Some time after my trip to Muspelheim I woke up with a strange sense of trepidation. It had been nearly a year and a half since my first jump to another realm. I was sure I'd be shifting this day and I had some worry over what kind of place I'd end up in next and what kind of threats I'd face there.

I was right on the money, while walking around I had felt the pull and braced myself. I took in a deep breath and let the pull take me. When I arrived it took my eyes some time to adjust to the low light. My vision was blocked by a sickly green mist. I pulled the gas mask out of my bag and put it on before letting my breath out and breathing. I wasn't taking any chances. Based on what I could read about the realms on the expanded map I found in Jotunheim this place was one of the unexplored root worlds. It was the one sitting opposite to Vanahiem. I decided to call this place "The Sickly Mists".

I looked around, the street layout was still mostly there but instead of being lined with buildings it was lined with walls and like a really bad maze since it wasn't really a maze. I saw, in the 'center' of the area where city hall would be was a tall and strange building that had the green smoke billowing out of the mouths of strange vaguely humanoid statues that stood at the buildings side like giant guardians. With no other solid landmarks I headed that direction.

I noticed the walls had markings in a spot and stopped. Looking closely there were small straight skirts on the wall. Likely a trap. I crawled under them but this put my whole body in thick mist. I continued to avoid various traps and after some walking I noticed that it felt like my skin was crawling and burning ever so slightly. When I walked through a divot and thicker fog that sank into it the feeling got worse. As long as most of my body wasn't covered in thick mist the effects were minor but thicker areas were literally painful to go through. Naturally I picked up the pace. In another divot I kicked something in the fog that clattered and picked it up. It was a sword hilt with only part of a broken blade. It looked a sickly green, just like the mist. I decided to keep it.

After what felt like hours a wave of tiredness hit me as I approached the entrance to the large building. It had a wide set of double doors. I opened them and walked into a small hallway with another door. I heard a click when I moved to the center of the room, sure I had set off a trap. The door closed behind me and locked shut. A light hissing went off and the smoke in the room cleared. After that was done the door in front of me opened and I walked through. I slowly took off the gas mask and put on my goggles as I started breathing. The burning, inching, crawling feeling had worn off after a bit. I had found a safe spot to rest.

I sat down and unsheathed Light-bringer. It floated and worbiled.

"Yeah, it's creepy as hell here. Unfortunately I have to wait to recharge."

It worbiled again, I nodded. I grabbed some snacks and munched on them for a bit when eventually I heard a clatter. I jumped up and pulled out the broken sword at my hip. When I drew it I instinctively started drawing a bit of energy to get ready for a fight. When I did a sickly green glow came from the hilt and covered what was left of the blade. It took the shape of a sword but made of light. There were also six other floating ghostly swords that moved depending on how I moved.

"Holy- it's like a magic lightsaber! With bonus ghost swords."

Light-bringer worbiled.

"Right, I should be quiet."

It continued to worbile and chirp

"What, you jealous? You can fight on your own like a second person, I've been using the hatchet and machete to fight by your side in every fight we've been in together. This thing can actually cut."

Light-bringer made more noises.

"Hmmm.... actually, I think I have an idea." I had not cut my hair since I started jumping realms a year and a half ago and it had gotten quite long. I used the machete to take the excess hair off then called over Light-bringer. Using my hair to weave thin ropes I tied the hilt of the ghost saber to the hilt of Light-bringer.

"Okay, now channel energy like you are about to cut something with magic like you normally do."

Light-bringer worbiled and light up with gold light. When it did I saw my hair glow slightly with a blue purple light. The ghost saber then lit up green like before and the ghostly swords were brought forth again. "That's bad ass. Charged with Bifrost energy my hair is like a magic conductor. Talk about an upgrade."

Light-bringer worbiled excitedly.

After setting that up I moved to investigate the source of the sound with Light-bringer at my side. I would occasionally hear things being knocked over as I got closer. When I got there I was surprised to see what looked like an old man.

The man was ancient, hunched over and walked with a cane. The room was a mess with various books and things scattered around. The man had long white hair and a long white beard. He was dressed in fine green robes and had a metal diadem with green horns coming out the front. When I entered I accidentally kicked something over and it clattered across the floor. The decrepit old man slowly turned to me and smiled. His eyes were white and practically lifeless.

"It's about time you've made it here. I was starting to think I'd die of old age before I had a chance to meet you." The old man then sat down on a ledge or table in the room.

