ᚡᚨᛚᚺᚨᛚᛚᚨ | Valhalla

The mountains of Midgard shrank from view as Sigrun flew higher and higher towards the heavens. With a grand wave of her hand, the sky split right open! Luminescent colors of the rainbow spilled out from the tear, shimmering down into the sky. Sigrun passed through the portal and entered into the remnants of the yawning void- Ginnungagap.

Unlike the roots of Yggdrasil, the realm between realms, Ginnungagap was an endless place of darkness, lit faintly by the trillions of stars scattered throughout it. One could witness such beauty even in Midgard, when the night sky is clear of Ymir's fluffy brains and the four dwarves- Austri, Norðri, Suðri, and Vestri, settle down after a long day of holding up the sky, is when Aurvandil's stars are most visible.

Sigrun always held an appreciation for the raw heavenliness they possessed and every time she passed through here, it would leave her in awe.

Not this time, though.

For some strange reason, the darkness between the stars put her on edge. Out of the corner of her eye, she swore she saw something move behind the stars but when she turned to look, there was nothing. She wanted to investigate further for she knew she sensed something but her sisters and Valhalla await and she mustn't get distracted from her duty. There was much to do in the hundred of years they have been trapped.

When she exited the void, a cold mist enveloped Sigrun. Droplets of water formed on the surface of her armor as her nonphysical form became corporeal. It wasn't the same like that wretched, breathing body she had been imprisoned within. This was the form the Valkyries took when entering Valhalla and any of the other spirit realms. The only difference was instead of blue skins, their skins glowed like molten gold and it was said if a mortal happened to gaze upon a Valkyrie in this form, their eyeballs would melt like wax.

The mist turned into water and water turned into a grand waterfall. She flew to the top where a platform extended beyond the cliff's edge and on either sides erected large statues of warriors clutching their swords. Sigrun sailed past them and all the way down a long bridge that lead to a great mountain where the hall of Valhalla was carved into its side.

Under the sunset, Valhalla shined golden. It was a majestic structure indeed and its fine detail of stone artistry done by commissioned dwarven experts only extenuated its beauty even further. There was said to be five hundred and forty doors inside that were tall and wide enough for eight-hundred men to pass through, but there was only one main entrance to the building itself that towered among the rest- the ancient gate Valgrind. It was where the statues of an eagle slaying a wolf hung from the top and it was here that Sigrun spotted here sisters.

She dipped low and came before them in a smooth and swift landing. Her sisters greeted their queen with a respectful bow. Sigrun looked at each of them one at a time, grateful to see all of them again. She frowned behind her helm when she noticed one Valkyrie was missing.

"I am glad that you all have been freed but where is Gunnr? Is she still trapped?"

"No, my Queen. Gunnr was here but she left, saying something about a great battle between two gods. It is just like her. A hundred years of imprisonment and the first thing she does is go towards any conflict," answered Göndul, the most beautiful and wittiest of the Valkyries.

"Enough about Gunnr!" Hildr, the 'Mistress of Battle', snapped impatiently. "I demand to know what happened to us. The last thing I remember is you, Sigrun, locking me up." The Valkyrie curled her fingers into tight fists, frost forming on top of the armor covering her hands. "Explain yourself or I will be forced to believe you were the one who cursed us!"

Kara, the most composed and even-tempered of the group, stepped forward. "Calm yourself, Hildr. We do not yet know if that is true. We cannot freely accuse our Queen of a crime she may or may not have committed."

"I agree with Kara. We must know the truth and all of its facts," said Olrun. She was the resident historian of the Valkyries and possessed an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. It would only be natural of her to learn what truly happened to them. "Under the laws of Tyr, I declare Alþing. Rota will be our lawspeaker and she will be the only one to pass judgment for she will know whether our Queen speaks the truth. If she speaks falsely, then she will have to forfeit her right as queen as well as her wings, as in accordance to the lawful punishments instated in all the realms."

Rota, their appointed lawman, approached Sigrun. "Forgive me, my Queen," she said. "I find this all highly unnecessary. I know you are not the one who has cursed us."

