Before there was soil, sky, or any living creatures, there was only the gaping abyssal void.
Ginnungagap.
A place that no one will ever comprehend; but dear Ymir help them if they ever do. Where the line between light and dark, right, and wrong, good, and evil blurs into grey; where chaos reigns.
The glacial frost from Niflheim and billowing flames from Muspelheim crept toward each other until they met.
Amid the hissing and sputtering, fire melting ice, and drops formed themselves into Ymir.
The Creator of Worlds.
"' From Ymir's flesh, the earth was created,
And from his blood the sea,
Mountains from bone,
Trees from hair,
And from his skull the sky.'"
"' And from his eyebrows the blithe gods made
Midgard, home of the sons of men
And from his brains
They sculpted the grim clouds.'"
As the ending of Ymir echoed into the decaying mountains, his screams of agony were forever etched into the zircons. A pair of anguish-stricken tears cascade down into the void, forever falling. Voices overlap in disorder, where destruction and creation merge. Where harmony does not exist, only the unalloyed ferocity of chaos.
A touch of silence.
The violence of dark.
A musk of decay and time.
Your heart beats the wrong way.
Where you face your greatest fear.
Yourself.
"Ashka."
"Wake up."
Your mind is the playground of discord.
"Wake up."
Flashing images of annihilation and self-destruction project themselves like a silent horror movie. The rats of mental distortion gnaw away at your psyche. Leaking the psychosis that you desperately tried to hold back. Flooding the chambers with the crimson hell that plagues you at every waking moment.
Infecting you.
"You're infected, my dear."
Being aroused by the unrelenting chaos and burning pain; you feel powerful. In the deep abyss of your mind, it screams for release. Bearing down, bearing down on you; the weight starts closing in on you.
"I'm being crushed."
Bones breaking.
Twisting.
Snapping.
The stone walls crumble away like nothing, the infection is released.
Spreading.
Crawling.
Scratching.
Chewing.
Gnawing.
Ripping.
Tearing.
Devouring you whole.
"I'm being eaten alive."
Engulfing you; the vibrant colors spray upon your mind, the blood on your hands is your own.
"You are tired, dear child."
"Go back to sleep."
"NO!"
"You must wake up!"
"You are worthless."
"NO!"
"You are insignificant."
"NO!"
"You are nothing."
"NO!"
"You must end it."
"End it."
"End it."
"STOP."
"End it."
"End it."
"End it."
"YOU MUSTN'T!"
"End it."
"End it."
"END IT."
Silence seizes your ears.
It rings.
Melancholy dances with your soul.
It tightens its grip.
Death lingers.
You want nothing but destruction, and everything hurts.
Everything itches.itches.itches.itches.itches.itches.scratch.scratch.scratch.SCRATCH IT.SCRATCH IT.SCRATCH IT TILL IT BLEEDS.SCRATCH AWAY TILL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT.PEEL.PEEL.PEEL.PEEL AWAY.PEEL AWAY AT THE ROTTING FLESH.PEEL IT.PEEL IT.EAT IT.EAT IT.EAT IT.
The blood pours from your body like a waterfall, it fills you with pure maddening ecstasy.
Drowning in your foreshadowing.
Screaming with euphoria.
Screaming.
"No one will understand you."
Screaming.
Howling.
Wailing.
You don't understand anything at all.
This place is frightening when you are alone.
"You're scared, little cub?"
It is always there, like a starving, rabid animal.
"Blasphemous beast!"
"Deceiver."
"Deliverer."
"Devourer."
The confusion lies in all your words, mad is the soul. Barricading yourself in the void of your crescendo. Deceiving yourself of comfort and healing, the infinite fall of innocence is left behind to rot with your memories.
The plan is overthrown, and the red dawn of a new age rises amongst the war-scarred land like flames swallowing up the earth. The lost souls lay against the torn earth like snow.
The drums of war beat faster and faster, like the heartbeat of a predator at the peak of the hunt.
