Ch.56 - Realm of Asgard
Looking around at the area I had been deposited, I couldn't help but feel like Yggdrasil was fucking with me.
I was expecting a mountainous region, clear skies, forest or fields, a nature preserved from most races having jumped beyond polluting technologies due to all being steeped in mysticism and having natural affinities towards them since they were born.
Instead I get dumped in the middle of a damn medieval village being attacked by Rock Trolls,
Large, hairy and dirty beings standing above 7ft on average, with orange skin, powerful bodies with physical strength surpassing Asgardians on average, especially with how barbaric their culture was and the general focus on mining to survive in Asgard's underground, they really weren't much to look at.
From a quick scan around the village, I could see that these were Aesir at least, with around two dozen houses built up of wood with straw roofs, a few people trying to fight back against the trolls with old weapons or farm tools, not getting very far with that.
Already a few casualties.
'And here I wanted to be low-key.' I internally sighed as I caused every troll to faint on the spot.
Strong they might be physically, but their minds were woeful.
Not wanting to deal with this, I gathered the Rock Trolls in the sky, threw a seed up and had it rapidly grow while carving binding and suppression runes (Asgardian) as it snaked its way around all of them. I then altered the memories of all those present, and left.
Really didn't want to deal with the nonsense happening in this place.
'Oh look at us, we're so advanced and better but we still let most of our people live like peasants and don't have any way to quickly deploy our armies or guards beyond having our meathead of a crown Prince fly around with his magic hammer.' I mockingly thought over this situation. 'And that's if he's not fucking around with his two idiots and the other two enablers.
Whatever.
Let's get out of here before anyone arrives.
I can feel mountains and large sources of heat in that direction, so might as well start there.'
With my heading chosen, I vanished from where I stood in a burst of speed, allowing myself to experience the world through a speedsters eyes instead of just with my mind or through flight.
-22 minutes later, The Village Kai left behind
Boom Crash*
A figure landed heavily on the ground with heavy clouds crashing above.
"Have at thee scoundrels!" At deep masculine voice roared in righteous indignation and battle lust as Thor Odinson, Crown Prince of Asgard, emerged from his landing with his famous hammer in hand.
Tall, muscular, with shoulder length golden locks, a handsome warrior in the prime of his life, thick muscles on his arms and scale armor protecting his chest.
But then he sort of became aware of the weird looks everyone was giving him.
"Are there no villains to be vanquished?" Thor questioned himself as he looked at his hammer like it might have the answers. "Was Heimdal wrong about another attack occurring here?"
"N-no your highness... it's just that someone has already defeated them." One of the villagers, a man with sun kissed skin and short brown hair respectfully informed the Prince, pointing to the still floating trolls.
"Verily... this is odd. Was Loki here?" Thor questioned out of bafflement at the situation.
Seeing a bunch of Rock Trolls struggling and cursing at each other in the air while being bound in odd ways certainly seemed like something his brother might do after all.
"Not that we are aware your highness." The man answered while receiving head shakes from everyone he looked at. "All we know is that it was likely an elf due to our savior's great magic and powers over trees."
"An Elf?" Thor repeated while looking around with a frown.
Far from what Loki thought about Thor, he didn't only have his hammer filling out his brain. Thor was a warrior with great experience and who had fought a many battles, as such he could tell much of a battlefield, and this village did not show the signs of conflict between a single elf and over a dozen Rock Trolls.
And it would take an elf of great renown to be able to defeat them all, while protecting the villagers and keeping any sort of damage to such low levels Thor had difficulty even seeing traces of a battle at all, but Heimdal and his Father had not mentioned any such personage within Asgard's borders while none would risk walking them without some form of introduction, especially with a series of raids occurring over the last few days.
As such, the situation was an odd one for the God of Thunder.
"Have any seen which way this elf or possible vanir departed?" He then questioned, resulting in murmurings and whispers amongst the people gathered.
