First Blood

[PoV Fenrir]

Yatagarasu lay limp and unconscious in my arms, his breathing shallow, his body battered and bruised from his reckless decision to fight off those bastards alone. His clothes were torn, his skin marred by gashes and bruises—a reflection, perhaps, of the damage he endured in his other form.

I gazed at him warmly, feeling a deep sense of gratitude for how fiercely he had fought to protect me. Now, it was my turn to protect him.

"You've done your best. Rest now," murmured Fenrir with a tender look in her eyes. "It's my turn to protect you."

I carefully laid Yata down in a safe place, far from harm's reach.

My eyes then locked onto the three gods standing before us, their gazes filled with contempt for the both of us, as though we were nothing more than playthings they could torment.

Rage bubbled up inside my chest, pushing every thought aside except for one—to tear them apart. I clenched my fists, my sharp claws glinting in the dim light. It was time for them to feel the pain they had so freely inflicted upon us.

"You won't escape death today," I growled, stepping forward with deliberate force.

The bloodlust in the air was palpable, and I could feel it radiating from me, so much so that the three gods began to tremble.

"You think we're afraid of you?" Hord, the boldest of the trio, stepped forward, brandishing a sword in his hand. "There are three of us, and you're alone."

"You really think we'll—"

Before he could finish, I was already in front of him.

His pale face had no time to react before my claws slashed through his face with ease. Flesh and skin ripped apart like fragile parchment, and blood sprayed through the air, filling it with the pungent stench of iron.

"Aaaaargh!"

He dropped to his knees, clutching his now disfigured face, his screams filling the cold air. The sound was grotesque, echoing in the frozen silence, a haunting cry that would terrify any who heard it.

"Pathetic." My voice dripped with disdain as I watched him writhe in agony.

Raising my foot high, I brought it down hard on his head, crushing it to a pulp. Blood and bone splattered across the snow, his lifeless body now sprawled beneath my feet.

That left two.

I glanced over at Hojlund and Svart. Their faces had turned ashen, fear mingling with fury as they watched their comrade meet a brutal end.

But they didn't run. They stood their ground, perhaps knowing that escape was futile.

Even if they had tried to flee, I would have relished in the hunt that followed.

"Finally, some entertainment after being chained here for so long," I sneered, watching them prepare to fight. "Let's see how long you can last."

"A hunt, is it?" Hojlund spat, glaring at me. "Don't think you can mock us without consequence!"

I smirked at their misplaced bravado. "We'll see who's the hunter and who's the prey."

Without wasting another moment, I lunged at them, claws extended, ready to tear them apart.

Hojlund raised his hand and chanted a spell. "Wind protection!"

A barrier of swirling wind formed around him, attempting to keep me at bay.

But it wasn't strong enough. I broke through it with ease, grabbing Hojlund by the face and flinging him forward.

His body crashed violently into the ground, sending a shockwave that toppled several trees nearby. Blood trickled down his temple, and he slumped unconscious against a splintered trunk.

"So weak," I scoffed.

Svart, witnessing his comrade's downfall, was now consumed by panic. I could smell the fear rolling off him in waves.

"This… this can't be… Hojlund was the strongest among us…" he whispered, almost to himself.

I grinned wickedly as I sauntered toward him. "That was the strongest? How pathetic."

Svart had no choice but to defend himself. He summoned a barrier of darkness around him, desperate to shield himself from my onslaught.

"Dark barrier!" he cried, his voice shaky.

"Huh, what's this?" I mocked, examining the barrier with a playful tilt of my head. "You really think this flimsy thing can protect you?"

"Don't underestimate it! My magic held against Hojlund's—"

Before he could finish, I punched through the barrier, shattering it with one blow.

Peering through the hole I created, I saw Svart huddled inside, trembling like a trapped animal. I deliberately grinned wider, baring my sharp fangs to intensify his fear.

