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It was different than the dream, Calder realized.

He was more aware of where he was, what he was seeing as he swam deeper out into the depths. The icy chill of the deep ocean did nothing to him, only just present and comforting.

Calder could no longer see the sky above, and it felt like instinct to sink to the bottom of the sea floor and just... sit.

Welcome home, my son.

Who are you?

Your father, Calder. Was that not clear?

I never knew my father. Is this why? I wish for answers.

You never knew your mother either, son. I will answer your questions as best I can; So, no, your lineage is not why we could not keep you.

Who was the woman who raised me?

A mistake. We never intended to hurt you. You needed to be raised by humans; we did not think that the humans would be so cruel.

What am I?

Son of Njörð and Lofn.

Gods? That would mean that I am a god also.

Yes, Calder. Though, your birth was kept a secret from Odin. I fell in love with Lofn while married to Skaði and had a child. You see why we could not keep you.

I do not see why Lofn could not keep me. Why did you have to leave me with humans?

Your mother is not married. It would be shameful for her to have a bastard child as a goddess.

So I am a mistake. I was placed with a human mother because the other gods would not accept a bastard son?

Yes.

I will not lie to you, my son. But there are other workings that have prophesied your coming into your godship.

A prophecy? For what reason?

Ragnarök has passed and been done for centuries. But the olds gods are returning, along with the enemies that felled them.

We cannot renew this cycle of violence. The world is changing and soon, our familial fighting will destroy it before it is truly born.

Why does this involve me?

You have been followed by Huginn and Muninn in your travels. This tells me that Odin wants you for something but could not reach you.

Odin is not yet as strong as he once was; he is still only recently returned. Frigg has returned also; but she does not know yet the goddess inside. She is in the form of a babe; one that you have been close to in the past days.

Eira? She had parents that were killed, how is she a goddess?

Everyone is born, Calder. Frigg is to remain ignorant of her status until she is old enough. The gods who will begin the violence again are Thor and Loki. The brothers are similar to Frigg in that they are too young.

Thor has been born, and resides in a small farm three days north of where your pack is. He will not be troublesome for years, never if you succeed with Loki. You must prevent Loki and Thor from fighting. You were always meant to return to the ocean and claim your true self.

Where is Loki? How do I keep them from fighting once more?

Loki has yet to be born. But the seiðr have stated that his form will be born while in the presence of Frigg. This means one of your pack will bear the child... or you could, Calder.

I can not bear children. I am a man. Perhaps Halina or Lagina will find their mate.

I do not hold all the facts, my son.

You can bear children, Calder. Your mother is the goddess of forbidden love. It is only in your blood to have the ability to love in any way that your body sees fit.

What will happen when Loki or Frigg remembers? How am I to keep Loki from going against his nature?

Raise him correctly. When he remembers, he will not forget your love. He will be weaker than you; you hold the choice between defeating him with strength or defeating his impulses with cleverness.

This is why I have started to take grip of my own powers? Because the gods are returning?

They have been returning for years. The only reason this is happening is because of your mate. He was the one who brought you home. He is the one who has set this into motion.

This is what I have to do? This is the prophecy? To have a child and either kill or convince him?

This is what you were born to do. The Norns have decreed that this is your path. Whether or not you choose to have the child is up to you and your mate; the prophecy will be true no matter what.

But this does not mean you will not be happy. Do not dwell on what might or might not happen in the future. Dwell on the present, my son.

But I have more questions.

I cannot answer them now. My connection from Valhalla is weak without Odin to guide his realm.

Father-

You are strong, Calder. You are my son and belong only to yourself and the sea. Do not fret allowing the ocean to take its hold.

I love you, my son.

Calder opened his eyes with a snap. Only to find that he was facing a large scaled form, writhing and moving in a straight line.

It must be Jörmungandr.

But why would he return also? If Thor has to remain a human, then why does the serpent remain the same?

Calder shook his head slightly, feeling blonde locks move through the water slowly. He stood from where he sat on the sandy sea floor, and reached out to touch the gentle giant.

The scales were cold and hard, only one of them could easily match the size of Calder's body. The color was dark blue and black; easy to miss in the abyss of the ocean.

Calder would have giggled at the rumbling that the serpent produced, but his lungs were filled with water.

He should return to Hemming and tell them of what he has learned; but maybe he might also want to stay and walk around a tad.

Calder was at the ocean floor after all, so it would do no harm to walk back to shore. It was not as if he could go farther as the Midgard serpent was blocking him from going deeper, so instead he would walk the other way.