"No, your highness. He simply vanished." The spokesperson informed the Prince as no one could deny it.
"...Very well. I am pleased to see you well, but for now I shall bring these miscreants in and report this man so that he may be rewarded for his valor!" Said Prince charismatically nodded and shot a bright smile as he twirled his hammer and took off, grabbing the Trolls as he passed by. "Fare thee well!"
-Back With Kai
'This is ridiculous!' I internally shouted as I once again found myself in a far too coincidental of a situation for it to not have involved Yggdrasil. 'The tree totally dropped me in that village to kill at least two birds with one stone.'
I was incredibly doubtful of the tree because I found myself before a damn kidnapping.
Full on bound in magical chains around the ankles, wrists and arms, bag over head, and limp in the arms of what appears to be two Frost Giants.
They didn't have the obvious enormous size or blue skin, likely due to amulets i could see, but they had a connection to ice I could feel clearly, especially after having a chance to analyze alternate giants and the Casket of Ancient Winters. Both were wearing leather and fur armor, not really covering their muscular bodies, horned helms made of crude iron, carrying an mace and axe.
Their victim was clearly a woman, a bountiful one with excellent proportions to be sure as well, clearly still observable with her gold accented green dress, thigh-high black and gold boots and the fact that her large breast seemed to be dangerously close to popping out.
"Hahaha! Can't believe it was that easy!" One of them boasted.
"The king will reward us handsomely for this. That welp really didn't lead us wrong!" The other grinned savagely.
"Now the Frost Giants will have those golden apples while those aesir bastards can finally suffer like the rest!" They continued as I observed and dug through their minds to understand how these two fools were managing that.
"Gahahaha! I just hope to get a turn with her before the king takes her for his own." The second growls with a heated gaze towards their victim. "She isn't called the Enchantress for nothing after all!"
'Well, well, well, it looks like Loki is up to his tricks in trying to get Thor beaten or disgraced.' I realized as multiple pieces came together. 'Multiple Troll attacks all over Asgard. Ice Giants kidnapping the Enchantress while everyone is distracted, apparently using tools Loki gifted them for the task.
This results in Thor going to rescue her, engaging/fighting the Ice Giants which Loki has no doubt aided in preparing traps and aids, hopefully having the Ice Giants defeating him and then 'rescuing' everyone to upstage the man if my wider scans of events can be understood.
And I landed right in the middle of everything.'
Looking up at the flow of energy and scowling beneath my mask, I knew for sure Yggdrasil was trying to achieve something by giving me the opportunity to intervene in these matters.
It was hoping I would.
I could go through thousands of possibilities as to why, but the biggest reason for Ygg to willfully act like this is because of my status as a Multiversal Anomaly. I was a new variable which could give rise to new results. I could change things within the current cycle and give the tree new experiences like I have so far by simply being able to properly communicate with it.
Yggdrasil was testing matters to see how much things could change with me involved if I was reading matters correctly.
'Which means someone was not getting any sort of cosmic fertilizer any time soon for this little stunt.' I told it with my displeasure clear for it to feel, causing the stupid tree to whine and try and apologize, saying it let me get goodies from another reality and that I didn't even have to try hard.
Well too bad.
I had to risk getting on the radar of that reality's 'Those-Who-Sit-Above-In-Shadows' on top of a possibly Uru enchanted Ultron who could have gained the Odin/Thor-Force, so I earned my loot for not being an idiot. Plus i made its chosen speaker even better than she should be already, so my loot is a moot point.
'Sorry Yggdrasil, I'm with master on this one. You've been naughty.' Cerebra internally supported me as it pleaded with its friend, causing it to cry out from 'betrayal' over dramatically.
'My apologies Great Tree, but I shall side with my Creator on this matter.' Wisdom then went for the kill as Ygg tried its last hope. 'You have acted willfully and tried to use him for your entertainment, thus a punishment is deserved.'
