Jötunheim

Chapter Four: Village
~BlackRoseRaven

Innocence peered down at the small village sprawled below them, just past the edge of the forest. It looked busy down there, filled with all sorts of weird-looking creatures that trundled back and forth. A lot of the outer buildings weren't much more than huts or cabins, but the inner structures were stonework, and there were tall guardtowers and carefully-placed pillars covered in runic scrawl that emanated a warning sense of magic to the mare.

“They're fortified magically.” Innocence paused, glancing up at the darkening sky. “I bet once night falls, they put up a shield. And uh, it's just about night, so...”

“Yeah. We can spend the night in the weird village. I mean, if they'll let us.” Antares said, and Innocence grunted. “They look... mostly bipedal? I did definitely see someone talking to a small dragon or something too, though.”

“Mostly bipedal.” agreed a third voice, and Innocence and Antares both winced before they creakily looked back over their shoulders at a strange little figure sitting in a treebranch, smiling politely down at them. He was dressed in thick cloth and had a heavy scarf wrapped around his neck, a bag hanging in his lap, clearly bipedal, but short, and squat, much of his skin covered in thick, rough hair. His eyes were bright and cheerful, his nose fat and red, his face, oddly enough, one of the only hairless parts of his body.

“Holy fucking shit are you a human?” Innocence blurted out, and the man's eyebrows rose before he guffawed loudly and shook his head.

He smiled pleasantly at them, drawing a small dagger as he reached into a pouch and pulled out some kind of fruit, starting to peel it as he answered cheerfully: “Heavens no! I'm a groundling, good friends: there are no men left in these parts. Once upon a time, this land was full of humans, oh, certainly: most of those louts wandered in from Asgard, or so I heard, causing great commotions on their quests for this, or that, or what here thing. Their lot always seemed to be looking for trouble when they weren't enjoying the revels of the Golden Halls.

“But after Valthrudnir – I reckon you must know of Valthrudnir – burned Asgard and destroyed the elf-realms, the humans that survived Ragnarok fled. The Big Folk hunted humans for sport and the fae folk wouldn't accept humans into their midst, so the humans just kept walking. Gord knows where they are now.

“Still.” The groundling paused long enough to take a bit and smile at them before he hopped down from the treebranch, landing with a silent thud, and Antares and Innocence both stared down at this small, squat man-thing that didn't even come up to their shoulders. “We would right welcome them here if they were any good, as we'd be happy to right welcome you so long as you promise not to cause trouble! It seems like all our realms are all mixed up these days. Two hundred years ago, my Da would have been flabbergasted to see a good right groundling like I was raised to be breakin' bread with kobolds and elves and the like, but much has changed since Asgard rose back up, and the new age has begun.”

Antares smiled despite himself at this, and then he asked curiously: “So what, things are only just now starting to return to normal here?'

“What's normal?” asked the groundling with a grin, and Innocence grunted and shrugged as Antares snorted in amusement. “If it's ta what they once were... nah. If it's ta somethin' maybe a little bit better than we had afore, then sure, I can see that.”

The groundling paused, then shrugged as he tossed his dagger in the air before holstering it neatly and reaching up to firmly grasp Antares' muzzle, making him scowl before his eyes widened as the groundling noted: “You ain't quite so large as the last two that made it through here, but I do hope that also means you won't be quite so much trouble, either.”

“Wait, wait, you saw two-”

“Oh aye, but we can talk about that in town. I'd rather be cozy inside than stuck outside once the night falls, if you ken.” the groundling said, before he clucked his tongue and snapped his fingers, apologizing: “Ah, but where are my manners! I'm Donnedown Deepburrow, at your service. And let me welcome you to Furrowfall.”

“Well, uh, thanks for that.” Antares paused, then he nudged his sister firmly before wincing as she bodychecked him back, and he sighed and introduced: “My name is Antares Mīrus, and this is Innocence Sparkle. We're uh. Ponies, I guess.”

“Well, it's very nice to meet you ponies, sir.” The groundling bowed to them politely, then slipped past and skidded quickly down the dusty hill to the edge of the forest, waving a hand and calling cheerfully: “Oi, they're a friendly lot, Sticky, so don't be stickin' 'em.”