Everything is said and done, the weight of the air is torture.
"It burns."
You don't know who you are anymore.
Where are you?
"Where am I?"
Who are you?
"Who am I?"
What are you?
"What am I?"
Familiar memories flood your torn mind, they come tearing into you like nightmares of the past.
Violating.
Smoke fills your lungs.
Flames flicker in your eyes.
Your skin burns.
Your teeth clenched.
"Papa? Where are they taking Mama?"
"Papa?"
"What have I done?!"
"Papa! Mama!"
"Titus…this isn't you."
"It hurts to breathe Mama."
"They're already here!"
"Why aren't you moving? I told you to stay put!"
"Kill the men first!"
"My poor baby. My baby…my baby…"
"Papa!"
"They went that way!"
"It's going to be okay…just close your eyes."
"Let me go! Give me my son back!"
"We can make it, we just have to keep moving!"
"How could you!?"
"Betrayer!"
"Monster!"
"I can't see! Where is everyone!?"
"It hurts."
"I'm scared."
"Help!"
"Someone help us!"
"Luka!"
"Ashka, where are you!?"
"Ensko, take them and RUN!"
"Help!"
As silver swords clash against the claws of the damned, the children of liberation are being devoured by the flames of prejudice. Screams of retaliation, cries of sorrow.
Soul deafening silence grips the throat of the strong-willed as fathers kill sons, and mothers clutch their silent infants.
Two wolves howl on a cold mountaintop, their song laced with pain and revenge.
A one-eyed raven flies over the perverted land that once held hope. Now holds the blood of the betrayed.
Suddenly the chaos is interrupted by a soft gentle voice. Singing a song of a long-forgotten language you can no longer hold with your tongue.
But yet it still holds onto you.
"Ľuľu že mi ľuľu, upečem ci gruľu,
a ked mi budzeš spac, upečem ci pagač.
Ľuľaj, že mi ľuľaj, šive očka stuľaj,
šive jak holube, dzecko mojo ľube.
Haju že mi haju, muj želeny haju,
kedy že mi z tebe lisca opadaju.
Koliš, že mi koliš kolisečko sama,
vera ja nebudzem, bo ja zunovana."
(Sleep my child, sleep. I will bake you a potato and if you sleep I will bake you a bun. Sleep my child, sleep. Close your grey eyes, grey as a dove. My beloved child. Oh my dear woods, my dear green woods. When leaves fall off your trees, rock my cradle. Rock, rock by yourself. I will not do it, because I am weary.)
The angry sound of an alarm clock blares itself awake as it provokes the pile of worn-out blankets to shift. A groan of unrelenting distaste muffles through the thick fabric beneath. A pale hand slithers out like a zombie to silence the god-forsaken noise. Hitting the snooze button with a slight irritated force, as the blankets were aggressively kicked off.
"Ugh…another sleepless night. Damn nightmares…hlúpy (hlOO-pi) (stupid).", mumbled the being in the harsh darkness.
"God my head is fucking pounding.", grumbling to herself as she covers her sore eyes with her palms. She could feel the crown of her head pulse, her skin slightly heated from pain.
"I need some caffeine…and eye drops.", she said with aggravation.
Getting up abruptly she banged her head on the rafters, stumbling back as she hissed in pain as she grabbed her head, and curled back up on the mattress.
"Ah! Prekleto! (Damn it!) Fucking small ass fucking room fucking fuck!", she shouted quietly through her teeth.
She slowly crawled to the hanging switch nearby, the room softly brightened up with the warm yellow glow of an antique bulb hanging from a cord on the ceiling. The old light reveals the true features and details of a languorous sleepy creature in the dusty cold air.
Long slender legs rest themselves along with the creaky floorboards, with skin covered in old scars leading up to her hip hiding beneath small black shorts. Her skin was pale as old cinders underneath the dirt and blood from her travels, and slightly sunken in partly as it draped in a moth-holed faded black t-shirt. Stretching outward a little she reveals a soft-toned stomach, ribs protruding through as well as many more scars covering her.