The pressure of the water against his shoulders did not effect him as he took in the sea surrounding him. Calder tried not to question why he could see at all when the surface was so far away; he could only assume it came with being the god of the seas son.

How strange was that?

He had thought he was a monster or an elf. Yet now he was a god. Calder, son of Njörð.

His half brother was the god of fertility. His half sister was the goddess of love. His mother was one of Friggs handmaidens.

Eira was Frigg.

Oh gods, how was he to explain to Hale and Padma that their daughter was a goddess?

How was he going to explain that he is a god?

Calder attempted to sigh but remembered that he had no air to exhale, so instead he trudged forward towards the shore.

There was little wildlife so far down from the surface. Occasionally, a common ling or cusk would swim by without noticing Calder.

He also had to make sure to watch for any coral or sharp rocks that littered the floor. Calder assumed that stepping on them would hurt even if he was a god. Though even with its dangers the deeper ocean was stunning from beneath the waves.

Soon enough, the water started to let moonlight stream in and Calder could see the surface rippling above.

The fish were more plentiful there; herring and cod schools swimming gently. Calder had even been swarmed by one as they passed, his smile nearly splitting his face open as they tickled his bare body.

When his head finally peaked above the water, he had started choking immediately.

The water was coughed up harshly as Calder's lungs worked to replace the fluid with air. It was less painful than Calder felt it looked. After all he had been through as a boy, water would not be something to hurt him.

Blearily, a fire up on shore was what stood out against the night shrouding the forest in darkness.

Calder was thankful that he had stayed in the same spot as when he went under, not knowing if he could find his way back if he had drifted with the current. His eyes took a few blinks and rubs to return a clearer view to him, the salt from the water making the fire an orange blur in the distance.

Calder waded out of the water naked, and smirked when he saw his cloak folded while laying in the snow on shore.

Of course the pack would think to cover him up when he came from sitting at the bottom of the ocean for who knows how long.

Calder shrugged on the cloak over his shoulders and hummed at the soft fur against his neck, his hair barely reaching the pelt.

He shook his head and let the water spray out in all directions; like a wolf shaking out their coat.

The pack was laughing when he walked up towards the fire; Calder caught something about Hales fear of spirits. Calder felt a thrum of mischief as he remembered Hemming was frightened of Jörmungandr.

Hemming noticed him with a smile, and gestured to where his clothes were laid out next to the man.

Calder smiled back and took the clothes, sliding them on without hassle.

He sat down beside Hemming and sighed at finally resting his legs; he had trekked under an immense pressure of water.

"May I hold Eira?" Calder called out softly next to him, where Padma was cradling the babe.

Calder wanted to see her. Wanted to see if he could see the goddess that laid within her.

Padma chuckled and nodded, passing the little girl over to Calder gently. He held her in his arms securely and stared into the dark blue orbs looking back at him curiously.

He could see nothing different about her, only now he knew what she was destined to be. How proud and beautiful she would become.

"Little goddess... you will be so strong." He whispered and brushed a hand against her growing blonde locks.

Eira only giggled and smiled wide with all gums. Calder giggled back and placed a kiss to her forehead.

He gave her a last smile before carefully handing her back to her parent. When he looked up, everyone was watching him.

"I will tell you all what I learned in the morning. For right now, we can live in the present." Calder announced with a smile and watched everyone give him a perplexed look, but settled into themselves again short after.

Calder sighed quietly and watched the fire, scooting closer to Hemming in order to lay his head on the mans shoulder.

Hemming easily moved his shoulder and wrapped an arm around Calder, the youngers head coming to rest on one of his pectorals. Calder did not mind the change.

Calder did nothing but listen as the night went by; he would occasionally chuckle or laugh at a joke that one of the wolves made. Especially those made by teasing siblings.

When the babe fell asleep, the talking and laughter got quieter. Calder listened to the sounds of the waves and his pack as he sat close to his mate.

His life had changed over the week for the better. Though, he supposed it was always meant to happen if the Norns had foretold it when he was born.

Calder felt at peace with his fate even if it was never how he imagined it. He felt at peace surrounded by his mate and pack.

He would explain as much as he could when they woke, but for now, he could fall asleep against Hemming and let the feeling of peace surround him.

Maybe it was the ocean, or maybe it was knowing what his purpose or not; but Calder felt better.

He barely noticed when his eyes closed and he finally sunk asleep.

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