"It is alright, Sister," Sigrun reassured and glanced at her shield-sisters, all of whom she considered family. "I am not doing this for my sake. Go ahead. I have nothing to hide."

Sigrun raised her head higher as Rota hovered both hands on either side of her head. There was pressure for a moment and then release, like a stream flowing down a river, except this river flowed backwards. Visions of the past surfaced to the front of her mind, starting at the very end. It showed Sigrun locking herself in her own cell, then doing the same to the other Valkyries. A brief moment displaying an intimate moment with Mimir went by quickly and soon they reached the very beginning when Sigrun was cursed into becoming corporeal and then- Odin's distaff in hand pointed towards her, his unmistakable voice whispering primordial words belonging to the seidr.

"She speaks truthfully," Rota announced, a hint of a smile in her voice.

"If not you then who?" Hildr said rather unhappily, probably disappointed the culprit wasn't Sigrun. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Who would dare cross the Valkyries?"

"The Allfather," Sigrun answered. "He was the one who cursed us."

Geirdriful, the 'Master of Arms', gasped dramatically while the others shifted where they stood, ruffling their wings nervously. None of them liked the prospect of their own king being the one who betrayed them.

"Why would the Allfather do such a thing?" Geirdriful cried loudly. "What have we done to invoke his punishment?"

Göndul chuckled dryly, "The old crow probably did it for fun. Or maybe Munin and Hugin didn't return before the morning meal. Knowing the Allfather, it would have been 'such' a catastrophe."

"Watch your tongue, Göndul," Hildr warned lowly. "The Allfather is still our king and I will not have him be disrespected in my presence."

"That's ironic. You think Odin cares if you protect his honor? He favored you the most and yet he cursed you, too. Just like the rest of us."

Hildr growled and took a menacing step towards Göndul.

"Enough!" Sigrun bellowed, using her wings to send a wave of air that can knock down a mortal man but to the Valkyries, only gained their attention. "We do not have time for this. Hel is overrun with lost souls and they are spilling into Midgard! We will check on the einherjar and then resume our duties immediately. We will speak more of the Allfather's treachery after we restore balance to the realms. Geirdriful, open the gate."

"Oh, I fear to see what has become of my pupils!" Geirdriful bemoaned. "A hundred years without someone there to discipline them- can they even hold a sword anymore?"

"With all the mead they've been drinking, I doubt they can even tell their 'swords' apart," Göndul said mirthfully.

Geirdriful gasped in horror. "The sorry lot!" she exclaimed. "First thing I'll have them do is climb up the mountain and back a hundred times! Then a hundred times more! That'll teach them."

Sigrun ignored the rest of her sister's conversation when Olrun came up beside her.

"You do not think it is him," Sigrun stated.

"It is a possibility, I cannot deny that," Olrun mused. "Given his past records of meaningless cruelty, it would seem like cursing his own Valkyries would not be something that is beneath him. What I can't understand is why? There is nothing he gains to benefit except his own demise. It does not make any sense."

"You spent time with the Allfather most out of all of us. You must have noticed something," urged Sigrun. "I do not believe he simply cursed us in petty spite because of Freya."

"No, he wouldn't have." Olrun rested her knuckles against her helmet where her mouth should be- a habit she does when deep in thought. "I used to talk with the Allfather about many things but that changed around the time he had Mimir imprisoned. He isolated himself and only came out for audiences or council meetings. One day, I was in his library. He had given me an invitation to read there at any time long ago and I saw him conversing heatedly with a spirit."

"Did you know who it was? Did you hear what they were saying?"

"No, I did not recognize her and I do not know what they were talking about because at that very moment, the Allfather knew I was there. I was afraid he would think that I was snooping and I was surprised when he welcomed me over and began a friendly chat with me. By then, the spirit had already gone."

During the time they were talking, Geirdriful had succeeded in opening the doors of Valgrind. As they entered into the main hall of Valhalla, one that stretched as far as a mortal eye can see, Sigrun already knew something was greatly wrong.

The einherjar, Odin's vast army of elite warriors that has been chosen since the beginnings of Ask and Embla, were all gone.

For the first time since its creation, Valhalla was silent.

