{-Ylgr-}

Hríd had pulled her aside the night they were going to leave Nifl and return to Askr. He handed her a box and said, "Mother told me that she wanted you to have this. Keep it safe and see if you can figure out what's inside it."

When he gave her that mission, though, she hadn't expected there to be no key and no easy way to open it. She kept it away from Fjorm because she didn't want to bother her with it. Only Iztali knew about it, though in the few months they had it they couldn't figure anything else out about it.

Until, at least, Ylgr heard about Reginn. Maybe she'd be able to pick the lock on it—that's what Ylgr hoped, anyway, when she made her move after Fjorm went to visit Sharena.

"Reginn, can I ask you something..?" As she walked closer, though, she realized both Ótr and Dagr were with Reginn. Ylgr backed away at the former's cold gaze and quickly added, "I-if you're busy, that's okay, it's not really important…"

Reginn looked at her companions then back at Ylgr. "No, it's fine! What do you need help with?"

Cautiously, she showed them the box. "My brother said I should try to open it, but there's no key and I tried everything I could think of."

Dagr observed it before asking, "Have you tried hitting it with a rock?"

Instinctively, Ylgr pulled the box closer to her again. "It was Mom's," she said slowly. That was all they needed; she had no doubt that they, in one way or another, learned of what happened in Nifl. Then she continued with her reasoning: "I thought… that maybe you could help? Pick the lock or… something? Without breaking it?"

"I'll do it," Reginn offered. "If you give me a little while, I can get it open. I promise I'll keep it safe and out of Dagr's hands."

…

Iztali must've been feeling better because, even though he still just laid on her bed, he wasn't with Sharena. He looked tired and nearly ready to fall asleep by the time he noticed what wasn't there and the cause of Ylgr's unease. "Where's your mom's box?"

"I gave it to Reginn. She's going to try to pick the lock on it."

"You couldn't watch her?"

"She probably wouldn't like it if I hovered over her the whole time."

"I guess you're right." He lazily tried tossing a pillow at her. "Relax! It'll be fine. Reginn's nice. She snuck me cookies. Ótr's a little scary though. And Dagr's huge."

"What do you think it is?"

"Something pretty. Did she have jewelry?"

"Mom's jewelry was all still there when we visited."

"Some secret treasure you didn't know about!"

"Nope, there's just Leiptr, which is Fjorm's…" She sighed and sprawled across the bed.

He rolled on top of her and whacked her with another pillow. "Baby pictures!"

She quickly took another pillow and swatted him with it herself. "Come on, you weren't even a baby!"

"No, but I was a butterfly. And I can also be a bird!" He dodged her next pillow-attack by transforming. His victorious tweets and fluttering were cut short, though, when he suddenly transformed back and landed on the bed.

She quickly scrambled up. "Are you okay?" She dared to shake him, realizing it was the same kind of unresponsiveness he'd given her days earlier before he went with Sharena to the royal castle. "Is it happening again..?" She didn't quite know what 'it' was, just that it had something to do with dreams.

"I-I'm going, Lekra, I'm going…" was Iztali's eventual response. He sat up before actually answering her question, "The nightmares keep coming back and Peony had to go back to Ljósálfheimer yesterday… I promise it's getting better and we're all going to be able to go back to normal soon, but for now Lekra wants me to come back…" He slid off the bed and walked towards the door before giving her a weak smile. "I'll see you later!"

She mustered her own smile and waved goodbye. She hated those words—it felt like every time someone promised to reunite, they never did. But the only thing she said about it was a quick suggestion to see if Fjorm or Fauna would walk him over before he actually left.

Ylgr didn't have to be alone for long, though, before Reginn burst into her room with the open box in her hand. "I did it, and here it is, safe and sound! It was tough but a fun challenge." She sat it on the bed and backed away. "Well, if that's everything—"

"Wait. Do you… have anything else you need to do..? Could you stay..?"

Reginn simply nodded and wandered over to the bed.

With a deep breath, Ylgr pulled out the piece of paper and started to read it.

'Lady Nifl has long warned us of the coming battles; things I wish none of you would ever need to involve yourself in, yet unfortunately would undoubtedly lose a lot to. If you have this, that means the fighting's already started… and that I'm not there to tell you in person.

With Hríd I assigned the task of watching over all of you; Gunnthrá to act as a messenger and do whatever else necessary; Fjorm to find the little dreamer and, if it came down to it, preserve what was left on Nifl with you… What did I leave for you to do, then, Ylgr? You are to carry on a word of warning from Lady Nifl.

The time is coming—if it is not Lady Nifl or Múspell that falls here, someone else will follow. Who it is—the God of War, the Trickster, Death, the Dream-King, Lady of Nightmares, or Askr and Embla—does not matter. Once one collapses, so will all the others. There is nothing to stop it once it starts and, without them, there is nothing else. Please take caution in the times ahead. Make sure all mortals know that a new age is about to begin.'

Reginn tried to offer a word of reassurance. "Well, that hasn't happened yet, right?"

Ylgr shook her head. "They killed Hel months ago. This is all going to happen—and soon."

((A/N: Inspired by the Forging Bonds I got reminded of when Ylgr asked a bunch of thief characters to open a box her mother had! Except this is a much more story important and comes with some new information…

All gods probably have the capability of giving those with their dragon blood visions or prophetic dreams without establishing a bond with them. Nifl is the only one who takes advantage of this.))