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I walked forward into a magnificent hall. Thousands of voices echoed in the background. The path I passed was made of wood, but it shone like metal. At its end was a high, opulent, golden throne. The ruler of the North, Erik Odinson, the Revenant known as Unbreakable, sat unhappily at his seat.

The moment I had wished to delay all this time had finally arrived. My inevitable reunion with my father. I arrived in front of him and knelt down as I removed my helmet. The Head of Wisdom, a position similar to a chancellor, began the interrogation.

Yes, for all intents and purposes. Erik Odinson no longer had a daughter. I was not the Northern Princess anymore. My original name was lost along with my sin. Such was my punishment and burden to bear.

"Shield Maiden Liv Ivaldi. You were repeatedly told that you would not be granted the honor of fighting in Hell\'s Gate. Yet you not only escaped from your confinement, but prevented all the chosen northerners from joining the enlistment. Regardless of the outcome, how do you intend to apologize for this disrespect?"

Apologize? Apologize? This senile old man has held power for far too long. The North was a cruel place, shrouded in cold and ice, our society obeyed no law, only the will of the strong. There was only one exception: the monthly enlistment of new Reapers.

For some unknown reason, we refused to send our best. Instead, we sent our weakest to the gathering. Of course, they all died pitiful deaths, while our strongest remained to fight the undead that had already broken out of Hellsgate. I couldn\'t understand why, instead of ending the undead at their source, we allowed them to rule our lands unchallenged.

So, I left. Against my father, against my country, against my own people. Leaving my name and identity behind, I set out on this mission to find the truth.

All so I could understand what made my father, a Revenant of immense power, act like a coward. But I learned nothing, only that I was Ufore, or Formless.

"I left so that you wouldn\'t have to Lok. After all, if the weak are the ones sent, it is only a matter of time before you also leave, right?" I scoffed in derision.

"This... this insolent sow! Your Majesty Liv Ivaldi has been corrupted by the southerners. She is even Ufore! If we leave her alone, she can desecrate our way of life. Liv Ivaldi, stop playing soldier and bear children for our race!

Someone should take you, even if you look like an Orc!"

"HAHAHA! WAY OF LIFE? SHUT UP, YOU PATHETIC COWARD! I have seen hamsters with stiffer spines than you!" Unable to restrain myself, I stood up as I scolded the sneaky rat.

I made a small bow to Unbreakable as I continued. "What does it mean to be a Northerner, Lok? To cower in our holes when night falls? Our strength means nothing if we do not take back our lands from the enemy! For over 500 years, the Northern front has not moved an inch. Yet, during the same period, the land we control is not even a tenth of what it used to be!"

That was the truth, for even if we reclaimed the lands in the morning, we abandoned them by sunset. My people could not grow food because we stayed underground. While this made our people accustomed to using souls, those who could not fight would live forever without seeing the sun.

"The Northerners are dying! There is only so much space underground. We must begin to fight the dead at their very roots! Hellsgate!" I then cast {Withstand} and stomped on the ground.

"You all know! I am Ufore, yet I placed first! What if the Honor Guard fights with me?! If we block their power in Hellsgate, we can reclaim the surface! We can live in the light! I am the proof!

We can fight! And most importantly, we can win!" I roared.

I was never the strongest nor the bravest, but my performance began to make my people believe me. Whispers began to spread. Fighting spirits were stirred and ambitions awakened.

But a majestic staff silenced the hall once more. The most powerful being in the room stood up. His age, invisible on his body, could be felt in his soul. Like a decrepit old man, he slowly walked down and stood in front of me.

A thunderous slap hit my cheeks. Even with {Withstand}, my head went blank for a second. Fortunately, due to my {Fate}, I didn\'t even flinch. My father spoke in an infuriated tone.

"You have become more foolish since the last time I saw you. I know what hope you carry. After all, I once had the same belief. But this is no tale for children, little girl. My generation fought for centuries, and all we had to show for it were graves beyond number. The dead cannot be stopped.

If you continue on this path, you will condemn our race to its end!"

