ᛒ

"Coexistence, conflict, combat
Devastation, regeneration, transformation
That is the best I can do for you
I see a grey gloom on the horizon
That promises a powerful sun to rise
To melt away all moons
It will make the old fires of purification
Look like dying embers"

—Krigisgaldr, by Heilung

breathing she is breathing the time is near very close now they will be siblings soon she will wake up soon she will break free she is stronger now this is good this is enough

wait

is it enough is this what eldest brother wanted yes it is he is foolish he is slow he is stupid he can't do anything right the link is broken the link was damaged long ago the deep one severed it but he knows he is stupid he knows what eldest brother told him to do and he did it he is doing it she is here she is sister she is soft voiced she will not thunder in his ear and bite his horns no he thinks not he hopes not he likes her yes he likes her

he hopes she likes him

Sgt. Travis, audio recording, ██-██-2020

Happy new year. Hell of a holiday we're having, but progress is coming slowly along. As per the Colonel's instructions we're digging through the facility's armory for any leftover goodies from when this place was active way back when. Some of this stuff should be in a museum. Kauffman's going to bring in some anti-tank weaponry on the next supply run, plus the Colonel's pulling some strings himself - said he wants to bring in some refugees from the Mass Awakening, as he's calling it, to do some work around here. I guess anyone who comes here must be willing to do anything after getting their homes leveled by a Titan.

That aside, we've got plenty of samples thanks to the head. It's weird. I know the general theory, that a consistent supply of radioactive energy will keep it regenerating and it's using the recovered biomass to feed Subject G's growth spurts, but... I don't know. That thing still gives me a weird feeling. Before Antarctica, Dr. Russell only had conjecture about it - Graham never gave her any information we can use, other than how it was apparently driving people a little nuts. I always figured that was just the isolation talking; scientists in isolated outposts like Antarctica or in deserts tend to go crazy. I remember her telling me those guys just binge on sex and drugs. Sounds like a fun time.

What was I talking about...? Right, samples. Turns out there are some earth elements in the head after all. The skin and scales have traces of gold, which makes sense - gold would act as a conductor. So we've got some scales, bits of horn that broke off in transit, spinal fluid from the neck stump, and by some freak miracle we've got blood samples. Don't ask me how that works, I don't have a clue.

But here's what gives me the creeps - every time we went to get new samples, every single time, the eyes would follow us.

You know those old anecdotes about how a human head can still blink after decapitation? Like how Anne Boleyn supposedly tried to talk after her execution? The human head and brain need oxygen to talk. So, hear me out. Whatever bomb the U.S. dropped on Godzilla killed everything in Isla de Mara's waters, except Monster Zero. What radio chatter we could catch over all the interference called it an oxygen destroyer. Nevermind the B-movie name, that thing did jack shit to Monster Zero. So... maybe the head can still do what it's doing because it doesn't need oxygen?

No fucking way Monster Zero is from our planet. It's already on some John Carpenter's The Thing level bullshit.

End recording

...

d...

dark...

a l l

i s

...

What is... that sound...?

So low and deep, like purring, but from some immense throat... is it trying to wake her, or lull her into deeper sleep...? It feels like she's been asleep for years, but it wasn't a restful one. Rest, that's what she needs. But not now. Her whole body's waking up, bit by bit.

Touch is the first thing that returns to her. She feels... she doesn't know. Cramped. Squeezed. Like her skin is too tight and her limbs have turned to ten-ton blocks. But more than anything she feels far away from herself. Why? Think. Where is... here? What's happened? Can't think. Sound now – muffled. Patterns, gaps of silence, cadence, rhythm... she knows this. Words. Language. English.

Cogito ergo sum.

Think. Focus. It's difficult when she's so groggy and her head feels so heavy. Why is everything so dark and humid? It's hard to breathe. Her lungs don't feel right. Move. Try moving. Her foot twitches. Ah, there. Now stretch out... she doesn't get far. Her foot slides down a sticky, fleshy barrier. She aches all over and feels unbelievably stiff, but at least she can move. Maybe, if she can get out of this space she can breathe easier. So dark, humid, and wet - she doesn't like it. Why is that? She'd probably remember if her mind weren't so full of mist and fog.

time to wake up

Trying, she thinks back, and that seems perfectly normal. She rolls and flexes her shoulders, trying to pop the kinks out. So heavy.