Her messy long dirty ceder brown hair covered her eyes, brushing them away to show a pair of pale blue-greys, like old gravestones with leftover eyeliner turning into eye shadow. One eye was much lighter than the right as an extreme scar cascaded down from her forehead. On the right side of her face she was missing part of her cheek as a huge scar replaced it, around her slender neck was more heavy scarring all looking like it was still healing. Rubbing her head and eyes in pain, she went to grab her phone to check the time. The sharp blue light stabbed her dry eyes as the time screamed at her making her fumble the device…4:30 am.
"God dammit.", she mumbled.
Her quarters were smaller than average, more or less she was practically living in an attic, the small colony of Hoary bats in the far corner can confirm that. She looked at the walls that surrounded her, the rotting wood with patches of faded black and poorly covered-up rat holes. It felt like a musty coffin, choking out what air she had left in her lungs. Only a few art pieces of hers adjourned the walls, presenting emotions from the darkest corners of the psyche.
"A few more pieces could help cover up the holes.", she said as she did her stretches.
Mindfully.
What a degenerate college freshman can afford these days…an abandoned building.
Two weeks earlier
"I don't want to have to find you when you don't show up for work. So, here's a phone, it's a new model that my tech company has developed, you can text, call and listen to music of course. And here's some of the first week's pay, it should help with things as you start college.", said the owner as he handed her the phone and a rolled-up bundle of cash.
Looking at it with confusion and utter disbelief, she didn't know what to say.
"I expect you to work with initiative and to-oof!", he said right as she hugged him.
"Thank you!", she said as she backed away quickly. Slightly embarrassed by her sudden emotions.
"Well, I can understand not having things available to me. So, Ashka just let me know if you need anything, food, clothing, or just someone to talk to. Nari here is a great listener here as well, aren't you Nari?", he said with a big smile.
A small girl with odd green-colored skin, wearing an oversized hoodie, and a beanie with what looked like two large antlers protruding out appeared from behind the counter. Her face resembles a faun or some fairy creature of sorts.
"Ah, yes Douxie! I am a great listener.", Nari said in a gentle tone. Then she looked right up to Ashka and seemed slightly startled.
"Everything alright Nari?" Douxie asked as he went to touch her shoulder.
Nari blinked back into reality, "Ah, I'm sorry. Oh! I forgot I must check the um…the biscotti! Hope to see you at the café!"
Nari toddled off behind the kitchen doors.
"Hm, she was probably startled by the huge grizzly pelt that you are currently wearing…speaking of which…um…you can't wear that while working. Also, you need to clean up, if you want to work and fit in here. I mean you look cool and all, but I don't think customers want bear fur in their coffee."
"Understandable."
"Anyway, please let me know if you need anything. Your starting date is three weeks from now at about 8:30 am, we don't open until 11:00 am though. I want you to be there early so we can have a run down and whatnot. But also you need to clean up, if you want to work and fit in here.", Douixe reached to shake her hand.
She reached and shook in agreement.
"Fuzz buckets! I forgot I have to tell Jim about this! Gotta go, see you later if not then!" Douxie ran off in a jiff waving as he ran.
"These people are weird but nice I'd say.", whispering to herself walking in the opposite direction. Then she looked at the phone Douxie handed her, the brand said 'Avallonis'.
"Never heard of this brand…hmm, looks foreign."
Looking back, she realized that Nari girl looked quite…peculiar.
"Hmm, I wonder what she was cosplaying as…well it is Ren Fest season. Oh! I'm gonna see if I can get a day off for it.", she said to herself with a small smile as she walked to the window.
"I didn't tell them that I would be staying here to save money…gotta figure out how to get clean though.", she said as she grabbed hold of the wooden board on the window seal.
Her only window was nailed shut with wood panels instead of clear glass. A small dormer window, what little bit of a view it could provide.
