"With that, we can finally carve the travel rune to Jötunheim. It will get you exactly where you need to go. We are getting closer and closer to our goals, little brother," Mimir then said proudly.
He was the one guiding the three of them on their adventures, and it was something that made Mimir feel incredibly useful, especially after spending a hundred winters being used only for torture and imprisonment.
"What would you do after we reach our goal, Mimir? If we had reached Jötunheim, like what you promised, what comes next for you?" Atreus then asked Mimir.
They were walking deeper inside the ancient temple that was able to be opened by the magic chisel, a place that was not accessible earlier due to the complex magic lock that protected it.
"I still do not know yet, laddie. But I think I will go on an adventure myself, perhaps travel to lands I have not seen in ages, and correct every mistake that I had done under the employ of Odin," Mimir then answered the question.
As he said this, Mimir then became silent, as he quickly reflected on every wrong thing that he had done and the weight of the guilt he carried.
"One of those corrections should be apologizing to Freya. I learned that you are the one that had convinced her to marry Odin in the first place," Zelos then interrupted.
He saw a fitting subject to intervene in, as he felt that this was a crucial part of Mimir's history that needed to be addressed.
"Freya? I think no amount of apologies would be enough to make her forgive me for what I had done. The marriage between Freya and Odin took a lot from the very being of Freya, and it is something that nothing could ever hope to make up for," Mimir then said sadly.
He was reminded of one of the greatest cruelties that he had facilitated during his employment with Odin, and the regret was evident in his voice.
"I still cannot believe Freya married Odin. Don't they hate each other?" Atreus then said with a mostly confused tone, as he struggled to understand how two enemies could be husband and wife.
"Love and hate are more closely intertwined than you might imagine, lad. For instance, Odin hates the Giants, and they hate him, but Thor's own mother was the Giantess Fjörgyn. She was one of Odin's great loves," Mimir then answered the statement of Atreus, trying to explain the complexities of godly relationships.
"Once Fjörgyn was gone, lonely ages passed for Odin. And as the war with the Vanir raged on, I could see that he really wanted peace beneath his bluster. And after no small amount of convincing from me, Freya agreed. For a while there, he really turned on the charm. He seemed happy.
He seemed genuinely interested in making her happy. He granted her so many wishes I can scarcely recall them all. The peace held, and I truly believed all had worked out better than I could have planned.
But Odin's true face showed itself again in the end. Oh, he won Freya's trust, and she taught him some of her Vanir magic. That was another choice she would live to bitterly regret.
Sadly, despite his wise chancellor's best efforts to persuade him that peace was the only true path to stave off Ragnarök, Odin never let go of his obsession with Jötunheim.
The taste of Vanir magic only led him to new forms of experimentation and new levels of depravity," Mimir then added to his story. He began to give a detailed explanation of the current situation of Freya and how everything fell apart.
"Obviously, Freya's marriage with Odin did not last, but how did she end up living as a hermit in the woods?" Atreus then asked. This question caught Mimir by surprise, as he did not expect this kind of development or that the boy knew her current state.
"Oh, so you knew Freya? Like, you personally knew her?" Mimir then asked, surprised that they had already met the Witch of the Woods.
"Not only know, but Zelos has a building relationship with Freya," Atreus then said, as he revealed the level of their closeness with Freya without thinking.
"That is information that you do not need to mention, Atreus. It is not like it is a private matter or anything, but we should focus on the task at hand," Zelos then commented quickly. He did not really appreciate publicly discussing his relationship with Freya, especially not with Mimir listening in.
"Oh, OH! I see! Well, you certainly have the necessary charm to attract the Vanir Goddess. Plus, your innocence might be something that she needed to heal from the wounds that her previous husband and this old fool had caused.
But the only real question here is, would you be willing to be with her properly?" Mimir then asked. He could not help but analyze the words of Zelos, and he concluded that Zelos was not sure whether it was something worth pursuing given the circumstances.
"I am just seeing where things are going. I would enjoy being with Freya, but I am not sure if I have the right maturity to handle the previous baggage that remained unsolved in Freya's life," Zelos then said truthfully.
He acknowledged the complications that came with being involved with a goddess who had such a tragic past.
"Oh, but you are mature, little laddie. You were able to recognize your own weakness and were considerate enough to act upon it. You might be surprised by how little the amount of people that could admit the things you just did is," Mimir then praised Zelos.
Zelos could not help but smile at the compliment, while Mimir just looked at the expression of Zelos and recognized the look that Zelos had been displaying during the entire conversation about Freya.
"Anyway, back to our previous conversation. The reason why Freya became a hermit that lives in the woods is a singular piece of cruelty, even for Odin.
As if the marriage was not punishment enough! Freya was better to him than he deserved. She stuck it out through all manner of indignity, all in the name of maintaining peace and safety for her people.
But Odin's madness, his tyranny, and his corruption of her magicks became more than she could stomach, and at long last, she broke it off. Odin's wrath was fierce, and his curses upon her were more than she had dared to fear," Mimir then continued his conversation with Atreus, as he revealed the reason why Freya had become this person.
"But Freya's magic is stronger than his. How would that even be possible?" Atreus then asked Mimir, still confused about how Odin could overpower her.
"Mind you take this one?" Mimir then turned towards Zelos, who was just quietly listening to their conversations.
"No matter how strong your magic is, once your enemy figures out your weakness, you would not be able to resist. Magic is still just a tool for anyone to use. No matter how strong your magic is, once you are not able to draw it, you would be as powerless as a normal being. That is why I cover my weakness quite well," Zelos then said, explaining the tactical reality of their powers.
"Is that the reason why you have contingencies for your magics? In case your enemy manages to get hold of them?" Atreus then asked.
"Of course. Plus, it is the smart thing to do. Putting trust in something blindly often results in a not desirable outcome," Zelos then explained to Atreus. Atreus then turned silent as he processed the lesson.
Kratos, who was listening on the side, then looked towards Zelos. As someone who had personally seen it, Kratos knew that overwhelming power tends to corrupt its user.
The only salvation that Kratos was clinging to was that Zelos was raised with discipline, unlike the gods of his homeland.