Warning heavy AU for geography and how everything works
Our teacher for this lesson strode around the classroom observing each one of us, with her round glass and her long blond hair with white strands, she seemed very strict.
She cleared her throat and began the lesson. "The universe is vaster than you could ever imagine! We will never be able to discuss about everything in it, so let us start by talking about our Home. The Nine realms.
The nine realms are a collections of worlds in a complex web of cosmic energy. While we usually only talk about the nine main realms, when we talk about the nine realms, there are in truth more than a hundred planets each with its own unique characteristics, inhabitants, and culture.
The nine realms is a galaxy in form of a tree, known as the world tree, Yggdrasil. This tree has many branches, each a pathway and a world itself, out of all those branches, nine of those stand up, they are that which connect every other branch and built the tree.
Let us begin with Asgard, the golden city of the gods. It is a realm of grandeur and majesty, adorned with towering spires and shimmering halls. Asgard is home to the Asgardians, a proud and noble people known for their strength, valor, and proficiency in combat. It is ruled by Odin, the Allfather, a wise and just ruler who is said to be one of the most powerful beings in the universe.
Jotunheim, the land of the Frost Giants, lies in eternal winter and is characterized by its icy peaks and glaciers. It is a harsh and unforgiving realm, where its inhabitants thrive in subzero temperatures and possess great physical strength, despite being a bit on the dumber side. The Frost Giants are an unforgivable race that has waged many wars and has been the center of evil for centuries.
Vanaheim is a lush and vibrant realm, known for its rolling hills, verdant forests, and pristine lakes. Its inhabitants are the Vanir, a race of nature-loving beings who possess a deep connection to the land and its creatures. They are skilled in the arts of magic and have an affinity for healing.
Svartalfheim, was the realm of the Dark Elves, as they were annihilated, is shrouded in shadows and mystery. Its inhabitants were reclusive and enigmatic, possessing advanced technology and a deep understanding of the arcane arts. Svartalfheim was once home to the powerful Aether, a cosmic force that grants its wielder immense power and is sought after by many, but now lost after the Dark Elves were defeated by Asgard, under the rule of Bor Burison.
Midgard, also known as Earth, is a realm of diversity and complexity. Its inhabitants are a varied and eclectic mix of cultures and races, each with their own unique beliefs and traditions. Midgard is a coveted realm, as it possesses a wealth of natural resources and strategic importance in the cosmic balance of power. It is the world in the nine realms, where most Aliens have walked on, the reason is however unknown to us.
Alfheim, the home of the Light Elves, is a realm characterized by its vibrant and ethereal landscapes. The air is filled with shimmering dust that gives the realm an otherworldly and magical quality. Light Elves possess great agility and grace, and they are skilled archers who wield enchanted bows that can create light and energy-based arrows. Alfheim is a peaceful realm, and the Light Elves are known for their harmonious relationship with nature.
Nidavellir, also known as the "realm of the Dwarves," is not a planet or a realm in the traditional sense, but rather a neutron star that was home to the Dwarves, who are renowned blacksmiths. The star was protected by the Asgardians and orbited by a multi-ringed megastructure that served as the Dwarven forge. The Dwarves of Nidavellir were masters of metalworking and were responsible for forging some of the most powerful weapons in the universe, including Mjolnir, the weapon used by Odin before Gungnir.
Muspelheim, the realm of fire, is characterized by its harsh and unforgiving environment. Its inhabitants are the fire demons, who are made of living flames and possess great physical strength and durability. The realm is constantly burning, and its fiery environment can be overwhelming and deadly to those who are not accustomed to it. The demons of Muspelheim are ferocious warriors who revel in battle and seek to spread destruction wherever they go.
NIflheim is a desolate and inhospitable place, shrouded in eternal darkness and covered in an icy mist that chills the bones. The realm is ruled by unknown entities and spirits, whose true forms are never seen. The only things that can be seen in Niflheim are the ghostly apparitions of the dead, who roam the realm aimlessly and without purpose.