And just like that, we succeeded in causing it to become a crybaby.
Unbelievable.
'Let's just ignore it and return using our own portals when it's time to go home.' I thought as I turned my focus back to the kidnappers, earning agreements from my partners.
Deciding to end that farce, not really enjoying the possibility of someone being raped, even if it was a manipulative sorceress who liked to essentially whore herself out to gain power, I caused their brains to simply stop. Turning the duo into vegetables and catching their victim with my telekinesis.
Not planing on just leaving an unconscious woman laying in the woods, I had a piece of Insight go into the woman to flush whatever was used to render her unconscious.
I couldn't detect any artifact or magic on her, beyond her enhancements and blessings anyway, so it was the most probable option was that a poison/potion/herb was used to cause her current state. Removing the magic suppressing chains was also done, adding them to my pile of loot.
At the same time, I was having my trinity analyze the Enchantress, rapidly developing countermeasures against each and everyone of her means of seduction, especially her thralldom enchanted lips. It would be foolish to simply believe myself strong enough to deny her when I could make sure. Being able to seduce gods and goddesses, even winning her freedom from capture using only her eyes to bend a chieftain of the Frost Giants to her will aren't simple achievements.
Well, mostly.
I did not have a high opinion regarding the mental faculties of most in the Nine Realms, especially most Asgardians and Giants.
They have so many advantages, but they just aren't great thinkers.
Their existences are just too long and cyclical, not just the Ragnarok kind either. The inhabitants of the Nine Realms are incredibly stagnant and have lives which are stuck in routine, content in being the way they are without striving for more. It's why people like Loki make so many waves and he gets called a God of Chaos, because he isn't stagnant and greatly desires change.
Selfish and shortsighted change, but change nonetheless.
The Enchantress was somewhat similar, except she was a superficial, materialistic and shallow girl who is either thinking through her pussy or like a magpie after a new shiny object. She did impressively rise to be one of the greatest magic wielders in the Nine Realms through her efforts, reaching very high for someone born a commoner, but her personality truly will never allow her to have enough or to really achieve something great.
I will not fault someone for desiring material pleasures, being no stranger to them myself, but her lack of self value and complete absence of emotional intelligence is just staggering.
"Uhhh." She groaned as the woman began awakening.
Deciding to just let nature take its course from there, I had everyone pull back from her.
"Huh?" She intoned as her hands reached up to her face, feeling the hood on her before grasping it. "Who dared!?!"
With a burst of green magic, she burnt the hood and stood up with an enraged glare as she looked around, finding myself and two dead Frost Giants.
She certainly was fit to hold her title with looks like that.
Long blonde hair waiving around in mystic wind, a face which, even enraged, looked incredibly appealing, sharp green eyes emphasized by luscious lashes and still perfect makeup, and a body a succubus would be envious of, Amora the Enchantress lived up to her name.
"My guess... Frost Giants gifted the 'brilliant idea' of kidnapping you while they 'just so happened' to have everything they would need and the perfect 'opportunity' to act." I answered with just enough of an emphasis on the right parts to easily allow most Asgardians to understand my implications as I gained her attention.
"Loki." She fiercely hissed with narrowed eyes. "When I get my hands on that sorry excuse for a godling, I will rip off his nethers, transform him into a woman and deliver him straight to the fate which would have befallen myself!"
As amusing as the thought of Loki getting turned into the equivalent of an Asgardian prison bitch was, I had other things to do.
"Knock yourself out." I dismissively said with a turn to leave and continue along my path.
"W-what? W-wait! Wouldn't you be so happy to help me achieve my revenge?" She urgently spoke as the Enchantress began doing what she did best: enchant. "I could o so reward my rescuer~
Especially if he would be so kind as to help me."
"I have better things to do than inflate and sooth your ego." I coldly replied, brushing her off without any hesitation.