"Like a rat in a cage," I taunted, chuckling darkly.

I circled him slowly, dragging my claws along the remnants of his shield, creating a sharp, grating sound that made him wince.

"Did you really think this barrier would save you?" I raised my voice, adding to his torment. "You know who I am, don't you?"

Svart remained frozen, his eyes wide with terror.

"Let's end this," I said coldly.

With one final punch, his precious barrier shattered completely, and Svart was thrown to the blood-soaked ground. He struggled to rise, his body shaking with fear as he realized there was no escape.

"F-Fenrir, wait!" he stammered, his voice quivering. "We… we were friends once, remember?"

I paused, my mind sifting through distant memories. "Friends? With you?" I smiled mockingly, relishing his pathetic attempts to avoid his fate. "I've never been friends with scum like you."

"But… back in Asgard, we played together…"

"Oh, now I remember!" I clapped my hands in feigned excitement, a wide smile spreading across my face.

"Th-thank goodness," Svart sighed in relief, his face softening—only to pale again when he saw my expression darken.

"Wait… why are you smiling like that?" he stammered, scrambling backward as I stepped closer.

"I remember now," I purred, narrowing my eyes. "You used to throw stones at me, mocking me for being different, didn't you?"

"Stop… I said stop!"

Svart backed away, his face drained of color. He knew it was over. My claws rose high in the air, poised for the final strike.

"I'm sick of you, Svart. Now, you'll die."

As he tried to run, my claws plunged deep into his chest. Warm blood oozed between my fingers as I pulled my hand from his body.

He collapsed in a pool of his own blood, gasping for breath, his chest torn open. His voice rasped out a final plea.

"P-please… help me…"

I crouched beside him, watching with satisfaction as his life drained away, then licked the blood from my fingers.

"This is what you deserve," I whispered sweetly.

As his last breath left him, I stood, surveying the carnage around me. Yet, I knew it wasn't over.

My ears twitched at the faint sound of groaning. Hojlund was stirring, regaining consciousness.

"One last meal," I murmured with a smile, stepping lightly toward him, humming a tune as if I were a carefree girl with her favorite snack.

*****

[PoV Hojlund]

Slowly, my eyes began to open. My vision was blurry, my head still pounding, and the pain coursing through my body gradually pulled me out of the darkness that had consumed my consciousness.

I rubbed my throbbing head, trying to recall what had happened before I blacked out. 

"Aaaargh... what the hell happened?" I muttered, my voice hoarse and weak. 

"You finally awake?" The shrill voice of a girl broke the silence. Startled, I immediately turned my head toward the source of the voice. 

Right beside me, squatting down, was Fenrir—a Jotun girl with distinct wolf-like features: a tail wagging wildly behind her, ears laid flat, and sharp golden eyes piercing through me. 

I glanced around, trying to make sense of the situation. The white snow beneath me had been stained red—blood, so much blood. And there, right in front of me... Hord's headless body lay lifeless. Hord, my comrade. 

"Damn it... DAMN IT ALL!" 

As I shifted my gaze, the corner of my eye caught sight of Svart, lying still with a gaping hole in his chest. My soul shattered in that moment. It felt like a thousand arrows had struck my heart, piercing every last shred of my defenses. They... they died while I was unconscious. I failed to protect them. 

"What have you done?!" I screamed, my voice filled with rage, my eyes blazing as I glared at Fenrir, who was arrogantly circling me. Her tail swayed mockingly, as if taunting my weakness. 

The overwhelming pain in my chest intensified. My mind was a blank void, unable to think clearly anymore. 

My hands trembled as I reached for my sword, standing despite my body still reeling from the earlier assault. I tried to strike at her, even as I stumbled forward. 

"You beast! Madwoman! Murderer!" I slashed at her wildly, driven purely by hatred and vengeance. "How could you do this to them?!" 