"Where have they all gone?" Eir, the healer of the Valkyries and the one who had been quiet thus far, said. Her voice echoed in the empty, hall.

Olrun went to the first of many long tables stationed in the middle of the hall. She reached out and held her hand above an untouched plate of food.

"It's still warm."

"My Queen!" A voice cried from behind them.

Sigrun turned around just in time to see Gunnr soaring through the doors and straight to them. So fast she arrived that she almost crashed into Sigrun, who held her up by the arms in fear the Valkyrie would collapse from exhaustion.

"My Queen," Gunnr panted. "The god, Baldur he- his, his soul-"

"Speak clearly, Sister. Ragnarök isn't upon us yet."

"Baldur, Freya's son. He is dead!"

Sigrun drew her head back in surprise and glanced at Olrun. A god, especially one of the Aesir, hasn't died in hundreds of years. That shouldn't happen...

"Who killed him?" Sigrun demanded.

"It was the pale man with the red tattoos and his son," Gunnr told. She shook her head. "When Baldur fell, I went to judge his soul but... but something else got to him first."

Sigrun opened her mouth to ask what but before she could, dark sleazy chuckles sounded from above, making all the Valkyries lift their heads to see a man leaning against the second floor railing. They have never talked but Sigrun recognizes the man to be Modi, second son to the mighty Thor and Lady Sif. If he was here in Valhalla then it could only mean one thing.

"Modi, son of Thor," Sigrun said in greeting. "You too have been slain in battle?"

"You sound surprised. I'm sorry, were you expecting my brother?" he rasped, a grin splitting across his face. From where she stood, Sigrun began to take notice on how sickly the god looked; his face gaunt and his skin unbelievably pale.

"Do you know what happened here?" Olrun asked.

"I hear that Baldur is finally dead," he grinned, ignoring her question. "Hmm, oh well. He was my least favorite uncle, anyways. He always preferred Magni. Everyone always preferred Magni. But that's alright. Uncle is in a better place now, where he can feel all the pain he likes. As for my brother... They didn't need him. Funny, isn't it? I was the one They chose. I was the one They wanted..."

"You shame yourself and your parents for speaking so ill of your family," Hildr spat.

"Family?" Modi repeated incredulously, an unhinged smile appearing on his face. "I don't have a family."

"Sigrun," Rota whispered beside her, an urgency in her tone. "He should not be here. He did not die in battle."

"You're right!" Modi boomed, catching them both off guard. "Getting fucked over by a kid doesn't qualify as 'worthy' to the Valkyries, does it?" He covered his face with his hands, smothering his chuckles, and then dragged his fingernails across his head. "But who- who- who the FUCK are YOU to judge me? You know- you know nothing. NOTHING." Modi shifted between deranged laughter and moaning sobs. "But you will, oh you will know very, very soon. They won't judge you. They love you."

Modi threw his head back and let out a piercing scream.

The heavy doors of Valgrind slammed shut with a loud boom, causing a rush of air to blow out all the fires, leaving the hall in darkness save for the moonlight streaming in through the windows.

"Sisters, to me!" Sigrun barked, partially covering her body with her wings. The Valkyries did as ordered and formed a tight circle.

Lists of enemies passed through Sigrun's head but none made sense. No enemy of Odin could penetrate Valhalla. Could it be Odin himself then, trying to kill them? It would explain Modi's appearance but if that were true, where was Thor? If Sigrun had to die, it would be insulting not to have the strongest god in all the realms face her in battle. It was the least Odin can do.

Sigrun sensed something speeding towards her. At the last second, she used her wing to deflect a long black stoned spear that would have pierced her heart. Instead, it lodged itself into the wooden flooring.

"Coward!" she roared at the darkness, her blood rushing in anger. "Reveal yourself!"

The moment she stopped speaking, Sigrun felt a familiar presence she felt back in the void- the thing moving behind the stars. It was watching her even then... waiting for her to reach Valhalla.

This was a trap.

A figure emerged from within the darkness, a warrior unlike any Sigrun has ever seen in all the nine realms.

"That's him," Gunnr said, pointing at the warrior in black armor. "He is the one who took Baldur!"