"But how could a big, strong and noble warrior like yourself simply leave a fair maiden like myself alone and defenseless?" She questioned as she perfectly put on the face of a pure and fragile beauty.
Had it been anyone else, the powerful magic, her beauty and hypnotic words would have made them throw themselves at her feet.
"*Snort* Maiden. A bold claim coming from you, Enchantress." I mocked her act as I used her title precisely how I believed it is meant: Slut.
Or maybe harlot would have been a more fitting term?
"H-how?" She hesitatingly, almost fearfully asked as she immediately understood that her well honed skills held no sway over me.
"Matters little. Now go and continue to take part in the dull and repetitive plays which make up these realms like the good little doll you are and swoon for the object of your so-called 'affection'." I dismissed her completely, preparing to depart when she actually shot out a blast of mystic energy at me.
They didn't even scratch my passive defenses, but the attack did make me turn.
"I am no doll!" She seethed at the insults as her hands glowed with power.
"About as brainless as one." I retorted. "And as resilient."
My power crashed into her, causing the stupid sorceress to slam into the ground like she was truly a defenseless maiden. My psionics being strong enough to move planets with ease at this point certainly weren't going to be resisted by this girl who jumped into a fight she was hilariously unprepared to handle.
"Such a hollow thing." I commented at the woman struggling to even move a muscle or her magic. "Weak of will. Weak of heart. Shallow of soul. Fragile in body for a race which considers itself gods.
Nothing but a greedy child afraid of never being loved, hoarding every scrap of attention she can to replace what she truly desires but destroys with her very hands.
Reaching after ideals, but never deigning to put the effort to build the foundations needed to reach them. Blinding yourself to happiness to feed your vices.
How... pathetic you are."
Each of my words visibly shook the Asgardian. I could hear her mind trying to deny my words viciously as she internally defended her own self image regarding her strength, beauty and wealth. How she could make all bow to her whims and wishes.
Even the Mighty Thor and AllFather should she so desire.
"And you think simply obtaining the best toy will fill those holes in your heart, but they will only be like sand in an hourglass, until the novelty bores you and you find yourself feeling that same emptiness." I ruthlessly shut down her fantasies. "It will always be that way until you experience the love and care you never understood.
Something you will never experience because you will turn to your abilities whenever something is denied to you. Not understanding that loving and caring for someone will mean that some things should be denied.
I would feel pity, if you had shown an once of actual desire to move past this hollow being you've crafted yourself into, but you don't. Only wanting the best of everything in your pointless efforts while ignoring your issues."
My impromptu stab at the very core of her being and deep rooted psychological issues done, stopped holding her down, causing her to crumble in a panting heap shivering from fear of me and her own demons. I took the opportunity to leave a small present within her mind to see if anything could come of it.
A sort of artificial conscious.
"Now go surround yourself with puppets singing your praises, imbeciles who will never matter, trinkets which glitter in the light, and luxuries which will distract like always." I finally as I opened I portal to her home beneath her. "Those are what make you happy after all."
Closing the portal, I moved on from the encounter.
The Enchantress might induce pity in some, but to me she is an attention seeker who tried to fill the gaps in her self through the shallow means of power, luxuries and worship. She was like a powerful child screaming for people to pay attention to her while obsessed with having the best toys, throwing tantrums when she doesn't get them.
A dangerous child, especially with how her morals deteriorated from being able to manipulate and get away with matters for so long, but a child nonetheless.
And now she just received a scolding and a spanking for her actions for what was probably the first time in a long time. This made was why I also placed my little gift, because I wanted to see if I could cause changes in the repetitive tapestry which makes up Asgard by doing so.
'Regardless, lets move on.' I thought as I disappeared from the area, not being enthusiastic about taking scenic routes anymore.
-2 hours later, in a tower within Asgard's Royal Palace
"How could this be?" A man hissed as he looked into an ornate stone bowl, in a room filled with books on shelves as well as odd items. "Who could have freed her?
