A Man In Search Of Glorious Purpose: Book Two

Chapter Three:

The Bifrost Bridge to me was a story of folklore. Told on a rain sheeted, wind whipping stormy night, by firelight under a warm cozy hand knitted blanket, side by side with my Brother, as I gazed in wonder, and my brother grinned in awe, at the story Our Father was telling, about a rainbow bridge beyond the Kingdom of Asgard. To see it now at the age of 16 was quite a milestone, as we rode across the Rainbow bridge, horses thundering ahead, as we made our way to our destination. The Bifrost, the only way to travel to the other Nine Realms, as we came to a stop, there he stood. Like a guardian, stood Heimdall, his eyes honey golden, and very observant, almost owl like, but more like a vigilant watchdog, He did his job quite well, he was almost a reincarnation of what a mortal God would be with his keen sense of sight, of seeing anything, from many realms away. We dismounted our horses, and walked together up to Heimdall, feeling the twinge of excitement and anxiousness, began to stir inside me, I looked at Thor and proudly to him, as I stepped forward "leave this to me, good Heimdall-" I began when he spoke, at last "your not dressed warmly enough?" He stated still standing erect, "I'm sorry?" I apologized "you think that you can deceive me?" He said sternly and protectively "you must be mistaken we were?..." I began. When Heimdall cut me off short, before I could say anything else. "ENOUGH!" he silenced me, at his command I fell silent. Thor asked for us to pass as well, Heimdall still refused. But Thor proudly marched ahead, and Sif, The Warriors Three and I followed along, entering the Gateway, Heimdall followed behind, climbing a small stair to the center of the gateway placing a golden sword into the center of the Bifrost, acting as a key, it began to activate the portal gateway to Jotunheim, the portal at last opened, for us to go fourth into the frozen realm of Jotunheim. "Be warned, I will honor my sworn oath to protect, this realm as it's gatekeeper, if your return threatens the safety of Asgard, Bifrost will remain closed, and you will be left to die in the cold wastes of Jotunheim" Heimdall warned. we had a look of determination, as, the portal opened up, like the ferocious velocity of wind of a thousand hurricanes, it pulled us all inward. the force felt unreal, as we were traveling at the speed of light through a rainbow gateway, feet, touching nothing but air, the force blowing through my hair, as we entered the horizon of the frozen realm of Jotunheim, with a powerful thud, as a light spray of snow billowed around us, as we landed in the snow, the frigid air felt bone numbing cold. We had arrived, surveying the frozen land, as far as we could see, it was nothing but a frozen wasteland. A look of bravery Thor moved forward, and we followed behind our boots crunching in the snow, leaving our footprints behind, cautiously looking around, I glanced at the stalactites of solid ice, along the ice covered path, slickened but we were able to walk along it, until we had arrived at the Ice Palace, tall and darkened, in appearance, it suddenly came to us that the Palace appeared to be barren, and empty "where are they?" Sif asked Thor cautiously, "hiding..as cowards always do" was all he said, as we came to the center of the Kingdom of ice and snow, to the very front of the palace, we all peered up, when a cold voice was heard "you've come a long way to die Asgardians" the voice was Laufey King of Jotunheim "I am Thor Odinson.." Thor began, as I looked on at him. "We know who you are-" He began, "How did your people get into Asgard?" Thor demanded "the house of Odin is full of traitors!" he snapped, "do not dishonor my Father's name!- with your lies!" Thor snapped at him Laufey coyly smiled with his blood red eyes, and bluish complexion. "Your Father is a murderer and a thief!" He accused rising up from his frozen throne. I stared up at him quickly swallowing my shock as I looked on "and why have you come here, to make peace?, you long for battle, you crave it!- your nothing but a boy!, trying to prove himself a man" silently his Soldiers surrounded us, I caught glimpse of them towering over us. "This boy, has grown tired of your mockery" Thor declared. At that hastily I came up to Thor warning him of the impending battle about to take place, "Thor, stop and think, look around you we are outnumbered!" But too haughty and overly vein he implied to me, "know your place Brother!" Laufey warned us one last time I pleadingly spoke " we accept your most gracious offer" Laufey, watched us like a vicious hawk, as we turned to leave Laufey unleashed the final insult towards Thor "run back home little Princess!", when Thor stopped in his tracks, "DAMN?!