The God of Mischief

I kept walking, trudging through the increasingly thick snow. My lips felt dry, accompanied by a scratchy, sore throat. These were telltale signs of dehydration.

"Embarrassing... dehydrated in the middle of winter, huh?" I muttered in frustration, wiping my cracked lips.

I gazed at the endless white expanse of snow stretching as far as the eye could see. For a fleeting moment, I thought about scooping up a handful of snow to eat, but I knew it wouldn't help much.

Unlike rain, which is essentially pure hydrogen, snow is a mixture of rain particles and air that crystallize due to freezing temperatures. Eating snow wouldn't alleviate dehydration; it would only fill my body with empty air and a tiny bit of water.

Moreover, snow could easily be contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens, a serious risk, especially in my injured state. Eating snow wasn't a wise option.

Grumble. Grumble.

I clutched my stomach as it growled loudly. "Damn... I hope I can find food soon."

The gnawing hunger tore through me, amplifying the pain and exhaustion already overwhelming my body. Despite it all, I forced myself to keep moving forward, staggering with unsteady steps, unsure of where I was headed.

"What's that?" I squinted, catching a faint glimmer in the distance, a reflection of sunlight on something shiny.

Driven by desperation, I dragged myself toward the shimmering light, each step a laborious effort through the thick snowdrifts.

"It's..." A wide grin spread across my face when I saw what it was, a small pond nestled amidst the frigid forest.

It felt like a miracle in the middle of this desolation. My pace quickened despite my trembling legs and the crushing weight of fatigue. Reaching the pond's edge, I dropped to my knees and plunged my face into the icy water, drinking deeply without hesitation.

The cold, refreshing liquid coursed down my throat, soothing the parched ache. My thirst was finally quenched, and I could feel a small measure of strength returning to my weary body.

In the clear water, I noticed tiny ripples breaking its stillness. Squinting to see better, I spotted small fish darting about in the pond.

"How lucky I am," I murmured weakly, smiling. Finding fish to eat felt like an unexpected blessing amidst my dire circumstances.

"Fishing would take too long." Weighing my options, I decided I needed food immediately. "Using a net would be faster."

Reaching for Muramasa, sheathed at my side, I transformed it into a fine fishing net, a tool commonly used by fishermen. Summoning the last of my strength, I cast the net into the pond.

Once the net had sunk beneath the surface, I carefully pulled it back, taking my time to avoid startling the fish. When I lifted the net fully out of the water, I saw several small fish wriggling helplessly within it.

"This should do," I said, letting Muramasa return to its original form. The captured fish flopped onto the snow, their movements slowing as the cold sapped their energy.

Too weak to build a fire, I had no choice but to eat them raw. Using Muramasa's sharp blade, I cleaned and sliced the fish into thin pieces of sashimi.

Picking up a piece, I popped it into my mouth. The raw flesh was slick and faintly fishy, but I didn't care. "Yeah... this is my first time making sashimi, but it's not half bad."

After finishing the meal and resting briefly, I felt my energy slowly returning. The protein from the fish had begun to replenish some of my lost strength.

"Is that... a cave?"

Scanning the surroundings, my eyes landed on a nearby cave entrance. I knew I needed shelter, at least for the night. Approaching the cave cautiously, I prayed it would be empty. Unfortunately, my hopes weren't fully realized.

Inside the cave lay a large bear, curled up in a warm ball of fur, deep in hibernation.

"Yeah... I've already had plenty of miracles today. It'd be too much to expect everything to go smoothly."

I paused, weighing my options. If I let the bear live, I wouldn't be able to claim the cave. But waking it meant risking a fight, a troublesome prospect given my weakened condition.

"Should I kill it?" I asked myself aloud.

After a moment of deliberation, I decided to kill the bear to avoid future trouble. Gripping Muramasa tightly, I transformed it into a spear. With one swift motion, I drove the spear into the bear's heart.

The beast roared loudly, thrashing in its final moments, but I gave it no chance. Pressing the spear deeper, I waited until its growls faded into silence.

Standing over its lifeless body, I exhaled heavily. "I'm sorry, but I had no choice."

I felt no guilt, this was nature's law. In the wild, failure to act could mean becoming prey to those stronger than you, just as this bear had fallen to me.

A pungent, metallic scent filled the air. "Damn it, bear meat and blood have such a strong smell. If I leave it here, it'll attract predators. Small ones wouldn't be a problem, but if it's something like a Spino..."

My mind wandered to the Spinosaurus that had attacked me before, its terrifying strength still fresh in my memory. "Ugh... I really need to clean this up."

