Everyone landed smoothly on the icy ground and was quite shocked by how dead the place was. Everything looked grey and icy. Jotunheim was an extremely cold place, but for some reason, Eris was not bothered by the cold. In fact, Eris could describe the frigid atmosphere as a cool breeze.
"We shouldn't be here," Fandral stated.
"Let's move," Thor commanded, ignoring him.
Eris sighed as they follow him along with the rest, clenching a small dagger in her hand, standing side-by-side with her father. As they walked, Eris studied their surroundings, a look of confusion crossed her face.
In the ruins, she can clearly see how empty the place was. Chunks of ice floated above the icy village, creating a dark shadow that loomed over the already dark city.
"So, this is Jotunheim," she said in a slight whisper. "It seems...deserted."
"Yes, it does. It seems the war has caused much damage," Loki replied.
Eris only sighed. "I hope Thor has a plan for this because barging into someone's village just for revenge seems a bit too risky. I should have written a will in advance."
Loki rolled his eyes at that comment before turning to his daughter. "We are not going to die."
An unfamiliar feeling passed through her as she gripped onto her weapon. Was it worry? Or something else?
The group soon was led to a temple, which was a bit bigger than Asgard's, as the central plaza led them towards the entrance.
"Where are they?" Sif asked.
"They're hiding," Thor replied. "The cowards always do."
Eris rolled her eyes but then felt that unfamiliar feeling pass her again. She stopped walking, looking around her as the scenery changed, slowly, but noticeably. For a moment, she could have sworn she seen something - or someone - standing there in front of her. An older female wearing black and gold, holding a scythe. She couldn't get a clear view of the female as she saw her turn to her.
"Eris, what do you see?"
Eris suddenly snapped out of her trance. She almost forgot where she was until she heard her father's voice. She blinked, taking in the scenery again, then went to speak, but no words escaped her lips.
"You've come a long way to die, Asgardians,"
A voice called out as Loki stood in front of his daughter in a defensive state, ready to use his weapons as well as the other warriors. A Frost Giant was seen on some kind of throne, slightly shadowed by the frozen waterfall. Thor introduced himself, but the king, Laufey, seemed to know who he is.
"Why have you brought the stench of your blood to my realm?"
The God of Thunder, showing no fear, raised his head towards him. "I demand answers."
Laufey stood from his throne, towering over the warriors. "You demand?"
"How did your people get into Asgard?"
"The house of Odin is full of traitors," he said, looking down at them.
Suddenly, Eris didn't feel safe in her own home. She glanced over at Loki, who knew she was afraid, and told her that it would be okay, but she didn't believe him.
"Do not dishonor my father's name with your lies!" Thor declared.
Laufey scowled, still looking down at him. Eris could tell that he was starting to get angry with him. "Your father is a murderer and a thief. He stole what was ours and left our realm in ruin. We have the right to reclaim the Casket."
Casket?
Eris felt a shiver go down her spine as she saw shadows of what she could assume to be other Frost Giants surrounding them, growing weapons of ice. She gripped onto her weapon, staring at the king that now stood above them. To him, they were just like ants.
Loki walked up to his brother with worry. "Thor, stop, and think. Look around you, we're outnumbered-"
"Know your place, brother," Thor said.
"You should listen to your friends. You know not what your actions would unleash," Laufey warned. "I do. Go while I still allow it. Would you want to risk the young girls' safety?"
Eris took a deep breath to say something but then decided to keep her mouth shut when she saw him glare at her. Loki knew that she inherited his sharp tongue and he did not want her getting into trouble because of it.
"We will accept your most gracious offer," Loki stated, stepping in front of Thor.
Thor looked at Loki, then at the Giant, until he was forced to walk away from him. Eris sighed, almost in annoyance as she walked behind her father and uncle. She was relieved that she didn't have to fight, but that feeling of worry was still there; she couldn't deny it.
"Run back home, little princess."
Everyone froze at that moment, turning pale as the snow that fell, except for Thor. It was silent; the only sound coming from the Jotun sliding across the icy plaza. It was still until the Jotun stood up with a scowl, his hands turning into swords of pure ice. It wasn't long until more Frost Giants began to charge at the warriors.
Finally, a real fight.
Without hesitation, the dagger in her hand turned into a bow as she summoned a golden arrow in her other. She pulled back the string of the bow, waiting patiently for a Jotun to come towards her, then released the arrow. It pierced one of the Jotun in the eye before it collapsed dead on the ground.