"Oh, it'll be fine. As long as nothing bad happens, and I make it to work and classes on time.", she shrugged, and with a loud crack and pop the icy air spilled through into her room.
A smile crept upon her face showing her partly fanged canines as she felt the early hour atmosphere and white moonlight on her skin.
"I love autumn, the crisp air, longer nights, and Samhain.", she said this as the condensation crept out of her wide snake bite pierced lips like smoke from a sleepy furnace.
Going through some of the old cardboard boxes in the corner of her room she dug out a large black shirt riddled with holes, worn black skinny jeans that were also riddled with more holes, fishnet stockings, black socks, a large black hoodie, and a large bear fur shoulder pelt. Laying the clothing on the bed she went to grab her black knock-off Converse, worn from time and use. Severe use as they were duct-taped together, and the laces were missing.
"I seriously need new clothing, but at least my bear skin cloak is still holding up.", sighing to herself looking at the head of the most terrifying grizzly bear that laid on the pile of tattered blankets you can imagine. The size of the cloak easily swallows her up, the arms of the beast wrap themselves around her three times.
Then something hit her thoughts as she was about to change, "I just gave the world a free ticket to a show by ripping the panel off…damn it! THINK! Well, at least it's still nighttime…kinda. I'll have to get curtains or something to block that out soon. I don't want anyone to know I'm squatting…ugh, I hate the way it sounds."
Putting the clothing on with eagerness and almost tripping from her pants, she got everything on. She took a few steps in front of her to her small wooden drop-leaf table that looked like it was picked out from the side of the road.
There laid two individual grizzly bear teeth earrings, a necklace made up of bear claws and two large iron wolf head cloak clasps, putting the earrings in and the necklace on she looked at the clasps and next to them was a medium-sized brown leather journal. The journal itself was quite unusual, as it had a golden symbol with a light bluish glow to it. Letting out a deep breath she grabbed them and quickly put them in her bag and attached the clasps to the bear fur.
"No running water, no toilet nor a bathroom in general. Will have to make do with the gas station's restroom. Thankfully there is still electricity running through the building…it could shut off soon…or worse someone could come back.", she gasped.
She just shrugged, "Welp, there's a nice bridge on the other side of town I saw."
Then she remembered what Douixe said a couple of weeks ago, she shook her head.
"I shouldn't bother them about my problems. It never turns out well anyway."
She suddenly took a deep breath.
Before climbing out of the attic, she made sure she had everything. Her bag, sketchbook, travel toothbrush and toothpaste, phone, black headphones, and her journal. Going over to the scuttle door to make sure it can't be opened from the outside and sauntering over to the window she sat on the edge resting her feet underneath the dormer.
"Nice, quiet, and dark.", she smirked.
Then she slowly slid down and hopped over to the front porch and stopped at the eave. Then without warning, she jumped down with grace like a cat as her bear cloak made her look like an assassin but as she landed her ankle suddenly gave out.
"Ah, shit…ow…fuck, next time let's just use the column and slide down. God, I feel like it's gonna be a crappy day.", said as she winced in slight discomfort.
Her current residence was on the edge of Arcadia Woods, near Serria Madre Debris Basin. No real roads or lights in sight till you hit about 2 klicks due to the Southeast.
Her aches and pains were quickly pushed away as a deep howl echoed into the night. Sending a rush up her spine, freezing her in place. Looking into the wooded area around her trying to see what was out there. Suddenly fiery white glowing eyes appeared in the dark a little over hip height.
Her body tensed up, not knowing what was staring back at her.
"Uhhhhh…", she said with a nervous smile with her skin feeling slightly clammy. Her heart began to race until it came into the light of the streetlamp as a large grey wolf, looking at her intently.
"Oh, okay. Just a lone wolf, pretty but intimidating. You've dealt with worse, and wolves are chill.", she said as the wolf kept walking but still watched her.
"Wonder why you didn't have a pack with you…must be by himself, like me. I hope you find yours though. I feel just fine by myself", she sighed.
