"Your Highness?" Everyone announced.
All eyes were on Snotlout, looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but here.
"He didn't tell you," said Jurtag. "He's the grandson of King Majesty
Durlin, his only living hair."
"So that's why he acts as if he's superior to everyone," said Ruffnut.
"And why he was looking forward to coming here," Tuffnut added.
"I don't understand when I found Snotlout; he was out on the streets," said Ragnar.
"Because he ran away from home, not that I blame him," said Jurtag. "His Majesty has become unbearable over these last few years. I would have run away from home as well."
"Why would you run away from home?" Jill asked.
Snotlout folded his arms. "Because my grandfather got his hands on Andvari's ring."
Hiccup had no idea what this ring was, but judging from the looks of Ragnar, Fishlegs and Heather, they knew exactly what it was.
"Your grandfather got his hands on that cursed ring, and you didn't tell anyone?" Ragnar announced.
"Hold up, what is this thing you're talking about?" Hiccup asked.
"Long ago, Loki went to visit the dwarven King Hreidmar, but not before killing an otter with a beautiful pelt. He skinned the otter and planned to show off the pelt to King Hreidmar, but that was when he discovered that the killed was, in fact, King Hreidmar's shape-shifting son."
"Wait, dwarfs can shape-shift?" the twins blinked.
"It is a rare ability; in fact, no dwarf has possessed the ability for hundreds of years," said Jurtag. "Anyway, as you might imagine, the dwarven king was furious and demanded that Loki pay him back for the loss of his son with gold."
"He made it even more difficult by saying the debt would only be paid if the otter pelt was covered completely in gold without a single hair visible," Heather continued. "To make it even more difficult, he stretched the otter pelt to its full length, making it almost impossible to get anywhere near that amount."
"Fortunately for him, Loki and he had heard legends of another dwarven shape-shift who stolen treasure from water nymphs," said Ragnar. "Loki knew this was the perfect solution to get themselves out of the mess he had gotten them into. He stole Ran's net and used it in order to grab the dwarven shape-shift and threatened that he would kill him if he didn't hand over his treasure."
Fishlegs nodded. "Knowing that he had no choice in the matter, the dwarf showed Loki his treasure hoard, but as he took the gold, he noticed the ring that the dwarf wore and realised it was a powerful treasure. The dwarf pleaded with him not to take the ring, but of course, Loki ignored his pleas. Furious, the dwarf cursed the ring, declaring that it would be the doom of anyone who owned it."
"Loki returned to the treasure and placed it over the pelt, but a single hair stuck out from the gold," said Ragnar. "With no other choice, Loki relinquished the ring, and Hreidmar deans the payment had been completed. However, the moment he placed the ring, his sons, Fafnir and Regin, began to become overwhelmed by his greed and envy. They killed his father but overwhelmed by the ring, Fafnir took both the treasure and the ring and disappeared. The ring then started to transform inside and out until he became a dragon."
"Hang on, that almost sounds like the ring from Lord of the Rings," said Jill.
"Where do you think that story was based on?" Ragnar asked. "Anyway, for having a hand in the death of his father, Regin was exiled, and he began plotting his vengeance on Fafnir. He took in a young human by the name of Sigurd and raised him as his own. He then sent Sigurd to kill the dragon, which he accomplished. However, he had accidentally drunk a bit of blood from the cursed drag, which gave him the ability to commune with birds. They warned him that his foster father would betray him and steal the ring. He immediately began to question his foster father, who ran away in fear, so he took the entire treasure for himself."
"What a horrible story," said Hiccup.
"Sadly, all Norse stories don't exactly have a happy ending," said Ragnar. "Either way, I think you can see the extent of the problem."
"That ring has a bloodied history, and if the King Durlin hazard, it's not good for anyone," said Heather.
"Aye, even turned on his own family is why Snotlout was cast out on the streets," said Jurtag. "There is a growing resistance movement, but no one knows the condition of Durlin. Additionally, if he does possess Andvari's ring, then this mess could start out all over again."
"Hand under normal circumstances, I'm sure we all would want to help, but I'm afraid we have a mission of our own," said Astrid.
"Figured as much," Jurtag sighed. "So what exactly is it that you want, lass?"
"The gates of Helheim are opening, and we needed a way of closing," Astrid explained.
"You're not exactly asking for something small," Jurtag pointed out.
Astrid leaned over his desk, looking straight in the eye. "If those gates remained open, it's bad for everyone; I very much doubt that the dwarfs will be spared."
Jurtag merely folded his arms. "In case you haven't noticed, lass, we have our own problems. However, I may have a way of solving your problem, but I'm going to need some key ingredients."
"What kind of ingredients?" Hiccup asked.
