Alyza leapt over Jörmungandr's head as he lunged downwards at her, running atop it as he slammed into the rooftop. The portal became disrupted by the immense vibrations, irritating Loki.

"Destroy her, not my portal, you giant buffoon!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. Alyza glared, landing in front of him. She slashed at him, but he stepped to the side and grabbed her wrist, transforming her rapier into a bouquet of flowers. "For me? You shouldn't hav-"

She slugged him in the face. He staggered back, holding his nose.

"You stupid bitch! If you so much as chipped a tooth, I'll-"

Alyza grabbed him by the collar, "How do I turn it off?!"

"Turn it off?" He scoffed. "It cannot be reversed. She'll be here soon, and when she gets here, you'll be torn limb from limb!"

She shoved him aside, storming towards the portal. The runes on the edges of the structure were glowing, interchanging hues. Alyza huffed, then kicked the side of the portal, denting it. Nothing changed.

Just then, a large body of guards emerged onto the rooftop, wielding rifles and sabers. They aimed at her, "Step away from the portal! You are vandalizing private property!"

"Finally!" Loki grinned, pointing at her, "Fire at will!"

"Yessir!"

Alyza squinted her eyes, then tossed the bouquet of flowers into the air, performing a side aerial while releasing a shadow clone that ran in the opposite direction. They shot at the clone as petals drifted along the wind, realizing it was a decoy when one of the bullets burst the clone into particles of black.

"You all are idiots," Loki was bound in a headlock by Alyza, blood dripping from his nose. Still, they aimed at him. "Lower your guns, you fools!"

They did as he commanded. Alyza slowly stepped back, holding him tightly.

"What now?" He grunted, slowly reaching for a dagger hidden in his coat. "A weapon would have made this easier. More of my men are bound to be on their way. Soon, you'll have to let me go. What of Myrian, or your father? Your child?"

"Be silent!" Alyza accidentally loosened her grip, overwhelmed by emotion. "Do not threaten me! I will do what I must, even if that means snapping your neck right here and now! You are not the one in control anymore!"

"Oh, but I am," he gripped the dagger. "I always am!"

Loki suddenly broke free of her grasp, turning and slashing at her. She managed to dodge the first slash, but the next few pushed her back further and further, until she was at the edge of the rooftop. Losing her balance, she fell, grabbing onto the ledge in a moment of desperation. She hung, miles from the foggy ground below.

"Tsk tsk tsk," Loki knelt at the edge of the roof, dagger in hand. "You know, you could have just let me erase your memory like I wanted to, and none of this would have happened. You could have been so blissfully ignorant of the truth, and believe me, ignorance is much better than..this."

"I won't be the one to fall, god of mischief."

"That's cute. Really," he raised his dagger and brought it downward decidedly. With no other choice, Alyza let go before her hand could be stabbed, falling back.

The morning sky moved in slow motion, painting a beautiful background for the life story that replayed in her head. This was the first time her life flashed before her eyes, and yet, she closed her eyes. There was nothing more to see. With a loud thud, she landed on the hard ground, earlier than she thought she would. Except there was almost no pain, and no blood forcefully expelled from her body.

"Gotcha!" Emmet's voice could clearly be heard. Alyza opened her eyes, looking up at him.

"Huh?" She sat up, looking around at the city buildings passing them by. The airship. "I-I'm alive.."

"Emmet, dear, did we catch her?!" Myrian shouted from the helm, standing next to Captain Pennington.

"Yeah!" Emmet waved at her, then helped Alyza up to her feet.

"Thanks, Em.."

"Heh. We're not outta the woods yet-"

"Brace!" Phineas shouted as Jörmungandr bashed his giant head into the side of the ship, knocking it off course. He spun the wheel with all his might, forcing the ship to only graze a nearby building that was still in construction, sending debris to the street below. Luckily, most citizens weren't permitted to leave home at this hour. "Emmet, man the cannons!"

"Right! Oh," Emmet took both a bow and quiver full of arrows off of his back, handing them to Alyza. "Myrian said you left these in your room."

