Eternity | T.J.

This Would Be Easier If Hearth Was Actually Conscious.

     Based On Looks Alone, I liked Jotunheim. Based on way of entry, I hated it. All things considered, it was a mediocre place with lots of mountains, snow, and waterfalls, all of which we were stuck walking through.

     " Hang in there," Magnus said to our elven friend.

     Hearth signed something that I couldn't make out.

     " It's best if you don't try to say anything," I told him." What you need right now is rest."

     Hearthstone grunted, and then took a rune from his bag, one that looked like an odd E, before signing, This is me.

     Sam frowned." That's perthro."

     " What does that mean?"

     She didn't respond, and simply looked at Hearth." Are you trying to explain what happened to you? You want both of them to know?"

     Magnus felt pain. He signed.

     " Wait, what? I didn't know this."

     " Yeah..." Magnus confirmed." When I healed you, there was something dark-"

     Hearth pointed to the rune before looking at Sam.

     " You want me to tell them? You sure?"

     He nodded.

     " When Hearth and I were in Alfheim," Sam began after a little while." He told me part of his story. I didn't know all the details, but... his parents..."

     " Go on!" Otis spoke up." I love depressing stories!"

     " Be quiet."

     " I'll just be quiet then."

     " Blitzen told us a little bit," Magnus said." Hearth's parents never accepted him because he was deaf."

     " It was worse than that, they were... not good people. Hearth had a brother, Andiron, who died very young. It wasn't Hearthstone's fault, but his parents took out their bitterness on him. They always told him the wrong brother had died. To them, Hearth was a disappointment, a disabled elf, a punishment from the gods. He could do no right."

     I looked at Hearth, even though he was asleep, before signing, We're here for you.

     " He still carries all that pain inside," Magnus realized." Gods..."

     Sam placed a hand on Hearthstone." He couldn't tell me the details of how he grew up, but I-I got the feeling it was worse than you can imagine."

     " No wonder he daydreamed about working magic, but this symbol...?"

     " Perthro symbolizes an empty cup lying sideways. It could be spilled drink, or a cup waiting to be filled, or a cup for throwing dice, like fate."

     " I don't understand."

     " I think... I think perthro is the rune Hearthstone personally relates to. When he went to Mimir and drank from the well. Hearthstone was offered a choice between two futures. If he took the first path, Mimir would grant him speech and hearing and send him back to Alfheim to live a normal life, but he would have to give up his dream of magic. If he chose the second path-"

     " He'd learn magic," Magnus guessed." But he would stay the way he is, deaf and dumb, hated by his own parents. What kind of messed-up choice is that? I should've stepped on Mimir's face when I had the chance."