The landscape of Niflheim is barren and lifeless, with jagged ice formations jutting out from the frozen ground. The ground itself is nothing but a wasteland of frozen tundra, with no sign of vegetation or other signs of life. The air is thick with the scent of decay and rot, making it a truly inhospitable place.
Despite its grim and forbidding nature, Niflheim remains an important realm in the Nine Realms, holding the key to the afterlife and the fate of the souls of the departed."
The teacher looked at everyone after her long speech and sighed, everyone was uninterested as everyone knew this. She looked at my brother who was sleeping and said "Thor, can you tell me what I said about Niflheim?"
Thor was abruptly woken up and looked at her confused "What?"
*Hum hum*
"Excuse me, miss," he said with a forced smile.
"What did I say about Niflheim?" she asked him again.
"Who cares about that barren land, no one lives there, and it is creepy." He asked with a dumb questioning look.
I slapped my forehead while uttering "A detention in one day…"
The teacher gripped her hand, and cracked whatever she had in her hand "Thor! Don't think because you are a prince you can do whatever you want! Come to my office at the end of your lessons!"
She then looked at me and asked the same question, to which I easily responded. She smiled and said "Thank you Loki, at least one of the princes has respect for his teachers"
Oh my, it seems like our teacher is in my faction. Though neither Thor nor I never did any, and people just fought about who was going to be the king without asking us what we thought.
-(Line Break)-
With an excited expression, I stood at the entrance of the library. It was vast, too vast with towering shelves that stretched seemingly endlessly. The room was purified by the strong light of the sun coming from the high and arched windows, bringing a dignified aura to the room.
The shelves were made of light and old wood that sparkled with a plethora of glittering colors. All around the grand room, various books floated toward a destination, this brought a sense of magic to the warrior-oriented building. When one would ask for a book, the book itself would fly to the person.
The sound of fluttering pages and the scent of ink and coffee pervaded the fresh air of the library. The paths toward each category were marked by red carpets which brought some sort of nobility to the glittering room.
With a smile, I strolled on one of the royal-looking carpets, my eyes darting all around the knowledge-filled books. Each book was thick and had a leather cover. Before every shelf, there was a floating white parchment and a feather. On that parchment stood how it was categorized and the name of every book on that shelf.
After a long and slow walk, I arrived in front of a perfectly normal-looking shelf. It was so filled with books that not one more could have been added, even with its non-popular category and vast space.
I stopped at it, looking around the shelf with concentration, till my eyes stopped at a place, on the shelf, with golden dust. As my hand passed where the dust was, it seemed like my hand disappeared into another world. Before my eyes, a purple aura revealed itself shielding that shelf.
I did not make any move to move my hand, but it still came to hold a book. It was as if the aura had guided me toward that particular book.
The book had a pure black cover with a purple title, 'The art of cooking'.
I opened it to the first page and read in my mind what was written. The script was ornate, with tall and narrow golden letters that were angular. It seemed like the writer had used long, flowing strokes but sharp angles to write that.
It was written 'Divine Magic'. Seeing that tile, a smile blossomed on my face, this was one of the hidden books father had told me to find in the academy, for there was exquisite knowledge contained in them.
As I closely looked at the cover, someone walked behind me. I felt a warm breath near my ear and a gentle voice speaking.
"What is the trickster prince doing in the library alone on our first day?" asked the voice, which I easily recognized.
My eyes met hers, her hand ruffled her long straight white hair as she looked at me with a teasing glint in her eyes.
I leaned forward, bringing our faces closer to each other, and asked "And what is the elf princess doing here? Stalking maybe?"
Galadriel chuckled. "Stalking?! Why would I be stalking YOU! No, I was just checking if you were truly in the library."
I raised an eyebrow at that "And how did you know that I was in the Library?"
"You know how it is, rumors" she responded with a tint of disdain
I clicked my tongue, rumors, always rumors. "There are even rumors about that?" I asked her with surprise.
Galadriel nodded, she lightly clenched her fist and explained "Yes, Loki. We are royals, every single step of ours is watched, commented on, and judged, and so you being alone in a library, while most of your classmates are either with friends or trying to flex their meager muscles, is frowned upon."
"Don't really care" I commented dismissively while shrugging my shoulders.
