Asgard

A few months ago, in Asgard, realm of the Norse gods.

—Let me in already!— shouted a man inside an enormous hallway filled with golden columns and incense floating in the air.

—Lord Thor, we have warned you that you have no right to enter the royal throne of our father Odin— responded two winged women wearing shining armors, blue dresses, and helmets with two wings and the figure of a swan on the front. Both had their spears positioned in an X, guarding a massive portal made of cedar and gold.

The man who was shouting, the god of thunder Thor, was tall with red hair and a well-trimmed beard. His eyes were like emeralds, and he wore a green tunic and leather boots. He carried a massive cape made of bear fur.

Valhalla, the palace of the god Odin, where Thor was, was a gigantic structure within the world called Asgard. In human terms, the palace could be larger than the entire European continent.
It was white and golden; one could see their reflection quickly with the columns and the roof, which were covered in golden shields.

The palace had thousands of doors and huge banquet halls where the Einherjar feasted constantly. There were also combat halls where they were trained by Odin's Valkyries.

Its exterior was composed of countless rectangular golden and silver towers. At the top of this massive palace, atop the tallest tower, statues of a goat and an elk stood as supreme guardians of this gigantic edifice. Blue and greenish clouds could be seen covering this grand castle.

Outside the palace, a gigantic garden of tall trees rose; its name was Glasir. There were an enormous amount of fountains, lakes, and many animals like elks and reindeer; which dwelled within it.

The air was so fresh, and a very sweet fruit aroma could be inhaled. In the middle of this massive garden, a great tree rose, a oak under the name Glasislundr, which had fruits and golden branches so bright that the sky could be seen reflected in them.

—Listen to me— said Thor, —I have been lodging my complaint for months, and I still haven't seen my father. Can't you see that this is an emergency?— he continued to explain.

The women, known as Valkyries and Odin's bodyguards, only hardened their steadfast position.

—We're sorry, Lord Thor, but we cannot allow you access without our father's authorization— the Valkyries responded with determination.

—No one can enter, Lord Thor, not even Lady Frigg. It is the command of our master and lord Odin!— one of the Valkyries said.

Thor turned around and stormed off, cursing under his breath.

Walking through the halls of Valhalla, Thor encountered Freyr, the Norse god of light and lord of Álfheimr, who was also in the hall.

—What the hell are you doing here, Freyr?— the red-haired god asked.

—It's a free realm, I can be wherever I want! ♬— replied the god of light with a beautiful smile.

Freyr was almost always semi-nude, wearing only a white tunic that covered part of his body. His hair was long and blond, almost golden, and he had beautiful amber eyes. Light radiated from his body, and it was impossible not to notice him when he was near.

—Bah, as if I care— Thor said, trying to avoid the golden god.

—And tell me, little Thor, why the grumpy face? ♬— the handsome god asked the moody god of thunder.

—Those damn Valkyries won't let me see my father!— the red-haired god said.

—I've been trying to reach him for months, but I can't! They say he's not available, that he's on a journey or meditating. Each Valkyrie that stops me has a completely different story of what's happening— he continued to complain.

—It's about Loki, isn't it? ♬— Freyr said.

—Do you know about it too?— Thor asked.

—Of course! But for some reason, Loki is trying to bring our people back to worship us and drive away those followers of the religion from Lel ♬— said the god of light, making a nonchalant expression.

—Are you kidding? It's Loki. He always performs acts that seem to help us, but ends up using them to stab us in the back. And how did he escape from the prison where we locked him up? We put up more than three dimensional walls in his capture. Even I with my hammer couldn't destroy a single one— Thor responded indignantly.

—Little Thor, I think, at this moment, worrying about the pests from Lel is more important ♬— Freyr continued, responding to the god of thunder without giving any importance to his complaints.

—The last I heard is that my father signed a treaty to allow Lel to enter our Nordic territories, but when did that happen? He hadn't appeared for a few months already— Thor said, puzzled.