"Mm," she nodded, taking the items. "Where are we headed?"

"Captain set course for a bifrost station to the south, leads to Midgard."

"But Loki's portal.."

"There's no time for that. The captain said there are places in Midgard that even gods can't go. If we're fast enough, we can hide there."

Alyza shook her head, "It won't matter if-"

"Emmet!" The captain shouted again.

"Yessir!" Emmet ran over to a cannon at the edge of the ship, preparing it for use. Alyza sighed, turning around when, suddenly, a flaming arrow landed on the center of the main deck. She raised her arms to shield herself when the arrow immediately exploded, flinging her back against the quarterdeck. Wincing, she looked up, seeing a silhouette emerge from the fire.

"Foolish," Modi's face came into view, irritated as usual. Ullr swung down on a rope, landing next to him.

The hunter wore a serious face, "Allfather says you're too valuable for us to lose, but I don't see the point in letting you live."

Alyza stood, gripping her bow, "I was never going to leave this place, was I?" Inhaling, she slowly reached for an arrow from her quiver. Emmet then ran in from the side, rusty pipe in hand. He swung at Modi, the weapon breaking upon impact with the god's armor. Modi glared, grabbing Emmet by his bionic arm.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"What's this?" He clenched his fist, deforming the arm's metal, then ripped it from its metal socket. "Midgardian trash."

"Ach!" Emmet was then kicked back so hard he got pushed through the ship's railing and flung off of the ship.

Alyza's eyes widened in shock, and she ran toward the edge of the ship, but Modi stepped in front of her, blocking her path. He grabbed her by her arm, forcefully dragging her back to Ullr. She struggled, whacking at his arm to no avail. Suddenly, a large needle flew past Modi's head, stopping him in his tracks. The shot came from the helm.

"Unhand her!" Myrian was holding a special rifle, rotating the bolt, pulling it back, and then pushing it forward. "Or this next one won't be a warning shot."

"Ugh, how primitive," Ullr pulled back his bowstring, firing an arrow square into Myrian's shoulder. She stumbled back when it hit her, firing another shot as she fell to the floor. Captain Phineas let go of the wheel to try and catch her, causing the ship to fly off course. Alyza gritted her teeth, quickly taking an arrow from her quiver and stabbing it into Modi's eye. He cried out in pain, letting go of her to hold his face.

"Augh!! Damn you!" Blood flowed down his hand.

She drew another arrow and nocked it, aiming it at his face. With zero hesitation, she fired. Another arrow then deflected the arrow before it could hit him, and she turned to Ullr, who was already drawing his bowstring again, multiple arrows between his fingers. She dove onto her back as he fired, evading the arrows, then fired another arrow back at him from her prone position. Ullr shifted his head to the side, the arrow flying just beneath his earlobe.

Modi moved his hand away, glaring at Alyza with his one eye, "I'll crush you!"

He sparked with red electricity, raising his foot. She rolled out of the way he stomped, sending out a small shockwave of energy. Still prone, she nocked another arrow and shot at him. The arrow flew into his shoulder, ineffective, but then another one flew into his back. He turned to Ullr, glaring at him as the ship crashed into the side of a building, spilling more debris onto the street. They all staggered slightly.

"Get out of the way, you short oaf!" Ullr shouted.

"Do not call me short!" Modi growled, grabbing a nearby barrel of gunpowder and throwing it at Ullr, who rolled out of the way. It flew off the ship into a building, exploding.

"Are you insane?!"

Alyza jumped onto Modi's back, putting him into a chokehold with her bow, "You said the first step is denial..Wanna know the second?!"

"Hrgh.."

He grabbed at her bow, but he could hardly breathe. Ullr drew his bowstring, aiming for her head. Alyza counted on this. She extended her legs on Modi's back as Ullr let go of the arrow, lifting Modi's neck into position. The arrow flew into his throat. He sputtered, blood flowing down his chest. His hands touched the arrow as if just realizing where it was, and then his arms went limp.

