Death's Desire (Pilot)

Chapter III: Shattered Prophecy.

Barbara found herself in an unexpected location. This place has nothing in common with Midgard. She was not sure what realms or Midgard were, but she felt like she had seen this location before. She was perplexed and terrified. She recognized her light was fading due to her lack of faith in her dagger. Her surroundings brightened as she said "Lúmískar." She heard a laugher that she had not expected to hear. She overheard a voice say

"Cease."

Barabara felt disoriented, lost her power, and fell to the ground, her light suddenly gone out.

"Heck, are you?" She said to the person who was not a human being.

The darkness of these lands has suddenly penetrated Barbara's heart. She felt dizzier, but also stronger.

"What are you and what did you do to me?"

She asked calmly yet it was obvious she was afraid since her voice was shaky. The creature in the shadow began to speak.

"Anger is all I am! Cruelty! Vengeance! I give you, my blessing! My knight of choice! I have bestowed immortality onto you! So, you can usher in a new dark age for the scourge. Consider the realms beyond our own. While Hel rushes to ruin my effort, light's hope stands boldly against us, a scar on these plague lands. They must all pay the price for their disobedience; you will become my resistance force, and where you go, doom will form. With this rune, you can now claim your destiny." As he said it, he gives a Barbara ancient rune that this land has never seen.

"Your wish is my command." The gloom in her heart influenced her. She has absolutely ceased thinking. She was no different than a machine.

She was suddenly transformed into gold dust and dragged away.

"No, you cannot leave now!" cried the shadow, who was clutching her tightly. "You have a responsibility here. THE RUNE GIVE IT BACK!"

Barbara awakens in a warm, cosy bed, seeing Hel. He seemed disappointed.

"How much have you heard?" Barbara mentioned

Hel said, "More than enough."

Barbara tried to explain herself by saying "Hel I didn't mean those I was under control of something I don't even kn-"

"Do not even bother. I am impressed from your loyalty. It glorifies me." said Hel sarcastically.

"Hel come on don't give that attitud-"

"Know your place mortal! You are talking to a god, not a mere human."

"Fine! At least tell me what that was."

"You have no clue what you have brought about. Think Barbara! Think! What good would immortality do you?"

"What is wrong with it? Are you mad cause you cannot take my soul? Well too bad!"

"Ragnarök is the result of your actions! Do you know how you become immortal?!"

"No and why would I care about so-called Ragnarök?"

"It is the end of us. ᛒᚬᛚᛏᚱ 's death sets in motion Ragnarök, the terrible catastrophe prophesied to bring about the end of the world. ᛚᚬᚲᛁ was supposed to plan ᛒᚬᛚᛏᚱ 's death after discovering that he was immune to most threats due to his mother ᚠᚱᛅᛁᛅ collecting oaths from everything not to kill him. She was going to ignore mistletoe, assuming it is safe. ᛚᚬᚲᛁ  will take advantage of this oversight and create a mistletoe dart, which he will mislead the blind god ᚼᚬᚦᛦ into launching at ᛒᚬᛚᛏᚱ. The dart was going to penetrate ᛒᚬᛚᛏᚱ, killing him. His death was going to cause chaos in our world, and its importance rests in the breakdown of natural order as well as the loss of innocence and light in the divine realm. But now ᛒᚬᛚᛏᚱ is dead these will not happen! You have broken the prophecy! Ragnarök will just start without the signs happening which was going to buy us time to find a solution! Look it already started to snow!"

Barbara was taken aback by the gravity of Hel's comments. She had not anticipated the disastrous implications of her conduct. Panic began to set in when she noticed the snow falling outside, realising it was a bad portent, heralding the impending arrival of Ragnarök.

"I did not intend for this to happen! I had no idea!" Barbara exclaimed, her voice full of remorse and misery.

Although disappointed, Hel softened slightly when she saw the seriousness of the situation.

"It makes no difference whether you knew or not. The harm has been done. Ragnarök has already begun, hastened by the disturbance of fate and predictions."

Barbara's mind raced as she considered the destruction she had inadvertently unleashed. "Can't we put a stop to it?" Is there anything we can do?"

Hel's expression was grave. "The fated threads have been severed, and the prophecy has been broken. We must now confront the repercussions and brace ourselves for the unavoidable."

The ground under them began to quiver as they talked, and distant thunder reverberated, foreshadowing the approaching disaster. Hel rose to his feet, his demeanour changing to that of preparedness and readiness.

"We need to prepare. The end of times is approaching, and every being will have to face their fate," Hel stated, his voice firm yet tinged with sadness.

Barbara was overwhelmed by regret as she realised the gravity of her unexpected part in this catastrophic scenario. She decided to do everything she could to make apologies, even if it was too late to prevent the disaster.

As the world outside darkened, heralding the arrival of Ragnarök, Barbara and Hel stood side by side, confronting the approaching disaster together, knowing they were bound together in a fate neither could change. The roaring winds and thundering clouds engulfed them, spreading an ominous shadow over the rest of the earth. Barbara and Hel sat in gloomy stillness as the first signs of Ragnarök appeared.

Hel looked at Barbara, her eyes a mix of resolve and acceptance. "Be prepared, Barbara. This is the start of the end, a conflict from which even gods cannot escape."

Barbara nodded, her pulse pounding with the weight of the approaching disaster. She felt a mixture of fear and resolve as she realised, she would have to face the repercussions of her unintentional acts.

Hel extended her hand to Barbara, providing a moment of reassurance as the heavens darkened and the ground trembled fiercely.

"Remember that even in the darkest of times, hope can still exist. You must look within yourself for that light."

Barbara grasped Hel's hand in hers with a grateful nod, ready herself for the unknown horrors that awaited them. They took a stride forward as a couple, ready to face the turmoil of Ragnarök, oblivious to the obstacles and trials that lied ahead. They stood firm as the world descended into the turmoil of the predicted apocalypse; their fates entwined in the imminent fight for survival.