An aging overweight man who plays too much online gaming receives a gift from Freya, the
goddess of love, lust, beauty, sorcery, fertility, gold, war and death.

Freya's Gift

Chapter 39: New Years Eve :Part Deux

Thursday 31 December New Years Eve

As Loki's form solidified, I approached, arms wide open. He looks at me with more than a little suspicion plainly on his
handsome face. To reassure him, I smile as genuine as possible. He allows me to close with him, and I wrap my arms around
him.

Now, some may have thought I was using this as a ploy to get him to drop his guard. However, that couldn't have been
further from the truth. I said. with honest feeling, "Thank you Loki, for making me the woman I am today. I owe it all to
you. My family will forever be in your debt."

He peers deeply into my eyes, trying to judge my sincerity. I just continue to smile at him. He breaks the hug, "I
honestly believe you mean that Freya. But why should I? Are we now to be best friends? To share drinks before a
fireplace, like you would with my brother Thor."

I looked him square in the eye, "BFF's? Not likely. But, maybe friends of a sort. Too much has passed for anything else."

Loki sneers, "And I am to take your word for that? My dear girl!" Over stressing my gender.

"Please Loki, brother of my adopted brother, let us settle this peacefully. No one needs to be hurt further in this
pointless skirmish you set upon us and the planet Tera. There is nothing you can say that will weaken on combined
resolve."

Loki turns to the gathered masses, "Not even the unvarnished truth? You think these people will continue to believe, in
you, after they know the whole truth? With nothing held back?"

"I do so believe!" I state with absolute certainty.

Mom walks to my side, takes my hand and gives it a squeeze. Jimmy and the rest of my family nods to me. The unconditional
love I felt, from them was enough to carry me to the gates of hell and back. Or to quote Khan, to perdition's flame!

The crowd looks on in confusion, I squeeze mom's hand back, "Good people, Loki wants you to know my whole, true story. So
here it is." I take a short moment, then begin, "My story begins before I was born, to a time before modern man, when
Loki was angered with my mother for stopping his foul pranks, and deeds."

"So, because he couldn't harm her, he took out his vengeance on her first unborn child. Me! While still developing in her
womb, he caused the child to change genders. So that I was born male, instead of female as I should have been. My mother
never knew this, until her mortal body died and she returned to Asgard."

"After learning of this most foul of pranks, there was nothing she could do, but watch over me. You see, I was already
past 50yo when she passed, and while I had lived a life full in length, it was empty of content. She saw that the game I
played, no, make that shared with all of you. That was her chance to set things right. She allowed me to choose which of
my characters that I would continue on as."

"On that day, my old body died. So I could be reborn as you see me now, with a new life. I had chosen the name Freya to
honor my old Norse heritage, not know that FREYA was really my mother. I was given a life and told to start fresh, but I
could not bear to live without my old family. I reached out to first one," Here I pulled Katie to stand with me, "I
explained what happened and she accepted me without reservations. With her help, I slowly gained back my family. As well
as starting a family of my own." Now bringing Lauren and Jimmy forward too.

"Their love, helped me find my place in this new life. And in about 3 months time, I will learn what it is like to hold
my own children in my arms, to comfort and nurture them with the help of my loving family. The only thing left for us to
do before the children are born, is to make this, OUR, world safe for them and every person."

******************************

Slowly a chant begins, so quiet, I couldn't quite make out what it was. Soon, it was evident. They were chanting my name,
over and over, gaining volume and strength. I was so overcome with emotion, that I began to cry. Tears of happiness,
acceptance and joy.

It was clear to Loki, that his final ploy had failed. He looked resigned to his fate. The crowd, as they quieted, took up
a new chant, but one far more ominous in nature. They were calling for Loki's head, they wanted him dead. And that is
where our plan for tonight was headed. Time to spring the trap!

At that time, a wild cry rings out, "For Tera!" At that call, every person in the vast crowd, calls their weapons and
armour. That's right, every person at the party was a gamer from Tera, granted their powers for this event. All of them
raise their weapons to prepare to deal the deciding blow.

Loki concedes that he stands no chance against such a massed assault, as is arrayed before him. Before they can deal the
killing blow. I step in front of him and shield his body. The crowd lowers their weapons in confusion. Loki even more so.

With an incredulous look on his face, Loki asks me, "Why would you seek to protect me, after what I have done to you? I
would think you would want the first blow."

"Until a few days ago, you would have been right about that. But, I now have a different perspective on that thanks to
Katie here. She made me realise, that had you not interfered in my life to start with, I would not have the life I do
now. One that I truly love. Like I said before, we owe you everything."

He smiles, "So now what? You just let me go with my promise to be a good little boy?"

I laughed, "No, that is not acceptable. But you will be detained for the well being of everyone."

No one has noticed the time, until the school clock in the near tower starts to count down the seconds to the new year.
Then out of nowhere, a scream pierces the night, startling everyone. "NOooooo!"

From the back of the stage, a glowing fireball races at Loki, pushing others aside. Out of this fireball, appears a short
blue haired young girl, just as she strikes with a ground pounder punch, staggering Loki onto his back. The tornado of
rage is non other than our sweet little Gloria, now as a Tera Brawler.

I change to my armour, and rush to stop Gloria. In frantic worry, I scream out, "Gloria stop! You must stop this! Now."

She halts with a fist raised, a madness of furious rage in her fiery eyes, "No! He must pay for what he has done! It's
not right to let him get off scott-free. For what he did to my Papa, and all the others. He deserves to pay with his
life."

I try to hold her, but she backs away, tears streaming from her eyes. Softly, "Gloria, sweetie, is this what you want? To
lower yourself down to his level, to stain your soul beyond redemption. I don't think so, you're not that kind of person.
I meant what I said before about thanking Loki, I really am truly thankful to him."

