Cave

Freya slowly drifted back into consciousness. Her body feeling heavy and unresponsive. The first thing she became aware of was the faint sound of water, a steady drip, drip, drip echoing in the distance. It reverberated through her skull like a small hammer tapping against her mind. She winced, her head throbbing as she tried to focus on the sound.

Her eyes fluttered open but her vision blurr. The world around her reduced to vague shapes and shadows. She blinked. Slowly, the shapes began to sharpen and she realized she was lying on cold, hard stone.

Freya groaned and try to move but her limbs felt sluggish. She managed to turn her head slightly, her gaze catching sight of the cave walls around her. The cavern was dark, the only light coming from a distant opening.

"What happened to me?"

Freya's mind struggled to piece together what had happened. Her thoughts were jumbled, memories swimming just out of reach.

She frowned as she tried to remember. There had been a battle—yes, a fierce battle in the frozen wilderness. She had been hunting something, someone. Her breath hitched as she recalled the searing pain in her abdomen, the jagged blade that had torn through her flesh. Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach, feeling the rough texture of hastily bandaged wounds.

"Who…?" The question formed on her lips, barely a whisper, as the fragmented memories began to coalesce in her mind.

There had been a figure, cloaked in darkness.

Freya forced herself to sit up and leaned against the rough cave wall for support. Her head spun and making her feel nauseous. She clenched her fists trying to steady herself and trying to remember more.

She tried to stand but something was holding her down. Freya looked down and saw a manacle clamped around her ankle. The metal was cold and it was etched with intricate runes that pulsed with a faint light. The runes blinked in a rhythmic pattern, almost as if they were alive.

Confusion and worried filled her. She tugged at the manacle but it held firm. Frustration mixed with fear as she realized she was trapped.

A soft sound of footsteps caught her attention. Freya's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing as she peered into the shadows of the cave. From the darkness a figure emerged, clad in a black robe. The figure's face was hidden behind a mask, the same cold, unfeeling eyes she had seen before piercing through the darkness.

"He is the one who brought me here." Frey clenched her jaw when the memories started to come back to her mind.

Freya's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the masked figure. She still didn't know who he was, but she knew he is the enemy.

"Who are you?" Freya's voice was hoarse, laced with defiance. "What do you want with me?"

Nox remained silent as he approached her. The cold aura around him seemed to intensify.

Nox stood silently before Freya. His eyes, hidden behind the mask, seemed to bore into her, as if dissecting her very soul.

"You won't escape," Nox said. "The manacle is enchanted, bound to you by runes that you cannot break. It draws strength from your very essence. But, maybe you already know about that."

Freya glared at him, anger flaring in her chest. She clenched her fists. "Is that so? We'll see."

Nox didn't respond immediately. Instead, he remained stil.

Freya's mind raced, trying to assess the situation. She knew that she needed information. This person is definitely in part of the whole scheme of this early Ragnarok. She had to figure out who this man was and what they want.

"What is your purpose?" Freya demanded. "Who are you? Why go through all this trouble to capture me?" she asked again.

Nox tilted his head slightly, as if amused by her questions. A low chuckle escaped him, the sound echoing off the cave walls. His amusement only fueled her anger but she forced herself to stay calm.

"You ask too many questions already," Nox replied. "I can not give the answer you want. As for who I am… does it matter? A name, a face—it's all irrelevant in the grand scheme of things."

Freya's frustration grew, but she pressed on. "Then tell me what you want. Why target me? There must be a reason."

Nox's chuckle deepened, a cold, unsettling sound.

"Reasons… purposes… motives… Perhaps it's destiny, or perhaps it's simply because you were in the wrong place at the right time. Or maybe… it's all part of a greater plan, one that you cannot yet comprehend."

Freya's eyes narrowed as she listened to Nox's evasive words. He was giving her nothing concrete. But there was something behind his words, a hint of something larger at play, something she couldn't quite grasp.

"What plan?" she pressed.

Nox's silence returned. Then, after a long moment, he spoke again. "All will be revealed… in time. For no you can just rest, Freya."

The suddenly, Nox moved closer to Freya. His gaze lingered on her, tracing the lines of her face, her defiant eyes, the curve of her lips.

There was a shift in the air as if something primal had awoken within him. His gloved hand reached out, fingers brushing against Freya's cheek with a touch that was unsettlingly gentle. Beneath the leather he could feel the warmth of her skin and it aroused him.

"You're so beautiful," Nox murmured, his voice laced with a sinister edge. His thumb traced the line of her jaw, the touch lingering as he continued, "I could have you for myself right now, enjoy your body in ways you've never known..."

Freya's heart pounded, not in fear, but in fury.

Nox leaned in closer, his face inches from hers. Then Freya surged forward, drawing every ounce of strength she had at the moment and butted her head against his with all the force she could muster.

The impact was brutal, the collision of bone against the metal of his mask sending a shockwave of pain through her skull, but she didn't care.

Nox staggered back, momentarily stunned by the unexpected blow, his hand instinctively rising to his face. A low growl escaped him, the sound laced with both pain and anger. Somehow, Freya can hurt him even though his face is hidden behind a metal mask.

"You bitch!" Nox screamed. "I will bring you brother and father's head to you soon! And I'll fuck you in front of them!"

With that, Nox walked away. Freya grinned as if satisfied with what she had done to him. Blood start leaking from her forehead.

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