No one should have noticed, I made sure, and even if they did no one would have been available to do so with the Trolls attacking."
Pacing around the bowl with a thoughtful frown, the man wearing dark green leather armor with golden accents, bracers and greaves couldn't figure out this sudden derailment to his plans.
"Now Amora has disappeared from my sights and I will have to fake her presence with the Frost Giants to lure my imbecilic brother there.
Could it have been Odin acting?
No.
The great All-Father would never stoop so low as to act himself when he has others to do his bidding, but none of them have.
Thor is still busy with the remaining Trolls. Ulik will need to keep him entertained longer than expected while I lay down the necessary preparations to salvage the situation, but it can be salvaged." The Asgardian muttered as a grin slowly stretched across his face. "Yes. Loki will have his dues, even with this minor set back."
-Amora's Tower
Here one would find a far different scene than what would usually be.
Instead of decadent scenes of wealth and pleasures all aimed towards the owner of the tower, one could find shattered pieces of statues, artwork and food. Furniture tossed aside and broke. Scorch marks on walls and ceilings. And cowering thralls and animated servants.
All done at at the hand of the tower's owner in her rage and humiliation.
"Raaah!" She shouted with a pulse of destructive magic. "*Huff Huff* I am no doll! I am not some child throwing a tantrum!"
'Aren't you? What do you call this then?' A derisive voice mocked her within her mind as the very recent memories regarding the man who held her in contempt, who both rescued and ruthlessly defeated both her mind and body, echoed.
"You know nothing!" Amora cried out with a swipe of her arm, blasting out again.
'Just look at you.' The voice spoke again. 'So weak that you couldn't even suffer my words.
So distraught over them that you lose yourself in your tantrum and forget the man who not only helped Asgard's enemies infiltrate it and kidnap you, but also set you up to be at their mercy for his own gains.
But no. The man who freed you and spared your life with naught but harsh words is the subject of your fury. *Snort* And you wonder why I think you weak and pathetic.'
Those words at least brought her up short,
No matter the derision this apparition in her mind spoke with, it was right.
Loki... he had crossed her.
He was the reason for her capture and subsequent humiliation.
And that deserved retribution, no matter if he was a prince of Asgard.
No one crosses the Enchantress.
Not Loki.
And not the man who's voice now haunted her and had been immune to her.
She would need to carefully plan matters however.
Loki was cleaver and a trickster with no match as well as someone near her level in terms of magic. He alone would be difficult to defeat, but it was doable with the right manipulations.
The masked man on the other hand, he was a complete unknown beyond what could be a fake body and powers which might be at the level of the All-Father with the ease he had subdued her and even invaded her mind without effort or visible signs of magic.
Amora was not aware of any such beings in the Nine Realms, but she would find out and she would have her revenge on both of them.
-Bifrost
"Hail Heimdall!" Thor heartily greeted the All-Seeing guardian of the rainbow bridge as he landed before him. "Any news on the raids?"
The man in question was remarkably tall, wearing full golden Asgardian plate armor with a magnificent helm, his famous sword Hofund at the ready within his hands, and his famous glowing golden eyes peering out into the Nine Realms.
"No, my Prince. But I have news of Ulik stirring up his tribe as usual." The guardian dutifully answered.
"Then he shall meet the same fate as the last time we fought!" The Prince declared with absolute confidence in his might.
"I will warn care, my Prince. Matters are afoot behind these events, and I believe Loki might have gone too far with his tricks this time." Heimdal warned due to his suspicions surrounding some slight inconsistencies in his sight over the last few days.
With very few knowing how to conceal themselves from him, outside of their warded homes and lairs anyway, it narrowed the suspects behind these suspiciously well timed raids considerably.
"You worry too much my friend! Loki is a Prince of Asgard! He will not turn to its enemies simply for a prank or mischief!" Thor responded with belief in his brother, even if said brother had done him some harm in the past due to his 'jests'.
