The Frostians

Chapter 57

Chapter 57: The Warning of the Merciless

The news struck like lightning through the halls of Overland: Alysandra and Kaisir had been taken.

Kristian’s heart pounded in his chest as he stormed through the palace corridors, his face a mask of fury and fear. Every step was fueled by the terror of losing his family, the image of his wife and son locked away in the dungeons gnawing at his mind. His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword as he struggled to keep his composure, but the rage inside him was growing, threatening to consume him.

By his side, Mimir’s voice cut through the haze of Kristian’s thoughts. “We’ll find them, lad. Don’t let this twist your mind. Keep your wits sharp, or Vorja wins.”

Kristian nodded stiffly but said nothing. His eyes burned with anger, and the familiar coldness of his frost powers began to seep into the air around him. The temperature dropped with each step, the frost on his breath revealing the storm brewing within him.

Suddenly, without warning, a figure appeared at the end of the hall. The light shifted unnaturally as Odin, the All-Father, materialized before them, his one eye glowing with an unsettling calm. He was cloaked in his usual mystique, his spear Gungnir resting lightly in his hand, but there was something different about him this time. His expression was softer, almost as if he sought to soothe the raging fury of the man standing before him.

"Kristian," Odin began, his voice calm and steady. "We need not be enemies. I come not as a foe, but as a friend, offering peace. If you stand down now, the odds stacked against you will vanish. Let go of this anger, and you shall find that all who oppose you will fade into the background. Your wife, your son—they will be safe."

Kristian stopped dead in his tracks, his gaze locked onto Odin with unrelenting intensity. His jaw clenched, and the air around him crackled with energy, but his mind was sharp. He had faced gods before; he knew their games.

Mimir, still hanging at Kristian’s side, immediately snorted in disbelief. "Ha! Peace, is it? When have you ever offered peace without a dagger hidden in the other hand, Odin?"

Odin’s gaze flickered toward Mimir for only a moment before returning to Kristian. "I speak the truth. I have no need to wage war against you, Kristian. Vorja’s vendetta is his own, not mine. If you would simply step aside, allow him his revenge, your burden would be lifted. You could leave this kingdom behind and live in peace."

Kristian’s eyes narrowed, the frost on the stone floor beneath his boots thickening. His voice was low and deadly, filled with the weight of a man who had seen too much, done too much. “You dare speak of peace, Odin, while my wife and child are locked in chains? You expect me to believe that stepping aside will save them? No. I’ve seen what your promises are worth.”

Odin raised his hand slightly, as if to calm him. “Kristian, I know the darkness you’ve fought. You’ve carried more than any mortal should have to bear. But this path you’re on—if you continue, there will be no turning back.”

At this, Kristian stepped forward, his gaze unwavering, the frost swirling in the air around him. His voice, though quiet, was colder than the deepest winter. “You don’t understand, Odin. If anything happens to Alysandra or Kaisir—if even a single hair on their heads is harmed—there will be no negotiations. No bargains. You will meet the old Kristian.”

Odin’s expression faltered slightly at the mention of the "old Kristian," but he kept his composure.

“The old Kristian?” Odin asked, almost testing the waters. “The merciless warrior who knew no bounds?”

Kristian’s eyes flashed, and his voice dropped to a growl. “The one who killed without hesitation. The one who hunted down gods.”

The weight of his words hung in the air like a blade. Odin’s calm demeanor shifted, the flicker of discomfort betraying his usually impenetrable façade. He knew the stories of Kristian Frost, of the man who had once been consumed by rage and violence, a force that even the gods themselves feared. This was not a threat to take lightly.