can't hold much longer time to move

I'm trying. It's hard to move.

this one helps

Help. Oh, that sounds so nice. Something pushes her and there's a wet, smacking, squelching - she really doesn't like that, but can't remember why. There! Open space! She tries to breathe but only gulps down moist, stale air. There's a sense of resistance when she attempts forcing her eyes open, like the hesitation to open them while swimming in saltwater.

help this one helps

It doesn't occur to her right away that this shouldn't be normal, hearing a voice like this in her head. Well, not quite in her head. Or, is it? It sounds close, at the nape of her neck. Maybe this is just a fever dream, or a state of delirium after what happened... wait. What happened? Something important, she recalls that much. Sensei was there. Oh, it's so good to have his company. She hopes he's alright. But why wouldn't he—

AIR!

Blessed, cool air! The barrier tears and she takes in huge gulps of air as if she'd been drowning. It gives her the strength to pull herself out of that confined space and into the air. Oh, but it's so cold and she feels naked. And so bright. It hurts her eyes. So, so cold...

...

"MARK! Can you get up?!"

"I'm stuck!"

"Are you alright?!"

"I got it, I got it! Now GO!"

...

Shit! That's right! They were at Outpost 32! Her, Dr. Serizawa, Colonel Foster, G-Team, and Mark! Emma and Madison were kidnapped and the ORCA taken with them. Even Godzilla was headed there! Adrenaline pumps through her. All the friends she's made, the ones she promised to aid if anything happened – she could see their bodies from the Osprey... oh, god...

And then—

Who's watching her?

Her eyelids peel apart and she covers them from that blinding light with her hand – what the...? Is that... what's wrong with her hands? How did they get so swollen and gnarled – is that BONE? No, no, no. This is just a dream. This is a nightmare. She's going to wake up any second now. Come on, wake up. She slaps at her face and freezes feeling exposed muscle and teeth instead of skin. What...? What?! She pats her face; are her eyes watering from the intense light or something else? Why is her skin so tough and leathery? Why does she feel protruding bone?! That man standing in front of her, why does he look so small?! Why is he aiming his weapon at her?!

not a dream

Heart's pounding against her rib cage, blood races through her veins like a river of knives – oh god, she knows this voice, doesn't she? The whisper that crawled up her spine and slithered into her brain for three years like spiders under her skin, that told her the Dragon's name, that accursed name! She looks over her shoulder and suddenly she's not here anymore, she's on the ice, the Osprey's fallen into a crevasse and Godzilla's on a warpath, grappling with Ghidorah...

Nuclear blue blazes up Godzilla's back and he blasts atomic fire, but the dragon slips around it and returns fire with triple beams of lightning and they strike true, the force sending Godzilla toppling down – he's falling! His head plummets right beside her! They could have looked each other in the eye! Instead she looks up into the wicked gaze of the Dragon, the leering faces and ear-splitting giggles, teeth snap around her and everything is dark – what just happened? Did it miss? Oh god, the ice is lifting, lifting – she scrambles for a hold of something, anything, the ice is breaking apart under its jaws, she lands on something hot and slimy oh my god that's its TONGUE she's falling oh god no not this NOT LIKE THIS I DON'T WANT TO DIE—

hello sister

She screams.

Incident Log, ██-██- 2020

Foreword: At the behest of Colonel Jonah, at least two teams have formed a perimeter around the head, heretofore referred to as Subject G1, in preparation for the head to "give birth". Both squads are armed with hazmat suits, Geiger counters, heavy weapons, and one member of each squad (Red Team: Tejada, Blue Team: Sullivan) is equipped with a helmet-mounted camera. At key points within the facility Teams Green and Yellow have set up defensive perimeters; both teams are primarily armed with M2A1 heavy machine guns and Carl Gustaf recoilless rifles. The following is a transcript of the visual and audio feed between Squads A and B and command.]

Begin Log

[Red Team: Tejada's head-mounted camera is switched on and shows Teams Red and Blue flanking both sides of the door leading to ██████████████.]

Tejada: Mic check.

Sullivan: Testing. One two three.

Command: We read you loud and clear.

Green Leader: Check, check.

Yellow Leader: One two three.

Command: All clear.

[Sergeant Travis activates optical and hand print scans, swipes security card. The lock door slides open.]

