…Raven found herself in a grand library. She had no idea how she ended up there. She was simply wandering the large structure she had stumbled upon while exploring this new strange land. It was truly a wonderful sight to behold. It was exceptionally large and looked incredibly old, but it held an odd beauty. The walls were made up of dark stone, some of the stone had cracks and small crevasses throughout. The only natural light came from the odd-looking windows, they looked like they belonged in a castle keep. The ceiling was high and there hung large, iron chandeliers that were adorned with lit candles. The floor matched the aged stone wall. Bookshelves. Shelves upon shelves of books! So many books! The very sight made Raven’s heart jump with joy! The books were lined somewhat neatly on some of the shelves while others were haphazardly placed.

There were books strewn all about the floor; some lay in neat stacks while others lay in messy piles. Some were even scattered on the large wooden tables that dotted the room. She took notice that many of the books looked leather bound, and colors varied; from deep reds, dark blues, to varying shades of brown. The old musty smell brought a flood of happy memories back; when she was just a girl and would spend time in the dark corners of old bookstores and libraries, perusing forgotten and damaged tomes. She smiled and started to make her way to one of the shelves, her hand brushing over multiple books covers. The feel of the old leather against her skin made her smile even more.  

    She reached a shelf and looked curiously at what was on it. “Hmm, there are no titles on these spines…I guess it’s no surprise though these all look so old.” She said to herself as she plucked a random book from the shelf. As she removed the tome, it stirred up a cloud of dust that tickled her nose making her sneeze. She sniffled and wiped her nose with her sleeve. She looked down at the book’s cover and noticed there was no title, then she realized that none of the books that she had seen had titles. Curious, she opened the book to see what was inside. “Huh, this looks like it may be a botanical book.” It had diagrams of various plants and flowers as interesting as the book had seemed, she was unable to read it. It was written in an unfamiliar language. She sighed and placed the book back on the shelf and went to pick another one.

She opened it and again it was written in the same strange writing, she went and opened multiple other books, and all were written in the same mysterious text. “Well, I guess there is no point in staying here, I can’t understand anything that is written.” There was disappointment in her voice. She shrugged and turned to make her way out of this place. She started towards the exit when a lone book had dropped from a shelf and landed at her feet. She cried out in surprise as she jumped back a little. She looked down at the book. “Stupid book, you scared me…” she mumbled as she knelt to pick up the fallen tome.  

   When she rose, she was met with an imposing figure, obscured by the light from the open door behind it. She dropped the book and took a few steps back. The figure was tall and wore a hat? Raven was struggling to make out any features. Then the door behind the figure slammed shut. It took a few moments for Raven’s eyes to adjust, and she could now see who was standing in front of her. It was a man: tall and slender. He was quite handsome, his hair was long, it looked longer than shoulder length. It was the color of mercury, and it shined beautifully when the light hit. She could only make out one eye, and that eye was immensely beautiful, it was the feature that stood out the most. It was such a shade of blue that would make any artist envious, it was a hue that captivated, shined. No! It glowed! It looked like it could see far beyond any other person ever could. She also had a feeling that eye had seen much sorrow and pain in its existence; or perhaps the dark under his eye was the giveaway. His face was youthful looking, and his skin was pale but not a sickly, there was a light touch of pink and looked as smooth as porcelain, the only imperfection she could find was a single beauty mark on his chin that looked as if it were intentionally placed.

One could see that despite his young appearance, he was aged and experienced. He had a mysterious and unassuming presence which felt off putting but at the same time it felt alluring and intimidating. He was clad all in black. At least from what she could see. He wore a black wide-brimmed hat that drooped and obscured the left part of his face. He donned a long black cloak that swept the floor, around his shoulders draped a mantle of off-white fur that complimented both his silver locks and cloak. She could not see much of the clothing under his cloak but did happen to catch a glimpse of oaken colored pants and matching boots. 

    “And you are?” he spoke. Raven fumbled over her words “I…uh. I am, I mean my name’s Raven.” Her voice cracking at her name. “Your name is just “Raven”?” he said curiously. She nodded “Yes, that is what people call me.” He looked around the library then back to her, still he did not move. Raven took another step back and backed up into a table. “Why are you here, Raven.?” He asked. She swallowed “Why does he scare me? He doesn’t feel threatening, but he does scare me a little but at the same time he looks so sad…” Raven breaks her thoughts to answer him. “I just sort of wandered in here?” “Oh? You just wandered in here, alone?” he took a few steps towards her, she tried backing up, but the table was still there. She was trapped between this tall stranger and a wood table. If she were not so scared, she would have sworn she was pulled into a scene from one of those trashy romance novels, that she secretly indulged in.

