Leaving the palace, Heisenberg found Heimdall standing beside the Bifrost, directing the Einherjar as they continued repair work. Asgard did not lack the materials to rebuild the Bifrost. As the most vital means of travel and a planet-cracking weapon for the Aesir, Odin had long ago stockpiled more than enough emergency resources for the Rainbow Bridge. Though, in life, Odin probably never imagined that the thing would end up wrecked by his own son.
Noticing Heisenberg approach, Heimdall straightened, setting down the light-energy crystal he held. Dusting the glittering particles from his hands, he gave Heisenberg a slight bow.
"Your Majesty."
"Good afternoon, Heimdall. Give me Surtur's location."
"As you command, Your Majesty. Surtur has dwelled all this time in an underground lair deep within Muspelheim, with Regin's flame for company beside him. But they are far from being Your Majesty's match. May your fortunes in battle be everlasting."
"Heh." Heisenberg nodded, casually resting a hand on Heimdall's shoulder. A moment later, he felt a faint location crystallize in his mind—Heimdall was marking Surtur's lair directly for him.
A beam of rainbow light crashed down, and Heisenberg vanished.
...
Meanwhile, in Muspelheim, the towering fire giant Surtur sat upon his withered throne, brooding over the life he had been forced to endure.
As the being who was the very Lord of Flame across the Nine Realms, Surtur had once known an existence beyond imagining. He had driven his chariot of fire to countless worlds, clashed with innumerable mighty foes, his greatsword in hand. He was the child of fire, the very voice of the flame—arrogant and untamed! Until... he encountered someone even more arrogant than himself.
Surtur would never forget the man who fought him for days and nights, then stood before him in victory and bellowed that utterly hypocritical decree.
The man said to him, "Surtur, you are far too dangerous. I must seal you away!"
And so, Surtur and the flame dragon Regin were sealed together in a cavern eight thousand meters beneath Muspelheim's surface, never to take another step outside. To this day, Surtur still remembered that man, and he remembered even more vividly the rainbow-colored light that heralded the man's arrival.
That light...
"Hm?" Surtur froze, staring dazedly at a spot a few dozen meters ahead.
That rainbow-colored light... why the hell was it descending again?!
Whoosh!
Surtur bolted upright from his crude throne, snatching up his weapon and glaring at the light. In the next second, the rainbow glow faded, and a smiling Heisenberg looked around with curiosity.
"The sulfur smell is thick. This doesn't feel like the Realm of Fire—more like Hell."
As he spoke, Heisenberg waved a hand, brushing away the drifting ash.
"Quite a few fire creatures around. Let's see... their veins flow with magma. Truly wonderful. Pity they're unruly and hard to cultivate into anything ordered. Otherwise, they'd make excellent cannon fodder as soldiers..."
"Who are you, intruder?!" Surtur's enormous voice cut off Heisenberg's musings. Heisenberg turned his gaze toward Surtur.
In his current state—bereft of his Eternal Flame—this little Surtur really didn't cut an imposing figure. Heisenberg couldn't muster the slightest bit of enthusiasm.
Surtur pressed his questioning. "Answer me, foolish intruder! Who are you? Where is Odin?! Answer me!!!"
Boom!
As he roared, Surtur charged from his throne. Gripping his greatsword and dragging the chains that bound his ankles, he advanced until he stood barely two meters from Heisenberg. The massive Twilight Sword pointed directly at Heisenberg's head, and Heisenberg, still smiling, examined the blade's material with keen interest.
The unbelievably tough divine metal brimmed with an intensely dense power of flame. The sheer ardor of this metal felt exceedingly comfortable to Heisenberg.
"This is it. Perfect!" Heisenberg nodded with satisfaction. Hela and Frigga's suggestion had been right on the mark—as the Lord of the Sun, Heisenberg had an affinity for this kind of metal.
But Heisenberg's utterly indifferent attitude made the Surtur before him even more furious. The giant trembled with rage, his sword quivering in his grip.
"That's it! Damned Aesir! You always have that same expression—arrogant and insolent! Lift your head! Look at me, you accursed Asgardian god! Tell me where Odin is! Tell me what your relationship is with him! Or else you will meet your dea—"
Before Surtur could finish, he raised the Twilight Sword high. Heisenberg watched calmly as Surtur swung the blade down at him, not moving a muscle.
As Surtur brought the sword down with all his might, the final word burst from his mouth: "—death!!!"
Thud!!!
A deep, ponderous thump, like the morning bell of a thousand-year-old temple. The Twilight Sword slammed heavily onto Heisenberg's left shoulder.
Surtur stared blankly at Heisenberg before him, then stared blankly at the longsword in his hands. Had he grown old? Had he forgotten how to wield a blade? Why, after landing a direct blow, hadn't this man so much as budged?
He now had a vague idea that Heisenberg was strong, but... could you at least twitch?! Only a stone turtle stays completely still!
Shing! The blade of the Twilight Sword lifted away from Heisenberg's shoulder, and Surtur hurriedly set the greatsword aside. Then he waved his hand, and the surrounding fire demons, which had begun to close in, quickly retreated to a distance as commanded.
Facing Heisenberg's unwavering smile, Surtur's massive jaw slowly opened and closed a few times. After a moment, Surtur spoke.