I didn't need to ask his name, despite being older than he should be even without the use of the golden apple.

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

The old man laughed. "I was known as the god of trickery and deception. You really think it's beyond me to fake my death? Though unfortunately I don't have the energy to realm hop anymore so this place will unfortunately be my grave. After everything I've done, all my clever machinations, I die of old age in a dead world. Witnessed by one, mourned by none. It's kinda sad really, but I knew what I was getting into when I chose this path."

"You looked like you're pushing two hundred. At oldest you should biologically be around eighty. What kind of hell have you been through?"

"You are familiar with the story of the well of knowledge, yeh?" His English was impeccable, hardly an accent.

"Odin gave his eye for knowledge from the well. Saw the future or something."

"Odin didn't trust the Nornir, or the idea of one set future they often gave. So he gave up something important, his eye, to see the future. Do you know what he saw?"

"The future, obviously. But I'm guessing there's more to it than that."

"He didn't see the future or even a future. But rather he saw a billion possible futures. All rushing through his mind at super speed. Suffice to say it was enough to drive a man mad. I know for a fact it did because I also went to the well. I gave up years of my life for knowledge. I figured even with that the apples would keep me the same age until I couldn't get any."

"okay, so you both drove yourselves insane to see the end of your stories only to get an incomprehensible mess?"

"It's a bit of a long story. After beating Ymir, Odin swore he'd be a better leader. Putting the realms before himself. He was a good and kind leader, he was... a good and kind father. It wasn't till after the well that he started to treat me badly. All I wanted was to make him proud of me and suddenly I was being punished for a crime I had yet to commit. I had to see what he saw, I had to know the crime I was accused of. That's when I saw a billion timelines, most of them ending in disaster for the realms. I had to ask: did I do this? The realms would either be annihilated or merged and left devastated only for things to start over with the realms splitting again and the cycle of violence would continue. I think we both wanted the best for the realms, but to get the best timeline it meant making bad choices. Odin had to become the last thing he ever wanted to be, a tyrant. Meanwhile I let myself be demonized in my own home among my own family. We intentionally stoked a war so big that Asgard would fall. When it did the Bifrost was broken with such power it caused a feedback that destroyed every actively used Bifrost gate in all realms. By the time they could be rebuilt after seeing the potential of humans thanks to Odin using them the other kingdoms would be reluctant to visit. We made sure Midgard was a world without us false Gods messing with things."

"okay, so to get the "good" ending you needed Midgard to be allowed to advance as well as make sure that whoever got the power of Ymir wasn't simply killed off as soon as word of a human jumping realms got around. Go it. So... why me? Out of all the people who could have got it why did I get the lottery?"

"I mean it would have been one in a million chance for you to be host to the power had I not stepped in. I used my second to last realm jump on putting an artifact that would act as a magnet to the essence of Ymir so once it took a host it would take the closest one. That artifact was in the hand of Lef Erickson or whatever his name was who left it in North America when he took his trip in the nine hundreds of whatever year it was. The artifact ended up in a museum in Minnesota that you would come to visit when the time came."

"Still doesn't explain why me though."

"I'm getting there. So impatient. Anyway, you had the largest "success rate" out of all the candidates. As long as you started out in a similar way you'd always choose the same ending regardless of the middle. The order of the realms visited didn't matter, by the end of the story when given the possible endings you always chose the same one. Putting the happiness and well-being of the realms before yourself. Maybe not out of goodness or selflessness but your motives don't matter. You were the best chance at a new golden age and the break of the cycle. Though I did use my shape change to put a "prophecy" in place in the realms. I felt you should know how this is going to end early. You'll still pick it anyway so going in blind seems cruel."

"So you're expecting what exactly? You want me to clean up the mess caused by your war? Odin tried forcing the realms under one banner and leading them all as part of his plan to cause the war, what makes you think I can lead the realms into a peaceful new age?"

"Oh, the realms don't need you to be a leader. Though you need the wisdom and willow of a king, the last thing the realms need is for you to have a crown. What the realms need is an ambassador to break ground. One that's willing to lead by example, fight on the front line, then when the time comes be willing to give all of himself to help others."

"So you need a diplomatic martyr?"

"Not me, them. I won't be needing much for longer. The only thing keeping me alive right now is my magic." He lets out a huff. "You damaged your translation goggles. One more transformation and they'll be useless."

"You're blind, how can you look across realms let alone see that?"

Loki pulled out to white "glass marbles" he rolled in his hands. They looked like eyes that had golden iris. "Himedoll's eyeballs."