-" was all I could say, when Thor welding Mjöllnir, swung at Laufey knocking him into the wall of the Ice Palace, that the Soldiers attacked in retaliation, the battle had begun!. Volstagg, Sif, Fandral and Hogun along with me, fought them off bravely. Coming to, Laufey got up and made his way through the Soldiers fighting the Asgardian quintet, he slide behind an ice column while fighting them off, a Soldier, I was fighting with, grabbed my wrist, his tight grip shattered my armored gauntlet, shattering it like ice, exposing my fleshed hand and wrist to the elements, in utter shock I watched as my wrist to my hand turned Ice blue, my eyes widened in utter disbelief, in retaliation I dug my dagger into the frost giant knocking him down and sealing his fate. When Laufey emerged before me, in fear and bravery as my Brother Thor did I stood in a defensive stance, when he wickedly grinned at me. I stared up at him, "Father told me what you did: he said you took his eye!" I looked up at him in defense when he looked down at me, "No, I am your father!" He grinned evilly at me in complete alarm, my eyes darted around madly, his words rang in my ears, tears of disbelief formed in my eyes "No. You can't be. THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!!!" I hollered trying not to fall to my knees in such shock, everything suddenly becoming blurry, as I fought back the anguishing tears that have been dormant for so long, the sudden surge of pain of finding out from 𝘕𝘖𝘛 my Father but the enemy about my past, made the pain so unbearable, that Laufey smiled in victory " Son, you have no idea what's possible!" He smirked. My wrist turned from ice blue to flesh. "Looking up as tears streamed down my face, I hurried to find Thor, and FAST. "  𝘞𝘌 𝘔𝘜𝘚𝘛 𝘎𝘖!" I warned Thor, "Then go!" he stubbornly commanded, but I knew we were dangerously outnumbered. When Laufey unleashed the Frost Beast. We made a run for it, while Thor boorishly stayed behind continuing his battle, the rest of us, all we could do was run, when we were trapped at the edge of the crevice, far below was a void of black spiked ice, at the bottom. The Frost Beast closing in on us, when Thor unleashed a lightening bolt of power from Mjöllnir. The ground beneath our feet shattered like glass, and the Frost Beast fell below, looking back we thought we had lost the cursed beast, when he lunged from in front of us by surprise, from the cavern of the crevice ready to slaughter us, when Thor using Mjöllnir slayed him by piercing through his skull and body like a human dagger killing him. The Frost Giants now finally reaching the hundreds, surrounded us, I knew this was going to be futile!, when suddenly, from the Portal Odin arrived, atop Sleipnir, just when it looked like we were having our fate sealed, "AllFather, you look weary" He devilishly exclaimed "Laufey, end this now!" He warned, "your boy sought this out!" he hissed "your right, these are the actions of a boy treat them as such, you and I can end this here and now" He looked fearlessly at him yet diplomatically "before there's further bloodshed" he finished. "We are beyond diplomacy now AllFather, He'll get what he came for-war, and death!" He coldly finished. Odin replied, "so be it!" with that he motioned for Heimdall to send us all back, in a flash of light the Bifrost portal opened and we safely escaped Jotunheim, beaten, and scarred, but now thing's went from bad to worse. Thor and Odin clashed yet again, all I could do was look on. When Thor dropped the final insult, that I had to jump in "Father?!-" when he sternly forbidden me to say anything more in Thor's defense."Thor Odinson, you have betrayed, the expressed command of your king, through your arrogance and stupidity, you have opened these peaceful realms, and innocent lives to the horror and desolation of WAR!" at that he stripped Thor of his powers, right before my very eyes, I literally stood there in shock, "You are unworthy of the loved ones you have betrayed!" unsure of what was going to happen next I looked with concern. With that he forced Thor into exile, and I watched with shock as Thor vanished into a wormhole portal. I felt my world crumble, from below my feet, as I watched the portal close....that's when it hit me....I was alone.....without him.