The Eldest spring

Ron woke up with a start. After having visions of a boy in a gray jumpsuit talking to a man in a business suit, it had frightened him to see that but also gave him a thought that he may have a special connection with the boy, the very same connection he shared with Ellen and Nathan, by just seeing the blue eyes he could tell that this was Thor's descendant. The one who is supposed to take over the role of the god of thunder.

The ground was warm despite being made of ice. He had a slight headache, but the rest of his body was fine. The last thing he remembered was a talking dragon looking at him, and after that, the rest was a blur.

Where am I, he thought while scanning the place suspiciously, his clothes had also been changed into something more ancient, a tunic that stopped on his ankles. He was perfectly clean and all the soil he had collected during his previous fight had been washed off his body.

He moved off the ice block he was resting on and sat at the edge, he could only imagine how much time he had wasted. This entire place resembled a cave made of ice. But it wasn't cold, it was warm and so cozy you could think someone had started a huge fire or switched on a thermostat.

He could still hear the harsh wind blowing, and it was clear he wouldn't survive even hours outside this cave.

The more he looked around, the more he understood that this wasn't an ordinary cave, this was a dragon's den telling from the size of the cave, the odd thing was a wooden bookshelf carrying a few books. But they were fantasy books like peter pan and little mermaid, the kind of books he would buy a little sister if he had one. What the hell was this place?

He was just about to panic when he heard the dragon's massive wings hover through the air and then a loud thud when it landed just outside the cave.

He cowered behind an empty bookshelf when its head and body moved in, rumbling the ground with each step it took. It was about the size of a King Kong or maybe a Godzilla, and that was just enough to make his heart pound like it wanted to pop out.

"Enough human, I can hear your heart pounding like a mouse," It spoke in a loud yet calm tone.

"Ron!" he heard Ellen's voice."Are you here?" she yelled,

Ron didn't know what to do, he's never seen a dragon what if it read his mind and it's now making an imitation of Ellen to lure him out.

"And dude if you think this is an imitation of our voices, then you are just as dumb, as that tutu your wearing," he heard Nathan's voice. He then slowly came from hiding and they were there standing and looking at him with smiles of joy on them.

Ellen surprised him when she dropped her bag, ran to him, and gave him a very tight hug with tears running down her cheeks, "We almost thought we lost you after the earthquake,"

"Earthquake?"

"Yes, we had just come out of the tunnels when we felt the ground shake and destroyed almost everything that was around us," she said. "We would be lost if it wasn't for her,"

Ron hadn't noticed the blue woman standing behind Nathan and Ginsu. She resembled an alien from the creepy sci-fi movies he watched with his mom. She had long black hair that stretched up to her back. With blue eyes that shimmered like the ice around them.

She dressed in a long blue and white cloak that matched her skin color. She also had a beautiful and kind smile that lit up the entire room.

She slowly bowed and said, "Good to see you again, Odin."

Ron listened to her voice and quickly put it together, this was the dragon he saw back on the mountain. But how did something so big become something so human-looking?

He squeezed in all his fear for dragons and approached the woman "Nidhug," he said. "Thank you for saving my life and friends."

"You're welcome my lord, but Nidhug was my father, I am Nidhaa," she said.

Ron was embarrassed.

"I sensed Odin's power in you so I had to help you and your friends," she spoke. "Odin was an ally to the dragon kind, he helped protect this realm from the frost giants along with my father so I owe him a great debt."

"Really?" Nathan chuckled. "Then can you help us get to the eldest spring,"

"Why?" She asked him, but instead, it was Ron who answered,

"We need to get into the realm of fire and get to the home of giants," there was a look of desperation in his eyes while speaking to her. " the giants kidnapped my mother, and am sure they want my ring."

"So you are just going to give them what they want?"

"A free ticket that allows them to travel anywhere in the universe and access to all magic," she argued like she was about to punch some sense into Ron, but she didn't.

I have a plan," he said

"You do!" Ellen and Nathan sounded both surprised by what they had just heard.

"Yes, I do," he said with a very unique and serious tone.

Nidhaa stared at him for a few seconds to read for any sign of deception on his face. She sensed none, she sighed, hoping she doesn't regret this.

"Follow me," she said then walked into a corridor that stretched further into a garden of ice, the plants were as white as snow but the area wasn't cold at all.

Ron kept on having flashing images of how this place looked like before, the grass was green and a beam of sunlight would be shining down on this very garden. There were birds of all colors humming and flying around.

What happened to this place? He asked Nidhaa,

"When the gods died, this place also started to die. The spring's waters became cooler and the ice that surrounds this realm started to grow from within the garden, and to think of it, the ice has been growing ever since frost giants took over most parts of this realm and my father sacrificed himself to make sure those monsters never get here," she answered.

They continued through the garden to the very end of it. Nidhaa then stopped in front of a door made of thick ice.

Ron moved closer to her and she joined her fingers to form a kite, her eyes glowed blue and a glowing kite symbol formed on the door and opened instantly.

The doors opened slowly and the first thing that they set their eyes on was the elder spring; Hvergelmir, its waters were still but some of it was in the air floating like they were moving in slow motion. It was surrounded by the giant roots of Yggdrasil and you could that the spring was being provided heat by her roots.

Ron stepped forward and the floating water turned into letters written in ancient Norse.

The letters read "Welcome Ron, I am Hvergelmir."

Ron's legs were jelly, but he couldn't tell if it was from fear or excitement of seeing the floating water, it felt like a fictional movie happening right in front of him "I am here for a request elder spring,"

"and which one is that?" it answered,

We want you to send us to the place closest to Jotunheim," he replied.

'That will cost you."

"I know, that's why I have this," The coin Thor had offered him appeared in his hand and he showed it to the living spring.

'Look into the water" it wrote,

Ron did as asked then looked into the water, all he could see was his reflection.

"I accept to take you and the girl, but the godslayer stays here," the reflection spoke.

"I can't allow that, how am I supposed to go against giants without him," Ron argued,

The reflection smiled, "You're a god, a godslayer, and a human I bet you will figure something out," it said.

"It's okay Ron, I will stay…" Nathan said in a very sad tone. " I have seen you punch a giant wolf and fight beings who are supposed to be impossible to beat, you don't need me to show those giants a piece of your mind. So go save your mom," he continued with energy.

Ron felt terrible, "I will come back for you." he said,

"I know," they both nodded at each other, and then Ron's clothes changed magically and he was no longer in a tunic, but in a blue jean jacket, with a blue t-shirt, a pair of black vintage trousers, and the same all-star sneakers he had stolen a while back from Nathan.

He dropped the coin into the spring as Ellen stepped forward.

Keep him safe," Nathan told Ellen, and she simply smiled.

The water started boiling the steam accumulated. Both Ellen and Ron stood onto one of the roots surrounding the spring and then dived into the boiling waters .