Chapter Text
"How much longer is the ceremony?" Nym asks.
"Hush, sister. He hasn't even reached the steps yet." Sif replies. She groans quietly, rolling her eyes.
"I say we leave." Loki whispers from her other side. She chuckles, quieting when she sees Frigga silently scolding them.
They watch as Thor reaches the steps, kneeling and removing his helmet. He lifts his head and winks at his mother before dropping his attention to Nym. He winks at her too and she rolls her eyes. Loki scoffs in disgust and she reaches up to pinch his arm. Odin stands and taps Gungnir to the floor, quieting the cheering crowd.
"Thor Odinson, my heir, my firstborn. So long entrusted with the mighty hammer Mjolnir, forged in the heart of a dying star, its power has no equal, as a weapon to destroy or as a tool to build. 'Tis a fit companion for a king. I have defended Asgard and the lives of the innocent across the Nine Realms from the time of the great beginning." Odin says.
"Loves to hear himself talk." Nym mutters as she rolls her eyes, making Loki chuckle.
"This is nothing. You should hear his condescending lectures." He tells her.
"I have." She reminds him, knowing more often than not she was getting lectured alongside him. She pays attention to Odin again as Thor begins to fidget, knowing it must be important.
"Do you swear to guard the Nine Realms?" He asks.
"I swear." Thor promises.
"And do you swear to preserve the peace?" He continues.
"I swear." He repeats.
"Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition and to pledge yourself only to the good of the Realms?" Odin asks.
"I swear!" He shouts, raising Mjolnir.
"Then, on this day, I, Odin Allfather, proclaim you..." He says, trailing off as he focuses on something distant. "Frost Giants!"
***
"What's this?" Volstagg asks as they enter the room and find the table overturned, Thor and Loki sitting on the steps. Nym rolls her eyes and waves her hand, using magic to right the table. The place settings return to their proper place and the food piles itself at the edge of the table, ready to be taken away.
"If it's any consolation, I think you're right. About the Frost Giants, about Laufey, about everything. If they found a way to penetrate Asgard's defenses once, who's to say they won't try again? Next time with an army." Loki tells his brother.
"Exactly." Thor agrees.
"There's nothing you can do without defying Father." He says. Nym groans, knowing that's all it takes for Thor to act. "No, no, no. I know that look." He protests as Thor gets to his feet.
"That's the only way to ensure the safety of our borders." He tells him.
"Thor, it's madness." He argues.
"Madness? What sort of madness?" Volstagg asks.
"We're going to Jotunheim." He answers. Nym rolls her eyes, dropping into one of the chairs and propping her feet up on the table.
"What?" He scoffs.
"This isn't like a journey to Earth where you summon a little lightning and thunder, and the mortals worship you as a god. This is Jotunheim." Fandral tells him.
"My father fought his way into Jotunheim, defeated their armies and took their Casket. We would just be looking for answers." Thor argues.
"Your father is an idiot." Nym scoffs. Sif pinches her arm, telling her to shut up.
"It is forbidden!" She protests, making Thor chuckle.
"My friends, have you forgotten all that we have done together?" He asks. "Fandral, Hogun. Who led you into the most glorious of battles?"
"You did." Hogun replies.
"And Volstagg, to delicacies so succulent, you thought you'd died and gone to Valhalla?" He asks, making him laugh.
"You did." He agrees.
"Yes! And who proved wrong all who scoffed at the idea that a young maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors this realm has ever known?" He continues, looking at Sif.
"I did." She replies.
"True, but I supported you, Sif." He agrees. "And my Nym, am I not your favorite person in all the realms?" He asks, smiling at her.
"No. That would be my sister or your brother." She says, crossing her arms over her chest and raising an eyebrow.
"Third?" He asks.
"That would be your mother." She stands and pats his arm. "You can be fourth." She tells him, smirking when he growls in annoyance.
"My friends, we're going to Jotunheim." Thor announces.
They head to the stables and the others mount horses as Nym shifts into a falcon to fly above them as they ride. Her feathers match the white color of her hair, just as her transformations always do. They come to a stop as Heimdall blocks the way, but she flies past him, landing inside and shifting back.
"Took you long enough." She says when they finally join her inside.
"Nym, what have I said about flying in here?" Heimdall scolds.
"Obviously, I'm not going to stop doing it, so let's save some time and get going." She tells him. He shakes his head but she sees him trying not to chuckle.
"Be warned. I will honor my sworn oath to protect this realm as its Gatekeeper. If your return threatens the safety of Asgard, Bifrost will remain closed to you and you'll be left to die in the cold waste of Jotunheim." Heimdall warns them.
"Couldn't you just leave the bridge open for us?" Volstagg asks. Nym rolls her eyes.