“I am filled with confidence.” Antares said wryly, and Innocence snorted in amusement before the two slid down the steep embankment and past the few trees between them and the outskirts of the village, the mare looking around with interest as Antares kept his eyes more forward.

The groundling smiled benevolently as a lumbering hulk huffed his way to the edge of the village: he was twice their height and probably three times their width, not fat quite so much as simply incredibly thick. His horned features were bovid, his body rough and hairy, a tree-sized axe cradled easily over one shoulder as he huffed down at them before grumbling: “You said that about the last two, too.”

“Well, sure, and I wasn't the one who went antagonizing them, was I?” pointed out the groundling, before he turned and smiled at the two ponies. “This here be Sticky, head o' the village militia. He's a right grump, but he's not all bad.”

Sticky grunted, and Innocence pursed her lips as she peered up at him before she asked curiously: “Are you a minotaur? You look like a fuzzy minotaur. Like a mammoth. A mammothtaur.”

The fuzzy minotaur scowled at them, and Antares grinned awkwardly as he gave a little wave before he said: “Please excuse my sister. She was dropped on her head a lot as a kid. So yeah, hey, you saw guys like us pass through here? Was one of them blue, kind of flowy mane, the other was black, had big metal claws?”

“Like these?” Innocence held up her own claws as they gleamed with magic before her heavy Talons appeared on them, Sticky wincing as Donnedown cocked an eyebrow in surprise. “That looks like a 'yes' to me!”

“Aye, they passed through here, and left a hole in Sticky's pride, too.” the groundling said cheerfully as he absently reached out to poke at one of Sin's claws. “Quite the trick! I bet the dwarves would love to see these, too, they were all a-flutter over the big stallion's.”

“Yeah, the Nibelung always did love trying to take the claws right off Dad. Funny, since those were literally built into his forelegs and all.” Antares grinned, and Donnedown smiled back at him with interest.

“Ah, so you're looking for your parents, are you?” The groundling chuckled. “Well, I'm not sure if that will make poor Sticky here more or less inclined to help you-”

“I don't have to help them at all.” Sticky grumbled, and then he gestured quickly over his shoulder, saying grouchily: “Why don't you bring 'em to MacTavish? Sun's going down and the wards will be up soon.”

“Fair, fair. Come along, you two, then. We'll have a sit down together in the tavern and you can tell me more about what it is you're after. Suspect you'll probably want lodgings for the night anyway, unless you fancy being mistaken for a valiant steed.”

“I am a valiant steed. Just without the steeding.” Antares said agreeably, before he nodded and followed as the groundling walked quickly into the village, leading the two down a dirt path past Sticky as the minotaur scowled moodily after them.

Donnedown smiled and nodded to people as they passed, and Antares did his best to greet the curious and suspicious looks he got while Sin just ogled everything in her inimitable manner. He was admittedly amazed at the difference in people they passed: little bipedal scaly dragon things, the wolf-pig dwarves, tall and slender humanoids with sharp ears and sharper-still eyes, and plenty of other fairer and fouler creatures.

“I love how new so many of these races are to me. Which, you know, is pretty weird to me, considering all the time I've spent in the Vale of Valhalla and all.” Antares said cheerfully, but Donnedown smiled at this.

“Well, Asgard is for Asgardians, lad! Jötunheim, however...” Donnedown shrugged. “Not many giants left, not more than a handful, no sir. So slowly, other races have been coming out of hiding, poking their heads up here and there... but slow, and careful like, eh? No need to rush, after all. The better we all be safe.

“And of course, Mister Antares, I can see that you're certainly no fool. Some of us belong here and some of us don't, or at least didn't at first. Refugees, and escapees, and all that and more.” Donnedown smiled as he waved at a group of groundlings lounging around what looked like a well with a Nibelung, who was half-asleep in his armor and cradling an axe against his chest, one of the two large tusks that protruded from his lupine jaws capped. The groundlings cheerfully raised their flagons and called greetings to Donnedown in return, which stirred the Nibelung dwarf awake with a snort, and he straightened and awkwardly saluted as he righted his helmet on his head. “But we'll figure things out, I reckon, one way or another. Until then, though, we just don't want no trouble.”