"He thinks he can defeat the Valkyries?" Hildr laughed sadistically, ice shards protruding from her knuckles. "He will die."

Sigrun did not feel the haughtiness her sisters felt. Instead, she was wary. The foreign looking warrior with dark armor did not slow down and was walking a steady path straight to them weaponless. She could not even see his face for shadows concealed it under a hood, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking or feeling.

Halfway to them, the dark warrior outstretched his gauntlet covered hands and out of thin air materialized two jagged shaped, forward curving blades; its length similar to a long sword. The warrior, gripping his hellish blades, crossed them over his chest and picked up the pace.

"I will deal with him," Sigrun declared, her blood thrumming for battle.

Her eyes narrowed. He comes at her with no fear. Then she will do the same!

A battle cry tore from her throat. With a powerful flap of her wings, she shot forward like an arrow, the wind whistling past her ears. She threw her hand out and summoned her scythe, ready to bring down a swift execution.

In the blink of an eye, the dark warrior parried her assault with such tremendous force that it rattled her bones. His strength shocked her but only for a moment before blinding pain exploded on the side of her head. She hit the ground and tried to get up. A fist of iron snapped her head back and her vision blurred.

The dark warrior raised his blades, aiming for her neck, his weapon sharp enough to render a clean cut.

A disk like projectile hurtled at him, distracting him long enough for Hildr to sweep in for an attack.

"Sigrun, are you alright?" a voice asked as one of her sisters came to her aid.

Sigrun blinked away the dizziness to see Eir helping her stand. A cry rung out across the hall. Sigrun spotted Hildr hurl into one of the tall and thick support posts and broke it in half.

"What sort of damned creature has Odin sent to kill us?" hissed Olrun as Gunnr, Kara and Göndul swooped in to face their attacker. The dark warrior greeted them with silence and began his deadly dance of striking quickly whilst evading their blows.

"He is strong," Sigrun stated, the pounding in her head a severe reminder of how much damage those fists can do in so little time. He had caught her off guard for she had underestimated him. She won't make that mistake again. "But he plays on the defense. He knows he is outnumbered and we will use that to our advantage. Rota, Eir, we will triangulate around him while our sisters distract him still. Geirdriful, Olrun, fly high and try to slow him down with your arrows. Do not let him touch you!"

Geirdriful and Olrun took flight and Sigrun dashed into the fray, Rota and Eir shadows at her sides. Their arrival signaled a shift in the battlefield, one Sigrun knew the dark warrior felt.

One against three was possible but one against eight...

Yet despite the odds, he did not retreat. The dark warrior faced them and fearlessly met them head on.

Sigrun would have been disappointed if he hadn't.

They locked in combat, clashing again and again, neither side able to land a critical strike against the other. So fierce they fought that the Valkyries began to glow fiery hot and where ever they went, fire spread catching onto the wooden tables, floors and walls of Valhalla.

In the midst of battle, Sigrun grew impressed. This warrior offered a fight unlike any other she has experienced. There was no display of anger or fear or even bloodthirsty happiness.

The dark warrior fought with no passion... and that was what made him dangerous.

He possessed a deadly cold focus and she noticed every move he made was calculated; every strike holding purpose.

A worthy foe, indeed, and one Sigrun held the privilege of fighting- but now it was time for this to come to an end.

She chanced a glance up at Geirdriful and Olrun whom had their bows at the ready. At her signal, their arrows flew loose.

The dark warrior sliced the first wave mid-air but his attention was captured by Sigrun and the others, letting the second wave hit true to their mark. He stumbled and that was all it took. A cut to the back of his knee crippled his speed; a deep slash to his arm, cutting through bone, had him drop one of his blade. Gunnr drew her scythe back, ready to deliver the final blow.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sigrun spotted Hildr speeding right to them in a rage consuming aura.

"Hildr, no!" she shouted but it was too late. Wrath blinded Hildr and she crashed into the dark warrior, sending them both down the hall and away from the rest of the Valkyries. Alone, Hildr stood no chance.