He was so close now; she could see his face more clearly now. He was missing an eye! It was not a grotesque gouge, but a closed eyelid. She felt herself flush. “He’s so handsome…I almost can’t bear to look at him!” “Please go away, please go away…how is he so fucking attractive!?” “I’m dreaming! That’s it! I’m dreaming. This is all a dream, and this incredibly attractive stranger is a dream too.” He leaned to a preoccupied Raven and plucked away a shred of paper out of her hair. She snapped out of her spiral and looked at him in shock. “Oh? And what were you thinking little bird?” He smirked. “Hoping for something else?” Raven flushed a deeper shade of red if that was possible. “Um…uh…uh n-n-no.” she stuttered. He pulled back, turned and started to walk away.  

    Raven collected herself quickly. “W-wait! I never got your name. Who are you?” The man stopped and Raven thought she heard him chuckle. “I’m just the curious passerby, I’m nobody.” He said without turning around. Raven raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side and said, “a nobody? You are definitely not “just a nobody” she crossed her arms. She wanted to know who he really was. He was so different, so unique, he felt otherworldly, and she was curious. Where the sudden rush of courage came from, she could not explain.

The stranger finally turned around, his single blue eye flashed and Raven froze. His gaze went right through her. She felt an invisible blade pierce her chest, and she felt her heartbeat speed up, her blood run cold, and her head felt light. “What is…going on…?” “Why does this feel so familiar?” “Who is he?” Raven held her head and staggered away from the table and into a nearby bookshelf. She gripped one of its shelves to hold herself up. Her head was spinning, and her vision was becoming blurred. She seen the man approaching her with one hand extended. He was saying something, but it was muted. The edges of her vision were darkening. As she succumbed to the darkness her last thought was an odd one “Who…am I…?”  

    The stranger sighed as he knelt to check on her. He touched her forehead and then her cheek “maybe that was a bit too much for you, my little bird.” He stood up and looked around and stroked his chin “I know there was a spare room somewhere around here. Saga used to let me use it to get away for a bit.” He walked around the outer edge of the library searching for the room. He came to a large hanging tapestry on the eastern wall. It was partially blocked by a table and some piles of books. He began moving the books from the table to another table nearby “Saga and all Her damn human books…How many did She actually need?”” Are any of these even useful?” He looked down at the one he held in his hand. This one had a title printed across the front and it read “Harriet Planter and the Witch’s Gemstone” “What in the Nine Worlds is this?” He grumbled. He tossed the book on to the table he was stacking books on.

He finally cleared the table in front of the tapestry and moved it out of the way. He pushed the books on the floor out of the way with his legs, cursing Saga and Her absurd amount of human literature. “Ah here we are.” He looked up at the tapestry and noted that it depicted a scene from the dead past. It brought back both joyful and painful memories. “The past…” He whispered. He shook his head to empty his mind of the memories. He waved his hand over the tapestry, and it vanished exposing a plain wooden door in its place. He opened the door and stepped inside.

It was dark and he could barely make anything out. He snapped his fingers and a hanging torch above his head ignited; revealing a small room with a table and stool, a single bed and one small window that had its shutters closed. “Heh, nothing has really changed around here.” He said to himself in a slightly somber tone. He turns and leaves the room, heading back to where Raven was slumped against the bookshelf. As he nears her, he hears her talking in her sleep. Curious he knelt to listen to her. “M…Mas…hah…hah…plea…please…don’t…” He noticed her breathing was labored and her expression wounded.

He wondered if this little bird remembered anything. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her back to the small room. He brought her to the bed and laid her down on it. When he laid her down, she opened her eyes slightly and whispered the word “Master” then she closed her eyes once more. “Heh, my little bird I have finally found you at last.” He chuckled softly. He caressed her cheek gently then turned and left the room. 

    “I have to find my Master! Where is He! Where!” The unusually large raven thought as she flew as fast as she could, she fought against the raging winds as she was determined to find her Master. The sky was red and swirling, lighting flashed, and the winds howled. Fire was spread everywhere, it consumed everything around her. An extremely strong gust of wind hit the raven and she was thrown into a tree and fell to the ground. “Argh! Damn it!” The raven struggled to get up. She finally was able to stand and made a painful croaking sound. She spread her wings and took to the sky once more.