Still crying, a raging fury about to go nova, she asks, "How can you possibly be thankful of him, he's a monster. To be
worshiped by everyone."

I inch closer, arms still wide trying to hold her, "Yes, he is a monster. And yes, he does deserve what you suggest to
atone for his misdeeds. But, if he hadn't interfered in my life, I never would have met you Gloria. A sweet, shy, caring
and loving person. He took your father, and broke him." I turn and wave Seraphina to my side, "But, we found him, mother
FREYA, fixed his broken soul over the loss of your mother, in turn, giving you back a mother and a father to love you.
Would she want you to do this?"

Sera speaks softly, "Gloria, my daughter, don't let your hate and anger turn you down this path. This path is what broke
me after your beloved mother died, and was taken from us. Only my love for you brought me back, so FREYA could heal me. I
don't know if I could handle losing you, to that same darkness. Please, for me, for Bobby, for any future grandchildren
you might give me! Please come back to the light!"

Bobby joins us, "Please Gloria, I love you! Don't do this, don't leave us alone."

Gloria turns, her armour fades out, replaced by her gown. She reaches out to Bobby, to be wrapped in his arms. Sera and I
wrap our arms around the both of them.

Loki gets back to his feet, dusting off his previously impeccable suit, "How touching. Almost makes me want to cry. Or
retch, I'm not sure which. Either way, it's all the same to me."

As I turn to Loki, a determined rage, flashes across my face. I called forth my arccanon and fire point blank at his
chest, blowing him halfway across the field. I knew it would even really hurt him, but I had to do it. "You don't get to
belittle her or us! You don't have the right to do that. We can't kill you, but we can damn sure see that you pay for
your crimes. And if enough of us here unleash on you, I'm sure you're going to be sore for a while."

Loki rises again, "And what, oh transient maid, shall you do with me? Cage me in a cell in Asgard with wards and
protections against my escape? Tell me what shall you do?"

Mother says to me, "This is your party, what thoughts have you on this?"

I look between mother and Loki, I smiled, "I think that what Loki lacks, is perspective. He has no view of how others see
the things he does. And I think that should be his punishment."

Mother asks, "How do you propose to teach him a new perspective?"

"It will take a tremendous amount of magic to make him, see things from another point of view. Even though he was loved,
he never gave of himself, to allow himself to love, fully. We need to bind his magic and place his new self where he can
learn what it is like to be an average person."

Mother says, "To do as you suggest, will require the magic from judges from all of the nine realms, for it to hold him.
It will also take Odin the All Father, myself, and one other, to direct the magic with a single outcome." She looks at
me, "You daughter, must be that person. Your strength of will, will bind the other eleven of our magic. It is the only
way!"

She nods at me, "Make your call, now. This can wait no longer."

******************************

Within a matter of minutes, the chief justices of the nine realms arrive. All were eager to see Loki punished for his
crimes. Once Odin arrived, we began to prepare the spell circle. Around the circle were the twelve cardinal points that
each of us would stand at, directing the magic at Loki.

As the spell circle was nearing completion, the runes within the circle, take on a faint green glow showing it is
complete. Loki stands in the center with a worried look on his face, a look that has not been seen very often. He
actually seems scared for what is to happen.

With a note of contrition in his voice, Loki asks me, "Well, madam, what exactly are you planning to do to me? I at least
have the right to know that much, don't you agree?"

As each of the eleven take their places around the circle, leaving the lead spot open for me. I step to Loki's side, "As
I consider Thor my brother, so also do I consider, You! For that reason, and that you have made my life as it is now. I
tell you this, I love you. But you need balance and perspective, that only a complete fresh start can correct."

Loki stares at me, "What does that mean?"

I smile, "Your magic will be bound, giving you no abilities in the arts, even if you remember them when you become of
age. You will be regressed to an embryo and implanted into the womb of a new mother. To be birthed anew, to grow up in a
fresh life. Bathed in the love of that caring family. Pray for your own soul, that you don't remember who you were."

I kissed him full on the mouth. Then stepped back to take my place, between Odin and FREYA, and join hands, finishing the
circle. The eleven begin to chant, the language foreign to my ears. It sounds part ancient Norse, part original Elvish,
and also part of something completely alien in nature.

The glowing runes brighten intensely, changing from green to red, then finally pink. The entire circle is now bathed in
the bright pink glow of the runes. The chanting rises to almost a fevered pitch, as the magic channels through me. Loki's
body lifts barely from the ground, his back arches as if in incredible pain or ecstasy, it is impossible to know with no
sound.

The glow concentrates around Loki, becoming more dense as his body compacts, growing smaller and smaller. At a point, the
clothes fall away as the body is now too small to keep them on. Still the body reduces in size, becoming the size of a
child. Then the size of a toddler, then an infant. Smaller and smaller still. With a bright flash, all that remains is a
tiny glowing sphere of energy, the spark of a soul.

The circle fades as the magic finishes. Loki's spark hangs in the center of the lost circle. I step to it, and cup it in
my palms, like one would a firefly, I whisper, "You will be loved! Forget the pain of the past and enjoy this second
start." With that, I gently blow on it, to send it on it's way, a destination only known by me. I would keep this one
close, to watch over.

******************************

With that, Odin and the nine justices make their goodbyes. Mother and Thor approach me after they leave, they both want
to know where I sent Loki's soul, all I would tell them was, "Not so far away as I can't keep an eye on the child when it
was born in nine months."

Being only around 12:30am, the party got back on track as everyone started dancing again once the band began playing. I
took mom and Thor back to the family, once we were all together, we talked a bit and then I said, "Can we go home now?"

End of Chapter 39