Command: Attention, Red and Blue Teams. Please enter the ██████████████ and approach Subject G1.

[Red Team piles in and forms a firing line at the mouth side, weapons raised and safeties on. Blue Team follows shortly after, flanking Subject G1. Geiger counters tick slowly. The neck is massively swollen, pulsates slightly at intervals. Tejada raises her rifle to Subject G1's eyes, trains on the horns. Subject G1's eyes follow the barrel's movement; appears to make eye contact with Tejada.]

Tejada: Command, eyes are following me.

Command: Red Team, please confirm?

Red Leader: Movement confirmed.

Command: Officers Tejada and Sullivan, please approach Subject G1 and provide visual.

[Tejada approaches and maintains eye contact with the head. The eyes continue to follow. Both Tejada and Sullivan circle the head to give a full visual. Tejada approaches the neck and pauses, seems to consider the pulsations.]

Tejada: Picking up sound.

Sullivan: Confirmed.

Command: Please describe the sound.

[Tejada approaches. Camera equipment picks up muffled rhythmic sounds from inside the head.]

Sullivan: Subject appears to be breathing, sir. I think I hear a pulse, too.

Tejada: Confirmed. Sounds like Baby G.

Command: Acknowledged. Continue visual survey.

[Cut to Blue Team, Sullivan. He pans over the horns and approaches the head. Subject G1's eye follows his movement. Sullivan mutters how "goddamn creepy" it is. Lowers to investigate the mouth. Saliva drips from between the teeth.]

Sullivan: Uh... mouth has started drooling.

[The head begins to vocalize. Sullivan reaches for weapon safety.]

Red Leader: It's just purring, Sullivan. He does that sometimes.

Sullivan: Sounds like throat singing. How the hell can it even—

Blue Leader: Movement! At the neck!

[Pan to the neck. Sullivan backs up seeing the outline of a foot press against the neck's interior and slide down.]

Tejada: Baby's kicking.

[After approximately two minutes the head goes silent. Camera pans back to the eyes which have rolled back in their sockets. Subject G1 produces a throaty, gulping sound. The jaws snap apart a foot, saliva flying, and the jaws continue to slowly open until the head begins to topple over. Subject G1 starts dry heaving.]

Red Leader: Command, the head is... uh, either about to vomit or it's going into labor...

Command: Positions!

[Sullivan and Tejada each take up the other's position. Sullivan's camera zooms into the open mouth. Something is being ejected from the throat. Subject G1's jaws dislodge to accommodate its passage. It is covered in a translucent membrane similar to the kind Monster Zero's left head regenerated from in Isla de Mara. The creature within the membrane emits a low, wet gurgling and appears to struggle. Subject G1's jaws close gently around it, teeth piercing the membrane and allowing it to break loose. The membrane tears and the entity takes a massive gasp of air. Camera zooms in. What little is seen of the entity shows a human-like mouth, lips intact save for the sides where long, ingrown sharp teeth have torn the flesh apart.]

Sullivan: Jesus... I-I think that's Graham...

Command: Get a visual, please.

[The subject struggles some more before finally pulling free and drags itself out of the throat. Subject G (formerly Dr. Vivienne Graham) groans and folds both arms around its head to shield from the light, curls into a fetal position, shivering. Chattering teeth is heard. Sullivan cautiously approaches, camera zooming in at intervals. Subject is emaciated and mutated, all reddish skin leathery with keloid scars from radiation, sinewy muscle; exhibits symptoms of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) at an unheard of level, as well as swelling in joins from calcification; bone matter protrudes through skin at the knuckles and elbows. Skeletal tail sweeps the floor.]

Sullivan: What the fuck did it do to you...?

[The spine is swollen and hunched from what appears to be a severely advanced from of FOP as well as calcification. Camera zooms into the spinal hunch. An eye opens and stares back.]

Sullivan: Jesus – Jesus Christ!

Red Leader: Weapons ready – hold fire!

[Sullivan slips over saliva while backing away and is knocked on his back. Camera shakes and looks to the ceiling, shakes violently; view returns to Subject G. Subject G raises its head up, appears dazed and disoriented. Shakes its head, groaning in a similar tone as Subject G1's "throat singing". Despite the keloids and skull-like appearance, the shape of the head distinctly matches that of Dr. Graham.]

