There is only one passing night before more enemies attack Asgard's borders at the slightest break of dawn. Heimdall uses the power of the Bifrost to destroy those coming from greater distances; however, he is not prepared to see Jormungand himself coming towards the realm, intent on sending all of Asgard back into the abyss of space and time. Loki and the other high commanders are already at the bridge, awaiting the first to break through Heimdall's efforts.
All the remaining soldiers have gathered at the front, which is now far beyond the field of Vigrid. The palace is the only refuge of the realm. Positioned at the world's center, it has a raised shield and a deep underground fortress to protect the people. In the night, many of Sigyn's Vanir friends and loved ones, including her dear Grid and Loki's uncle Freyr, have found their way into Asgard to join in the ranks should magic be called for at the final hour. They even thought to rescue her precious cat, Tiwaz, from their crumbling home, keeping him under a spell so he would not run off.
Sigyn considers fleeing to the mountains, seeking out the portals that will take her children back to the safety of Vanaheim. But Grid and Freyr do not have the heart to tell Sigyn that the safe haven she yearns for no longer exists. Unbeknownst to all except the commanders, the monsters that attack Asgard have moved their way up the tree of Yggdrasill. The world that she called home for so many years has been split in two, now a mere remnant of the green world she once knew. Vanaheim has been destroyed.
While lying in wait, so many of the children in the palace have become so restless that there is a war of sorts being fought by the caretakers inside. Sigyn tries to keep Narvi and Vali occupied: a much easier task with their Nanny and Uncle present. They are all dressed in their Vanaheim clothing, wanting to signal to refugees that they are friendly companions. Sigyn notices a lone child, Modi, sneaking up and wreaking havoc on the frightened families that have not the strength to retaliate.
Modi comes close to their little camp, at first curious to meet the old man and old woman, who look suspiciously unfamiliar. They are not of Asgard. Therefore, to Modi, they do not belong.
An excited Vali, who hasn't seen him in days, approaches Thor's son. After all, he is the only friend the boy has other than his brother; Modi represents stability and consistency in this world.
"Modi! My Nanny is here, from Vanaheim!" The naïve young child presents a prospect to Modi that he is not interested in. While Vali only wishes to show Modi the same affection once shown to him, he is rejected.
"I don't care who's here to see you. None of you belong here!"
Narvi comes up behind Vali just in time to hear this declaration from his cousin. Vali is already starting to cry; too young to understand what's going on outside but old enough to know his friend no longer likes him. Narvi is equally puzzled, and can't understand why Modi would say such a thing. In his frustration, Narvi yells back at Modi in defense:
"But... but we belong on Asgard, too! Our father..."
"Your father is a frost giant! He's evil, just like you!"
Sigyn overhears the young voice yelling at her son, and swoops in to protect them. Narvi is stunned and silent, Vali in tears and sobbing loudly. Modi is red with anger, running off to the other side of the basement fortress. She kneels down to face her sons, both of which are not sure of what just happened.
"He'll come around, my loves. Let's get back to Uncle Freyr."
...
Loki is on the front line, leading his own clan of soldiers to the East. Jormungand has not yet reached Asgard, and they are hoping that the Bifrost will destroy him before he gets close enough to strike. Loki remembers how easily the terrain crumbled beneath Odin with just a single strike from the dull Twilight; he wonders if this realm is meant to last, and if they should be fighting the Ragnarok at all. What if this is how Yggdrasill rebuilds herself for better eternities in Valhalla?
The seemingly endless stream of frost giants is exhausting even the most skilled soldiers. Loki has them set up in shifts for battle, so as not to tire out everyone at once and invite defeat; his strategies as a leader are undeniable, and the men in his care trust him more and more. Even some of the female soldiers, who are just now learning the stories long forgotten about his wife Sigyn and her impeccable aim, look upon him with great admiration. Despite the fact that growing up, Sigyn's eyes were constantly following him, the mystique and grace of his regal movements are difficult for any of them to resist staring at now.
Thor is on the north flank with his own set of soldiers, though with Mjolnir at his side, he might as well be fighting alone. One strike, then two, sends most of the enemies backward and off the edge of Asgard altogether. After another day with endless hours of fighting, Thor worries that they will be at war long into the night.
Thor's hammer is more than just a weapon; a fact that he often forgets. In a final swoop to kill the last great creature that crests the edge of the world, Thor slams Mjolnir against the ground. But instead of creating a surging ripple that only throws the enemy backward, this strike hits a weak spot in the armature of the terrain. A lingering, booming crack snaps its way from where Thor stands to the edge of the realm. Where the monster stood, the ground gives way, falling beneath. While trying to defend his home, Thor is destroying it.
Loki can feel the world shake beneath his feet. The crack that Thor created to the North is spreading downward, heading for the golden city. In a split second, Loki considers what damage Jormungand can make with a blow half that size, and is suddenly struck with immense fear.
"Retreat!"
...
Loki runs with every fiber of his being towards the palace gates, his soldiers following relentlessly behind him. He understands now that, regardless of how long they fight, this world will not survive the Ragnarok. They have no choice but to gather their families and escape to the Bifrost, with the thin hope that Heimdall can direct them to a place not yet in ruins.
The shield rises, slowly, forcing some soldiers to fall on their knees to get in faster. Loki knows he cannot stop the chaos, and only hopes that his family is not trampled in the panic down below. He pushes aside a few clutched people, yelling at them to get outside fast, directing them to the bridge and telling them to take the Bifrost wherever it will still land.
