Chapter 615: Only One Who Did Not Weep

Helmod rode Sleipnir, galloping all the way.

Sleipnir's eight legs churned like wind, trampling over the roots of the World Tree, over the Golden Bridge on the Kiaoru River.

Lying on its back, wind howling in his ears, his mind held only one thought—fast, faster, even faster!

At last he returned to Asgard in the shortest possible time.

Sleipnir plunged down from the clouds, its four hooves hitting the ground, carving four deep grooves into the stone steps.

Helmod leapt from its back and sprinted madly into the Great Hall.

The Gods seemed to have been waiting for him, all gathered together.

Of course.

And there was Aoding sitting on the throne.

"Father."

Helmod took a deep breath and reported:

"I saw Hera, and she said—if everything weeps for Baldr's death, she will release Baldr and Nanna."

"If not, they will remain forever in the Underworld."

The Great Hall fell silent for a moment.

Then Thor raised his head: "Is that all?"

"Yes."

"That's too simple! I guarantee everything will weep for Baldr, just as they would swear an oath!"

Frigg stood up.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go, let's make all things weep!"

"Good!" The Gods dispersed.

They left the Golden Palace and headed toward every corner of the Nine Realms.

They came to every place with life, every place with sound, every place that breathes, has a heartbeat, and can shed tears.

All things began to weep.

Everything—trees, stones, metal, beasts, birds, seas, winds, and all living beings dwelling across the world, humans, elves, dwarves, giants—wept.

In their hearts a great sorrow surged, like an entire sea pouring into the chest, pressing so hard one could barely breathe.

They wept for Baldr, for the god of light they had never met, for the being they had never seen yet suddenly felt supremely important.

Frigg stood on the stone steps of the Golden Palace, listening to the weeping coming from every corner of the Nine Realms.

Listening to the trees' sobs, the stones' drips, the beasts' long howls, the sea's sobs, the wind's low murmurs.

She thought, enough.

These tears were enough to ransom Baldr from the Underworld.

But.

Baldr did not return.

The Gods waited one day, two days, three days.

The gates of the Golden Palace stood open, the stone steps swept clean, silver vine flowers spread across the floor, and the new robe Frigg had woven herself was neatly folded and placed on the chair Baldr usually sat in.

Nanna's comb was also set out, beside it a small bronze mirror polished to a shine.

They waited, waiting for the two to descend from the Rainbow Bridge, waiting for those familiar footsteps, waiting for Baldr's laughter.

But there was none.

Nothing at all.

The Golden Palace remained empty; those tears were shed in vain, those cries wasted, that waiting for naught.

Thor was the first who could no longer bear it.

He rose and growled low: "What else is lacking?"

His voice like distant thunder: "Who else has not wept?"

The Gods looked at one another.

They had traversed every corner of the Nine Realms, asking every tree, every stone, every beast, every river.

All things had wept, everything had wept—this shouldn't be!

At that moment.

"There is still one." Aoding's voice came from the throne; he rose, his cloak falling behind him, his single eye gazing far off, toward a direction the Gods had never noticed.

"There is still one there."

"Go."

Upon hearing this, the Gods immediately set out according to his instructions to seek the last one unwilling to weep.

Thus they came to a cave.

The cave was pitch black; nothing inside could be seen, nor any sound heard.

Thor was the first to step inside, hammer raised in hand, thunder light crackling on its head, yet it could not pierce that darkness.

He took a step, then another; the darkness surged like water and engulfed him.

"Something's wrong."

"It's fine, walk with me."

Frigg walked in.

She walked slowly, each step steady, holding a silver lamp in her hand.

The lamp's light fell beneath her feet, illuminating a small patch of ground.

Finally, they reached the depths of the cave.

She shouted, "Please come out."

"We have a request."

Silence lingered for a long time.

Then a sound came from the darkness, a soft rustling, as if something was crawling.

A pair of eyes appeared at the cave mouth.

She was an old hag, so old her age was indiscernible.

Her hair was gray and dry, like a bunch of straw; her face was covered in wrinkles, deep and shallow; her back was hunched, almost bent at ninety degrees, she leaned on a crooked cane, from which hung a string of bones that clinked.

She wore a tattered black robe, stained with mud and blood, and some unknown slime.

Standing there, she narrowed her eyes at the Gods, her cloudy eyes showing only weary annoyance and dislike.

"I am Sok. What are you doing here?"

"I don't remember having any connection with you!"

Fu Li Jia stepped forward.

"Sok,"

"We want you to weep for Bader."

"Bader? Hahaha!"

Sok looked at her, then suddenly burst out laughing—laugh, pause, laugh again—as if he were enjoying something very funny.

"I weep for Bader?"

"Why should I weep for him?"

Fu Li Jia said nothing.

Sok's smile slowly faded, the corners of his mouth drooping.

"When Bader was alive, did he ever bring me any benefit? Did he ever shine on this cave? Has his light ever reached this darkness?"

"No, never! His light cannot reach here."

Her voice grew colder and harder:

"He's dead—what does it have to do with me? Has his death made me any better off? Has it warmed this cave? Has it eased the pain in my bones?"

She shook her head: "No, nothing at all!"

"When he was alive I gained nothing; now that he's dead I suffer no loss—why should I weep for him?"

She leaned on her cane and stepped back, retreating into the darkness.

Those eyes flashed in the darkness, then went dark.

"Let Haila keep him."

"Get lost!"

"Your Bader will never return; he is forever in the Mingjie! Hahaha!"

The laughter echoed here.

It almost made Fu Li Jia lose her footing.

But she had not anticipated this.

This Sok.

He was also Loki in disguise.