POV: Third Person.
Crimson Waters Pit, Jotunheim.
A Few Seconds After Thor's Abduction.
"What do you think of the place we've chosen to be your tomb, God of Thunder?" King Aglodr of the Frost Giants inquired.
"My tomb? You're mistaken. It's here that I will turn this red blood into blue," the confident prince retorted.
The Crimson Waters Pit lay in the most secluded part of Jotunheim. In this isolated spot lies a small lake with waters as red as blood. Legend has it that this water is the blood of all the Asgardians who have died in Jotunheim.
"Confident to the end. No matter, after your death, I'll rip your head off and give it to your brother. When he's desperate with pain, I'll kill him too!"
This is clearly a lie from the King. When Loki suggested revenge to the Frost Giants, they were all very excited about the idea of killing Baldur, but they soon remembered what happened when they provoked the wrath of the Sun God.
Loki quickly realized this and proposed another plan; instead of killing Baldur, it would be much better to kill the one he loves most in his family, his brother Thor.
Loki didn't need to embellish this idea much for King Aglodr to be forced to accept it. He had just become king and was not very secure in his position. If he refused this chance, he would be seen as weak. If not for this, he would never accept to enrage Baldur.
And if the plan succeeds, and Thor dies, there's a great chance they can kill Baldur if everyone unites against him as Loki proposed later. It was this glimmer of hope that the King clung to.
"The only head that will be separated from the body will be yours!" Thor replied.
"Foolish Asgardian. Look around you, do you really think you stand a chance?"
When Thor was thrown into Jotunheim, he fell into a trap. At that moment, Thor was surrounded by hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of Frost Giants. And there were also Ice Titans in the rear, all pointing their weapons at the God of Thunder.
"I only see bodies around me!" Thor replied, still confident.
"Very well then, God of Thunder!"
Aglodr then conjured a small blue box in his hand, and when he opened it, a storm of ice was unleashed. It's amusing to say, considering they were in Jotunheim, a land of ice. But this storm was not ordinary. It was something that could even freeze Gods.
"Let's see how long you can survive then, God of Thunder," Aglodr said, using the power of the Ancient Winters' Casket against Thor.
POV: Baldur
At the Peak of a Mountain, Nidavellir.
Hours After the Battle Against Angela Ended.
"So. Can I release you now without you trying to kill me?"
I ask Angela, who is still tied up in front of me. After showing her memories of my parents as proof that she was family, her reaction was expected. She still didn't believe us, but I could see the gleam of doubt in her eyes, so I began to feed that doubt.
I started the conversation calmly with her, a one-sided conversation, as she didn't speak much after seeing the memories. Then, after a long hour, she spoke. She said the memories she saw were just magical tricks to make her doubt her origin and betray Heven for information.
My response to that was that we had no reason to deceive her; there are many easier ways to get information from her without creating such an elaborate plan. We went back and forth like this until I could finally see that she was starting to accept her origin.
"I give you my word that I won't try to kill you," she replied.
I got up from the floor and went to her; I pointed Sigel at the chains, and they disappeared, freeing her. I reached out my hand to her, which she accepted. But when I pulled her up, I was hit by a punch in the face.
"What are you doing?" I ask, thinking she still didn't believe me.
"That's for knocking me out," she replies.
She approaches me again and hits me with another punch in the face.
"And that will be?"
"That was for chaining me up like an animal. Now we're square."
(At least she's not trying to kill me.)
"Where's my sword?" She asks, looking around.
"If you've lost it, I'll disregard my word about not killing you."
I handed her the sword.
"So. Would you like to be taken to Asgard to meet our parents?"
"No. I still don't fully believe your story."
"So what will you do?"
"I'll confirm the story with my own ears and eyes."
(Another headache. But I don't see any harm in having her around.)
I call Sleipnir, who lands nearby.
"Let's go. I've left the dwarves alone for too long," I say, mounting Sleipnir.
"I'm not riding that beast."
"Can you fly?" I ask.
"No," she awkwardly replies.
"Then you'll ride Sleipnir, or I'll throw you off the top of this mountain, and then you can walk behind me."
"I'm once again considering reconsidering my word about not killing you."
After another small argument, she mounts behind me, and we fly towards the royal city.
When we arrive above where the battlefield was, I could see that the dwarves and my soldiers had done a good job of fortifying. All the flames were also extinguished, and the dwarves had dug a large trench several kilometers wide. Trenches are an ancient way of fighting wars. But with the dwarves' skill in digging, they are very useful.
