Chapter Nineteen

Thor fought to break out of the writhing mass of serpentine bodies that threatened to suffocate him. The hissing racket was enough to drive him mad! He could feel searing heat some distance away, and hoped Atum was having better luck than he was! Without warning, and apparently without cause, the snakes began uncoiling, drawing away from them. Soon he could see Atum. Am I as covered in snake bites as he is? He breathed deeply for a few minutes, re-filling his lungs.

"What happened?"

"Something broke Set's hold... Come, we need to find the others." Atum strode away, Thor stumbling after him.

They met Frigga as she was coming out of the palace. She cried out in relief when she saw Thor and threw her arms around him. "Thor! I feared the worst."

"Loki? Balder?"

"Loki contacted me mind-to-mind a few minutes ago. They're in Balder's room. Loki's says the Serpent Crown has been destroyed. Balder is sleeping now." Tears of joy flowed down Frigga's face.

Atum took off before Frigga was finished speaking. Thor followed swiftly, although he was tired and sore. The sun-god seemed to know his way around the palace well; within moments they were in Balder's room. Balder was lying on his bed, Nanna lying beside him although she was awake. Loki and Angrboda were nearby, holding each other and little baby Hela. Jord was there as well, along with a woman who looked strikingly like her except older, with black hair.

"Atum-" Jord started.

"I need to be sure."

Jord sighed heavily, stepping back and letting him approach the bed. Nanna watched him with some fear in her eyes.

She looked so much like Freyja! Atum unexpectedly found his eyes filling with tears. So many years wasted when I should have just said that I was sorry... He sat down beside her. "Give me your hand."

Her blue eyes were steady. "Is it going to hurt?"

"I'm just going to check you over, see if Set's left any traces behind."

She shivered, but offered her hand. It disappeared completely inside Atum's huge one, and the sun-god closed his eyes. His free hand came up, touching gently to her forehead. Nanna shivered again. For a long moment, there was no movement from either of them. He opened his eyes and released her hand.

"She's free," he announced.

Nanna gasped in relief. "Am I really?"

"Yes."

"My baby, he said he was going to use my baby as his new host!"

Atum shook his head. "You and the child are untainted."

"And Balder?" Frigga stepped forward worriedly. "What of him?"

"I can't know until I check, woman!"

Jord frowned. "Atum."

The sun-god looked almost abashed. "I apologise, Queen Frigga."

"Just check. My son, my boy..." she gently stroked his fair hair from his forehead.

Atum approached, placing his hand on Balder's forehead as he had Nanna's. Balder breathed deeply; Atum withdrew. He turned with an expression of triumph. "He, too, is free."

"Is it done, then? Did my brothers give up so easily?" Gaea wondered, stepping forward.

"Set may have, but I have not." A dark presence made itself known in the room.

Atum tensed. "Back to battle so soon?"

"Give us a moment, for pity's sake!" Oshtur cried.

"Pity? Dear sister, I have no pity."

"Give us an hour to mourn and then should you defeat Atum I will give you two," Gaea interrupted.

"Hmmm... A tempting offer..."

Atum snarled, and Oshtur put herself between Gaea and the shadow. "No!" both said as one.

"One hour, Chthon," Gaea said, ignoring them. "One hour to mourn our dead."

Chthon laughed as his shadow faded. "Done!"

Atum turned, glaring daggers at Gaea. "Why did you do that?!"

"Because if you defeat him, then no payment will be made. If he defeats you, he'd take it anyway before killing me." Gaea's gaze was steady. "And in an hour we can formulate a plan to destroy him and Set both."

"Set is gone."

"Asgard is sealed," Oshtur said. "He cannot flee. Not this time."

"I don't like this! In an hour, he could think of a thousand ways to bend the terms of the deal!"

Thor stepped in. "Then we had best use this hour to figure our best plan of attack!" He had a good idea of what Jord meant... he swallowed hard, looking at Atum. "He's your father."

Atum glared at him, then switched his glower to Loki. Frigga, Angrboda, and Nanna gasped.

"I didn't tell him!" Loki protested instantly.

"Then who did?!" Atum was livid with rage.

"He called you 'son' before you started fighting him, everybody heard!" Thor informed him.

"It's true?" Angrboda gaped. "Loki..."

"Yes," he nodded, looking vulnerable and hesitant. "Chthon is my grandfather."

Angrboda stepped towards him. He backed away.

"I never wanted you to know..."

"Silence," she whispered, and catching him around the neck pulled his lips to her golden ones. "Loki, I love you. I don't care about your heritage."

