The body of the ice titan now lay where the mountain once stood, slowly merging with the surrounding environment and breathing new life into the island.
I leaped from the giant's body and headed towards the cave. I was sure Amora could defend the mortals, but something felt off. I made my way through the path created by the ice giants, and when I neared, I saw a wall of fire blocking the entrance to the cave. I crossed it without fear of the heat.
However, what I found on the other side was not what I expected. I saw the General pinned to an ice spear in his abdomen, barely conscious. I broke the ice spear, causing him to fall to the ground.
"General, what happened?" I asked.
He seemed to be conscious but unable to stay awake for long.
"They took her, my lord," he replied.
"Who?" I inquired.
"Lady Amora," he muttered before losing consciousness.
How could I be so foolish? Heimdall couldn't see the ice giants on the island, which meant someone was using magic to blind him. Now they had taken her somewhere within their realm.
I placed my hand on the General's wound and activated my rune to enhance his regeneration. After a few seconds, I could see his wound closing.
He would be asleep for some time, but he would be fine. Now I needed to find someone who had answers.
"HEIMDALL!"
A column of light transported me and the General to Asgard.
When we arrived at Bifrost, Heimdall seemed surprised to see the General's bloodied body on the ground.
"Heimdall, have the ice giants where Loki is retreated?" I asked.
"No, sir," he replied.
"Send me there now," I ordered.
"Sir, I..."
"Heimdall, I respect you greatly, but don't make me ask again," I insisted.
Heimdall hesitated for a moment before plunging his sword into the Bifrost's key, activating it. I only needed one step to go wherever Loki was, no matter where. Then I would find a giant and make him talk. If the first one didn't know anything, I'd move on to the second, then the third, until I found out where she was.
"Take the General to a healer. He's out of danger but needs care," I instructed.
"Yes, sir."
I took a step towards the Bifrost's vortex, transporting myself from Asgard.
Everything around me was green, with giant trees and beautiful flowers of all colors covering the ground.
"Alfheim."
Home to seven species of elves who collectively called themselves the Light Elves, it was like a realm of enchanted forests filled with unicorns and magical steeds.
Unfortunately, I didn't have time to admire it. According to Loki's reports, he was in the capital of the Light Elves, Ljosalfgard.
Leaving the forest, I saw the city of Ljosalfgard, with a castle in the center. Unlike any other castle I had seen, this one didn't seem built but rather grown right in the middle of the city, resembling a beautiful red flower.
I walked on a red road leading to the city. When I reached the city gates, an arrow landed a few inches from me on the ground.
"Stop, intruder! Identify yourself or you'll have one of these in your head," a voice warned.
(I don't have time for this.)
"I am Baldur Odinson. I've come to speak with my brother Loki Odinson. Open these damn gates now," I demanded.
"If you're a prince, then I'm the king of Alfheim, hahahah," the voice mocked.
Without patience, I blasted a burst of energy at the city gates, creating a two-meter hole in seconds.
"ENEMY ATTACK!" someone shouted.
Several arrows were launched from the city wall. I increased the temperature around me. When the arrows were a meter from hitting me, they turned black and then into dust in the air.
I walked up to the "door" I had created. When I passed through it, I saw over a hundred Light Elves, with those in the back aiming bows at me and those in the front wielding silver rapiers.
Their clothes resembled those of the European Renaissance, with tight, colorful vests. The elves had white skin and long ears, all of them beautiful, even the men.
"Who's attacking?" I asked.
The small army parted, revealing Loki. He seemed confused by my presence.
"Baldur?"
"Should I make another hole in the elves' castle to prove it?" I retorted.
Loki seemed to understand the situation.
"Lower your weapons, fools. He's my brother," Loki ordered.
The elves seemed reluctant to lower their weapons after my entrance.
"Being a prince doesn't change the fact that he made a hole in my gate, Prince Loki," one of the elves remarked.
On Loki's side, an elf with two braids reaching her feet, wearing a long dress with a veil, appeared.
"Queen Aelsa, knowing my brother, he wouldn't have done this without a good reason," Loki interjected.
I planted my spear in the ground and approached Queen Aelsa Featherwinem, lowering my head in a polite greeting.
"Queen Aelsa, I apologize for my actions, but it's an urgent situation," I said.
"Very well, let's discuss the situation in the castle," she replied.
The three of us walked together to the castle, and along the way, I observed the constructions of the Light Elves. All the houses seemed to be crafted from trees.
In the sky, several flying machines resembling airships flew back and forth. These machines were creations of the Air Elves, who operated them.
Inside the castle, it resembled the interior of a tree, with a hard wooden floor scattered with small flowers. A white wooden throne sat in the center.
The queen sat on the throne, with Loki at her side.
"So, Prince Baldur, why did you create a second entrance in my gate?" the queen inquired.
"A dear person to me was taken by an Ice Giant. I need to know her whereabouts from the remaining giants who haven't returned to Jotunheim," I explained.
"Baldur, was Amora taken?" Loki asked, concern evident in his voice.
"Yes, Loki," I confirmed.
"Why? Their plan to steal Asgard failed," Loki questioned.
"They want to kill me, Loki. A Ice Titan was in Midgard, and they also used a spell to block Heimdall's vision," I informed.
Loki seemed to understand the reason for Amora's kidnapping, as well as the impending consequences when I went after her.
"Brother, please don't do this. Let's talk to our father, make a trade," Loki suggested.
"That's not what they want, Loki," I countered.
"Then what do they want?" the queen inquired.
"They want a victory to justify all the lives lost in their foolish theft plan," I explained.
"I still don't understand why you came to Alfheim, Prince Baldur," the queen stated.
