The Bifrost light disappeared in a breath of wind and frost.
Thor's boots were the first to touch the icy ground, shattering a thin layer of ice beneath him. Loki joined him, his cloak rustling in the cold air. Both were clad in armor—Thor shining in silver and gold with Mjölnir in hand, and Loki dressed in green and black, daggers concealed within his sleeves. Their breaths misted instantly, and the air was tinged with the scent of smoke, but not the smoke of battle—this was funeral smoke.
Thor frowned. "This is not a war camp."
They pressed on.
The sounds of hammers and miners had faded, replaced by a weighty silence. Hundreds of Asgardians and dwarves were lined up before rows of funeral pyres, their heads bowed. A soft hymn of mourning from Asgard resonated with the wind.
Loki's eyes scanned the crowd. "By the Norns…" he murmured. "It's a funeral."
Thor clenched his jaw. "We're too late."
The two brothers navigated through the crowd—quietly and respectfully—until they reached the front. The pyres stretched far, flames glinting off the frozen cliffs and casting orange and gold hues. Dwarves sang in their deep voices, accompanied by Asgardian guards.
There, in front of the largest pyre, stood Harry.
He wore no helmet. His armor glinted softly in the firelight, with runes glowing a dull blue. His head was bowed, hands clasped, and he silently mouthed a prayer. Thor could see the ash streaks on his cheeks—he had helped construct the pyres.
Loki breathed a sigh of relief. "He's alive."
Thor released a breath, tension easing from his shoulders. "Thank the All-Father."
They stood beside him in silence.
Harry briefly looked up and met their eyes. His expression was serene, but there was an underlying weariness, too old for his years.
"Harry," Thor said gently. "We came as soon as we heard."
Harry nodded. "You're just in time," he replied. "We're sending them off."
He turned back to the pyres. Thor and Loki followed suit, bowing their heads together.
Once the torches ignited and were placed on the wood, the flames blazed quickly—bursting into the cold night with colors like dawn. Even the eternal frost of Jotunheim's moon seemed to yield to the fire, which illuminated the snow in golden hues for miles.
There was only silence as the fire crackled and the mourners chanted softly.
As the last flame dwindled to embers, the mourners slowly departed, leaving the charred remains of their fallen comrades behind. The trio—Harry, Thor, and Loki—made their way back to the encampment, snowflakes falling and hissing against the residual warmth of the pyres.
Harry's tent stood apart from the others, faintly shimmering with protective runes. Thor lifted the flap, stepping inside first and shaking off the snow from his shoulders. Loki followed, slipping in like a shadow, with Harry entering last.
The inside of the tent was surprisingly warm for the icy surroundings. A kettle gently hissed on a rune-plate, and the air was lightly scented with herbs. Loki whistled softly. "This is… cozy."
Harry didn't smile. He moved to the table, removed his gauntlets, and poured himself a cup of water instead. "Comfort doesn't bring them back."
Thor's expression turned serious. "How many?"
"Forty-three dead," Harry said quietly. "Thirty wounded. We buried the worst of them in the ice. The rest… we burned."
Loki sank into a chair. "What about the Giants?"
Harry's expression darkened. "They fled. For now."
Thor stepped closer. "You led them well, Harry. Odin will hear of this. You saved hundreds."
"I didn't save enough," Harry replied flatly. He glanced down at his hands, where traces of dried blood lingered beneath his nails despite the washing. "They attacked while we slept. My wards caught the first wave, but it wasn't quick enough. If I had been faster—"
"Don't," Thor interjected firmly. "War takes no prisoners. You accomplished more than anyone could expect from a mortal or god."
Harry remained silent.
The tent was quiet for a while, the stillness punctuated only by the howling wind outside. Finally, Loki spoke up, his tone unusually sober.
"What Laufey said was true. This wasn't spontaneous; it was orchestrated. It was an army."
Harry nodded slowly. "Then it's war."
Loki raised an eyebrow. "You sound certain."
"I observed their formation," Harry explained. "Their tactics weren't random. They intended to shatter our morale through these attacks, not seize the mine. They're testing us."
Thor slammed his fist on the table. "Let them see Asgard's fury then!"
Yet, Harry did not answer right away. He stared into the flickering lamplight, his voice steady but low. "If they come again, we can't count on reinforcements. We're too far away. Grandfather will need time. And… if they strike with full force, even Father's lightning won't suffice."
Loki cocked his head. "You have something in mind."
Harry met his uncle's keen gaze. "There's an option I can use. Something my mother taught me."
