Outside, a sea of destructive fire raged, the sky devoid of sunlight, only the roar of thunder and lightning echoing like the mighty cries of the gods.
These roars drowned out the groans and lamentations of Migard, leaving the inhabitants in misery as the gods' battle had affected everything.
But this did not affect Eir, Havi's peaceful land.
Years passed, and the beings Havi had saved were given a peaceful life, free from the suffering of the outside world. The peaceful land became more vibrant.
"Lady Havi!"
A voice called out her name. Her long ears twitched slightly, and the woman sat up, spreading her wings wide, her naked body receiving the warm sunlight streaming through the window. She donned a large cloak and threw open the window.
"Good morning, my children!" - Havi
"Good morning, Lady Havi!"
The migrants Havi had previously taken in were now accustomed to living in her land of Eir. Peaceful and warm, those were two words that could describe her land. The people worshipped her, but Havi refused to accept this adoration, because she did this only to prevent innocent beings from being affected by the gods' war.
Because of this, the people worshipped her even more.
But Havi's land wasn't only inhabited by humans; many other wandering races were also welcomed there, including those considered dangerous, the giants.
Some of the giants, wanting to avoid conflict, sought other lands to live in. While hunting, Havi appeared and took them to her land.
The land of Eir was filled with peace and harmony, a place where race and origin were indistinguishable.
But not everything lasts forever....
Havi wore a long silk dress that reached her feet, revealing a pair of fair, slender thighs. Underneath, she wore short underwear, so short that it looked like she wasn't wearing pants at all. In modern times, this style of dress would be considered indecent and offensive, even fitting the image of a prostitute.
But that perception wouldn't change for decades. For now, wearing whatever she had was considered good enough.
"Lady Havi"
"Good morning, my dear lady."
"Good morning everyone. Do you have anything to share with me today?" - Havi
"Oh, of course we do! Look how bountiful this year's harvest is."
"That's great! Keep up the good work so we can have plenty to eat this coming winter." - Havi
Havi flew to a house perched on a large tree, where Gullveig lived. Having spent time in Eir, Havi had taught Gullveig how to use magic for its true purpose, not just to create gold. This earned Gullveig the trust of the people, replacing the infamous "gold rain" that had once brought disaster to Midgard.
Landing before the wooden door, Havi knocked three times, and the door automatically opened. Inside, the house was decorated with many strange things on the ceiling, and on the shelves were numerous glass jars of various shapes. Moreover, she seemed to see skulls, though only bones, that still seemed to speak.
"Good day to you, Gullveig. Are you working on magic creation again?" - Havi
"Well, I have nothing else to do, and good day to you, Havi." - Gullveig
"Hey Gullveig, I think...it's time to let them go." - Havi
The playful teasing stopped abruptly, and Gullveig turned to face Havi.
"Are you serious?" - Gullveig
A slight nod from the bird-girl, Havi looked out the window at the people living there.
"They were brought here by me, not came voluntarily. I took them in because I didn't want them to suffer the meaningless wars caused by the gods." - Havi
"But if you let them out there, what if they find their way back?" - Gullveig
"That's why I came here to ask for your help. As a Völva and a Vanir, you must know about magic related to memory erasure." - Havi
The sorceress looked at the bird-woman and noticed a hint of regret in her eyes.
"You know what this means, don't you? Once they leave, death is certain for them. Danger knows no bounds." - Gullveig
"Of course I know, but what other choice do I have? They can't stay here; sooner or later, the gods will come. I just want to live a peaceful life." - Havi
As night fell, Gullveig whispered a magic spell. Streams of magic flowed into each house, enveloping the people still sleeping soundly in their beds, slowly waking them. Their bodies moved under Gullveig's control, and they slowly walked towards the waterfall.
As Havi began to sing, the waterfall gradually opened a portal leading to a small village. One by one, people stepped through, each returning to their homes and sleeping soundly without incident.
After seeing that everyone had returned home, Havi turned to look at Gullveig.
