The Eternal Valkyrie: War of the Realms (HTTYD fic)

Part 40

Chapter 39

Loki breathed a heavy sigh as he clutched Ragnarøkkr in his right hand. His left was still hurting and he was spattered with blood from his previous encounter. He stepped out of the Bifrost station onto Niflheim. There was nothing but cold frozen tundras around him and Loki idly wondered if this Realm was ever inhabited at all. With a crunch of snow under his boots he started walking in the direction of the Ice palace.

The cold winds nipped at Loki's body as he shivered while making his way. As a Jothun he should not be affected by the cold this much, but he was. The winds felt of scorn, hate and resentment and each chipped away at the warmth of his body. By the time Loki reached the palace he was trembling. The winds of Niflheim were never this biting, never this cruel. He had visited Hella here countless times and this never occurred. The only thing he could think of was that the Realm responded more to Ymir than they originally thought.

Ymir was lounging on the throne when Loki finally banged open the icy doors leading to the audience hall. His eyes were glaring at the woman who barely paid him any attention and her lover, Sutr, who was attending to her while glowering at Loki.

"Ah, the prodigal son returns," Ymir joked. Loki glared at her as he approached the throne. Sutr left his place next to Ymir and walked down to stand in front of Loki. The Trickster supposed he might be trying to be intimidating but it had less of an effect now that the Fire Giant was one armed.

"The bow," Sutr growled as he held out his left hand expectantly.

Loki glared at the Giant and stated "I promised to hand Ymir the bow, not you. So why don't you go back to being her lapdog and leave the talk to the grownups."

"HOW DARE YOU!" Sutr roared and clenched his hand in his fist while rearing back to strike Loki in the face.

"SUTR!" Ymir stopped him just as he was about to let loose. "We will be civilized." Ymir told her lover. "Besides, as soon as I gather the power for the spell, I will regrow your arm."

Sutr's face scrunched up. He wasn't very happy but he stepped aside anyway. Loki stepped closer to Ymir and held the bow out for her to take. She eagerly grasped it and then turned it around in her hand to inspect.

Ymir's hand glowed as she poured some Creation magic into it. Loki watched the bow react with a worried glance. When she stopped pouring magic into it she seemed satisfied. "Come," Ymir ordered as she stood up from her throne. Both Loki and Sutr had no other choice but to follow behind her.

The woman led both Sutr and Loki to a high balcony that overlooked the whole tundra. In the distance Loki sensed ripples in space and time. Sutr seemed to sense it too and the Fire Giant spoke up first "You didn't close the Bifrost,"

"I did not," Ymir confirmed as portals started opening on the horizon.

"But they will come!" Sutr argued.

"LET THEM COME!" Ymir roared. "Let them all come! All they will face is death! The Great Frost has already started!"

"The Great Frost?!" Loki's eyes widened as he remembered Skuld's prophecy. "The fimbulvetr," He near whispered. To the Asgardians it meant the Great Winter. A winter so terrible that it would freeze a person to its core.

"I will return the Realms to their Primordial state," Ymir announced. "Let the armies of the Realms oppose their Creator!" She shouted. "Now that I have Ragnarøkkr no one stands as my equal!"

"Do not forget our deal," Loki took a step forward but halted as Ymir pinned him with just a glance. Her power was now more apparent than ever as her icy magic decided to come out and play.

"I am a woman of my word," Ymir stated. "I once offered you a place at my side but you declined." She held her hands clasped behind her back as her red eyes observed Loki. "I was not lying when I offered that. Then I realized something,"

"What?" Loki asked as he stood warily before her. Ymir seemed to brim with magic and in Loki's eyes that made her dangerous.

"The Jothuns that I created are no more," Ymir stated. "Their descendants do nothing more than cower in the face of the other races. THEY WERE MADE IN MY IMAGE AND THIS IS WHAT EONS HAVE REDUCED THEM TO!" Ymir growled as her magic spiked. "MY ELITE TROOPS HAVE TURNED INTO NOTHING BUT TRASH NOW!"

Loki took a step back as Ymir breathed heavily as she was trying to get her rage under control. She then turned to look at Loki with a creepy smile "I've decided. The Jothuns will face the same end as all the others. When the world is reset, then I will create a new race that will serve only me or die,"

"You're crazy," Loki whispered.

"Don't worry little Jothun mage," Ymir smiled. "I said I am a woman of my word and I meant it," She then walked closer to Loki and put her hand on his shoulder in an almost intimate gesture. She leaned forward until she was close to his ear. With her overwhelming magical power crackling in the area Loki was paralyzed. "Your brother will be spared, as per our agreement," She said in a sweet voice that felt so contrasted with her vindictive image. "You on the other hand little Jothun," Ymir whispered as she drove a large icicle spear into Loki's abdomen. Loki's breath hitched as he felt the stab and his warm blood flowing out. He coughed, suddenly finding it hard to breathe "I promised no such thing," She whispered as she threw Loki off the ledge of the balcony.

As Loki was falling he remembered the first verse of Skuld's prophecy. She had looked at him, especially when she recited it:

Hear me now and face thy fate

The fimbulvetr shall come with blinding haste

Mortals and Gods both shall suffer this

The ground painted red is her final wish

As Loki fell, multiple Bifrost portals were opening. He guessed that the Realms' armies would have to face the same harsh winter he walked through to get to the palace. Loki closed his eyes, his fate was already sealed as his body would paint the ice red and start the war of the Realms.