“I feel like you might know more about us than you're letting on, Donnedown.” Antares said mildly as Sin cocked her head, and the groundling chuckled.

“Know? No, not quite, sir, no sir. But I would be lying to say that I don't have certain suspicions. Not as if we haven't heard tall tales of Valhalla an' all.” answered the groundling genially, before he gestured with his head towards the open doors of a crowded tavern.

They paused to let several small, drunken scaly things cheerfully lurch their way out, and then Donnedown strode in with Antares and Innocence in tow, the groundling calling: “Draw up a round, Bones, for me and my friends!”

The tall, skinny creature behind the bar scowled a little, but nodded after a moment as he deftly went to work. Antares and Innocence sidled their way up to the bar, the stallion not quite daring to test the strength of the wooden stools, but Innocence cheerfully dropping her rump in one as she leaned to the side, half-lidding her eyes as she almost leaned into a half-drunk dwarf and said throatily: “Hi.”

The stallion smiled across at the bartender as he spun around, quickly serving out two flagons and a smaller glass of some darker substance. The creature surveyed them moodily, dark skinned, with a strange, bald, bony skull and yellow eyes that lacked any pupil, his mouth a thin, lipless line that didn't move as he said calmly: “Ale for the groundling and the lady, the house special for the boy. It is rude to stare.”

“So you're telepathic... empathic, too, I'm guessing? Except your emotions are different-”

“You know what I am. Yes, I cannot gaze deep enough in your mind see all that you think, but I can see enough on the top levels, the knowledge summoned by your senses. You know what I am. You do not know my name, but you know what I am.”

Antares shrugged, then he picked up the glass and studied it mildly for a few moments before he sipped curiously, and wrinkled his muzzle up at the horrible, bitter taste of it. He grimaced, then looked up at the mindreader, which studied him intently before it said almost abruptly: “Your parents passed through two nights ago. They stayed a time, then left. They were in search of something; not so in-search they could be bothered to make haste.”

“Huh.” Antares mused, as he sipped at his disgusting liquor again, then he wrinkled up his muzzle and mumbled: “Wow that's foul. Uh-”

“No, I do not know. Their minds were like hers. A roil of chaos and instinct, miasmatic and foul.” the mindreader said with a gesture towards Sin, who grinned as she rested her chin on a claw and winked cheerfully at him. “Awful.”

“Hey look, we agree on something.” Antares said mildly, and then he took another sip of his disgusting drink before he wheezed loudly and squeezed the glass slowly as he peered into it. “What the hell am I drinking, anyway?”

“Oh, the bitters. Right fine stuff that is. Will fix what ails you, if it don't kill you, o'course.” Donnedown said cheerfully as he held up his own flagon of ale, ridiculously oversized for the little groundling's hands. Not that he seemed to be complaining about that. “That must mean Bones must either really likes you, or wants you dead!”

“Wonderful.” Antares said dryly, and then he cocked an eyebrow at the mindreader curiously, knowing he didn't even have to ask.

“We may barter. Supplies are more valuable for our settlement than money. Coin is different across all realms, but an apple will always be an apple.” Bones said with a shrug of his shoulders before he picked up a bottle and strode down the bar to serve another patron.

“I can make apples into oranges! Literally!” Innocence bragged, and then she leaned over towards Antares as the stool creaked in agony beneath her rump. “What uh... what do we have to bargain with?”

Antares mused for a moment, then he opened one of his satchels and reached back to dig through it before he grimaced as he removed a crystal ball with a clawed base, asking wryly: “How about this? A scrying orb. Donnedown, hey, what do you think?”

The groundling shrugged, sipping at his flagon before he said thoughtfully: “Not a terrible trade. I suppose Bones might have some use for it. Eh, Bones, scrying thingy?”

Bones rose a hand and wiggled it back and forth without looking at them, and the groundling grunted before he said helpfully: “Well, I can give you some coins for it, would probably fetch a fine price at the city. But not out here, and of course you'll be needing the room.”

“Horses of Heaven you're an asshole.” Antares groaned, realizing what Donnedown was suggesting even without the wink the groundling gave him, and then he sighed and slid the crystal orb towards him. “Fine. Here. Is this enough for the night?”

Donnedown chuckled as he swept up the orb, tossing it in the air and weighing it idly before he said cheerfully: “And I'll be a generous lad and even throw in the drinks!”