With my good arm, I dragged the bear's corpse out of the cave, walking far enough to dispose of it at a safe distance.

As I walked, my eyes scanned for leaves to mask the scent of blood. "Ah, there, pine leaves," I muttered in relief, spotting a cluster of evergreen branches. Stuffing as many as I could into my coat pockets, I smiled. "Yep, this should work."

Continuing my trek, I passed tall pine trees standing proud against the winter. Their dense foliage seemed untouched by the cold, while the occasional chirp of birds accompanied me along the way.

Reaching an open clearing, I found a suitable spot where sunlight filtered unobstructed through the trees. Placing the bear's body squarely in the center, I ensured it was visible from every angle.

"That's done," I said, dusting off my hands. "Its stench will attract predators, keeping them away from the cave so I can rest peacefully."

With phase one of my plan complete, I headed back to the cave at a more relaxed pace. "Now all that's left is to clean up the blood and scatter the pine leaves around the cave."

As I walked, I noticed my wounds beginning to show signs of healing. Even my right arm, though still stiff, had regained some mobility. "Looks like I'll be halfway recovered by tonight."

A faint smile tugged at my lips as I allowed the melodious chirping of a bird perched on a branch to mingle with the whispers of the winter wind. Together, they created a natural symphony no one could resist.

*****

[PoV Loki]

From my hideout, darkness crept in, swallowing every trace of light. I sat on a throne of black stone, rough and cold, placed at the center of a vast hall filled with sharp stalactites hanging from the ceiling.

Dim torches cast their faint glow across the space, while the stench of sulfur greeted anyone who dared enter my domain. "Ah... this is a place perfectly suited for someone like me."

I gazed at my crystal orb, infusing it with a small flicker of mana. Before long, the orb began to glow softly, projecting the image of someone I was keeping an eye on.

"Ah, Fenrir, my foolish little daughter," I muttered, a mischievous grin spreading across my lips. "What are you up to now?"

Inside the orb, Fenrir, with her striking lavender hair, paced anxiously in a luxurious room provided by Utgarda Loki. Her unease was written all over her beautiful face.

"Yata! Where are you?! How could this happen?" she cried out, slamming her fist against the wall so hard that it cracked.

Her eyes glowed fiercely, like moonlight cutting through the dark, as she kept calling out for her beloved raven. "Yata..."

"Hahaha!" I couldn't hold back my laughter, the sound echoing through the dark hall I occupied. "Oh, Fenrir! That... that is priceless. Hahaha!"

Finally, I managed to stifle my laughter, wiping away the tears that spilled from the corners of my eyes. "Tricking that bird into aiding your escape was truly a stroke of genius. I must say, I'm immensely proud of my own brilliance. Simply magnificent!"

I sighed, calming myself. "But... the disappearance of that little bird was indeed an unforeseen turn of events."

Truth be told, I had no idea what had happened to the raven. But wasn't that what made everything so much more thrilling? Uncertainty is the finest spice for any drama.

"Could it simply be an accident? Or... was it intentional? But by whom? One of Odin's spies? Or perhaps..." My sly grin widened as the possibilities danced through my mind.

Thinking about the spies Odin had undoubtedly placed in Utgard, I could easily conclude that the old man was aware of Fenrir's whereabouts. What gave me pause was whether he knew about Yata's existence.

"No, no, no, this is not good," I said, shaking my head but still smiling. "If Odin realizes that bird's potential, he'll undoubtedly shift his focus onto it. This drama will be cut short, and that simply cannot happen. It would ruin all the fun I've just set in motion."

I shrugged. "Ah, well... I'll figure it out later."

Leaning back against my throne, I stared blankly at the stalactites above.

"Thor will likely be sent once he finishes yet another boring task in Midgard," I mused aloud. "Oh, Thor, the wielder of thunder. I can't wait to see how you play your part in this new act. Can you truly stop my daughter, O god of thunder?"

With a wave of my hand, the crystal orb dimmed, Fenrir's image fading into darkness. Slowly, I rose from my throne, my long dark cloak brushing against the mist-covered floor.

"This will be a magnificent show," I whispered, letting my voice blend with the cold, piercing shadows. "And I will make sure I have the best seat to watch it all unfold."

With a light movement, my form faded into the shadows, leaving the mysterious cavern behind.

Whatever might happen, one thing was certain—I was the author of this story, and everything would proceed according to my will... or perhaps in ways even more chaotic than I anticipated. Only time would reveal the next act.