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"That's.... kinda messed up man."

"Yeah yeah, I know. Here, let me fix your goggles." He held his hands out.

"Won't that be risky since magic is all that's keeping you alive." I put them in his hand anyway.

"I've lived long enough." Green magic covered them and they turned to dust, dust he put then on the eyes that changed to be brown like my eyes.

"Wait, don't you dare-" With a poof the eyes were gone and I felt a burning in my eyes. "FUCK!!!"

After cussing a lot and blindly walking to him I opened my eyes to blurry vision that slowly cleared as I walked over to Loki. "You snake tongued horse fucker!" I grabbed him by the color of his robe and lifted him. "I'll fucken' kill you!"

"Don't waste your energy, I used the last of my magic to do that. I'll be dead soon. Thanks to your upgrade I won't be forgotten, at least not by you."

"Upgrade?! You replaced my eyes! Those were perfectly good eyes!"

Loki laughed.

"It's not funny Loki!"

"Can you see it, the last of my life draining? This entire situation is so fucked up I can't help but laugh." His laugh then sounded like one of a younger man, one that could have voiced The Joker. "You know the worst part about this? Worse than the cold and dark? You're gonna die a virgin~" Loki coughed. "I joke." Hacked and coughed. "Goodnight moonlight, the world says goodbye."

"What?"

Loki pulled himself closer to me. "I don't feel so good, Mr. Stark."

"What??"

I saw the last ember of magic in Loki die out before he started turning to dust and blowing away with the wind into nothingness.

"WHAT?!?!?!"

[Editor's note: I personally imagine a cut to black here with it jump cutting to the next scene. Hunter just busting into the doors of Nastrond, the mead hall slash palace in Helheim]

I busted down the doors to the mead hall in Helheim, having been able to jump to just outside the door thanks to a combination of my growth in power, control, and the ability to see where I was going with the eyes that had been forced upon me. "Where, is, Lady Hel." I said, still sheathing with anger, blue-purple flames emanating off my body.

One man who had just poured a mead horn pointed up the stairs.

I grabbed a horn, filled it, and downed it in one go. The familiar taste of Helheim blood mead hitting me immediately. I then headed up the steps to Hel's room.

I barged into her room, without even knocking, shouting as I entered the door. "Your father is a snake tongued horse fucking clown bastard."

Lady Hel jumped and turned in surprise, covering her still nude body. However when she noticed it was me she waved her hand to shut the door and let her guard down. "I guess since I've seen you nude it's only fair, but if you ever barge in my room unannounced again I'll end you. Now what's this about my dad?"

"First off, he faked his death in the war. Second off apparently him and Odin were secretly working a lot together and started the war intentionally to create a Midgard free of outside influence. Third off he took my translation goggles, merged them with Himedoll's eyeballs, and then ***magically replaced my eyes!!!***"

"Okay, you lost me at the conspiracy bit. Start over, and go slowly this time."

"I was pulled into a dark side world at the root of Yiggdrsill, the Sickly Mists. Once there I traveled through some kind of fog that was made of something that irritated my skin. I dodged traps and made my way into some kind of main building that created the fog. Once there I ran into Loki, old as fuck and ragged as shit."

"I'm following."

"He explained about how both Odin and himself took a dip into the Well of Knowledge to see the future, and after seeing many started moving to get the one they both apparently wanted."

"It sounds strange that they'd both want the same thing, but continue."

"This meant a pivot from slowly trying to get all the realms under one flag to aggressively taking them and being a tyrant, the last thing Odin wanted, and Loki vilifying himself. All of this to get a massive war that has mutually assured destruction."

" Odin... wanted Asgard destroyed? Why?"

"Because he knew the attack would have so much power it would cause a feedback in the Bifrost destroying similar tech active around the realms, creating an independent Midgard."

"Okay.... again, why?"

"Because eventually a human would merge with the essence of Ymir and be pulled across the realms."

"And if Midgard was still under the thumb of the kingdoms of Asgard they would kill said human. I'm guessing you in this case."

"Yeah, and apparently Loki rigged what would have been a one in a million lottery so I'd win."

"Why?"

"Odin and Loki wanted a set result they considered success and saw that I had the highest chance of choosing that path."

"Got it, and once more my father is a snake tongued horse fucking clown bastard. Why?"

"He took the enchantment from my glasses, put them into Himedoll's eyeballs and then magically socketed them right here." I pointed to my eyes.