[Subject G looks around, shielding its face from the light. Blinks rapidly, examines its clawed hands and pats down face; facial muscles pull back in confusion and horror. Subject's breathing becomes labored and borders on hyperventilation as it twists around and sees the head. Subject G emits a vocalization like Monster Zero's wailing roar and a human screaming.]

Blue Leader: Command! Orders!

[Subject G tears its lower body free from Subject G1's mouth and charges into Red Team. Camera is violently shaken. Visual tearing. A distorted scream of "sensei" can be heard in Subject's vocalizations. Camera settles on Subject G's face, lowers to see Subject grasping Sullivan in its hands, claws piercing his flesh.]

Subject G: Hhhheeelp... mmmeeeeee...!

Command: (Audio interference.) …pen fire!

[Audio distorts from the pitch of Subject G's screeching as both teams open fire. Sullivan lets out a gurgling scream. Camera plummets and hits the floor. Vibrations from Subject G's footsteps. Sullivan's lower body is dropped. Two members of Red Team are tossed at the wall in pieces.]

Security feed

[Subject G scrambles into the hallway, the upper torso of one Red Team member in its mouth. Its gait is stiff and awkward, as if suffering crippling wounds and must move by throwing its body forward. Blood and viscera from Red Team is splattered across the walls and floor. Blue Team begins pursuit.]

Command: Green Team and Yellow Team! Subject has breached containment and Blue Team is in pursuit! Prepare to engage!

[Sound cuts out. Cut to Yellow Team. Subject G banks the corner and Yellow Leader fires the Carl Gustaf. Round impacts against Subject G's head and detonates. The smoke clears and Subject is prone, sustained damage to the jaw and shoulder. Subject G cries and screams out as Yellow Team opens fire and rather than charge through Subject G attempts to flee the onslaught; Yellow Leader reloads to fire again. Camera feed terminates.]

End Log

Postword: After cutting through Red Team, Subject breached containment and was met with resistance from Yellow Team, with Blue and Green Teams herding it to a separate chamber with a functional containment field. Green and Yellow Teams have set up defenses at the chamber door in preparation of another potential breach. Based on the footage, Colonel Jonah theorizes that Subject G's attempted flight was triggered by a fear response to Subject G1, the head. Usage of the Carl Gustaf has proven some effectiveness, but this may only be due to Subject G's status as a newborn Titan, and that some human limitations may still be in effect. As such, Colonel Jonah advises all personnel to maintain regular weapon upgrades coinciding with Subject G's growth.

The blood clots and holes close, the only evidence they were ever there at all being fresh keloids that grow in their place. And even these will be gone soon, like healing scabs. But the hurt is still there - Christ! It hurts all over! Mostly dulled, but it surges into a sharp sting if she makes a sudden move. She's collapsed onto her side and cradles her head, feeling the... she doesn't know what it's called. That sensation of skin and muscle flexing over her skull. Counts the protuberances lining down her cranium like a reptile's spikes, horns, or crest. She's covered in a sheen of sweat, tears lining down from her sunken eyes. The raw red patches, blisters, and ulcers, radiation burns... she remembers seeing something like this many years ago. Is this how those poor miners from that Philippine mine felt?

At least they didn't have to live long. She remembers what one miner said as he pointed at Serizawa, his words translated by a nurse...

"People like you... you came here, raped the earth. You tore holes in her flesh... and now she's given birth to a demon."

Vivienne sniffs and chokes on the stench of gore clinging to the hooks her once short, blunt nails have turned into, feels bile bubbling inside. Has she unconsciously smeared the blood of those men on her face? That one man - the one she clung to, she only meant to grab his shoulders or armor, she didn't mean to do what she did... a globe of air bursts from her mouth, recalling how easily he was... him and the others... she covers her mouth, feeling sick.

are you hurt

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Her own voice sounds wrong. Too low and garbled. That other voice is stilted and halting and lacks an accent; as if something is imitating the noises that words make than a person talking, yet there's an intelligence behind it. It makes her skin crawl.

not there not in your head this one has a head

...what? She turns her head. Her neck isn't supposed to move like this, it shouldn't feel like a sinewy trunk. She shouldn't be able to look at her own back like this! God, just looking at that tumorous, bony hunch on her back hurts...