—Is that why you've been trying to see him? ♬— Freyr asked.

—Well, yes, what kind of nonsense is that? Those bastards from Lel converted our Germanic people to Christianity, and now they also want to meddle in our Nordic realms. Father would never have signed a treaty surrendering our humans to that wretched religion!— the furious god of thunder replied.

—I know, and I also can't comprehend this situation, but I suppose Father Odin must have had reasons for it. However, it doesn't mean we will surrender our kingdom to Lel. If they want to intervene, we will give them a war. So don't worry, Little Thor, we are strong enough to fend off those savages ♬— the god of light replied nonchalantly.

—Well, there's another matter I want to discuss with Father— Thor responded with a concerned expression.

—Oh, what could it be that makes you wear such a sad face? ♬— Freyr replied, intrigued.

—Have you heard what humans are talking about? Ragnarok?— Thor asked.

—Nonsense that humans invent to give their lives some direction, Little Thor. Don't believe the tales of a group of such primitive beings ♬— the beautiful god continued.

—Listen— added the god of light, —I have never had a problem with them worshiping other gods and opening up to the world, but you have wanted to flex your muscles by having our humans invade the territories of the gods in Lel and destroying their monasteries, churches, and so on. Maybe Loki is doing us a favor by isolating them again, or maybe not, but I don't think we should worry about those things right now, Little Thor ♬— Freyr concluded.

Thor crossed his arms and snorted.

—I suppose you're right. Those invasions in Lel's territories didn't turn out to be good ideas after all. Why do they give so much importance to the worship of a god who never even existed? I truly don't understand— the god of thunder said, intrigued.

—I don't know, but now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go visit my little sister in Fólkvangr ♬— the god of light said as he turned around and walked away.

—Take care ♬— he bid farewell, raising his hand.

—Seriously? Doesn't anyone care that that bastard is out there causing trouble?— Thor pondered, perplexed.

—After murdering Balder and all the things he's done to us?—

—My father wouldn't have stood idly by, I'm sure— the god of thunder continued to think as his impatience grew.

The great planet where the Norse gods lived was called Yggdrasil, a gigantic planet where a massive tree grew.

This planet is colossal, much larger than the sun in our planetary system. On the tree, on its branches, were various areas called worlds or realms. The connection between each of these worlds was made through bridges called Bifrost, which took the form of rainbows and were supervised by a single god named Heimdall.

The worlds that make up this planet are:

- Asgard: The main realm of Yggdrasil, located at the top of the great tree. Here stood the grand Palace of Valhalla, where Odin resided and ruled. The gods born in this realm were called Æsir. It was a land filled with vast gardens and mountains, covered in a light mist like that seen in high places.

- Vanaheim: Adjacent to Asgard, on the right side, lies this realm, which was composed of beautiful gardens with varying amounts of flowers and fruits, as well as extensive forests. The gods here are called Vanir, and it is ruled by the goddess Freyja in a palace called Fólkvangr.

- Álfheimr: Adjacent to Asgard, on the left side, this gigantic realm rises on the branches of the great tree. It is composed of numerous forests and cliffs overlooking rushing rivers. This part of the world is also known for the lights that constantly illuminate the sky, with beautiful auroras borealis visible even in daylight. The light elves reside here, serving as warriors for Odin's army. Freyr governs this realm.

- Midgard: Below the three aforementioned realms, a gigantic portal opens, allowing the gods to descend to Earth. This portal was constructed with the enormous skull of a giant called Ymir, and atop it are four statues of dwarves pointing to each cardinal direction. The path is paved with several columns of enormous rocks with magical runes drawn on them. Within the great skull, there is a magical circle where the Bifrost bridge connects this planet to the human world. In this region, the goddess Sol and the god Máni also have their abode.

