3 | 𝐃𝐎𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐃 ▹ LOKI LAUFEYSON

viii. the twilight

A M O R A

As soon as the light of the Bifrost faded, Amora stalked through the forest of Yggdrasil until she reached the great tree and the witches that were gathered near it. They did not seem particularly concerned or troubled by her attitude as she approached. Verdandi had probably seen her coming back.

"Loki is masquerading as Odin," Amora said, fuming.

Skuld raised an eyebrow. "And we're supposed to act as though we didn't know that already?"

"Why did you let him stay on the throne?"

"Because we do not involve ourselves or interfere in others' fates," Verdandi said, "We don't have any attachments to these people."

"And we were hoping that his rule would send Asgard into a downward spiral," Skuld added with a shrug, "He turned out to be a better leader than we had expected."

Amora pursed her lips and nodded, but then her brow furrowed and her gaze snapped back to Skuld. "You want Asgard to fall? Why?"

"Asgard has been a proud nation for centuries. It's time for it to be...humbled."

Amora's stomach clenched. "Humbled how?"

Skuld motioned a hand back to the Yggdrasil tree. Countless runes on its trunk glittered with a dark light while others remained dormant.

"Ragnarok. The Twilight of the Gods."

Urd moved toward the tree, a smile on her face. "This is something that we have been preparing for centuries. Only with the fall of the old universe can a new one rise."

Verdandi turned to Amora and placed a hand on her arm. "You must understand, Amora. This is what's best."

"No." Amora jerked her arm away, making the Norn frown. "I don't. This is cruel."

"Fate is neither caring nor cruel," Skuld spoke, "It can not be changed. It can not be appeased. It can not be reasoned with."

Amora looked up at the dark, glowing runes. "Are all of these people marked to die?" she asked, her voice strained.

"Yes," Urd said simply.

"This..." Amora shook her head. "This is dark magic."

Skuld scoffed. "There is no dark magic. Only magic that is too much for small minds to accept."

Amora looked back up at the runes, and she pursed her lips. "That looks like more than Asgard."

"It is." Urd nodded. "Asgard will fall, and the others will follow."

Verdandi offered a muted smile. "It's not out of malice that we do this, Amora. It must be done."

"When Asgard lost their Executioner and their Valkyrie"—Urd's words made Skuld glance down to the ground—"they turned from their gruesome conquests and began a benevolent reign over the Nine Realms."

Amora opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her eyes flitted between the three Norns. She had spent years with these women, but their was no sign of sympathy in their gazes. They did not understand.

She turned to Skuld. "Please." Her voice cracked. "Have mercy."

"Mercy?" Skuld's eyes narrowed. "Is that what you ask of me? As though it is free? I balance debt. Mercy always comes with a price."

Amora gripped the witch's arm. Her body gave a jolt as images flashed across her vision.

Fire. All she could see was fire. It burned everything in their path. The flames broke as a dark figure appeared, but it was not falling to the flames. It was wielding them.