Suddenly she swore she heard the wolf scoff at her remark. Then she sees him climbing up the ridge, his silhouette crisp in the autumn sky. He howled again, seeing his breath reach out into the moonlight. As she shook off what emotion she was feeling as she felt the icy air burning her skin and turning her face red.
"Oof, this air seems a little chiller than I anticipated.", she said as she pulled her headphones out of her pockets. She pulled the hood of the bear cloak over, the grizzly's face obscuring hers dramatically.
As she connected them to her phone she scrolled through her history, "Let's change this up a bit, perhaps some metal…hmmm…. this sounds good." Letting the music blare out from her ears letting the world feel her emotions that she truly wasn't aware of.
"I'm taking a stand for the dead, to a nation that's blind
Through a youth gone mad
From you shameless, fucked lobotomized whores"
"This time we never let them win
The voices of my father's blood, my ancestors are guiding the way"
This was her first fall season in an environment she was unfamiliar with, a place with structure, a place where no one knows who she is…. Arcadia University to be exact. With the help of her new manager, she got in with some good scholarships.
You would think that perhaps she would be nervous?
Scared, perhaps?
Yes, but it was overridden by a sense of change. A sense that gave her peace and freedom from what resides back at the dwelling of darkness and dread, her past.
"Di-yos-vhi Do-hi-yi
The lies of the treaties
Di-yos-vhi Do-hi-yi"
"The oath is a lie
Damnation is the price for blanket genocide
Oppression is the language of our history"
"I hope this will be an easy fresh start. Maybe try to make friends?", she said as she jumped in and out of the streetlights.
"Ugh, I'd rather eat garbage again.", she grumbled under her frigid breath.
Tightening the fur of her cloak around her face to block out the nipping air or perhaps the thought of meeting people who only care about themselves.
"Wa-Ya-Ni-Ga-We!
Yutta Hey! Yutta Hey!
Wa-Ya-Ni-Ga-We!
Yutta Hey! Yutta Hey!
Wa-Ya-Ni-Ga-We!
Yutta Hey! Yutta Hey!"
She was at least two hours ahead of schedule, looking at the still very dark sky as it twinkled with stars.
"Oh, there's Cassiopeia, Cetus…and Auriga.", she mumbled to herself as she looked at the autumn night sky.
The music changed to Eivor, she felt the sudden urge to sing along. She felt herself sparking up to the enchanting voice, she always loved to sing and move to music. But she normally kept it to herself, afraid of people judging her and since she was alone she decided to let it go. Moving her arms with the wind as it snakes around her body, not caring about anything besides the music and not tripping of course. The music changed tempo and when she swung her body around she caught a glimpse of blue and stopped moving.
"Hello?", she asked looking around for anything.
She turned around for a second, then shouted "Mám ťa!" (Got ya!) as she quickly turned back around as if to catch whatever it was off guard.
Nothing.
She shrugged and continued to sing, walking further to her destination. Realizing that her headache had gone down slightly from the cold she decided to help it further along with the much-needed caffeine. Going around a corner she sees a gas station lighting up the mist around it.
"Ah, thank you!", she said as she closed her eyes and clasped her cold hands together.
As she walked closer, she could see what was inside, all the snacks, treats, drinks, and tacky gas station novelties. Going in she pulls down the bear head and sees the cashier in the corner of her eye. A medium-built man, with a long greyish beard wearing a puffy dark blue jacket hemmed with black. His hands wear worn fingerless coal-colored gloves, watching her closely.
"Weird-looking dude to be working at a gas station.", she thought to herself as she walked into the public bathroom.
After brushing her teeth, she went over to the coffee station.
"Hmm…I feel like… a warm black coffee… a big one at that."
Grabbing the large can she walked over to the register to pay for the drink.
"Quite an unusual character like you in these parts. Yet the characters themselves are also quite abnormal.", the cashier said as he glanced at her bear claw necklace. His eyes furrowed when he saw the look in her eyes.