Heimdall chose not to comment further, having already given his thoughts on the matter, leaving them in silence as he saw a messenger approaching them urgently.
"Your highness!" The guardsman cried out.
"Greetings my good man! What be your need?" Thor charismatically approached the panting man.
"It's lady Amora! She was kidnapped!" He revealed, shocking the recipient and earning a slight twinge of an eyebrow from Heimdall as he focused slightly to find out the truth.
"It would seem some Frost Giants have managed to elude my senses during the chaos." The All-Seeing guard informed his Prince.
"Then there is no time to waste!" Thor declared as he twirled his mighty hammer and threw himself into the sky alongside it.
Not bothering for a moment to ponder the suspect timing of the entire venture, only focusing on the moment.
Amora might have a reputation which was less than savory, but she was one of the very few who could pick the Golden Apples from Yggdrasil and as a result of that, was an important person in Asgard. As such, she needed to be 'rescued' post-haste in his mind.
The fact that defeating the Frost Giants again and rescuing her would bring much glory and celebration in his name were also great motivators for the Prince.
Behind him however, Heimdall frowned over the fact he saw some kind of disturbance near the Enchantress' tower, but with the messenger having already left to return to his duties and he having to keep his own, all he could do is wait as these matters unraveled themselves.
His Prince was capable of breaking through them as one of Asgard's greatest defenders after all.
-Back to Kai
Looking down at the vast mountain ranges before me, feeling the activity below the surface alongside and the heats of Muspelheim, I could tell I had reached my goal after my slight delays.
"Looks like I've finally reached the dwarves now that someone isn't being annoying." I murmured as I found the great doors of Nidavellir. "Let's knock."
Author Notes:
Yggdrasil be fucking around with Kai a bit.
Basically, the thing is connected to the Cycle, so it has an understanding of Space/Time which would allow it to plop Kai in the middle of a little event like what Kai has gone through to see what would happen.
Kai can work around the matters of Space/Time himself by now, having studied them in depth using both magic and science, he just prefers not to mess with the latter in order to not create changes he cannot predict. The classic Time travel troubles which follows any comic books character trying this shit. He just understands them to not be affected by others with powers, knowledge or abilities relating to them, and in case he becomes involved in matters relating to those higher elements like now.
And now, because of Yggdrasil, the major actors of Asgard have a general feeling that something is weird because of an unknown actor, with Amora being the only one who directly interacted with Kai but not knowing much about him.
I did think the plot happening would be something Loki would pull, with Amora having actually been kidnapped because of Loki during past cycles as well apparently. So having him organize Troll raids with Ulik while having the Frost Giants kidnap Amora, also known as Idun apparently, would be well within his MO.
As for Kai taking this opportunity to fuck with Asgards closed off little world, well it's an experiment really.
He wants to see if he could do what he did to Amora and how it would affect her to have someone who wasn't going to bend to her whims be a sharp tongue'd conscience. She needs one as one of the only Asgardian villains who could be in the category of redeemable as she just usually selfish before she kind of falls on the full on villain side from Loki's temptations and Thor's scorning of her 'love'.
And you know what they say about a woman scorned.
So the idea is to see if the usual plays of Asgard could be changed by breaking one of the puppets free, because that is honestly how I see Asgard before the Age of Heroes allows them to break the monotony of their lives with Giants being grumpy at Asgard, Trolls attacking anyone, Aesir, Vanir, Elves and Dwarves just moving along and Dark Elves wanting to plunge everyone else in darkness.
That's basically all that happens until Thor starts playing on Earth and brings the eyes of others to add more variables in play, subtly changing how the cycle plays out like when Ultron takes over, or Norman Osborn invading.
Pretty sure that's exactly why Odin usually sends Thor to Earth as well cause him learning 'humility', or at least a bit of it cause Thor is never really humble unless he's been incredibly beaten down, is almost an excuse when he's had centuries to actually give him that lesson.