She sighed with exasperation "Well, you should care! Even if you don't want to be king, you should still hold a worthy reputation as the son of the Allfather."
I cocked my head to the side and asked incredulous with my tone a bit mocking "So, I should restrict my entire life to please some no life that I never met and have no care about?"
Galadriel paused for a moment trying to find a way to refute what I said, "When you put it that way," she uttered considering my words before beginning to answer "but you have to understand, we're both in a position of great responsibility. We have to always be careful about our actions and how they reflect on our families."
I showed a weak smirk and asked her with a serious tone "Galadriel, do you know what I think of you when I look at you and how you act?"
"What?" she asked with her curiosity piqued and an eyebrow raised
I leaned in, my voice dropping to a whisper "A doll, with no freedom, trying to please those that will always be unable to look at you from anywhere else than behind, those that will hide their jealousy behind lossy words."
Her expression hardened. "Are you saying I should do whatever I want?" she asked, her voice tinged with anger and ridicule.
"Yes, as long as you know when to stop and that there are some walls not meant to be broken, it is okay to have some fun sometimes" I looked at her eyes burning with life, and put my hand on her shoulder.
She looked at my hand for a few seconds before shaking her head. "Fun? As a princess, I have the life of an entire world in my palm. I can't just neglect those responsibilities!" she said firmly, but as I paid attention to her whole dementor, I could see she was trying to convince herself more than me.
I let out a sigh and clarified "I didn't say to destroy their lives, just for you to live YOUR life."
She looked down at the ground, deep in her thought she spoke barely above a whisper "But… it's not as easy as you think."
I could feel she was pretty shaken, but I couldn't figure out the reason, why did she think that way? A question to be resolved, but not now.
My eyes softened in front of the weak princess and with a sly, not malevolent, smile spreading across my face, I said "Well, it's a good thing you have come to a specialist."
Galadriel rolled her eyes "You?" she asked with a hint of skepticism in her voice, but unaware to her, a small smile showed itself on her lips.
I chuckled, my eyebrows waggled as I told her "Yes, I, the great Loki, will help you have some fun, and will have so much fun seeing that!"
She couldn't help but laugh "You are creeping me out." She said, shaking her head.
A glint flashed in my eyes as I tried to tempt her "Oh come on, join the dark side! We have cookies!"
With a flabbergast smile on her face, she responded "…Seriously?!"
"Yes! Do you not like cookies" I asked her with a smile on my face.
"No, I don't" she responded seriously.
My eyes widened "You have some problems" I told her
"Just because I don't like cookies, you say I have problems" she replied, her hand on her chest.
"Yes, who doesn't" I quickly responded, "… AH wait I also don't…" I said flashing a teasing smile.
After a minute of silence, I spoke "Okay, Okay, let's just forget about the cookies", my tone suddenly turned serious "Seriously, Galadriel, you need to learn to enjoy yourself. Being a responsible princess is important, but being a living being is also good"
She thought for a moment, considering my words, she knew I had a point, but it was hard for her to let go of the expectations that had been placed on her as a member of the royal elfish family.
"I know you're right, but it's not easy for me to just let go of all of that," Galadriel replied. "Sometimes it feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders."
I nodded in understanding. "I get it, I really do. But you don't have to carry that alone, as a princess you have countless subjects that should alleviate your tasks. And even if you didn't, you can't destroy yourself for them, be a bit more selfish"
Galadriel looked at me, her expression softening. She knew I was right. Sometimes it was easy to forget that she wasn't alone in her struggles.
"Thank you, Loki. I appreciate your words," she said, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips.
"I know you have a lot on your plate, Galadriel," I said, looking at her seriously. "But you can't forget to take care of yourself too. It's important to have some balance in your life."
Galadriel nodded slowly, considering his words. "You're right. I suppose I just need to find a way to balance my responsibilities with having some fun."
"That's the spirit!" I exclaimed, grinning at her. "And who better to help you find that balance than yours truly?"
Galadriel rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. "Alright, I'll let you help me find some fun. But no crazy schemes, okay?"
"I make no promises, princess."