#Location of Midgard Residence

[talonabraxas]

Yggdrasil:The Sacred World Tree Talon Abraxas

Yggdrasil: Unveiling Mysteries of The Sacred World Tree

Yggdrasil, also known as the Tree of Life, stands at the center of the Norse cosmos, serving as a conduit between the nine realms. Its immense branches extend across the heavens, and its roots delve deep into the great realms, tapping into legendary wells and streams for sustenance. This colossal ash tree serves as a cosmic axis, linking together the realms of gods, humans, giants, and various other beings.

Roots of Yggdrasil

Yggdrasil's roots draw power and sustenance from three different sources. The first root reaches up towards heavens and into Asgard, the realm of the gods, and taps into the well of Urd. Shielded by the root’s magic, by the well stands a beautiful hall that is home to three maidens – Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld – who shape the lives of men and are known as norns.

The second root extends to Jotunheim, the domain of the giants. Here, the root taps into the Mimir’s well, whose waters are coveted by many for containing boundless wisdom and which is guarded by its eternal guardian Mimir. Here, at Mimir’s well, Odin sacrificed his eye for a drink from the well to obtain supreme wisdom and solidify himself as the leader of the Aesir.

The third and final root travels to Niflheim, the icy realm of the dead. This root taps into the wellspring of Hvergelmir, a massive cauldron from which all rivers originate, symbolizing the primordial source of life and creation. This wellspring is a home to many snakes and serpents, with the great dragon Nidhoggr living among them.

Within the vast expanse of Yggdrasil, there exist nine interconnected realms. In addition to Asgard, Midgard, and Niflheim, the World Tree also links to realms such as Vanaheim (abode of the Vanir gods), Alfheim (dwelling of the light elves), Jotunheim (the land of giants), Svartalfheim (the domain of the dwarves), Muspelheim (the realm of fire) and Helheim (abode of the dead). Each realm has its own unique characteristics, inhabitants, and significance within Norse mythology.

Among the Branches of Yggdrasil

Asgard: Home of the Aesir Gods

Asgard, situated atop Yggdrasil's highest branches, is the realm inhabited by the Aesir gods. Ruled by the mighty Odin, Asgard is a place of divine splendor, where grand halls and palaces stand in golden brilliance. It is from Asgard that the gods oversee the mortal realm, engage in epic battles, and prepare for the final battle of Ragnarok.

Midgard: The Realm of Humans

Midgard, often referred to as Earth, is the realm of humankind. Suspended within Yggdrasil's middle branches, it is a world populated by mortals, their settlements, and their adventures. Midgard is constantly influenced by the gods and their actions, shaping the fate of both individuals and civilizations.

Jotunheim: The Land of Giants

Jotunheim, nestled within the roots of Yggdrasil, is a realm inhabited by the jotnar, or giants. These formidable beings range from mountainous brutes to cunning and deceptive creatures. Jotunheim serves as a land of challenges and conflicts, frequently intersecting with the affairs of gods and heroes.

Vanaheim: Abode of the Vanir Gods

Vanaheim is the realm of the Vanir gods, a pantheon associated with fertility, prosperity, and nature. Located within Yggdrasil's branches, Vanaheim is depicted as a lush and fertile land, where bountiful harvests and vibrant ecosystems flourish under the Vanir's watchful eye.

Alfheim: Dwelling of the Light Elves

Alfheim, situated above Midgard, is a realm inhabited by the ethereal and luminous light elves. Known for their beauty and connection to nature, the light elves possess great wisdom and magical abilities. Alfheim is often associated with light, joy, and enchantment.

Svartalfheim: Domain of the Dwarves

Svartalfheim, residing within the depths of Yggdrasil, is the realm of the industrious and skilled dwarves. Known for their craftsmanship and mining expertise, the dwarves forge powerful weapons, legendary artifacts, and intricate treasures. Svartalfheim is a realm of hidden caverns and wondrous craftsmanship.

Niflheim: The Frozen Underworld

Niflheim lies beneath the lowest roots of Yggdrasil, a cold and mist-shrouded realm associated with ice, frost, and darkness. It is home to Hel, the ruler of the dead, and the souls of evil men who passed into this ice realm after traversing Helheim.

Muspelheim: Realm of Fire

Opposite Niflheim, Muspelheim exists as a realm of searing flames and intense heat. Ruled by the fire giant Surtr, Muspelheim embodies the primal power of fire and is foretold to be instrumental in the apocalyptic event of Ragnarok.

Helheim: Abode of the Dead

Helheim is a realm of the dead, located beneath the roots of Yggdrasil. It is a somber and desolate place ruled by the goddess Hel, where souls who did not attain glory in battle or gain entrance to other afterlife realms reside. It represents the acceptance of mortality and the finality of death in Norse mythology.

Inhabitants of Yggdrasil

Yggdrasil is not only a physical entity but is also inhabited by various mythical creatures. Beneath its roots resides Nidhoggr, a colossal dragon who gnaws at the roots of the tree, representing decay and destruction. The eagle perched on Yggdrasil's highest branches looks down on Nidhoggr below, embodying knowledge and inaction. The squirrel Ratatoskr scurries up and down the tree, acting like a messenger between Nidhoggr and the unnamed eagle, fanning the flames of hate between them by spreading nasty rumors and ferrying insults that one has for another. These inhabitants further contribute to the vivid and complex tapestry of Norse mythology.

Symbolism of the World Tree

Yggdrasil is a profound symbol in Norse mythology, representing the interconnectedness of all things in the cosmos. It embodies the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth, underscoring the idea of continuous renewal and regeneration. As a world tree, it also symbolizes the axis mundi, a universal concept found in many mythologies, where the physical and spiritual realms meet.

The image of the tree resonates deeply with human existence, reflecting the innate human desire to seek meaning and connectivity. It reminds us of the intricate web of relationships that bind us to the natural world and the forces beyond our comprehension.

Yggdrasil, the World Tree of Norse mythology, is a powerful symbol that encapsulates the cosmos and its profound interconnections. It serves as a gateway to the realms of gods, giants, and the dead, and its roots tap into the wellsprings of cosmic wisdom and primal creation. As we delve into the mysteries of Norse mythology, we unravel the layers of symbolism embedded in this awe-inspiring ancient tree, reminding us of our place in the grand tapestry of existence.

So, let us gaze upon Yggdrasil, this towering arboreal monument that stands as a testament to the enduring power and enduring fascination of Norse mythology. May its endless branches forever inspire us to explore the depths of our own roots and seek wisdom in sacrifice.

[heimdallsbraids]

Blood of Mine | Ch. 7 (Heimdall x fem!reader)

Summary: Life is pretty simple. Survive the harsh conditions of Fimbulwinter in Midgard, trade with your dwarven friends in Svartalfheim and – avoid the shit out of Odin’s most loyal lapdog? If word reaches the All-Father about your blood-bending origins, you’re doomed… (Hints of Avatar: TLA, but not a crossover)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Profanity, mentions of sex (minors back tf up)

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Chapter Seven: Bonfire

Heimdall wasn’t lying when he said you’d be put to work. As soon as you returned from your trip to Midgard with Odin, two incredibly nervous servants sought you out before you even had the chance to enter your room, both with differing tasks set out by the blond God. It was a long list written out on some parchment paper, one you were gripping very tightly between shaking hands.

“What the fuck…”

The servants backed out of the room when they realised you had nothing else to say, glancing at each other with worried expressions. Letting your eyes fall shut, you groaned in pure frustration once the door clicked shut. This would take you all day – all night even, if you didn’t pull yourself together – so you hastily changed into more comfortable clothes before heading out.

Trudging through the lodge with heavy feet, you heaved sigh after sigh as you tried to control your temper. The maddening list was tucked (more like carelessly scrunched) into your pocket. Out of sight, out of mind. Sort of.

The first thing to do was laundry. But first, you needed help locating his room because you had no idea, and honestly didn’t care to know, where he even stayed in the first place.

‘My clothes won’t clean themselves, wench,’ he’d written. Most of the list was completed in the same fashion; littered with derogatory terms he had no right to call you (mostly to do with your race or social standing). You couldn’t roll your eyes any harder if you tried. It was like he was trying to outdo himself with each one that followed.

You relaxed a little as you came across a familiar dark-haired man making his way to the kitchens.

“Hey, Amir!” You greeted him with a tiny wave. “You wouldn’t happen to know where Heimdall’s room is, would you?”

“Morning to you, m’lady!” A charming grin graced his olive-skinned features as he saluted you. “You’re on Shining God duty now? That’s rough.” He joshed.

You groaned. “Tell me about it.”

He chuckled and gave you the directions. You thanked him and turned to leave, but he gently reached out to grasp your wrist. “The kitchen crew are having a bonfire tonight. I’d like it if you joined us?”

“Oh, um, sure. I’d like that.”

He winked at you just as he had the first time you met and left, leaving you to stifle a giggle behind your palm as you got to work on finding Heimdall’s room. It turns out there was a whole other area of the lodge you’d never seen before. It was very similar to the hall of rooms where you and Thrúd resided, only it held two rooms directly opposite each other and was significantly quieter.

Amir said Heimdall’s is on the right…

Despite knowing he wasn't inside, you huffed and knocked for good measure. The stubborn, respectful part of you was rearing its head even though you wanted to jump off a cliff every time he interacted with you.

The room was humbler than you expected for someone so obnoxious. It was spacious but not much larger than the one you stayed in – the main difference being the lack of random shields, armour and general junk lying around the place. A bed nearly double the size of yours was situated near the windows with soft furs laid neatly across the top. You had to wonder if he even used the thing or if he was some kind of neat freak.

What fascinated you, however, was the tall bookcase tucked into the back corner. It was filled to the brim with books both thick and thin, old and new, and you found yourself trailing a delicate finger over them as you skimmed the titles. Many of them were most likely Aesir texts since you didn’t recognise the names, but you managed to zero in on a few you’d read (and enjoyed) before.

You snapped yourself out of it, blinking rapidly. So he likes to read, so what?

You lugged a small basked of clothes outside to the designated laundering area and set to work alongside a few other servants. It didn’t take you long to finish, thanks to there being barely anything in the first place, and it helped that they were pretty clean, too, so you hung them out and hurried back to his room, figuring it would be faster to complete the remaining chores in there before heading to another area.

Most of it was the kind of stuff you figured the regular servants did daily, and you were powering through it once you established a rhythm. You swept, dusted, wiped, and even brought in a bowl of fresh apples at one point. The only thing that managed to conjure derisive laughter from you was his wardrobe, which held an abundance of luxurious, well-made clothing. You immediately understood why Amir called him the ‘Shining God’. Anyone could spot the guy shining from miles away with the sheer amount of precious metals that adorned his clothes (namely gold).

By late afternoon, you were standing in front of the stables. Gulltoppr’s, to be more specific. The stableman was taken aback when you arrived to see the beast and even more so when you said you were tasked with grooming it. He almost refused, but once you’d flashed him the list marked with Heimdall’s unmistakable writing, he had no choice but to let you in lest he risk angering the God.

You nodded numbly as he handed you grooming supplies and informed you that it was a male gradungr and was particularly aggressive towards new people without its owner around. It looked just as threatening as you remember, with its incredibly sharp claws, horns, and teeth on display as it regarded you from the back of its enclosed space. You weren’t exactly sure what a gradungr’s diet was, but the way its glowing blue eyes zeroed in on you told you they weren’t impartial to human meat.

“Yep… there’s no fucking way.”

The stableman looked relieved when you left, though you suspected it was more because he wouldn’t have to clean up the bloodied mess your body would’ve left behind if you’d stayed. You knew this would probably piss Heimdall off, but what did he expect? You’d rather be alive to deal with the consequences than die trying to groom his stupid oversized cat.

With that, your chores were done for the day, and you happily returned to your room to get changed for the bonfire. You decided on a simple maroon dress with long sleeves to protect you from the chilly night air while your hair was released from the confines of its usual ribbon. Observing yourself in the reflection of a spoon, you actually felt quite… pretty.

Night-time had truly set in by the time you made it to the meeting spot, the moon casting a cool glow across the realm as wispy clouds hung low in the sky. There had to be at least twenty people gathered around the small bonfire, laughing and drinking away as they watched the fire dance and crackle before them. Your arrival was met with warm greetings, and you were immediately ushered to sit beside Amir, who flashed you a wide grin.

“What do you think?” He asks. “Best cook, me or Jörgen?”

You chuckled, “Pff, Jörgen, of course!”

A flurry of playful taunts came at him from all directions as his face fell in mock offence while others voiced their agreement with hearty laughter.

He held a hand to his chest. “You wound me, m’lady.”

“Oi, don’t let the boss man hear of this mutiny,” an ageing bald man piped up from the other side of the fire. “You’ll be put on dishwashing duty for a month!”

You were handed your own tankard of honeyed mead at some point, and what started as experimental sips eventually turned into easy swigs. Before you knew it, you were on your third round, which doesn’t sound like much, but it was more than enough for someone who usually avoided the drink like the plague.

As the night went on, the group slowly began to dwindle, and soon it was just you, Amir, and a handful of others, including the two young girls (Liv and Tora) who’d giggled at your expense that one time in the kitchens. Even now, they whispered to each other as they shot you and Amir curious glances. You hadn’t realised, but he’d moved closer to you at some point, your knees bumping together as he joked around with someone across from him. Or was it you who moved closer?

Your thoughts were interrupted when you felt a light tapping on your shoulder. “Hey.” It was Liv– the young brunette servant. Her round, doe eyes were laced with mischief as she cupped her hands together and whispered in your ear, “Have you slept with him yet?”

You blinked, your inebriated mind slower in conjuring up a response. Finally, you asked, “Slept with who?”

Those three words successfully gained the attention of everyone around you, including a surprised Amir, and you dragged a palm over your face, embarrassed.

“What the Hel are you two goin’ on about over there?” A stocky middle-aged woman asked. Hilda, you think. It didn’t sound right, but you couldn’t be sure.

“Sex,” Liv bluntly responded.

“Oh-kay, that’s me for the night!” The bald man from before said, standing from his seat with a slap to his knees. “S’been fun, but I’m officially too old for this shit.”

“Speak for yourself!” Hilda replied, chugging down the last of her drink as he flipped her the bird and departed with two others. She shrugged and brought her chair closer to you, ignoring the loud scraping sound.

“So?” Tora, the other young girl, asked, her bushy red hair bouncing as she huddled in as well.

“Wha – why are you all focused on me? Ask someone else!” You laughed, giving a light-hearted push to Liv beside you.

“Bah! We already know each other’s escapades.”

“Oh, come on, lass,” Hilda pressed, refilling your tankard with fresh mead. “You’re young ‘n pretty. There’s gotta be someone ‘round here wanting to bed you!”

You groaned.

“I knew it…” Liv gasped, her brown eyes wide with excitement as she grabbed your hand. “It’s Heimdall, isn’t it!”

The mouthful of mead you were halfway through swallowing wedged in your throat, and you began to cough and sputter, thumping your chest with a closed fist. “W-what the fuck?”

“Oh, come on, we all saw you eating together the other night – which he never does, by the way – and he was staring at you the whole time! Not to mention, you’re suddenly put on Shining God duty?”

When she put it that way, you could see where she was coming from, but it couldn’t be the furthest from the truth. It wasn’t like you didn’t find him attractive because you most certainly did. He was tall, handsome, and had a well-maintained physique. Anyone with eyes would appreciate that simple combination, but, for you, that was about it. He was nice to look at until he opened his mouth. It also didn’t help that you had a mutual dislike for one another.

You snorted, “Something tells me he’d rather use his hand than get into it with a mortal.”

Amir chuckled at your words before adding, “He does seem sort of… egocentric, I should say?”

“That’s putting it nicely!” Hilda challenged with a scoff. “He’s definitely not the youngest God I’ve served, but he certainly acted like it. I’m glad I got transferred to Lady Sif!”