"Then, rather than die in battle, you wish to die in your bed surrounded by candles, father? No, you are not my father. You are but a coward afraid to die," I spat out the blood that pooled in my mouth and began to walk away.

"My father died on that day. The day the dead walked in the sun. I still regret my weakness that morning. But unlike you, I refuse to be bound by the past. May you live forever, Father."

Before I could leave the hall, a dozen royal guards, armed to the teeth, surrounded me.

"You are a fool if you think you can get away with this, Liv Ivaldi. The other battle fronts are very interested in the one you place your hopes on. John Smith, was it? They are willing to trade a large amount of supplies for his location and weakness," Lok explained smugly.

I clenched my teeth as my anger began to build. This was all the North had amounted to. Vermin, gossiping for scraps. How ridiculous! I suddenly remembered Bella\'s words.

"See? Even the child is braver than all of you. Northerner, since when does your kind cower in the face of rank? Are you not the shame of your house? Why not help us bring down the boss to redeem your honor?"

Indeed, Robyn, one so small had more courage than everyone in this room. I was the same, after my first battle in Hell, I froze in fear. While there were powerful phantoms like Lilly and the manifested, I was weak. As Formless, I believed I had no power.

But he was different.

\'Follow me or die.\'

It was the worst first impression one could make. But I saw this man, more powerless than I, triumph again and again, growing stronger each time. He was truly insane, but fortunately a Northerner never respected sanity. We only respected strength.

\'Liv, give me your new {Fate} and I will kill this bastard for you. Believe in me.\'

For the first time since my awakening as a reaper, someone asked for my help. John recognized me as his valuable ally, even when I was a woman and Formless.

\'Thank you. Now follow me to victory.\'

And against all odds, he led us into battle without fear or hesitation. A fervor befitting a Berserker, courage like that of a Hero, and a will harder than steel. Lok was right about one thing.

He was the man in whom I placed all my hopes. The Reaper who will become King of the Formless. And the Revenant who will close the Gates of Hell! Most of all, he is the one who stole my heart!

\'Don\'t stare so hard, John. I know my face looks like a man\'s, you don\'t need to rub it in.\'

\'Whoever told you such bullshit deserves a bullet to the face. You look beautiful, Liv, like an angel or a Valkyrie.\'

The memory of his compliment made my heart beat faster than a drum. He didn\'t know how important it was that he could see my red hair. How could he? After all, I had never told anyone about the spell my mother had placed on me.

\'Remember, dear daughter. This spell will hide your appearance from men who wish you harm. Only a man who cherishes you would be able to see your true beauty. To all others, you will look like an orcish woman.\'

Naturally, I was overjoyed at John\'s praise. Even with all the vixens vying for his attention. I wanted him. More than anything else in the world. And Lok just asked me to betray him? To hell with you!

"{Suffer}, {Block}. Is that so? If you want to harm him, then you are all my enemies!" I said calmly, sword drawn.

But before we could strike, my father roared like thunder.

"ENOUGH!"

"But Your Majesty..."

As he returned to his seat, Erik Odinson said in a commanding voice. "Your next words will be your last Lok. Do not test me. Liv Ivaldi, you are banished from the North. Go and never return."

At his word, the guards gave me a wide berth and I was allowed to leave unhindered. The sad look on my father\'s face reminded me of a dream I had last night. It was in a place much more magnificent than this place. In that dream, I was a Revenant named Freyja speaking to her king named Odin.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Freyja? Even if you spend an eternity, he would never return to the land of the living."

"I am, All-Father. If I cannot end the dead alone, then I will raise an army that can. Since I was not destined to receive his love in this life. Then I will deliver vengeance instead."

Freyja lost her lover to the undead and spent the rest of her days in misery while she assembled her army. Our situations were similar, but unlike the Revenant, I will stand by my beloved and never allow him to die.

My body will be the shield that guards his back and my affection will be the armor that protects his soul.

I may be able to defend only one man. But if it were him, he would surely be the one to save my people.

"Wait for me, my love," I whispered as I ran to the one I adored.