Thor watched them with a sinking heart. Frigga put her hand on his arm.

"Where's Sif?"

"Dead."

Nanna cried out, pressing both of her hands to her mouth.

Atum winced, remembering all too well the pain of losing the woman he had loved. "I'm sorry." His voice was gruff.

Thor nodded once to acknowledge him.

"What of Fandral and Hogun?" Loki looked up. "I did not see..."

"Neither did I."

"I'll go look for them." Loki kissed Angrboda. "I'll be back in twenty minutes."

"No, I will look for them. There could be some out there that think that you..." Thor didn't complete the thought and stalked out of the room.

"Eitri!" Nanna suddenly exclaimed. "Set was going to kill him!"

Loki winced. "Plenty of dwarves died today, Nanna. If Eitri joined his kin..."

Nanna shook her head. "I'm going to the shop. I have to see!"

Atum held out an arm and stopped her. "You have to stay here."

"No, I don't!"

Atum hesitated. "I will accompany you, then."

She nodded, leaving without another word. Atum followed her reluctantly. Balder groaned the moment they were out of the room. Frigga rushed to her son's side.

"Balder?"

"Mor... Loki!" Balder shot up straight, and then groaned and collapsed.

"You shouldn't try and move yet, you're still weak." Jord cautioned.

"I'm right here," Loki assured him, joining them stiffly. He managed a smile. "No permanent damage done."

Balder cringed. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't you."

"I still saw..." He shuddered. "But what happened?"

"I destroyed the Serpent Crown. I freed you and Nanna."

"Nanna! Where is she?"

"She and Atum went to check on Eitri."

Balder nodded. "I think he's still alright."

"There was a battle out there, Balder. There's no guarantee that anybody survived," Frigga said gently.

"Battle? I don't remember..."

Jord sat down on the edge of the bed. "Nanna didn't either."

"Loki, Hela wants you," Angrboda said.

He turned- the baby was squirming towards him. He took her into his arms, smiling.

"This is all very lovely, but it doesn't change that fact that Death waits but an hour to claim us," Oshtur interjected. "Honestly, you people with your emotions! How can you survive?"

Everyone in the room, with the exception of Gaea, who knew her sister, looked at Oshtur in disbelief.

"Everyone has emotions!"

"Not everybody," Oshtur corrected. "And some people have better control over themselves as to not let their emotions colour their actions."

Loki shook his head, as if clearing it of emotion. "Balder, can you fight?"

"Maybe..." Balder tried to stand, and almost fell over. "Or maybe not."

"Thor and I can aid Atum in any case," Loki said, putting a hand on Balder's shoulder.

"I can too," Angrboda offered. "Hela can stay with Jord."

"I will not be taking an infant into battle."

"You aren't going to be in the battle!" Loki exclaimed. "Are you?"

"Yes, she will," Oshtur replied, joining her sister. "We may all be killed, but maybe it's time."

"It is," Jord agreed. "I'm tired of being afraid."

Loki gritted his teeth. Atum would never forgive him if he let Gaea imperil herself! But if they were all going to die anyway...

Angrboda put a hand on Loki's shoulder. "Hela can stay with Frigga, then."

"I'm not a wallflower, Angi," the queen said quietly. "I recognise the final battle when I see it. I'm fighting too."

"No!" Loki exclaimed. "You-"

"I have been in battle before. You just never wanted to hear about my stories."

"This battle is suicide!"

"If Chthon and Set are not killed, then all of Asgard will be destroyed," Oshtur pointed out casually. "So it's suicide not to fight."

Loki narrowed his eyes at her. "Have you never heard of tact?"

"We have but an hour. What is the point of gentleness now?"

"So do you actually have anything resembling a plan?"

"That's why we are here, is it not?"

Balder struggled to his feet. "I can help, too."

"Balder, you can barely stand!"

"I'm feeling better though, I can... you can heal me, can't you?" He looked at Jord.

"Perhaps..."

Oshtur shook her head. "You need to save all your strength, sister."

"And leave the boy defenceless?"

Oshtur sighed. "I did not want to say this, but, free of Set or not, he is still vulnerable to Chthon. I am not sure including him is wise."

Frigga stroked Balder's fair hair. "You need to stay here, son."

Balder opened his mouth but closed it. It was then that Nanna and Atum returned, followed by the dwarf Eitri. He was bruised and cut up, but didn't appear to be in too bad a shape. They all carried weapons and armour.

"Eitri!" Balder cried. "You're alive!"

"Barely," the dwarf returned grimly.