“Wow, that makes me feel heaps better…” You mumbled.

Growing bored, Liv quickly steered the conversation back in her favour, “Well, if it’s not Heimdall, then who is it?”

“Um… no one?”

“So, there’s nothing between you two, then?” Tora giggled, referring to you and Amir’s still-touching knees. “Your body language says otherwise.”

Amir’s hazel eyes met yours, and he coughed awkwardly, rubbing at the back of his neck. He seemed just as thrown off by their bold antics.

“They should kiss and find out!” Liv coaxed, stirring the pot. She jokingly bumped her hip into yours, successfully pushing the rest of your side up against your male friend.

He finally laughed, resting an arm over your shoulders. “Children, children, please!”

“I’m older than you, boy!”

“And yet here you are,” he teased, earning himself a kick to the shin. “Ah!”

The two girls ignored the banter and began chanting, ‘kiss, kiss, kiss!’ The older woman laughed, joining in, and soon you were handing your half-empty cup of liquid courage to the brunette beside you.

“Fuck it,” you decided, grabbing a surprised Amir by the back of the head and pulling him in.

It was only meant to be a light peck, something to sate the rowdy bunch before you. But as soon as you moved away, warm hands were tugging you back, and a pair of lips captured yours once more. You could hear squeals of glee somewhere to your side as this carried on for what felt like a good thirty seconds, and you gasped when he finally released you.

“Gods…” Hilda finally said, breaking the silence. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

You threw back the rest of your drink.

[magnusmodig]

. . . . . ╰──╮𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐍 | MCU ╭──╯ . . . . .

The new All-Father of the Nine Realms, King of Asgard.

Also known as Point Break.

Is, in fact, neither a human or an actual god. Just a mega-powerful alien.

Cares very deeply for the humans of Midgard and is gladly one if its personal protectors. The Resident Boft of the Avengers

One time his brother committed treason and killed him. That was a fun day.

He has a secret sister he didn't know about who tried to kill him too.

She's now dead.

His father is A+ at parenting and should write a book on it.

His mother was lovely.... when she was actually around. Also, she's dead.

Actually so is his father. And his best friends. And his home planet.

And his soulmate broke up with him.

....Is about as traumatized as he is handsome. (And boy is he handsome.)

╰┈➤ RULES | APP | STATS | FAVORED LOCATIONS | CARRD.

[wallmouse]

A really rough map of a post-Ragnarok Yggdrasil. It's basically the World Tree of Norse myth after a botched version of the fabled apocalypse, Ragnarok. No worlds are left except Midgard, to which travel is very complicated. The residents have settled on the tree, plagued with earthquakes, fires, and nasty winters. It exists to the modern day.

Here is a very rough worldbuilding outline:

The continent-city of Karnsa hosts the magical conglomerate MercCorp, and is by far the most technically advanced. I imagine something like a combo between 1920s NYC, Neo-Tokyo from Akira, and Montreal for the Northern Districts. The skyline has five signature dark towers operated by the MercCorp elite. Karnsa is divided by 9 districts, each of which has 9 subdistricts. The center districts are the most well-kept. The central to southern districts are built atop catacombs locals refer to as "the old city". The outer edges of Karnsa consist of bark farms and other agricultural industries, as well as many "refugee detainment" centers. The Western districts have many rivers that flow from New Jotunheim.

The disputed territories are in a state of constant war and conflict over resources. The in-universe maps of said areas are always changing. Two high-tech MercCorp railways run through the territories. Those railways are the safest way to travel the territories, but they are rarely for civilian/refugee use. The landscape has been bombed and poisoned and carved through. Towns and farm spring up for a year only to get razed to the ground the next.

The High Branches are home to many nomadic bands of Branch Elves, which are a diasporic group from the former world of Alfheim. The land is mountainous, dry, and sparse in resources that allow for sedentary living. Their nomadic ways of living are under threat from the spreading conflict of the disputed territories. Many of them have fallen prey to humanoid trafficking under the unstable conditions.

Deeper into the High Branches are the three sister cities of Gimsa, Jokulsa, and Hildessy.

They are located in a triangle around the Petrified Canyon, and can be considered tourist cities for the Canyon’s wealthy residents. The cities were founded by Branch Elves who couldn’t adjust to a pastoral life. The cities are the next most modernized after Karnsa. Their aesthetics are more outwardly magical, art noveau-esque, and bourgeois in comparison. The sister cities have a complicated relationship with their nomadic neighbors. Many bands of Branch Elves have given up their nomadic lifestyle to settle in the cities to varying levels of success. The cities have also been accused of not doing enough to help their elf neighbors unless the fighting gets uncomfortably close to city limits.

The Petrified Canyon is a canyon where the walls are made of petrified/fossilized wood. The entrance is located in the center of the sister cities, although no one can pinpoint a concrete location. It is the home to the Fae-Dragons, a magical and long-lived race of part Fae and part Dragons. Buildings are carved into the canyon walls and a vast river runs through the canyons. It is the most outwardly magical place of all Yggdrasil. Its residents are insular and rarely venture outside of the sister cities.

The rest of the High Branches don’t have much of a population. The air is very thin, and their few nomadic residents must wear specialized masks. Temporary settlements and trading posts can be found interwoven between the branches.

The very tips of the High Branches are rumored to have ghost ships which sail through the clouds like water.

Right below the disputed territories on the other half of the tree, where it says “Magheim” on the old map, is New Jotunheim. New Jotunheim was founded by the Jotnar/Giants after Ragnarok. It consists of many boat-cities on a giant lake with rocky waves. The boat-cities can travel and link up with each other to form cityships. The whole area is foggy and chilly. The boat-cities aren’t ostentatious and resemble Nordic fishing villages. The Jotnar are masters of illusion, and have cloaked their cities with layers of confusion spells and environmental effects. If one doesn’t have a guide, they could spend months in New Jotunheim searching for civilization. The Jotnar don’t like the Fae-Dragons, as the Jotnar believed the Fae-Dragons have stolen ownership of the Petrified Canyon away from them.

Below New Jotnuheim are a series of mountain ranges. They provide a natural barrier that prevents the fighting from the Disputed Territories from spreading. There is an occasional inn run by self-sufficient locals within the mountains.

The mountain ranges lead to the Deep Roots. Or rather, the Deep Root. Yggdrasil used to have many gigantic roots, along which rested the giant skeleton of Nidhog, the dragon prophesized to end the world. Centuries of fighting among Noble Families who lived within Nidhog’s skeleton have reduced the Deep Roots to just one root, and only Nidhog’s skull, a claw, and one Noble Family remains. The rest have sunken into the wild sea below Yggdrasil, home to many monstrous whales and other creatures.

The Deep Roots are dark and wet. The residents go through winter without a lick of sun. It’s kind of based off historical Iceland. They live off the many bioluminescent mushrooms and fungi that populate the root, as well as domesticated mildew and moss. The ones near the tip of the roots catch and trade fish. The overall technology level is 1910s-ish, with exceptions made for the richer members of society. The one exception is fungal technology, of which the residents have mastered to a futuristic level (fungi-infused bricks that self-heal a certain amount of damage, advance penicillin and antibiotics, etc.).

The Deep Roots are filled with ghosts and monsters, all attracted to light. Residents travel the beaten and sunken roads with great caution.

The Last Noble House has carved a manor out of Nidhog’s skull, serviced by villages of servants on the nearby land. The skull in on the top of the root, right below the mountains. The skull is on section of the root that has partially collapsed. This makes travel to and from the skull, which must be done through a series of precariously connected bridges, extremely hard. The Noble House is technically in charge of the villages below them, though centuries of infighting and geographical isolation has made contact with the outside world next to impossible.

Below the skull are a lot of small villages. The southmost ones have a flooding problem. One of the largest southern villages is Heriholm. It has a large and ancient town hall made of wood that is getting moldy. It also has a large wooden museum with whale corpses in formaldehyde tanks. Heriholm is the start of a movement to get rid of the last Noble House and replace Deep Roots governance with a democratic system.

Along the root are small Troll villages. They blend into the cliffs and fog. They are rumored to bewitch humans into living with them among the cliffs.

I think that’s all the worldbuilding I have for now. 

[anukulee]

Choices

A/N: As you can see I got inspired by pov: you are hiding among humans using a modern name(y/n)but Loki recognized you and Kingdoms at war || EP:01 || POV Loki x y/n. I choose to take some of the best things about them and change them up. So with that in mind, get ready for the young and cunning goddess OC, whose name may be based on Athena's daughter in Percy Jackson. 

Loki Odinson was a god with many plans, for whenever things looked like they wouldn't work out for him, he would switch tactics. To him, switching tactics ensured that he was never caught, and he could continue doing as he pleased. He would be lying if he said stabbing Thor in unique, yet obvious ways didn't amuse him greatly. Considering it a playful part of their brotherly nature, as Loki never hit anywhere he knew Thor wouldn't quickly recover from. Yet what Loki was about to do would be far different than his usual tactics, and more traitorous than anything even he could imagine. But it had to be done, through Loki loved Thor dearly, he knew if Thor was on the throne things wouldn't end well. For while his Thor had always been gifted in the field of combat, and knew a decent amount of strategy. Thor preferred to go in and figure things out as he went. Something he knew wouldn't work as well if Thor ever became king. None of it helped by the fact that their father Odin was no different, he preferred to conquer, and only peace talk as a last result. Loki knew if things continued this way the nine realms might be in pieces before Thor could even gain the throne. He had heard the word of conflict stirring on all sides even amongst the allies and not just in Jotunheim. Through Jotunheim was as of now the most pressing issue, for frost giants weren't one to wait once stirred something Odin did almost every time despite Loki's protests. It was for this very reason that Loki set to change everything, for soon Odin will fail whether it be through peaceful matters or not. Loki didn't particularly care, for as long as he got the throne and the nine realms would remain in one piece that is what mattered to Loki as Loki waited for her to arrive.

Her being Annabeth Chaser goddess of trickery and wisdom. Though she was at least 50 years younger than Loki. Yet despite her younger age, she was still said to have been wise even though she was young. As it was even rumored she was the daughter of the greek god Athena, though if so Loki wondered why Athena would've been so far rather than reside in Midgard. Something he didn't particularly voice, not wanting to anger the gods, as tensions were already high not helped by Odin. Yet from what he had heard Annabeth didn't seem particularly favor Odin something that Loki was very much into and the very reason Loki had gone much searching to narrow down her location. Not to mention why Loki was standing near a deserted beach somewhere in Midgard, where Heimdall couldn't see him, and was wearing full Asgardian armor. As he awaited his soon-to-be visitor, he figured she wouldn't wait long to come to him as long as he played his cards right.

The first thing he felt was a change in the wind and a sense that someone was watching him. Upon feeling this Loki let a small smile begin to tug on his lips. Looks like she's here, let the games begin he thought. "There is no need for you to hide, for I already know you are watching me." There was no reply to this declaration so Loki choose to say something else. "You think you can hide from me? When I can already see you."

 "Oh can you," a voice called out.

 Perfect Loki thought as he opened his mouth to say his next words. "I can my dear, for someone such as yourself you should work on your sneaking tactics."

 "Really how can you see through my spell?"

"I never said spell, you were the one who said that."

 "Oh?"

 "Yes, because all I knew was you were here somewhere, you could've been hiding in the trees for all I could've known."

 "I see well then I suppose there is no use in hiding if you can already see me."

 "I suppose so."

 At this Loki soon found himself faced with a goddess with hair as golden as a halo that the Midgardians claim adores angels, eyes as cloudy as the grayest of days, and she wore her own set of formal attire. "You are quite clever aren't you?"

 "Well, you did fall for my bluff."

 "I did, didn't I?"

 "Indeed you did ha ha," Loki said with a grin directed toward Annabeth.

 "Now would you enlighten me on who you are?”

 “Me,” Loki asked pointing a finger at himself as if he was confused.

 “Yes, who else?”

 “I see through may I ask why you might want to know my name?”

 “Well, I would like to be enlightened on the name of the man who managed to lie to me."

 "Perhaps, but first I would like something."

 "Oh, and what might that be?"

 "Your name."

 "Nice try, but I am afraid I won't be playing that game."

 "What game," Loki asked facing innocence.

 "The game where we pretend we don't already know each other names."

 "Who says we do know each other names? Considering you have yet to tell me your name."

 "I could say the same to you."

 "No need to be modest. I know you aren't mortal."

 "You do?"

 "A mere mortal wouldn't be able to sneak up on someone like me."

 "Mere mortal?"

 "Yes."

 "So are you saying that you aren't a mortal?"

 "I am afraid not my lady and this means the likes of them wouldn't be able to sneak up on one such as me."

 "Is that so."

 "Yes and with that in mind that can only make you a goddess or Asgardian."

 "If you know so much then feel free to enlighten me."

 "Gladly I know you aren't Asgardian for Heimdell would never allow one to sneak by without Odin knowing."

 "And you can?"

 "I have my ways. My lady or should I call you Annabeth goddess of trickery and wisdom? Rumored daughter of Athena. Said to be almost unmatched in both mind and wit, badass in the arena, princess of the best strategies we've seen, and most of all not a fan of Odin."

 "I see. So you know who I am."

 At this Loki let out a smile as he had something else to voice. "Just as I am guessing you know who I am."

 "Do I, mysterious man or should I say Loki Odinson?"

 "So you know."

 "But of course, it only took me mere moments to figure it out. I have only heard rumors of you."

 "I see."

 "Through it makes me wonder why you the god of mischief, lies, and second son of Odin would be here to see me."

 "I believe we have a mutual goal."

 "Oh, will you care to enlighten me on such a matter?"

”Here I thought you were clever my dear perhaps I have overestimated you.”

 “Or maybe I would rather hear it from you.”

 “If you wish it then I suppose I shall reveal my reasons for coming.”

 “Good.”

 “Now you have a distaste for my father do you not?"

 "I will not speak ill of Odin, especially in front of his son, but I will say I am not his biggest fan. Though I don't see what that has to do with me."

 "Simply my lady, I require your assistance on a matter."

 "Oh, and what would that be?"

 "To ensure the nine realms hold up despite my father's ruling and instance that my older brother be protector and king."

 "And you don't want that do you young Odinson?"

 "You speak as if you are older than me."

 "Aren’t I," Annabeth asked her brow going up as if she was trying to see what Loki would say.

 "No, though you aren't much younger than me."

 "Correct. So you are the son of Odin."

 "Not by choice."

 "Seeing as you are here I hope you intend to try and show me why I should take your offer?"

 "Simple you wish for Odin not to be ruler, and I wish the same."

 "And if he isn't who shall take the throne?"

 "Me of course."

 "You think you can do it?"

 "Not alone of course."

 "Is that so? Then who would you choose," Annabeth asked getting more curious about what he meant. Not knowing she was playing into Loki's hands.

 "You of course."

 "Me?"

 "Not one of those royals?"

"No, you would be far better as a queen."

 "Would I?"

 "You would."

 "So none of those young maidens or perhaps young men interest you?"

 "I'm afraid they prefer my brother over the likes of me. I am the trickster god after all," Loki said with a hand gesture before walking around Annabeth.

 "I see, but how will I know you are loyal to me? You are after all like me a trickster."

 "I will do whatever you wish for me to prove my loyalty."

At this, a small smile began to grace Annabeth's lips. "Say I believe you. If you are so loyal then you should have no problem kneeling for me."

She is interesting, how fun this shall be he thought. "As you wish my darling," Loki said as he got down and kneeled before her.

 "Well then I suppose we might have an alliance, but..."

 "But what?"

 "I want you to swear loyalty to me and only me."

 "Is that all you wish?"

 "Yes and ensure that you won't betray me."

 "If that is what you want then you shall have it," Loki said before taking another knee and taking Annabeth's hands into his. "Annabeth, soon to be the queen of the nine realms and Asgard, I swear to you on this day my undying fidelity to you and only you." As he stood up slowly, but not without leaving a kiss on her hand. "Is that all you wish my darling?"