Jurtag smiled. "First, I need to know the extent of the problem; tell me everything you know."
Astrid began to explain the visions that the Norns had shown her. Jurtag just sat there listening with his hand running through his beard.
"Sounds to me that the Gates of Helheim need a new key," he said once Astrid had finished.
"Key?" Jill frowned.
"The Gates of Helheim have a special lock that prevents the undead from escaping, but with every lock, there is always a key. Clearly, Loki has managed to get his hands on the key and is using it to unlock the gates, giving him unlimited control over them."
"But where would he get this key?" Hiccup frowned.
"Don't know, lost to the ages, but Loki has nothing but time, so I imagine he's only founded recently and got one of his underlings to retrieve it."
"But you said we needed a new key."
"Aye, one that's better than the original and can put a more permanent lock on the gates. However, the ingredients needed to fashion this key will be extremely difficult; one might very well be able to help my people."
"What do we need?" Astrid asked.
"I need a total of three ingredients, and all of them will be extremely hard to come by," said Jurtag. "I'll need a special ore that can only be acquired in Muspellheim near the base of Surt's palace."
"You want us to get some burning ore at the front door of the Fire Giant King?" Fishlegs stared.
Jurtag ignored him. "Secondly, I need the hair of Durapror, the Stag of Winter."
Ragnar looked utterly shocked. "Those stags are murderous."
"What stags?" Jill asked.
"In the World Tree, there are four stages, each representing one of the four seasons. They spend most of their time wandering around its branches, and they attack anyone who gets in their way."
"Since when do stags kill?"
"While they do live on a tree with a foul mouth squirrel, an eagle that hurricane down the tree and a dragon that eats its branches. Do you really expect them to be civil with creatures like that for roommates?"
"Point taken."
"In the third item will be an even more deadly task?" said Jurtag.
"What can be more deadly than the Fire Giant King or are murderous winter stag?" Snotlout asked.
"I'll need Andvari's ring."
Everyone immediately fell silent as they stared at Jurtag.
"My ears must be playing tricks on me because it sounded like you needed us to get our hands on that cursed ring belonging to your deranged dwarven king," said Astrid.
"No, you heard correctly."
"Are you writing are death certificates?" Fishlegs asked.
"But I know how it sounds, but each one of these ingredients is a paradox, and by forging paradoxes, I can make something extremely powerful," Jurtag explained. "Besides, you lot want to go straight to the Gates oh Helheim, and you expect that place to be any less deadly?"
"Is there no other choice?" Hiccup asked.
"No, without those ingredients, there's nothing I can do."
"We don't have time, every day, we waste more undead swarm Midgard, and it will be long until they spread to the other realms," said Astrid.
"They'll have to split up," said Hiccup.
"The few of us would draw less attention," said Ragnar.
Astrid nodded. "Okay, we'll split into three groups. Two of them get those ingredients for the third plan, our move into the Palace."
"Wait, when not getting all three ingredients at once?" Jill asked.
"Believe it or not, the Dwarven Palaces are far more protected and is a possibility we may tangle with a dragon. As was bypassing any guards and traps within the Palace itself."
"So, who are the teams?" Heather asked.
"Surt will know my presence the moment I enter Muspellheim, and the same could be said for any descendant of the Vanir," said Ragnar.
"Why is that?" Jill asked.
"Surt is the embodiment of destruction. As a result, he hates the Vanir, especially since they are gods of nature. That is the main reason why he is fated to kill my father come Ragnarok."
"Then you, Jill and the twins retrieve the hair from Durapror," said Astrid. "Snotlout, I knew and have it stay here and come up with plans to get into the Palace, and the rest of us will make a way to Muspellheim."
"Uh, but how are you going to get there?" Jill asked. "I thought Ragnar was the only one of us able to travel between realms."
"I might be able to open a portal; I've just never done it before," said Hiccup.
Astrid nodded. "Then it sounds like we have."
"A plan to get us killed," Snotlout muttered.
Hiccup shrugged. "We're demigods. It's an occupational hazard."
"Shame we don't get hazard pay," said Ruffnut.
"It's a shame we don't get paid at all," said Tuffnut.
"Shall we get moving then?" Ragnar asked as he drew his sword.
He then cut a tear in the fabric of reality, and he, Jill and the twins went through it.
Hiccup then began moving his hands, forming runes and moments later, a portal appeared.
"Are we sure this is going to be safe?" Fishlegs asked.
Astrid looked at him. "Fishlegs, we're about to enter the realm of the most dangerous individual of the nine realms, and you're asking if going through the portal is safe?"
"Point taken."
"Well, it goes everything," said Hiccup and began to step through the portal. Correct