I swung my sword, but it was futile. Fenrir, with movements as graceful as a dance, dodged every strike effortlessly. It was as if I were nothing more than a child playing at war. 

"Is that all you've got?" Fenrir sneered, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "No wonder you couldn't protect the fat one and the headless one." Her mocking tone ripped at my heart, destroying any semblance of composure I had left. 

"SHUT UP!" My fury boiled over. "What do you know about them, huh?!" 

I attacked again, but my strikes grew sloppier. Every step felt heavier, each swing weaker, but I couldn't stop. I couldn't let their deaths go unanswered. 

"They were true warriors!" Unbeknownst to me, tears began to fall amidst my hoarse cries. "They were strong, brave, and more than that... they were my friends!" 

Fenrir's expression suddenly shifted. The smug satisfaction on her face disappeared, replaced by a cold, serious look. Her crimson eyes narrowed, her jaw clenched. I could feel the seething anger radiating from her, cold and sharp. 

"True warriors, you say?" she muttered, her voice barely audible. 

As she paused for reasons unknown, I seized the moment, swinging my sword in a vertical slash. 

But with just two fingers, she caught the blade. Her muscles tensed, and then... the sound of metal cracking echoed in the cold air. 

I froze, my mouth agape in disbelief. She had shattered my sword—my only weapon—with such ease. 

In an instant, her strong grip closed around my neck, cutting off my breath. Fenrir lifted me into the air effortlessly, as if I were nothing more than a toy in her hands. 

"Do you even know," she hissed, her voice dripping with deep hatred, "good people don't torment the weak. Good people don't kill without cause. Good people... don't act like gods just because they can." 

"W-what... what do you mean?" Her choking grip made it hard to speak. 

"You still don't get it?!" She slammed me into a large rock behind me. My body collided with it hard, shards of stone flying into the air, and for a moment, my head spun. 

"Arrrgh!" 

I tried to get back up, though my body no longer wanted to obey me. My entire being throbbed with pain, each breath an agony. But I couldn't give up now. Not in front of this monster. 

"You gods." She began approaching again, her voice trembling with fury. "You're the ones who made me like this. Just because of some stupid prophecy that may never happen, you tore me from my family. You chained me here, discarded me like garbage." 

I could only stare at her, unsure of what to say. What could I say? Her words were true. The gods feared what might come, so they destroyed everything before it could. 

Before I could respond, Fenrir drew closer, her eyes ablaze with burning resentment. 

"I-I... I didn't know anything," I lied, hoping she'd believe me. I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to say, but the words tumbled out anyway. 

"You liar!" she spat, fury in her voice. "I saw you, back then. You were there, with the others. You looked at me like I was just an animal that deserved to die." 

"N-no... that's not true." I stammered, unsure of what else to say. 

Ignoring my denial, Fenrir continued to advance. Each of her steps felt like a death sentence drawing nearer. In a panic, my hand reached for the dagger strapped to my back, desperately searching for a chance to strike. 

But Fenrir saw through my intent. "Transform!" 

Once more, her body began to shift. The beautiful girl before me disappeared, and in an instant, a massive wolf stood in her place—golden eyes gleaming, fangs and claws ready to tear me apart. 

"Oh my Yggdrasill..." I whispered, my body frozen in fear. 

With a swift motion, Fenrir knocked me to the ground, pinning me beneath her massive claws. I couldn't move. It felt like a mountain had crashed down upon me. I could only writhe helplessly, unable to fight back.

"I will have my revenge on all of you," her voice rumbled, filled with unrelenting hatred. 

With one swift bite, she tore my arm from my body, the pain unimaginable, shooting through every nerve. I screamed, the agony worse than anything I had ever felt in my life. 

"P-please... let me go," I sobbed, but Fenrir didn't care. 

Slowly, she began to devour me alive, ignoring my desperate pleas for mercy. Each bite brought more pain, more suffering. My body began to go numb. Darkness crept in, and it seemed... this was the end of my story.