She looked at the old man with an expression that could easily get her into trouble. Noticing that his left eye was glazed over with possible cataracts. His skin was old and shriveled from wear and tear of time and weather. It annoyed her that his eye was also damaged just like hers for some reason, she felt like she should punch the old man in the face.
"God, you have a punchable face.", she thought to herself.
Taking her buds out, she didn't change her expression but responded in a polite tone, "And you look awfully old to be working in general, sir. I would like to buy this. Thank you."
The old man looked at her with a face of curiosity and let out a small chuckle, "You heard me from all that racket blasting in your ears? And you can call me Mr. Wodan, young lady."
"I've learned to read lips over the years. Thanks.", she said bluntly.
She quickly handed him the money to pay for her drink, but the cashier swayed his hand away. "It's on me today, you're going to need all the energy you can get today. Trust me.", he said in a weird tone.
She looked at him in confusion but shrugged away.
"Um, okay. Have a nice day.", she said as she grabbed her drink and left the store.
"Tsk, calling me old? But dear, what runs through your veins is far older than the stars, something like you shouldn't still be alive…isn't that right Huginn and Muninn?", a large black two-headed raven appeared on his shoulder out of black smoke. Both heads gwahing in response, he pointed with his weathered hand towards where the girl left. The raven separated into two bodies, Huginn and Muninn both flew off and phased through the glass window.
"I should head back to the tree…there's someone I need to discuss things with, and perhaps take a trip downstairs.", Mr. Wodan said in a baleful tone.
Vanishing in a plume of black fog as the real cashier came out from the bathroom.
Trotting out of the store she took some inhuman gulps of the hot liquid as if she were dying of thirst, then winced at the sudden burning sensation on her tongue.
"Ach!", she said as she wiped away a few stray drops from her chin as she felt the warmth of the drink go down her spine. She kept walking and drinking her way to the campus, but a mere halfway there a sudden crashing sound of rocks and glass broke the silence of the morning and caused her to choke, dropping the cup.
"What the fuck!?" she yelped out between breaths as she banged on her chest. Loud sounds came from the southeast of her around the corner of a building. Sounding like as if a large tiger was fighting a…a laughing Swedish man? The sounds of hearty laughter and animalistic roars of anger echoed through the town. Then a voice that seemed human followed suit from within the snarling.
"What the fuck is going on?!" she shouted with heavy concern.
Jumping behind the wall and peering around the corner to see what was happening.
Thinking that her eyes were deceiving her or that something was wrong with her drink.
A large beast, the size of a truck, made from what seemed to be ice and rock was fighting what looked to be human but not. The creature he was fighting was deep blue, covered in tons of light blue which looked like cracks, especially one across his face. He also was covered in what seemed to be onyx-colored armor with ruby accents but seemed to be pulsating with molten rock or possible anger. His long lion-like blue tail whipped around with his ferocity, and his large sharp teeth and orc-like tusks flashed at his very large opponent. His feet resembled large lion paws, the black claws dug into the earth. His blackish-blue wavy mane-like hair danced in the blizzard breeze that surrounded them.
He carried two swords of different lengths and styles, the one he wielded seemingly large enough to cut a truck in half. They both had horns but in size difference and color, the blue one had horns that looked like they were made of black opal and curved like an impala but thicker and heavier. The bigger icier one had antlers more than horns that resembled a moose, or perhaps an elk, laced with lichen and other plant outgrowths that went down forming a long beard gently frosted with ice.
He resembled a mountain almost with not just his sheer size but his features as well. The smaller one looked more like an angry wild beast, but the big one seemed to be enjoying himself slightly even though the smaller one surprisingly had him severely cumbered.
The big creature bellowed after brushing off his arm that was covered in shattered ice, then went at the smaller one again. She couldn't fully pick up what he was saying, but despite that, the large creature had a thick European accent that reminded her of a Viking.
Especially with the sheer excitement over the battle.