 "Pet names already?"

 "You are to be my wife if things work out are you not?"

 "Yes."

 "Then I see no problem with this. As it is a way to prepare for our future."

 "Oh, you think I would fall for you?"

 "Who says you haven't already?"

 "Confidence aren't you?"

 "I am nothing, but confident especially around you my dear." 

"I see."

 "So what do you say my darling, partners in both love and loyalty," he said offering his hand in a shake.

 "I suppose so. Though don't get confident on the lover's part," Annabeth said taking the shake despite her thoughts telling her not to. Though she did pull him close as her mouth hovered near his ear. "If you betray me, son of Odinson trust that you will pay."

 "I have no doubt darling, so shall we?"

 "Fine, tell me your plan Odinson."

 "Loki please consider what we are about to go through. Not to mention what we might be one day."

 "Fine, but betray me and I will..."

 "Kill me, trust me you wouldn't be the first one to say that."

 "I wouldn't expect any less from you."

 "Nor you my darling, now as for my plan this is only the beginning though I think," Loki said before he started to explain. Something that Annabeth listened to closely. Little did both of them know at the time that this would only be the start of their partnership both in love and loyalty. Through those are stories for another universe, through know that despite everything that happens and Loki's tendency for betrayal, he never betrayed her, for as long as he was together with her everything else would fall in their wake, and that was all that mattered to him and her as time would soon reveal. But as mentioned before those are tales for another universe, through together Annabeth and Loki were forces to be feared as king and queen of the nine realms, and that is all that matters at least right now.

A/N: I was trying to think of a name for a goddess of wisdom and I thought why not use Annabeth and play into Athena? I didn't want to use Athena because as far as I know, she doesn't particular show much romantic interest in men. So I thought I shouldn't force her to. Thus why I made Annabeth her perhaps daughter though she is younger than Loki she is just as wise. Can you blame her considering her mother? I will say that the greek and Norse gods are present. Seeing as in Thor's Love and Thunder Zesus made his appearance. In my idea, they reside different areas, Norse takes the US and some other countries, while Zesus mostly take Europe countries. Asia I think would be neutral and both sides can be there so yeah that was just my thought process seeing as I used two edits to write this.  Through a peak into Loki's and Annabeth's future, she will eventually fall for him, though it will take much time and planning. Loki will succeed in overthrowing Odin especially when it is found out Odin stole a child and a whole lot of other things. The people not caring as long as it's not Odin or Hela. So yeah that isn't to say it wasn't long and fought. I think the avengers will still assemble perhaps with Loki visiting Earth for a little break thinking he and Annabeth won't be seen. But Odin being the man he is like Loki is trying to invade, and all of that. But let us just say it might not play out like it did in the movies. Especially when Odin might take Odin to sleep after Loki finds out he is adopted and talks things out. Thor will either back down or has no interest in the throne more forced on him than anything. Though I will say Hela will come but it won't be as bad as Ragnork. So yeah that is what happens and with that in mind, I hope you all enjoyed this little one-shot. I bid you all farewell until my next shot. 

[salvagedsouls]

Among the Stars: Yggdrasil and The Nine Realms

this post will be long, addressing the realms as a whole and then more individually. mentions of violent history will be made, but nothing in depth. brief blurbs and more included. this is more a visualistion explantion for how i see everything working out. this is also to pave space for The Hills, which will get its own post for clarity since that is something I completely made up. DO NOT REBLOG. please message me privately if something needs to be tagged.

there are nine main realms that connect yggdrasil and make it a complete tree, with recognition that there are secondary realms that either have not yet been explored or not yet found ( at least in asgardian memory ). those nine are: vanaheim, muspelheim, nidavellir, svartalfheim, alfheim, niflheim, midgard, asgard, and jotunheim. each realm has a capital planet or area that shares its name, often being where the majority of royalty/chieftains and realm-associated races reside, and tends to be the location most often travelled to between realms and thusly have the most established passages.

yggdrasil is comprised of secondary ( and tertiary ) realms as well, and is littered with pathways that link most of them. some are twisting and labyrinthine, some are simple; some are magic-heavy to even open, some need but a touch; if the tree does not want a certain set of individuals or peoples going somewhere, it closes off the pathways to minimize errant wanderings. the tree is alive in a sentient sense. it reacts and responds to damages done within the realms, it brings forth new life and new realms as old cycles out. unsurprisingly, it has been unbalanced by efforts of certain individuals, and the order of the realms as they stand is NOT natural and they do not like being bent so.

the tree has fought back in its own way, most notably cutting off the majority of old pathways from asgard to outside realms, but the functioning of the bifrost still makes travel relatively easy for the aesir who are allowed or care to leave. in theory, if one can track and manipulate the right type of magic, closed pathways could be forced to reopen, but may not remain stable. many have pockets that are closer to being in-between worlds than solid parts of a realm or otherwise accessible, even with magic like the bifrost; these locations have a habit of wandering the tree, and occupants may find themselves entering from one place and exiting somewhere realms away or from near the inside of the tree to the very fringes of it. it is very dangerous to linger within pathways or to wander without a secure way to map back or know how to return home. yggdrasil has also kept alive the main sets of each realm, and no home species has been completely wiped out. driven underground or dwindling in numbers, but the tree finds a way to keep them alive. should any be completely wiped out, it may well be enough to destroy the tree and unwind the rest of the realms, but no one is quite sure if that’s the case or if anyone is truthfully able to do something of that magnitude.

asgard is the birthplace of the aesir and under odin’s rule has been turned into the leader of the nine realms. asgard the city is where most asgardians stay, and while some live scattered across the rest of the realm, they are largely insular and stay away from the other realms unless invited specifically or going as a warrior or diplomat ( usually the former ). has a lot of constructed scenes, such as cityscapes and molded parks, throughout the realm. most of the power remains concentrated through the city. not a place of powerful magic, but has a large range in the magic-users that do exist.

 jotunheim is the realm of the frost giants. jotunheim the planet is largely desolate, and partially destroyed after war with odin and subsequent attacks from both thor and loki in later years. the remaining frost giants are scattered across their realm, though a few remain on the planet and are trying to make at least basic repair. not a realm outsiders tend to visit without intent to battle.

svartalfheim is the realm of the dark elves. noted for literal darkness, their magic is also dark, often cold as a side effect. svartalfheim the planet is a cold desert after the war against odin with the aether, and very few dark elves remain especially after the later attack led by malekith into the city of asgard in attempts to retake the aether when its found by jane foster. most of the realm has very little light and many of the species who live there have otherwise adapted, often with some level of magic use. was one of the most technologically advanced realms before the big war.

alfheim is the realm of the light elves. much of the realm is bright and flourishes, though in some places tread the line of being harsh in its light. alfheim the planet is full of forest and soft grasses, with occasional valleys of plains. the light elves are not unkind, but do not throw the doors open idly either. the most notable exception to this was an acceptance of odin’s desire to rule, but it was a decision largely made to preserve the planet and the rest of the realm. the realm is known for producing light- and warmth-specific magic users, with swaths of medical and healing knowledge. closest working relationship is with nidavellir.

niflheim is the realm of mist and lost souls. it is most known for the doorway that it holds to helheim, where civilian and mundane deaths take souls. it is cold and dark, and rumor has it if one is not careful the mist may simply…dissolve memory, perhaps more. most are uncertain in knowledge of this realm as it holds no living peoples and most of the dead have various reason to want to avoid them.

nidavellir is the realm of the dwarves. nidavellir the forge-city is where many of the dwarves can be found, heavily fond of privacy at their homes. it is dangerous to show up uninvited at a home, but the forge welcomes visitors if they can mind manners. the realm is full of inventive and creative species, feeding into a healthy barter system within and the means to have a very healthy merchanting system with other realms.  

muspelheim is the realm of sutur and firebeasts. it is hot and dangerous, particularly on muspelheim the planet where sutur stays. most magic users from the realm have flame- or heat-specific magicks. much of the realm has harsh lighting, between abrupt shadow and flashes of violent light. not welcoming to idle travellers, often a challenge for warriors.

vanaheim is the realm of the vanir. of the old gods and said to be the birthplace of magic, vanaheim the planet is semi-sentient and its towering forests are half alive with beasts. now a place of ruins and ghost, overgrown vines and vicious spells that attack anyone who enter. pockets of asgardians with believed claims to the lands live on the outskirts attempting to regain the old realm and its secrets ( sidenote: concise blurb courtesy of smudge who has since left tumbl). these outposts are often bare and need outside supports. as more time passes, the realm grows increasingly mysterious to outsiders, often becoming even more dangerous as a result. not for the faint-hearted.

midgard is the realm of the shorter-lived mortals. midgard the planet, aka earth, is specific to humans but asgardian definition of the realm has expanded over time. originally seen as little more than an amusing planet, eventual conflict with others like the olympians results in necessary withdrawal and agreement to leave midgard as a middle ground. most of the realms do not interact with midgard on the whole, but individuals from all of them have come and gone throughout time by use of various passages, the bifrost, or outside systems. recent years has the planet agreeing to host individuals like thor, but they remain mostly uneducated about the reach of its own realm, the depth of the other eight, or how much lies beyond.

[dhampiravidi]

On the order of Queen Frigga, a woman who she owed much to, Skadi had stayed on Midgard after locating Thor. Once he had proven his heart to his father, he'd regained his godhood & gone home to Asgard, where he was to be made king. Skadi didn't mind missing the coronation (she was ambivalent when it came to Odin's sons), nor did she dislike the human realm--mostly.

It'd been two years since the event in New Mexico & nearly a week since Loki & the Chitauri had unsuccessfully invaded New York. The organization known as SHIELD contacted Skadi not long after she'd said goodbye to Thor. They were the ones who had told her about the Avengers Initiative & they probably would have asked her to fight Loki, had Frigga not already sent a message via Heimdall. The poor queen did not want innocent people hurt, any more than she wanted her younger son to be. Skadi took the opportunity to comfort her when she had to take him home in cuffs.

Having lived for over a millennia, Skadi had two stable residences in Midgard: one in Canada & one in Norway. She thought it was the smart thing to do since her missions took her throughout the Nine Realms at random. Like in the forests of Asgard, she enjoyed holing up in her cabins, sewing her own clothes or cooking while she sang in Jotunn, animals she'd befriended keeping her company. But unlike in Asgard, when she had to venture into the city (on extremely rare occasions), people didn't sneer at her. Midgardians were more like the Light Elves, who stared & spoke in awe, due to her height & foreign clothes. But she still felt painfully different. Alone. Maybe she always would...

Then Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, invited her for a drink. Skadi always kept her heart close, used to people pretending to be kind, only for them to hurt her & smirk when she was disappointed. Things probably wouldn't change on the whole. & yet, Skadi had seen Natasha & those other Midgardians fight valiantly, even with all the odds against them. She almost wanted to trust them. She didn't want to feel alone forever--not really. Sometimes she wondered how long it'd be til she spoke to another human, when she was out in the wild.

"I thank you for the invitation, Lady Natasha. I warn you, though--Asgardian mead is much stronger than your people's. Do not try to match me," Skadi told her, sitting in front of the redhead. She curiously eyed one of the two bottles, reading the label. Then she took a swig & nearly choked.

"Come on sit with me and drink." Natasha said as she offered the empty space in front of her. "Just a bottle or two. Wouldn't hurt, right?" It was pretty rare for her to invite someone to drink but really, it felt like it was a nice night.

[villainousshakespeare]

Therapy Fit for a God Chapter 8

Loki/OFC Rated M (may go up to E in future chapters) Trigger Warnings: Angst, talk of suicide, therapy, unhealthy family dynamics, mention of torture and mind control

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6

Loki’s plans to conquer and rule Midgard have come to a disastrous end. After being captured by the Avengers, he is being held on Earth. Odin has refused to interfere, and the outlook for the God of Mischief appear bleak. His only hope may lie in one mortal woman, a Psychiatric expert brought in to interrogate him.

Dr. Caroline Thorpe is intrigued by Loki and thinks that more lies beneath his actions than is commonly known. Can she find out the truth before he is shipped off to die for crimes against the Earth? And can Loki bring himself to care?

@yespolkadotkitty @just-the-hiddles @hopelessromanticspoonie @wine-and-whines @arch-venus25 @caffiend-queen @devilish–doll @enchantedbyhiddles @hiddlesholic @i-do-not-fangirl-i-fanwoman @kellatron55 @ladyoftheteaandblood @latent-thoughts @yespolkadotkitty@maryxglz @myoxisbroken @nuggsmum @nildespirandum @pedeka @redfoxwritesstuff @sinfully-lustful-darling @vodka-and-some-sass @wrathkitty @kingtwhiddleston @wolfsmom1 @poetic-fiasco @shiningloki @dangertoozmanykids101 @bookworm-christina @amwolowicz @delightfulheartdream @frostbitten-written @what-a-flammable-heart @tom-hlover @nonsensicalobsessions @myraiswack @loki-yoursaviourishere @ghostypau @ms-cellanies @colorfulfreakstudentpizza @mareebird @colorfulfreakstudentpizza  @szycha22 @chokemedaddyloki @queenofallhobos​ @just-the-hiddles-reads​  @alwida10  

"So, where were you today?" Caroline asked as they sat down to begin eating the delicious meal she had prepared.

"Why?" Loki replied, deflecting the question out of habit. "Did you miss me?"

"Considering I have no idea where I am and you are the only other person here, yes. I did miss you quite a bit."

She was confoundingly forthright. Loki had expected her to be flustered by his question, or at least embarrassed, but instead her answer was completely practical.

"I can help with one part of that," he told her, leaning over to pull a bottle of red wine out of the bag he had left near the table. "We are in a quiet area in remote Scandanavia."

"Scandinavia?" That did seem to shock her, he was pleased to discover.

"Yes. I have had a residence here going back for some time. It comes in handy on occasion."

"How much time is some?"

"Well, if memory serves, there used to be an altar where they would sacrifice village virgins to me within half a day's walk from here."

"Really?" she squeaked, eyes going big.

"Of course not," he chuckled uncorking the bottle without need of a corkscrew. "What would I want with a virgin? You mortals are much more fun to play with when you've had a bit of practice. But there was a temple to me quite close. A small town sits there now. I ventured out to get us some supplies and take the pulse of the area."

"And?" she prompted after several minutes as he returned to his meal, a satisfied smile on his face. She really was marvelously fun to tease.

"And they were distressingly short on sweets. There was once an old woman who made the most delicious confections. Apparently, she passed on and none of her children took up her craft. A travesty if ever there was one."

"Loki!" she came close to snapping.

"Yes, my dear?" he asked obnoxiously, raising his brow.

"What did you find out about the pulse of the area, as you put it? Is anyone looking for us?"

"I'm sure they are, but they have not found us yet, nor even come close. As far as I know, not even Thor knows the location of this place. Oh, he is aware I have a hideaway somewhere in this part of the world, but he can barely keep track of his own homes, much less mine. It will take quite some time for anyone to track us down. I would think we can live here quite comfortably for a decade or so."

Really, a decade living with Caroline would hardly be the worst fate he could wish for. The dinner was excellent, she was a lively conversationalist when she wasn't trying to delve into his worst memories, and he was sure that he could find many pleasurable activities for the two of them to pass the time.

"A decade? I can't stay here for a decade!" she burst into his imaginings.

"Why not? I assure you, I have more than enough funds to keep the two of us quite cozily for as long as we need. And if you get antsy, we can always use the Tesseract to pop off to Paris or perhaps Venice. As long as I altered our appearance a bit short trips after some time would be safe enough."

"Loki, I have a job! I have patients! I can't just abandon them!" she insisted.

"I hate to point this out, dear doctor," he said with a sigh that he almost meant, "but I very much doubt you have any patients left after your actions yesterday."

"They will blame me, won't they," she looked down at her plate and set her fork next to it, her face taking on an expression that went straight to a part of his chest he tried to keep locked away.  