"What are your plans?" - Havi
"Perhaps I'll go do something, or maybe live here temporarily. After all, they've accepted me as part of their group, so I'm thinking about living here." - Gullveig
"That sounds interesting." - Havi
"I just want to change my place of residence. Don't worry, I'll still come to Eir to visit you." - Gullveig
The witch approached Havi and then drew a magical symbol made of pure gold on the woman's shoulder.
"This is a gift, as a thank you for taking in a gold-making disaster like me." - Gullveig
"There's no need to give me a gift. I'm just... helping those in need." - Havi
"That's true, of course I know that. But Havi of Eir, the world isn't as beautiful as you think. Some may want help, but there are also those who are cunning and want to harm innocent people... like you." - Gullveig
Hearing this, Havi gave a wry smile and shook his head slightly.
"You don't need to warn me about this. After all, I've lived long enough to understand the true nature of things." - Havi
Stepping to the edge of a mountain not far from the village, Havi spread her wings as dawn broke. The warm light kissed her skin, giving her renewed strength. She turned her head to look back at the village she had once protected, now having to let them go.
"Until we meet again." - Havi
Leaping off the cliff before Gullveig's eyes, the dark figure soared straight up into the high sky towards the sunrise.
"Until we meet again." - Gullveig
Jotunheimr, the coldest place in the Nine Realms and also the home of the Jotun giants. Normally, no god would want to come here because even a slight misstep could lead to a meaningless war.
However, what did that have to do with Havi?
She wasn't exactly going to Jotunheimr, but rather to the frigid outskirts of Jotunheimr's mountains. Despite the biting cold of the snow-covered mountains, the warm sunlight still provided some relief from the chill; at least the plants could still sprout and grow as usual.
Landing on the ground, Havi looked around, savoring the fresh air of nature. The scent of sunlight filtering through the trees eased her heavy mood.
Suddenly, she heard a sound and turned around. The bushes rustled, revealing something lurking within. Havi slowly approached, her wings becoming sharper like blades, ready to cut whatever emerged from the bushes.
Pulling aside the bushes, what Havi saw wasn't a human, but an animal—a small, wolf-like creature with dark gray fur.
"Oh, a pitiful creature. Are you separated from your pack?" - Havi
The wolf whimpered, looking towards its belly; there was a wound on the wolf cub's body that was still bleeding.
"You're injured, come closer. Let me help you heal your wound." - Havi
The wolf looked at the woman before it with a little apprehension, but looking up at those deep purple eyes filled with warmth, the wolf approached and sat on Havi's lap.
Behind the feathers were five-fingered hands with scales, without fur or claws, which Havi always kept hidden behind her wings. Gently placing her palm on the wolf's head, she murmured a few incantations to calm it, while her other hand reached towards the wound, using healing magic.
Seeing that the wolf was still in pain, Havi lowered herself, embracing the wolf and whispering gentle words of comfort.
After the wound had healed, the wolf was able to stand up and jump out of Havi's lap. He stared at her for a long time, then ran deep into the forest.
"That's quite a way to thank someone." - Havi said nonchalantly.
Just as she was about to turn and leave, she heard a wolf howl for help. Havi ran towards the sound and saw the wolf surrounded by a group of men in gleaming silver armor.
The wolf cub snarled in resistance, but the men didn't retreat; instead, they pointed their spears at it.
"By All-father's orders, we must capture this creature."
*Stab!*
Suddenly, something flashed and flew towards the first man who stepped forward, striking him in the heart. He stiffly ducked down and saw a feather. The feather pierced his chest and then shot out, creating a large hole in his ribcage. His body collapsed, leaving the others stunned.
But they didn't have a chance to react as more feathers shot out from the forest, tearing at their flesh. Blood splattered onto the trees behind them, their bodies ripped apart, revealing their white bones.
The remaining ones quickly fled, but they couldn't escape their fate. Feathers rained down on them at incredible speed, killing them before they could even scream.
Havi emerged from the forest, looking at the pool of blood and flesh she had created. The wolf cub stared at her, and she sighed.
"Well, I'm really doomed." - Havi