"These giants are the last ones who haven't retreated yet. Even though they are rebelling against King Laufey's orders, they must have a general directly commanding them," I elaborated.
"Amora is powerful. Whoever kidnapped her must not be a simple Ice Giant," Loki deduced.
Loki always grasped logical plans more quickly.
"So, you came here to ask for the enemy camp's location to gather information?" the queen concluded.
"Yes," I affirmed.
"I forbid it," the queen declared.
"Why?" I questioned.
"The giants are already retreating. Attacking would only result in loss of lives and further destruction to the forest. I cannot permit your request," the queen explained.
The temperature began to rise in the throne room, and my spear flew into my hands.
"What makes you think I'm asking?" I retorted.
Loki and the queen were shocked. I genuinely didn't care if the Light Elves became my enemies at that moment. If they didn't lead me to the Ice Giant camp, I would steal one of the flying machines and search from above.
"Brother, please remain calm. You'll set all of Alfheim ablaze if you start fighting here," Loki cautioned.
Loki was right. If I started fighting, the flames would spread throughout the entire city, and millions of innocents would die.
"What if I have a way to attack the elves without losing a single life?" I proposed.
The queen seemed intrigued. It was highly likely that many elves wouldn't agree to simply let the giants retreat after they attacked nearby villages.
"I'm listening," the queen said.
"Before I continue, I must ask, was the forest where the enemy camp is located destroyed?" I inquired.
"Yes, those cursed giants killed trees that have been in Alfheim for hundreds of years!" the queen exclaimed.
"Excellent, then I don't need to worry about the damage," I remarked.
It took four hours to gather and organize the elven army. The enemy camp was located on a small island in a lake in Alfheim. The lake was previously used by mermaids and sea elves, all of whom were killed, and the lake was frozen when the giants arrived, turning the island into their camp.
From atop a flying machine, Loki, Queen Aelsa, and I looked down at the island. Walls of ice twenty meters high surrounded the island. If we approached too closely, the giants would hurl ice boulders at us, so we couldn't see the constructions inside.
"All elves are in position," Loki informed me.
"Prince Baldur, I must say it once more: if the beginning of the plan fails, my men are ordered to retreat immediately," the queen reiterated.
"Understood," I acknowledged.
"So, shall we begin?" the queen asked.
I stood in front of the elven airship. The sun was high in the sky, and my plan was simple, but any mistake could cost me the chance to interrogate my enemy.
I activated the rune Uruz to enhance my powers. I had never used it directly to boost my abilities before, fearing losing control. I already used the spear to avoid injuring myself while using my powers. Adding more power without control was a recipe for chaos. Against the Ice Titan, I only increased the energy released from the spear.
I looked up, intending to create a concentrated beam of light as I had done before, but this time, broader, covering the entire island. Control had to be perfect. Too strong, and the island would cease to exist; too weak, and the plan wouldn't work.
A beam of light fell from the sky, hitting the entire island. Seconds later, the ice walls turned into water, and we could see the inside of the island. Devoid of trees, it was just a flat space with several melting ice cabins. Giants emerged from them, screaming in pain. The beam of light wasn't powerful enough to kill them, but it was certainly powerful enough to cause a great deal of pain.
The giants seemed to wither, their four-meter height shrinking to two meters. Seeing that the beam of light was only surrounding the island, they ran towards the frozen lake, attempting to escape into the forest.
But as they were just a few meters from the forest, arrows began raining down from the sky, hitting them and killing them instantly. The plan was to have elves positioned around the forest, ready to kill those who fled.
Seeing several giants dying from the arrows, the remaining ones halted on the frozen lake. I increased the energy of the runes to widen the beam of light, causing it to reach a portion of the frozen lake. It didn't take long for the ice to melt.
The giants who remained standing on the lake fell into the melted ice. They could swim, but the temperature was so high that the lake began to boil, causing the giants to scream in pain and agony.
Shortly after, they were dead.
But they weren't my primary target. In the center of the island, a Frost Giant wielded a blue sword. He must be the commander of this camp, the man with the answers. I stopped the beam of light, and the once-frozen island turned as black as coal. Few giants were still alive, all lying on the ground, barely moving.
"Loki, the remaining giants aren't a threat. You can take care of them. I'll speak with the leader," I instructed without waiting for a response.
Jumping from the flying machine to the island, a twenty-meter fall was nothing for an Asgardian. The leader of the giants seemed to be in better condition than his subordinates; he was still standing.
Realizing I was the only one on the ground, he attacked me. Knowing I didn't have time for a prolonged fight, as he approached, I swiftly cut his feet with a movement of my spear, causing him to fall to the ground. In a feeble attempt to escape, he turned his back to me and began crawling on the ground. I kicked him to make him face me, then impaled his left shoulder with my spear, pinning him to the ground.
"What is the name of your leader?" I demanded.
The giant tried to pull my spear from his shoulder with his right hand, so I used the spear to sever his right arm, eliciting even more screams of pain. I then plunged it into his right shoulder.
"What is the name of your leader?" I repeated.
Without waiting long for a response, I ripped off his other arm and thrust the spear into his abdomen. It wasn't deep enough to kill him.
"What is the name of your leader?" I demanded once more.
"I'll talk, I'll talk, please stop," the giant pleaded.
Ignoring his pleas, I emitted a bit of heat from the spear, burning his organs slightly. The pain must have been immense.
"What is the name of your leader?" I asked again.
"UTGARD-LOKI! UTGARD-LOKI!" he cried out.
"How do I find him?" I pressed.
"MY TOTEM! MY TOTEM!" he exclaimed.
I noticed a totem strapped to his waist. I took it from him, removed the spear from his abdomen, and severed his neck. Now, I had my answers.