Loki's expression sobered. "Chaos magic?"
Thor blinked in confusion. "Chaos what?"
"Magic older than the Norns," Loki replied gravely. "Unstable. Volatile. Untamed."
Harry nodded. "I've only used it once… to save my mother. But if it comes to that, if the Frost Giants attack again, I will use it."
Thor frowned. "What does it do?"
Harry stared at his hands. "It does what it wants."
That response left even Loki speechless.
Thor pounded the table, causing the rune-lit tent to shake. "This has gone too far! You will return to Asgard, Harry. At once."
Harry stood resolute, still in his armor, the faint hum of runes on his chestplate pulsing in sync with his heartbeat. "No," he replied firmly. "I'm staying."
"Harry," Thor growled, "you've already achieved far more than any warrior your age. This camp will be laid waste when the Frost Giants attack—when they come, and they will come. I refuse to let my son die on foreign ground!"
Harry met his father's fierce gaze unwaveringly. "And abandon those who fought for me? Who trusted me?" He gestured to the tent flap, where muffled sounds of hammers and voices crept in. "They trust I can safeguard them. If I leave, their hope will vanish long before the Frost Giants arrive."
Thor stepped even closer, his blue eyes alight. "You are not their commander, Harry. You are a prince of Asgard. Your life holds weight beyond—"
"Beyond theirs?" Harry retorted sharply. "Because they're not princes? Because they mine instead of fight? Tell me, Father—was Grandfather's intent to send you here to protect Asgard's people or to safeguard its pride?"
Thor froze. Silence enveloped the tent, interrupted only by the wind's howl outside.
Loki casually leaned against the wall, a knowing smirk on his face. "He has your stubbornness, brother. Perhaps even your temper."
Thor shot him a glare, then shifted his attention back to Harry. "Someone must go to Asgard. Reinforcements are our only hope for survival if Laufey attacks with his full force."
Harry exhaled slowly. "Then send Uncle Loki."
Loki straightened, taken aback. "Me?"
"You know the fastest routes through the realms," Harry explained. "You can reach the Bifrost faster than anyone else. I'll hold this ground until you return."
Thor hesitated. "Loki can move quickly, yes—but if you stay, Harry, you'll be surrounded."
Harry's jaw tightened. "Let them come."
Loki chuckled softly, his green eyes sparkling. "You're sounding like your father—just more reckless."
"Take it as a compliment," Harry replied dryly.
For a moment, the trio stood together—lightning, shadow, and storm—each unique, yet tied by something deeper than blood.
At last, Thor sighed heavily, resigned. "Very well. Loki, you will return to Asgard and inform Father. Tell him we need legions, not miners."
Loki nodded. "I'll go at once. But if I return to find this camp buried in frost, don't expect me to clean up the aftermath."
"Just bring help," Harry urged. "Quickly."
Loki vanished through a teleportation rune, the blue light rippling around him. The camp returned to hush, with only the wind's whistle over the frozen plains for company.
Harry stepped outside, watching his breath curl in the air. Around him, Asgardians and dwarves quietly prepared—sharpening weapons, repairing armor, checking runes. Flames flickered in the night, reflected in countless weary eyes.
Thor joined him, his cloak wrapped tightly. "You've earned their trust," he said quietly. "Even the dwarves speak your name with respect."
"They deserve mine," Harry replied. "They fought valiantly when they could have fled."
Thor studied him for a while. "When I was your age, I sought war, thinking it would prove my worth. I was foolish."
Harry managed a small, weary smile. "Then perhaps you've raised another fool."
Thor laughed softly, placing a large hand on Harry's shoulder. "If you are a fool, you're one worth following."
Side by side, they gazed out toward the dark horizon where the first battle had taken place. In the distance, faint flickers of light stirred—a sign of movement in the snow, too organized to be the wind.
"They'll come again," Harry said quietly.
Thor nodded. "And this time, we'll be prepared."
That night, true sleep eluded them.
The Asgardians took turns guarding the perimeter with rune-lanterns glowing pale blue. Dwarves reinforced ice and stone barricades, their hammers ringing like heartbeats through the night. Even the miners—untrained and scared—stood watch with spears and shields.
Inside his tent, Harry sat cross-legged, eyes closed. His armor floated beside him, piece by piece, spinning as golden runes flared and shifted. He rewrote the enchantments—making them faster, sharper, deadlier.
Outside, faint thunder rumbled even though the sky was clear. Harry's power pulsed through the camp like a heartbeat.
