The Scandinavian Peninsula is located in the northwest corner of Europe, bordered by the Baltic Sea, the Norwegian Sea, and the Barents Sea in northern Europe, with Russia and northern Finland to its north.
The Scandinavian Peninsula is home to two countries: Norway in the west and Sweden in the south. Due to its high latitude, this region experiences long winter nights, and it is also the birthplace of Norse mythology.
In the central part of Sweden, about 70 kilometers north of the capital Stockholm, there is a city named Uppsala. It is the fourth-largest city in Sweden with a population of 130,000.
Before the 11th century, the Swedish people practiced a polytheistic faith in the Aesir gods. Uppsala was an ancient city and the religious center of Sweden. However, with the arrival of Christianity in the 11th century, and the subsequent campaigns of the Crusades, the city and the country gradually converted to Christianity, and Sweden became a predominantly Christian nation.
Uppsala was the last bastion of native Swedish mythology, but it too fell under the onslaught of the Christian forces.
However, in some remote villages surrounding Uppsala, the ancient faith of the Aesir gods persists, stubbornly surviving in this land.
Today, the town of Arinad in the north of Uppsala was brightly lit. Nestled in the mountains, this town was often inaccessible to outsiders due to its remote location. Almost everyone in the town knew each other, and they led a relatively secluded life.
Due to Sweden's welfare system, which is often described as a transition from capitalism to socialism, young residents of Arinad rarely left their hometown to seek employment elsewhere. Moreover, Uppsala, despite being called Sweden's fourth-largest city, had a population of just over 100,000 people. This highlights how sparsely populated most of the country is, except for the capital.
Due to their good welfare system, many youths found jobs within the town and prefer to stay and build their lives there. Arinad, while small, had all the amenities of a complete town and offered the picturesque rural landscapes that people imagine.
Beinhard, the mayor of Arinad, was a local elected by the residents. On this day, he took to the streets with a few police officers from the town to patrol, watching the townsfolk celebrate, hearing their joy and laughter, and observing the excited children running around.
Some restaurant owners announced enthusiastically that today's meals were free, welcoming all the town's residents to come and dine. There were also very devout worshippers who were praying in the small town's temple.
That’s right, Arinad was a town where the old faith of the Aesir gods still lingered, even after the majority of the world had converted to Christianity.
Today, in the entire Nordic region, belief in the Aesir gods is very scarce, and places that do worship them like Arinad are even rarer.
Since the descent of the gods, the town's residents had become increasingly devout. The reason they were celebrating today with such fanfare was that the entire world, broadcast live on the internet, witnessed the great god Odin and the mightiest of war gods, Thor, defeating the world-destroying fire giants in the Antarctic and displaying the might of Asgard.
That scene had already proven the existence of the Aesir gods and the correctness of their beliefs. Their gods have saved humanity and demonstrated their divine power. As faithful followers, they were undoubtedly proud.
They followed a regional faith, and they had no missionaries. However, these Aesir worshippers believed that after today, there would be many more followers of the great god Odin in the world.
"Everyone, stay safe! Don't drink too much. If someone gets drunk and causes trouble, you can prepare to spend the next few days in the lockup!"
Mayor Beinhard shouted through a megaphone, walking through the town. This earned him laughter and toasts from the townspeople.
For a town like this, almost all the essential professions, such as doctors, police, and the mayor, are locals. Only if the necessary professions, like doctors, are lacking did the town hire outsiders.
At this time of the year, the nights were longer than the days, and before long, the lights in the town began to shine.
Just at that moment, in the high southern sky of the small town, there was a light streaking through the air like a meteor. Initially, the residents of the town didn't pay much attention, but as the light grew brighter and the point of light expanded, it finally caused a commotion. People flocked to the streets, gazing at the southern skies, discussing what on earth it could be.
At first, people thought it might be some kind of aircraft that would soon fly over the town. However, as time passed, they realized something was amiss. The light started descending, and the destination of its descent was none other than their town!
The townsfolk were suddenly in a panic. Someone shouted loudly, suggesting it might be a meteor, but they were quickly rebuked by others, as meteors don't descend so slowly. After all, you'd be crushed by a meteor before you even noticed it.
With the appearance of mythical beings in the world, people had become more accepting of mysterious events, yet they had also become more fearful. Nonetheless, all they could do was pray.
At this moment, some residents of the small town had already begun to kneel down and pray.
The light drew closer, and amid the terrified cries of the people, the light abruptly transitioned from rapid motion to complete stillness, hanging in the air several meters above the town's streets.
The radiance gradually dimmed, revealing the true form of the light.
It was, incredibly, a majestic white horse with wings. This white horse resembled the mythical Pegasus from legends. Perched atop the horse was a woman. She was tall and, even seated on the horse, her height appeared to be nearly two meters.
This woman was dressed in ancient and exquisite armor. She wore a helmet adorned with an eagle motif, and her shining golden hair framed a face with eyes as deep and blue as the sea. Her features exuded nobility and carried an aura of divinity as if she were a being far above mere mortals. Despite her impressive stature, her body was lean and graceful, radiating a wild and feline sensuality.
"A Valkyrie!"
Upon seeing this woman, the townsfolk couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment.
She was none other than one of Odin's handmaidens, the legendary Valkyrie!
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