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In the old lands of Europe, there was a forest - a forest of dead trees, where Shadows dwell.

Several wisps of mist twirled and turned, and below them: an old worn-out, dirt path went barely noticeable under overgrown foliage. Bands of Shadows rushed over the dirt, leaving impressions of small feet on its surface. They stopped when they felt the darkness around them come to life.

A mass of shadows converged at the end of a dirt path that led to the forest. The shadows split in two figures: one was a tall man who held an air of calmness about him and the other was an even taller man who had his face covered by a mask made in the shape of a dragon's image.

"Adego," the taller man called out to the tall man, "tell your siblings that they might gather at the Halls."

Adego nodded to his Father, then he faced the Shadows that stood in awe at their presence, and in the old tongue of Night, he spoke: "Greetings, brethren," he bowed to them, "Father demands our presence in the Beginning Place..."

All the Shadows nodded their little heads, and each of them vanished into puffs of smoke.

"It is done, Father," Adego bowed to his Father.

The taller man nodded, although a bit annoyed that Adego relayed his request as a demand.

Flanking the forest-entrance were two monoliths, both inscribed with ancient runes that had long since been forgotten by mortal-folk, and several of the elderkin.

The tall man waved a mark-etched hand in front of the stones, grazing them by the fingertips, and then the runes glowed, each of a different color and in the space between the large rocks, a large door - on its surface, the image of a sleeping, serpentine leviathan was carved - shimmered into existence not unlike a desert wind dispelling a mirage.

The taller man pushed the wooden door gently forward, opening it. He walked inside with Adego following behind.

What lay behind the door was a stone table and behind the stone table, a young, pretty man and behind the young, pretty man, a stout, long-bearded dwarf. The room they were in was a vast and large space - vast and large enough as to be considered empty, even if a thousand giants were to inhabit the place.

The taller man walked forward, followed by his son. Their steps echoed throughout the space like the crying of dying stars. They were walking towards the stone table, and to the young, pretty man, and to the stout, long-bearded dwarf.

The young, pretty man smiled as they approached, and when they were close, "Good tidings, Elder Man," he said to the taller man, then he flashed his eyes to Adego, affectionately. "Adego..." he let the name linger on his lips for a moment, afraid that he would forget it, "have you come to take me at last?"

"Perhaps when an eternity has passed," Adego said, unperturbed.

The young, pretty man's smile grew wider. "At least that has the semblance of a probability," he laughed before turning to the Elder Man, his elbows now rested on the table's surface, "what is it you seek, Elder Man?"

The Elder Man drew closer, and from his sleeve, he took out an emerald shard and placing it on his palm, it hovered and spun. "Tell me, Serpent," his voice was cold, making Serpent's spine shiver, but it was also inviting, confusing Serpent, greatly. "Where did I hide the other fragments of fair Yggdrasil's heart?"

Serpent's smile curved into a frown at the mention of that name. "Where it has always been... under the graves of the First Concepts, over the well of the Norms, atop the Desolate Hills, in the Realm of Memory..." he sighed, "Shall I take it that the True Ragnarök is coming?"

"You may," Adego answered for this Father who was pondering.

Serpent smiled again. "Has it been so long, Adego?" he asked, "when we were still babes, only remembered by a village or two? It is amusing that we are so old now, and we have been forgotten, even by their stories. How I used to delight when they would dance for me, sing for me, make love for me..."

Adego nodded, a silent understanding. It had been very long, but he knew it was a trivial thing compared to what his Father had lost. "Perhaps," he said to Serpent, "when everything is over, and the final songs have been sung, we might meet and have a drink," he smiled to Serpent. It was an awkward thing for him to have done but he owed it to one who has existed as long as he did.

"I may misunderstand what you mean by that, you know," Serpent straightened himself, crossing his arms and pouting at Adego.

Adego laughed. "We shall see what it means."

They smiled at each other for a few moments.

"We shall take our leave now, Serpent," the Elder Man spoke, and before Serpent could reply, they had vanished as if they never were.

Serpent sighed, "boo."

The dwarf tugged at the hem of Serpent's shirt, "Who was that... that thing, master? The one whose hands were marked by unknown words? The one who wore a beast's head?" he asked, his tone fearful, "I heard no songs from it..." The dwarf was flabbergasted, no song had escaped him before, and all things had songs.

Serpent laughed. He knew Erdson was referring to the Elder Man. "That is to be expected," he answered, "I know nothing of the music that dwells in his heart. It is an ancient thing from before I was even conceived."

Erdson was surprised, a song that his master had no idea of? The mere thought was beyond him. "Is he even more powerful than you, master?"

Serpent ruffled the dwarf's hair. "He is several much's with a cherry on top, older than me." He himself did not know to what extent the Elder Man's existence was, but he theorized it was as old as the First Ones, perhaps even older.

Erdson was skeptical. Perhaps his master only jests. He found it unbelievable that there was a creature that even his master was cautious of. "Age does not equate to power, master."

"Yes, it usually does but in his case: it is everything," Serpent explained.

Then he snapped his fingers, and the space, along with him and Erdson, broke into many particles, transferring to another point in space. Serpent knew the Elder Man's visit would attract the annoyance of several flies that know not their place, and he was prepared as always. He could have just eliminated them, but he was old and it was tiring.

And in the forest of dead trees, were Shadows dwelt, two monoliths shivered, then broke.

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