When he finally opened his eyes, a faint, dangerous red glow of Chaos shimmered behind them.
When Loki returned to Odin's hall, the atmosphere was colder than usual—not from the temperature, but from the mood that filled the chamber. A somber shadow loomed amidst the banners, heavy with the news he bore and the weight of its consequences. The torches flickered, gold reflecting like bruises on the polished stone.
Odin rose from his throne as they entered, his single pale eye deep with concern. He didn't need the details; the All-Father sensed the tremors of the world much like a captain feels the shudder of a ship. Nonetheless, he let Loki recount the facts.
"We arrived too late," Loki stated, his voice steady yet tense. "The camp had already been attacked. Harry not only held the line; he drove them back, but the cost was steep. Many of our own lie dead."
Odin's mouth tightened. For a moment, the throne room was still, every breath a collective heartbeat of anger and strategy.
"You allowed him to remain?" Odin asked, his tone not unkind. There was no reprimand, just a weighing of the situation in the old man's mind.
"I tried to convince him otherwise," Loki replied. "He wouldn't leave those who looked to him for guidance." He lowered his head slightly, hinting at an apology. "So I returned to summon help."
Odin folded his hands over Gungnir and let the cold settle in like ink. "You brought news of the battle. Now, bring me plans."
Over the next hour, the hall filled with military counsel—captains with maps fanned out before them. They discussed formations, supply routes, the cost of delays, and the logistics of moving forces across the Bifrost while ensuring they were adequately supplied on a moon that offered little comfort.
Odin listened carefully, counting losses not merely as a steward but as a father.
As the buzz quieted and each voice had added their thoughts, Odin raised his voice to fill the grand hall with an ancient weight.
"Laufey will be answered," he stated simply.
There was no theatrics in his words—only the unshakeable certainty of fate. "He struck at those who labored for us and our kin. He sought to wear down our resolve by targeting craftsmen and miners instead of facing us in open conflict. Such cruelty deserves retribution."
Odin's single eye softened with what could only be described as pity. "Rushing into battle will cost lives. We shall not be lured into slaughter. We will gather enough forces to decisively end this conflict—not to lay waste to Jotunheim—though Laufey deserves it—but to ensure he understands the consequences of provoking Asgard."
He then turned to Loki. "You will lead the advance. Your knowledge of their paths and swift movement are unrivaled. Take the Einherjar and the Valkyrie squads. Bring the dwarven iron—rams and runic charges. Let no cold hinder our power."
Loki nodded, his expression unreadable for a moment. "It shall be done."
"And I," Odin continued, "will dispatch my counsel. Thor will lead reinforcements. We will secure the orbit of the moons, limiting their mobility. We shall claim the mines under protective treaty, and we will leave their people with their honor intact—if they comply with our terms. If they refuse, we will take what is necessary and leave them with a lesson carved into the ice."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the hall, a thin yet resolute sound of determination.
Odin's hand grazed the rim of a basin filled with water from the Well of Urd; its surface glimmered like glass. This was the ancient way to swear an oath. He raised his voice, low and binding.
"By the World Tree and the vows of the All-Father, we will respond. Laufey shall remember the choice he made."
After the council meeting, once the attendees dispersed to rally troops and prepare horses for battle, Odin took a moment to pull Loki aside. In that instant, he dispensed with the All-Father persona, revealing a grandfather's worry etched deep in his features.
"Loki," he spoke softly, "this power you carry back to that moon is laden with consequence. The boy has burned brightly; he has lit a pathway. Keep him from straying into danger born of his own courage. Protect him."
Loki's eyes revealed less mischief and more sincerity for the first time that evening. "I will watch over him, Father."
Odin released a breath filled with both caution and blessing. "Return with soldiers, not vengeance. Let Asgard turn a deaf ear to the lure of a petty king's taunts but act swiftly when justice is warranted."
Once the arrangements were finalized, Loki stepped out through gilded doors and braved the frost and sky once more. He traversed the war halls to summon the Einherjar, to the stables where Valkyries rested like war blades, and to the forges where the dwarves shaped promises into weapons.
In the throne room, Odin lingered a moment longer, shadows dancing against his brow in the flamelight. He thought of the boy on the moon—the taste of blood on wings, the call and tie of chaos. He reflected on the debts men and gods owed in conflict and the precision required in spending lives when they were so precious.
Finally, he spoke softly into the stillness, as if addressing the rafters and banners, "We will not be crushed by the cruelty of lesser kings."
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