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Chapter 23: Hunter and Prey, The Key to Solving the Problem
🕑 Added 2025-03-11 19:48:48 +0000 UTC"The most important issue right now is the whereabouts of the Fountain of Wisdom!" Aaron said, his voice sharp and filled with urgency.
"Current information only confirms that the Fountain is located in Jotunheim," Irene responded, her tone thoughtful.
"Jotunheim, the land of the Frost Giants, is covered in ice year-round. The Frost Titans, its original inhabitants, are scattered all over the world," she continued.
"If you want to find the Fountain of Wisdom, you’ll have to face an immeasurable number of Titans, all of whom will block your path."
"This is the second problem," Aaron muttered.
The feud between the Frost Titans and Asgard had existed for centuries, rooted in a deadly history. The two races had fought countless battles, with the war culminating in Midgard a thousand years ago.
In that battle, Odin lost one of his eyes, a permanent injury, and the King of the Frost Titans, Lauf, was deprived of the Casket of Ancient Winters. Without this powerful artifact, Lauf lost his ability to challenge Odin and was forced to sign a non-aggression pact, bringing a fragile peace that lasted for millennia.
However, this peace was tenuous. The Frost Titans never treated Asgardians with kindness, and a clash was always a possibility.
Aaron remembered all too well that his predecessor’s parents had been killed by Lauf in that very battle a thousand years ago. So, in truth, Aaron shared a deep hatred for the Frost Titans.
If given the chance, he would gladly settle the score for the death of his parents.
That was why, when he had faced Loki before, a sense of repulsion stirred within him. Loki was, after all, a descendant of the Frost Titan royal family.
When Loki had been a child, Odin had used magic to transform him into an Asgardian and adopted him as his own. Aaron suspected this was part of Odin’s plan to make Loki the future King of the Frost Titans, replacing Lauf when the time was right, and thus easing the tensions between the two races.
Odin’s ultimate goal was to unite Asgard and the Frost Titans, using the brotherhood between Thor and Loki to promote peace in the Nine Realms. However, Odin had underestimated Loki, failing to explain his true origins and not paying attention to his growth. This led to Loki’s rebellious nature, as he mistakenly believed Odin favored Thor and resented his role in the Frost Titan royal family.
Loki eventually turned on his family, even orchestrating Lauf’s death and trying to destroy Jotunheim with the Bifrost. He sought to use this action as a way to claim the Asgard throne for himself.
Although Odin’s plan was well-intentioned, it had gone awry. Lauf’s death, while sudden, was no accident. Aaron knew never to underestimate Lauf, no matter how weak he might have appeared in comparison to Odin. Lauf remained a powerful king of the Frost Titans, his might not to be taken lightly.
With the countless Frost Titans scattered across the realms, reaching the Fountain of Wisdom would be a nearly impossible task.
Aaron considered his options:
He could either gain strength quickly and overpower Lauf and his minions, or—
"Stealth," he muttered, his thoughts aligning.
"If I can hide from the Frost Titans using stealth magic, I can avoid a direct confrontation."
"If I reach the Fountain of Wisdom, I can absorb enough magical energy to increase my power, thus avoiding a clash with Odin."
Aaron also knew that acquiring the Eternal Fire and the Casket of Ancient Winters from Asgard was a near-impossible task. Even for a magician, stealing such powerful artifacts would have severe consequences. If Odin discovered such a theft, no amount of magic could save him.
After all, Odin was the same ruthless being who had sealed away Hela, erasing all traces of her existence. Thor and Loki, for all their power, still didn’t know the truth about their sister—the one who had greater strength than both of them combined and was the rightful heir to the throne.
"Besides invisibility magic, there's still one last question." Aaron thought deeply.
"How do I get to Jotunheim?"
He paused. "There are two possible options."
"Heimdall... or Loki..." he mused.
Just then, Irene spoke, concern evident in her voice. "Aaron, Amora is an extremely dangerous person. There may be no one more dangerous in all of Asgard than her."
"Though you were lucky enough to avoid her this time, she won’t let this go. She’ll come after you."
"You need to stay away from her. Never be alone with her again."
Aaron nodded to acknowledge Irene’s worry, but his mind was already elsewhere. He had an idea, something that could solve the problem once and for all.
"Amora," he thought.
It had been Amora who had found the information about the Fountain of Wisdom. She also wielded formidable powers of mind control—and possibly even invisibility magic.
Perhaps, she held the key to everything.
In all of Asgard, besides Odin, only Frigg and Heimdall were likely to know the exact location of the Fountain. If Aaron could contain Heimdall, that problem would be solved.
"Amora... we will meet again soon," he said to himself, a determined glint in his eyes.
Suddenly, Aaron realized that he might be able to manipulate Amora. She had already brought him many surprises, and what was even more surprising was that her strength seemed to be the weakest of the key players. Her most powerful ability had been restrained by Aaron himself.
It was like fat meat delivered to his door.
Meanwhile, Amora, having just left the Magic Academy, sneezed violently.
She had no idea that the hunter had just become the hunted.
She had unknowingly become the soft persimmon, ripe for the picking.