"I fear so. You broke into Fury's office, stole the keys to my bindings and the Tesseract, and gave them to me, enabling my escape. I regret to say that very few people will be able to see any good in those actions."

"It does sound bad when you put it that way," she admitted.

"Perhaps you could convince them that I had mind controlled you, but only if they are even more stupid than I give them credit for. And that is very, very stupid."

"No, I wouldn't do that. I committed my actions of my own free will, and I would do the same if the situation presented itself again. I will not have them adding manipulating me to your list of false crimes."

He was touched but really, he didn't much care what those fools thought. They already laid so many sins at his door, what was one more? Still, he liked that Caroline was insistent that everyone know she was with him of her own free will. The idea that a woman as intelligent and well respected as she would choose to champion Loki to the point of breaking several laws for him was a balm to his bruised ego.

"Are you sure I did not manipulate you?" he asked perversely, trying to test her for reasons beyond his understanding. "Maybe I am not the innocent you think me to be."

To his surprise, Caroline looked at him and burst out laughing at his suggestion. Loki drew back, affronted that a mortal, even one as charming as she, would have the audacity to laugh at him.

"You look like a cat that sprayed with the hose," she giggled, staring at him as he continued to bristle. "Loki, I think you about as far from 'innocent' as a person could be!"

"Then why help me?" he asked sulkily.

"Because not innocent does not mean guilty," she sobered a bit. "At least, not of the crimes they wanted to accuse you of. You might be, make that are, full of mischief and a nightmare for anyone wanting to maintain order of any sort, but you are not evil. I've seen evil. It's people who want to watch the world burn and view the suffering as sport. Who find entertainment in the suffering of those who never did them any harm. Not because of past trauma, but just because they like the power it gives them to keep others down. That is not you."

"Are you so sure?" he asked quietly. "Others would disagree with you."

"They would be wrong," she said with a surety he wished he shared. "You don't hate others, Loki. You hate yourself."

"Nonsense," he said quickly, scowling. "I am divine."

"Even though you are a Frost Giant?" she asked, prodding where he was most sensitive.

"I might hate my origins, dear doctor, but I have surpassed them. They do not define who I am."

He wanted to stop this conversation. It was spoiling the evening he had been hoping for.

"I sincerely wish that so," she replied, looking him in the eye. "Someday, I will be the first in line to congratulate you for achieving that state. But if that is the case, why were you so upset when you thought I was taunting you with the snowman?"

"A reflexive reaction, nothing more," he tried to shrug off the incident.

"You don't have to hide from the truth, Loki. Not from me. You loathe the fact that you were born Jotun."

"Well, wouldn't you?" he snapped, rising and bringing his plate to the sink so that he could evade her eyes.

"I don't know," she shrugged, following with her own dish. "I have no idea what Jotuns are like. They don't exactly teach courses on them here."

"You are fortunate. They are hideous, dull beasts. Interested only in war and destruction."

"Interesting," she hummed, "that's almost how you described Thor."

"It's different!"

"How?" she pressed.

"It just is! I can't explain it. If you are so interested, I'm sure the inter-realm species encyclopedia on the bookshelf could enlighten you on their many wonderous qualities. Now, if you will excuse me, I have had a long, tiring day. I think a soak in the tub would do me a world of good. Just leave the dishes in the sink, I will magic them clean later."

With that, he swept from the room, his good mood long since abandoned. Honestly! Why couldn't the woman just let things be? Why did she have to poke and prod at the areas he least wanted to think about. There was nothing he could do about his Jotun blood. It was a truth of biology. That said, it did not mean that he had to wallow in it. Could Caroline not put aside being a therapist for one evening and let them enjoy a meal?

***

Well, that had not gone very well. Caroline had honestly not meant to harangue Loki about his origins over dinner! Especially not after his reaction to her snowman. But he was so obviously hurting that she just could not sit back and ignore his pain.

There was so much in the Alien God to admire. He was smart, charming, quick, and at least in his present form devastatingly handsome. It was tragic to her that he could see none of this himself. Or, no, that was not quite true. Loki did obviously see those traits in himself. He was even more than a touch vain about them in fact. But he clearly didn't believe them to be enough that anyone else would see him as worthy. Silently, and not for the first time, she cursed his father under her breath for his atrocious parenting.

And yet, people across the galaxy seemed to think that Odin was a model ruler. Forget the fact that he had emotionally damaged both of his sons by setting goals for them that they were destined to spend their lives failing to live up to. Loki, she was sure of it, would never do that to his child. He would be kind and gentle with a son or daughter, letting them find their own strengths, forge their own paths. Thinking of him with a serious, dark haired little girl, Caroline felt her stomach flip over in a disturbing fashion. He would make an excellent parent, she had no doubt.

And an absolutely impossible coparent, she told herself sternly. A person would have to be unendingly patient to put up with him. He would beyond a doubt drive his lover to distraction.

But wasn't sanity overrated anyhow? a traitorous voice in her head whispered.

Determined to stave off this line of thinking, she wandered into the living room and knelt down in front of the large shelves of books. She hadn't paid much attention to them earlier, but now she felt like a kid in a candy store. The titles were all new to her, and happily most of them were in English. She wondered for a moment if they really were, or if there was some Asgardian translation magic involved, but either way she would be able to keep herself occupied for some time with the selections before her.

Deciding that Loki's idea was not such a bad one, she searched through the volumes until she found a book purporting to chronicle the cultures of every species in the nine realms. Pulling out the huge book, she settled herself down on the couch and began thumbing through. The bits she saw regarding Asgard did not do much to change her opinion of the militaristic society, although they did seem to have a good science establishment. She decided to come back to it later, and instead flipped ahead until she came to the chapter on Jotuns.

"Ah, there you are."

Startling from the page, Caroline looked up, completely befuddled. She had lost track of all time, so engrossed had she become in the book. Now she realized that she had come almost to the end of the lengthy section on Frost Giants, and her mind was spinning with all of the information she had taken in.

Tearing her eyes away, she looked up to Loki looming over the sofa and her breath caught in her throat. He was inches away from her, dressed only in a pair of low-slung pants of soft green material. It was obvious from the quick glance she had as her eyes traveled up the length of him that he was not wearing anything underneath them, as she could clearly see the outline of what was a dauntingly long piece of anatomy through them. His pale chest was bare, showing clearly the well defined muscles that she had felt when he held her in his arms. Several scars were just barely visible on his skin, and knowing what she did about his healing powers, she winced thinking about what could possibly have left them. His dark hair was still damp, and fell curling around his face, softening his features somewhat. He was beyond any human words for beautiful that she could think of.

"Hi," she said, stupidly, and swore silently at herself.

"You look ridiculous in my clothing," he told her, making her feel even more like some poor rodent in comparison to his glorious appearance. "Here, I bought you some more suitable garments in town today. They should fit - I was able to remember how you felt - but if not, I can always altar them."

"You sew?" she blinked at him as her mind grimaced at how heavy he must have thought her. Not that she was huge, but she was not one of the little waifish girls that men seemed to love to toss about.

"I do not," he sounded offended.

"Then how..."

With a raised brow, Loki made a small gesture and the blanket she was curled up in became the size of a napkin and then changed back again. Of course. He had magic. She was a colossal idiot.

"Right. Well, Thank you. I will pay you back for them."

"No need. You saved my life. I think a new wardrobe is the least I can do for you in return."

He seemed to have recovered some of his good humor, she was happy to see. Even if it came at her expense, it was nice to see him smile. Standing up, she took the collection of bags that he was holding out to her. From the looks of it, he had bought out every clothing store in the town.

"Um," she hated how nervous she sounded, just from being so close to him in his partially undressed state, "I assume there is something for bed?"

He nodded, a small smile on his face. Of course there would be. Stupid question.

"Well then, I'll just go change and then I think I will turn in. Would you mind if I took the foam pillow from the bedroom? It was particularly comfy."

"What do you mean?" he asked. "Take it where?"

"Out here," she gestured to the couch. "You are obviously too big for the... couch."

Caroline felt her face grow warm as her mind drifted to what parts of him would obviously be too big for. Or maybe not quite too big, she thought, treacherously. The smug tilt of his mouth showed all too clear that he had caught her errant thought, and she squirmed even more.

"You are my guest," he insisted, hands on his hips emphasizing the triangle shape of his torso. "I cannot allow you to sleep on the sofa."

"Cannot allow?" that was better, she could channel her discomfort into affront. "I don't recall asking for you permission."

"This is my home," he countered. "My mother would disown me."

"Perhaps you should stop worrying so much about what your parents think of you," she felt a small sting of conscience for resorting to such a low blow, but it was hard to think straight when so much of him was right there.

"Unsporting, Caroline," he retorted. "I will not be moved on this. You will sleep in the bed."

"And I say that is stupid because I am a foot shorter than you at least and you will sleep in the bed."

"Then it looks as though we will be sharing," he sniped.

"Fine by me," she spit back in reply, refusing to give in.

"After you, my dear," he waved his arm towards the bedroom.

"If you wait for me to go in and then sleep out here, I will make you regret it," she warned him, eyes narrowing.

"I was merely going to allow you privacy to change. But if you prefer..." he began to walk towards the bedroom.

"No!" she squeaked out. "I trust you. But if you are not in in five minutes, I am coming out to get you."

"Oh, don't worry," his grin did unsettling things to her. "I will be there."

Caroline held the bags close and tromped into the bedroom. What, she wondered, mind reeling, had she just gotten herself into?

[sunshinewrit-ing]

Norse Mythology

ig: @sunshine.writing

As with every culture, there are many different interpretations and I tried my best to use the most popular ones. There are also many different versions and spellings for the names of the gods and goddesses, but I used the anglicized and most popular spellings. 

Aesir and Vanir

The Norse gods are divided into two families, the Aesir family, and the Vanir family. The Aesir family is the larger of the two and is mostly connected with war and government and includes the gods Odin, Thor, Loki, Baldr, Hodr, Heimdall, and Tyr. The Vanir family includes the fertility gods and goddesses such as Njord, Feyr, and Freyja. Both families reside in Asgard but don’t see eye-to-eye as shown through the Aesir-Vanir war. 

Besides the Aesir and Vanir, there are also female deities known as Disir, Alfar (elves), Jotnar (giants), and Dvergar (dwarves).

Aesir Gods and Goddesses

Odin - Odin was the King of the Aesir clan and known as “the father of all gods.” He’s depicted as a one-eyed, bearded old man wearing a hat and a cloak. He was said to have slain the first being known as Ymir before carving up his body to help create the Earth. He was one of the most powerful and revered of the gods and associated with wisdom, knowledge, healing, death, and war. He also ruled over Valhalla. 

Thor - Son of Odin, he was regarded as the strongest of all the Norse deities because he was tasked with safeguarding Asgard. He was the most popular of all the gods and worshipped by most Vikings. He was the god of thunder and lightning and wielded the Mjolnir. He rode a chariot drawn by two massive goats called Tanngnjostr and Tanngrisnir.

Loki - Loki was considered a “blood brother” of Odin. He was known as the trickster god and was equipped with the ability to shapeshift into different forms. He was the chief engineer behind the death of Balder.

Frigg - Frigg was the wife of Odin and the queen of the Aesir gods. She was the only one allowed to sit next to her husband and always stuck by her partner even though he had many extramarital affairs.  She was worshipped as the goddess of the sky and associated with wisdom, marriage, family, and fertility. She was blessed with the power of divination but never revealed her visions to anyone. 

Baldur - Son of Odin and half-brother to Thor, Baldur was the god of light and purity. He was described as fair, kind, and handsome, whose beauty was unparalleled. He was the epitome of all things wise and good and often praised for his mercifulness. Also thought to be immortal, he had been prophesied to die and was slain by an arrow made out of mistletoe, his death orchestrated by Loki. 

Heimdall - Heimdall is the son of Odin and no less than nine mothers, and is the watchman of the god. He dwelt at the entry to Asgard where he guarded Bifrost. 

Tyr - Tyr is the god of War and the Lawgiver of the gods. The bravest of the gods, he makes the binding of Fenrir possible by sacrificing his right hand. He’s the son of Odin and the son of the giant Hymir.

Idun - Idun is the goddess of spring or rejuvenation and is the wife of Bragi. She was the keeper of the magic apples of immortality which the gods must eat to preserve their youth. 

Bragi - Bragi is the skaldic poet of the Aesir and his name means “poet”. He’s the son of Odin and possibly the giantess Gunnlod, and the husband to Idun. 

Vili and Ve - Vili and Ve are the two brothers of Odin who helped to slay Ymir to create the remaining seven realms. They’re the sons of Bestla and Borr and were raised in the realm of Nifelheim. 

Forseti - He’s the son of Baldr and Nanna, and is the god of justice and reconciliation.

Gefjun - She’s the goddess of agriculture, fertility, abundance, and prosperity. Her name can be translated to “Giver” or “Generous One.”

Sif - Sif is the wife of Thor as well as a giantess and the goddess of grain and fertility. She was one of the Asynjur and mother of Ullr.

Fjorgynn and Fjorgyn - Fjorgyn, also known as Jord, is a giantess and the mother of Thor through an affair with Odin. Her masculine form Fjorgynn is the father of the goddess Frigg, the wife of Odin. 

Sol and Mani - Sol and Mani were the beings who drove the sun and the moon in their courses through the sun. They were sister and brother, and both were fair and beautiful. Sol had to travel at great speed, pursued by a wolf named Skoll who would eventually devour her. Mani kidnapped two humans named Bil (waning) and Hjuki (waxing), children of Vidfinn, and forced them to travel with him. Like his sister, he was also being chased by a hound named Hati Hrodvitnisson. 

Ullr - Ullr is the god of sports, particularly archery and skiing. He’s the son of Sif and Egill and step-son to Thor. 

Hoenir - Hoenir is a warrior god and is the travel companion of Odin and Loki. He was also part of the creation of Ask and Embla. He goes with Mimir to the Vanir as a hostage in order to seal a truce to the Aesir-Vanir War. He’s the god of indecision, avoidance, and mystery. 

Vidar - Son of Odin and Gridr, he was known as Vidar the silent, the possessor of the iron shoe, the enemy and slayer of Fenrir, the avenger, and he who inhabits the homestead of his father. He’s a warrior god and an excellent fighter. 

Hodr - Hodr is the blind god of winter and warriors. Oftentimes he’s depicted with a bow and arrows, or the spear that Loki used to trick him. He was the son of Frigg and Odin and twin brother of Baldr. Sometimes he’s thought to be a god of darkness.

Vali - Son of Odin and the giantess Rindr, Vali was born for the sole purpose of avenging Baldr. He kills Hodr and binds Loki with the entrails of his son Narfi. He’s the god of vengeance.

Vanir Gods and Goddesses

Freya - Freya was the goddess of fate, love, beauty, gold, war, and fertility. She ruled over the meadow of Folkvangr and owned a torc or necklace known as the Brisingamen as well as a cloak made of falcon feathers. She rode a chariot drawn by two cats and was accompanied by a board called Hildisvini most of the time. She practiced Seidr, which is a form of magic that allowed her the ability to control and manipulate the desires and prosperity of others. 

Freyr - Freyr is associated with sacral kingship, virility, peace, prosperity, sunshine and fair weather, and good harvest. He’s the son of Njord and the god of fertility, rain, and sunshine. His twin sister is Freyja.

Freyja - Freyja, twin sister and counterpart of Freyr, was the goddess of love, fertility, battle, and death. Her father was Njord. Pigs were sacred to her, and she rode a boar with golden bristles. 

Njord - Njord is the god of seas, wealth, wind, and fishing. He was the father of Freyr and Freyja. 

Nerthus - Nerthus is a goddess associated with fertility. She was also associated with peace and prosperity. She was the wife and sister of Njord and the mother of Freyr and Freyja.

Gullveig - Gullveig is a sorceress and seer with great love and lust for gold. She was speared by the Aesir, burnt three times, and yet thrice reborn.