The dark warrior struck quick, knowing his time was limited. He burrowed his fist into her gut, stealing her breath and snatched her arm and broke it like a twig. Blade in hand, he aimed it at her heart.

Sigrun was there faster than her mind could process. She screamed in fury and knocked him away. The warrior soared through the air and crashed onto the tables, food and drinks flying everywhere.

She breathed hard through her nose, shaken to have almost lost one of her sisters. She had enjoyed the spirit of the battle but that was too close. They had to kill him and kill him now!

Right as she thought that, the air grew cold despite the heat from the flames.

The dark warrior got to his feet and faced them.

His hands curled into fists.

The fire raging around them turned a hellish blue, making the halls of Valhalla look like some demented underworld.

"What kind of magic is this?" Olrun whispered.

"It doesn't matter," Hildr said, her broken arm being healed by Eir. When it was done, she flexed her fingers and rolled her shoulder. "Magic cannot save him now."

"Silence!" Sigrun barked, "We will finish this, now!"

The Valkyries took off as one, the combined flaps of their wings bending the fire. As they approached, the warrior slammed his fist down upon the edge of a long table that could have sat thirty men. It flipped into the air with a creaky moan and with a show of inhuman strength, he chucked it at them.

Sigrun growled and sped up. She broke through the table, wood splintering under the impact. Like angels of pure fire they descended upon him with a fury to rival the sun!

The full weight of the Valkyries proved too much to bear. The dark warrior fought valiantly but Göndul's sword struck true and pierced him through the chest. A hush fell over the hall, quieting even the roar of the fire.

It was done.

They must now find the einherjar and-

The dark warrior clasped the blade and pulled. Göndul gasped in horror as he slid closer to her till he reached the hilt. She stood frozen and could only watch him raise his hands and clutch her head, his fingers bending the helmet. His thumbs entered the eye sockets of her helm and she screamed.

The sound of utter agony would haunt Sigrun to the end of her days.

"Göndul!" Hildr cried, her voice wrought with despair. She summoned a mighty frost axe and lodged it impossibly deep sideways into his shoulder.

The dark warrior didn't even make a sound. He simply broke the blade still in his chest, threw a two-headed spear into the ground and snatched Hildr with both hands. He lifted her up and skewered her on the spear and let go.

Sigrun watched her sister's body contort as she slid down it agonizingly slow, her hands slapping weakly to hold onto the spear to stop the torment.

There was no time to process the horrors Sigrun was witnessing for Göndul stood up from where she sat curled up covering her face. Her sister sobbed and thick soupy blood slopped onto the floor from underneath her helmet.

"Something's wrong," Göndul whimpered before clutching her stomach and doubling over. She fell to her knees and threw her head back and screamed in pain, her fingers scratching at her helmet. Sigrun could only watch as black tendril like veins emerged from the eye sockets of her helm and spread through out her body. Her glowing skin turned a sickly pale and her golden armor melted into her flesh. And her wings, by the gods her wings were on fire! It burned until there was nothing left but fleshy skeleton wings.

"Göndul?" Sigrun whispered, stretching a hand to her weeping sister.

Göndul fell silent.

"I can hear them now." Low chuckles came from under her helm. "By the dead gods... it's beautiful. It's beautiful. It's beautiful..."

Sigrun paled. She jumped in fright when the dark warrior took a step towards them, looking just as healthy back when they started the battle. Her stomach dropped. She knew- she knew he had taken damage. He cannot be alive!

"Sigrun," Olrun said uncertainly, a nervousness to her voice.

Göndul staggered to her feet and spread her skeletal wings, flinging blood everywhere. She raised her hand and a scythe appeared but not one made of metal but of grotesque flesh.

Their attention shifted from Göndul to Hildr. The Valkyrie's prone body jerked back to life and she at once wrapped her hands around the spear and struggled to pull herself up. Eir moved to help their sister but Sigrun blocked her with her arm.

Horrible screeches escaped Hildr and she moved like an animal. Her head snapped to Sigrun, her eye piercing her to the spot. It was filled with ungodly rage.

Whatever these creatures were, they were no longer the Valkyries she had once called sister.

"We must leave," Sigrun uttered, taking a step backwards, her scythe aimed at the dark warrior as if that would deter him.