She dropped her arms and sat silent for a while before almost blankly stating "That's messed up." Then, after another long pause "wait, hold up. Let's go back to the part about you absorbing parts of Ymir. Elaborate."

"Okay so as you probably know long ago Odin killed Ymir and when he did it split the world that was into the fifteen realms that are. As such, a metaphysical part of him is in every realm. After absorbing the part on Midgard the rest pull me to try and be whole."

"And you've visited how many now?"

"Uhhh.... eight. Eight counting Midgard."

"Almost two thirds. At this point you should look like some sort of hybrid or fusion."

"I can take an alternative form, transform into a Jotun like form resembling a mix of myself and him."

"Show me."

"The transformation is painful, so.... no?"

"That "no" lacked confidence, as if there was room for negotiation. What would I have to offer for you to be pliable to my request?"

"I... uhhh.... hmmm....."

"Really, no ideas? Nothing? I'm literally standing in front of you nude and you can't think of anything?"

"Do you want me to request something sexual?"

"I'd like you to at least think about it! Last time you were here I saw how you looked at me. I know you know what's behind this mask but it didn't bother you."

"I've been propositioned by several elves and a fire Jotun queen. I'm just... not used to the attention and I don't know what to do with it."

"I'm.... also not used to attention. I mean besides you the only guy that ever showed interest was Vidar. That was before the face thing though."

"You know for someone called "Vidar the Silent", he talks a lot of shit."

"He got that name after his throat was damaged by Odin for talking shit to him on my behalf."

"Wait... were you two... did you two..?"

"Used to be a thing, yeah. Long story."

"Okay. I think I've got an idea for my price."

"Okay, hit me."

"Once I'm in my new form, I'll be the one being uncomfortably forward."

She sat silent for a bit before speaking again. "You mean you flirt with me?"

"I mean.... I guess?"

"This'll be interesting. You may proceed."

I took a step back and took off my boots and socks.

"Why... why are you disrobing?"

"This outfit isn't Jotun sized."

"Oh, right."

I stripped down to my boxers. "Nothing you haven't seen"

"I might already be regretting this, I mean I may have joked about us sharing this room nude but I didn't expect it to actually happen."

"Yeah well don't get excited just yet, because it's about to get squicky icky."

"What do you mean?"

I then tapped into the power of Ymir in order to transform.it was a bit easier then last time but still sucked. My bones snapping and popping as much body shifts.

Hel took a step back "That was... intense."

"Yeah, it's not fun." I pulled myself off the floor, now taller than her by a bit.

"Oh my~ looks like you got the best parts of Ymir since your body gives a good counter balance. No belly, just muscle in a proportion that isn't grotesque."

"Now then, about my payment~" I gave a big smile as I stepped forward.

Hel took a step back as her eyes widened, not expecting me to actually be forward. "Uhhh...."

I moved forward till she had her back against the wall, I put my hand on the wall above her shoulder as my smile widened. I gently ran my other hand on her chin on the side with her mask and pulled it off, tossing it to the floor. "There, now I can see all of you."

Lady Hel looked away, as if she felt more naked now than before. When I brushed my hand on the scared side of her face she flinched slightly, her face twitching a bit where I was touching.

"I've taken off your mask, physically and metaphorically. I see clearly now you've been hiding a lack of confidence. Performing in how you feel others expect. Despite how you carry yourself you feel ugly and unloved. You wouldn't doubt yourself if only you could see yourself through my eyes. You are strong, graceful, terrifying and elegant in equal measure." I ran my finger on her belly, roning it softly over her navel. Her back arched, moving into my gentle touch. Her breath ragged and harsh against the nape of my neck. "I can't help but be drawn into it, your green eyes practically glowing against a black background.As I look at you, lay bare before me in all ways. As I observe you in your unfiltered whole, I see a canvas. Painted with colors both bright and dark. You are, in every way, beautiful. Scars and all."

Her eyes met mine. "You... aren't used to flirting are you? This is hardly traditional."

"You're right, I'm not used to flirting." I took a step back to give her room. "But I am, however, used to speaking honestly and without a filter. Although I sometimes hold things back, I too have begun to take off the mask. If you wish, I'll let you see all of me as well. So you too can see my scars. Metaphorically speaking."

Hel moves from the wall. "You mean get to know you better? Sure, why not. I'll take a look at all of you. Literally and metaphorically."

"You've.... already seen me nude."

