Chapter 37 Gifts of the Moon
The morning arrived warm. Not truly warm. This was still the North. Still Everfrost. Small snow crystals flew in the air, beautiful and sparkling. Still a kingdom where ancient glaciers slept beneath mountain ranges older than recorded history. Snow still crowned distant peaks. Ice still clung stubbornly to shaded valleys. Cold winds still wandered the wilderness like forgotten spirits. Yet compared to the endless winter that had ruled these lands for centuries it felt like spring itself had descended from heaven. The white king using his magic now permitted bars of sunlight to beam down in this permafrost lands and kingdom. Sunlight poured across the castle grounds in golden rivers. Winter Birdsong echoed between crystal towers. Tiny wildflowers pushed through thawing soil.Silver streams danced beneath bridges of enchanted ice. For the first time in generations the frozen North looked alive. The great courtyard shimmered beneath the morning light. Silver trees swayed gently. Their crystal leaves reflected fragments of sunlight like scattered diamonds. Moon fairies drifted lazily through the air. Hundreds of tiny glowing creatures. Some perched among winter flowers. Others rested upon branches. A few chased one another through beams of golden light. The entire castle felt peaceful. A rare thing. A precious thing. And perhaps because peace had become so rare everyone sensed something important was about to happen. Toivo stood quietly beside Gret and Kev. The young Northman wore dark traveling clothes beneath a fur-lined cloak. His blond hair caught the sunlight. Blue eyes reflected the crystal trees surrounding them. Though taller now. Stronger now. Broader through the shoulders than when he first arrived there remained something youthful about him. Something honest. Something stubbornly hopeful. Beside him stood Gret. And as always Gret looked like he had been carved directly from the mountains themselves. The fair haired giant warrior towered above nearly everyone present. Nearly seven feet tall. Broad shoulders. Massive arms. The physique of a man who had spent his entire life surviving blizzards, hunting monsters, and carrying burdens heavier than most people could imagine. His thick blond beard had begun showing faint traces of silver. Scars crossed his forearms. One disappeared beneath his collar. Another stretched across his jawline. Every mark told a story. Every scar represented survival. At first glance he looked intimidating. The sort of man children hid behind their mothers to avoid. The sort of warrior enemies prayed never to meet. Gret and Toivo looked like father and son. Great was very intimidating yet Moon had long since noticed something others often overlooked. The gentleness. The kindness. The softness hidden beneath all that strength. Because Gret was never truly angry when speaking to Toivo. Never truly harsh. Even his scoldings carried concern. Even his criticisms carried affection. Moon had watched them travel together from Eastern Elyria. Across desert wastelands. Across mountains, across battlefields, across half the continent. And the celestial had quietly noticed countless little things. The way Gret always made sure Toivo ate first whenever food was scarce. The way he automatically walked on the dangerous side of roads. The way he remained awake during storms while pretending to sleep. The way he watched over the younger warrior without realizing he was doing it. Not as a commander. Not as a teacher. Not merely as a mentor. As family. As something closer to a father than Gret himself would ever admit. The giant warrior provided. Protected. Guided. Corrected. Encouraged. Everything a father should do. Even if neither of them ever spoke about it. Moon noticed. Kev stood nearby in human form. Tall. Elegant. His short hair catching the sunlight like fire. Arms folded. Expression amused as usual. Though even Kev seemed curious today. Because Moon had summoned them personally. And whenever Moon summoned someone personally something important followed.
The celestial god stood beneath a flowering silver tree. And for a brief moment he looked less like a god and more like a dream. Long black hair flowed down nearly to his knees. Silken strands shifting gently in the wind. White robes draped around his slender frame. Layer upon layer of silver embroidery shimmered softly beneath sunlight. Thin ribbons floated around him. Moon fairies perched upon his shoulders. Others rested among his dark hair. His pale skin seemed almost luminous. And his eyes those impossible eyes remained dark enough to resemble the night sky itself. Yet silver occasionally flickered within them. Moonlight hidden beneath darkness. Beautiful. Ancient. Gentle. The White King stood several steps away. Watching quietly. His white hair moved softly in the breeze. He was the more regal, older and version of Toivo, the similarities were uncanny, they could have been twins or brother, The white king taller and fair, skin as white as marble, as snow. His once pale blue eyes now turned captivating crystalline blue. A faint smile already touched his lips. As though he knew what was about to happen. As though he had been waiting for this moment. Moon's gaze settled upon Gret. The giant warrior immediately straightened. Which was amusing. Because this was a man who had faced monsters larger than houses without blinking. Yet standing before Moon somehow made him nervous. Moon extended one pale hand. A small pearl appeared above his palm. The courtyard immediately fell silent. The pearl floated weightlessly. Perfectly round. Perfectly smooth. Silver-white light glowed from within. Not reflected light. Living light. The thing resembled a miniature moon. Tiny. Radiant. Divine. Everyone stared. Even the fairies seemed fascinated.
Gret frowned.
"What is that?"
Moon looked at him.
A faint smile touching his lips.
"A gift."
The pearl drifted through the air. Slowly. Gracefully. Until it hovered above Gret's enormous hand. The warrior hesitated. Then extended his palm. The moment the pearl touched his skin it dissolved. Silver light exploded outward. Not violently. Gently. Warmly. Like sunlight breaking through winter clouds. The radiance flowed across Gret's fingers. Up his arm. Across old scars.Through muscle. Through bone. Through blood. Into his heart. The giant staggered backward. Shock written plainly across his face. The light vanished. Gone. As though it had never existed. Silence followed. Gret looked down at himself. Nothing appeared different. No armor. No markings. No visible change. Yet everyone felt it. Something had awakened. Something ancient. Something sleeping deep within him.
Moon studied him quietly.
Then spoke.
"i give you vitality... and ..."
"When needed..."
His silver-black eyes met Gret's.
"...your body shall become stronger than steel."
Kev blinked. Toivo stared. Even the White King looked impressed.
Moon continued.
"One day..."
"...you will awaken its true form."
Gret frowned.
"What form?"
For a moment Moon smiled. A genuine smile. Rare. Warm. Beautiful.
"Ironheart."
The name seemed to echo through the courtyard. Ironheart. Ancient. Powerful. Legendary. Moon looked toward the northern mountains. His voice soft. Certain.
"When danger comes..."
"...your flesh shall become living metal."
The giant warrior froze. Moon continued.
"Blades will shatter against you."
"Arrows will break."
"Your bones shall become stronger than fortress walls."
"Your strength shall rival giants."
The fairies glowed brighter. Even the wind seemed to listen. Gret stood completely speechless. A remarkable achievement. Because Gret always had something to say.
Eventually he managed:
"That's..."
A long pause.
"...very useful."
Kev immediately groaned. Toivo burst out laughing. Even the White King laughed openly. Moon covered his mouth to hide a smile. And for a few precious moments there were no wars. No destinies. No partings. No heartbreak. Only friends standing beneath a silver tree. Enjoying each other's company. Enjoying the warmth of spring. Enjoying a rare moment of happiness before fate inevitably came knocking once more. And as Moon watched Gret place one enormous hand atop Toivo's shoulder the celestial smiled softly. Because some bonds were stronger than blood. And some families were chosen.Not born.
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