"We cannot leave them. They are our sisters! We must help them!" Eir shouted in protest.

Göndul chuckled and twirled her scythe as she and the dark warrior started towards them.

Sigrun wanted to stay, wanted to save her sisters but she risked the possibility of losing them all and gods help her she will not let that happen!

"We must leave, now!" she bellowed just as Göndul shrieked and shot at them. Sigrun flew back and shouted Kara's name. The Valkyrie nodded in understanding and used her magic to summon draugrs to keep Göndul and the dark warrior busy while they fled to the entrance.

Sigrun slammed against the heavy doors and with her sisters, pushed them open. It took all her strength but eventually they got it open... only to be overwhelmed by a horde of draugr! They were dragged into the mounds of screaming undead warriors. Sigrun squirmed and tried to break free but there were too many hands holding her down. Thinking quickly, she folded her wings and shot them open, creating a powerful wave of air that staggered her drove her attackers back.

Free, she took to the sky. Safe for the moment, Sigrun searched for her sisters and dove down to help Geirdriful. She pulled the Valkyrie free from the draugrs clutches. She then made sure that the rest of her sisters were in the air before flying away.

From way above, Sigrun realized there was not just a horde of draugr but millions of them.

"By the gods, where have they all come from?" Gunnr said.

Geirdriful sniffed and with a deep sadness in her voice said, "They are not draugr."

Confused, Sigrun peered down at the draugrs and focused on their faces.

Human. They were just men but they looked wrong. They looked like monsters.

"The einherjar..." Olrun breathed in realization.

"How did this happen?" Geirdriful wept and Sigrun felt her pain. They were Odin's men yes, but the Valkyries were the ones to hold their souls and lead them to a better life. These warriors were their responsibilities and they failed them.

"Is this Odin's doing," Sigrun asked to Olrun.

"No, this is... this is something far much worse. We must escape this damned realm and warn the Allfather-"

"No," Sigrun snapped. "Odin may not have been the one to have done this but he did curse us, that I know. He is no longer an ally to the Valkyries. We will go to the Vanir instead. Maybe they will help us."

A scream so loud pierced the air, drowning out the roars of the einherjar. Sigrun hissed and slapped her hands over her ears or would have if she weren't wearing a helmet. Thankfully it stopped, allowing Sigrun to open her eyes and spot in the distance the dark warrior riding on a strange horrifying beast. As they grew closer, she realized it was a grey winged stallion and its long wings left a trail of blue flames.

The horse opened its mouth and the same ear-shattering scream left it.

Even from here, Sigrun could tell the horse flew faster than any of them could. It would be upon them in seconds if they tried to out-fly it.

"Kara, a storm!" Sigrun yelled. "We will lose them in the clouds."

Kara nodded and flew up. Her armor sparked yellow shots of light and with a shout, a whirlwind formed, creating grey dense clouds and heavy winds. They wasted no time flying into the storm. The wind tore at their wings, threatening to knock them askew but they pushed through.

Sigrun stopped and shouted over the wind, "We are far enough! Olrun, a portal!"

Olrun waved her hand and a portal to Ginnungagap opened.

A scream drew their attention. Sigrun turned just in time to see Rota being dragged downby Göndul and Hildr. The last of Rota seen before disappearing in the dark clouds was her hand outstretched for a savior that would never come.

A hand clasped Sigrun's shoulder. "We must go," Olrun said, as if knowing Sigrun's desire to fly after Rota.

Sigrun clenched her fists and sighed heavily. She moved to follow Olrun to the portal but paused and suddenly flapped her wings, barely dodging a spear. The dark warrior on his damnable horse broke through a cloud and charged at them, throwing another spear.

"Go! Go!" Sigrun yelled at the others. They all made a break for the portal and at the same time trying their best to avoid getting hit.

Sigrun was so focused on getting to the portal that she didn't notice Olrun dive to her side.

"Sigrun!" her sister shouted. "I know! I remember! In the library, in a book I read! It said- Watch out!" Olrun flipped over Sigrun and a spear shot through her stomach. The Valkyrie crashed into Sigrun and clasped hold of her.