Odr - Odr is the husband of Freyja

Norse Creatures

Dwarves - Also known as dark elves, they’re small creatures that originated as maggots from the corpse of Ymir. They live underground in Svartalfheim (literally means “home of the black elves”) and are said to have crafted the finest weapons and jewelry such as Mjollnir and Gungnir. In certain myths, they’re portrayed as turning to stone if exposed to sunlight. 

Draugar - The Draugar are the undead. Some myths describe them as creatures who drink blood, they’re more similar to zombies than vampires. They possess superhuman strength and can increase their size at will, but have a constant stench of decay and appear as a dead body. They often live in their graves to defend the treasure they were buried with but can also enter communities to torment those who wronged them in life. They’re said to be able to enter the dreams of the living to torment them, and would leave behind a gift so the victims knew the encounter was real. 

Elves - Elves are separated into two different types; Dokkalfar, or dark elves, and Ljosalfar, light elves. Dark elves are thought to be the same as dwarves and light elves are described as more beautiful than the sun. They’re generally described as having an ambivalent relationship with humans.

Fenrir - Fenrir was the son of Loki and the giantess Angroboda. He was raised by the gods of Asgard to stop him from wreaking havoc across the nine worlds but the gods ended up deciding to chain him up. It’s believed that when Fenrir breaks his chains to get his revenge, it will lead to Ragnarok, the end of the world. 

Fossegrimen - Also known as the grim, he’s a water spirit who plays the fiddle mimicking the sounds of the forest, wind, and water. He can be bribed to teach his skill with an offering that he deems sufficient. He’s also known to lure women and children to lakes and streams where they drown.

Huldra - Wardens of the forest and part of a group of Ra that protects various locations. Female Huldra are described as beautiful and seductive, with a long tail of a cow and their back covered in bark. They can disguise themselves as young women to walk in the world of men but their power of illusion is broken if someone sees their tail. They lure young, unmarried men into the forest and keep them as slaves, lovers, or sometimes they’ll suck the life out of them. 

Jormungandr - Also known as the Midgard Serpent, Jormungandr is another child of Loki and Angrboda. He is a snake or dragon that lives in the sea surrounding Midgard. He is described as an enemy of Thor and during Ragnarok, the two are fated to slay one another. 

Jotnar - Jotnar, meaning “devourers”, are giants with powers that rival the power of the gods. They’re the enemy of the gods and the Jotnar embody chaos. Many of the Asgardian gods are descended from Jotnar such as Odin and Thor. 

Kraken - Aquatic monsters that are believed to live off the shores of Norway and Greenland. They’re depicted as gigantic octopi or squids. They mostly ate fish but when it rose to the surface, it was believed to cause large whirlpools which would help it attack ships.

Valkyries - The female helping spirits of Odin, depicted as elegant maidens who ferry the slain to Valhalla. Their name means “choosers of the Slain”, which hints at their more sinister side, the fact that they also choose who lives and dies in battle. They would sometimes use malicious magic to ensure their preferences.

Sleipnir - Odin’s mighty eight-legged horse is the child of Loki and Svadilfari. It had eight legs so that it could have one leg in each of the Norse worlds. 

Mare - The Mare monster gave people bad dreams at night by sitting on them in their sleep. Often they were witches whose souls took the forms of animals, but normal people, particularly adolescents, were also thought to become Mare when their spirits wandered. It was believed that when the Mare touched a living thing, people, cattle, or trees, it would cause their hair to become entangled. 

Trolls - There are large ugly trolls that dwell in forests and mountains, and small gnome-like trolls that live underground in deep caves and caverns. They’re depicted as not very intelligent and malevolent but can show kindness in exchange for a favor.

Norns - The three principal Norns served as the caretakers of the tree of life, but their care only slowed the death of the tree. 

Ratatoskr - A squirrel that runs up and down the tree of life delivering the messages of the gods. He enjoys stirring trouble between the wise eagle that sits atop the tree and the hungry dragon that swells in its roots. 

The Nine Realms

Yggdrasil - Yggdrasil is the mighty tree whose trunk rises at the geographical center of the Norse spiritual cosmos. It’s believed that the nine worlds are all held in the branches and roots of the tree of Yggdrasil. It’s commonly said to be an ash tree.

Niflheim - The realm of fog and mist. It’s the darkest and coldest region of all the realms. It’s one of the first two realms and is placed in the northern region of Ginnngagap. Hvergelmir is located in Niflheim, which is said to be the source of the elven rivers. As Yggdrasil started to grow, it stretched one of its large roots far into Niflheim to draw water from Hvergelmir. 

Muspelheim - The land of fire. Muspelheim was created at the same time as Niflheim but was created far to the south. It’s a burning hot place filled with lava, flames, sparks, and soot. It’s the home of the fire giants, fire demons, and is ruled by Surtr.

Asgard - Home of the Gods. The most commonly known realm, Asgard is located in the middle of the world, high up in the sky. It’s the home of the gods and goddesses and is ruled by the chief of Aesir Odin. Inside the gates of Asgard is Valhalla, the place where half who die in battle will go for the afterlife and the other half go to Folkvangr.

Midgard - Home of the humans. “Middle earth” is located in the middle of the world below Asgard. Midgard and Asgard are connected by Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge. It’s surrounded by a large, impassable ocean that is occupied by the Midgard Serpent. The first two humans were Ash and Embla and were sent to Midgard after being created from tree logs by Odin and his brothers Vili and Ve.

Jotunheim - Home of the giants. Jotunheim consists mostly of rocks, wilderness, and dense forests, and lies in the snowy regions on the outermost shores of the ocean. There is no fertile land in Jotunheim. Jotunheim is separated from Asgard by the river living which never freezes over.

Vanaheim - Home of the Vanir. Nobody knows where exactly the land is located or how it looks. 

Alfheim - Home of the light elves. Alfheim is located right next to Asgard in heaven. The god Freyr is the ruler of Alfheim. 

Svartalfheim - Home of the dwarves. Svartalfheim means dark fields, and they live under the rocks, in caves, and underground. Hreidmar was the king of Svartalfheim until he was killed. 

Helheim - Home of the dishonorable dead. Hel is where the dishonorable dead, thieves, murderers, or those the gods and goddesses feel are not brave enough to go to Valhalla or Folkvangr. Helheim is ruled over by Hel and is a very grim and cold place. Any person who arrives at Helheim will never feel joy or happiness again. 

[theowlandthekey]

Embracing Hel

Embracing Hel

Three roots standon three ways under Yggdrasil’s ash: Hel under one abides, under the second the Hrimthursar, under the third mankind. -Poetic Edda, Grímnismál, Stanza 31

Who is Hel? In the vastness of Norse mythology, she is rarely given much due. She does not go on adventures for glory and fame as many of the other gods do. She does not seem to bother overmuch about the future of the world like Odin, nor does she stir up trouble like her father, Loki. She’s content in her dominion of the death, Niflheim, and seems well placed out of the troubles of men and gods. So much so that it often feels she is neglected when compared to the rest of the pantheon.

Hel is featured as a character only once in the Prose Edda, when the god Hermoor rides to Hel on behalf of Frigg and offers her a ransom for the return of the god Baldr. Hel agrees, stating: “If all things in the world, alive or dead, weep for him, then he will be allowed to return to the Æsir. If anyone speaks against him or refuses to cry, then he will remain with Hel.” Baldr was well loved and so it was thought this would be easy to accomplish. But when the jotunn Þökk refuses to weep, Baldr is consigned to remain in Niflheim in service of Hel.

In nearly all other mythos, Hel is mentioned only in passing, referenced rather than focused on. Every other god gets a myth where they are the protagonist of their own story. So why is Hel overlooked? Because of the fear she inspires at the prospect of a life lived without note or valor? Because her appearance was considered so repulsive that, while acknowledged as a goddess, she was put as far away from Asgard as physically possible so as to avoid offending the others with the sight of her?

As much as I love Norse paganism and link myself to it, I find plenty of people who speak with Odin and Frigg, Loki and Thor. Never once have I met someone who says with a smile that they speak to Hel. That’s fair. How many people do you know talk to Hades or Osiris or Mictlantecuhtli on a regular basis, even among the gothiest of pagans? Why even bring this up at all? Last December (2019), I was doing a Krampus Walk with a bunch of women from the International Wenches Guild. (That’s a whole other story.) At the end of the walk we gathered up in a local alternative religion shop to warm up and grab a few things for the pre-Yule rush. Up on the shelf, something naughty my attention. It was something I'd never seen before in all my years of goblin-like hoarding of witchy stuff. A statue of Hel looked back at me, sitting on a throne with a knife in one hand and a bowl in the other. By her side was a wolf, and her skull seemed to be grinning at me with interest. I went back to that statue three times, telling myself I didn't have the money to be spending on things right now. But when I picked her up to examine her, I knew I wasn't walking out of the store without this statue. I brought her home, placed her on my altar, put a few coins in her bowl, and there she stayed.

And then Covid-19 hit.

I've never been one to rely on religion in times of trouble. It's never done much for me one way or the other. I've long held the belief that witchcraft involves handling your own shit before calling on anything else to help out. But this? This is one of those things that is well beyond the control of most humans to handle alone. It's emotionally exhausting, mentally taxing, and physically dangerous. We're all doing the best we can, wearing masks, sanitizing, washing, distancing, doing all we can to prevent things getting worse despite the best efforts of the world to remind us that we are inevitably only human and the risks are infinite. It's humbling to say the least. So, it's in this time of stress and disorientation that I find myself drawn to Hel.

Family Ties

“The following night the goddess of death appeared to him in a dream standing at his side, and declared that in three days’ time she would clasp him in her arms. It was no idle vision, for after three days the acute pain of his injury brought his end.”

-Gesta Danorum, Saxo Grammaticus (12th century)

Hel's name means 'to hide/to conceal', giving it a cruel humor. She was, after all, respectfully banished from Asgard due to her physical appearance, or perhaps because Odin foresaw her part in future events. She is described as being half blue and half flesh colored, though the depiction has altered over the years to mean half flesh and half corpse. Hel is said to be gloomy, dour, and even fierce looking, which suggests a woman with little time for nonsense within her realm. Despite all this, she is said to have a vast hall called Éljúðnir and many servants as befits her station. Everything that surrounds her seems to speak to the fears of the people who believed in her. She has a bowl called 'Hunger,' a knife called 'Famine,' curtains called 'Misfortune,' and a bed named 'Disease'.

On the plus side, she does have a dog named Garmr, said to be the 'goodest of boys'.

The best of trees | must Yggdrasil be, Skíðblaðnir best of boats; Of all the gods | is Óðinn the greatest, And Sleipnir the best of steeds; Bifröst of bridges, | Bragi of skalds, Hábrók of hawks, | and Garm of hounds.

-Poetic Edda, Grímnismál

Her father, Loki, is well known for his mischief and chaos. But her mother, Angrboda, remains largely overlooked beyond being acknowledged as the mother of Loki's three 'darling' offpsring. Angrboda, being a jotunn, is not well looked upon as the Aesir seemed to find themselves constantly at odds with the jötnar. The Aesir and the Vanir form the two principal tribes of gods within the Norse pantheon, the forces which held the world together and brought forth order in which life could thrive. While the Jotunn were more elemental, primordial beings who were born from chaos and presented challenges to the structured order of the world.

It's important to note that Hel is not the only goddess who fits within the overlap of Norse mythos complex Venn diagram between the Aesir, Vanir, and Jotunn. Loki himself is Jotunn as is Skaði, while Freyr and Frejya are Vanir. However, Hel's connection to Angrboda as her mother and Loki as her father seem to be enough to condemn her in the eyes of the ruling Aesir, as well as make her a subject of fearful respect.

Her brother, Jormungandr, is the infamous Midgard Serpent. The middle child of the brood, Jormungandr was tossed from Asgard by Odinn into the ocean where he was said to grow so large he encircled the earth and bit his own tail. If you're familiar with gnosticism (or Full Metal Alchemist) you would recognize the ouroboros symbolism inherent in the mythos as connecting Jormungandr to the cycle of life, death and rebirth, another primordial concept. At Ragnarok, the serpent will be said to release its own tail and fight Thor, both of them doomed from inception. Thus, the old world will end, and a new cycle will begin.

Fenrir, Hel's younger brother, is likewise doom driven, foretold to devour Odinn at the end of the world only to be killed in turn by Odinn's son Víðarr. The theme of the bound monster, I believe, is connected to the concept of man trying and failing to forestall his own fate. Another primordial concept of change as an inevitability.

And yet there is Hel. Out of all her family she seems to stand alone as the most consistent of her bloodline. The black sheep in a family of black sheep. No sagas recounting her heroic adventures, no epics building to the rise and fall of greatness. Only a goddess fulfilling her function to take in those who died of sickness or old age. It is not known for certain whether she survives or dies during the events of Ragnarok, only that Loki will have 'all Hel's people with him' during the final confrontation.

Symbolism

Throughout my research into Hel's mythos, it's clear she was viewed with begrudging respect by her own people. As a goddess, one couldn't afford to be less than deferential when dealing with her (assuming of course that they dealt with her at all). But how they felt about her can be discerned from the associations given to her through her items and surroundings. I began to collect a series of symbols associated with her. Each one tells us something about how she was perceived among the Norse people, and gives us some interesting modern-day interpretations when applied.

50/50 – In all the descriptions of Hel, she is said to be half flesh and half either discolored or corpse-like. Like most cthonic deities, she has a liminal quality to her, being representative of a transitional state of being. Balancing neatly between life and death, Hel is a crossroads deity, guarding over the boundary lines (though not traditionally associated as such). She has the ability to release those sheltered under her threshold, although she demands a price as is her right. This also puts her squarely in the category of a liminal being, one whose mere existence challenges the social classifications of the time. Liminal beings are often described as both immensely powerful and dangerous, depending upon the situation and perception of society. They are undeniably eerie, and yet inspire awe for the way in which they transcend limitations of the self.

Hel's Hall – Éljúðnir is the hall of Hel, located within Niflheim and aptly named as her realm is said to be barren and cold. It's said to be a mansion, and it would have to be considering that she is responsible for sheltering everyone who didn't die gloriously in battle. Her hall then becomes a symbol of her status, a recognition of her as a goddess with her own realm and duties. With hospitality being such an important social factor to the Norse people, I find myself hard pressed to believe Hel is needlessly cruel to her guests. Like any mead hall, it is a center for social activity as well as her residence, if a somewhat foreboding one.

Hunger, Famine, Misfortune, Disease – It seems Hel is often deemed responsible for all of the troubles that plague humanity. A rather dire proposition, but isn't it better for someone to oversee these things rather than letting them run amok? Given her connection to the primordial forces of chaos, it seems fitting that Hel, the stable one in her family, is relied upon to control the disorder that society faces from time to time. The objects deemed as a part of her entourage are significant to her personality. Even in the modern times, these troubles are never far from humanity’s mind, with much of the world facing them on a daily basis. *A bowl (Hunger) is often symbolic of receptiveness, or of fertility, neither of which seem to fit Hel herself. For many the bowl represents a scrying tool, portending to the future. It's not unusual for cthonic deities to be connected to omens and portends. So, it may well be that the 'Hunger' her bowl represents has less to do with wanting food and more to do with our hunger to know our own fates. An empty bowl representing the unknown fate of humanity as a whole may present as a bit nihilistic, but it does seem to fit. *The knife (Famine) as a tool which represents the ability to defend or attack. A knife can help fix a meal or it can protect a family. In this case, 'Famine' represents not only the absence of plenty, but the seeming inability to provide for one another, thus weakening everyone as a result. Famine is not just about food, it's about the failure to provide. For a society that was heavily reliant upon all of its people to survive day to day, this would have been a terrifying concept.

