Rise of The Snow Queen Chapter 9
Thor grinned tightening his grip on the hammer. Slamming it into the Frost Giants that spoken daring to insult him. The Jotun crashed against a wall breaking his neck on impact.
"Next," baited Thor.
In retaliation Frost Giants charged from all angles taking this as the opening they'd been impatiently waiting for.
"Stay close to me," said Loki, taking Galatea's hand in his dagger held at the ready in the other. Scared beyond belief Galatea didn't contest. She'd never once been in the midst of a battle before.
In front of the twins Frost Giants blocked their path. Loki threw one of his makeshift daggers at the closest one destroying the weapon it formed from ice. A scream of pain elicited from the Jotun when it fell.
Concerned for his sister first and foremost Loki took her behind a pillar running from the Frost Giants pursuing them. Loki already calculated a plan to get rid of them. The second they were safely behind the structure Loki created an illusion replicas of them both. He sent the copies immediately towards a deep crevice making it appear to the naked eye like they were still fleeing. It worked perfectly. When the Jotun's got close enough they leapt at the copies not realizing until it was too late they were fake, tumbling to their deaths. With a flick of his wrist the images vanished. Exchanging a quick smile shared the siblings were off again.
Thor was having the time of his life tossing Frost Giants left and right. Not breaking a sweat he was attacking so swiftly the Frost Giant warriors targeting him didn't what hit them. In fact he was getting bored. This was too easy for him while the rest were having a more difficult time of it.
"At least make it a challenge for me," exclaimed Thor, kicking one away.
Laufey signaled for some of his strongest warriors to come out of the shadows to join the fray facing the prince, much larger than the rest. One punched his fist into the ground sending a burst of ice towards Hogun. When it exploded from the floor Hogun was sent flying. Fortunately he wasn't seriously damaged.
A new Frost Giant roared at Thor and he roared back mocking the Jotun. It didn't take too kindly to that insult. The Jotun blocked the blow Thor aimed at its head. It head butted Thor kicking him so far he was thrown into the air.
Landing on his back Thor rolled to his feet grinning toothily. "That's more like it," he approved, satisfied with his adversary. This is more to his standards. Throwing his hammer it crushed the Frost Giants face flat.
With the exception of Loki everyone else had to fight against his or her foes hand to hand instead of using magic. It was hard enough watching their own backs, but it was practically impossible assisting each other.
Volstagg learned about this the hard way.
The massive Asgardian released an agonized cry when the Frost Giant he was combating touched his unprotected arm. Head butting the Frost Giant in the head he got the monster to release him. Looking down at where the Frost Giant touched him there was an extremely horrendous burn created by frostbite. If it held on a little longer…
"Don't let them touch you," proclaimed Volstagg, alerting the others to the danger.
This situation became far direr with this fatal consequence if not tended to immediately. If only Thor wasn't taking so much personal enjoyment and mirth out of all this nonsense.
The worst had yet to come. A secret that had been buried for years was about to surface.
While valiantly attempting to protect his twin Loki intercepted a Frost Giant that charged the duo. Loki tugged Galatea downwards dodging the Frost Giants attack stabbing it in the diaphragm. The Frost Giant dropped to his knees in agony. He grabbed Loki's arm shattering the gauntlet preventing him from directly touching Loki's skin infecting him with frostbite.
Terrified Galatea expected Loki's arm to burn resulting in loss of the limb or mark like Volstagg's. What neither she nor Loki expected was his arm to turn as clue as a Frost Giants runes and birthmarks of these vile beings appearing there on the skin.
Alarmed Loki snapped his head locking stares with the cold eyes of the Jotun. Before the Giant was giving the opportunity to recover Loki stabbed it again this time straight in the heart killing the monster instantly.
Rolling the afflicted appendage Loki watched as the dark blue receded changing to its normal pale complexion. Loki looked to his sister in his bewilderment. She had her hands clasped over her mouth eyes nearly popping from her face in the shock.
What the hell just happened? Loki should've ended up like Volstagg.
Galatea didn't have much time to contemplate about it for from off tot eh side another Frost Giant moved in for the kill.
"Galatea, look out," yelled Loki.
At her brothers warning Galatea tried to run away, but the Frost Giant snatching her arm destroyed that idea. Fortunately the grip the Jotun had on her flesh wasn't strong she managed to pull away, but in the process one of her precious crucial gloves slipped off. A factor she failed to realize too late for her to correct.
The Frost Giant raised his arm to strike her. Everyone else was too far away to help. There was absolutely nothing that could be done to stop it.
"No," screamed Loki.
In reflex Galatea raised her hands defensively in a vain attempt to block the Frost Giants attack. But this proved unnecessary.
The very second Galatea lifted her hands ice shot out of the one naked without its glove. The Jotun ended up totally encased in solid ice unable to move caught mid-swing.
Now it was Loki's turn to be shocked into silence staring at his sister in disbelief not believing his eyes. Recognizing what she just did sheer terror simply took over. Trembling she met Loki's questioning gaze unable to utter a single word.
"Galatea," breathed Loki, "how-?"
Suddenly a cry of pain broke them back into reality. So preoccupied was Fandral displaying his bravado that he didn't see the enraged Frost Giant sneaking over. That Frost Giant impaled Fandral with ice shards that grew from the ground. Throwing one of his daggers Loki sliced off the offending Frost Giants head.
"Thor," shouted Lady Sif.
Thor ignored his comrades paying them no mind he continued killing any Frost Giant that stepped into his reach.
Carefully Hogun and Volstagg pulled Fandral free of the ice shards. If Fandral didn't receive proper medical care soon from the healers in Asgard he'd die with the res of them following soon afterwards.
"We must go," shouted Loki, having finally reached the breaking point for all of them.
