to have helped on this one, either, so he couldn't even criticise him for that. Five hundred years, indeed.

Returning from seidr mode with his teeth clenched in frustration, he looked down at Oz with a mean glare that slowly dissolved into that vexing smirk and a bout of low chuckling as he came to a quick realisation. "...you failed the mission, 'hero'."

Oz stared blankly at him. "I beg your pardon?"

"Failed! You know, when you don't succeed? You did that!" Svafrlami announced. "If you'll recall, you were given specific orders to kill Fenrir! Yet as the power of seidr and your own account show, he still lives! I expect basic listening comprehension skills in a first class knight, Abendroth."

"Ah, my sincerest apologies..." Oz frowned, before shaking his head. "But the threat is gone, so-"

"So rather than booting you out of my office immediately, I am giving you another chance." Svafrlami cut him off rudely, giving him a cold stare. "If you wish to take it, then come back...hmm, three days from now."

"Right." Oz nodded, beginning to rise to his feet.

"I assume that's all?"

"Actually, there was one thing I wished to tell you about." Oz replied, shaking his head. "It's about how Fenrir was freed in the first place."

Svafrlami stared at him for a little longer while Oz continued to explain. "It was done by a group called the Hel's Angels. They want to kill Odin, and they used Fenrir to further their goals."

As Oz spoke, Svafrlami's eyebrow slowly rose, nodding slowly at the information before looking down at Oz. "...I see." he said. "Will you be going now?"

"Of course! I won't subject you to my presence any longer!" Oz nodded quickly, saluting before turning towards the exit and making his way out. "Have a day, Sir Svafrlami!"

Svafrlami watched the einherjar leave and sighed, returning to his slouching position as he stared at him, shaking his head.

"Oz Abendroth...what a crick you are." he murmured to himself, closing his eyes once the warrior was gone and entering a state of deep thought. "Hmhmhm...but we'll see how long you can play the hero."