*The curtains (Misfortune) are used to draw over the windows and shut out the light. This is what 'Misfortune' does. It clouds reason and empathy and makes it difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Curtains can also be symbolic of one’s desire to hide from the world, to shelter themselves or to keep others from finding out something they find shameful. It may feel safe, as if we are only protecting ourselves. But Hel's curtains are, I believe, named Misfortune for the sake of choosing whether or not we draw them closed or open them up.

*The bed (Disease) is often used as a symbol of intimacy or rest. A bed named Disease could also easily be a colorful metaphor for STIs, though in this case I believe it was meant to represent the fear of dying in ones bed of old age or disease, thus missing out on Valhalla. For Hel to have a bed named Disease suggests an unexpected nurturing aspect to the goddess, as the sickbed is often where we find ourselves the recipient of the most care from others.

In this way, I believe Hel's tools exist as a reminder to society that these things will always exist, and that in order to combat them, people must constantly struggle against them to better survive together.

Garmr – Another in the long list of ferocious subterranean hounds associated with cthonic deities, Garmr was said to be her guard dog, standing bloodstained by her side. He is her faithful protector, as well as the guardian to the underworld. The hound is often a symbol of loyalty and ferocity, but in this aspect I believe it relates more to the black dog associations with death and ill omens. Again, I've yet to see anything relating to Hel being a seeress or an oracle of any sort, but there always seems to be some connection between death gods and omens of the future.

Hel in Practice

Change is uncomfortable. Humans have always preferred stability, even if it's inequitable, because we'd rather function in practice than succeed in theory. Hel is a paragon of balance within chaos, affording the opportunity to change and progress through the inherent suffering of life as it is. And yes, I'm aware of how nihilistic that comes off. But here within the instability of our current world, I find a kind of comfort in that rational. Change is eternal. Tomorrow is an unknown. Control what you can and stay by the people you care about. Keep moving. You are not dead yet.

Rune: Hagalaz “Hail”

- The rune of Hagalaz is practically unanimous with misery. Which makes it's appearance less than desirable during a reading or when found in the day to day. That being said, some degree of unfortunate occurrence is unavoidable in life. It is unalterable. However I find it's distinction kind of like finding a crack in a dam. You now know there is a problem. Maybe you can't 'fix' the problem, but you can stem the damage and keep the outcome from being worse than it absolutely has to be. Hagalaz is about weathering the storm and coming out the other side of it knowing the work that must be done.

Realm: Niflheim

- Niflheim is one of the nine realms of Norse Mythology. A world of coldness, fog, and the primordial darkness. Ymir was born here. Hvergelmir, the source from which many rivers flow, begins here. Níðhöggr the dragon/serpent dwells here, gnawing at the roots of the World tree Yggdrasil. So it would seem Niflheim is a a place of beginnings, endings, and ultimately change. According to the mythology this is where those who died too old, too young, or on the sickbed end up. And yet for all it's forbidding geography and weather, Hel is said to be put in charge of caring for those who arrive. Hall: Éljúðnir

- If Hel is meant to care for those who did not die in the glory of battle. Many times we see this as crowds of dead souls wandering endlessly in the freezing mists. But when I think of Hel's hall of Éljúðnir, I think of a place which is a respite from the cold. It is said to be sprayed with snowstorms, meaning that it stands against the raging storms of the realm, providing shelter to those who dwell within. What if her hall stands alongside Valhalla and Fólkvangr? What if she is the world-weary and cunning inn-keeper who offers bread and mead to those brave enough to find their way to her doors?

Appearance: Dour and fierce looking in expression. Half flesh and half dead.

Tools:  knife (Famine) bowl (hunger) curtains (Misfortune) bed (Disease)

Color: black white grey/silver blue dark purple

Animals: wolves/hounds serpents ravens worms

Plants: yew/ash wormwood rosemary mistletoe mustard seed blackthorn

Offerings: tobacco garlic figs mushrooms rye bread black cherries dark chocolate mead coffee, black espresso

[talonabraxas]

Yggdrasil: The Sacred World Tree Talon Abraxas

Yggdrasil: Unveiling Mysteries of The Sacred World Tree

Yggdrasil, also known as the Tree of Life, stands at the center of the Norse cosmos, serving as a conduit between the nine realms. Its immense branches extend across the heavens, and its roots delve deep into the great realms, tapping into legendary wells and streams for sustenance. This colossal ash tree serves as a cosmic axis, linking together the realms of gods, humans, giants, and various other beings.

Roots of Yggdrasil

Yggdrasil's roots draw power and sustenance from three different sources. The first root reaches up towards heavens and into Asgard, the realm of the gods, and taps into the well of Urd. Shielded by the root’s magic, by the well stands a beautiful hall that is home to three maidens – Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld – who shape the lives of men and are known as norns.

The second root extends to Jotunheim, the domain of the giants. Here, the root taps into the Mimir’s well, whose waters are coveted by many for containing boundless wisdom and which is guarded by its eternal guardian Mimir. Here, at Mimir’s well, Odin sacrificed his eye for a drink from the well to obtain supreme wisdom and solidify himself as the leader of the Aesir.

The third and final root travels to Niflheim, the icy realm of the dead. This root taps into the wellspring of Hvergelmir, a massive cauldron from which all rivers originate, symbolizing the primordial source of life and creation. This wellspring is a home to many snakes and serpents, with the great dragon Nidhoggr living among them.

Within the vast expanse of Yggdrasil, there exist nine interconnected realms. In addition to Asgard, Midgard, and Niflheim, the World Tree also links to realms such as Vanaheim (abode of the Vanir gods), Alfheim (dwelling of the light elves), Jotunheim (the land of giants), Svartalfheim (the domain of the dwarves), Muspelheim (the realm of fire) and Helheim (abode of the dead). Each realm has its own unique characteristics, inhabitants, and significance within Norse mythology.

Among the Branches of Yggdrasil

Asgard: Home of the Aesir Gods

Asgard, situated atop Yggdrasil's highest branches, is the realm inhabited by the Aesir gods. Ruled by the mighty Odin, Asgard is a place of divine splendor, where grand halls and palaces stand in golden brilliance. It is from Asgard that the gods oversee the mortal realm, engage in epic battles, and prepare for the final battle of Ragnarok.

Midgard: The Realm of Humans

Midgard, often referred to as Earth, is the realm of humankind. Suspended within Yggdrasil's middle branches, it is a world populated by mortals, their settlements, and their adventures. Midgard is constantly influenced by the gods and their actions, shaping the fate of both individuals and civilizations.

Jotunheim: The Land of Giants

Jotunheim, nestled within the roots of Yggdrasil, is a realm inhabited by the jotnar, or giants. These formidable beings range from mountainous brutes to cunning and deceptive creatures. Jotunheim serves as a land of challenges and conflicts, frequently intersecting with the affairs of gods and heroes.

Vanaheim: Abode of the Vanir Gods

Vanaheim is the realm of the Vanir gods, a pantheon associated with fertility, prosperity, and nature. Located within Yggdrasil's branches, Vanaheim is depicted as a lush and fertile land, where bountiful harvests and vibrant ecosystems flourish under the Vanir's watchful eye.

Alfheim: Dwelling of the Light Elves

Alfheim, situated above Midgard, is a realm inhabited by the ethereal and luminous light elves. Known for their beauty and connection to nature, the light elves possess great wisdom and magical abilities. Alfheim is often associated with light, joy, and enchantment.

Svartalfheim: Domain of the Dwarves

Svartalfheim, residing within the depths of Yggdrasil, is the realm of the industrious and skilled dwarves. Known for their craftsmanship and mining expertise, the dwarves forge powerful weapons, legendary artifacts, and intricate treasures. Svartalfheim is a realm of hidden caverns and wondrous craftsmanship.

Niflheim: The Frozen Underworld

Niflheim lies beneath the lowest roots of Yggdrasil, a cold and mist-shrouded realm associated with ice, frost, and darkness. It is home to Hel, the ruler of the dead, and the souls of evil men who passed into this ice realm after traversing Helheim.

Muspelheim: Realm of Fire

Opposite Niflheim, Muspelheim exists as a realm of searing flames and intense heat. Ruled by the fire giant Surtr, Muspelheim embodies the primal power of fire and is foretold to be instrumental in the apocalyptic event of Ragnarok.

Helheim: Abode of the Dead

Helheim is a realm of the dead, located beneath the roots of Yggdrasil. It is a somber and desolate place ruled by the goddess Hel, where souls who did not attain glory in battle or gain entrance to other afterlife realms reside. It represents the acceptance of mortality and the finality of death in Norse mythology.

Inhabitants of Yggdrasil

Yggdrasil is not only a physical entity but is also inhabited by various mythical creatures. Beneath its roots resides Nidhoggr, a colossal dragon who gnaws at the roots of the tree, representing decay and destruction. The eagle perched on Yggdrasil's highest branches looks down on Nidhoggr below, embodying knowledge and inaction. The squirrel Ratatoskr scurries up and down the tree, acting like a messenger between Nidhoggr and the unnamed eagle, fanning the flames of hate between them by spreading nasty rumors and ferrying insults that one has for another. These inhabitants further contribute to the vivid and complex tapestry of Norse mythology.

Symbolism of the World Tree

Yggdrasil is a profound symbol in Norse mythology, representing the interconnectedness of all things in the cosmos. It embodies the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth, underscoring the idea of continuous renewal and regeneration. As a world tree, it also symbolizes the axis mundi, a universal concept found in many mythologies, where the physical and spiritual realms meet.

The image of the tree resonates deeply with human existence, reflecting the innate human desire to seek meaning and connectivity. It reminds us of the intricate web of relationships that bind us to the natural world and the forces beyond our comprehension.

Yggdrasil, the World Tree of Norse mythology, is a powerful symbol that encapsulates the cosmos and its profound interconnections. It serves as a gateway to the realms of gods, giants, and the dead, and its roots tap into the wellsprings of cosmic wisdom and primal creation. As we delve into the mysteries of Norse mythology, we unravel the layers of symbolism embedded in this awe-inspiring ancient tree, reminding us of our place in the grand tapestry of existence.

So, let us gaze upon Yggdrasil, this towering arboreal monument that stands as a testament to the enduring power and enduring fascination of Norse mythology. May its endless branches forever inspire us to explore the depths of our own roots and seek wisdom in sacrifice.

[imagine-loki]

The Naughty Poltergeist

TITLE :The Naughty Poltergeist

CHAPTER: #1 of ?

AUTHOR'S: lokilover9 & velvetzybanshee

RATING: M

NOTES: This one shot is based on Loki having paid penance for ruining Thor's coronation. He never fell from the bifrost, nor attacked earth and is now free. Not to discount his true history, we just thought he deserved some happy. As for Felipe, he's based on the Spanish character Agador Spartacus, from the movie  The Birdcage and speaks in broken english. 

EXTRAS: Madre = mother  niña = girlfriend  panocha = pussy

Original Imagine  

Imagine thinking your new house is haunted. No one knows Loki lives there because he's always invisible and conjures furniture as needed. Disgruntled by your presence, he behaves like a poltergeist until one day you've had enough."I'm not leaving! Show yourself dammit!" Nothing happens for days and you think he's gone. Then while giving friends a tour, you find him naked on your bed drinking whiskey. "Cheers, darling. You did say show myself." Only you can see him and he follows you around like that for the remainder of their visit.

Loki was content residing on Midgard. With Thor King of Asgard remaining heavily influenced by Odin, he felt displaced as ever and decided to travel abroad. It was aloud providing he didn't hide from Heimdall and returned were the realm threatened, but that didn't mean he behaved. Midgard's continents teamed with beautiful maidens and Loki spent months at a time seducing them across the globe. Yet an introvert by nature, the constant socializing became exhausting. He needed intervals of solitude to rejuvenate his mind and cock. Indecisive of where, he conjured a world map, closed his eyes and randomly chose a location. 

First attempt. "A Frost Giant in the Amazon? I think not." 

Second. "Middle of the Bermuda Triangle? Know enough aliens already, thank you." 

Third. "Inside and active volcano? Fenrir's arsehole." He scoffed. 

Fourth. "Very well. Maine it is." 

The god settled in a vacant Victorian evicting its two following buyers with  'ghostly' shenanigans. Yet to the king of this miniature palace's annoyance the next didn't frighten so easily. 

Alexis was proud having bought her own house after a long divorce. Closer to friends and hours from meddling family, she'd thought herself free of troubles until sensing the place haunted. While unpacking, items started going missing and resurfacing in different places like her keys, clothing and once her vibrator after an evening of ménage à moi, disturbingly appeared in her dishwasher the next morning. Doors would slam, electricity short circuited, faucets unexpectedly ran, but most disconcerting was a voice randomly whispering 'mine' into her ear. Whether in the shower, her yard, doorways, the ghost didn't care. Alexis burned sage, had the house blessed, held a seance with a local paranormal group, but nothing helped. When returning after a long day at work to find half the main floor repacked, she angrily shouted into the air. 

"Ha ha, trickster! You don't scare me and I am 'not' leaving!" She held up a large envelope. "This is 'my' crib and here's the deed to prove it. Show yourself dammit!" Nothing happened so she put everything back, showered, grabbed her vibrator and stormed into the upstairs corridor. "And one more thing! See this? Touch it again and I'll summon your ass with a ouija board and douse you in holy water!" 

Loki inwardly chuckled. 'I'll be sure to bring a towel.' When she fell asleep reading in bed, he snuck a peek at what had intrigued her. 'Smutty fanfiction? Tisk, darling. Who could your heartthrob be? The name sounded familiar so he googled it. 'Ah, the actor from Crimson Peak. Good movie, but I'm much better looking. 'A wicked grin curled his lips when she moaned Tom's name. 'Maybe I need to play a little 'dirtier.'

With the next several days uneventful, Alexis thought she'd frightened the ghost off when in reality he was buying time. Since moving her in friends offered extra hands in their free time, but it was her befriended neighbor, a single gay man with a flamboyant, funloving personality who'd helped the most. They met one afternoon when she peered over his fence to complain about blaring Salsa music as he hosted a pool party. Felipe was sunbathing in a yellow thong, wearing sunglasses with enough bling to impress Liberace and choked on a shot of tequila when she whipped a pebble at his head. He invited her over with a promise to adorn shorts, they hit it off and became besties. 

Alexis planned to have other friends over for dinner one month after moving in, but with all the goings on had postponed twice. Now with a set date, Felipe was invited too and asked what she planned to cook.

"Who said anything about cooking? I suck at it Amigo and prefer no one hurling on my lawn." 

She waved a take out menu and he dramatically gasped. "Chinese food for eight people? Where you gonna put up you blow job booth to pay the mortgage after?"

Alexis smirked. "You're such a slut, Felipe."

He shrugged. "Happy whoopie stick makes a happy me."

"I think I've forgotten what they look like." 

"I show you mine, but no touchy touchy." She laughed, knowing he was kidding. "Too long without sex causes brain damage, niña. How long its been for you?" 

"Since my ex and I separated nineteen months ago."

"Ay dios mio. I lend you my Dustbuster for the cobwebs down there."

"Not funny, Felipe." 

"See. Abstinence makes everyone bitchy. My sister Maritza too. She was happy single before becoming a nun. Now she's Oscar the grouch with eyes like the chucky doll."

"How come you can pronounce words like 'abstinence' and 'cock' so well yet not others?" Alexis teased.

"Don't make me spank you. Come, we go shopping."

"For what?"

"I help you cook. We stay home and talk about cock, mine will curse me in Spanish. He's lonely too."

Alexis slipped on footwear. 

"Why you wearing those?" Asked Felipe.

"What's wrong with flip flops?" 

He stepped onto the porch. "You need something sexier, like bitch boots."

"It's ninety degrees in the shade today."

"So?"

Loki sighed when the door closed, relieved for some peace. He thought Felipe annoying enough as a neighbor yet worse as a guest who never stopped talking. So much so, he'd pondered concocting a tongue numbing spell, sneaking into his house and applying a heavy dose while he slept. But knowing his flair for drama, he'd run panicked to Alexis in the Boo from Monsters Inc. robe worn onto his deck every morning, carrying a note pleading to stay and until recovering, would hysterically sob each time he couldn't sing along to one of the show tunes on his phone. Loki opted to tolerate him for now. He'd be gone once Alexis left. 

