Midgard. Immediately after Hela's decree, chaos ensued.
As the members of the order responsible for summoning Hela engaged in a desperate battle against the sorcerers, buying precious moments for their goddess, the remaining faction of the order dispersed into towns and villages, executing Hela's chilling command.
Not all members were blinded by the lust for wanton destruction. Some among them held onto shreds of morality, seeking solace amidst cemetery grounds, where they absorbed the residual death energy of the departed. But the majority of the order, driven by a long-standing disregard for such moral dilemmas, unleashed unfathomable carnage without hesitation.
Within hours, countless villages were reduced to ruins and the cities that harbored the order were swallowed by flames and madness. Order members roamed the streets, their black attire a haunting omen, indiscriminately snuffing out the lives of anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path. Fuelled by the surge of death energy they absorbed, their malevolence grew, pushing them further into the depths of madness.
The story now shifts to the perspective of a child from one of these ravaged cities.
Panting and desperate, the child sprinted through the streets, his sole purpose to reach home, gather his sister, and escape this nightmarish city. He couldn't fathom the reason behind the men in black's bloodlust, but he clung to the hope that his sister remained unscathed.
The child's eyes darted frantically, witnessing the horrifying sight of lifeless bodies strewn across the ground. Their ages were indistinguishable amidst the decay, but he couldn't shake the haunting thought that he glimpsed small, withered corpses resembling children, perhaps his sister's age. A flicker of belief ignited within him, assuring him that his sister would be safe.
Suddenly, piercing screams shattered the eerie silence, compelling the child to seek refuge in a dark corner, praying to remain unseen.
"NOOOO! Please spare my child. He's innocent, he's done nothing wrong!"
"Heheheheh, yes, this is the true power of death, an understanding beyond the reach of mortals. Fear not, for your child shall serve as additional fuel to augment my growing power. Hehehehh, how wondrous that our goddess has bestowed this command upon us, granting me such swift ascendancy. Hehehehe."
Amidst the child's hiding place, one member of the order revealed his sadistic triumph. Wasting no time, he forged a sword from the very essence of death and impaled both mother and child in a single merciless strike. Their lifeless bodies withered instantaneously, leaving nothing but desiccated remnants, which only elicited another bout of maniacal laughter.
"Hahaahahahah. A power beyond my father's wildest dreams."
Blinded by his triumph, he continued his rampage, oblivious to the lurking presence concealed within the shadows. Under different circumstances, he might have detected the watchful eyes, but his senses dulled by the intoxicating scent of blood and the intoxicating surge of newfound strength allowed the observer to remain unnoticed—for now.
Once the madman departed, the observer cautiously resumed his journey homeward, guided by the flickering glow of burning debris. His heart shattered upon the sight of his sister's lifeless form, transforming into a withered corpse.
"NOOOOOOOO!"
Enveloped in a tempest of anguish and rage, a foreign power surged within the boy, yet before he could even fathom seeking vengeance, the arrows of death pierced his heart.
"Is this... is this how I meet my end?"
Before he could turn to face his assailant, a barrage of arrows struck him once more, draining his vitality until he crumbled to the ground, nothing more than a lifeless husk. Destiny had other plans for him, denying him the chance to become a hero.
Amidst the chaos and devastation, the boy's tale remained a tragic footnote, forever lost in the annals of a ravaged world.
In an undisclosed location, shrouded in mystery and hidden from prying eyes, the enchanting elf went about her clandestine activities. Her ethereal beauty radiated like sunlight, captivating all who caught a glimpse of her graceful movements.
Humming a melody known only to her, the elf ventured into a dilapidated wooden house and discovered a secret passage concealed beneath the floorboards. With a flick of her hand, she descended into the depths of the basement, driven by a purpose yet unknown.
"Hoo hoo hoo. Hela, Hela, Hela. So, you have decided to make your move, albeit clumsily. You may have concealed your existence well, but you won't escape my scrutiny so easily."
Advancing with grace, the elf arrived at the end of the room, where a solitary cage stood. Peering inside, she found other elves imprisoned within, their once majestic forms now emaciated and unrecognizable.
"Hu hu hu. You sought refuge in the mortal realm, a rather cunning move. However, do you truly believe that you are the only one capable of descending to Midgard? I must commend the local sorcerers for their planetary defenses, but their efforts are insufficient to thwart me."
With a wave of her hand, the elf minimized the cage and held it delicately. Exiting the basement, she employed spatial magic to teleport to a different location adorned with intricate arrays. The ancient Elvish language, known only to the royal lineage—albeit not all of them—adorned the surroundings.
Placing the shrunken cage at the center of the array, the elf commenced an incantation. Within minutes, the cage vanished into a cosmic rift, and the elf let out a contented sigh.
"Phew, how vexing it can be. Moving between worlds is much simpler with the aid of spaceships rather than relying solely on magic. But no matter. These young ones will bring me great benefits and, in turn, deplete Hela's resources. Hoo hoo hoo. I wonder what expression she will wear when she believes it is I. Hihihi."
Teleporting back to the forest, the elf resumed her dance, twirling and spinning to the harmonies of the birds' songs. She eagerly anticipated the arrival of a pivotal moment, the culmination of her intricate plans.
Beings who consider themselves kings and who are not committed to the effects of time took advantage of the chaos and promoted their plans. However, it is not known which of them is the king, and who is just a pawn in a larger game. Only time will tell how everything will turn out. Not to mention the impact it will have on future history, which, although already written, is not set in stone.
