c52 : Thor is trapped in Jotunheim.
The Bifrost.
It is both a formidable weapon of war and a rapid means of transportation.
As a weapon, if fully activated, it can obliterate an entire planet.
As a transportation tool, when properly aligned, it can instantly teleport individuals or objects across the entire universe.
It can also return one to Asgard from anywhere in the cosmos.
Thor and his companions, including Sif, Loki, and the Warriors Three, were riding horses, forming a triangle, galloping furiously along the Bifrost.
At the forefront was Thor, visibly exhilarated, determined to assault Jotunheim.
Behind him, Loki and Sif wore contrasting expressions.
Sif's face showed resignation. She had hoped that after last night's revelry, Thor would have reconsidered his course after some rest.
To her surprise, the first thing Thor did upon waking was summon them to attack Jotunheim.
Loki, on the other hand, wore a secretive smirk. He had expected that their plans would fail after last night's chaos.
Instead, Thor, under Loki's sly influence, believed that "without a quick strike, the Frost Giants might soon invade Asgard with a massive army."
Their mission: to confront the Frost Giants on Jotunheim and uncover the truth behind their attack on Asgard's treasure vault.
As they rode, Loki suddenly realized he had forgotten something important.
Eventually, the group reached the end of the Bifrost, where they were confronted by a towering figure clad in golden armor and wielding a massive sword.
This was Heimdall, the guardian of the Bifrost.
He is said to possess the ability to observe all nine realms for Odin, the Allfather.
Just as Thor was about to step forward to explain their mission, Loki took the lead and halted him. "I'll handle this."
Loki approached with his trademark smile, greeting Heimdall, "Hello, Heimdall. You're not dressed warmly enough, I see."
Heimdall interrupted with a stern look, unamused. "You think you can hide from me?"
Feigning confusion, Loki replied, "What are you talking about?"
Heimdall, unwavering, responded calmly, "I see everything."
Loki laughed, attempting to brush it off. "You must be mistaken."
Before Heimdall could retort, Thor's voice cut through the exchange.
"That's enough," he said firmly.
Loki's smile faded as Thor, clad in his armor and flowing red cloak, stepped forward. "Heimdall, let us pass."
Heimdall fixed his gaze on Thor. "No enemy has ever escaped my sight until today. I demand to know what's going on."
Thor, unconcerned, replied confidently, "Then keep this to yourself until we return."
Thor marched past Heimdall, heading toward the Bifrost, with Sif and the Warriors Three close behind. Loki lingered for a moment, standing there, unsure.
At the Bifrost control center, Heimdall drove his sword into the console, activating the Bifrost.
Lightning-like energy crackled from the device, striking mysterious runes inscribed in the walls. The spherical control center hummed to life, rotating rapidly.
Finally, it aligned with a precise location in space, directing a beam of multicolored light through Thor and his party, propelling them into the vast reaches of the universe.
Moments later, they arrived in Jotunheim.
They landed in a desolate, frozen landscape, before a crumbling ice fortress. A glacier loomed overhead, casting an ominous shadow.
Loki suddenly remembered he had failed to notify Odin's guards of their departure. If a battle broke out with the Frost Giants, they would be stranded.
The group journeyed on, eventually finding themselves at the palace of the Frost Giant King, Laufey, who resembled a White Walker with piercing red eyes.
Thor wasted no time, demanding, "How did your people manage to breach Asgard?"
Laufey sneered, his icy gaze narrowing. "The House of Odin is riddled with traitors."
Thor's anger flared. "Do not defame my father's name with falsehoods."
Laufey's eyes flashed, and he stood with a growl. "Your father is a murderer, a thief."
Clearly, he still brooded over the defeat at Tonsberg. He believed Odin's raid on the Frost Giant temple and theft of the Casket of Ancient Winters was the root cause of his loss.
Laufey's voice grew sharper, "Why are you here, little god? To negotiate peace? You crave war. You're just a boy trying to prove he's a man."
Thor clenched Mjolnir tightly. "This 'boy' is tired of your insults."
The tension thickened, with the Frost Giants surrounding them, ice blades materializing in their hands.
"Think, Thor," Loki whispered urgently. "We are outnumbered."
Thor remained steadfast. "I know my place, brother."
Laufey descended from his throne, towering over them. "You have no idea what your actions will cause. Leave now, or I'll change my mind."
Loki bowed, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "We'll graciously accept your offer."
Thor's fury bubbled to the surface as he exchanged heated glances with Laufey. After a tense pause, he reluctantly decided against a full confrontation.
"We're leaving, brother."
Loki turned, attempting to guide Thor away.
Just as they began to walk, Laufey called out mockingly, "Go home, little princess."
Loki grimaced, knowing what was coming next.
Thor, filled with rage but somehow more composed, grinned.
He loosened his grip on Mjolnir, letting it slip into his palm, before swinging the hammer around with devastating force.
The hammer struck Laufey square in the chest with a mighty bang!
Laufey was sent flying, crashing into the distance.
And so, the war erupted, with the Asgardians fighting against an entire planet of Frost Giants.
Heimdall, watching from the Bifrost, frowned. Should he inform Odin of this?
Meanwhile, in Asgard's Crystal Palace, Queen Frigga was conversing with the Ancient One about magical principles when she suddenly stiffened.
Her abilities allowed her to glimpse the future, and a dark vision materialized: The Warriors Three would fall in Jotunheim, Loki and Sif gravely injured, and Thor alone, powerless to halt the Frost Giant onslaught.
Frigga, ever cautious, kept silent.
The Ancient One, aware of Frigga's foresight, quietly smiled and sipped her tea.
She may not meddle in the affairs of the realms, but there was one individual she could rely on someone who didn't play by the rules.
"Russell, get to work!"
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