The day of feasting came and while she handled finishing touches around the house, Felipe prepared guacamole dip and ingredients for fajitas while mixing margaritas. Hearing music, Alexis snuck to the kitchen and started recording him singing to Bad Girl, by Donna Summer while dancing like a hussy. 

"Toot toot, hey, beep beep

Toot toot, hey, beep beep

Hey mister, have you got a dime?

Hey mister, do you want to spend some time, ooh yeah

I got what you want, you got what I need

I’ll be your baby, come and spend it on me…"

He startled when noticing her.  "Girlfrien', you post that on social media, I kill you."

Alexis propped her phone on the counter and joined in wildly shaking her chest. 

Felipe tried the same. "No fair. I need big titties like yours to jiggle. Next time I bring tangerines and a bra."

Loki secretly watched on. 'Fucknuts.'

The three couples soon arrived. One, old neighbors of Alexis, Blake and Deidre, the others, her friends, Sage, Lisa and their newest flames Colby and Grant. She started a tour on the main floor then the upper leaving her bedroom for last. Excited to show it off, she was already opening the door as they shuffled out of the second.

"And this is my creme de la...eep!" She quietly squeaked once inside.

The resident spookster sat perched against her headboard sporting only what the Norn's delivered him to the universe in and winked pouring himself a whiskey. "You did say show myself, yes?"

She hurried out, slammed the door and her friends froze on approach. "Erm..wouldn't ya know I forgot to make my bed. Anyone for a drink?" 

Alexis passed them for the stairs and cringed when Deidre spoke. She was nice enough, but sometimes persistent when it wasn't welcome. "Nonsense, friends don't care. Right everyone?" 

Alexis continued down. "Enter at your risk then." 

Felipe watched her rush by into the pantry, close the door, followed and closed it too. "What you are doing?" 

"I can't go back out there."

"Why?" 

"He's upstairs naked on my bed." She anxiously whispered. 

"Which boyfriend? I take up the wooden spoon."

"No, the fucking ghost!" 

"It's a man? Is he hot and what do I tell your peeps? You afraid to come out of the closet?"

"Felipe!" 

"Sorry, it's the margaritas."

"I thought you the one person who believed my stories."

He eyed her sympathetically. "I do. You want I go bribe him to leave with a mcsqeezy?"

"Will you be serious? Ghosts aren't supposed to be naked. One look at him and everyone will think I invited them for an orgy." 

Blake and Grant came down first catching bits of their conversation and quietly conversed. 

"Can't believe she's still imagining this ghost." Blake wise cracked. "I always told Deidre she had a screw loose."

"Nah." Said Grant. "Lexi's a smart cookie. Sounds more like she needs a man. There's one inside with her. Maybe they'll shag, knock some shit off shelves." 

Felipe stuck his head out the door. "You not so quiet, cumquats. I gay. You want I show you my jolly green giant and shag 'you' inside against the creamed corn?"

Loki rubbed the back of his neck. 'I sacrificed prowling beaches of the French Riviera for this?'

Hearing the ladies coming, Alexis approached Blake and quietly inquired. "Still peeing in your wife's pond at night, murdering her koy? I'd see you through my bedroom blinds. Who's a few cans short of a six pack?" 

"Oooh snap." Said Felipe. 

Grant nudged the arse. "Let's chill in the dining room. There's a makeshift bar and appetizers."

The ladies entered the kitchen. "Who's a nincompoop?" Asked Deidre.

Felipe almost answered but pursed his lips together when Alexis loudly cleared her throat. "You know, just my ex."

"He sure is, honey." 

"Your bed's made, girl." Said Sage. "The room looks great." 

They all agreed passing through while thirty year old Lisa's younger boyfriend lingered. "Pretty awesome digs ya got here."

"Thanks." Replied Alexis.

Colby slid his hands into his pockets. "Soo..Lisa says you think it's haunted."

"Yep."

He spaced out for a second, staring at the floor. "I once thought a bat in our house was my dead uncle Howie haunting my parents for selling his mannequin of Vlad the Impaler. But hey, sometimes weird shit happens when you're stoned right?" Alexis and Felipe were saved when Lisa called him. "She misses me already. Laters." 

"He looks fresh from his madres panocha." Commented Felipe.

"That's the way Lisa likes them. Says the younger they are, the easier it is to train them."

Loki rolled his eyes. 'Age is irrelevant.'

Felipe feigned fright by playfully biting his nails. "She bad. Maybe Colby wear a leash and bark like a good doggy for her?" He goofily imitated one in a deep voice. "Woof, woof..woof. Or maybe he sound like an angry chihuahua?"

Alexis smirked. "I have my own problems. A streaking phantom who now makes unexpected appearances."

Felipe gave her a margarita. "Cheers. These make everything better." 

Alexis gulped down the beverage as he watched with raised brows. "Thanks. Next time that streaker appears, I'll just ignore him."

"Next time I give you smaller glass. Go enjoy you friends, niña"

She gave a thumbs up on her way out. "I got this. Easy peasy right?"

Loki mischievously grinned. 'Darling, I'm just getting started.

[lowkeyassgard]

DAY 9 OF LOKI VS. EARTH: TINDER

Day 9 of the Loki vs Earth series and today Loki is pissed and disturbed by Tinder.

One shot summary: Loki wants to find someone that will be his mischievous and pleasurable partner on Midgard but is disturbed by the people he finds on Tinder

Quarantine Series Summary: Hi. I started something called the quarantine series. It’s going to be a series of fun and light hearted one shots to help readers and other writers get through this hard time. I made a a03 collection and a tumblr tag. To join just write a fun, soft, and/or light hearted one shot and post it to the collection @Quarantine_Series or tag it on tumblr as #quarantine series.

Word count: 2.5 K

Warning: mentions of sex and dicks

Since moving to Midgard, Loki had been saying how much he despised Midgardians. They had no sense of self pleasure or dignity. They had horrible taste in fashion and listened to music that made Loki’s ears want to bleed. They complained too much and never did anything with their lives. They slaved away to the system. It was just repulsing to Loki.

Although he loathed the humans he was starting to desire their company. It had been months and the only people he had to talk to were his brother and Valkyrie. The other Asgardians were still wary of him: as they should be. Loki might have been mind controlled, but it really hadn’t been that long since he tried to kill everyone in New York City. The Asgardians wanted to believe he had changed but there will always be a sense of fear toward him.

He didn’t want friends. Jotun no. The last thing Loki wanted was a mewling quim to get emotionally attached to him. Friends were clingy. Loki wanted someone that he could share mutual hatreds with that would lead to many hours of pleasure. He wanted what those Midgardians called a fuck buddy.

Loki didn’t have a preference. Didn’t care if they were male, female, neither, or in between. Didn’t care what they looked like or what they identified as. He just needed a warm body that would let him use it as he pleases and share in his mischievous ways.

But back to the fact that he hated Midgardians. He absolutely hated the Midgardians and did everything in his power to annoy and complicate their lives.

Had Loki told anyone that he was looking for a sexual mutually hating partner in crime? Absolutely not.

They were would think him a fool. The god of mischief scheming around with the people he hated. Fraternizing with the enemy. Conversing with the low lives. Seducing the quim of all quim. Well now that Loki thought about it: that’s 100% something he would do. Flipping sides and manipulating a situation for his own self gain was right up his alley.

Loki didn’t leave New Asgard much other than to attend to the duties asked of him but today he would venture out to find the seductive ways of the Midgardians. He would learn their ways and then use them against them to find him one that would submit to him in all ways.

This scheming plan that would be sure to blow up in smokes is what lead Loki to be sitting in a dimly lit café shop talking to a pretty blonde named Marlo.

“So, you say you aren’t from around here?” Marlo said taking another sip of their caramel macchiato

“Oh, definitely not from around here. You could say I’m out of this world. “Loki winked.

“What exactly brings you here? To Norway? You could go to any place and you choose Norway?”

“Well, I didn’t get much choice. You see? I kind of helped blow up my home and then had to fight this toxic bitch from outer space and then I stole this blue cube and traveled back in time to not be choked out. Don’t get me wrong I love choking but this was choking gone wrong. Did I mention I faked my own death to do all of this? Anyways I helped save the world and now I half willingly half begrudgingly live with my older better brother and this former alcoholic that rules over this place about 20 minutes away. Lived there for a few months but now I am looking for a partner to get into some reckless fun with.”

Marlo stared back at Loki with the eyes the size of saucers. He took one last sip of his coffee and began to stand up.

“Let me ask you. Do you tell everyone that story?”

“Actually, you’re the first person I’ve ever told. Huh what a little caffeine and espresso does for the mind. I just opened up like a can of sardines.”

“Nice tragic story bro, but from the sounds of it you’re a little bat shit crazy and that’s not my vibe.”

Marlo began to walk out but Loki grabbed him by the wrist. “As a god I feel ashamed to be even in this room but young mewling quim I need your assistance.”

“What did you just call me?” Marlo looked extremely appalled.

“Oh Jotun. Sorry just a pet name I have for Midgardians... I mean humans. “

“Oh okay. I don’t know what you want but never call someone that ever again.’

“Gotchu. Will you machinate with me?

“Will I what?”

“Will you machinate with me... scheme... conspire... plot the plot of all plots.”

“What exactly is it you are wanting?”

“Easy. I want someone to have sex with. To talk about the things, I hate. To discuss all the ways, I want to overthrow Earth and make it better. To pleasure and be pleasured. I want a thot. “

“OOOOH I understand now. You little lonely in that imaginary world of yours and want someone to share in your agony.”

“Exactly my mew- morally obligated human.”

“Try tinder.”

“Timber? “

“No, tinder.”

“Sitter?’

“No. Tinder. Here just look. “Marlo got out their phone and opened up this app. “Tinder. You make a profile and it will show you people in the area that you can match with. If you both match up then you talk, meet up, canoodle, do whatever the hell that dark tragic heart of yours desires. “

“You must help me make a tinder. The fate of the world depends on it.” Loki grabbed Marlo’s phone out of their hands to expect this site. It was just full of people wanting the same thing he wanted.

“God you are dramatic. The world isn’t going to be fall apart just because you are lonely and horny.” Marlo took their phone and began to swipe through to show Loki the setup of the app.

“I once burned down a building cause I was bored. You don’t know what I’m capable of.” Loki glared at them. How dare they question their actions. When Loki said something, he meant it. No dramatics. If he didn’t talk to someone outside of the people residing in New Asgard and soon who knows what he would do. Arson was definitely in his future.

“Okay don’t get your leather in a bunch. I’ll set you up an account. “

So there Loki sat with Marlo for the next hour setting up a tinder account.

“First up. What is your name?’ Marlo asked. “Didn’t you say it was Lewis?

“LEWIS. I AM LOKI ODINSON PRINCE OF ASGARD RIGHTFUL...” Loki was about to rage scream his official title for this whole café to hear but he was rudely interrupted.

“I am going to stop you there buddy. I am putting Loki. How do you spell that? Le

“LO! L O K I!”

“Damn alright. Anyways. What is your birthday?”

“My birthday? How am I supposed to know that?

“Didn’t your mom and dad ever celebrate it like literally every year that you have been alive?”

“My dad kidnapped me from my home and my mother and him kept him in their string of lies until one day I was finally told the truth. I was born a long long time ago. Thousands of years before your life was even thought about.”

“Okay so I’m going to make a date up. Let’s just say you are 23.”

“Moving on. What is your gender?”

“I am above and unbound by your mortal limitations of identity.”

“Okay so gender nonconforming.” Marlo finished selecting that option. “You know to get yourself a partner you might want to try not being so hostile and dramatic every time someone speaks to you. I don’t just a tip.”

Loki stood up from his chair with his knife withdrawn. “I am not hostile. I am just bothered by your mewling questions in my search for mutual pleasure. “

“It was just a tip. You do you. So, what is your sexual orientation? You know what are you into?”

“I like anyone and everyone that meets the eye. I do have a preference for men that need my expertise and women that need my saving. Do with that as you wish.”

“Alright. Preferences so bisexual. Show everyone. Almost done there Lewis.”

“Loki.”

“Right. Loki.”

“What do you want your bio to be? Something that says who you are to attract people’s attention.”

“God of more then just mischief. I carry big things in these pants.”

“Err. Are you sure?”

“Who are you? The god of questioning? Do as I say.”

Marlo said nothing for a few minutes.

“Location is turned on. Questions all answered. Now we just need some pictures.”

“I have no photos.”

“That is alright. We are going to take some. Just pose.”

Loki just sat there and stared at the camera while Marlo snapped a photo.

“Look less pissed off.”

Loki groaned and forced a smile.

“Now you just look constipated.”

Loki huffed. He did his very best smirk.

“You look like you are about to burn down an orphanage.”

“I am about to burn this place down if you don’t hurry up.”

“Okay maybe just do a close half smile half smirk. Tilt your head a little and look less like a pissed off greasy sewer rat.”

Loki did his best to do as described. It must have been good enough because Marlo did not suggest another pose. They just tapped away on their phone.

“Okay. Done. Just swipe through. Swipe left for those that don’t interest you and swipe right for those that do interest you.”

Loki did that for over an hour. Swiped left on the ugly mewling quim or the nerdy sulks. Swiped right on anyone that seemed like they could offer him some machinating.

Loki ran into a slight problem. For all the hassle it took to setup this tinder account it wasn’t very awarding. No one would swipe right on him. He had yet to get a match. He looked good in his photos. Greasy and permissive. Looked like he was ready for a good time.

When Loki finally got matches and would try to talk with the humans they were strange. The strangest one yet was when he matched with this very attractive slim brunette that lived closed by. Upon the match the women sent him a message that left Loki happy.

“I heard you carry big things in those pants. Care to let me see?”

Loki smiled upon reading. Finally, someone that wanted to get to know him. He removed his knives and placed them on the table and sent the woman a photo of them.

“Mhm. Kinky. What else you got hiding in all that leather?”

Damn. This woman wanted to know all his dirty secrets and treasures. Loki didn’t show many people, but he had his own little pocket dimension where he hid all of his prized possessions. He had no plans to show a complete stranger the tesseract but since they seem so interested what would be the harm.

He slipped the tesseract into his lap and snapped a quick photo before putting it back in the one place it was safe. He was excited to see her response, but it was not one of awe of the mystical space orb that Loki carried the powers and burden of.

“Mhm, what is that big box holding?

Loki replied with. “More than your human mind could handle.” Loki genuinely felt like this woman was someone that could end up being a partner. She took great interest in him. She was funny and pretty. Talkative and apparently had amble of free time since she was talking to him. Loki thought that until he clicked back on the messages to see that she had blocked him after sending “The only big thing in your pants is the big lack of understanding of when a woman wants to see your cock. Loser.

Loki was in utter disbelief, but it only got worse from there. Person after person would converse with him for a few minutes and them block him out of complete frustration. Loki was just trying to make conversation and there was nothing more important to him than his knives, hair comb, and the tesseract. HE meant that he literally had big things in his pockets. The tesseract ain’t small and neither is his knives. Loki wanted sex, but he wasn’t going to whip his dick out for these people especially when they played with his feelings like this. They acted interested in his knives just to see his dick. How rude.

Loki was growing rather fed up with this app. Loki finally decided to give up on his scheme for mischievous pleasure when he clicked upon a message that left him sick to his stomach.

“You aren’t the only one with big things.” And there was a naked hairy nasty white cock on the screen of Marlo’s phone. Loki almost threw up. Don’t get him wrong he loved men but not men who flaunted their nasty private areas. This man looked like he hadn’t washed in decades and that’s coming from the man who literally showers with crow vomit. This man was repulsive, and he could take him and his arguably big dick far away from Loki before Loki used his big thing in his pants to cut it off.

