Ascension

ch 43

The aftermath of the battle in the underworld left a fragile peace, but darkness was never truly vanquished. In a realm far removed from the domain of Hades, another threat began to stir—Nanna, a malevolent deity driven by a desire for absolute power, turned her gaze toward the Norse pantheon. One by one, she hunted them down with relentless precision. She wished to have their powers to aid her in the future fight with heaven.

The majestic halls of Asgard, once filled with the laughter and valor of gods, fell silent as the gods fell. Freyja, and Balder, were swept away in the tide of destruction, leaving only ruins in their wake.

The once mighty Norse pantheon was reduced to a solitary figure—Loki, the trickster. Known for his cunning and deceit, Loki had always walked a fine line between ally and adversary to the gods. Now, with his brethren slain and Asgard in ruins, he stood alone, the last vestige of a fallen pantheon.

Loki roamed the desolate landscape of Asgard, his heart heavy with a mix of grief and rage. The sky was overcast, and the air felt thick with the residue of Nanna's malevolence. He knew she would come for him next, and unlike the others, he would not face her with brute strength or ancient wisdom. He would use the only weapon left at his disposal: his mind.

In the shadows of a broken hall, Loki began to weave his plan. He knew that Nanna's power, though immense, was not without its vulnerabilities. She thrived on fear and chaos, feeding on the despair of her victims. If he could disrupt her source of power, he might stand a chance.

From the depths of his cunning, Loki devised a strategy to draw Nanna into a trap. He sent out illusions and whispers, planting false leads and spreading misinformation. He crafted a tale of a powerful artifact hidden deep within the roots of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, capable of amplifying any deity's power a thousandfold.

Nanna, drawn by the promise of even greater power, fell for the ruse. She descended upon the roots of Yggdrasil, her dark magic tearing through the realms in search of the artifact. But instead of finding an object of immense power, she found Loki waiting for her, his form shifting and flickering as he manipulated the very fabric of reality around them.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Loki's voice echoed through the mist, his laughter a haunting melody. "You've underestimated me, Nanna. And that will be your downfall."

Nanna snarled, her eyes glowing with dark fire. "You think your tricks can save you, Loki? You will join the others in oblivion!"

With a wave of her hand, she unleashed a torrent of dark energy, but Loki was ready. He had spent centuries mastering the art of illusion and misdirection. He split into multiple copies, each one taunting and baiting Nanna, leading her deeper into the labyrinth of his making.

As Nanna grew increasingly frustrated, her attacks became more erratic, her focus slipping. Loki seized the opportunity, channeling the chaos she created back at her. The illusions began to warp and twist, reflecting her own dark energy until it rebounded upon her.

Realizing too late that she had been ensnared, Nanna let out a scream of rage. Loki, with a final flourish of his hand, shattered the remaining illusions, revealing the true nature of his trap. Nanna found herself bound by chains forged from her own magic, her power turned against her.

"You sought to destroy the Norse gods," Loki said, stepping forward with a cold smile. "But you forgot that I am not just a god—I am a survivor, a trickster, and a master of chaos."

With a final incantation, Loki sealed Nanna within a prison of her own making, her dark magic contained and rendered impotent. The threat of Nanna was neutralized, but the victory was bittersweet. Loki stood alone amidst the ruins of Asgard, the weight of his survival heavy on his shoulders.

He walked through the empty halls, memories of the past echoing in the silence. Though he had won, the cost was great. The Norse pantheon was gone, leaving him as the last remnant of a bygone era. And so, the trickster became the unexpected hero, the last god of Asgard, carrying the memory of his pantheon into the future. He knew the other Sumerians needed to be stopped

However his own interests came first. He would seek out Eve and begin to woe her. She refused him once, but he came on a little too strong. He needed to gain her trust and pull out all his romantic tactics.