Antares smiled wryly at the groundling, who winked again as he shoved the orb beneath his cloak and likely into some kind of hidden pocket of holding before he leaned back in his stool, saying pointedly: “But one night, I'm afraid, that's about all this will afford.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. We'll clear out of town tomorrow morning.” Antares paused, then asked curiously: “What's this about a city, though? You were just saying-”

“O'course.” Donnedown shrugged, leaning back against the bar and clearly happy to talk more. “It's only been in these last few decades that new villages and new peoples have been settling, but the tribes and nomads and the great cities have always been here. Many of these cities were built by the giants themselves, less out of generosity and more as a place to quarter their, shall we say, 'encouraged laborers.' But as the giants killed each other, and grew feebler and fewer and farther-between, many of these cities were shorn up, expanded, and new protections added to keep out their former employers.”

Antares nodded as Innocence cocked her head with interest, and Donnedown smiled as he continued cheerfully: “ Nowadays they're all a-flutter and a-flurry with activity! Quite a nice place to wander around for a time if you happen to be in the area: good for finding information, too. People come from far and wide to sell things in the city and share what interesting tidbits they can. Some of them even claim to know the way to Yggdrasil itself.”

Antares nodded again, thoughtfully, as he and Innocence traded looks, and then the stallion asked: “So Yggdrasil is here?”

“They say Yggdrasil exists in every dimension, and that its roots and branches can be called to extend into worlds here, there, and beyond our own.” Donnedown paused, then shrugged as he said amiably: “I have no idea how true that is, but it's certainly a heck of a tree. Stands so tall you can see it from a thousand miles away, they say.”

“Then Jötunheim is flat.” Innocence said mildly, and both Antares and Donnedown looked at her curiously as the mare took a sip of her flagon, then belched, before explaining pompously: “The curvature of Midgard means that when you're standing on the earth in a relatively flat location, the horizon is roughly five and a half klicks away. That's like a mile. Two miles? No, uh... shit, three miles. Okay, that's three miles.

“So even if you were standing on top of a tower and Yggdrasil stretched way up into space or whatever, Jötunheim would basically have to be flat for you to be able to see it from like thousands of miles away. Also I'd expect we'd be able to see it from here if that was true.” Sin said very proudly, and Donnedown huffed.

“Well, you're quite a fun one, ain't you?” the groundling complained. “Okay, perhaps it's a bit of an exaggeration, but I'm allowed a turn of phrase, ain't I? Besides, no one but the foolish dares to get close to the World Tree: Yggdrasil stands past Giant's Reach, and is guarded zealously by the Sons of Mimir, the last tribe of the Jötnar.”

“Cool. Sounds like we're in for a swell time.” Antares said mildly, and Innocence huffed and looked pointedly at the stallion.

“You're the one who didn't want this to just be a day trip.” she pointed out.

Antares rolled his eyes, then countered: “Because you're not already trying to pick fights.”

Innocence huffed at this, whining: “I'm not! I was testing the water. I mean, what do I know, maybe Jötunheim actually is flat, and we do have thousands of miles to Yggdrasil, and I'd like to know ahead of time if any of those things are true so that I can plan accordingly.”

Antares shrugged, then looked at the groundling, who shrugged amiably as well. “It's never really concerned me whether the world is flat or round, to be honest. All I care is that if I put one foot in front of the other, eventually I get to where I'm going.”

“The world is round.” Bones cut in, and the three momentary companions all groaned and complained before the mindreader said pointedly: “It grows late.”

“Aye, yes. Alright, I should pretend to be useful for a few more minutes. Call if you need anything. I'll see you lot in the morning.” Donnedown said as he hopped off the stool, bowing once before quickly taking his leave.

Innocence and Antares looked at each other, and then the stallion shrugged before he picked up the awful swill he'd been served and gulped it back in one drink. He grimaced and wheezed, then shook his head before asking: “Why did you serve me this anyway?”

“Because I knew you would drink it.” answered the mindreader, and Antares huffed as Innocence grinned widely before she winced and half-fell off her stool as something cracked beneath her heavy rump.