Loki spoke. "What's going on out there?"

"Death," Atum replied brusquely. "Arm yourselves, all of you."

Nothing else was said as they all chose weapons. Baby Hela whimpered, sensing the tension.

"If I'm vulnerable to Chthon," Balder said, hefting a sword. "Shouldn't I be locked up again?"

Atum eyed him for a minute. "I'll let you decide."

"If Chthon possesses me-"

"He is not as apt at possession as Set is. It distracts him, he has to work at it. If he possesses you, he will be making himself vulnerable."

Balder took a deep breath. "I want to fight."

"You can't even walk!" Loki argued.

"I can use my bow!"

"Archery is not a reliable defence! You will get yourself killed!"

Balder's gaze was ancient. "Loki, I'm dying today anyway. Why do you think that Nanna's recovered from Set's control but I haven't?"

"What? You can't be." Loki looked at Jord. She wouldn't meet his eyes.

Frigga pulled him into her arms. "Balder, my baby..."

"His fate is bound to that of Asgard," Jord murmured. "It always has."

"What do you mean?" Loki demanded.

"Asgard will rise or fall with him, and he will live or die with Asgard."

Loki looked horrified. "But if Balder is dying..."

"Asgard falls this day." Oshtur's voice was hollow.

Nanna went to her husband's side. "Can we change it?"

"Destroy Chthon and Set and we stand a chance," Atum replied gruffly. "You, dwarf. Have you battle skills?"

Eitri shook his head. "I have no training whatsoever. I make jewellery."

"Then you will be set as Gaea and Hela's guard," Atum continued. "The rest of us will battle my uncles directly. There's not a lot you can do if we fail, but-"

"Atum, I am fighting with you." Gaea's voice was firm.

The sun god was silent and still for a moment, and then nodded. "Then Eitri will care for Hela."

Silence fell. Thor returned at that moment, Hogun with him. Both looked grim. Loki stepped towards them.

"Fandral?"

"Dead," Hogun replied dully.

Loki felt as though he had been punched in his stomach. His childhood companions, Volstagg, Fandral, Sif... All gone. Asgard in ruins, most likely going to be destroyed. He lowered his head. "What is the point of fighting?"

"For the slim chance of success," Balder replied for him. "And because if we don't fight, then we might as well just kill ourselves right now."

Thor wasn't encouraged. "What's the use of saving Asgard when so many have been lost?"

At that moment, Hela started wailing.

"If one life can be saved," Balder murmured, looking at the baby. "Then it's worth it, isn't it?"

Thor shrugged. "I just don't know if I want to survive."

"Die if you want to," Atum told his brother crossly. "But don't take us with you!"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means either you fight in this with all your strength or you drive a knife through your heart right now. I don't need an untrustworthy guard protecting my back."

Thor gritted his teeth. "So now you don't trust me?!"

"Not if you're going into the fight trying to get yourself killed rather than defeat your enemies." Atum turned his back. "All of you, pick your weapons."

"I..." Nanna interrupted as Thor opened his mouth. "If I fight, I'll lose the baby, won't I?"

"That's not certain," Angrboda replied. "Jotünn women get into brawls all the time while they carry."

"I'm not Jotünn."

"Your body is stronger than you think. You may not lose your child, Nanna," Gaea said gently. "But it is a risk."

Nanna wrapped her arms around herself, biting her lip. "I don't know..."

"It's your choice," Atum told her. "Although I would prefer you stay safe."

Nanna blinked rapidly. "I can't endanger my baby again." She swallowed. "I'll stay here."

"Well at least I have some defence now," Eitri joked, but his voice was tense. His eyes filled with tears. "You look so like your mother right now..."

Nanna choked back tears at the reminder of Freyja. "I wish she was here... though I wouldn't want her to see any of this..."

"Who is fighting?" Atum interrupted.

Everybody except Eitri and Nanna murmured that they would.

Atum nodded. "Then let's get our plan of attack in order." This, it turned out, meant: everyone listen to me and do exactly what I say. Atum's voice was the only one that spoke for a while.

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Set hissed in fear and anger as he tried and failed to open the last portal. Asgard was truly sealed. Now what ssshould I do?! If his sisters were serious, then everything would end today. Unless they failed, which would leave him at Chthon's mercy. He could fight with them, against Chthon... But if they failed, his own fate would be worse! There was only one thing for it... He reached out to Nanna and Balder again. Even if the Serpent Crown was destroyed, he could still take their minds. Gaea and Oshtur's plan had to be stopped!