Valkyrie Smash

Confusion took over the venue and for a while everyone remained silent. It was to be expected. The revelation was simply too much for people to handle.

As the silence continued to permeate, a single clap resounded snapping people out of their reverie. Another one followed, blowing away the clouds of doubt veiling people's hearts, then a third one urged them to move, igniting another wave of cheers and applause no smaller than those that came before.

Surprised by the sudden change in tone, Sam looked back at the mysterious woman. He doubted that all she did was clap a few times. In all the potential futures Nino saw, the reaction to his last speech was lukewarm at best.

The humans weren't too enthusiastic about the Valkyries being sentient, and though no one dared to voice their apprehension in front of him, the world would show its true colors not a day later.

The ceremony proceeded as planned from there. The Valkyries were summoned on stage one after the other and were given the same Honor Medals that were given to humans. Valkyries from each resistance base were chosen to accept medals in place of those who lost their lives in battle.

In the interest of time only one was handed out as theatricals, but later on each Valkyrie would be awarded her own medal. Nana came on stage two more times, one to receive her own medal and another to receive the one meant for the headquarters. Miku took on the duty of receiving the medals for the forty fifth base.

The last ones to ascend on the stage were Five, Three and Nine. As the three who defeated the Ragnarok Heralds they deserved the highest of praise, but to hammer in the weight of their achievements, it was decided that they would take the acclaim for defeating Hela, the previous Nephilim queen.

Three didn't like the idea of taking the credit for what happened, but with them having to cover up for what happened with Loki they didn't have much of a choice.

The award ceremony came to an end soon after, and with it done, it was time for another important event.

"Ten years ago our world changed forever. It was only recently that we were able to learn the truth, and with it came the realization that we weren't alone. The gates to other worlds are open. We are now on the precipice of a new era, and going back is no longer a choice. We have to grow in strength ourselves, and to ensure the past never repeats itself, we have to remain united under one banner.

Two days from now, our world will undergo a significant change once more. Under normal circumstances it would've spilled our end, but thanks to the allies we have made, no harm will befall any of us, and we will gain the power to face any and all adversaries the vast multiverse might throw our way." Turning to the left, in the direction of the guests of honor, Sam continued.

"Please welcome with me Her Highness Thor, current queen of the Nephilim and our first ally from another world!"

Sam had struggled with how to introduce the crimson queen until the very end. The Nephilim had first names only so it felt a bit lacking to introduce her with just that. Still, after much deliberation he was finally Sam was able to make it work somehow. He watched as she walked onto the stage with graceful steps then stepped away from the podium allowing her to take his place.

"The road to peace has been long and arduous. The wounds Odin left on both our worlds run deep and the pain he left us with wouldn't be easy to heal. The shadow of vengeance blinded my sister and many of our kin.

We were late to recognize the faults in her ways, and because of that, we allowed the tragedy to continue, only learning our lesson when the other side extended their hand to us." Thor came to a stop, closing her eyes and remaining silent for a while.

The spectators held their breaths in anticipation. Here she was, the leader of an alien race from another dimension, standing in front of them to show her solidarity. Her appearance alone might not have been enough to ward off the hate people have for her kind, but watching her speak allowed the words to reach their hearts.

It may still take some time before people warmed up for the Nephilim, but the speech their queen delivered that day laid the first stones of the foundation of their relationship.

"Our wish is to continue working alongside the people of your world, to forge a bond with it, one that shares the resilience of our sisters'. In the face of the great unknown lurking at every turn, we vow to lend you our strength, and to fight by your side until the very end. May our trust be the light to erase the shadows, and may our alliance last to the end of time."

The Nephilim queen stepped down from the podium and Sam was there waiting for her. Applause ignited once more as the two of them shook hands, and for a while they stood side by side for the press to capture the moment.

The award ceremony ended without trouble. Sam looked around for the mysterious woman only to realize she had left her seat at some point. He wasn't too worried about her, though, knowing she would most definitely show herself again soon enough.

Nino seemed to have noticed the slight change in events so as soon as they were done she went back to their aircraft to ensure they remained on the right path. In the meantime, Sam and the others were scheduled to attend an after-party to mingle with some of the high profile individuals from the human settlements.

Though he might be the highest authority in the world at the moment, Sam still needed some people to manage things for him. In the end he couldn't rely on Valkyries for everything, and it was better to let humans handle humans for the foreseeable future.

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