"Not in this form I haven't~"

"I see you've regained your composure despite not having the mask on. Sure, whatever." My underwear fit tightly because of my new size and took some effort to pull down.

Hel strided over to her bed and sat. "Just go ahead and remove it. I'll get you something that fits you better later."

I rolled my eyes. "Get me a few outfits to take home then while you're at it. I placed the removed item with the rest of my clothes. "There, satisfied?"

Hel looked me up and down, biting her lip. "Not exactly, but it'll have to do. Why don't you have a seat?" She tapped the bed.

"Are you serious?"

"I'm not going to try anything, so you can calm down. It'll be like having one of those dancers. Look but don't touch."

"Great, so I'm a stripper now." I walked over and sat on the bed off to her side.

"Alright Hunter [Steel-Bone] Erickson, tell me a bit about yourself."

"I guess my problems started with my parents."

"Isn't that how it always is?"

"Before I was born they were told that they likely would not be able to have more kids. My dad originally wanted a big family and was told the two he had would probably be it. Then after a literal decade of not preventing a baby because the odds were so low my mother got pregnant."

"A miracle child. You?"

"No, my older brother Michael. Then a year after that I came around. Naturally my mom was fixed after that."

"So you grew up in the shadow of your older brother. Sounds familiar."

"Michael was a little shit, a real delinquent. A total Loki. But it was almost as if he could do no wrong. Meanwhile no matter how hard I tried it always felt like I wasn't good enough. My father was emotionally distant and my mother was mentally distant. I practically raised myself from eight years old."

"That.... explains a lot actually. Sorry you had to go through something that rough."

"It wasn't just my parents but it felt like the world. Michael always got a pass while I struggled just to be seen. I started to give up on making him proud. But then I tried to take advantage of the fact my father was a second generation soldier and none of my siblings could sign up. I joined the military."

"So you *are* a warrior."

"I'd rather be a pacifist. I wasn't a soldier for long but during that time I went through some horrible things."

"War always is."

"One day our base was attacked, not by warriors but civilians. They took out most of our men and tied up the rest to offer to the enemy or something. I slowly worked my way through, killing them. When I got to the room my men were held I made quick work of most of them. I disarmed one and knocked him over only to find he was just a kid. Adjusting for the age rate and culture difference he has barely reached the age of selection. Fifteen by the way since humans only live a hundred years."

She nodded as the knowledge of the short lifespan of humans sank in.

"I took my gun in hand, and I ended his life. By the standards of my world I committed a war crime. Normally you take them in as a prisoner of war. But considering how those are treated sometimes.... Everyone was better off. I couldn't exactly set his free since that would have been bad in its own way. I choose the lesser of the possible evils. That said what I did was still wrong and I fully expected to pay for my crimes."

"I'm guessing by how young you look and the fact you aren't in prison to mean they didn't punish you."

I shook my head. "They gave me a medal, swept the facts under the rug and treated me like a hero while giving me a mental health discharge."

"How do you even sleep at night after something like that?"

"That's the neat part, I don't. At least not very well."

Hel got up and slipped on some panties and a nightgown before tossing me some underwear and a robe. "If I remember correctly you need to rest before you can go home. I was about to sleep myself." She claimed into her bed under the covers and opened the blanket before tapping the bed. "You have my word I won't try anything. Not intentionally anyway."

I was too tired to argue. I put on the nightwear and climbed in at her side. Thanks to the soft bed it didn't take long to drift to sleep.

I must have been a lot more tired than even I realized, seeing as I slept so deeply I didn't even dream. A minor blessing. The first thing I noticed was the fact I had my arms and legs completely wrapped around the person in front of me. Now taller than me as I returned to my normal size, practically drowning in my nightwear. The second thing I noticed was the fact I was affected by a common morning condition among young men, and that said condition was aimed right at the lower backside of my bed partner.

Hel stirred awake and yawned as she shuffled a bit in the bed. My grip tightening slightly in surprise. Hel greeting somewhat casually. "Morning~" she did a little stretch and paused mid-motion. "Is that what I think it is?"

"It's a common morning issue for men my age, don't think too much into it."

"Is that so~" she wiggled into me a bit.

I slid my way out the bed. "Tempting, but I'll have to pass."

She gave a fake frown. "Be sure to grab some spare outfits for your other form before going. Feel free to come back anytime~ My bed is always open~"

I packed the bag after changing clothes and started heading out. "I'll see you around.... I guess." I then teleported straight to my house and did my best to calm myself down.