She surveyed the area below her. Looking franticly for any sign of the Master. Chaos was running rampant in her home. She saw His warriors clashing against ghastly specters and many were falling. Some warriors were engaging the raging giants but were on the losing end. “The end, it’s finally come…but where is He!” She flew further still looking for Him. Then in a field below she spied Him, her Master. She swoops down to try and meet Him but was stopped by something, an invisible barrier? No matter what the raven tried she was not able to break through it. She screeched “Master! Please, please don’t!” but He did not hear her.

He looked so grand in His golden mail and helmet, perched atop His eight-legged steed and spear raised high. It was raised against a great black Wolf, who was charging at her Master, fangs bared, ready to kill. The raven croaked and flapped her wings in vain to get to her Master. Fear filled the raven’s heart as the two powers clashed against each other; she was well aware of the prophecy and her Master’s fate. They fought one another fiercely, tooth and nail ripping flesh and blade piercing fur and skin. The giant Wolf took a mighty swing with His paw and struck the horse felling it and throwing the Master from His mount.

The raven tried harder to pierce the invisible wall but still nothing, all she could do was circle the battlefield and watch as a spectator. She watched as her Master rose from the ground looking mournfully at His favored horse and friend and continued to fight the Wolf. Then, it happened, the Wolf overpowered her Master. The Wolf’s fangs sank deeply into His shoulder and blood gushed from its wound. The Master dropped to one knee but was not willing to give up. With His still intact arm He launched His spear into the Wolf’s neck, lodging it there. The Wolf howled in agony and let go of Him. The Master stood up and looked up at the raven circling above, watching. She heard His voice “My dear friend; I am afraid this is where we must part.” “Master NO!” she screeched. She watched in horror as the Wolf devoured her beloved Master.

The raven continued to circle the field. She didn’t know what to do. “He is gone. Truly gone…what do I do now?” She flew away from the field. While aloft she had spied the valiant War Goddess fighting alongside her late Master’s Queen. The Queen noticed the raven and motioned for the raven to come to her. The raven perched herself upon a nearby barren tree. The Queen inquired about the whereabouts of Her husband. “He has been slain by the Wolf, my Queen.” The raven reported. The Queen looked mournful but continued to fight on. She asked where His other feathered familiar might be. “He is dead, slain by an arrow. I barely managed to escape.” The raven answered.

The Queen said nothing. As the raven prepared to take off an arrow struck her in the breast, and she fell from her perch. She heard her Queen cry out in sorrow and saw that the War Goddess had been slain and lie not far from her own body. The raven watched as her world was being torn apart. Her vision began to darken, and things had become blurry, foggy. She felt tired and wanted to sleep. Maybe she could see her Master again when she woke up…. 

   Raven opened her eyes and sat up startled “What was that?” “A dream?” “But it felt so real…” She shook her head to clear the images away. She blinked a few times and looked around the room. “How did I get here?” she said to herself. “All I remember was…” Then the stranger entered the room. “YOU!” She shouted and pointed to him. “Oh? You’re finally awake little bird.” The stranger smiled. Raven was angry and she wanted to smack that smile off his gorgeous face. The man was holding a tray with an old silver tea set on it. “I thought you might like something to drink when you awoke.” He set the tray down on the small table and poured her a cup and handed to her, then poured himself a cup; then took a seat on the stool next to the bed.

Raven raised the cup to her nose. “Oh! Its Jasmine! My favorite!” She brought the hot beverage to her lips and took a sip. The liquid warmed her and brought such joy to her, it was familiar and comforting. “It’s so good, it tastes almost as good as Mr. Wang’s…” a hint of sadness washed over her face for a moment. “May I ask who Mr. Wang is, little bird.” The stranger asked curiously. She looked at the man “he was a kind older man who owned a bookstore in my small town.” “His store was my favorite spot in town. When I went there, he would always have a cup of jasmine for me, we would sit and talk for hours about our favorite books and authors…He always gave the best advice. He was the wisest person I knew…” She looked down at her cup and she felt tears form in her eyes she blinked them away and looked to the stranger again. “Who are you?” she asked. “I suppose I can tell you, but you already know who I am.” The man said smiling.

