Muspell

The realm of fire.

The great dome of the heavens projected a deathly pitch black hue that squashed all hope, however the realm was far from dim.

No, torrents of primal flame sailed through the air wantonly, eliciting red hot explosions of wind that screamed as they battered Adams figure. Rather than an inhabitable world, this was a realm in an eternal baptism of fire.

Yes, the soul of this Hell writhed in abvious agony. And yet this strangely brought Adam a smidgen of peace.

'Thud'

Adam's knees heavily hit the earth as he clutched his heart. 

'I sent the Tri Centauri that dark night.' Theia's cruel words appeared in his mind the same time as his mother's pale broken visage.

"No...no...how could it be like this. How could it be like this!!"

His body convulsed immensely as he opened his mouth an let out all his anguish and despair in a horrific scream.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH"

Sound waves of immense proportion escaped his lips. But though normally intangible, as they touched the flaming winds of Muspell they actually..... caused them to frantically recede!!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH"

His despair exploded in an even more soul rending scream, transforming from the frightening wail of a banshee to the forbidden roars of a thousand ghouls. 

In creasing in volumes as it dug deep chasms into the terrain around him.

In his anguish, he had failed to notice any of this, that he had actually summoned the full force of the scream of phobos.

A cursed yell that terrified the old gods!

A forbidden power that no demi god son of phobos had been able to access, said to decimate lands with its power and incite sheer terror in the bravest of hearts.

No one had ever awakened it, because the emotions needed to do so could only be born in the deepest pit of despair.

A torn heart.

A shattered existence.

***

Muspell was a barren cruel land with the cruelest laws of survival.

Unlike Vanaheim which was split evenly between the Void Fey and the Vanir, Muspell was ruled almost entirely by the Chaos Phenexes. 

All other clans and powers were completely subservient to them.

This was not because they had earned the loyalty of the realm, no it was because they were by far the strongest!

They cruelly pressured and killed their vassals until they fell into a frightened obedience, and at the helm of this was not the Phenex emperor who currently held the title of the second strongest shura alive.

No it was the princess of the Chaos Phenexes, Esther Phenex. She was only a few centuries old, and yet she had strength close to her fathers.

One could only imagine how much blood she had spilled to reach her current height, for she was known as the bloodmon princess.

A demon with no concience, one who had committed enough sins to sink herself into the fourteenth layer of hell.

Oddly enough her fame was only partly due to her cruel methods. Rather she was worshipped as the most beautiful goddess ever to grace the lands of the seven worlds.

How great a shame it was that as far as anyone could remember, she had always worn a mask that veiled her face. 

***

Hoth. The home of the flame giants.

The current king, lord Utgard rushed into his halls as he shouted grave orders at his subjects.

"Enforce a strict curfew and engage all defences!"

He was a full twelve feet tall and his body rippled with muscles boasting explosive power. An air of volatile fire rotated endlessly around him.

He normally had a powerful and dignified bearing, but tonight his palms were riddled with cold sweat as he awaited his fate.

 Besides him, his prime advisor nervously beseech him. "My lord perhaps this is a mere ruse. After all, the Lord of the crimson phenexs surely remembers our loyal devotion all these years. Besides, a storm of flame delayed our tribute, it was not our fault at all. How could they possibly-"

"Silence." Utgard yelled. "The Chaos phenexes have absolutely no humanity. They are brutal, savage murderers who worship death. I only hope that.." His eyes trailed towards a young flame giant boy resting within his bed. His smile became limitlessly gently as he finished his words. "That the deaths end with me."

"My lord!" The advisor began, however the next moment a cold wind blew across the chamber.

Utgard's expression changed greatly as he yelled. "Get out! All of you! Out now!!!"

A vast overbearing energy exploded from his form, shoving the advisor next to him, as well as the maids and guards at his side out of the chamber.

Every source of light in the chamber immediately went out, plunging it into a frightening silence.

Suddenly all was silent but the even breathing of a child.

"Heh, the great flame giant King actually cleared a room for this Heiress. Do you want to make my little princess heart explode?" A soft languid vice suddenly spoke from within the darkness.

Rather than any imperious force, the voice contained an extreme seductiveness that would make one feel as if they were immersed in cotton.

Even Utgard with his vast mental fortitude was not immune.

He fiercely but his lower lips as he felt a strange heat rising within him

He fiercely but his lower lips as he felt a strange heat rising within him.

For he knew that the woman with him could on a whim, exterminate all the lives of his house.

"I thank the princess for coming all this way for this little king. I understand that this blind and stupid king has let down the empire.

My princess, please be magnanimous and forgive this kings kinsmen. Even if this king must apologise by suicide he is willing."

Utgard said through clenched teeth. Never before had he begged someone in such a pathetic manner. But tonight, for the sake of his kingdom, he had no choice.

"Calm down please, great flame giant king. I am not here for your life. Do not worry, you know it is beneath this princess to lie to you. I was just hoping you could give me some advice." The woman replied.

Taken aback, Utgard paused mometarily before hurriedly replying. "If there is anything this little king can help the princess with I will not hesitate." At the same time he had relaxed somewhat. If the great Esther phenex made the claim thay she was not here to harm anyone then it was probably true.

As she had said before, it was beneath her dignity to deceive him.

"Good." Esther sounded warm as her silhouette nodded within the darkness.

She began in a soft cottony tone. "You see I have this dog I treated well to the best of my ability, unfortunately it has grown defiant lately. I would appreciate a few suggestions on how to discipline it." She requested.

Utgards fear wholly returned as he assumed an even humbly position in his prostration. "My princess please show this one mercy." He begged as his body continually shivered.

"I personally can only think of one way to discipline this beast; to take away its bone!." Esther continued idly as her steps resounded in the darkness.

She came to a stop by the large bed, staring at the youth sleeping within with an almost warm gaze.

"Sigh what a pitiful a child. It almost breaks my heart to do this, but if even your father does not want you to live, what can I do?" Her perfect entrancing voice suddenly anointed in a helpless tone.

"No please don't. NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Finally aware of her vile plan Utgard finally rose from the floor as he rushed towards Esther.

A pity

He reacted too late.

The cold evil smile on Esther's dimly illuminated face informed him of that much. Her soft and dainty calk whit palms had already closed around the boys throat and chest, as if to draw him into a deep embrace.

[Crrrkkkkkkk Flsshhhhshhhhh] What followed was the unmentionable sound of flesh being grinded, ruptured and torn followed by the desolate cry of the flame giant king.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH "

****

Esther now stood alone in the glowing crimson flame storms of Muspell. A faint ghastly smile sat at the edge of her lips.

Seemingly, she was indifferent to the fact that she was covered with blood, bone fragments and bowels from head to toe.