Tyr x Reader

Twenty-Two

Still terrified, you sat on the floor of your cage and stared at your shaking arms.

Blue stone out from shredded pieces. The human skin was torn off, rough and without any care. It didn't bleed yet it felt like an open wound.

Everything burned. It seemed as if an invisible fire raged on your body and refused to let blood flow. Your agony was left unseen.

The Allfather had torn your human disguise to shreds as if it were nothing but clothes that hid your body underneath. Your entire body was disfigured and your were incapable of going back or forth.

It made your insides twist and turn. The urge to throw up scratched in your throat.

And you weren't even able to look away. All you could do was stare at this suffering body of yours, a prison once more. It had been strange before but now it had turned into a curse.

You wished you'd be able to shed it entirely and return to the being you once were. You longed for what you had been born with.

But the ancient magic of your people refused. You couldn't restore the human body. Neither did it fade as you silently begged for it.

It hurt. Everything hurt.

In that moment if seemed to you that dying would have been easier.

"Now, don't look so gloomy.", the lazy voice of Odin cut through the mess of your mind. "It's merely an injury. I've seen giants change their appearance. You'll live."

Tears gathered in the corners of your eyes.

Tears of anger.

Tears of desperation.

"You don't know what you are talking about...", you pressed out between clenched teeth and forced yourself to your feet to face him with despise. "You don't know the giants. All you knew was that they had knowledge that you wanted."

Odin raised a finger as if he was about to lecture a child.

"I offered your people peace.", he said, so confident, so sure of himself. "They declined."

"You wanted to take but didn't offer anything to give."

"So what? The giants were such upright people.", he shrugged. "They offered everything to anyone without asking for anything in return. But they denied me? The Allfather?"

Tired, your eyes lowered and you let yourself fall to your knees. Your head fell forward against the cool bars of the cage.

It gave you a moment of comfort. But soon enough the torturous headache retuned. It was as if a thousand needles were stuck inside your head.

"You are but a joke...", you whispered in a weak voice. "King of all, you are called. And yet... A fool. No one but a fool..."

Tired, you let your eyes fall shut and listened as his breathing started to change. He was upset, insulted, most likely. However it wasn't all that hard to make Odin feel insulted.

"I am trying to achieve more!", he hissed as he approached the cage. "I am trying to make everything last forever."

A soft huff escaped you.

"You fear fate. How strange. I always thought as one as mighty as you there is nothing to fear."

"I don't fear!", his voice thundered through the cave.

"And yet here you are, desperately trying to get something out of me to escape death."

Your eyes opened a crack wide and there he was.

Odin.

How strangely old he looked, with his white hair, half bald. His beard was thick but also scratchy, so much less soft looking than Tyr's.

At the thought your lips flinched. What you would have given to see Tyr once last time. To taste his lips once more. To listen to the beating of his heart.

But instead there was the Allfather, so old, harsh. So little like a father but way more than a tyrant.

"So tell me...", you managed to gather enough strength and sit up straight to face him with as little weakness as possible. "Why want to live forever? You are the Allfather. You will not be forgotten."

Odin stopped. His eye wandered over you for a brief moment before he leaned back and a smile appeared on his old face.

Mockery.

"You just don't understand.", he shook his head in disbelief as if you were the one mad and not him. "Just like all the other giants. Perhaps this is a disease that is common with your people. Pah!"

Still unable to grasp a clear thought, you let your head fall back and took such a deep breath that your lungs felt like they were on fire once more.

Your head was hot. Not in the pleasant kind of way but like in a fever dream. Beads of sweat ran down your back, cold yet not soothing the pain that tortured your entire body.

If you wouldn't have known better you would have believed that every single one of your bones was shattered.

"Fate...", you mumbled. "No, the prophecy... It says that with your death all of the nine realms will fall into chaos. They will perish. And then, when your body is burned to ashes, your name forgotten, the realms will return."

"No. No, no, no, no. If I die, everything will be gone."

"So you killed everyone before they could find their end through your own death?", all of a sudden your head started to feel light, spinning.

Vomit crawled up your throat. You managed to fight it down but the taste of salt remained. You wanted to throw up but it wouldn't have been a good look.

You refused to show weakness in front of the Allfather. You didn't want to give him the satisfaction to see you broken.

"Like I said.", Odin rose to look down on you. "The giants had options. I made offerings. They refused."

"We believe in the balance of power. If things are meant to be, let them happen. What use is it to try and change them? In the end, the outcome will be the same."

Now it was him who had to huff with amusement.

"Is that why Tyr is trying to escape? Because he believes that it is his duty to fall in a battle against me?"

You froze.

Never before had you heard about this part of the prophecy.

"What..?", your voice was sore.

The smile on Odin's lips grew.

"Oh, you heard me. Tyr is destined to lead the giants to war against me. But if he tries to leave these realms how will he fulfil his duty in the game of fate? Your god is a coward."