NIFLHEIM: MAXIMILIAN
Maximilian had grown up on Asgard, this he had seen his fair share of inexplicable happenings. But waking up to Victor jumping around, his fist on fire, spitting embers every which way? That was new.
Maximilian recoiled instinctively: "Victor! Calm down! I'll quench the flame!"
Victor yelped as Maximilian gripped his forearm so hard his hand was forced open. The single black rune fell out.
Maximilian held out Victor's hand tenderly. But to his surprise, his hand was completely unharmed: "What...?"
Victor explained the dream where he was in the cave with his parents. All the while, the rune spit tiny glowing embers all over the frosted floor. Maximilian listened to Victor recount his dream and when he was finished: "Victor. We have to leave."
"Why?"
"You may not know this, but the currents of dream are extremely powerful. Your mind can wander off to locations you body may struggle to go. But someone well versed enough with the ways of primordial magical forces like Death, Chaos, Order, and Dream, can use it as a way of manipulating and peering through reality. Your father Loki, as I was told, was a user of runic magic on the level of my father Odin himself. Additionally, as a primordial deity spawned from chaos, Loki is intrinsically connected to the these fundamental strands of reality. It's how he figured out you were on Asgard, and how he can find you again."
Before either boys could change out of their night robes, the blockaded door crashed down, revealing a large group of frost giants. They looked like the same ones that attacked Asgard. But in the center was a comparatively larger one. Like the others, he was a large blue humanoid, but at least 17 feet tall instead of 15, and he wore an ornate steel crown, a beard of ice shards, and a shredded iron chest plate. He also hefted a cast iron axe dusted with frost. He eyes snow white like a blizzard on a winter's day.
Maximilian instinctively stepped between Victor and the giants: "King Hrym... Why have you come?"
King Hrym bellowed with laughter: "Such feistiness from a being as insignificant as yourself. The infant of Asgard strolls into my realm and dares to question me? The real question Odinson, is why you have come here?"
Maximilian unsheathed his sword: "Let me and my companion leave then."
Hrym laughed: "Oh hardly. You're in my realm now. Frey? I'd be scared. Vidar? Perhaps I would run for the hills. Thor? I wouldn't even dare come near you. But you... the youngest Odinson, the fresh prince of Asgard. You're just a child. Tell me, do you think you could ever stand up to your siblings?"
Maximilian's sword point wavered: "You're wrong...."
Hrym smiled coldly his raspy voice filled the cave: "Even you can't believe that. Not at brave as Tyr. Barely as insightful as Heimdall. Never as virtuous as Balder. Not even close to the might of Thor. You, Maximilian Odinson, are nobody to the Allfather. You want to know why the Allfather told you to find the Lokison? It's because you're expendable, he used you as a means to an end."
Maximilian's hand shook: "How do you know...?"
Hrym waved the question: "I'm the king of Niflheim, I breathe chaos. Whenever something happens in the Nine Realms, I feel it. I've never been wrong, you think Heimdall is the only omniscient being? No.... that's Aesir pride. I have felt it, soon, Maximilian Odinson, you will bring about their destruction."
Maximilian twisted his sword grip. And muttered under his breath: "Be that as it may. I can still try."
With that, Maximilian charged, tears of desperations and frustration welling in his eyes. He charged Hrym and his 4 giant escorts. The giants tried to block the sword strikes. But Maximilian slashed through them with inhumane strength. The blade hummed with his power: "Hrym! I challenge you to single combat!"
Hrym brushed the frost off his axe: "Gladly."
With a cry of anger, Maximilian leapt to an astounding height, his sword in hand, eyes blazing with anger. He slashed his sword at Hrym's neck. The sword arced perfectly, Hrym raised his icy axe to block it. The sound of Asgardian gold slashing against the cold cast iron hilt of the axe sent visceral chilling sounds down Maximilian's spine. Maximilian lashed out wildly at the giant. Dashing like a pinball around his legs, taking shots at the giant by vaulting at his face. However, despite his heroic attempts to wrangle Hrym into a standstill, Hrym was merely amused by his attempts to harm him. Barely a minute into the confrontation, Hrym's arm lashed out and pinned Maximilian to the floor, ice shackles covered Maximilian's arms and legs as his limbs were frozen to his body. Maximilian struggled against the bonds, the veins popping in his biceps and thighs as he pushed outwards against the ice. No luck. Hrym picked up the frozen prince of Asgard and tied him to his belt. He turned around to locate Victor. But the son of Loki had disappeared.
"Where is he?" Growled Hrym