She hurriedly stood up, clearing her throat before she awkwardly tapped on the counter, but the mindreader only looked at her for a moment before answering: “We will provide a meal. You may have a drink then.”

“What, you're rationing me?” Innocence whined, then she huffed before complaining: “There better be a goddamn mini-bar upstairs.”

“There is no mini-bar. Furthermore, the rooms we have upstairs may not be adequate for your size.” Bones paused, then glanced up, and a dwarf that had previously been snoring at a table grunted in surprise before he hopped quickly out of his seat, wincing and slapping at his face before he stared lamely at the two equines. “Ruff, please show them to their room.”

Ruff grinned lamely: he was naked apart from an apron, his shaggy fur dirty and bedecked here and there with bits of hay, his tusks sticking awkwardly out to either side of his face, his beady little eyes kind but more than a touch dumb.

Antares smiles at him, then reached up and caught Innocence by the head, making her squawk. The dwarf stared, but the stallion quickly said cheerfully: “Don't mind us, we're just tired and want to go to bed. Isn't that right, sis?”

“I hate you.” Innocence grumbled, and then she sighed and nodded, even as she peered at the dwarf pointedly before she muttered in a low voice to her brother: “Just let me zap his brain a little. Just a little.”

“Yes, that's a very good idea, let's go to bed right now. Long day tomorrow.” Antares said loudly, and the dwarf nodded rapidly as he turned and hurried out the door, Antares adding in a mutter as he half-dragged his sister along: “Just this once, can you not be a dick?”

“You ask me not to be a dick like all the time, it's never 'just this once.'” complained Innocence.

“Fine, then just this once on Jötunheim?” Antares wheedled, and Innocence puffed out her cheeks, but then she nodded with a grumble. “Thank you, Sin.”

“Just for this village.” she warned, and Antares sighed, nodding reluctantly. “Good.”

“Good.” he grumbled back.

They shouldered each other as they followed the dwarf down a short alley to the rear of the tavern, and Innocence immediately groaned as they crossed a cobblestone courtyard towards a set of open stables. Antares was admittedly a little fascinated at the sight of the horses: tall and curious, ears twitching and tails switching, their eyes rolling back to stare curiously at the newcomers as Innocence complained: “There are absolutely takebacks if we get put in a stall.”

“Sorry, sorry! Room, room!” the dwarf stuttered, gesturing past the stalls, and Innocence pursed her lips as she strode to a neat little double door, pushing it open and peering into... well, it was definitely a renovated stall space, and the smell of manure and dust wafted through the wallboards, but there were large beds, a table to eat at, and cushions they could sit on. Altogether, not entirely unpleasant, and large enough for the two of them.

“Okay.” Innocence said grudgingly, and Antares smiled before he reached back and pulled a coin out of his satchel, tossing it to the Nibelung, who lit up with joy before he nodded violently several times, then took off at a run.

Innocence paused, then asked slowly: “Where did you get that?”

“Hmm?” Antares glanced at her, feigning innocence before he grinned when she swung her horn at him, answering: “Oh, from one of the drunk dwarves. Just wanted to get a look at their coins, see if we'll be able to use the money Mom gave us at all.”

“Mom gave us money, too? What are we, like, five?” Innocence halted, then tossed one of her packs off and dug quickly through it before she looked up and glared at him. “Hey, where's mine? I want an allowance too!”

“You're not old enough.” Antares retorted, and Innocence blew a raspberry at him before the stallion threw off his own packs and continued: “They're just coins, though. No mint or anything. I'm guessing they have standard sizes and weights but I have no idea how that correlates to their value or anything.”

Innocence only grunted, then she picked up one of his packs with magic as the stallion tossed off his cloak and walked over to collapse in a bed with a wheeze, absently starting to rifle through his things as she muttered: “I mean it looked to me like people barter for everything, anyway. Bet that groundhog or whatever he called himself isn't going to sell that scrying orb for money, but for food and stuff. Mom's gonna be pissed about that, too.”

“I doubt it. They're a dime a dozen in Helheim.” Antares said mildly, waving a hoof absently as he rolled on his back, legs kicking idly at the air before he muttered: “I think this mattress is just stuffed with straw. I don't want to imagine how many bugs I'm probably lying on. This is terrible.”