The small one roared and snarled, seeming to have the upper hand in ferocity as he was holding a battle-worn sword that matched his scratched-up armor.
"ČO SÚ TIETO VECI DO SAKRA?! (WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE THINGS?!)", she shouted as the small one's roars scared her and shook the ground.
Suddenly, the big guy sat down shaking the earth even more. Almost causing her to fall over, "Geeze! How heavy is this big guy? Wait, the other guy didn't even flinch!", she whispered to herself as she watched the scene unfold.
The smaller one growled baring his teeth as he held his fighting stance, even though the bigger one was relaxed.
"Geeze, why is he so angry?", mumbled to herself. But his anger and ferocity struck her as beautiful as the untamed wilderness. The snow and ice falling around him highlights his ethereal self, it is beyond enchanting. His eyes flickered bright red like roses amongst the white.
She began to creep closer to them but still tried to stay hidden. Suddenly, their conversation became more clear.
The small one stopped moving and looked like a mix of irritation and sheer distress, "Son of a…what…what do you mean nine realms? And what is a Jötnar?", the angry blue one asked in confusion but still holding his position.
"Jötnar means giant, we're a separate branch of species of troll. Bigger and hardier with a touch of Æsir like qualities, but without the heartlessness, no?", the big guy said as he gestured towards his left. She only heard angry muffled shouts from where the big one pointed she couldn't see, yet she tried to get closer but changed her mind. Knowing that it would be a bad idea.
"Oh, hush! You're clearly unharmed, gorounor ushrolrag! (young troll)", the big guy shouted.
"Gorounor ushrolrag? What kind of language is that?", she said as the words twisted her tongue.
"Thurhzag duruth gorotu gulere? (Why are you here?)", the angry blue one asked with ferocity.
"What the?", she began to feel confused as the new language sounded like she was having a stroke.
The Jotnar sighed and his tone changed dramatically, "Something is coming for you, and your world."
"What are you talking about? My friends and I've defeated Bular, Gunmar, Morgana, and the Arcane Order. What else is there?", the angry blue one asked as he still held his sword at the giant, unsure of what to do.
"I don't think I should be eavesdropping on this convo, I need to leave," she said but suddenly an invisible force pushed down on her shoulders and her mouth clamped shut. Her eyes got big as she glanced over to the big guy to see him side-eyeing her with a smirk, the angry blue one tried to see what he was looking at but turned back to the Jotnar facing him.
"Urm…what?", she thought as her head began to spin.
She couldn't move or say anything, only to breathe, blink and listen. She started to freak out, trying to wiggle free.
"Calm, young thurolir (wolf).", a heavy voice echoed in her ears.
"Thurolir?", she said but her attention was drawn back to the conversation between the other two.
"The young Trollhunters defeated the Arcane Order, yes…but did you ever destroy the roots?", the Jotnar said as he made a long churchwarden pipe out of ice, lighting it with magic he started to smoke.
"Trollhunters?", she thought to herself.
The angry blue one looked at him confused, "Explain Ivar."
"So the big guy's name is Ivar?"
Letting out a puff and a sigh he continued to explain, "When you kill a weed do you pull out just the plant or the entirety of said weed?"
The angry blue one looked down thinking then his eyes got big, "The...the entire plant because it'll grow back from the root system."
"Atherciselzag (Precisely), young Trollhunter. Something far more powerful than you can imagine, strong enough to destroy the very existence of life is coming.", Ivar exclaimed as he clenched his fist as he let out a big puff.
"What? There's no way something like that would exist. Blinky would've told me that or I would've read it in the troll texts.", the Trollhunter said as he took a step back and lowered his sword in disbelief.
"Aye, young Trollhunter…I came from the realm of Jotunheim, the gate of giants if you may. I came here to warn you. But as for the force of great destruction, it was birthed from Ginnungagap. From the depths of the shadow realm's bosom, it brings rot, decay, and utter chaos. It was already there before the stars.", Ivar spoke with seriousness and a dash of fear.
