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*****
4
"The prophecy dictates that Vanaheim will face a truly terrifying catastrophe!"
Fini's face flickered with a hint of surprise. He didn't understand why Njord would suddenly confide such a thing to him, but he didn't interrupt. He remained silent, allowing the old King to continue his story at his own pace.
"I have tried many methods, but none could change the foretold outcome," Njord said, his deep blue eyes suddenly locking onto Fini's. "It wasn't until a few decades ago that I exhausted every means to obtain a new prophecy. This one said that a Savior would appear—one who possesses the power to change this disaster!"
Feeling the intensity of Njord's gaze, Fini felt a sudden shiver. He asked with a wry, incredulous smile, "You don't actually think that 'Savior' is me, do you?"
"Originally, I did not know who it would be. But after meeting you, I believe it is," Njord nodded firmly. He studied Fini and added, "You are truly unique, little mage of Midgard. I cannot see through you, and more importantly, prophecy itself fails to take hold upon your person. You must be the Savior!"
Fini was momentarily speechless. Regarding the failure of prophecy, he suspected it was due to the System. If it could shield him from the influence of the Time Stone, blocking a mere prediction seemed like no great feat.
"I think you've made a mistake," Fini said, shaking his head. "I'll be leaving quite soon. Prophecy doesn't work on me because of my unique... constitution, not because I'm some hero from your legends. I am not the Savior you're looking for."
He didn't want the job. He hadn't even fully saved his own Earth yet, and now he was being asked to play the Savior for someone else's realm.
Njord, however, seemed to have absolute faith in the vision. He shook his head and insisted, "A prophecy of this nature cannot be wrong."
"Then what is it you want?" Fini's brow furrowed, his internal guard rising.
Seeing Fini's wary expression, Njord sighed. "Rest easy. I will not force you to stay. I only hope that you will be the one to save Vanaheim when the time comes."
"And like I said, I'm not that Savior," Fini repeated, his voice deepening with resolve.
"Whether you are or are not, we shall leave that to time to judge." Njord looked at Fini and spoke slowly. "I am willing to offer you a treasure in exchange for a single promise: If you truly are the Savior of the prophecy, please save Vanaheim. Should you succeed, there will be a far greater reward awaiting you."
Fini kept his brow furrowed and remained silent. Although he still didn't believe he was the chosen one, he didn't dare dismiss the possibility entirely.
Furthermore, he was hesitant to give a promise lightly. The man standing before him was a 'God' who had lived for untold millennia; who knew if the Vanir possessed 'incantations' that could turn a spoken word into a binding soul-contract?
"I'm sorry. I think it's time for me to go."
Fini shook his head. He felt that Vanaheim was no longer a safe place to linger. While it was a pity he wouldn't get to study their magic, staying any longer felt like inviting unpredictable trouble.
"Alas..."
Seeing Fini's rejection, Njord let out a long, heavy sigh. His face seemed to age instantly, looking so crestfallen and defeated that Fini felt a sudden, sharp pang of guilt.
"What exactly was the prophecy?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Fini regretted them. This old man was a King and a God—did he really need Fini's pity? Unfortunately, Fini didn't have the Time Stone on him to rewind the clock and take the question back.
"At the hour of dawn, in a realm of peace, disaster strikes sudden; black dust dances in the air, souls wander aimless, a home hard to find," Njord recited softly.
Fini pondered the words carefully. Something about the phrasing felt off, but one specific line caught his attention. He couldn't help but ask, "What does 'black dust dances' mean?"
"Prophecies can be interpreted in many ways," Njord replied, shaking his head. "But until they come to pass, no one can accurately decipher their true meaning."
Fini fell into deep thought. He obsessed over those words for a long time. The "black dust" seemed far too specific to be a coincidence. He asked again, "How did you obtain this prophecy?"
"It is a tradition for every King of Vanaheim," Njord explained. "To use the last of one's life essence to glimpse the future of the kingdom."
Fini looked at the withered, ancient King and felt a wave of somber respect.
He didn't care how much longer Njord had to live; what he cared about was whether this prophecy referred to the event he suspected. If it did, then this "Savior" role might actually belong to him after all.
According to the original timeline, after Thanos snapped his fingers with the Infinity Gauntlet, the chosen victims vanished by turning into black ash—powder that drifted away in the wind.
Fini couldn't help but wonder if Njord's prophecy was foreseeing the Decimation.
Thanos's dream was to eliminate half of all life in the universe to solve the problem of overpopulation and resource scarcity. Vanaheim, being part of the Nine Realms, would certainly be included in that cull.
In the original story, the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Doctor Strange all failed to stop that first snap. But in this version of the Marvel world, there was a variable that shouldn't exist: Fini. He was an anomaly that time itself could not predict. No one knew what the future held now.
Unless Fini completely lost his mind, he was definitely going to stop Thanos. If he succeeded, then obviously no one would be "turning into dust." In that sense, calling him a Savior wasn't an exaggeration at all.
However, Fini remained conflicted. He worried the prophecy might be about something else entirely. Though Vanaheim didn't seem to face any other major catastrophes in the original movies, he couldn't be certain.
What if?
Fini hesitated. While refusing was the safest choice, if the prophecy really was about Thanos, he felt like he would be missing out on a golden opportunity.
"What treasure are you planning to trade for this promise?"
After an agonizing period of indecision, Fini gritted his teeth and decided to gamble. His strength was growing steadily; even if the disaster wasn't Thanos, he would likely be powerful enough to handle whatever came Vanaheim's way in the future.
Hearing Fini's question, Njord gave him a deep, searching look. Fini was gambling, but so was he. From the moment they met, Njord had habitually tried to use his 'incantations' to divine whether Fini's arrival was an omen of good or ill.
To his shock, his normally infallible magic had failed completely on Fini.
After retreating to his chambers earlier, he had tested his powers again to ensure they weren't malfunctioning. Confirmed that the issue lay with Fini himself, he became certain the boy was the Savior. If he was wrong, he would pay a heavy price—not just the loss of a treasure, but the potential doom of his people.
"The Pearl of the Ocean."
Njord produced a small, exquisitely crafted sphere that emitted a faint, ethereal blue glow. "It can control water to a certain degree. Furthermore, it has been enchanted with permanent 'Light,' 'Restoration,' and 'Healing' incantations. By wearing it, one can banish fatigue and accelerate the healing of wounds."
Fini looked at the bead in Njord's hand and felt a twinge of disappointment. Aside from the water manipulation and the light source, its effects didn't seem much better than his 'Violet Sauce Fried Chicken Rolls.'
Still, considering it was only in exchange for a verbal promise and he hadn't actually saved the realm yet, it was a respectable offering.
(End of Chapter)