"Chaos," Olrun whispered.

She let go and her body plummeted down, the clouds below swallowing her from view.

Sigrun wanted to mourn her death but there was no time. She made a bee line straight to the portal where the rest of the Valkyries waited inside. Sigrun entered and the portal started to close behind her.

For reasons she will never understand, she looked back.

The dark warrior stared at her. In one hand, Olrun's body dangled from his grip around her ankle. His other hand drew back and he threw one last spear.

It soared towards her in slow motion. Sigrun surprised herself when she knew she would not move. Maybe she deserved it.

The portal closed and she was left with only the stars.

Freya opened her eyes and slipped her hands away. She got up and walked aimlessly to the middle of the room and hugged herself, her hand covering her mouth.

"That thing," she spat, replaying the memory in her head. "What did it do to them?"

Freyr swallowed thickly, "We do not know. We speculated it could have been some kind of corruption magic, like the draugr."

"No," Freya muttered, shaking her head. "Draugrs are mindless pitiful creatures driven by anger and the ones Sigrun saw... Freyr, they were happy." She shuddered, remembering the smiling faces of Odin's men, their eyes gleaming with gleeful malice. Sigrun was right, whatever they were, they were no longer human.

Chaos... Freya remembered Olrun say before she died. Could she have meant Ginnungagap? Did the void have something to do with the dark warrior and his awful magic?

"The Valkyrie, Olrun, knew something before she died. A book she said she read in Odin's library. Do you remember reading such a thing during your time in Asgard?" Freyr asked.

Her lips tightened, "No, there was a forbidden section in the library I wasn't allowed to browse through. He must have thought me a threat even after our marriage. Smart of him. I would have used his secrets against him the moment I had the chance. But one of his Valkyries, especially a kindred spirit like Olrun... she must have posed no threat to him or if she had, it would have been insignificant; like an ant to a king. That was how he viewed people beneath him. They were all just ants to him."

"We must get our hands on that book," Freyr muttered, rubbing his beard.

"I may know someone who can help with that," Freya said slowly. "But I am unsure if she will help us or first, how to even contact her."

"At least it's something," Her brother said encouragingly and stood up. "I will take my leave then. I cannot stay in Midgard any longer."

Freya hid the disappointment from her face and followed her brother to the door. He opened it and then faced her.

"I will tell everyone you are alive and well. It will bring hope to many." He paused and bit his lip. "I must ask, have you ever heard of a giantess named Laufey?

"Laufey the Just?" Freya uttered in surprise. "That is a name I haven't heard in a very long time. I never met her and after the the gate to Jotunheim disappeared, she vanished as well, like the rest of the giants."

"She didn't vanish," Freyr said. "She was their guardian and she stayed behind in Midgard. The giants speak vehemently of her son, a giant by the name of Loki. They... they speak of him like he is some kind of savior. They foretell a prophecy: a ship, Naglfar, will sail from the underworld when water quenches the fires of Muspelheim and the water in Niflheim boils. When the 'Twilight of the Gods' begins, Loki will stand at its helm and lead the army of the fallen into the last great battle of Ragnarok."

Freya frowned as she heard the last part. "I have never heard of him but if what they say is true, then we must make him an ally of the Vanir."

"My thoughts exactly," Freyr replied with a grin. He moved to exit but Freya placed a hand on his shoulder, halting him.

"Wait," she said and rushed over to the enchanted window. Delicately, she picked up the pouch containing her son's ashes and returned to Freyr. "Take him," she whispered, holding it out to her brother. "Spread his ashes in Vanaheim, in our meadow. He deserves to be there. He deserves to rest somewhere he can be at peace."

"I will. I promise," Freyr said. He took her son from her hands and hugged her. "I may be leaving you now, Freya, but remember you are no longer alone." He pulled back and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "The giants and I will find a way to break you free of Odin's spell. You will see Vanaheim again Sister, I swear it."

"Until then," she said in farewell.

"Until then," he repeated.

Freya watched him go on his chariot from her doorway and felt a pang of loss.