Raven growled “I’ve never seen or met you in my entire life!” The man laughed “give me your hand little bird.” Raven was becoming annoyed now “Stop calling me little bird!” “My name is Raven!” she shouted. She nearly dropped her teacup in her shouting. The man frowned; without even putting down his own cup he chanted something she could not understand and pointed at her; thin white threads began to coil around her and held her tightly in place. “What…what is this!” she cried. “Let me go, let me go goddamn it!” She dropped the teacup as she struggled but was unable to break free.

The man sat sipping his tea comfortably. “Are you done yet, little bird?” he said nonchalantly. Raven stopped struggling and looked angerly at him. “I don’t know who you are! I literally met you today.!” “I’ve never seen you before!” “If I did, I think I would remember you! My hometown is small, everyone knows each other and their business!” “You’d stick out like a sore thumb, dressed like that and having one eye…” He sighed and sat his cup down on the table. “If you are through with your squawking, will you let me finish.” He said firmly. Raven looked at him a little shocked, then caught his eye. He looked a little dark now, she could feel him losing his patience with her and went silent. “Good now.” He snapped his fingers and the white threads dissipated; she was free now. 

    Raven looked down at both her hands and massaged them. The man stood up and took hold of one of her hands. She yelped in surprise but did not try to take it back. He knelt to be level with her, still holding her hand and not breaking eye contact. Raven felt her face heat up. “What…what is he doing?” He brought her hand up to his forehead. “Put your middle and index finger together, as if you were pointing.” He instructed. “Um, like this?” she asked moving her fingers. “Yes, like that.” He touched her fingers to his own forehead. A small burst of light sparked from her fingers. “Wha…What!” 

A series of images flashed through her mind. In those flashes she could feel many different emotions, happiness, sadness, anger, love, and worry. Her palate was bombarded with many different tastes, sweets, sours, salts, bitters, and savories. Many different scents assailed her nose, florals, earthiness, fruitiness, and pungency. She experienced things she has never felt before. Yet they felt both familiar and foreign at the same time. Then a name flashed. “Odin” the name fell from her lips, and he smiled. She gasped and pulled her hand away from him and he let it go. “Master Odin? Your name is Odin?” she said with shock. 

He stood and offered her a hand. “Odin? As in Norse myth Odin? A mythological being.?” He let His hand fall and crossed His arms. “Oh? I am a myth to you?” He said with a slight tease. “I…I don’t know.” She spoke. He uncrossed His arms and held out His hand to His side and grasped the air as if He were holding something long and horizontal. An ornate spear materialized in a soft burst of white light. He stood there with a smug grin across His lips. “Wha! How did you do that!?” Raven said with excitement and awe as she scrambled to get off the bed. “Hmm, I thought I was a “myth” to you?” He let go of the spear and it vanished in the same burst of soft light it appeared in. 

“Now My little bird, do you remember who you are now?” She blinked in confusion. “I still don’t understand what you mean…” A look of disappointment shadowed His face. “So, you remember nothing?” She shook her head “I’m sorry, if I am supposed to, but I still don’t.” His disappointment was now sadness. She wondered why the sad look on His face hurt her heart so much. She sat back down on the bed and folded her hands together in her lap. She took a deep breath in and looked up at Him. “Look, Odin. I get that You know me, but I can’t say the same.” “Whatever that was that I saw when I touched You…wasn’t mine.” He interrupted her “They are memories.” “Memories?” She spoke. “Yes. Mine to be specific.” She looked down “so those feelings…” He interrupted her again “You have the ability to see people’s memories.”

She looked up in confusion then curiosity “I what?” He crossed His arms “You can peer into people’s memories.” He wanted to tell her, to tell her who she truly was. He had finally found one of them, but He did not want to run the risk of chasing her away. This would be the first time in many a century He came across one of His beloved familiars, and of all of them her. Though she did take on the odd human form, she is standing here with Him yet she remembers nothing. “Uh, Odin? Are You alright?” Her voice snapped Him from His thoughts. “I am, why?” He answered quickly. “You went silent and were making this weird face.” He closed His eye and thought to Himself “My precious little bird, if you only knew.” 