"To leave the bridge open would unleash the full power of the Bifrost and destroy Jotunheim with you upon it." He answers.
"I have no plans to die today." Thor says. Nym groans and rolls her eyes again.
"None do." He tells him before sending them through to Jotunheim.
***
"We shouldn't be here." Hogun says after they land on Jotunheim.
"Let's move." Thor tells them, leading the way. Nym groans quietly but shifts into an arctic fox and follows.
"Where are they?" Sif asks as they don't spot any Frost Giants.
"Hiding, as cowards always do." He answers.
"You've come a long way to die, Asgardians." Laufey announces.
"I am Thor Odinson!" He replies.
"We know who you are." He tells him.
"How did your people get into Asgard?" He asks.
"The House of Odin is full of traitors." Laufey says.
"Do not dishonor my father's name with your lies!" He shouts.
"Your father is a murderer and a thief! And why have you come here? To make peace? You long for battle. You crave it. You're nothing but a boy trying to prove himself a man." He taunts.
"Well, this 'boy' has grown tired of your mockery." Thor replies. Nym tenses as the Frost Giants around them form weapons of ice, readying herself to shift forms.
"Thor, stop and think. Look around you, we're outnumbered." Loki tells him.
"Know your place, Brother." He says.
"You know not what your actions would unleash. I do. Go now, while I still allow it." Laufey announces.
"We will accept your most gracious offer." Loki tells him. He turns and begins walking away. "Come on, Brother." Thor grunts in frustration but turns and follows his brother.
"Run back home, little princess." The Frost Giant taunts.
"Damn." He curses.
"Next?" Thor asks after smacking the Giant away. The Giants attack and Nym shifts into an Asgardian wolf, fighting back.
"Don't let them touch you!" Volstagg warns after they've been fighting for a while.
Nym turns, spotting a Giant kneeling in front of Loki, grabbing his arm. She growls and charges, grabbing the Giant in her teeth and tossing him away. They watch as his skin shifts from blue back to his normal shade and look at each other.
"We are absolutely talking about this later." She tells him, communicating telepathically. He nods and they turn, ready to go back to the fight. Before they can, they watch Fandral be impaled with a spike of ice.
"Thor!" Sif yells as Hogun and Volstagg remove Fandral from the ice. Nym joins them, shifting into a horse so they can move him.
"We must go!" Loki tells him.
"Then go!" He replies, still fighting. She whinnies as the Frost Beast begins to wake and they quickly get him off her back, knowing she's the best one to defend against the creature.
"Run!" Volstagg yells, carrying Fandral over his shoulder. The others follow as Thor continues fighting. Nym shifts back into a wolf and rushes towards him, planning on dragging him with them by force. She growls as the Beast starts chasing the others and quickly changes direction. She rushes after it, quickly catching up. She leaps into the air, shifting into her own Frost Beast.
The creature roars as she smashes into it. She continues ramming her shoulder into it, trying to keep it away from the others as they run. They step on a weak patch of ice and it crumbles under them. They both roar as they fall, but they dig their claws in and begin running under the ice.
They reach the edge of the cliff and climb over the edge. Nym roars, dragging the creature away from them. They begin fighting, using teeth, claws, and the spikes at the end of their tails to try and defeat the other. The Beast manages to knock her off balance with a headbutt, and slashes her side.
Nym roars, falling onto her side as the creature swipes her again. It rears back and roars, preparing to go in for the killing blow. Before it can, Mjolnir flies through its mouth, coming out the back of the creature's throat. It roars as it falls to the ground dead before falling over the edge of the cliff.
"Nym!" Sif yells, rushing towards her sister as she returns back to her normal Elf form. Thor and Loki quickly follow, dropping to their knees next to the sisters. They stare in horror at the gashes across her side, blood darkening the snow under her. Her skin, already so pale, now completely white.
"Come on!" Loki tells them, carefully lifting the unconscious Nym into his arms. They rush towards the others as the Frost Giants reach them. Thor shifts Loki and Nym behind him as the Frost Giants begin to swarm them. Before they can reach them, the Bifrost opens and Odin joins them.
"Father! We'll finish them together!" Thor shouts, raising Mjolnir.
"Silence!" He hisses. Laufey rises to meet him as they watch.
"Allfather. You look weary." He tells him.
"Laufey, end this now." Odin demands.
"Your boy sought this out." He replies.
"You're right. And these are the actions of a boy, treat them as such. You and I can end this here and now, before there's further bloodshed." He says.
"We are beyond diplomacy now, Allfather. He'll get what he came for. War and death." Laufey threatens.
"So be it." He replies. He raises Gungnir and the Bifrost takes them away.