Eyes are staring back at her. Small, beady red eyes. The mass swells like it's breathing and the eyes blink at her.

hello

Vivienne reaches for the mass watching her, tries to claw at it, to tear it off, but it feels like invisible hands are holding her back.

"What is... What..."

you know you said it you said our name you know who this one is

"I don't..."

remember when we were in ice you had names for us remember

...

"It's the largest superspecies ever discovered."

Emma looks at her nervously. "How big?"

Vivienne keeps watching the monitor, as though the dragon will move if she looks away. "We're estimating more than one hundred and fifty meters - over five hundred feet. It could probably cause hurricane level winds with those wings. As for Ichi, Ni, and San..."

"Who?"

"The heads." Vivienne points them out, ticks them off on her fingers. "Ichi, Ni, San. One, two, three."

"You named them?"

"Rick's not the only one who does that."

...

san you called this one san not this one's name but you call him san

"Oh god, you HEARD that?" A familiar dread grows, twisting her insides. "Were you... was that you calling me that night?"

yes! you remember! this one is glad! you know much you were so small but you are big now! you remember much sister!

Vivienne swears her heart stops. "What... did you call me...?"

sister you are sister this one is elder brother this one is so excited! so happy!

She makes a noise, something between mirthless laughter and dry heaving. It's all too much. The smells of the chaos and carnage, tasting the gore, the screams of the dying, gunfire and ballistics punching into her, what's happened to her body - she ejects chunky ropes of vomit from her mouth, feels another wave of nausea upon seeing what might be human viscera among her sick. Flesh, organs, cloth. Don't look at it, don't look, don't think about it...

you are sick you are hurting this one helps

"Don't-!" she tries to protest, breaks into a series of retching coughs. Pain wracks through her body with every cough and she grows light-headed and heavy. She tries to catch her breath, but her chest burns. "Don't... please..."

this one helps this one is elder brother this one helps sister

"Not your sister!" Vivienne would have said more if her insides hadn't just done a somersault from smelling acid at the back of her throat. Despite her vision flaring white-hot from inflammation, she scrambles away from the pile of gore and vomit, prostrates herself in a desperate attempt to cool her body against the chilled floor.

For some reason she's aware of a sense of confusion, but doesn't think it came from her. Was that its feelings just now?

don't understand

"Neither do I!" she manages to choke out. "Why- urkkh! Why are you doing this?"

eldest brother wanted this eldest brother hated you for containing us wanted to punish you make you one of us but this one doesn't hate you this one likes you never had a sister this one protected you when deep one cut off our head protected you from the green glow

"Wait, wait! I never contained you! You were frozen long before I found you - before I was ever born!"

you built metal cages and brought your kind to the ice you feared us but you stayed close elder brother doesn't like you eldest brother hates you for it you remind this one of bone singers they came to the ice too long long long time ago thought they could contain us too came to us with bone and feather and fur and little things tools and weapons they prayed but it wasn't to their gods no the bone singers prayed we stay in ice the bone singers prayed long night would last forever the long night lasted long time very long and then you came you smell like bone singers you have bone singer blood you did not pray but you carry the deep one in your heart like a god

She can't think. None of this is processing. Her eyes are welling up again and she's so scared and confused - none of this makes sense... pain flares again when she curls into a ball. She wants to make herself small and disappear. Vivienne knows by now this is no dream, this is truly happening, but still wishes she could wake up. She wants the hurt to fade away when she falls asleep... and hopefully she'll never wake up.

When she speaks next she sounds as small as she wants to be.

"Why didn't you just kill me?"

There's a pause.

not...

not what eldest brother wanted

Vivienne winces and cries a little when the center head and its damned leering face flashes behind her eyelids; now she's afraid of closing them.

"I don't care about him." Which is a lie. It feels like she's going insane, the fact that all this is because that monster felt vindictive about her - she's nothing compared to the Dragon. She was an ant before a giant. "Why are YOU doing this? You? The one I'm talking to?"

It doesn't answer.

A. Jonah, interview with Subject G, ██-██-2020

[Security footage, containment chamber. Subject G lies curled up on the floor. Jonah enters the chamber followed by his men. Lights turn on; Subject G flinches and shields its face from the lights, whining.]

Jonah: Don't you look gorgeous.

Subject G: (Groaning. Muffled pops.)

Jonah: That can't be comfortable. Why don't you sit up and we can have a chat? I hear you can still talk.

