END OF ARC 2: PART ONE OF THREE

[asgardmods]

Who: ANYONE going on the infiltration into Thrymheim!
What: Lots of travelling and also rescuing Freyr's soul.
When: Days 278 - 279 ( June 10 - 13 )
Where: Asgard, Thrymheim, and the road inbetween.
Rating: PG-13. Anything that might go higher than that should be taken to a private log, please!

[ Before even the first crack of sunlight over the horizon on Day 278, every bracelet in the city will give a quiet blip! as they activate with a short mass text from the gods:

The time to act has come. Gather at the Gate of Frost by the Sun's first rays if you will, and be prepared to strike at the heart of ice. There is no room for failure.

Exactly as the message implies: it's time to ship off to Thrymheim. Gear up in your best winter clothes and bring whatever weaponry you need; there are wagons thinly concealed and waiting for you at the southern gate that leads to the home of the Frost Giants. Inside the wagons will be those portable heaters that you guys bought in Utgard, along with spare gloves, jackets and scarves for anyone that foolishly believed summer might touch the kingdom of ice. Travellers can also find food rations to last a week alongside a generous amount of medical supplies that may or may not be a bit foreboding.

The caravan will leave at precisely 5AM, driven by the barest amount of Natives to keep travel at a minimum. Secrecy is of the utmost importance, and a severe silence will fall across the few sitting in the back of the wagons with the Travellers. They know the weight of this mission: if you fail, Freyr's soul will remain trapped forever. It is dangerous and no one's lives are guaranteed, so prepare yourselves for a fight quite unlike any other this far.

As you travel further from Asgard, you might notice the terrain getting a bit more uneven as the wagons move through undeveloped areas. There may be the odd village noticeable in the far off distance, but they are nowhere close enough to make out any distinguishable details because you don't want them distinguishing anything about you in return. These villages are few and far between, and grow even less in number the closer the caravan gets to Thrymheim. The terrain goes from rocky but arable to colder and harder, the temperature dropping increasingly as the earth grows solid and unforgiving, eventually peppering with light snowfall even in the midst of Yggdrasil's summer.

It will take two full days to reach Thrymheim travelling at as fast a pace as they can without wearing out the horses or catching unwanted attention. They will make short stops to feed and brush the horses, switch drivers, and allow for any necessary relief - but these breaks will last no longer than ten to twenty minutes at most. Simple meals will be served by the Natives thrice daily, and Travellers are welcome to attempt sleep on one of the meager pallets stocked up if they think they can manage it. Space is not abundant and neither is time. ]

[ OOC NOTES: This is part one of three for the Save Our Souls plot! Please put the day/location in the title of your comment along with [OPEN/CLOSED]. The second log can be found over here and the third and final log can be found here. Let us know if you have any questions! ]

Comments

[freezerburned]

Yeah.

[He smiles, and it's a little wry.]

Besides, even if we do fail, it's just one stupid guy. It's not like it's the entire war.

[hollowchild]

Well, no, not by quite a bit. He did save us, though. I think he deserves better than whatever she has planned, but we can only do what we can do. The gods seemed to think this was sufficient, so I suppose we shall see.

[freezerburned]

I never got the whole story on why he's trapped there in the first place.

[hollowchild]

During the first battle of Ragnarok, which was actually meant to be the only battle of Ragnarok, we were losing. We simply didn't have the numbers or the training to stand against the fire and frost giants. I think when he realized how bad it was, Freyr decided to act. He went out into the field and more or less set himself off like a bomb. It worked; they retreated. I'm not sure how she got his soul, though. You'd think they'd go to Niflheim like everyone else, but perhaps not. Or she caught him on the way.

[freezerburned]

Seriously?

[He sighs.]

Must be nice for them. Being immortal even after they blow themselves up.

[hollowchild]

No, I think he was meant to be dead. Well, he is dead. They're just going to...make him not dead. Which is sort of monstrous, that bit, but...

[she shrugs]

I suppose since it was stolen anyway, as long as they have it they can do what they like with it.

[freezerburned]

And that's bad, I guess.

[Isaac really doesn't believe much in their 'cause', he just... needs to blow off some steam. And he might want to just try and make sure Sophie gets through alright. Not that he can do much of that, not with their team assignments.]

Right, well. I'm already on board.

[hollowchild]

[there's that shrug again]

It's not my soul. I'm here because we owe him, not because I think he needs to live again. They chose an odd group of us to go in.

[freezerburned]

Well, you seem pretty strong. I don't know about the other two.

[He rocks back a little on his heels.]

I'm sure it'll be fine.

[hollowchild]

They'd best be strong, if the gods expect us to even have a chance.

[sophie doesn't think it will be fine at all, but she's not going to scorn an attempt at reassurance]

Hope for the best, expect the worst, I suppose.

[freezerburned]

Don't expect anything.

[He frowns.]

Just do whatever you can. I'll back you up until you go in, and as soon as you come out. Got it?

[hollowchild]

Mm. I know you will.

[she puts a hand on his shoulder, briefly, squeezes. she's not patronizing even a little, she really does know he has her back as much as he's able for as long as he can. she trusts him.]

I would like to say the same, but that's not my role in this fight.

[freezerburned]

I know.

[And he touches her hand briefly, before moving to stand.]

I'll be fine.

[hollowchild]

You'd better be, or I'm going to be very cross.

[she says it jokingly but the concern in her eyes is real]

Take care, Isaac.

[freezerburned]

Of course. See you later.

[And he grins at her, before wandering off, probably to bother some other poor idiot.]