We land shortly after the trench and head to the entrance of the cave where King Eitri set up a small command center, where he is now.
"It seems the conversation went well," the dwarf king tells me when he sees Angela walking by my side.
"The conversation isn't over yet. But yes, we've made some progress."
"I'm glad to hear that. Then come closer; we're trying to devise an attack plan."
King Eitri, along with other dwarves, was gathered around a map of Nidavellir. The location where the enemy camp is located is marked in red.
"The Swamps of Infinite Flames are not a place we can enter," Eitri says.
"I can create a great storm to calm the flames," I suggest.
"Even if it rains for a hundred years, the flames of that swamp will not extinguish or weaken."
"So the only option is to lure the enemy out," I propose.
If the dwarves can't fight in the swamp, the only option is to lure them out to a location of our choosing.
"That's a good plan, but it's easier said than done. I don't see how we can get them to leave a favorable terrain to follow us."
Eitri continues to stare at the map as if the answer would appear to him.
"I can lure the Fire Demons. The flames of the swamp have no effect on me."
"Are you sure, Baldur?" the King asks, understanding that this is the best option.
"Yes. Now we just need to know if there are still Angels here," I say, looking at Angela.
"I only took a regiment with me; the other is on a mountain near the swamps. Since I haven't returned yet, I must already be considered dead. Another commander will take my place," she calmly replies.
"So while I lure the Demons, you do the same with the Angels. And maybe then, you'll also get the answers you seek."
A commander should have some knowledge about Angela's origins.
"I agree," she says.
"I have one more question. Why did you form an alliance? Angels are not as easily manipulated as Frost Giants to believe in any promise Malekith might have made."
His goal is clear: to reshape reality to his desires. With that power in hand, any promise he made is worthless.
"I don't know the details of what he promised the queen, but he will definitely keep his word. He made a magical oath with his life as collateral!"
A contract spell. That explains how he gained so many allies. But I doubt Malekith doesn't have a way to nullify that magic.
"Well, now we have a plan," says the Dwarf King.
"Yes, we do. Now we just need the right location to set up our defenses," I say, looking at the map, searching for the best place to lure the Demons and Angels. It didn't take long for me to find the perfect spot and smile.
POV: Third Person
Sugar Woods, Alfheim
At the Same Moment
The Sugar Woods were quite far from the forces of the light elves. Few beings lived there, most in small slums where they survived on what the land provided.
Unfortunately for them, this location was chosen by Malekith as his camp, and his first order was to kill any living creature in the woods. His order was carried out.
"So the plan went as intended, and the God of Thunder is off the board," Malekith says, smiling.
"You celebrate too soon. Thor is powerful, but he's just a pawn compared to the King we're hunting," Loki says coldly.
The two sat across from each other, with only a campfire between them.
"You must celebrate the small victories, Laufeyson," Malekith says, still smiling.
"Are you going to proceed with the second part of the plan?" Loki asks.
"No, not yet. I'll let the King have some fun fighting the Fire Demons."
"And in the meantime?"
"In the meantime, I'll settle an old score between the light elves and us."
"You're risking the entire plan by prolonging things like this. You should have isolated Baldur as quickly as possible; then we could deal with Thor and the others."
Loki's tone now was quite displeased with the direction of his ally's plan.
"If what you told me about him is true, then the Aether is in his possession. After our little battle in his kingdom, I realized he would rather die than tell me where he hid it."
"That's why we agreed to subdue him and then use magic to extract the information," Loki interrupted.
"And that's what we'll do, but in a hunt, the most important thing is patience. I targeted Thor first because he was an easy prey. As for Baldur, I won't need something so elaborate to trap him. You yourself said he's a hero to the people of Midgard. Luring a hero is easy."
"I hope you're right."
Malekith then stands up and turns his back on Loki, looking towards the horizon.
"Until that happens, let's move forward, Laufeyson. We have a city to burn, and elves to enslave and kill."
Malekith leaves Loki behind and starts walking through the woods. As he walked, several dark elves in their armor revealed themselves and followed their king calmly. Shortly after, several huge black dogs joined the procession, along with his tiger, which he rode. After a brief walk, they emerged from the woods, and on the horizon lay the capital of the light elves, Ljosalfgard.
"It's been a long time since I bathed in the blood of a light elf. So long, I'm trembling with anticipation."
Smiling like a demon, he gives the order to attack.
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