Ashka looked at his eyes, they were full of uncertainty and terror. "Ginnungagap? Shadow realm…this sounds serious. Almost terrifying.", thought to herself as she ate every word he said like it was a really good book.
Suddenly a high-pitched ringing raped her ears, a screaming voice interrupted her thoughts, "Gio uyx wxudt di xbxygisx! gio dyxultxyioz rxuzd! Xy naqq sid uqqin zolt u lyxudoyx di qabx! zxx gio ziis kodd! (You are death to everyone! You treacherous beast! I will not allow such a creature to live! See you soon mutt!)"
The violent voice and ringing stopped but left her ears bleeding a little. She missed part of the conversation between the two trolls, but that was the least of her worries at the moment. Despite the ringing disappearing, she was partly deaf for the first half leaving her only guessing what they were saying. Despite the cold freezing air, she was sweating as beads of salty moisture dripped from her brow.
"What the hell is going on, god my head hurts so much worse now.", she said but the headache that was forming began to disappear as soft gentle coolness enveloped her crown.
"Young one, I know you are baffled by all of this. But you must listen and focus, do not doubt yourself. You are far more powerful than I, trust those who are pure of heart. You must join the Trollhunters!", a loud but warm voice echoed in her head.
"Ugh! What? Were you the one that talked to me a minute ago?", she asked the voice as she started to get herself together.
"No…it is I, Ivar. Who spoke to you?"
"It sounded harsh, but I couldn't understand it. It was a loud ringing then incomprehensible shouting in a language that sounded like gibberish. What's going on?"
"I can't say much, but you must keep that knowledge to yourself until the time is right."
"Wait! What do you mean?"
No answer.
"I am aware you are missing an important member of your party. I've heard she fought courageously against the Order and defeated them with a fire still burning in her.", Ivar said with grief and compassion towards the Trollhunter.
"So, he lost someone dear to him too? This Trollhunter…he seems to be hurting internally. His voice seems familiar, and it's laced with grief and guilt. Ivar said that I must join them…who are they? Are there more of these guys? I'm not sure if I would be any help, I'm just a human for one, but besides that I-", Ashka thought to herself until Ivar cut her off.
"My dear, you are much more than that. Don't let your past cloud your judgment upon yourself. I know it is painful and scary, but my dear little thurolir…a sword does not just go through the forge to melt. It purifies and sharpens with every powerful hit the great blacksmith makes. You will walk down a path with great sorrow, and great betrayal but as well as great love and great fulfillment. And you will not be alone no more.", Ivar echoed into her mind.
"Wait, what do I do?", she spoke back to him.
Her body pulsating with fear and excitement, her mind spinning with confusion. She looked at her hands, thinking of the past she closed her eyes and fist tightly.
"Follow your ᚺᛖᚨᚱᛏ ᛊᛏᛟᚾᛖ (heart stone).", he said to her.
Despite her not understanding what he said the words he spoke engraved into her consciousness like flames burning into metal. She quickly but quietly pulled out her sketch pad and wrote down the runes she saw.
"I need to figure out what he said, I don't understand why he just didn't outright say it. Maybe it was for my own protection? I dunno-", suddenly she was cut off guard by the sound of the Trollhunter's sword clanking on the cement.
Seeing the great Ivar transforming into powdered snow and being blown away by the autumn winds as the sun shone through boggled her mind despite already being overwhelmed.
"What the hell did I just miss?!", she shouted in frustration, grabbing her hair like a crazed crackhead.
Realizing that she only had 50 minutes to get to school or the classrooms would start to get too packed, she had to get herself situated. She felt the force that kept her down release, she gathered her things quickly.
"Okay, so…you can't figure out what happened or why Ivar did this funky magic mind telepathy thing on you, but you need to find this Trollhunter guy and make him explain what exactly is going on. Because this seems far more serious than what you can handle, but first we need to get to school!", telling herself this with determination she started to sprint towards the school with full speed.