The whole time this was happening Marlo sat beside Loki laughing to themselves.

“Do you think my failure is funny?”

“Yes. I don’t know what’s more hilarious you sulky when no one matches with your or you being repulsed by the only people that will.”

“This is not as easy as I imagined it would be.”

“Welcome to the real world. It’s a whole bunch of nasty dicks to the face. In this case I should say screen.”

Loki groaned and leaned back against his chair. Today was a complete disaster. He had not managed to find him a partner or even a supply of people wanting to be his partner that weren’t creepy, repulsive, or downright weird. Loki did a lot of weird things and wasn’t the best at being normal, but these people were worse than Loki could ever be. Loki chugged the rest of his coffee while Marlo continued to laugh,

“Tinder might not have worked but I must admit Lewis. I have grown fond of your pent-up anger and greasy dramatics. I would be cool to hang out again.”

“It is Loki.”

“I know, but I love seeing you get all fed up when I call you Lewis. Just make sure you bring your knives next time, so we can compare.”

“Oh, I see, you think you got big things in your pants. We will just have to see.”

[msminutes]

So in that moment of looking at the gifts she bought, the Goddess of Mischief, Lies, and Thunder had realized that during her trip to Midgard she had fallen in love with Steve Rogers.  

———

PRESENT DAY

———

AS Arselia reminisces in the time where she seemed so free and so loved, she feels a pang of sadness in her chest. Not of her own, but of her soul bond's. The sadness continues to build up and she can feel every ounce of Loki's emotions fill her being. She breathes heavily while sitting on her bed, and feels tears prick her eyes. Concerned about Loki's well being and where abouts, the goddess decides to leave her quarters and search the palace for where her pained brother could be.

The raven haired goddess makes her way through the palace locating Loki's Seidr. The energy from his magic was located within his quarters, so the warrior headed that way. When she made it to his doors, she went to open them, but they were sealed with magic. "Loki, please open up." Arselia says with worry evident in her tone. "Go away, Arselia." She can here the sadness in his words and can tell he's been crying with how hoarse his voice sounds. "Please don't shut me out, talk to me." In that moment the god needed comfort, he needed someone by his side, he needed her. He let down the magic seal with enough time for Arselia to come in. When she walked through his living quarters, she made it to his main bedroom where he stood looking at himself in front of a mirror.

She walked up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder. Even with him knowing she was there and seeing her in the reflection, he still managed to flinch at the contact. Arselia furrowed her eyebrows. "Talk to me." She says softly. "I'm afraid if I do, you'll turn against me." She made Loki turn to face her and put her hands on either side of his face. She gently wiped the tears the kept on falling from his eyes and kissed his forehead. "I would never turn against you." The god takes Arselia's hands off his face as his skin slowly turns blue. The goddess lets out a small gasp as her eyes widen. The gears in the blue and green eyed goddess's mind are practically shifting. Loki looks at her pained, a similar look to the one he gave her when the Jotun touched him and his skin simply turned blue instead of burning. "You're a Jotun." She whispers. The frost giant looks down in shame and turns back to face the mirror. "Now you see me, sister. The monster I am. I won't judge you for turning against me, if that's what you please." Arselia shook her head in disbelief. "B-but your Odin's son, you're Frigga's son."

The god's jaw clenches along with his fists. His red eyes seem to turn ever redder at the mere mention of his supposed father. "No, not Odin's son. Laufey's son. Odin took me from Jotunheim as a child. A stolen relic that would be used to make peace between the two realms." The mischievous goddess's eyes widen even more and mutters under her breath "Laufey's son." "Yes, Laufey's son. The son of a monster. Look at me, dear soul bond, do you see a monster?" A tear roles down Arselia's cheek and she puts a protective shield over her hands so that she can grab Loki's face without getting burnt. Loki once again flinches at the contact and goes to move away, but then sees the protective magic on his soul bond's hand. "You, Loki, could never be a monster. Misunderstood, yes. But a monster? Never."

The god slowly transforms back into his Asgardian form and latches onto his other half. He nuzzles his face into her shoulder and she can here the sniffles coming from him. The two sink to the ground with the broken god practically holding on for dear life to the warrior goddess. The one person he feels as if he can trust. The one person he feels that he has left. Not even his mother, who was most likely in on the secret could make him feel comfortable like his soul bond does. While the god cries, Arselia soothes his back and runs her hand though his hair to comfort him. Laufey's son. Not just the son of any frost giant, but the leader of them. Maybe that's why Odin always put Thor first and left Loki in the shadows, because he wasn't truly his son. The lies that the trickster pair should've been able to sniff out, went over their heads for many millennia. The constant need to impress others and look for their validation not only resigned within Loki from his "father" disregarding him, but it also resigned in Arselia.

The validation from others is what she strived for whether she would like to admit it or not. That's why she does the things that she does. She never got to know her parents before they died as she wished to, so she looked to Odin and Frigga as her parental figures. Never wanting to disappoint them, she did as they said, especially Odin. Becoming a warrior and princess of Asgard was his idea and she decided to go along with it. Though it was a gruesome journey of training, she never once quit, and became the outstanding warrior she is today. So, when she heard Loki had a plan for Thor to be put aside and have Loki become the King of Asgard, she was immediately in for it. No matter what, Loki would always see Arselia as valid in his eyes, but Arselia never knew that. She wanted to please and make sure that Loki was happy, so she went along with his mischievous plan. Although, a small part of herself truely did want the crown, and wanted to be able to rule the people as their queen. To do what she feels is right in the kingdom. To have Loki by her side as they rule in harmony. To have the one man that made her feel so free and so loved watch her be crowned queen.

But of course, those are only dreams. Wants. We can all so desperately want something and yet still not get it. Will she ever see the man the she loves ever again? Probably not. But is there a chance for her to become queen and rule her kingdom beautifully? Yes, yes there is. So if there is one thing that seems so clear in the goddess's mind that can happen, one thing that she can get her hands on and grasp, one thing that she can actually have, she'll take it. Because that one thing seems to be the only thing Arselia has going for her. The one thing that she feels as if she doesn't need much validation from, but will still ask for anyways, because a queen must be confident and independent, yet still take requests and listen to the people. Her people. But right now, she must be there for Loki. Her brother, no matter what. Her soul bond.

《♛》《♛》《♛》

A few hours went by as the pair sat in Loki's quarters leaning into each other for comfort. Arselia learned that when Loki found out the truth about his bloodline, Odin became so weak that he went into Odin Sleep. As the raven haired god began to get up from where him and his soul bond were sitting, The blue and green eyed goddess attempted to bring him back down. "Where are you going?" "I must go to fath...Odin's quarters where he resides for Odin Sleep. Hopefully the queen can give me answers I seek for." The goddess seemed to be saddened by the way that her brother addressed his former parents. Though Odin was not good in hindsight, she still at times saw the way he cared for Loki and loved him. Frigga on the other hand was a wonderful mother. Always present in her childrens' lives, and always made sure to give Loki the attention that he craved. The raven haired goddess watched as her other half stood up, but also extended a hand for her.

Loki looked at her with the eyes a Midgardian would say resembled those of a puppy. "Join me, I do not wish to embark on this alone." The god said pleadingly. Without a second thought the warrior goddess takes his hand and he brings her up onto her feet. The pair brush off whatever dust that might have gotten on their clothes off, and link arms. The mischievous god and goddess proceed to make their way out of Loki's quarters on to the King and Queen's. While walking Arselia could see the pained expression on Loki's face. Watching closely she saw as his jaw clenches ever so slightly and how his brows furrow. The god was so deep in thought, that he didn't even notice the goddess examining him. She knew he was in pain, she could feel it. She felt the disbelief and the betrayal. She knew he would attempt to keep it together in front of Frigga, but on the inside his walls that he built up as he became older, were shattering. She knew that those walls that kept him from letting too many people in were coming down because of the people that he decided to let in. The people who he believed to trust, who he believed would never lie to him. For the god of lies, he was upset with himself because he couldn't point out the biggest lie that was ever told to him.

After a few moments of walking throughout the golden palace, the two made it to the large quarters for the rulers of the kingdom. The two guards standing in front of the doors gave access to the prince and princess, and opened the door for them to walk in. The pair make their way to the usual room in which the All Father would reside, whenever falling into Odin Sleep. When the golden doors opened to the sleeping chamber, the soul bonds' eyes were immediately drawn to the bronze bed that Odin layer on. A protective magical barrier surrounded the bed, but also gave off a golden luminescence to the room. The All-mother was shown sitting next to her husband's bed with a look of concern etched upon her face, though she immediately looked up when she saw her son and daughter walk into the room. Arselia examined the king's state. He looked almost angelic sleeping peacefully in the large bed, dressed in white, covered in a fur blanket. His skin glowing from the magical barrier, and eye patch shining.

The goddess followed Loki as he sat at the opposite end of the bed from where Frigga sat. The goddess of thunder quietly sat down next to Loki, and took in the scene in front of her. Though Loki despises Odin for the secret that he kept from him, she knew he hated seeing the white-haired god like this. Fragile, weak, unable to protect himself. As a child, the goddess can remember the days when Loki would stand guard with the guards at the door to Odin's chambers while the king was in Odin Sleep, to ensure that no one would dare to hurt his father while in that state. A small smile forms on her face from the memory, but immediately falls when she sees a tear run down her queen's cheek.

The queen immediately wipes it away, and looks to her son, then back to her husband. "I asked him to be honest with you from the beginning. There should be no secrets in a family." Frigga says softly. The queen's eyes flicker over to Arselia momentarily, before going back to her son. The warrior princess felt as if something was wrong with that statement, she had a gut feeling that something wasn't completely right. Deciding against asking anything, she remained quiet and allowed the mother and son pair to have their talk. "So why did he lie?" The mischievous god asks. "He kept the truth from you so that you would never feel different." In that moment, Arselia took Loki's hand. She knew better than anyone else that Loki always felt different. He would use magic rather than pure strength to make his way through a battle. The Warriors Three, Lady Sif, and Thor would constantly tease him for that when he was younger. They made sure that he knew he was different, that he knew he wasn't one of them.

"You are our son, Loki. And we your family, you must know that." Frigga says softly with a slight crack in her voice. The raven haired goddess can feel the conflict building up within her other half. The want to love his family and go back to before he found out who he truly was, but also the want to yell and scream and lash out because of what they kept from him. "You can speak to him, the both of you. He can see and hear us, even now." The queen states, finally addressing the fact that Arselia was also in the room with them. "How long will it last?" The god asks. "I don't know, this time it's different. We were unprepared." "I'll never get used to seeing him like this. The most powerful being in the nine realms, lying helpless, until his body is restored." Loki says. "He seems to be so peaceful, yet he suffers quietly and in pain." Arselia says softly.

Her soul bond knew in that moment that not only was she talking about Odin, but about himself. She knew of the internal war he had within himself, she knew of his struggles, she knew that if she wasn't there to talk it out with him, he would explode from anger and sadness. "He's put it off for so long now, that I fear." The blonde queen says while gently grabbing her husband's limp hand. "You're a good son, and you a good daughter. We mustn't lose hope that your father will return to us. And your brother." A wave of uneasiness washes over Arselia at the mention of her blonde brother. Loki's hand squeezes hers lightly as he also tenses up. "What hope is there for Thor?" "There's always a purpose to everything your father does for me, yet find a way home." The god of mischief looks to the All-Mother for a moment before getting up. Arselia follows right behind him, still hand in hand as they were before.

Just as the two went to walk out of the room, the doors to the chamber open. Five royal guards are shown getting down on their knees, just as two high ranking royal advisers, one carrying Odin's staff and the other carrying a green velvety pillow with a golden crown placed upon it, walk into the room. The two men make their way closer to the pair, and they let go of each other's hands. The royal advisors bow down to the prince and princess, presenting Gungir to Loki, and the Queen's crown to Arselia. The goddess's eyebrows furrow in confusion and she tilts her head slightly to the side. The raven haired god and goddess turn to look towards their queen for answers. "Thor is banished, the line of succession falls to you until Odin awakens. I wish to stay by my husband's side until he is recovered, therefore the crown falls upon you as well, my child. Though I don't wear it much, I know you will. You will wear it with pride, dear girl. Asgard is yours." Frigga states. The warrior princess takes a breath as she turns around to have her eyes meet with the beautiful crown.

The detailing on the crown is shown magnificently even though there isn't much light in the room. A golden design of leaves and feathers is show at the base, while in the middle there are four emeralds, three darker colored, than the one in the middle. The sound of Odin's crows echo throughout the room as the royal advisors present the staff and crown even more to the shocked pair. Hesitantly, Arselia reaches to pick up the crown, just as Loki reaches for Gungir. The two turn around once more to see their queen with a proud smirk on her face. Loki clutches onto Gungir tighter as Arselia slowly places the crow atop her head. "Make your father proud, my king and my queen." Frigga says.

Loki's lips slowly form into his infamous smirk, just as Arselia smiles, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. It's almost as if the weight of the nine realms have been poured onto her soldiers, and she can't help be feel nervous, though she would never admit it. Her soul bond turns to her with his smirk still plastered upon his face. She can't help but smile herself as she sees how happy he is, and how her brother finally has a chance to prove that he is a worthy king. Worthy. Just as it did before, her smile drops, but not all the way. Thor is still stranded on Midgard without his powers or his hammer. She once again feels uneasy and even sad that Thor didn't even get to see this wonderful moment for his brother, but also because he's alone. The goddess knew what it felt like to feel all alone, and scared. She just hopes Thor will get the help he needs from the people on Midgard, and soon gains his worthiness back so that he can return to the safety of his home.

[the-mianitian-isles]

The Tree of Life

The first reference to Norse Mythology that we see is The Tree of Life. This is the floating tree where Jordan sent the flare out to Lord Hermod and where the heroes needed to place the beacons.

It’s clearest parallel is Yggrasil, the connector of the Nine Realms and center of the cosmos.

Yggdrasil has three main roots: one is planted in Midgard, the realm of manking, one is in Jotunheim, the realm of the giants, and one is in Helheim, the underworld. Other notable realms, in the context of Mianitian Isles, are Niflheim and Asgard.

The first important note we can take from the concept of Yggdrasil is how it connects the Nine Realms- namely, the Mianitian Isles (which I consider to be Midgard, due to the human inhabitants), Niflheim, and Asgard.

Remember the flare that Jordan sent out? Upon launching, it did two things: ‘synced’ the Isles with Niflheim, another realm (presumably), and summoned Lord Hermod. It’s possible that The Tree of Life has the power to connect different times and universes. Why do I think so?

When Lord Hermod appeared, he talked of moving through a time warp to get to the Isles. He also happened to have crash landed just outside (above?) the Ruins of Niflheim. Since they both appeared not only in the same location, but at the same time, we can assume that they appeared together. Which means Niflheim also came through a time warp.

This brings us back to the beacons and the Tree of Life. The beacons helped the god come into their power and had to be activated at the Tree. The beacons themselves held the power, right? If so, why did they have to be activated at the Tree?

Simple: The Tree connected the Isles to Asgard to establish a connection with the gods. Without the connection, the power wouldn’t go through.

Of course, there was also the part of sorting the power and deciding who gets what, but you could still do that anywhere else. However, the gods have been said to reside in Asgard. Would anywhere else have the power for the gods reach all the way to Asgard?

I believe that the beacons not only helped the gods gain power, but established a more firm connection to Asgard such that the gods could visit the Isles without being at the Tree.

Their temples also helped strengthen this bond and they were a symbol of belief and faith. That the gods had people willing to back them up and follow them.

What does this mean for the future of the plot? I’m not sure. It could be that the Tree of Life will return as an important figure later, maybe to communicate with the gods’ father, or even Queen Angrec. Or maybe it will be important to helping Tom and Jordan return to their actual time period and join back up with their original crew.

We’ll just have to wait and see!

As always, thank you for reading and I hope you are enjoying the series! <3