He finally finds Sigyn, who has decided that it is better to wait until most of the crowd has exited before trying to clamor through with the two boys. They are both crying, frightened by the screams of women and the rush of tall soldiers who should be out fighting. Freyr and Grid stand beside her, unwilling to move.
"Please, uncle, you must go. We will be right behind you, trust me." Freyr looks Loki in the eye, showing true pride for his nephew's growth, closer to feeling like a father than ever before. He takes Grid by the hand and they run into the crowd with all the belongings they can carry, quickly disappearing in the masses.
Loki grabs Sigyn's hand just as another great crack can be heard from outside. But this does not come from Thor's great hammer; Jormungand has reached Asgard, and is already trying to squeeze it into oblivion. The palace above them starts to fall apart, making their location in the basement all the more dangerous.
"We must go. We cannot wait!" Loki is yelling out of fear, directing the order at his sons. Vali charges ahead, Sigyn and Narvi close behind, and Loki tries to keep an eye on all of them while directing others.
Sigyn steps ahead of Narvi, assuming he is right behind her, not noticing that her son has stopped to beckon at a crying and hidden Modi. He has crouched himself behind a pillar, frozen and crying without someone to guide him.
"Modi, father says we have to get to the Bifrost. I'll help you out!" The young child is only doing as he's been told, and wants to help his friend. Precious seconds are wasted.
"No! I don't want your help!" Modi is sitting still, not budging.
Narvi runs to him, and kicks Modi hard. It is the only trick he's learned to get his brother moving in the morning. But Modi does not take the action lightly, and stands to kick Narvi right back, hurting the young one's leg in the process. When Narvi falls, Modi picks up a large rock and hits the young boy over the head in anger.
"I can get out on my own!" Modi yells, still covered in tears, running out the door. Narvi is passed out against the pillar, lost in a temporary dream world while the palace crumbles around him.
..
Loki has gotten most of the people out of the north entrance, and continues to run ahead to catch up with his family. He sees his son Vali dangerously lagging behind, racing with all of his might and quickly running out of breath. The sight of his son losing strength and getting pushed aside by bigger children makes Loki's stomach turn at the thought that he will not last to the Bifrost without being carried.
Unable to stop, and still responsible for getting people out, Loki gestures with his hands towards young Vali. The boy keeps running, and while his feet touch the stone floor of the palace in succession, his feet transform from the brown fabric boots into thick paws covered in black fur. His back arches forward, now allowing his hands – no, more paws – to touch the floor. The black hair that already mops on his head is spreading over the child's body in a thick coat. Granting him greater skill and speed, Vali transforms into a small, black wolf, and his new form darts between the legs of all those who surround him until the boy is out of sight. Loki hopes within his heart that Freyr and Grid will recognize him at the Bifrost, for at least now he will reach it on his own.
Loki turns his head, anticipating a sight of Narvi in Sigyn's arms, but sees neither of them. Modi rushes past him, almost knocking Loki over, but doesn't stop to acknowledge that he knows the man. Loki's heart is racing, confused and afraid, searching the crowds for familiar faces. Another loud crack sounds off behind him, bringing down the ceiling within the basement fortress, forcing even Loki to keep moving to the light outside the gates.
...
Sigyn has been running, trying to keep Narvi in her sights, when she notices that the boy who had passed her to the front was actually a different Vanir child. She stops dead in her tracks, and looks behind her to notice that her other son is nowhere to be found. Where am I? Where is he?
"Narvi?" Sigyn calls out the name, first in a normal tone, hoping to hear his response from behind one of the many people coming up around her. Nothing. She can assume that Vali caught up to Loki somehow as she cannot find him either, and he is less likely to stop if he is frightened.
"Narvi where are you? Narvi!" The calls are becoming more frantic. She doesn't want to move backward, hoping that he might have passed her. A loud crack comes from behind, and Sigyn feels the floor beneath her move. Her heart shakes with the surrounding stone. "Narvi! Narvi call to me!" She is screaming out for her son, only she knows that her voice is now being lost in the sea of other mothers calling out for their children. So many of them could not get out in time.
The floor beneath her begins to split, opening up to the ground beneath. But the dirt itself is also splitting, not tied to the building above, but the entire realm. Sigyn guesses which pieces will remain intact, but she has to continue moving forward, calling out for her son between frantic breaths.
"Mother!" She hears the call behind her, and instantly knows that Narvi is not lost. Sigyn turns to see him running, but is awestruck that the floor itself has opened wide into space. Her son is limping, unable to run fast, trying to keep up with those that have found a clear path through the falling stone.
"Narvi! Narvi I'm here!" Sigyn backtracks her steps, being forced out of the way by the panicked people who run to the outside. She watches Narvi closely, not wanting to miss his hand the second she can touch it.
Narvi leaps from one stone island to the next, following the lead of a woman in front of him. He takes one more step. Sigyn reaches out her hand to him, just as the stone floor opens beneath him to the wide abyss below.
She can feel his fingertips, if only for a moment. The soft skin of the child, just barely giving touch to the edges of her hand. The world slows down. The only sound present is the loud beating of her heart within her ears, pounding as if it will shatter out of her chest. The walls of the palace crash in silence from the madness. The screaming people make no raucous as they pass by. Dim, fading vision is only focused in the center of her sight.
Heartbeat, only heartbeat, one by one in Sigyn's core, as the loud world around her disappears with the final light of her son's eyes gleaming back to her in fear.