Raven reached out and touched His arm, Odin opened His eye and swatted her hand away from Him. She recoiled in surprise and took back her hand, holding it. She looked hurt and lowered her head “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to anger you…” Odin looked down at her and turned His head to the side “You didn’t, you just surprised me.” He said quietly. He turned and walked out of the room closing the door behind Him leaving Raven alone in the small room. She felt tears welling up, her chest and face burned. “Why does this hurt so much? Why is my heart aching? Why?” “Who am I really?” “Odin…” “Is this real? Or am I dreaming?” Her thoughts wandered as she scooted back on to the bed sitting holding her knees to her chest. “Where am I anyways?” “Memories?” “His memories?” “So, Odin from Old Norse lore…then I guess that makes Him…a god?!” 

The sound of the door opening jogs Raven from her thoughts. She looks up and sees Odin standing in the doorway with what looks like a solemn look on His face. She says nothing to Him, it’s an awkward silence. He speaks. “Raven, come. I wish to show you something.” “Show me what?” She answers dejectedly. “Something, I’ve never shown to a human before.” Her head perks up a little and she tilts it to the side. “Something you’ve never shared with a human before?” He sighs and droops His head a bit “Yes, no human…but you are no human…My little bird.” Before He could look up again Raven was standing at the door. “I think this might be important to you.” she said gently. His eye widened and He backed up a bit clumsily. “Oh? Are you ok?” Raven said with a small smile. “I am, thank you.” The god cleared His throat. “Now, follow me.” 

    Raven followed Him obediently through the mess of a library, not saying a word. She passed piles of books and some scrolls it looked like. She only gave them passing glances and nothing more. It was quiet between the two. Odin broke the silence. “You know, this place used to belong to one of my closest friends.” “Did it now?” Raven said, sounding a little distracted. “Yes, Her name was Saga.” Odin answered. “Saga…I think I heard that name before.” Raven said. Odin stopped suddenly and turned around. “You know Her name?” He said with a little bit of hope in His voice and heart. “I think so yeah, I read about Her in a book once. She was supposed to be a handmaid or something to a queen named Frigga or Frigg or maybe it was Freyja.” Odin’s hope dissipated “just in a book?” He asked. “Yeah…it was one on Norse mythology…” she replied. Raven could see that was not the answer He wanted; the disappointment was written all over His face.

He turned back around and started walking again. “Odin. Can I ask You something?” “What is it?” He replied, sounding a little agitated. “If You are that Odin from Norse myth, does that make you a god?” Raven felt her whole being become cold, when asking that. In truth she already knew, He had proven it more than once. She just wanted to hear Him say it. He finally stopped at a large wood table. “Here we are.” He spoke. “Did He really just ignore me?” Raven pouted. Odin motioned for her to take a seat in one of the chairs as He seated Himself in the larger more ornate chair.

Raven nodded and took her seat. She noticed that this table was larger than the other tables. It had a thicker top and legs, and elaborate engravings. On it, rested a very large and thick black leather-bound book and like some of the others had no title. Odin sighed and opened the book “This library is a collection and a sort of hobby for Saga. She has collected human literature since humans learned how to read and write,” Raven was curious now. “Saga has also collaborated with other divinities to further Her collection.” He continued. He began to flip through the book, searching for something. Raven waited quietly while He navigated the book and its pages.  

    “Ah. This is it.” He said stopping on one of its pages and began to read from it. “…Erin walked by Mr. Wang’s bookshop and stopped for a moment. She contemplated stopping by to say hello to him and maybe see if he had received any new books this week. But she could not as she needed to finish the errands for her parents. So, she left the small shop and continued to make her way to the other shops. She kept thinking of her friend Evan, who seemed to be struggling with something. She thought maybe it was his job, a girl or maybe his family. Erin seen Mrs. Ford walking her dog with her son and stopped to say hello and pet the dog…” Raven stood up from her seat. “Wait! That’s…that’s…how? What is this!?” she demanded. Odin stopped reading and looked up at her. “It is a record. A record of people’s history. Though only on those that I consider interesting enough or those that worship us, the gods.” He replied with a sly smile.

Raven sat back down trying to process this. She looked back to Him. “I guess You really are a god after all.” she said, her voice trembling. “I guess that is how You know who I am…” Odin kept His smile “There is much more to it than that.” He whispered. She caught His otherworldly glowing blue eye again and felt her heartbeat speed up, she felt dizzy, and her vision began to blur. “No, not again.” She thought. She held on to the table’s edge and tried to steady herself, until weakness finally overtook, and she began to fall. Odin quickly stood to catch her in His arms. He held her close to His chest and looked down on His fainted little bird. “Heh, sleep well my beloved Muninn, you will soon remember who you are.”