#9 Myth Retold

Wisdom is something we all stride for, yearn for. I had seen many foolish humans do extraordinarily senseless things for the pursuit of knowledge. It never ceases to amaze me what extremities people with do for it. I, myself, was on a quest for knowledge, just like the mortals. Aggravation was quickly getting the best of me, and I could feel myself growing more and more impatient by the hour. The muscle in my jaw would tick every time I had to brush away the annoying tree branches that seemed to be everywhere.

 I knew I was getting closer to my destination though. Just a mere six hours ago I had been walking though a dry land that was nearly dead, and now I'm walking through condensate grass and green trees. The sound of rushing water had my hopes building, but alas, it was just a river. No well. Feeling my head grow hot from anger, I took a deep breath of the clean air and trudged on.

I should be sitting on my opulent throne, watching my worlds!
Three weeks. Three whole weeks I had been looking for this well, and I was quickly getting bored of the journey. I had seen it all before. Nothing was new anymore. The trees seemed to be getting thicker and thicker by the minute, and it was becoming quite a task to march through. After a particularly sharp branch cut through my pants and sliced my leg, and kicked down the tree with one kick. I'm glad I did. Lying just after the tree was everything that I had searched for.

 The well of Mirmir.

 Brushing my hair out of my face, I walked up to the well. The well itself was beautiful. The bricks seemed to shine from underneath the green vines that weaved their selves up the well, forming an intricate pattern. Finally, I made it. 

I went to dip my hand into the well, but a sharp voice stopped my my pursuit. "What do you think you are doing?"

My head snapped up and I came face to face with Mirmir, the god who knew all. His understanding of things seemed to roll off of him in waves, and  it made me feel calm, almost at piece. 

"I wish for a drink of your well." I stated in a calm and steady voice. 

One half of his mouth tipped up. "You must know, young Odin, that there is a price for everything. Is there not?" He questioned with mirth dancing in his eyes. 

"Yes, indeed, I do know this. What is your price? Gold? Riches? An army? I have all of these." I spoke with great pride in myself. Pride that was about to be tested.

One white eyebrow raised on Mimir's face. "Although all of those things are very appealing, I only want one thing in return for a drink."

Easy enough. "What is it?"

"An eye."

A burn started low in my stomach and it traveled straight to my chest, where it felt as it I was stabbed.

"An eye?" I questioned. I had to have heard him wrong.

"An eye." He stated without hesitation. 

I didn't hear him wrong. Running a hand through my hair, I thought. I couldn't possibly give up an eye. I was a warrior, I needed my eyes to fight, to see threats coming my way. On the other hand, mass amounts of wisdom would help me defeat these threats. 

The weight of the situation settled in my chest like a boulder. 

"I.. I couldn't possibly give you my eye. I need it to fight!" I stated on an outrage cry full of desperation.

Mimir only found amusement, and with a wave of his hand, he turned around and started to leave.

"Wait!" I yelled out. 

He turned around and gave me a look of inquisition. "Yes?"

Was I really - yes. Yes I was. "I agree to your terms."

He smiled and walked up to me, with his hand outstretched. Sucking in a deep, shuddering breath, I went to my eye with my hand. Horrible pain sliced my head that made the eye that I wasn't pulling out, blacken. I kept eye contact with the god who demanded it though. 

Once it was loose enough, it slipped out with a sickening wet sound, and I handed it to Mimir who threw it into the beautiful well. 

"Well done, Odin. You are the first, god or man, who had agreed to my terms. That holds great honor," he gestured to the well his the hand that wasn't bloody. "Take a drink."

Walking to the well that I had just given up an eye for, I cupped my hands and took a drink of the deep blue water. It was like a slam to the head. Everything seemed to claw its way into my head. Events now had a reason, and I now knew why things were as they were. They knowledge seemed to take up my mind, and I was unable to think about anything else, only that knowledge that invaded my head.

I looked back up to Mimir, but he was gone. The only thing in his place was the soft wind that rustled the trees. I turned my back to the well that had caused me great pain, but also great gain, and walked away from the beautiful land, never looking back.