"Welcome, honored guest from Asgard! Your arrival fills me with the utmost delight. It has been far too long since I have seen any of you, my friends. Asgard and Muspelheim have always been the closest of allies! Your All-Father Odin and I were as close as could be. This very dwelling I now inhabit was a gift from Odin himself. But we have not met for far too long—what a pity. Tell me, are you a child of Odin? I heard he has a descendant named Thor, the renowned God of Thunder, though I never had the chance to see him with my own eyes. Now that I see you, I finally understand why your great name has spread throughout the Nine Realms. Only a warrior as mighty as you is worthy of being Asgard's heir. You must be Thor, yes?!"
As he spoke, Surtur enthusiastically stretched out a hand, pointing toward his throne not far away. Under his control, the lava on the ground swiftly molded itself, and opposite his throne, a complete set of lava-hewn table and chairs instantly took shape.
"Come, sit! Young and great god, I, Surtur, delight in nothing more than making friends. Let us drink our fill of Muspelheim's fireheart spirits together, and I shall regale you with tales of Odin's past. Ha ha!"
Having fired off all the pleasantries he could muster, Surtur fell silent and waited tensely for Heisenberg's response.
Heisenberg, under that strained and cautious gaze, lightly dusted off his shoulder and asked, "You and Odin have a good relationship?"
At those words, Surtur hurriedly answered, "Of course! We were so close we could have shared a godly throne! And I have proof—just look at my surroundings! He gave them to me!"
"Oh?" Heisenberg gave Surtur a meaningful look and said quietly, "My apologies, then. I am not Thor. You may call me Heisenberg. As for your dearest friend Odin... he's dead. I killed him."
The moment the words left Heisenberg's mouth, Surtur's eyes bulged and he bellowed, "Do you see this? This cramped environment, this stifling underground cavern, this life where I never glimpse the sky—all of it was a gift from him! He even took my Eternal Flame, as if he'd stolen the very heart from my chest, leaving me unable to feel even a trace of warmth even now! And then he chained me here with these irons—chains that make me look like some wretched, broken dragon!!!"
From the depths of the cavern, a dragon's head suddenly thrust out. The dragon cast about wildly, and the moment its gaze landed on Heisenberg, it lunged forward to attack!
But in that instant, Surtur swept both hands over the crown of his own head, stepped straight past Heisenberg, and slammed the dragon Regin's head into the ground. Before Regin could even grasp what was happening, the Surtur pinning him down forced a stiff smile at Heisenberg.
"After that brutal bastard Odin purged the Nine Realms, Regin is the very last dragon! Your Excellency, would you care to try the feeling of riding a dragon?"
The second Surtur finished speaking, Regin began thrashing with all his might. He, Regin, was a descendant of Typhon! No one had the right to make him a mount. No one could ride on his back. No one!
Regin possessed tremendous strength. If Surtur hadn't lost his Eternal Flame, he could certainly have suppressed the dragon. But now, Regin threw off Surtur's control with ease. The dragon flipped himself upright, lunging straight at Heisenberg!
His enormous dragon wings didn't beat up and down like an ordinary dragon's. They were tucked tight against his flanks. But from the tips of his wings erupted flames rivaling rockets, propelling him forward like a missile! The speed was astonishing—even Thor in flight would be left behind!
Though Regin still wore that heavy chain around his neck, it was long, and Heisenberg was far too close. In the blink of an eye, Regin was right in front of Heisenberg!
Staring at the gaping, blood-red maw opening wide before him, Heisenberg blinked, then grinned with interest. This dragon was seriously cool—especially that rocket-like, blazing flight posture. He liked it!
So Heisenberg gently extended a hand and grabbed the chain at Regin's throat.
In the next second, Regin's neck slammed violently into Heisenberg's palm. The dragon howled and flipped over.
Boom!!!
Regin's colossal body crashed to the ground, causing Surtur's lair to shake fiercely and shattering countless formations of Surtur's favorite natural lava stalactites overhead.
But Surtur couldn't utter a single word. Whenever anyone sees a beast they cannot possibly withstand being toyed with like a cricket, the vast gulf between them becomes all too clear.
In that eerie silence, Heisenberg's eyes blazed. A fearsome heat vision made Surtur shudder—the temperature of that beam was something not even the Eternal Flame could achieve. The incandescent glare seared through the chains binding Regin, bringing a little relief to the foolish dragon, who had hurt his throat and now lay with his eyes rolled back.
Looking at Regin, now free, Heisenberg nodded in satisfaction. Casually, he lifted Regin and set him aside in an endearingly prone, obedient pose. Taking out his phone before Muspelheim's heat could melt it, Heisenberg snapped a splendid selfie with Regin.
Then he pocketed the phone and turned his gaze toward Surtur, who stood silently in the distance.
In the next moment...
Surtur, molten lava still dripping from his body, offered Heisenberg an ugly, bitter grin. Raising a clenched fist, he roared with all his might:
"ODIN AND I ARE SWORN ENEMIES!!!"
/-\
Enjoying the story? Want to read ahead?
Support the novel and unlock early access to unreleased chapters!
~ +20 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon! (+1 Chapter daily)
https://p-atreon.com/Its_Zack
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access Patreon normally)