- Jotunheimr: Adjacent to Midgard, on the left side, lies a vast expanse of mountains, valleys, and lakes. This is the realm of the giants or jotun. The capital of this realm is called Utgard and is ruled by Mimir, an ancient Æsir who was decapitated, with only his head remaining. In the center of this capital lies the most important treasure of Yggdrasil, the Well of Wisdom. However, few have been able to drink from this well. Odin, to drink from it, had to hang himself for over nine days and survive, so it requires sufficient icor to achieve such a feat.

- Nidavllir: To the right of Midgard, another mountainous realm rises. However, unlike Jotunheimr, the mountains are so dense that the inhabitants live in caverns formed by these ranges. Countless minerals are extracted from this realm, and skilled dwarves who forge weapons reside here.

- Svartalfheim: Below the tree, on the left side, this dark realm rises. It is a realm where darkness and mist shroud the surroundings. Dark elves live in this realm, where they have erected several stone steles in their ancient kingdom. The dark elves are also used as warriors for Odin's army, although they are not as loyal to Asgard as the light elves.

- Muspelheim: To the right of Svartalfheim, a set of fire and lava caverns open up in the roots of Yggdrasil. Fire giants inhabit this realm and are commanded by the jotun Surtr, one of Loki's commanders.

- Niflheim: In the lowest part of Yggdrasil's roots, a massive icy portal rises. In front of this abominable structure, a horrendous dragon known as Nidhoggr guards the premises. The entire territory is covered in ice and mist, making navigation through these lands very difficult. Crossing the portal, people enter Hel, a realm ruled by Loki's daughter of the same name, where murderers and criminals are punished day after day. Hel is actually located in a dimension called Sheol, where various hells from different pantheons reside.

This complex planet is the world where the gods of the Norse pantheon reside. However, due to the current situation facing the Scandinavian divine realm, the Bifrost bridge located in Midgard and leading to Denmark had been closed. Only the god Heimdall had authorization to allow entry and exit through that bridge.

—And yes... am I going to Earth?— Thor wondered. —I would disobey my father's orders, but it would ensure that Loki is captured. Moreover, if I have to fight those bastards from Lel, I will do it too!— Thor continued pondering these ideas in his mind.

—But that hound Heimdall would never let me leave here without my father's permission. How can I deceive him? He might have already heard me, with his keen hearing!— Thor continued thinking as he paced back and forth.

—No, I must find my father, no matter what— Thor concluded with determination.

Thor then returned to the throne room, and to his surprise, the Valkyries were not there, but Heimdall was, leaning on a sword that he held with both hands and was plunged into the ground.

—Yes, Thor, I heard what you were planning to do. That's why I dismissed the Valkyries and positioned myself between the door to Father and you— the god said.

Heimdall was pale-skinned like snow, his hair was equally a nearly white-brown color, only his violet eyes and golden teeth contrasted with his ghostly figure. He wore a golden helmet with a rooster's head on it. He was covered in a long blue tunic and wore a cloak of red and black feathers.

—Attacking the Valkyries is an offense to our father, Thor— the emotionless god said.

—Then, with your keen hearing, tell me, is my father behind that door?— Thor asked.

—I don't know. There are several dimensional walls behind that door, which even prevent my hearing from functioning— the pale god replied.

—And isn't that suspicious?— the god of thunder asked.

—Perhaps, but my job is to protect this precinct, and the only way you could enter is over my dead body. Thor, do you plan to rebel against our father just for a poor devil trying to make a name for himself on Earth?— Heimdall responded.

Thor took a combat stance.

—Ful-kompna vorn— said the pale god.

—As you know, Thor, my technique 'Ful-kompna vorn' or 'Perfect Defense' allows me to perceive any attack and stop it. At the same time, you won't be able to take a single step forward, or I will destroy you with a shockwave. If you wish to die, go ahead— the god mentioned as his motionless body turned the color of platinum.

—It's late, and I must go see my wife and children— the god of thunder said as he turned around.

—An excellent decision, Thor— the pale god replied at the same time he released his technique.

—But this won't end here. I'm sure there is someone or something behind that door, and it's not my father— Thor thought as he withdrew to his chambers.