---
Part 1 – The Summons
Orion sat on the steps of Valhalla's great hall, letting the cool morning air clear his head.
The feast had gone late into the night, and while Einherjar warriors didn't suffer from normal hangovers, he still felt… heavy.
His body ached from the battle. His mind reeled from everything that had happened.
And yet—
He was still standing.
The doors behind him swung open, and Baldur stepped out.
Orion straightened. This was unexpected.
Baldur was not like the other gods. Where Odin radiated power and Thor commanded raw strength, Baldur was… different.
His presence was calm, warm, almost too perfect. The kind of beauty and ease that made people uncomfortable rather than reassured. His golden hair caught the morning light, his white tunic untouched by dirt or sweat.
Yet despite his peaceful demeanor, Orion knew better than to underestimate him.
Baldur smiled. "You're awake early."
Orion shrugged. "Didn't feel like sleeping in."
"Good," Baldur said. "Because you have another mission."
Orion blinked. "Already?"
The god's smile widened. "You've earned some favors, Orion. And now, the Nidavellir Council requests your aid."
Orion frowned. The dwarves?
"What's the problem?"
Baldur's eyes gleamed. "A construct of theirs—one powered by ancient runes—has gone out of control."
Orion's blood ran cold. "A golem?"
"A very powerful one," Baldur confirmed. "It was designed to defend their forges but has begun attacking anything it sees. It must be destroyed."
Orion exhaled. "And why us?"
Baldur's smile didn't falter. "Because you proved yourself against the Frost Giants. Because you are strong." His gaze flickered slightly. "And because the dwarves do not trust the Aesir."
Orion understood immediately.
The dwarves would rather deal with a Valhallan warrior than another god who might demand repayment beyond what they were willing to give.
Smart.
Orion nodded. "Alright. I'll gather the team."
Baldur placed a hand on his shoulder. "And when you return… you'll find the dwarves are generous to their allies."
Orion smirked. "Discounts?"
Baldur chuckled. "Something like that."
With that, the god of light turned and walked away, leaving Orion with his next mission.
---
Part 2 – Journey to Nidavellir
The portal shimmered before them, pulsating with an amber glow. Unlike Vanaheim's ethereal forests or Jotunheim's frozen wastelands, Nidavellir was a land of stone, steel, and fire.
As they stepped through, Orion felt the immediate change in atmosphere.
The air was thick with smoke and metal. Great anvils rang in the distance as dwarven smiths hammered divine weapons into shape. Massive forges pulsed with molten light, their flames powered by arcane runes older than Asgard itself.
Erik whistled. "Now this is a warrior's paradise."
Freya smirked. "Bet you just want to see if they can make a bigger axe."
Erik grinned. "Can you blame me?"
Khaled adjusted his gauntlets. "Let's try not to piss off the entire realm before we even meet the council."
The Nidavellir Council was waiting.
Six dwarves sat on raised stone platforms, each bearded, scarred, and utterly unimpressed with the warriors before them.
One of them—a broad-shouldered dwarf with soot-covered skin—spoke first.
"You're the Einherjar sent to deal with our problem?"
Orion nodded. "That's us."
The dwarf grunted. "About time. The damn construct is tearing through our defenses."
Darius frowned. "How did it go out of control?"
Another dwarf, this one older with runic tattoos carved into his arms, sighed. "A mistake in the enchantments. We tried to replicate one of our old designs—something built for Odin long ago."
Orion stiffened. "Wait. You don't mean—"
"Aye," the dwarf growled. "The Destroyer."
Silence.
Even Erik looked worried.
"Please tell me you made a weaker version," Ingrid said flatly.
The dwarves exchanged an uncomfortable glance.
Orion groaned. "Of course you didn't."
---
Part 3 – The Runed Guardian
They stood at the edge of a massive underground chasm, staring at the construct below.
It was huge.
Easily three times the height of a man, its body was forged from enchanted Uru metal, covered in glowing runes of protection and power. Its head, a featureless helm, turned slowly as it scanned the surroundings.
And then, with a roar of fire and magic—
It charged.
"MOVE!" Orion shouted.
The battle began.
Erik swung his axe, the enchanted steel sparking against the golem's armored leg. It barely dented the surface.
Khaled teleported behind it, slashing at the back of its knee. His blade met resistance, but the runes flared, healing the damage instantly.
"Damn it," he muttered.
Darius charged, his shield absorbing a blast of arcane fire as the golem unleashed a beam of energy straight from its chest. The impact sent him skidding back, but he held firm.
Freya took to the air, shifting between raven and human mid-strike, looking for an opening.
Ingrid moved with the precision of a knight, blocking a massive strike before countering with her greatsword.
Orion, meanwhile, was searching.
There had to be a weakness.
And then, he saw it.
The core.
Beneath the runes, behind the enchanted plating—something pulsed.
His mother's voice whispered through his mind.
"There. Strike there."
Orion gritted his teeth.
It was now or never.
His form blurred as he activated Partial Godmode.
The air pressure dropped.
The world slowed.
He moved like a storm, weaving between the golem's strikes, each motion calculated, each attack optimized.
He leapt—
And drove his spear straight into the core.
The effect was instant.
The construct shuddered, its runes flickering. The core pulsed violently, sending a shockwave through the chamber.
And then—
It collapsed.
---
Part 4 – The Dwarves' Favor
The council was pleased.
For dwarves, that meant grumbling slightly less than usual.
The soot-covered dwarf from before stroked his beard. "You did what we could not. That earns respect."
Orion nodded. "And the agreement?"
The elder dwarf waved a hand. "You're friends of Nidavellir now. You'll find that means something."
Another dwarf smirked. "It also means everything you buy here comes with a discount."
Erik grinned. "So… weapons?"
The elder dwarf chuckled. "Aye. Weapons, armor, whatever you need. You've earned it."
Orion exhaled. Another ally gained.
And, more importantly—
They had stopped something before it could become a real threat.
Freya crossed her arms. "So, do we get some time to rest now?"
Orion gave a tired smirk. "I doubt it."
And as the portal back to Valhalla opened before them, he had a feeling—
The next mission was already waiting.
---