"Then go," responded Thor, throwing his hammer into the Frost Giant masses. It flew in a straight line knocking into Frost Giants in this direction killing all who Mjolnir hit.
Laufey unfroze a huge beast that was on the plateau. When it was unfrozen it released a roar shaking the entire foundation of the palace.
Lifting the injured Fandral over his shoulder, Volstagg screamed "Run!"
Without further invitation all of them bolted running for the Bifrost, well except for Thor.
Dragging Galatea behind him, Loki called "Thor!"
Disregarding the fleeing Asgardians the Frost Giants converged on Thor picking him as the main target. Instead the beast chased them by order of its master.
So busy running for her life Galatea barely managed to grab the glove almost forgotten discarded on the floor. But what she did fail to do was put it back on.
Well it was a good thing they were already on a planet made entirely of ice.
The creature came close to getting Lady Sif, but she evaded the bards on its tail when it went to kill her.
Drawing a lightning bolt to him Thor forced it into the ground destroying whatever the Jotuns had as their palace. The impact from the bolt created a chasm pulling anything down with it including the beast. In truth the beast still lived merely chasing them under ground instead of above.
At last all of them reached the exact spot where the Bifrost delivered them.
"Heimdall," yelled Volstagg. "Open the bridge!"
Galatea screamed when a gigantic claw slammed over the cliff face the beast climbing over the ledge. In a last ditch effort Loki shoved Galatea behind him to protect her. They were all dead. The Warriors Three, Lady Sif, and Loki could fend off Frost Giants, but not this monstrosity.
The creature went to deal the killing blow when Thor shot through the air using Mjolnir to fly. He ran the beast through the throat leaving a gapping hole killing it. The beast collapsed on the ground dead its weight making it fall off the side. Thor was quite proud of himself…that is until he turned and saw they were completely surrounded by Laufey's army.
Heimdall kept true to his word. Volstagg called for Heimdall to open the gate, but the danger chasing them was too great leaving the Gatekeeper no choice. He must keep the fate shut leaving them stranded at the mercy of Laufey otherwise the Frost Giants would be free to invade Asgard. There's no escape and Laufey sensed it.
At Laufey's signal his soldiers advanced, but then they were blocked.
Galatea couldn't handle the ongoing stress anymore. Too much of her power was being held back. She no longer had the strength to contain it. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her chest. Now she threw them out throwing her head back shrieking. The full force of her magic was released with this major loss of control.
People on both sides of the line were thrown off their feet. It was unbelievable no one was tossed off the cliff from the full force of the blast. An enormous ice wall with piercing shards formed between the Asgardians and Jotuns. Even larger ones shot from the rocks exactly the same as the ones from the ruined coronation ceremony killing any who were in the crossfire adding to Jotun casualties.
With so many witnesses there was no possibility this remaining a secret.
This was too much for Galatea's body and mind to go through all at once. Her body just collapsed from pure exhaustion having no strength left to use falling unconscious.
"Galatea," exclaimed Loki, catching and lifting her limp form securely in his arms. He then tried to wake her by giving her a shake. "Galatea! Sister, wake up!" But there was no response she was out cold.
Thor, Lady Sif, and the Warriors Three stood there dumbfounded trying to comprehend what they'd seen.
"What the hell was that," demanded Lady Sif, incredulous.
But no one answered her they were all too baffled. None of them actually had a chance to anyhow.
The ice barrier exploded as Laufey and the other Frost Giants demolished it sending ice in all directions. Galatea's magic was powerful, but in her weakened state so was the barrier.
Laufey stepped passed the remnants of the wall his soldiers following. But something in their demeanor changed. In anger and bloodlust the Frost Giants had been dead set on drawing Thor's blood, but now their focus was on Galatea. He power she expelled was unmistakable.
"Interesting," said Laufey, eyes intent on the princess.
Out of the sky the Bifrost opened harboring Odin, wearing full armor riding his prized stallion, landing between the two conflicting groups.
Lifting his hammer, Thor said "Father, we'll finish them together!"
"Silence," hissed Odin, infuriated.
Thor's grin evaporated at the ferocity in his father's fury.
Rising on a small platform of ice and stone Laufey became level with Odin on his horse. "Allfather," observed Laufey, sneering. "You look weary."
Tiredly, Odin commanded "Laufey, end this now."
"Your boy sought this out," stated Laufey.
"You're right. These are the actions of a boy treat them as such. You and I can end this here and now, before there's further bloodshed," beseeched Odin, the voice of reason.
"You talk of peace, Allfather, when you've been keeping secrets," said Laufey, turning his head to stare directly at the princess. His gaze was so intent Loki clutched her tighter to his chest.
Odin's heart stopped seeing Galatea was missing a glove realizing what must've occurred. "Leave her be, Laufey," he said. "She is of no concern to you!"
"I disagree," said Laufey. "If you want there to be peace you will hand her over."
"Never," objected Loki. "You cannot have her! Father, don't let them-!"
"Quiet," ordered Odin, firm.
Reluctant Loki obeyed his composure slipping for Galatea.
"You shall not have her, Laufey," said Odin. "She is of Asgard and shall stay in Asgard."
"So you say," said Laufey.
Only Odin knew the meaning to the words Laufey spoke. Firm, he said "No."
"Then we are beyond diplomacy now, Allfather," said Laufey. "He'll get what he came for. War and death."
Grim, Odin muttered "So be it."
After millennia this fragile peace was devastated in less than a day.
Conjuring a knife made of ice in his palm Laufey went to stab Odin. Odin lifted Gungnir summoning the Bifrost to him. In a flash all the Asgardians teleported out to safety the Frost Giants powerless to follow. Leaving vengeful Jotuns in their wake thirsting for blood.
Authors Note: Hope you all had a good 4th of July!