"Until then," she echoed softly, fingering her necklace her brother made her when they were young. She closed her eyes, allowing herself a moment of peace before snapping them open. There is a war coming, one that will shake the cosmos and bring about the end of all things and she will not stand by and do nothing.

For the first time since Baldur's death, Freya cleaned herself, sheathed her sword and left her sanctuary.

If she were to become the leader the Vanir needed again, then she must take back what has been stolen from her.

The head on the floor sang a merry tune of a man who drank too much cervesa and married a woman who turned into a horse and dragged the sorry eejit into the lake to drown.

The singing stopped when Freya's footsteps echoed through out the ancient temple.

"Huh? Sindri is that you? If it's Brokk, you can go feck right off, ya big wallaper! I won't be doing no more measurements for you, you hear! Leave me be!"

Freya scooped up the head by its horn and slammed it against the wall.

"F-Freya!" Mimir blinked in utter shock.

"Where did he take them?" she hissed lowly.

"I-I'm sorry for your loss but if you're here to have your revenge then I must warn ya, you're making a huge mistake. Kratos did what he thought was right-"

She again slammed his head against the wall, her lips pulled back in a snarl.

"Where are my wings!" she bellowed, silencing the head.

"Not here!" Mimir replied quickly and coughed to clear his throat. "Ah, I mean not in this realm m'lady. What you seek lies in the land of fire, where the great Surtr sheathes his flaming sword in lava to stay warm for the day Ragnarok comes when he will destroy Asgard and-"

"Muspelheim," Freya interrupted him, her heart sinking. She had hoped it would be somewhere here in Midgard. How naive of her...

"Freya," Mimir said softly, breaking her from her thoughts. "I truly am sorry for your loss."

She stared at him, her eyes hard and guarded.

"What do you know of chaos?" she said, ignoring the pity in the goat-man's eyes.

"Chaos, m'lady?"

"Yes, chaos. Have you heard of it, read it somewhere. Tell me what you know."

"Not much I'm afraid. In your realm, chaos is Ginnungagap, the natural order or rather 'disorder' of things before the creation of the cosmos. Why do you ask?"

"It is none of your concern," she snipped before finally noticing the huge bright portal in the temple. She approached it and gazed in awe. "Is that-"

"Jotunheim? Aye, it very well is."

"They actually did it..." she said under her breath.

Kratos and his son achieved what even Odin couldn't do... and it was all for their mother. Despite herself, her heart clenched at the thought of the boy spreading his mother's ashes. He was too young to have her ripped away from him. But that was life and life was cruel. Still, she hoped over time the boy's pain will ease and peace will find him. He deserves that much.

Somber, Freya laid Mimir's head down. "Thank you," she said quietly and began walking away.

"Anytime, m'lady," she heard him say.

Freya exited Tyr's temple and halted. What will she do now? Her wings are in a different realm and she doesn't know when Freyr and the giants will come to break her spell, if that even is possible in the first place.

She craned her head back to the sky and closed her eyes. She felt utterly defeated and lost.

Something cold touched her cheek. Freya flinched her eyes open and touched the spot. Her finger drew back wet. She looked up and realized a light snowfall had begun.

Fimbulwinter...

If she could do nothing now, then at least she could protect her sanctuary against this winter. Her thoughts then strayed towards Ragnarok. Freya gazed at the wide lake and at the forest and the mountains in the distance.

Whoever he was, Loki was out there. The giant to lead the last war of the gods...

Weeks later...

The wind rustled the feeble leaves hanging high above the ground.

Loki...

The young boy stopped in his tracks and glanced up.

Loki... Loki...

Disembodied voices whispered in the wind.

"Atreus," his father called, snapping the boy from his trance.

"Coming, Father!" Atreus hollered and shifted the load of rabbits higher up his shoulder and jogged to catch up to his father.

The wind rustled the leaves again.

Loki...

WHOOOO, I finally finished writing these chapters!

There was some lore changes, for example in this story Skadi isn't Freya and Freyr's mom but some other giantess, and I took a ton of liberties creating the personalities of the Valkyries. But writing that fight scene got me shook, it was super difficult to write but I like how it turned out in the end.

Thanks for reading!