Eclipse of Eternities

---

The moment they stepped back into Valhalla, Orion knew something was wrong.

The air felt heavier. Warriors who normally drank and feasted in the halls sat quietly, whispering among themselves. Even Tyr and Siegfried, who had been overseeing training, stood near the great doors, their expressions unreadable.

Odin was waiting.

Again.

Orion sighed. "Can we get a week off?"

Freya smirked. "You should know better by now."

The golden doors swung open, and they entered the All-Father's chambers. Odin sat at his war table, Mjolnir resting at Thor's side, while Loki leaned against the shadows, watching.

But it wasn't Odin who spoke.

It was Heimdall.

"The world shakes, Einherjar."

Orion tensed. Heimdall never left his post at the Bifrost unless something serious was happening.

"What's wrong?"

Heimdall's golden eyes flickered. "A descendant of Jörmungandr has gone rogue. And it seeks to do the unthinkable."

Silence.

Then Darius frowned. "You mean—"

"Yes." Heimdall's gaze burned. "It is trying to release the World Serpent again and I am sending you."

Orion cursed.

The Midgard Serpent—Jörmungandr—was one of the few beings even the gods feared. If it was freed, Ragnarok's timeline would accelerate.

Freya exhaled. "Where is it?"

Thor stood, his presence shaking the air. "Midgard."

That got everyone's attention.

Thor never showed concern over Midgard. If he was taking this seriously, then it meant—

"This isn't just a normal hunt," Ingrid muttered.

Loki smirked. "No. It's a race."

---

The portal to Midgard flared open, depositing them onto a storm-ridden coastline. The sky above was dark, heavy with rolling clouds. The ocean churned violently, waves crashing against the jagged rocks.

Orion took a breath. The scent of salt and decay filled the air.

They weren't alone.

Freya touched the damp ground. "The creature came this way."

Khaled's eyes flickered. "And it's not far."

The tracks led them down the coastline, where the remains of a drowned shipwreck loomed in the distance.

It was massive—dark wood rotting away, sails torn apart, a ghost of its former self. But as they got closer, something felt familiar.

Darius stopped.

His expression hardened.

"What?" Orion asked.

Darius exhaled. Then, in a voice filled with old memories, he said—

"The Queen Anne's Revenge."

Silence.

Freya frowned. "Wait. You mean Blackbeard's ship?"

Darius gave a short nod. "Yeah."

Orion narrowed his eyes. "How do you know that?"

Darius's lips curled into a smirk—one that wasn't quite his usual cocky attitude.

"Because I sailed on it."

Everyone turned to him.

"You're joking, right!" Erik said.

Darius chuckled. "You think I was born in Valhalla? Please. I spent some time on the seas before I got here."

Khaled raised an eyebrow. "You were a pirate?"

Darius crossed his arms. "I traveled with my half-brother."

Freya blinked. "Wait. Blackbeard was your half-brother?"

"Son of Ares," Darius confirmed. "Different mothers. Mine was a Viking. His… well, let's just say he rather took after our father in the worst ways."

Erik whistled. "Damn."

Darius glanced at the ruined ship. His eyes darkened. "I never thought I'd see this wreck again."

Orion exhaled. "Think there's anything left of your brother in there?"

Darius shook his head. "No. He should be in some part of the underworld. He never made it to Valhalla since he wasn't nordic in the least."

That sounds like a great long-term reveal! Blackbeard being alive adds another layer of intrigue, and tying his ship to Ares as a divine artifact makes it even more valuable. Here's how the next chapter could unfold while setting up the eventual restoration of the Queen Anne's Revenge:

---

The Queen Anne's Revenge loomed before them, its broken hull creaking under the weight of time and the sea's relentless assault. Lightning flashed in the distance, illuminating its ruined mast like the bones of a long-dead beast.

Orion tightened his grip on his spear. "I don't like this."

"Good," Ingrid muttered. "You shouldn't."

Khaled ran a hand along the ship's rotting planks. "It still holds magic."

Freya frowned. "What kind of magic?"

Darius exhaled, stepping forward.

"The kind that never dies the magic of gods."

Everyone turned to him.

He placed a hand on the ship, closing his eyes for a moment. The air around them shifted.

Then he opened them.

"This ship," Darius said, voice heavier than usual, "was a gift from Ares."

Silence.

Orion's brows furrowed. "Ares gifted your brother a divine ship?"

Darius gave a short nod. "Yeah. Not just any ship—one that could sail even between realms if it ever falls into the void as my father calls it."

Erik let out a low whistle. "That's insane."

Freya crossed her arms. "And yet it's here, rotting at the bottom of Midgard's ocean."

Darius smirked. "Because my brother was reckless." He kicked a loose plank. "Divine or not, it can still be broken maybe not sink but still broken. But it can also be rebuilt."

Orion narrowed his eyes. "How?"

Darius turned to him. "If we bring it to the dwarves of Nidavellir, they can restore it. But first We need to deal with whatever is hiding inside."

Orion nodded. "Then let's make sure this ship is turned into something greater after our work is completed."

Because somewhere in that wreck—the Serpent's kin was waiting.

He pointed toward the darkness within the wreck.

---

The air inside the ship was thick with moisture and decay. The walls were warped, the floor slick with seawater and algae. Glowworms flickered along the ceiling, casting eerie green light over the ruins.

Khaled stepped forward cautiously. "The creature's still here."

Orion scanned the area, his Partial Godmode activating briefly. His mother's voice whispered through his mind.

"The wood is warped unnaturally. Something heavy has been dragging itself through here."

He muttered, "It's been nesting."

Freya unsheathed her sword. "Great. So we're walking into a snake's den."

"Well to be precise it's called a burrow" Eric stated ignorent to the surroundings

Ingrid frowned ignoring him. "I thought Jörmungandr's descendants weren't supposed to be this aggressive and are even considered lazy."

"They're not," Khaled murmured. "Unless something's driving it to act or something is threatening it."

Orion exhaled. "We'll find out soon enough."

The ship groaned as they moved deeper.

And in the shadows ahead—something stirred.

---