The two fought close together, father and daughter, watching each other's back as the Giants wither away in front of them. That's just the way they fight. Eris noticed Laufey growl at them, summoning two more Giants towards them.
"He's enjoying this," she said.
Loki smirked. "Let's give him a show then, shall we?"
Suddenly the ground beneath them shook and they were quickly separated from each other by a brute Frost Giant. Eris's eyes widen as she tried to reach for the weapon that she lost, but was knocked across the temple with force.
A feeling of fear and anger flowed through Loki as he attempted to reach her, but was suddenly faced with two more Frost Giants, grinning wickedly.
Eris frantically searched for her weapon but sighed when she noticed how far away it was from her. She glanced over at the Frost Giant that had tried to sneak up on her before conjuring another dagger and throwing it at him, hitting him in the forehead and killing him.
The fight continues until they heard Volstagg shout, "Don't let them touch you!"
Eris quickly became worried about what would happen if they did touch her. She never had frostbite, but she didn't want to find out how it felt either. She then whipped around to the sound of agony: Fandal was hit with ice.
Eris quickly rushed over to aid him, killing giants who tried to attack her. She noticed that the shards were implanted deep into his chest, causing a black area to spread.
Eris knew what she had to do and it had to be done quickly. She wrapped her hand around the icicles and removed them from his chest, somewhat apologizing for the pain as she quickly pulled out the remaining few. The blackened area didn't vanish, but the spreading has stopped, in which she sighed. Adrenaline was still flowing within her that Eris didn't feel the warm and tingling sensation growing throughout her arm.
Until she glanced over at it.
"Wha-"
Her breath hitched as she looked at her arm; her normal slightly pale color turning into a dark blue as she slowly dropped the icicle in her hand. What is going on with her? She stared at her hand, which then faded back to its original color, but she couldn't move. She almost didn't notice a Jotün coming towards them at an alarming speed and quickly stood with her sword in her hands, but was taken aback when Loki stood beside her, arm outstretched. The Jotün grabbed onto his arm and she saw the blue spread across his arm as well. Though confused, she broke out of her shocked state and stabbed it in the chest with her weapon. Loki's skin turned back to normal and they were confused.
"Are you okay?" Loki asked.
The young princess nodded; it took her a second to get focused again as she was still in shock of her discovery.
"We have to go." He quickly ushered her to her feet and turned towards his brother, who fought many Jotüns at once. "Thor, we must go!"
"Then go!"
Sif reached the group, worry in her eyes as more Frost Giants rose from the ground. "There's too many of them!"
"I can take them," Thor shouted.
Eris groaned at her uncle's actions. More and more Frost Giants emerged from the ground and from the temple and started to surround them again. The warriors began to back away from them; the plan was beginning to backfire badly.
"You've got to be joking," Eris breathed.
"Run!" Volstagg shouted.
Everyone started to run towards the entrance; Loki and his daughter running side by side, hoping to reach the exit before they end up getting attacked again. There was a cracking of lightning heard, causing them to stop before the ground began to crumble under their feet once Thor joined the group. Eris glanced around them, but her vision was blocked by a cloud of mist.
"Now what?" she heard Eris mumble.
Thor glanced towards his brother. "Loki, we must see."
Loki nodded, concentrating on the winds that made the mist disappear. Eris both sighed in relief then turned to see the whole army of Frost Giants surrounding them, all locked in kill mode.
"I am going to kill you, Thor," Eris hissed.
Then there saw a flash of light from above as All father Odin appeared on a horse, his scepter in his hand. The light from the Bi-Frost practically blinded them and they shielded their eyes until it faded.
"Oh god, " Loki muttered. They were all in a heap of trouble.
Thor cried out that they could all finish this battle together, but Odin silenced him.
"All-Father, you look weary," Laufey said. Odin commanded that he end the battle now. "Your boy sought this out."
"You're right," Odin started. "The actions of a boy. Treat him as such. You and I can end this here and now before we spare the bloodshed."
Laufey just stared at him. He doesn't look all too forgiving. "We are beyond diplomacy now, All-Father," he said. "He'll get what he came for, war and death."
"So be it."
Laufey went to stab Odin with his ice knife, but he was knocked back by another flash of light from his scepter. Then Bi-Frost took them back home.
There was silence all the way back to Asgard.