“Then sleep on the floor, I'll sleep on bugs.” Innocence huffed as she pulled a small cloth sack roughly the size of a changepurse out of the satchel, untying this and shoving almost her entire foreleg into the deceptively-deep bag. She yanked a large gemstone loose, musing to herself as she turned this back and forth in her claw. “You don't think they'd like these?”

Antares shrugged, saying after a moment: “Probably use them for trade in the city, but out here, what are they going to do with them? Sell them to merchants, I guess.”

“Well, that groundhog guy seemed okay with that.” huffed Sin, before she added crankily as she tossed the gemstone back in their money bag: “Also we're totally being watched right now. I hope you know that.”

“You know if you learned even a little bit of old demonic or something we could be secret chat friends and we wouldn't have to just hope they aren't actually able to hear us or anything.” Antares said blandly as he put his forehooves behind his head and stared at the ceiling, and Innocence huffed again before she quickly sketched a rune on the floor.

It glowed bright, eerie blue, then began to slowly fade, Innocence complaining: “I can just do this, too, and it's less suspicious. It'll blur our voices for ten minutes until the magic eats itself. Now come on, tell me what's up, I'm not stupid.”

Antares smiled a bit, and then he sat up and said finally: “Just worried. I'm realizing Mutt and Dad have been gone for longer than I thought, and it sounds almost like they left a clue here on purpose. It makes me think my whole 'this is a test' theory isn't just me being paranoid.”

“As if we haven't done enough tests in our lives.” grumbled Sin, before she bit her lip and nodded hesitantly. “I don't think Momma lied to us. But I don't think she told the whole truth, either. Which super sucks, to be honest. I don't like when Momma doesn't tell us stuff.”

“She hasn't told us lots of stuff. She can't, Sin, she's in charge of Helheim now.” Antares shrugged, softening a little as he looked over at his sister, who grumbled as she scratched grouchily at the floor. “I know. Responsibility. It all sucks. But hey, look on the bright side, you're second for the throne and I'll definitely be happy to turn it over to you.”

“Great. Thanks.” Innocence said acerbically, and then she scowled and mumbled: “Better not ever have to rule Helheim. I don't want that. I can definitely kick everyone's ass in Helheim but that shouldn't mean I have to be the boss of it.”

Antares snorted in amusement, then he said mildly: “Don't worry, Sin. I'm pretty sure that none of us are ever going to be king or queen of anything. Just like Sleipnir still isn't anything but a glorified messenger boy himself.”

“And neither is Aunt Freya, I know.” Innocence said, and Antares snorted again. “What?”

“I mean... you're right. It's just funny to think about. When Freya was Celestia, well... she was in charge of pretty much everything, and you could tell at the end of the day, that was where she felt she belonged, whether she wanted it or not.” Antares paused, then shrugged a bit. “Now she's a lot more laid-back. I mean, I think it'd be cool if she was less murdery, too, but hey, it's a start.”

Innocence grunted, then hesitated before asking finally: “You think we should go to the city, right?”

“That's definitely our next stop. We'll get information there, then start moving towards Yggdrasil unless we hear that Mutt and Dad went somewhere else.” Antares halted, then rubbed at his head slowly as he muttered: “Something just still feels weird about all this. Off.”

“Gosh we're only in the land of the giants chasing our soul-bound super-dead parents who apparently vanished on an excursion to Yggdrasil. What could be weird?” Innocence griped as she went back to digging through Antares' bag for a moment before she pulled out a small ration box, sniffing at it before complaining: “Apples!”

“Hey, I didn't have the time to make jerky. You'll have to live with not everything being meat somehow.” Antares retorted. He heard Innocence yank open the ration box, and without looking, he reached up and caught the apple when she flung it at him childishly before she stuffed her face into the pre-cooked dumplings, grumbling under her breath.

He took a bite of the apple, chewing meditatively as he let himself lay back on the straw mattress, and then he said finally: “City next. Yggdrasil after that. We'll negotiate and punch everything we have to. And find Mutt and Dad along the way.”

“Yeah. What could go wrong?” Innocence asked through a mouthful of dumpling, and Antares couldn't help but sigh, knowing that even as sarcastic as she was, his sister had a fair point.

He just hoped that they found Luna and Scrivener sooner rather than later.