Subject G: (Wet gurgling. Indistinct response.)

Jonah: Perhaps a test will clear out those pipes. Tell me your name.

Subject G: (Rattling vocalizations.) ...vvvvvvnnnnnn... ghhhrmmm... name... is... (Shift in tone.) Ghi... dorrrrrrh... (Voice reverts to softer tone, accent.) Name is... Vvvviviennnne...

[Subject G trails off, coughing. Pained noises.]

Jonah: Tell me your age.

[Subject G holds up a shaking hand. Raises four digits, lowers them, raises three digits.]

Jonah: A vocal response, please.

Subject G: ...fffffurrr... t... tch... ffffour... forty... three.

[Subject G raises its head, studies Jonah.]

Subject G: ...you... YOU!

[Subject G rises to its feet and approaches on all fours. A blue containment field flares on and bars the path. Subject G flinches and looks around, perhaps seeking a gap or structural weak point. Brings a hand up to touch the field, and yowls in pain when the field zaps its hand.]

Jonah: Apologies, but we can't have a newborn Titan wandering around. Honestly, I'm surprised this thing even works, but it seems effective enough. That and the weapons, though you certainly soaked up those rounds like a sponge.

Travis: Hell of a face lift from Charlie G.

Subject G: Madison... where...?

Jonah: Not here. Last I checked she tasered one of my men and marched into Boston with the ORCA. Whether she or Emma survived the battle that leveled the place, I don't care. Godzilla saved the day, as usual. I'm sure you'd be pleased about that, considering you and Serizawa worship the ground he walks on.

Subject G: Sensei. Where is... here?

Jonah: That's not your concern.

[Subject G turns its head as if listening to something. Reaches for the barrier again.]

Jonah: I told you, it won't—

Subject G: Quiet.

[Subject G touches the barrier again but maintains contact despite clearly experiencing pain. This continues until Subject G's hand begins to visibly smoke. Sparks fly and Subject G finally recoils with a screech, clutching the wrist of its scorched hand.]

Subject G: God! You... said that would... work! (Vocal change, no accent.) Storm inside. But - not there. Why? (Vocal change; accent.) How should I know?! (No accent.) Shhhh, go back go back go back go back.

Travis: This thing's fucking nuts.

Jonah: As entertaining as this is, I'd rather you didn't waste our time trying to break out of here like this is some cheap-jack Alcatraz. We need to set some ground rules for the duration of your stay. First, we've contracted some hired help to clean up after you - I see you've already started without them. The containment field will be down during these periods, but the cleaners will be escorted by armed guards, and they will not hesitate to open fire if you so much as look at them the wrong way. Second, you are to comply with any and all tests we will be performing, or you will be fired upon. I know you're small now, but we are going to regularly upgrade our security measures as soon as you show any growing immunity to our weaponry.

[Jonah walks away, exits field of view.]

Jonah: Oh, and don't bother hoping for a rescue. As far as the world at large is concerned, Dr. Vivienne Graham is dead. And the second any of our help develops any bleeding heart tendencies, they will be terminated on the spot. You don't want any more deaths on your conscience, do you?

[No response. Subject G looks down.]

Jonah: Good. Enjoy your stay.

Subject G: (No accent.) Can't contain us.

End recording

something is wrong

she is hurting everything hurts he feels the hurt why does it hurt he did everything he did as eldest brother said so why does everything hurt why doesn't she have the storm inside he should have given her the storm she should have the storm why doesn't she have the storm they would not still be here if she had the storm she would not be frightened by the little ones and their toys

not her fault she did nothing wrong sister is scared and confused and hurting he doesn't mean to hurt and scare and confuse but he is confused too he must have done something wrong he always does something wrong even when he does something right he ruins it stupid so stupid he has to make it right he will make it right he likes her he wants her to be strong and beautiful and perfect she doesn't feel beautiful or strong or perfect she feels ugly and sick and weak

why didn't you just kill me she said why would she say that he did as eldest brother said he doesn't want to kill her he likes her he wants her to like him

she is scared of eldest brother maybe hates eldest brother he hopes she doesn't hate him

make it right he has to make it right and get them out

ᛒ - Berkana. "Birch (tree)." The eighteenth rune. It represents birth and growth, the beginning of a cycle, but also the possibility of stagnation. The birch is the first tree to grow after the ice melts.