Chapter Text
From the time she was born, Laevatein was taught she would never be more than a tool. A weapon. In fact, she was named after the legendary sword Laevatein, which was passed down to her at a very young age. Day and night, for hours, she trained. Even when she collapsed from exhaustion, there was more expected from her by her father. Surtr made sure to force her through rigorous training, no matter if it nearly killed her. What a horrible man he was... consumed entirely by Múspell's flames, he was simply a shell of a former king. Laevatein never knew what he was truly like. She did, however, see her father burn soldiers alive and conquer entire nations for fun. She watched him turn everything to cinders with his touch. And she saw how his hollow eye glowed a deep red when he was truly angry.
Laegjarn was her only escape. She was cunning and smart. She could read the enemy like a book. Laegjarn was not relentless nor merciless like their father. And she deeply loved her little sister with all her heart, and would protect her through thick and thin.
Losing Laegjarn would be a worse punishment than death.
~
Laevatein could feel her heartbeat pound through her body. The enemy was getting closer. It didn't matter if they got to Father, but if they got to Laegjarn...
The sacrifices for the Rite of Flames were getting away. If they escaped, surely Surtr would kill her. It needn't matter what she thought, or how her legs felt like they were going to collapse. She would rather die in battle than at the hands of her father. She scoffed at that word, father. He was never a father to her. She was a pawn, a weapon, a mere twig in the kindling to him. Laevatein furrowed her brow. Just the thought of him made her quake with anger. Quickly though, she shook her head and took a breath. She needed to focus on capturing Ylgr and Veronica before they broke out of the castle. With each second passing, she could hear their faint footsteps growing louder and louder. The castle's halls were a labyrinth, even if she had grown up roaming these halls her whole life. Suddenly, turning the next corner, she abruptly came to a halt upon seeing the sacrifices running right towards her. Ylgr jolted at the sight of Laevatein, who stopped to catch her breath. Veronica, still breathing heavy from running, gasped, "You're Surtr's daughter, Laevatein... Aren't you?" Laevatein glared into Veronica's eyes with rage. "Daughter? No. To him, I am just a tool." Ylgr scooted closer to Veronica, who was already slowly backing away. "So you've come to capture us," she breathed, her voice still slowed by exhaustion. She gave off an aura of defeat, which made Laevatein uneasy. "Yes. And to find our foes," she answered. "They will come here. It is the only way to defeat Father."
"I take it that Laegjarn has already fallen."
Laevatein clenched her teeth together. Her knuckles whitened around her sword's handle. The rage was building up in her, and the temptation to slash Veronica with her blade for even so muttering those words was overwhelming.
"Insult my sister and I will cut you down," retorted Laevatein.
Veronica braced herself, pushing Ylgr behind her. "I invite you to. Destroy the sacrifice that your father needs to survive!" she cried. "I'd rather die than be used by Surtr." Laevatein could audibly hear her voice shaking and watched tears drip down Veronica's face. "And my brother need not risk his life rescuing me..." With those words, she dropped to her knees, as if begging for Laevatein to slice her head off. "If you think you can kill me, you should probably give it a try." She was sobbing now, hardly holding back from the wave of raw emotion that grasped her every limb. Laevatein was taken aback by the intensity of her sobs. "You..." Laevatein whispered, before a hand suddenly pulled her back from her shoulder. "Enough!" said a deep, masculine voice, as a masked man pushed past her and knelt down to Veronica, who looked up from the corridor floor. "Bruno?" she gasped. "You're here!" Laevatein caught herself, and unsheathed her blade. "Stay out of my way."
A second voice called out, "Ylgr, are you here?" Another person pushed past her. It was the surviving older princess of Nifl, Fjorm. Ylgr jumped into Fjorm's arms. "Fjorm! Here I am!" Laevatein began to panic. She was now easily outnumbered, and she couldn't fail Surtr... not again.... Laevatein quickly launched herself past the four of them and bolted down the hall. She needed to regroup, or she could be slaughtered. She skidded into a large chamber. Reassured by the presence of contracted heroes, she marched up the stairs and commanded the units to prepare for battle. As soon as they acknowledged her orders, Princess Fjorm and the rest of the Order of Heroes came darting out of the alleyway and into sight. Laevatein could no longer contain her rage. "Askrans! Where is my sister? Did you kill her?"
But she already knew the answer. Laegjarn would have to be dead if they had come this far. The blood boiling up inside her roared like an open flame. Her head was pounding, to a point where no other sound made it through her ears. She screamed at the top of her lungs. How DARE they take away her sister?? Did they know what they have done?? She would cut them down one by one! In her uncontrollable rage, she screeched, "I cannot forgive this... As my father ordered, I— I will kill you. Not for Father. But because of what you have done. Every last one!"
~
The rest of the battle was a blur.
Laevatein's senses finally came through as the heavy scent of blood flooded her nose. She was hunched over, severely wounded.... she had lost the battle....
There was only one more thing she could do. To avenge her sister...
Gasping in pain, she clutched her side and braced herself on her sword. "I can...still fight. Flames...of Múspell!"
The flames of the Múspell... it would be a dangerous rite to call upon the flame dragon. But there was no other way to finish off the Order.
"Arm and arm, leg and leg. My head..."
She could feel all her muscles tense up, as if she was forming into a stone statue.
"My heart... All of it is offered..."
Had her life come down to this? The tips of her fingers felt ablaze, as they swiftly climbed up her limbs.
Every training session, every moment fighting, every memory with Laegjarn... had it all been for nothing?
"...that you may feed..."
It was getting harder and harder to speak. She struggled with each word, as her body burned brighter and hotter than it has ever before...
"Devour me-"
"Please, stop! This isn't what Laegjarn wanted!"
In the raging fire, it was nearly impossible to hear anything else, but Laevatein sworn she heard Princess Fjorm calling out towards her. Laevatein gasped for air and trying to answer back, but the smoke in her lungs made her choke.
"In her last moments, Princess Laegjarn's only wish was that you should live. Don't throw away your life here! You must honor your sister's wish and live on. One day, Nifl and Múspell will cease hostilities. There will be peace between our realms!"
Laegjarn...?
The flames began to diminish, but Laevatein's head was still pounding furiously. She collapsed, feeling the soot in her throat smother her airway. "She ordered me to...live?" she coughed, unable to regain the strength to even lift her head up. The whole world was spinning. "Order? No, Laevatein," reassured Fjorm. "She cared about you. It was her dying wish that you be saved..."
Laevatein could barely breathe anymore. Her sister wanted her to live... but would she even do so? Laevatein groaned out in pain, and the world went black.