"No!" Ullr didn't reach for another arrow from his quiver, but for his cousin instead. Guilt overcame him.

Alyza glared down at Modi's head, then twisted her bow, finishing the job with a harsh snap. As his body fell back, she somersaulted backward, aiming her bow at Ullr, "You're next."

He stepped back, "No..This can't be happening.."

A needle flew into the arm that was gripping his bow, fired from the helm yet again. Captain Phineas manipulated the bolt, loading it. He aimed at Ullr again, tears in his eyes. Once he pulled the trigger, Ullr shifted into a blur that disappeared. The silence that followed was deafening, accompanied by the crackling of a burning ship, slowly descending toward the ground. Alyza lowered her bow in angst, then ran up to the helm, kneeling next to Myrian. She was already turning pale.

"Hey, you okay? We're going to get you out of here, right?" She looked up at Phineas, "Right?"

He remained silent, his bloody hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.

There was remorse in Myrian's voice, "Alyza, dear, don't do what I did.."

"..What? What do you mean?"

"I waited much too long to leave that bastard..And look where it's gotten me.."

"But.."

"I waited and I waited, but he never came..You are more fortunate than I. You can do the things that I can't," she caressed her face. "I'm sorry for trying to change you.."

"No, I'm sorry," Alyza teared up, touching her hand. "This is all my fault.."

Myrian smiled, shaking her head, "I was so envious of you..And yet, here I am, wishing you all the best..Please, raise that child growing within you. Give them the life I never could.."

Alyza nodded, sniffling. Myrian looked up at the orange morning sky, releasing one final sigh of relief.

Moments later, the flaming ship made a sudden heavy rumble, crashing into the foggy street. It skid along the asphalt for a short while, before eventually coming to a full stop.

* * *

Emmet's vision faded into view, Lily hovering over him, "Oops-"

"Did you drop him?!" Victus scolded her. "There's no point in catching him if you drop him!"

She shrugged in response, "He only had one arm-"

"Urgh.."

"Oh, I guess he is alive," she smiled, clasping her hands together. "Yippee, I saved him~! What do I get, what do I get?!"

"You're unbearable at times, you know that?" She pouted at Vick's words. The half-elf hero knelt next to Emmet, "Hey, you speak Midgardian? I wanna know what's going on with that flaming ship in the sky," he pointed at the distant, smoking ship. It was slowly descending.

"A-Alyza.."

"Alyza?" Victus turned his head quickly. "Lily, make sure this guy's okay, and then search the area for anyone injured by falling debris. And don't let that freaky giant snake see you!" He started running in the direction of the ship.

"Yessir!" Lily made a small salute.

As he closed in on the ship, a silhouette came into view. Victus smiled, hoping it was Alyza, "Hey!"

"Hey," a male voice replied. His figure looked familiar, "You came."

The man raised his weapon into the air, a strike of lightning coming down upon it. The fog cleared.

"Of course," Victus bent his knees, glaring at Magni. "Yet another god stands in my way. Or a demigod, I should say."

"So you've met my cousins?" He lowered the overcharged hammer, its head surging with electricity. "Mjolnir could bring any of them down with a single hit. Imagine what it'll do to you."

Victus scoffed, "Please. Without those wristguards, you can't even pick it up. Besides, why are we even fighting? Don't you need to stop your uncle or whatever?"

"My uncle has already succeeded. Midgard will fall. There's no point in trying to prevent it," Magni pointed his hammer at him. "You told me to learn something new. I have. I've learned that playing hero leads to nowhere but death. My father died trying to save you people, yet you remain ungrateful. Yet you still kill each other in needless wars, and cry to us gods about your petty problems."

"So what's next? You remain a pawn for this Allfather?"

"No. Once I am through with you, I am going to return to Midgard, and hammer the world into what it should be. I'll become a better ruler than my uncle and my father, and I'll be the greatest ruler these realms have ever seen!"

"You're delusional," Victus took out the golden blade he'd stolen, preparing for a fight. "I'd make a better leader than you, and that's saying something."